I, Morgana by Felicity Pulman

Author:Felicity Pulman [Pulman, Felicity]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781760081386
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Published: 2014-06-26T00:00:00+00:00

I say none of this when I am summoned to an audience with my brother.

“My liege and dearest brother.” I sweep into a deep curtsy and kiss his hand. “I am truly sorry to hear that you have all these troubles to bear.” I look up at Viviane who, as usual, is standing guard behind Arthur.

“Morgana!”

I hear the relief in Arthur’s voice as he raises me and holds me in a close embrace. It seems that his gratitude over my impending marriage to Urien has softened his feelings toward me. It seems also that my brother looks upon me as an ally in an increasingly troubled court.

“I am more than pleased to see you, sister. You know that Sir Patrise has died after taking a bite from a poisoned apple. Now there is talk that the apple was meant for me. And that Guenevere is to blame, for it is said …” His voice dies to a mutter so I have to lean close to hear his last words, and then I can hardly believe them. “It is said that she wishes me dead.”

There are always rumors flying around Camelot, but this one I haven’t heard before. Has the love between Launcelot and Guenevere grown so irresistible they are now trying to get Arthur out of their way? An unexpected gust of fury shakes me at the thought. I had almost convinced myself that I was indifferent to their love, but this is a step beyond my expectation. My plan was to make them suffer the pangs of unrequited love, not lead them to murder—with ecstacy as a reward for their wrongdoing.

“Perhaps you’ve mistaken what you’ve heard, sire?” I ask hopefully.

“I think not, for the story has come to me from more than one source: that she longs to have a child and she blames me for her failure to conceive an heir for Camelot. I have seen how men look at her, and it may be she is tempted to consider another …”

Arthur looks so miserable I am moved to take him into my arms and give him a comforting hug, just as I used to do when he was small. And yet I cannot gainsay his imaginings for the evidence is right there in front of him, if only he is prepared to face it.

“The problem I have now,” Arthur continues, “is that any attempt on my life is treason, punishable by death. So unless I can prove the queen’s innocence, Guenevere will burn.” He squeezes his eyes shut, perhaps imagining the horror of such a death.

Trying to put my own feelings aside, I consider the matter. “Gawain claimed that the queen arranged the feast. Is that true?”

Arthur hesitates, opens his eyes. “Yes, it is.”

“And Gawain was seated at the Round Table—whereas Agravaine and I were not.” There is a sting in the last words; my demotion still rankles. “So perhaps the queen wanted Gawain under her eye, in which case he may be right in claiming that he was indeed the intended victim and not you, Arthur.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.