Out of Time

Chapter 25

At least the feast was the one part of this fiasco she felt she could probably handle without completely embarrassing herself. She ate as demurely as she could, trying to emulate Guinevere as much as she could. Dani watched the younger girl with interest as she picked at her food, figuring Guin knew far more about being a lady than Dani ever would.

As she ate, the noise in the room only grew, men becoming boisterous with drink. She tried to keep her head down and her attention focused on her food, but Arthur always managed to draw her focus, though. His deep voice rumbled through her, drawing her out of her own head. She had almost managed to forget how wonderful his voice sounded, but today reminded her all over again.

"Lady Morgan," he said, turning to his sister on the other side of him.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I was wondering if you would be interested in being a lady in waiting for my Danielle. It would allow us the opportunity to become more of a family and get to know one another, and with Mordred and so many of his brothers already here as knights, it would bring you closer to them as well."

Morgan smiled, and Dani's gut churned at the expression. "I would be honored."

Dani paled slightly, looking to Merlin for the first time since he attacked her a couple weeks ago. A frowned marred Merlin's face, and she knew he felt the same as she about the idea of having Arthur's sister so close. Bad enough Mordred would be starting as a knight after the wedding, but Morgan? She shuddered. She just knew that the woman was up to something, especially after the reaction from Merlin. She could dismiss her own knowledge as flawed or convoluted, but Merlin could see things. If he was concerned, then she had reason to be too.

She frowned as she turned to Arthur, his back to her as he conversed energetically with his sister. How could she possibly tell him no? How could she possibly explain? And a part of her simply couldn't bear the idea of dashing his hopes. She remembered the conversation they'd had about his family, or lack thereof. Dani knew how desperately he wanted those connections. She only wished he could see the wonderful connections he had around him, connections so much more beautiful and powerful for they were formed out of love, not blood.

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Morgan wanted to dance with glee. She'd never imagined Arthur would make things so easy for her. And she couldn't deny there would be certain benefits to staying in Camelot. She looked out over the Great Hall, her gaze landing on the handsome young man politely conversing with the Lady Guinevere. He was exactly her type, nothing like her former husband.

She scowled, as always not happy with anything that made her think of the man she'd been married to. Outwardly, it had been a good match. What parents wouldn't want a wealthy king for their daughter? And King Urien had certainly been both. But what had started as two strangers forming a union had quickly morphed into a constant battle of wills.

Morgan had been a healer, kind and gentle, but Urien had worn every ounce of gentleness out of her soul. Before long, before their son, Ywain, had even been born, she'd started taking lovers. Sometimes, she was discreet, but other times, she'd simply wanted to hurt him—in any way she could.

The last straw, however, was when he sister, Morgause, died. Morgan had wanted to take in and care for her youngest nephew, the only one that hadn't been sent away yet to train. He was just a baby, so fragile, so innocent, and she'd wanted nothing more than to care for him. There was no one left to care for the infant. Her brother-in-law had declared the boy a bastard and refused to have him in his home.