Read Online Embark (King Arthur and Her Knights Book 4) by K. M. Shea - Free Book Online
Authors: K. M. Shea
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Sir Lancelot before someone else does,” Britt said, offering them a wink before she trotted off.
Behind her the ladies sighed like love-sick schoolgirls, and Britt congratulated herself on her success at evading them, and making up with Sir Kay.
“That’s one down and one to go,” Britt said, jumping a second fence to get to the area where knights were practicing their swordsmanship. She smiled and nodded to Guinevere when the young girl caught her eye—causing a storm of giggles—before she approached Lancelot.
“Are you here to fight, My Lord?” the handsome knight asked, tilting his head.
Britt checked to make certain her cuirass and plackart were securely fastened. “I am,” Britt said.
“Oh no. I fear I am about to lose, my ladies. Will you comfort me after our round is finished?” Lancelot asked his adoring audience.
“Oh, Sir Lancelot, don’t say that!”
“You can win, Sir Lancelot!”
“Nay! None can beat King Arthur,” Guinevere said, joining the conversation with a smile and a blush.
“Thank you for your defense, Lady Guinevere. I hope you are correct, in this case at least,” Britt laughed as she unsheathed Excalibur. “Arm yourself, Lancelot.”
The handsome knight looked curiously to Guinevere before he detached himself from his fans. “At least it will be my honor to face my King,” Lancelot said with an elegant bow to the ladies before he faced Britt.
Britt had fought—and beaten—Lancelot multiple times, but she still respected him the way she respected a snake if she didn’t know if it was poisonous or not. Although Lancelot was undoubtedly an idiot, he and his cousins were the only knights in Britt’s court that had spent a significant portion of their time questing. As such, Britt somewhat suspected Lancelot was holding out during their matches.
Britt crouched, adjusting her stance as she watched Lancelot grow quiet, the smile smoothing off his face as he stared Britt down like a wolf.
Britt feinted a jump to his right before rolling her weight to her opposite leg and attacking his left. Their swords met with a clash of metal—Excalibur singing in a unique pitch.
Lancelot drew backwards, nimbly avoiding the knee Britt tried to thrust into his unprotected side. Britt followed her action forward, sinking low to try and shove a shoulder into Lancelot’s gut. She made contact and heard his breath hitch, but the knight didn’t move.
That was bad. Being ‘underneath’ Lancelot so to speak, was a serious disadvantage. She had to move! Cursing under her breath, Britt pitched forward in an awkward roll—thankful she didn’t wear all of her usual armor and only her regular pieces used to disguise her body. She rocked forward on her feet and had just enough time to spin and bring Excalibur up to block a blow from Lancelot.
The sheer force the knight used made Britt grunt and clench her teeth—she couldn’t take many of those kinds of strikes without sapping her strength. She needed to get back into an offensive stance as quickly as possible.
Britt tried slamming her booted heel on top of Lancelot’s toe, but he was wearing the metal shoes of his armor, so it did nothing but make Britt’s heel vibrate in her boot.
Lancelot chuckled, and Britt met his gaze long enough to see the shadows in his green eyes. He drew back and extended his sword in a sweeping arc. Britt deflected it, although it forced her to plant her weight, leaving her unable to counter attack.
A crowd of knights and ladies had gathered around the ring, by now. Shouts filled the air, and ladies cheered. Some servants had even stopped to watch their sovereign fight Lancelot.
Unfortunately, Britt had a sinking suspicion she was going to lose.
“Do you give up, My Lord?” Lancelot asked, raining two blows on Brit as quick as lightning. Britt had barely enough time to defend.
“To you? Not ever,” Britt said, her teeth gritted and expression stubborn. Lancelot would get cocky—it was his
Behind her the ladies sighed like love-sick schoolgirls, and Britt congratulated herself on her success at evading them, and making up with Sir Kay.
“That’s one down and one to go,” Britt said, jumping a second fence to get to the area where knights were practicing their swordsmanship. She smiled and nodded to Guinevere when the young girl caught her eye—causing a storm of giggles—before she approached Lancelot.
“Are you here to fight, My Lord?” the handsome knight asked, tilting his head.
Britt checked to make certain her cuirass and plackart were securely fastened. “I am,” Britt said.
“Oh no. I fear I am about to lose, my ladies. Will you comfort me after our round is finished?” Lancelot asked his adoring audience.
“Oh, Sir Lancelot, don’t say that!”
“You can win, Sir Lancelot!”
“Nay! None can beat King Arthur,” Guinevere said, joining the conversation with a smile and a blush.
“Thank you for your defense, Lady Guinevere. I hope you are correct, in this case at least,” Britt laughed as she unsheathed Excalibur. “Arm yourself, Lancelot.”
The handsome knight looked curiously to Guinevere before he detached himself from his fans. “At least it will be my honor to face my King,” Lancelot said with an elegant bow to the ladies before he faced Britt.
Britt had fought—and beaten—Lancelot multiple times, but she still respected him the way she respected a snake if she didn’t know if it was poisonous or not. Although Lancelot was undoubtedly an idiot, he and his cousins were the only knights in Britt’s court that had spent a significant portion of their time questing. As such, Britt somewhat suspected Lancelot was holding out during their matches.
Britt crouched, adjusting her stance as she watched Lancelot grow quiet, the smile smoothing off his face as he stared Britt down like a wolf.
Britt feinted a jump to his right before rolling her weight to her opposite leg and attacking his left. Their swords met with a clash of metal—Excalibur singing in a unique pitch.
Lancelot drew backwards, nimbly avoiding the knee Britt tried to thrust into his unprotected side. Britt followed her action forward, sinking low to try and shove a shoulder into Lancelot’s gut. She made contact and heard his breath hitch, but the knight didn’t move.
That was bad. Being ‘underneath’ Lancelot so to speak, was a serious disadvantage. She had to move! Cursing under her breath, Britt pitched forward in an awkward roll—thankful she didn’t wear all of her usual armor and only her regular pieces used to disguise her body. She rocked forward on her feet and had just enough time to spin and bring Excalibur up to block a blow from Lancelot.
The sheer force the knight used made Britt grunt and clench her teeth—she couldn’t take many of those kinds of strikes without sapping her strength. She needed to get back into an offensive stance as quickly as possible.
Britt tried slamming her booted heel on top of Lancelot’s toe, but he was wearing the metal shoes of his armor, so it did nothing but make Britt’s heel vibrate in her boot.
Lancelot chuckled, and Britt met his gaze long enough to see the shadows in his green eyes. He drew back and extended his sword in a sweeping arc. Britt deflected it, although it forced her to plant her weight, leaving her unable to counter attack.
A crowd of knights and ladies had gathered around the ring, by now. Shouts filled the air, and ladies cheered. Some servants had even stopped to watch their sovereign fight Lancelot.
Unfortunately, Britt had a sinking suspicion she was going to lose.
“Do you give up, My Lord?” Lancelot asked, raining two blows on Brit as quick as lightning. Britt had barely enough time to defend.
“To you? Not ever,” Britt said, her teeth gritted and expression stubborn. Lancelot would get cocky—it was his
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