The Squire's Quest Read Free

made a quick head motion as if to shake off a fly, then crossed through the kitchen and went out the far door. Terence watched him thoughtfully. When Dinadan had first arrived at Camelot, a callow youth not knowing whether he wanted to be a knight or a minstrel, Terence had not thought much of him, but in late years he had reconsidered that opinion. At any rate, he felt a bond of sympathy with anyone who lived in one world but really belonged in another.
    Gottried finished his maudlin poem, to loud cheers from the younger knights and courtiers and polite applause from the older ones, and Terence returned to his place behind Gawain, who whispered to him, "Coward!" Terence grinned but didn't answer.
    As the third course was concluding, a diversion broke the predictable monotony of the state dinner. A guard hurried into the hall, spoke privately with King Arthur for several seconds, then trotted away. After a moment, Arthur and Queen Guinevere rose to their feet. "My friends, I apologize for the interruption, but we have just received word that a dear friend has arrived at the court, and we must leave you for a moment." He smiled to the party from the Holy Roman Empire and said, "We shall not be gone long. Indeed, I hope to persuade our guest to join our dinner."
    A buzz of whispers began as soon as King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were gone. Terence exchanged a glance with Gawain, but neither joined in the speculation. They would be told who this guest was when the king was ready. Sure enough, a minute later, the king and queen returned, with their guest between them. She was a young lady with reddishblond hair and a firm step. Terence smiled with genuine pleasure.
    "My lords and ladies," King Arthur announced. "I present to you the Lady Sarah of Milrick."
    The king needed to say no more. Everyone at Camelot—and, from their awed expressions, even those from the Holy Roman Empire—had heard of Lady Sarah. Only a few years had passed since she, aided by Sir Lancelot, had rescued Queen Guinevere from a knight who had kidnapped her, a certain Sir Meliagant. Since then, Lady Sarah had lived quietly in the small castle that King Arthur had given her and had not been to Camelot, but Terence and Gawain had ridden with her for a time on that adventure and knew her very well. From the king's table, Sir Lancelot rose to his feet and crossed the hall to Lady Sarah. "My lady," he said reverently, kneeling at her feet.
    Lady Sarah suppressed a smile. "Oh, get up, Lancelot. It's good to see you again, too." She stood in the center of the hall, clad in her dusty traveling clothes, and gazed around the brilliantly decorated room filled with richly clothed courtiers and foreign dignitaries. "Forgive me for interrupting your dinner," she said, "but I
am
hungry." Queen Guinevere took her arm and began leading her to the head table, but as they passed by Sir Gawain's seat, Lady Sarah looked intently into Terence's eyes and mouthed the words, "Can we talk?"

    Until the contingent from the Holy Roman Empire left, there were no available guest rooms at Camelot, which Terence used to his advantage. By strolling among the tables during the dinner, dropping a word in Kai's ear and whispering for a moment with Eileen, he saw to it that Sarah was assigned to stay with Eileen during her time at Camelot. Having arranged that, it was easy for him simply to drop in on Eileen after dinner, once he was sure that Sarah was there. Sarah and Eileen were sitting by the fire when he swung through the open window, and Sarah gave a start. "Lud!" she exclaimed. "Does he often do that?"
    "No manners at all," Eileen said without looking up from her embroidery.
    Sarah glanced curiously at Eileen, then at Terence. Terence said, "It's good to see you again, my lady. You're looking well. Older, but well."
    "And you look exactly the same," Sarah said frankly.
    "He never ages," Eileen commented, setting a tiny stitch. "It's infuriating."
    "And how about our mutual