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“There have been some attempts on his life, from what I understand. Limited, amateurish ones. Arrows shot towards him from the opposing lines, that sort of thing.”
My hands gripped the edge of the table. “Amateurish, I see.”
“He’s never begged to return home, if that’s what you’re worried about. He understands his duty.”
“So why are you bringing him back now?” I asked.
Arthur’s eyebrows went up. “Well, I thought you’d wish to see him.”
“I do. Of course, I do,” I said hastily.
But it was difficult to believe Arthur was doing this simply for my own pleasure.
“I think it’s time the family was all back together again. And with the queen preparing to deliver in a few weeks... Well, I thought it would be best to make sure Kaye knows where he stands.”
Ah. I understood now.
“I wish for you to understand that, too, Morgan,” Arthur said, looking at me carefully. “Kaye is no longer heir to the throne of Pendrath. As soon as my child is born, he will be the Crown Prince.”
“Or Crown Princess,” I suggested.
He frowned but conceded, “Or princess.”
“I’m glad to hear that your child will inherit even if she is female,” I said.
“Of course she shall. Why wouldn’t she?”
“No reason,” I murmured, deciding not to bring up Arthur’s removal of Merlin as High Priestess. This was definitely not the time to discuss my brother’s horrible pattern of behavior towards women.
“Truthfully,” Arthur said, leaning towards me and lowering his voice, “Belisent would murder me if I should dare to suggest otherwise.”
And then he shot me a conspiratorial grin that left my mouth hanging open.
Could it be possible? Did Arthur actually care for Orcades?
“She’s a brilliant woman as well as beautiful,” my brother continued. “She’ll make a wonderful mother.”
I remembered what I had read about Orcades being one of our father’s foremost generals and cleared my throat. “She certainly seems to be... very versatile.”
“Oh, you’ve seen nothing yet,” Arthur said. “She’s brought something to this court that’s been missing for a long time. Beauty, yes. But something else that’s hard to pinpoint. Glamor is perhaps the best word for it.”
I had taken a bite of my chicken tart and now nearly choked on it.
Arthur slid a pitcher of water towards me, and I gratefully filled my cup.
Glamor.
By the Three, was that how Orcades had done this? Had she glamored Arthur as my mother had done to Uther Pendragon?
It would certainly explain his slightly improved countenance. I wondered how often the glamor had to be reapplied.
“I shall be very, very happy to see Kaye, Arthur. Thank you, truly, for bringing him home,” I said, as soon as I had swallowed my food.
Arthur looked gratified. “Of course, Sister. It will be good to have this table full again.”
I felt a pang in my heart. Was my brother trying to bring his family back together, to be a true head of our family as he might have been? If so, it was too terribly late. Oh, for what might have been.
Arthur’s expression shifted into a darker one. “It pains me to tell you this, Sister, but I fear I must.”
