Sir Ector muffled a crow of laughter as Merlin scowled.
“If I might venture to change the subject,” Sir Ulfius said.
“I suppose, as long as we have no model knight my idea isn’t much good. What’s on your mind, Sir Ulfius?” Britt asked.
Sir Ulfius pressed his fingers together. “I have located the Round Table you so greatly desire.”
“Really? That’s fantastic!” Britt said, flashing the older knight a brilliant smile.
Britt had always disliked stories about King Arthur—she hated Lancelot the back-stabbing best friend with a vengeance and found the courtly romances to be trite—but as one of her close friends was an avid fan Britt wasn’t able to entirely escape stories about the famous king. As such she knew vaguely of some of the more famous parts of Arthurian lore, like the Round Table.
“I suppose so,” Sir Ulfius reluctantly said.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Sir Ulfius, the Round Table is a big deal. Thank you for finding it. Where is it?”
Sir Ulfius shifted and avoided looking at Britt. “I have discovered that it was given to King Leodegrance by Uther Pendragon. He still has it.”
“Leodegrance? That’s even better news. He’s been our ally since I was crowned king, and he owes us after Sir Bodwain and King Ban and King Bors saved him from that weasel King Ryence,” Britt said. “He’ll let us buy it off him, have you asked what he wants for it?”
“I know you have your heart set on the table, so I had one of my comrades from Uther’s court make an inquiry on your behalf,” Sir Ulfius said.
“And?”
Sir Ulfius sighed. “His requirement is that you would take his daughter, Guinevere, as your wife.”
“Not an option. Ask him how much gold he would like,” Britt said.
Sir Ulfius shook his head. “He informed my comrade marriage was the only way he would see the Round Table removed from his halls.”
“Doubtlessly he’s figured out how important the Round Table is to you,” Merlin said, finally chiming in. “He is an unimportant ally compared to King Ban and King Bors, and having you as a son-in-law would be the greatest boon he could ever ask for. If you marry his daughter he’ll be able to lean upon you even more. We will tell the prig to bugger off and that will be the end of it.”
Britt frowned. “I want the Round Table, Merlin.”
Merlin threw his hands in the air. “Why? We’ll make you your own blasted round table!”
“It wouldn’t be the same.”
“No, it would be better. It wouldn’t be stained and scratched up like this cumbersome thing Leodegrance has,” Merlin insisted.
“Do we know for certain that it is the Round Table?” Sir Kay asked, smoothing his mustache.
“No,” Sir Ulfius said. “My comrade never saw the table, it is in storage. King Leodegrance only brings it out for great feasts and such.”
“Good riddance,” Merlin said. “It’s probably a nasty, half destroyed piece of furniture. Uther was a rough man. I can’t imagine any table of his has fared well.”
“Merlin… I really want that table,” Britt said.
The young wizard met her gaze and the two stared at each other for several moments. “Blast. Fine,” Merlin said, mussing his blonde hair as he scratched the top of his head. “Have it your way. Kay, send an official courier to Leodegrance from Arthur inquiring about the price of the table. Make it absolutely clear that desires for marriage are intolerable.”
Sir Kay bowed and left the room as Merlin planted his chin on his hand.
“Happy?” Merlin snarked.
“Abundantly so,” Britt smiled. “Thank you, Merlin!”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “I still do not understand your fascination with circular tables,” he said as Britt seated herself in the chair next to him.
“It’s part of the legend,” Britt said.
“You are the legend, you can make up your own legends,” Merlin complained, raising his hand to acknowledge Sir Ulfius and Sir Ector as they rose and left the room.
“Maybe, but some things have to happen,” Britt said.
“Like owning the Round Table?” Merlin asked.
“Like owning the Round Table,” Britt echoed.
Two weeks passed without any new revelations. Couriers were sent back and forth between Merlin and King Leodegrance without any successful bargains being struck. The usually affable king was quite stubborn in his demands.
“I’ll go without the Round Table before I see Guinevere in Camelot,” Britt said. Her intense hatred of Lancelot was matched by her disdain for Guinevere, King Arthur’s unfaithful wife.
Cavall, Britt’s giant apricot colored mastiff, a guard dog given to her by Sir Kay, whined at her feet.
Britt leaned over the armrest of her wooden throne and affectionately scratched her dog’s side. “It’s nothing, my fine boy. Don’t worry.”