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Authors: Victoria Alexander
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off?”
She sighed once more. “It’s something called gravity. We’re spinning so fast it keeps us on the ball. Er, on the earth.”
“Ah hah!” He shook his finger at her. “Now I have you. If we are indeed spinning on this great ball of yours why am I not dizzy?”
“Well, that’s because—”
“I must confess, my lady, I have experienced a time or two where the swift turn of a current or the whirl of a sprightly dance after too much mead has made my head reel. Why does it not spin now?”
“I don’t know,” she snapped. “We’re going too fast to feel it I guess. Beats me!”
“Have you proof of this spinning ball?” He cast her a pitying look.
“No. Not really.” She clenched her jaw. “I teach Greek lit, not physics.”
“Then you have no proof?”
Lady Tessa folded her arms over her chest in a mimicry of his own stance. “I know what I know.”
He raised a brow. “’Tis not an acceptable argument. I know what I know as well. I know the world is flat like a platter. I further know the seas of the world pour over the edge. And I know the waters are watched by monstrous creatures. That is the truth of it.”
“Oh?” She smirked. “And where’s your proof, pal?”
He scoffed. “No one has ever returned from the ends of the earth.”
“Then you have no proof either.”
“My dear lady,” he leaned toward her, “that is my proof.”
“Hah! That doesn’t prove anything.”
He grinned with the satisfaction of knowing he had bested a surprisingly astute opponent. No, Lady Tessa was not insane, nor was she an idiot. And there was indeed the tiniest possibility the people of her land believed this spinning ball nonsense. If so, what other amusing tales might she tell?
“I give up.” She shrugged in resignation. “Have it your own way. The world is flat.”
“Period.”
“Period. When in Rome…” she said under her breath.
He laughed. What a pleasant diversion she would be. With luck she was a widow. Her age would dictate thus. Surely one as comely as she was not still a virgin. He’d had his fill of virgins. They wanted wedlock and he would not trod that path again. But he could well enjoy the company of this lady until the king’s return. Then he would lay his boon before Arthur and ask, nay demand, the king’s permission to fulfill his destiny. He was nearly eight and twenty and it was past time.
“So, are you going to show me around this place or what?”
He held out his arm. “’Twould be my pleasure, Lady Tessa.”
“Would you cut out the ‘Lady Tessa’ stuff?”
“Cut out?”
“Just call me Tessa. Okay?”
“As you wish.” He grinned. “Okay.”
She groaned. “It just doesn’t sound the same coming from a man in tights. Wait a minute.” She turned and snatched up a book from the floor. “Now I’m ready.” She linked her free arm through his.
“What is the purpose of that?” He nodded at the book. It was small and odd in appearance, and she held it close against her as one would grasp a talisman or a charm imbued with great magic or power.
“I don’t know for sure but I’m not letting it out of my sight.” She clutched it tighter. “It might be my ticket home, or at least my passport.”
He smiled to himself. He was not at all certain exactly what she meant but her actions spoke for themselves. Regardless of her words, the lady lied.
She did indeed believe in magic.
“I knew it. It stinks.” Tessa blinked against the bright sunlight and wrinkled her nose.
“I smell nothing amiss. ’Tis a good, healthy scent.” Galahad drew in a deep breath. “The smell of nature, of existence itself. Man and beasts at one with the world.”
“Call it what you want but it’s horse manure and bodies that don’t know the meaning of the word bath . It reeks.” Tessa scanned the area. She and Galahad stepped from the cool stone confines of the castle into a courtyard. The area was huge, surrounded by a tall wall constructed of the
She sighed once more. “It’s something called gravity. We’re spinning so fast it keeps us on the ball. Er, on the earth.”
“Ah hah!” He shook his finger at her. “Now I have you. If we are indeed spinning on this great ball of yours why am I not dizzy?”
“Well, that’s because—”
“I must confess, my lady, I have experienced a time or two where the swift turn of a current or the whirl of a sprightly dance after too much mead has made my head reel. Why does it not spin now?”
“I don’t know,” she snapped. “We’re going too fast to feel it I guess. Beats me!”
“Have you proof of this spinning ball?” He cast her a pitying look.
“No. Not really.” She clenched her jaw. “I teach Greek lit, not physics.”
“Then you have no proof?”
Lady Tessa folded her arms over her chest in a mimicry of his own stance. “I know what I know.”
He raised a brow. “’Tis not an acceptable argument. I know what I know as well. I know the world is flat like a platter. I further know the seas of the world pour over the edge. And I know the waters are watched by monstrous creatures. That is the truth of it.”
“Oh?” She smirked. “And where’s your proof, pal?”
He scoffed. “No one has ever returned from the ends of the earth.”
“Then you have no proof either.”
“My dear lady,” he leaned toward her, “that is my proof.”
“Hah! That doesn’t prove anything.”
He grinned with the satisfaction of knowing he had bested a surprisingly astute opponent. No, Lady Tessa was not insane, nor was she an idiot. And there was indeed the tiniest possibility the people of her land believed this spinning ball nonsense. If so, what other amusing tales might she tell?
“I give up.” She shrugged in resignation. “Have it your own way. The world is flat.”
“Period.”
“Period. When in Rome…” she said under her breath.
He laughed. What a pleasant diversion she would be. With luck she was a widow. Her age would dictate thus. Surely one as comely as she was not still a virgin. He’d had his fill of virgins. They wanted wedlock and he would not trod that path again. But he could well enjoy the company of this lady until the king’s return. Then he would lay his boon before Arthur and ask, nay demand, the king’s permission to fulfill his destiny. He was nearly eight and twenty and it was past time.
“So, are you going to show me around this place or what?”
He held out his arm. “’Twould be my pleasure, Lady Tessa.”
“Would you cut out the ‘Lady Tessa’ stuff?”
“Cut out?”
“Just call me Tessa. Okay?”
“As you wish.” He grinned. “Okay.”
She groaned. “It just doesn’t sound the same coming from a man in tights. Wait a minute.” She turned and snatched up a book from the floor. “Now I’m ready.” She linked her free arm through his.
“What is the purpose of that?” He nodded at the book. It was small and odd in appearance, and she held it close against her as one would grasp a talisman or a charm imbued with great magic or power.
“I don’t know for sure but I’m not letting it out of my sight.” She clutched it tighter. “It might be my ticket home, or at least my passport.”
He smiled to himself. He was not at all certain exactly what she meant but her actions spoke for themselves. Regardless of her words, the lady lied.
She did indeed believe in magic.
“I knew it. It stinks.” Tessa blinked against the bright sunlight and wrinkled her nose.
“I smell nothing amiss. ’Tis a good, healthy scent.” Galahad drew in a deep breath. “The smell of nature, of existence itself. Man and beasts at one with the world.”
“Call it what you want but it’s horse manure and bodies that don’t know the meaning of the word bath . It reeks.” Tessa scanned the area. She and Galahad stepped from the cool stone confines of the castle into a courtyard. The area was huge, surrounded by a tall wall constructed of the
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