The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris Read Free Book Online Page A

His voice was harsher than before.
    "Those who choose to avoid danger make it a point not to see adventures, I believe." The woman's voice, too, had changed. Now there was a mocking note.
    "And those who are fools see adventures where there are none," Gawain retorted. As if realizing his rudeness, Gawain bowed again and added, "Meaning no offense, of course, madam."
    The woman smiled without humor and said, "Offense taken all the same, young coxcomb."
    "As you wish," Gawain said, his jaw clamped shut.
    "I had heard," the woman said to Arthur, keeping an eye on Gawain at the same time, "that your court was the most gallant of all courts, and the most respectful. I see now that that was nonsense. But are there knights here willing to dare an adventure?"
    "Sir Gawain appears to have forgotten himself," Arthur agreed. "But he himself will dare—"
    "Sir Gawain?" the woman interrupted. "Do you mean to tell me that this pompous, self-absorbed fribble is Sir Gawain! Appalling! I had heard he was the best knight in the court." She looked into Gawain's eyes, and the mocking note in her voice grew stronger. "I do hope that Camelot isn't attacked by a band of blind, crippled old women. But perhaps you have other knights who could protect Sir Gawain from them."
    Gawain met her gaze, and his eyes flashed, but he said nothing. At last, Arthur said quietly, "What would you have us do, my lady?"
    "You must send two knights out on the adventure," the woman said. "One to follow the hound and one to follow the hart."
    Merlin spoke suddenly. "Do as she says, your highness."
    "Sir Tor!" Arthur called. "You will follow the hound."
    "King Arthur," the woman said. "Send Sir Gawain after the hart." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Perhaps he will find adventure where he saw none before."
    "So be it," said the king.
    The mule turned slowly and started toward the kitchen door. As she passed by Gawain, the woman whispered, "Fribble!"
    "Harridan!" Gawain replied promptly. And his eyes followed her until she had disappeared.

5. Questing
    By noon the next day, Terence, Gawain, and Tor were twenty miles from Camelot, pressing deeper into the forest. It had not been a pleasant ride. Gawain had been broodingly silent all morning, and neither Tor nor Terence wanted to interrupt his preoccupation. Instead, they had busied themselves with the hunt and with controlling the greyhounds that the king had lent them for the chase.
    Tor finally broke the silence. "Shall we stop here for a luncheon?" he asked. Gawain did not reply. Tor looked at Terence and shrugged. "I said, shall we—"
    "The sooner we catch those animals, the sooner we'll be done with this fool's errand," Gawain said gruffly. "Let's press on."
    "I'm hungry," Tor replied simply. "I'm stopping."
    "Suit yourself. We're not," Gawain said, trotting ahead.
    Terence had been thinking longingly about his lunch for over an hour, but he took a deep breath and resigned himself. Tor grinned at Terence, understanding in his eyes, and tossed him a half loaf of bread. Terence smiled gratefully and booted his horse after Gawain.
    Terence's horse gave out about three. Terence had never seen an exhausted horse before and did not recognize the signs until the animal stumbled and fell. Gawain dismounted and impatiently examined the horse.
    "Why didn't you tell me your horse was in this state?" he demanded. Terence quailed at the anger in Gawain's eyes. "Couldn't you hear him gasping? Couldn't you feel him shaking? There's nothing worse than someone who does that to an animal." Gawain glowered at the horse for a moment, then snapped at Terence, "Well? Start getting camp ready. You can do that well enough, anyway." Smarting with a helpless sense of injustice, Terence began making camp.
    An hour later, Tor joined them. He glanced at Terence's horse, then dismounted. "Had to rest the horse, hey?" he remarked.
    "That's right," Gawain grumbled. "We're lucky Terence didn't kill it."
    Tor stopped in his tracks.