Enchanted Forests by Katharine Kerr Read Free Book Online Page A

guest. Commoners and nobles
    crowded round him, offering small gifts and asking his blessing
    or advice. The ladies of our court vied with each other to comb
    his beard, or bring him morsels from the table. As the day turned
    to evening, my father's face darkened with jealousy.

    "In his wrath, my father decided to test this famed magician.
    He called me forth and presented me to the Wise Man, saying,
    "This is Gawaine, my first-bom son. Tell me now how he shall
    die, if the future is known to you.'

    " 'Lot. this is unseemly,' said Merlin. 'No man should know
    me manner nor the time of his dying.'

    "My father stood up and glared at his guest 'I am King! My
    word is Law! My whim is command! Tell me of Gawaine's

    THE TRIPLE DEATH           41

    death!' And he glowered, gray eyebrows and shaggy mane of
    hair putting all who saw him in mind of an ancient storm god.

    " 'Very well,* Merlin agreed. 'I am your guest, and I should
    obey my host, but little joy will you gain from this knowledge.'

    " 'Just tell me! Tell us all!' commanded my father.

    "Merlin called me to stand before him and placed his hands
    atop my head and over my heart. Those hands were warm and
    strong with the best-kept fingernails that I had ever seen, all of
    a length, unbroken, uncracked, and not caked with dirt beneath
    the nail. I felt a tingle that made my neck hairs rise on end, and
    then the wizard—he was not an old man at that time—winked at
    me with one eye, before turning to face my father and mother at
    the head of the board.

    " "This boy shall die by falling,' he intoned in a sepulchral
    voice that filled the ball.

    "Disappointment and dismay twisted my father's harsh fea-
    tures. We kings of Orkney are warriors, and doubtless my sire
    expected to hear that I would die in battle.

    "My mother leaned and whispered something in his ear, and
    his countenance brightened. 'Twice more shall I ask this ques-
    tion, but for now let the feasting and merriment proceed.' I es-
    caped happily to the table in the corner where my brothers and
    I took our meals, hoping that Agrivaine, or some other child
    would be the king's subject on the morrow, but on the next eve-
    ning, when Lot dirtied my face and dressed me in the rags of a
    peasant boy, there was nothing I could do but pretend to a churl-
    ishness I did not feel.

    "Merlin seemed to look right through the grime on my face.
    Neither my slouch nor my ragged garments fooled him. Putting
    his hand on my head, and staring my father straight in the eye,
    he announced, "This boy shall die by hanging!'

    " 'Is that so?' asked King Lot, and a gleam of satisfaction
    came into his eyes. 'Well, I will watch his fate carefully, and he
    won't go by hanging if I have anything to say about it!'

    "Once more my father planned to ask his question, and the fi-
    nal disguise shamed me. For the third occasion I had to play the
    part of a girl—truly a galling experience for a twelve-year-old
    boy who thinks he will be a warrior some day. I had a blonde
    wig, a scratchy dress, a necklace made of wooden beads from
    my mother's store of jewelry. They cut my fingernails and toe-
    nails and painted them red. They stained my lips purple with
    berry juice, and they padded my hips to make them seem wider.
    It took all afternoon to dress and prepare me. My mother made

    42 Ken St. Andre

    me practice walking with a swaying motion. I also had to keep
    my eyes discreetly downcast. The ladies really tried to make a
    proper damsel of me, but I fear that I disappointed them."
    Gawaine paused in his tale to take a drink while laughter rocked
    the hall.

    "Gawaine!" When Guinevere could speak without laughing
    aloud* she went on, "You amaze me! Perhaps you would accept
    an honored place among my ladies."

    "Nay, ladyl" The words came out vehemently, and the queen
    tinkled with laughter again. "Let me remain as I am, your true
    knight and defender." The queen nodded her assent

    Gawaine bowed slightly and resumed his story.