Morgain's Revenge - Laura Anne Gilman [18]
“Jenny,” Merlin said with unflattering familiarity. “You’re late. As usual.” She smiled at him, the indulgent smile someone has for a much-loved but often impossible brother.
“My queen,” Sir Caedor said, sliding down from his horse to make another impressive bow. She gave him a more reserved smile than the one granted to Merlin, then turned to face Newt and Gerard, who followed Caedor’s lead and slid down from their horses as well.
“You go to rescue my Allison.”
“Yes, my queen,” Gerard said. Newt managed a stout nod.
Guinevere’s smile warmed again, and she gestured to the young girl who had followed her out. The girl, dark-haired and pale-skinned, held out a small box from which Guinevere removed two silver bands.
“A token for Allison’s champions,” she said, offering the first band to Gerard, the second to Newt. After a moment’s hesitation, Newt took his and slid it up on his arm the same way Gerard had. Each band was worked with a delicate pattern of small blossoms winding its way around, and a dark green stone set in the clasp.
“Wear them with honor and courage. I know that you will bring my Allison home to me unharmed.”
Gerard remembered the basics of how to bow to royalty and managed not to embarrass himself too badly executing it. Newt went to one knee, his shaggy head bent for the barest moment before he was back on his feet.
The queen did not seem to take offense, either at Gerard’s clumsiness or Newt’s brevity.
Sir Caedor looked expectant for a moment, before a glower settled on his face. Guinevere must have sensed that because she turned back to him, reached up into her hair, and pulled out one of the silver pins holding the coil in place. She raised one delicately arched eyebrow at the knight until he lifted his hand so that she could place the pin into his gauntleted palm and closed his fingers over it.
“And for you, brave protector, a token of my own. Bring these boys, so dear to my lord and husband, back home safe.”
“As God is my witness, madam.”
And with that, Guinevere turned and departed, leaving only the sound of the horses shifting and chomping at their bits and the muted murmuring of the servants.
“Well, I had hoped to be able to send you directly to wherever she’s taken the girl,” Merlin said, filling the gap in the conversation. The three travelers winced at the thought of being transported magically into an unknown situation, but Merlin went on as though he hadn’t noticed. “Unfortunately, Morgain has covered her tracks far too well. It is some small consolation that my wards have held up and that she could not scry into Camelot but had to risk coming here herself to spy.”
“A pity she uses her skills in such unwomanly ways as to challenge her lord and brother,” Sir Caedor said.
Once, Gerard would have agreed with the knight. Having faced off against the sorceress before, and having looked into her eyes as she faced defeat not with fear but dignity and pride, he was no longer so quick to condemn. Morgain was an outsider, and by nature of her gender deemed unfit to use her talents to do more than maintain her own household, or support her brother Arthur’s goals. That seemed unfair, somehow.
Yes, she was a woman. But she was also powerful—a strong warrior with unusual skills, second only to Merlin himself. Could there not have been some way to make use of her; to make her into an ally, rather than a foe? If so, that moment was long gone.
And if Ailis did have magical abilities, the way Merlin believed she did, Gerard hoped for her sake that they were not as strong. She would doubtless be happier that way. He would not wish Merlin’s isolation, nor Morgain’s bitterness, on her, ever.
“But you will not have to ride the entire way,” Merlin continued. “I’m not so far in my dotage as that. I shall set you on your way with a bit of a…hmmm…let us call it a push. And I will grant you some aid once you arrive.
“Here.” Merlin handed Gerard a small object. “Since Morgain is so inconsiderately capable at warding herself, you’ll