King Arthur and Her Knights: Enthroned #1, Enchanted #2, Embittered #3 by K.M. Shea Page A

spun as Merlin led her up and down stone hallways before they arrived at what appeared to be some sort of study.
    “This is your room, isn’t it?” Britt asked, her eyes tracing the books and scrolls that lined the walls.
    “It is. It is my study, I have quarters that are not far from yours as well. You there, lass. Go find Sir Ulfius, Sir Bodwain and the like. Tell them King Arthur and Merlin wish to speak to them,” Merlin said, stopping a servant in the hallway.
    “And send for some provisions!” Sir Ector boomed before Merlin shut the door.
    Britt frowned when she found what appeared to be some sort of globe model of the Earth. “Do you think the earth is round?”
    Merlin flattened his eyebrows. “Of course. Every scholar worth his salt knows that.”
    “Oh.” Britt paged through Merlin’s drawings of plant life as Merlin and Sir Ector rearranged benches and chairs for an optimum sitting pattern.
    Within minutes someone knocked on the wooden door.
    “I see you made the journey safely, come in,” Merlin said when he opened the door.
    “Our ride was uneventful, but we’ve received some bad news from our sources in London,” Sir Ulfius said, the first to enter the study. He paused and bowed in Britt’s direction. “My Lord.”
    Sir Bodwain and Sir Bedivere were right behind him. “King Lot has gathered another five or six kings to his side,” Sir Bodwain said, stroking his beard. “My Lord,” he added with a bow.
    “Which kings?” Merlin asked, plopping down in a chair.
    “My Lord King Arthur,” Sir Bedivere said, kneeling in front of Britt before he turned and addressed Merlin. Even though he was not one of Merlin’s brood he obviously knew who the real power was. “We do not know. We think them to be petty princes or dukes that are puffing themselves up. Individually they will not add much to Lot’s rebellion, but the clutch of them together might be a nasty blow to us.”
    “King Leodegrance stands with us, and many dukes and barons will send us provisions, but few can or will spare us any men,” Sir Bodwain said. “Many knights pledged themselves to King Arthur, but I’ve heard reports that Lot has 50,000 men on horseback, and another 10,000 on foot. We cannot even begin to rally that number.”
    “So you believe we need more allies,” Britt said.
    Merlin and the knights turned and stared at her. Sir Ulfius and Sir Bodwain looked shocked, Sir Bedivere nodded—agreeable and not surprised—but Merlin looked oddly contemplative.
    “Exactly. Well said, Arthur,” Sir Ector said.
    Merlin rubbed his chin. “King Ban of Benwick and King Bors of Gaul might serve you well as allies. They both rule across the sea—too far away to be a worry to your kingdom, and both have grudges against King Claudas. We could offer to help them in return.”
    “Grudges? Of what sort?” Sir Ulfius frowned.
    “I believe Claudas ran Ban out of his kingdom, and there were whispers of trouble with Bors’ sons and Claudas’ heir,” Merlin said.
    “Let us send word to them immediately, if that is the case. If we want to stand against King Lot we will need their men as quickly as possible,” Sir Bodwain said.
    “Getting them across the ocean in a timely manner might be a puzzle,” Sir Bedivere said.
    “Leave that mess to me, but Sir Bodwain is right. Let us craft a draft of a letter for our potential allies,” Merlin said, standing up. He was walking towards a workbench when someone knocked on the door.
    “Is it our dinner?” Sir Ector hopefully asked.
    “Come in,” Merlin carelessly said, tossing scrolls aside as he found an inkwell and quill.
    The door opened and Sir Kay nodded to his fellow knights. “Is the King available for a time?”
    “Of course. Take as long as you like, Arthur,” Merlin said.
    The knights stood and bowed when Britt pushed away from the bookshelf she was studying and joined Sir Kay at the door.
    “Is something wrong?” Britt asked when the door closed behind