“And that, Petronus, is just as well.”
“May I leave this room now?”
Merlin hesitated.
“Please, sir. I can’t stand being confined here.”
Again Merlin said nothing.
“You haven’t put me under guard. You haven’t had to. I could have left anytime I wanted to, but I followed your orders. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
“Listen to me, Petronus. Things are more complicated here than you understand. You’ll be free soon enough, if everything works out.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“It will. We both have to believe that.”
Late that night, a strange woman moved through the halls of Mark’s castle. She wore a clinging, diaphanous gown; her breasts were almost fully exposed by the low cut; and her bright blond hair was covered by a sheer veil. She walked lightly, almost like a spirit. A large candle illuminated her way through the half-lit corridors. No one who saw her paid her the least attention, despite all the security. She had gotten in, after all, so she must be there legitimately. Drafts in the castle made her gown flow and flutter. One startled serving-woman thought for a moment that she was seeing a ghost.
Slowly, she made her way through the castle till she came to Mark’s quarters. A guard was on duty; his face, too, had been scarred by acid. He was used to young women being summoned to the king’s bedroom late at night; they exchanged a few words, and without hesitation he let her go in.
The room was nearly dark; only one candle burned in the far corner; there were no drafts and it burned steadily. Mark was lying on his bed, more drunk than she’d seen him before. He was half-undressed and only half-conscious, it seemed, and he was muttering something barely audible. Nimue smiled. This was precisely the state she’d hoped he’d be in.
Groggily, he looked at her. “That candle is almost as large as my sword.”
She smiled. “It doesn’t weigh much.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Eleanor. You told me to come, remember?”
“I did?” He tried to focus on her, without much success. “You work in the kitchen.”
Another smile. “That’s right.”
With a small struggle he sat up on the edge of the bed. “Come here and sit by me.”
Lightly, with a little laugh, she did so. He put an arm around her. “Pretty girl.”
“Handsome king.” She hoped he was too drunk to notice the irony in her voice. Or to act on what were, quite clearly, his intentions.
He caught her by the shoulders and tried to kiss her. And she let him. He tore at one sleeve of her gown and kissed her naked shoulder. Patiently, she permitted it.
Then, gently, she moved a few inches away from him. “Everyone says you should be king.”
Baffled, he looked around the room. “I am.”
“King of England.”
“Oh, that. That is being taken care of. It is only a matter of time. Come over here and let me feel your breasts.”
She backed off another few inches. “You must hate Arthur for taking your rightful place.”
“Arthur is a fool. And so are you, if you don’t let me make love to you.”
She resigned herself to being pawed and moved back beside him. He fondled her stomach. “Pretty girl.”
“You said that already.”
“Pretty!” He shouted it with force. “I want you.”
“Here.” She stood up. “Let me get you another cup of wine.”
She crossed the room to a little table and poured it, and she added a sleeping powder Merlin had given her. Now she had to hope he would talk before it took effect. When she handed the cup back to him, he took it and drained it in one long drink. This pleased her, though she was careful not to let it show.
“Arthur.” He said the name with contempt. “He’s a better general than I am, but that’s all. All this rubbish about peace and harmony in England-who could take any of it seriously? ”
“Not me, sire.”
“No. But he’s king. My people work the mines and refine the ore. My people die. And all the profits go to Camelot. Next year our vineyards will turn a profit.” He looked at the empty cup in his hand and held it out to her; she dutifully refilled it. “And all the damned money will go to Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. His army hangs over us, a constant threat. Did you know there are actually people who call him the Sun King? Because of his damned blond hair, I imagine. Blond hair is for women, like you. No real man is so fair. The king’s mines. The king’s wineries. I’m the king. I’ll have them back soon enough. Come here and kiss me.”
She did not resist, though she found it unpleasant.
“What will you do to Arthur? What are your plans?”
He blinked, plainly trying to clear his head. “Who are you? You don’t work in the kitchen.”
It was easy enough to deal with. She kissed him again and whispered, “You are a beautiful man and I love you.”
And he forgot his suspicions and kissed her back. “Arthur-the wheels are turning. His days as king are numbered. ”
“You would commit treason?”
“To get back what is mine! The fool has actually sent someone here to tell me his military plans. I spent all afternoon with her.”
“What is your plan, then?” She stood and backed across the room.
“Never you mind, pretty girl. What’s your name? Why don’t you take that dress off?”
“What will you do to Arthur?”
“Come here, damn it! I want you! You said you love me. And you have to do that. I’m the king.” He staggered to his feet and tried to grab her, but she was too quick for him. He lost his balance and fell back onto the bed. Feebly, he tried to get up again, but it was no use; he would not walk again till morning, and even then he would feel the wine and the drug.
Nimue looked down on him and grinned. It had been easier than she’d hoped.
Gingerly, she left the room, smiled at the guard, told him to have a good night and made her way back to her own room. In moments she was out of her gown and back in Colin’s male attire. It felt good. She had only worn the gown for an hour, but being back in male things felt wonderful. She stuffed the gown under the bed and went to sleep.
The next morning Nimue was wakened by loud pounding at her door. The room was cold; she had been sleeping under a pile of furs. Before she could get up to open the door, it burst open and Mark came stomping into the room. A half dozen guards waited behind him in the corridor. He raised his arm and pointed accusingly.
“You!”
She sat up groggily, alarmed.
“You! Colin! Where is that girl?”
“Excuse me, Your Majesty, but what girl? I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”
“There was a girl last night. She came to my room.” He sounded more bewildered than ferocious. He held up his hand and rubbed his forehead. “Called herself Elaine or some such. I think she drugged me.”
The guards outside had their swords drawn.
“A girl? What on earth could a girl do?”
“This one was treacherous. A scheming, lying-”
“But, Your Highness, what does this have to do with me?”
He stopped and took a deep breath. “She was seen. She was seen coming this way-toward this wing. Someone saw her at your door. You must have seen or heard her.”
She thought quickly. The gown she’d worn was still hidden under the bed; if they searched the room- “A blond girl in a low-cut white dress?”
“Yes. Where is she, damn it?”
“I saw her pass. Late at night. She was running.”
“Which way?”
She pointed down the hall that led to the castle’s main entrance.
One of the guards leaned in. Nimue recognized him as the one who’d been on duty outside Mark’s room the previous night. “As I told you, sir.”
Mark turned and flared at him. “How could she have gotten out past the guards there?”
“They don’t question people who are leaving, only the ones who are trying to get in.”
Mark scowled. “She can’t have gotten away.”
“The question is, how did she get in to begin with?”
“Damn breach of security. She might have been anyone. She might have been an assassin. Let’s question the guards at the main gate.”
They turned to go. Then the guard turned back into the room and stared at Nimue. His eyes narrowed suspiciously; he seemed to be inspecting her carefully. She froze; she didn’t even breathe. He peered at her.
He was about to say something when from down the hall came Mark’s roar. “William! Come on!”
The guard shook his head, as if to say he didn’t know why he would suspect Colin. Then he turned and followed his king.
A few minutes later Britomart came to Nimue’s room. Nimue told her what had happened and the things Mark had said the previous night.
“So. Merlin has been right. Arthur has been a fool to trust Mark, and I’ve been a fool to doubt Merlin’s judgment.”
“Why a fool, Brit? To all appearances Mark has been a loyal subject to Arthur.”
“Yes, but… I should have known. Something should have told me.”
“There’s no way you could have.”
“Then why do I feel so completely foolish? But…”
“Hm?”
“Even given that Mark is engaged in treason, that doesn’t prove he killed the squires.”
“It makes it that much more likely.”
“Arthur wants proof.
“If we can get him to arrest Mark for treason, and if there are no more murders…”
