Ruins of Camelot by G. Norman Lippert Read Free Book Online Page B

outposts gets more worrying every day.  There are rumours of bands of villains raiding towns, recruiting new members by the point of the sword.  Worse, there are tales of wanton bloodshed, of whole villages being wiped out."
    "But surely, if these tales were true, father would have received reports…"
    Darrick shook his head slowly.  "Not if the messengers were killed before they could deliver them," he said meaningfully.  "Five of the fourteen provinces have not been heard from in almost half a year.  Their tax manifests are overdue.  Most troubling of all, there is evidence that two of the manifests from the reporting provinces have been falsified."
    "Falsified?" Gabriella repeated, lowering her own voice.  "But how can that be?  The chamberlains are all loyal to my father.  They would not cheat him."
    Darrick's eyes had grown hard.  "They would not unless they were forced to."
    "Forced to… but by whom?  And why?"
    "The question of why is the simple one.  Your father's advisers believe that there is a brute army on the march.  The unreported taxes are being used to support and pay them.  The tributes of the Kingdom are being used to fund an insurrection force against it."
    Gabriella was shocked.  Why had her father not told her about these things?  Had he believed that he was protecting her?  How could she be expected to be Queen someday if she was not welcomed into the council of the King on such matters now?  For the first time, she wondered if perhaps her own father did not believe she was capable of the task.  Did he himself doubt her ability solely because she was a woman?  Her face reddened at the thought.
    "I hate that I must learn of these things from you, beloved," she said rather more stiffly than she had intended.  "But who does my father believe is responsible for this treason?"
    Darrick shook his head.  "No one knows for certain, but there are rumours as you well know."
    "Merodach," Gabriella breathed, drifting slowly to her seat again.  "Goethe told me.  On the battle floor.  I thought he was just trying to frighten me."
    "Again, dearheart, no one knows for certain.  The name does not matter.  The point is the people are worried.  As I said, the Kingdom does not need another administrator."
    "What do they need?" she asked without looking at him.
    Darrick peered back over his shoulder, up at the stained-glass window behind him.  "They need heroes," he answered.
    Gabriella turned and followed his gaze.  Behind them, the glass knights glared down, their faces grave and handsome, their swords and shields at the ready.
    "I was taught that it was a good thing that there was no longer a council of the Round Table," she said softly.  "Father told me that it meant that we live in a time of peace.  There is no need of a coalition of war when there are no wars to be fought."
    Darrick nodded.  Gabriella continued to frown up at the stained glass.  "It always made me sort of sad," she mused.  "When I was a girl, I longed for the days when gallant men rode in force against beasts and villains, marauding armies and unstoppable foes."
    "Every boy I knew growing up wanted to be brave Sir Lancelot," Darrick added, smiling wistfully.  "I was one of them."
    "But you aren't !" Gabriella hissed suddenly, turning back to him.  "You're Darrick.  You are to be my husband, not some military officer running into the heat of battle.  You belong to me, not the Kingdom."
    "We all belong to the Kingdom—" Darrick began, but she interrupted him.
    "I won't have it!  Let the people have their heroes if they need them, but not you.  I need you more than they do."
    "Bree," Darrick said, grasping her hand earnestly, "I can be both.  It is your father's wish.  It is my duty.  I do not resist it.  What are you afraid of?  Surely not some rabble of malcontents hiding in the northern hills?  I long to rout them out and put an end to their debauchery.  Why do you rage against this?"
    Gabriella met his