shook her head. “No. That is for you to do.”
“I’ll call him Cabal,” said Arthur, and scratched the puppy’s nose. “How typical this is,” he managed to say a little breathlessly to Cai’s grinning face. “Merlin gives me a sword, and Morgan gives me a dog!”
Cai and Ector began to laugh, and after a minute Claudius Virgilius joined in too.
The kings and princes of Britain were gathered in Venta when Merlin’s party rode in the evening before the council. Venta had been a district capital during the days of Roman rule, and the council was to be held in the building where the Civitates, or local legislature, had once met.
The first thing Merlin’s party noticed as they approached the city was the number of men quartered in tents on the outskirts. “They are northerners,” Claudius said grimly. And indeed it was easy to place the strangers from the checked pattern of their tunics and breeches. “Lot’s men,” Claudius added, and looked quickly at Arthur.
The boy’s dark face was unperturbed. “He comes rather heavily escorted for a council.”
“It’s a show of strength,” said Ector, and Arthur nodded.
“I wonder if Lot brought Morgause,” said Morgan.
The men stared at her. It was Merlin who chose to explain. “If Lot has fighting on his mind, he would hardly risk his wife as a hostage.”
Morgan’s brown eyes were wide. “Oh,” she said. “Does he want to fight? I thought he wanted the high kingship handed to him.”
Arthur was the one whose eyes registered comprehension. “In which case, a fruitful wife and three healthy sons would be a distinct asset. Particularly if the wife is the sister of the present queen.”
“Oh,” said Cai, as understanding dawned for him too. “I see what you mean. And Lot, of course, knows nothing of Arthur.”
Arthur laughed. “What odds will you give, Cai, that we meet a whole clutch of Lothians at Venta?”
“This is not a laughing matter,” Merlin snapped.
“No indeed,” echoed Claudius with a worried frown.
Arthur winked at Morgan and she had to look away to maintain her gravity.
Almost the first words Uther uttered as he greeted his son and his father-in-law an hour later were, “Lot’s brought Morgause and his sons.”
“We must make Morgan a member of the council,” Arthur murmured to Merlin under his breath.
Merlin glared. He thought Arthur was taking this new development far too lightly.
“I have had to give house room to all of them.” Igraine was furious.
The king and queen, Arthur, and Merlin were alone in Uther’s chamber. A cozy family party, Arthur thought, and stared at the floor so no one could see the hilarity in his eyes.
“Of course,” said Merlin, “Lot knows nothing yet about Arthur.”
Uther’s face wore its most sardonic look. “It might have been a clever move,” he conceded. “With Morgause already quartered in the praetorium, it would not seem so odd for Lot to move in also as the next high king.”
Igraine’s beautiful face was stamped with satisfaction. “Well, he has overreached himself at last,” she said. “Uther already has an heir.”
Arthur, who had not yet spoken, threw his mother a look that was the duplicate of his father’s.
Merlin spoke quickly. “You might say that Lot has actually played into our hands. He will not risk a fight until he has his family safely home in Lothian.”
Igraine’s voice was cold and sharp as an icicle. “They will not be going home to Lothian. Have your wits gone wandering, Father? They will stay right here, hostages for Lot’s good behavior.”
Merlin stared at his daughter. “Are you serious, Igraine? Morgause is your sister.”
Arthur spoke for the first time. “The queen is always practical.”
Igraine gave her son a long, hard look. Arthur’s gray eyes were guileless. Merlin thought, with irritation, that he was enjoying himself.
“Lot was a fool to bring them here,” Igraine said to Arthur, “and we would be fools not to
“I’ll call him Cabal,” said Arthur, and scratched the puppy’s nose. “How typical this is,” he managed to say a little breathlessly to Cai’s grinning face. “Merlin gives me a sword, and Morgan gives me a dog!”
Cai and Ector began to laugh, and after a minute Claudius Virgilius joined in too.
The kings and princes of Britain were gathered in Venta when Merlin’s party rode in the evening before the council. Venta had been a district capital during the days of Roman rule, and the council was to be held in the building where the Civitates, or local legislature, had once met.
The first thing Merlin’s party noticed as they approached the city was the number of men quartered in tents on the outskirts. “They are northerners,” Claudius said grimly. And indeed it was easy to place the strangers from the checked pattern of their tunics and breeches. “Lot’s men,” Claudius added, and looked quickly at Arthur.
The boy’s dark face was unperturbed. “He comes rather heavily escorted for a council.”
“It’s a show of strength,” said Ector, and Arthur nodded.
“I wonder if Lot brought Morgause,” said Morgan.
The men stared at her. It was Merlin who chose to explain. “If Lot has fighting on his mind, he would hardly risk his wife as a hostage.”
Morgan’s brown eyes were wide. “Oh,” she said. “Does he want to fight? I thought he wanted the high kingship handed to him.”
Arthur was the one whose eyes registered comprehension. “In which case, a fruitful wife and three healthy sons would be a distinct asset. Particularly if the wife is the sister of the present queen.”
“Oh,” said Cai, as understanding dawned for him too. “I see what you mean. And Lot, of course, knows nothing of Arthur.”
Arthur laughed. “What odds will you give, Cai, that we meet a whole clutch of Lothians at Venta?”
“This is not a laughing matter,” Merlin snapped.
“No indeed,” echoed Claudius with a worried frown.
Arthur winked at Morgan and she had to look away to maintain her gravity.
Almost the first words Uther uttered as he greeted his son and his father-in-law an hour later were, “Lot’s brought Morgause and his sons.”
“We must make Morgan a member of the council,” Arthur murmured to Merlin under his breath.
Merlin glared. He thought Arthur was taking this new development far too lightly.
“I have had to give house room to all of them.” Igraine was furious.
The king and queen, Arthur, and Merlin were alone in Uther’s chamber. A cozy family party, Arthur thought, and stared at the floor so no one could see the hilarity in his eyes.
“Of course,” said Merlin, “Lot knows nothing yet about Arthur.”
Uther’s face wore its most sardonic look. “It might have been a clever move,” he conceded. “With Morgause already quartered in the praetorium, it would not seem so odd for Lot to move in also as the next high king.”
Igraine’s beautiful face was stamped with satisfaction. “Well, he has overreached himself at last,” she said. “Uther already has an heir.”
Arthur, who had not yet spoken, threw his mother a look that was the duplicate of his father’s.
Merlin spoke quickly. “You might say that Lot has actually played into our hands. He will not risk a fight until he has his family safely home in Lothian.”
Igraine’s voice was cold and sharp as an icicle. “They will not be going home to Lothian. Have your wits gone wandering, Father? They will stay right here, hostages for Lot’s good behavior.”
Merlin stared at his daughter. “Are you serious, Igraine? Morgause is your sister.”
Arthur spoke for the first time. “The queen is always practical.”
Igraine gave her son a long, hard look. Arthur’s gray eyes were guileless. Merlin thought, with irritation, that he was enjoying himself.
“Lot was a fool to bring them here,” Igraine said to Arthur, “and we would be fools not to
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