Page 19 of The Sword & the Stone

“So what you’re saying is, Lancelot was just being an arse?”

Tristan laughed, and Lancelot cast us both a glare. "Lancelot’s always an arse, I’m afraid. I believe the ladies like to call it ‘brooding.’”

I sighed, tossing a rock into the fire idly. “The quest business sounds like a lot of riddles and prophecy nonsense. It would help if you could just see into my future and tell me which way to go.”

“I wish it was that simple,” he said. “The visions can be annoyingly vague. I do know one thing though—your path and ours are now suddenly entwined, and I can’t say I’m all that disappointed."

I returned his knowing smile.

Percival strode into the clearing, his dark cloak swirling around him. "The wards are set. We should be safe for the night, but I'll take the first watch just in case."

Lancelot nodded, already beginning to lay out bedrolls near the crackling fire. "We'll sleep in shifts. No one wanders off alone, understood?"

Everyone nodded their agreement, and I shook off the feeling of unease, sinking down onto a fallen log. The heat felt good against my aching muscles and I let out a small sigh, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension.

Galahad plopped down next to me, offering a water-skin. "Drink up, my lady. We can't have you getting dehydrated on your first day as royalty."

I accepted it gratefully, taking a long pull of the cool, clean water. It soothed my parched throat, and I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before passing it back. "Just Arthur is fine, you know. We're going to be spending a lot of time together. Might as well drop the formalities."

Galahad grinned, his amber eyes dancing in the firelight. "As you wish, Just Arthur."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips. Galahad had an easy charm about him, a lightness that was almost infectious.

Gawain settled on my other side, reaching out to snag a chunk of bread from the provisions pack. He tore it in half, offering me a portion. "You'll need to keep your strength up. The wilds have a way of sapping your energy if you're not used to the magic here."

I accepted the bread, my stomach growling at the sight of food. I hadn't realized how famished I was until now. "Is it always like this? The heaviness in the air and the feeling of being watched?"

Gawain nodded. "It actually gets a lot worse from here.”

I groaned, taking a bite of the bread. It was dense and nutty, studded with dried berries that burst tart sweetness on my tongue. "Fantastic. I just love that."

Galahad chuckled, bumping his shoulder against mine. "Chin up. You've got five strapping fae knights to protect you. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Don't tempt fate," Gawain warned, though his gray eyes glimmered with amusement. "Though he’s right about one thing. We wouldn’t let anything happen to you."

I smiled gratefully. “Let’s hope we don’t have to put that to the test too soon.”

As the last rays of sunlight faded, giving way to the inky blackness of night, I found myself drawn to the warmth and light of the campfire. The dancing flames cast a soft, flickering glow across the faces of my companions as we settled in. The crackling of the burning wood became a soothing backdrop to the chirping of crickets and the distant hoots of an owl.

Galahad lounged next to me, his long legs stretched out towards the fire. The golden light played across his features, highlighting the angles of his cheekbones and the mischievous glint in his eyes.

He smiled at me, a playful quirk of his lips. "So, Just Arthur, tell us something about yourself. We've heard the rumors, of course, but I want to hear it from your pretty lips."

“Gal…” Lancelot warned, giving Galahad a look that said more than words ever could.

I laughed, shaking my head. "I'm afraid the rumors are probably more interesting than the reality. We grew up in an orphanage in Otterford after a fire destroyed our village.” I glanced over to where Merlin was deep in conversation with Tristan, their heads bent close together. “It’s where I met Merlin. I was too young to have any real memory of the village, but Merlin does, and it makes me feel closer to my parents.”

My parents… An aching sadness settled into my bones as Merlin glanced over at me, smiling softly. My stomach flipped, and my skin heated as flashes of last night came back to me.

Gawain leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "And how did you end up in so much trouble last night? Either you’re exceptionally lucky, or the fates have been leading you here for a long time.”

I chuckled, poking at the fire with a stick, sending sparks dancing into the night sky. "Exceptionally lucky? More like exceptionally foolish, with a dash of fate thrown in for good measure." I glanced over at Merlin again, catching his eye.

He grinned, clearly remembering the same story I was about to tell. He beat me to it, and I leaned back happily and listened as he said, "It all started with too much ale and not enough coin?—"

Gawain chuckled, shaking his head. "A tale as old as time.”

We wound down for the night, and my eyes grew heavy. I listened to the forest around us, so much louder now that we were so far away from a village. I heard animals scurrying around and the trees rustling in the wind.

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