“My name is Pellinore. King Pellinore,” the Sable Knight said.
Britt rummaged through her memories. “King Pellinore, King Pellinore. Sorry I—oh,” she said, suddenly recalling King Pellinore as one of Lot’s closest allies.
The Sable Knight/King Pellinore bowed his head. “Please, do not take further revenge on me.”
“What?”
“I imagine you must plan to bring your army here and march against me. But I beg you, My Lord, please spare me,” King Pellinore said.
“Why would I attack you?” Britt asked looking to Merlin.
“Because I have hurt one of your knights and I fought you,” King Pellinore said.
“Griflet got hurt because he’s a young idiot who wouldn’t listen to me. If you tried to talk him out of it as you say you did I can hardly hold you responsible for attacking him—although perhaps you could have been a little less brutal.”
“Singing a different tune now that you’ve met him, eh?” Merlin asked.
Britt glared at her counselor. “I thought the Sable Knight was going to be a blood thirsty brute of a man. As asinine as your shield-stealing-apple-tree-plan is I’m not going to go to war over it. Why on Earth are you doing it in the first place?”
“Furthermore, why are you here? You rule Anglesey, that’s far west and north of here,” Merlin said.
King Pellinore rolled his eyes to the side. “After I left King Lot with my troops I picked up the trail of the Questing Beast and followed him south. When I lost the trail and thought to return home I received a message from my wife.”
“And?” Merlin prodded.
“She was not pleased. She told me I had been absent from my kingdom for so long I may as well stay lost.”
“Ah.”
“I made up my mind to return home anyway, but Camelot stands between myself and Anglesey…”
“Yes?” Britt said in the silence.
“You thought Arthur would attack you and your remaining guards when he heard of your crossing, didn’t you?” Merlin shrewdly said.
King Pellinore sighed. “I did. I wronged my men by involving them in a war against a man who was clearly God’s chosen King. I wouldn’t get them slaughtered by crossing Camelot.”
Britt looked around at the apple tree and the gloomy castle. “So you’ve holed yourself up here, challenging random knights who are smart enough to read and foolish enough to ignore petty warnings?”
King Pellinore was a stately man, but some of the majesty in his bearings left him when he hung his head.
Britt turned to Merlin, who considered King Pellinore. The wizard nodded after a moment and Britt blankly stared at him before giving him a thumbs up and a thumbs down. Merlin rolled his eyes before ungraciously performing a thumbs up—a gesture Britt had forced him to learn for the sake of offering advice without using words.
“Stay here no longer then. Unless you pillage and plunder your way home you’re far more likely to be an irritation if you remain here, picking fights, than you are if you travel through my lands,” Britt said, settling her helm back on her head.
King Pellinore stood, and the nobility returned to his being as he fixed his gaze on Britt. “You would offer mercy to one who was once your enemy?”
“Of course. Ywain is the son of my one time enemy King Urien, and he’s one of my favorites in my courts,” Britt said. “As long as you keep peace with me I have no quarrel with you. Unless you send your pretty female relatives to plague me,” Britt dryly said.
“Queen Morgause is staying at Camelot,” Merlin said at King Pellinore’s inquisitive look.
“Oh. My sympathies,” King Pellinore said, crossing himself.
“Indeed. We had best be off, Merlin. I would like to have some dinner and ask Griflet what he meant by leaving out the part of his story where King Pellinore advised him to leave,” Britt said, mounting Roen.
“I thank you for your mercy, King Arthur,” King Pellinore said.
“I hope we can be peaceful neighbors, if not friends, King Pellinore,” Britt said when Merlin gave her a meaningful look.
“It would be my honor,” King Pellinore said.
“Safe travels home, goodbye,” Britt called over her shoulder as she and Merlin started the journey back to camp.
Chapter 5
Defined Loyalties
“It is good to be home,” Britt said, stretching her hands above her head as Roen walked through the inner gates of Camelot, heading for the royal stable. Servants streamed out of the castle to take saddle packs, camping gear, and leftover provisions. Knights and courtiers weren’t far behind them.
“Welcome home, King Arthur.”
“I am glad to see you have safely returned, My Lord.”
“God bless King Arthur!”
Britt flashed a quick smile at her greeters before she slid off Roen. “Wow, my butt hurts.”
“I am glad to see your short holiday has not drastically changed your personality, My Lord,” Sir Kay said, appearing at Britt’s elbow.