The crystal cave - Mary Stewart [7]
Not Camlach, or my grandfather; and not one of the nobles, for the men wore colours I did not know. Then as they reached the nearer end of the bridge I saw that the leader was a stranger, black-haired and black-bearded, with a foreign-looking set to his clothes, and a flash of gold on his breast. His wristguards were golden, too, and a span deep. His troop, as I judged, was about fifty strong.
King Gorlan of Lanascol. Where the name sprang from, clear beyond mistake, I had no idea. Something heard from my labyrinth, perhaps? A word spoken carelessly in a child's hearing? A dream, even? The shields and spear-tips, catching the sun, flashed into my eyes. Gorlan of Lanascol. A king. Come to marry my mother and take me with him overseas. She would be a queen. And I...
He was already setting his horse at the hill. I began to half-slither, half-scramble, down the tree.
And if she refuses him? I recognized that voice; it was the Cornishman's. And after him my uncle's: Even if she does, it will hardly matter...I've nothing to fear, so even if he came himself...
The troop was riding at ease across the bridge. The jingle of arms and the hammering of hoofs rang in the still sunlight.
He had come himself. He was here.
A foot above the wall-top I missed my footing and almost fell. Luckily my grip held, and I slithered safely to the coping in a shower of leaves and lichen just as my nurse's voice called shrilly:
"Merlin? Merlin? Save us, where's the boy?"
"Here -- here, Moravik -- just coming down."
I landed in the long grass. She had left her spindle and, kilting up her skirts, came running.
"What's the to-do on the river road? I heard horses, a whole troop by the noise -- Saints alive, child, look at your clothes! If I didn't mend that tunic only this week, and now look at it! A tear you could put a fist through, and dirt from head to foot like a beggar's brat!"
I dodged as she reached for me. "I fell. I'm sorry. I was climbing down to tell you. It's a troop of horse -- foreigners! Moravik, it's King Gorlan from Lanascol! He has a red cloak and a black beard!"
"Gorlan of Lanascol? Why, that's barely twenty miles from where I was born! What's he here for, I wonder?"
I stared. "Didn't you know? He's come to marry my mother."
"Nonsense."
"It's true!"
"Of course it's not true! Do you think I wouldn't know? You must not say these things, Merlin, it could mean trouble. Where did you get it?"
"I don't remember. Someone told me. My mother, I think."
"That's not true and you know it."
"Then I must have heard something."
"Heard something, heard something. Young pigs have long ears, they say. Yours must be for ever to the ground, you hear so much! What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing."
She set her hands on her hips. "You've been listening to things you shouldn't. I've told you about this before. No wonder people say what they say."
I usually gave up and edged away from dangerous ground when I had given too much away, but excitement had made me reckless. "It's true, you'll find it's true! Does it matter where I heard it? I really can't remember now, but I know it's true! Moravik -- "
"What?"
"King Gorlan's my father, my real one."
"What?" This time the syllable was edged like the tooth of a saw.
"Didn't you know? Not even you?"
"No, I did not. And no more do you. And if you so much as breathe this to anyone -- How do you know the name, even?" She took me by the shoulders and gave me a sharp little shake. "How do you even know this is King Gorlan? There's been nothing said of his coming, even to me."
"I told you. I don't remember what I heard, or where. I just heard his name somewhere, that's all, and I know he's coming to see the King about my mother. We'll go to Less Britain, Moravik, and you can come with us. You'll like that, won't you? It's your home. Perhaps we'll be near -- "
Her grip tightened, and I stopped. With relief I