Page 25 of The White Knight

“Yeah…wasn’t my first either.” I am so full of rage. I feel like I could literally tear his head off. Gawain pulls me away, keeping me from making another punch, and places me against the opposite wall.

“Guinevere, calm down. Do not let this jealous, angry man drag you down to his level.”

I walk around Gawain, pacing up and down the quiet hallway, breathing deeply as Josh had taught me ages ago. I can hear his calming voice in the back of my head:one, two, three, breathe. When I turn back around, Gawain has my broken lute in his hands. His face tells me he is beyond angry.

If Gawain didn’t have the heart of a lion, he would have smashed the remains of my lute against Mordred’s head. Instead, he whispers, “You are lucky our queen loves her king so dearly. She does not want to see Arthur kill his own kin. For he would surely do just that if he learns of what happened tonight. Stand yourself up and go back to your rooms. Do not leave there until your nose has healed. I will have food sent up to you.”

“You cannot expect me to lock myself away.” Mordred wipes the blood from his upper lip as he stands up. “I am King Arthur’s nephew! And in the eyes of God, his heir.”

Gawain lunges at Mordred, pinning him against the stone wall. “Do not test my patience. If you care for your uncle, you will listen to what I say. You will go to your chambers. You will tell no one of what happened tonight. If anyone sees the state of your face, you will tell them you drank too much ale and tripped up the stairs. Understand?”

A grunt of acknowledgment escapes from Mordred’s blood-coated mouth. The moment Gawain releases his hold, Mordred sprints away toward the keep. A second later, Gawain is back to his calm and collected self.

“That was intense, Gawain. Are you okay?” I ask, hesitant to approach him. Did I look that scary after punching Mordred?

“Me? Mordred attacked you, and you ask if I am okay? You really are quite a strange woman.”

I shrug. “I’ve had a lot of experience with bullies.”

Gawain sighs. “Let me escort you to the great hall. I am sure King Arthur is wondering where you are.”

“I think I want to dine in my private chambers tonight.”

“Then let me escort you there.”

“Gawain, I can walk there by myself. I’m fine. Really.”

“I know, my queen. But I am not. And I promised Lancelot I would keep you safe while he is away. So I will escort you back to your room. Then I will tell King Arthur where his wife is.” Gawain looks down at the broken lute in his hand. “What shall I tell him about the lute?”

“I do not want to lie. Maybe we can bend the truth and say that Mordred took the lute in jest and accidentally broke it?”

Gawain rubs his forehead. “I, too, do not wish to lie to my king. But I think that version is close enough to the truth. King Arthur will be angry, but not as much as he would be if he knew what Mordred did to you. I understand you do not want to cause him pain, but our king deserves to know the kind of man his nephew is.”

“He does, Gawain. Trust me. I know things about that man that are not yet to come. I have confided in Arthur.”

“You have had a vision? I thought your foresight left you after you gave birth to Galahad.”

I hesitate. Arthur, Lance, and Galahad are the only ones who know my truth. Know that I am from the future. Though I trust Gawain with my life, I cannot tell him this. I don’t think he would be as accepting of my truth.

“These are things I knew of from before.”

Gawain squints his eyes at me with suspicion, but accepts my answer. We walk in silence to the royal apartments. Our nervous, angry energy slowly disappears the closer we get to my sanctuary. Gawain opens the door to let me in, but swiftly enters before me when he notices Mordred sitting on the upholstered bench.

“My nephew came to me as I was heading to my evening meal, complaining that my wife attacked him unprovoked, breaking his nose.” Arthur says, hunched over on the bench opposite Mordred, resting his chin on folded hands.

I can’t help but cackle. If Mordred thinks he has a one-up on me, he is a fucking idiot. Gawain answers for me as I attempt to calm myself. “Your Highness, I was there when Queen Guinevere attacked Mordred. She was angry because Mordred broke her beloved lute. The lute you had gifted her crowned her queen.”

“Mordred, is this true?” Arthur asks.

An exaggerated sigh falls from Mordred’s scowling mouth. “It was an accident, uncle.”

“Hmmmm. Guinevere, was it an accident?”

Why is Mordred playing this game? He knows he cannot win. Gawain is a witness. Even if it was just me, Mordred still doesn’t stand a chance.

“If you call grabbing the lute from my hands and kicking it against a wall an accident, then sure. But it’s okay. I’ve already forgiven him by breaking his nose.” I can’t help but smirk.

“Mordred,” Arthur’s voice sounds calm, but I know he is angry, fiercely angry. “Go get your nose looked at. On your way, tell a maid to bring up two plates of supper for me and my queen.”

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