called a council for three weeks’ time. The message has gone out to all the kings and princes of Britain. I have said the purpose of the council is to name my heir.” The ghost of a sardonic smile crossed Uther’s thin face. “That will bring them all running.” He leaned back in his chair. “We will do it then.”
Merlin nodded. Then, offering the only reassurance he could find: “He is ready, Uther.”
The pale eyes commanded with something of their old fire. “I want to see him before the council, Merlin. Bring him to Venta.”
“Yes,” said Merlin. “I will do that.”
“Does . . . does he know yet?”
“Arthur knows nothing.” There was a pause and then the older man asked, “Shall I tell him first? Or do you want to?”
Uther raised a hand to his brow. The bones of his temples were too prominent in his wasted face. “You tell him,” he said. “You know him. You will know how it should be done.”
“I know him as well as anyone, I suppose,” Merlin said a little enigmatically. “All right. I shall tell him.”
“Bring him immediately.” Uther dropped his hand. “He needn’t stay here. In fact, it would be best if he didn’t, if he went back to Avalon until the council. Surprise is a factor that will work on our side. But I want to see him first.”
Merlin stared at the king. “Does Igraine know?” he asked.
“No.” Uther’s wasted look was now very pronounced. “I will tell Igraine.”
Merlin rose to his feet. “I can have him here tomorrow.”
“Good. I will be waiting,” said Uther, and Merlin looked away from the hungry light in the high king’s eyes.
It was late when Merlin returned to Avalon, although the sky was still light with the dying sun. He was tired and thought he would go to sleep the minute his body felt the comfort of his own bed, but he found his mind was too busy.
How ought he to handle Arthur?
They would leave for Venta tomorrow. Should he tell the boy first, or wait until they were on the road?
After much tossing and turning, Merlin decided to wait. Tell Arthur here at Avalon, and Ector would know. And Morgan. And everyone in the household. Better give the boy a chance to see Uther first.
Once that was decided, Merlin was able to fall asleep.
He overslept the following morning and was irritated when no one could tell him where Arthur was. He finally found the boy down at the stables with Morgan. The two youngsters were getting ready to go for a ride, and when Merlin called Arthur’s name, they turned to him with looks of bemused astonishment.
Then, “Hello, Father,” Morgan said. “I hope you had a pleasant journey.”
“You were asleep, sir,” said Arthur, “so we thought we’d go for a ride.”
“You are going for a ride, but it is with me,” said Merlin. “We are going to Venta, Arthur. Come back to the villa and change your clothes. You cannot meet the high king looking like that.”
“Meet the high king?” Arthur said. His gray eyes searched Merlin’s face. “Today?”
“Today. I would like to arrive in time to get a decent night’s sleep, so you will please come along.” There was something disturbing about the expression in the boy’s eyes, and Merlin spoke more sharply than he had intended.
Arthur glanced at Morgan. “There is something I have been wanting to speak to you about, sir,” he began, but Merlin cut him off.
“Not now. There isn’t time.” The youngsters looked at each other again. Morgan had probably found a baby wolf she wanted to raise, Merlin thought impatiently. “He will be back tomorrow, Morgan,” he said to his daughter. “Whatever it is will keep until then.”
The relief in her brown eyes was unmistakable. “Of course, Father.” She touched Arthur’s hand. “Go along,” she said. “And remember to take your new white tunic.”
Their eyes met and held and then Arthur nodded almost imperceptibly before he turned to follow Merlin.
They were on the road to Venta by noon. “Uther
Merlin nodded. Then, offering the only reassurance he could find: “He is ready, Uther.”
The pale eyes commanded with something of their old fire. “I want to see him before the council, Merlin. Bring him to Venta.”
“Yes,” said Merlin. “I will do that.”
“Does . . . does he know yet?”
“Arthur knows nothing.” There was a pause and then the older man asked, “Shall I tell him first? Or do you want to?”
Uther raised a hand to his brow. The bones of his temples were too prominent in his wasted face. “You tell him,” he said. “You know him. You will know how it should be done.”
“I know him as well as anyone, I suppose,” Merlin said a little enigmatically. “All right. I shall tell him.”
“Bring him immediately.” Uther dropped his hand. “He needn’t stay here. In fact, it would be best if he didn’t, if he went back to Avalon until the council. Surprise is a factor that will work on our side. But I want to see him first.”
Merlin stared at the king. “Does Igraine know?” he asked.
“No.” Uther’s wasted look was now very pronounced. “I will tell Igraine.”
Merlin rose to his feet. “I can have him here tomorrow.”
“Good. I will be waiting,” said Uther, and Merlin looked away from the hungry light in the high king’s eyes.
It was late when Merlin returned to Avalon, although the sky was still light with the dying sun. He was tired and thought he would go to sleep the minute his body felt the comfort of his own bed, but he found his mind was too busy.
How ought he to handle Arthur?
They would leave for Venta tomorrow. Should he tell the boy first, or wait until they were on the road?
After much tossing and turning, Merlin decided to wait. Tell Arthur here at Avalon, and Ector would know. And Morgan. And everyone in the household. Better give the boy a chance to see Uther first.
Once that was decided, Merlin was able to fall asleep.
He overslept the following morning and was irritated when no one could tell him where Arthur was. He finally found the boy down at the stables with Morgan. The two youngsters were getting ready to go for a ride, and when Merlin called Arthur’s name, they turned to him with looks of bemused astonishment.
Then, “Hello, Father,” Morgan said. “I hope you had a pleasant journey.”
“You were asleep, sir,” said Arthur, “so we thought we’d go for a ride.”
“You are going for a ride, but it is with me,” said Merlin. “We are going to Venta, Arthur. Come back to the villa and change your clothes. You cannot meet the high king looking like that.”
“Meet the high king?” Arthur said. His gray eyes searched Merlin’s face. “Today?”
“Today. I would like to arrive in time to get a decent night’s sleep, so you will please come along.” There was something disturbing about the expression in the boy’s eyes, and Merlin spoke more sharply than he had intended.
Arthur glanced at Morgan. “There is something I have been wanting to speak to you about, sir,” he began, but Merlin cut him off.
“Not now. There isn’t time.” The youngsters looked at each other again. Morgan had probably found a baby wolf she wanted to raise, Merlin thought impatiently. “He will be back tomorrow, Morgan,” he said to his daughter. “Whatever it is will keep until then.”
The relief in her brown eyes was unmistakable. “Of course, Father.” She touched Arthur’s hand. “Go along,” she said. “And remember to take your new white tunic.”
Their eyes met and held and then Arthur nodded almost imperceptibly before he turned to follow Merlin.
They were on the road to Venta by noon. “Uther
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