The King's Wizard

2: Arrivals

"My last week of freedom is gone already!" Gwen complained. All three of them were siting near the castle gates, in a spot where they could observe the knights that were going to start arriving without being seen.

Lin rolled her eyes. Gwen had done nothing but worry about the tournament ever since she had left Sir Leodegrance. Whatever Gwen was planing, it wasn't enough to distract her from the coming knights. Lin felt sorry for her friend, but it was hardly doomsday just because she was getting married. "Don't be silly," Lin told her. "The marriage won't happen straight away, this is hardly your last week."

"I wouldn't put it past Father to tell me he's already arranged the ceremony as soon as whoever he has his eye on gets here."

Gana smiled "Aww now, that's a bit harsh. You ought to know your father will do nothing of the sought."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I happened to overhear your father writing yesterday."

"You overheard him writing!" Lin said incredulously. Gana might be a wizard, but that was a skill no wizard in history had managed.

Gwen laughed. "Father doesn't like writing," she explained, "he tends to mutter-"

"Or shout" Gana interjected.

"-While he's doing it."

"And you overheard this how?" Lin asked.

Gana blinked innocently. "The doorknob to the study door needed dusting. There was a lot of dust."

Gwen smiled. "What did you hear?"

"He hopes to marry you to a Sir Lancelot of the Lake."

"Was he writing a letter to him?"

"No, he was preparing what to say to you to achieve the minimum amount of noise. Have you ever heard of Sir Lancelot?"

"Father's mentioned him a few times, I tend to tune out when he start to talk of nobles."

"Well, his plan is to present this Lancelot in the best possible manner, then make sure he has wax to block his ears with. So he will give you some advance warning."

"Only if Sir Lancelot wants to marry me."

Lin glared at her friend. "Can you skip the big mystery and tell us what you're going to do?" She knew it was pointless. Gwen had refused to say a word about her big plans.

"Look." Gwen whispered excitedly. Lin looked, thinking Gwen was trying to distract her from any further enquiries. Coming towards the palace was a knight on horseback. He had his shield on his arm and a squire riding behind him. As he drew closer they finally caught a good look at his face.

"He's ugly." Lin said flatly. The knight had a face that looked like it had been squashed, beady eyes that were too close together and lips that were thin almost to the point of invisibility. He sat slightly slumped on his horse and didn't seem very comfortable in the saddle.

"Look at his squire though," said Gana. The squire was tall with sandy hair and dark brown eyes. In contrast to his master he sat straight and rode as if he had been born on horseback. She sighed. "Why would any knight take a squire that makes his ugliness more obvious."

Lin shrugged, then a grin spread across her face as she thought of something. "Gwen, I bet that's Sir Lancelot."

Gwen gasped in horror at the idea. "I would rather be married to an old man with rotting stumps for teeth than that."

"Now Gwen, looks aren't everything. He might be very nice," Gana said with a wicked smile.

"Or he might spend lots of time away on quests," Lin added. "Then you can have all the lovers you like."

"As if I'd ever be unfaithful!" Gwen said in mock indignation. "Anyway, we don't know whether he is the knight Father has in mind."

The knight had finally reached the castle gates and was speaking to the guards. Lin lent forwards, trying to catch a name. "-Has arrived," he was saying stiffly. One hurried off, another led the knight and his squire inside.

"Not all the knights are staying at the castle," she said thoughtfully, "most of them are lodging in the village. Your knight will be staying at the castle in Sir Leodegrance wants to make a good impression, so it might be him."

"He's not my knight," Gwen snapped.

"But he might be," Gana pointed out."

"He won't. Not if I don't want him to be."

It was several hours before the next knight arrived. This one had no squire and rode in just as the sun was setting. He had dark hair that was a little longer than the current fashion and green eyes. "He is by far better than that squire." Gwen whispered.

Lin shook her head. This knight wasn't bad, she supposed but he hardly measured up to the squire. "You must be mad to say that."

Gana laughed. "I'm afraid Lin's right here."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I hope this one's Sir Lancelot."

"Well what are you sitting here for?" Lin asked. "Go into that castle and find out. And get us the name of the squire and his master while you're at it."

Gwen gave a mocking bow. "Yes my lady." She walked off towards the castle.

Gana sighed. "Now I have to wait for tomorrow for her to tell me."

Lin smiled. "I don't. I'm her maid, remember. I can question her tonight."

"That's not fair! Come and see me afterwards and tell me everything."

Eveyone else was sleeping when Lin went to see Gana. She slept in the main hall like many of the servants, but as they didn't want to wake whole household they talked outside. "So what did you find out about the squire," Gwen demanded.

"He's called Arthur and his master is Sir Kay. That's about all I could get. She was going on about the other one the whole time, he is Sir Lancelot. She wouldn't stop going on about  he's charming and handsome."

"Poor you. I would rather have waited till tomorrow than listened to that."

Lin yawned. "I'm tired. Can go now that I've given you all the info I have."

Gana nodded regally. "You may."