Endings (King Arthurs and Her Knights Book 7)
Page 25
Merlin cleared his throat and inched his head back, but he still did not loosen his hold on her waist. “Blaise was able to pinpoint a general time before we left, but as I knew your approximate age, and we had the travel book, we popped out of the cave a few years early just to be sure.”
Britt frowned slightly as she looked from Merlin to the rest of her friends. Though they looked different, it was mostly in appearance only. Gawain still looked like he was barely twenty, as did Griflet and Percival. “So...why haven’t you aged, then?” She asked.
Merlin smiled triumphantly. “It’s a side-effect of the spell. Even mortals will have the same lifespan of a faerie if they spend enough time on faerie land.”
This revelation shocked Britt almost as much as knowing that her friends were still alive. “Does that mean…?”
Merlin smiled and kissed her cheek. “Yes. All of us are ageless with you.”
This proclamation made Britt burst into tears, which caused Cavall to bark and made everyone fuss. There was another round of hugging; this time Britt embraced everyone present, ending with Kay.
The room was filled with laughter and good cheer, and Britt felt so happy she could almost burst…. But there was still one person missing. “Kay…Did our father stay behind?”
Kay’s smile dimmed, and he retreated to the round table. “I’m sorry, Britt. He couldn’t leave Bonmaison, or mother. But, he gave me this letter to give you.” He handed Britt a binder filled with laminated pages. Some of the pages were covered with script, old English Britt couldn’t understand. But others were written on Avalon-themed stationary. “I laminated the original to save it, then translated it so you could read it yourself.”
Merlin guided Britt over to a chair so she could sit down as she read the letter from her foster-father.
To Britt Arthurs,
If you’re reading this, then Kay and the others have successfully found you. I regret that I cannot come with them, for more than anything I would like to be there for you. I would love to see what you do and the new goals you accomplish! But I am needed here, in this time. And as much as I would wish it, my place is not with you in the future.
But that does not change how proud I am of you, or how much I love you. Camelot is strong, and Britain is great because of your court and because of you. I know you can do it again, in your time. Though it is a different situation, I know you will continue to do many great things, and you will change the world for the better.
So please, Britt. Remember me, and know that I love you, and I will always think of you with a parent’s pride and joy. You will ever be my Britt, my daughter, and my King.
With all my love,
Your father
It took Britt several minutes before she could stop crying. Kay, Morgan, and Merlin stayed with her, and Gawain hovered just behind her chair.
Though the letter tore her heart, it soothed her soul. For Britt knew just as she had changed Britain after becoming king, the knights who served her had changed her. She would miss Ector, the man who had been, and still was, her father. Though he had died hundreds of years ago, she would still love him and try to make him proud.
The same was true for the loss of Mordred, Ywain, Pellinore, and all the other knights who could not come with her.
Now, as little more than a jobless graduate, she didn’t know what kind of impact she would have…. But in their memory, she would do her best.
Britt took the Kleenex that Kay offered her and smiled through her tears at her foster brother. “Thanks, Kay.”
Kay nodded and suspiciously rubbed his eyes.
“If I might, perhaps, brighten the occasion,” Bedivere said as he and Percival slowly approached Britt now that her tears were gone.
Britt laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m so happy everyone’s here. It’s just…”
“We understand, Lass.” Merlin took Britt’s hand and intertwined it with his own.
“Yes, but it’s about time we hand off your official position in Avalon,” Bedivere said.
“Right. What did you guys call me in here for?” Britt asked.
“It was my idea to lure you in with the promise of an interview,” Nymue said. “You are a jobless millennial, after all.”
“Not any longer,” Bedivere said with a big smile. “Percival, if you would.”
Percival gave Britt a wooden nameplate with a shy smile.
Britt flipped it around, her brain flatlining when she read it.
Britannica Arthurs, CEO
“What?” Britt asked dumbly.
“You are the new CEO of Avalon!” Lancelot crowed.
“Between reading your travel book and investing in Apple, we’ve actually managed to multiply our wealth,” Bedivere said.
“Indeed,” Merlin said. “We actually have more assets in monetary value than you did as King of Camelot. And it’s all yours.”
“You can’t just give me all that money,” Britt protested, with an unamused look.
“Of course we can,” Morgan said firmly.
“And our first Lancelot Hate Club reunion meeting will be to go shopping,” Nymue announced.
Griflet snapped his fingers at Britt and winked. “Yeah, the ladies have made it a rule that if you work here, you got to look on peak.”
“It’s point. On point,” Merlin said flatly.
“Going through so many centuries, your knights have found it hard to adjust to modern slang,” Nymue said. “So I wouldn’t let any of them handle your PR stuff if I were you. We ladies, however, excel at it.”
“But I don’t get it,” Britt said as Merlin pulled her from her chair. “What do you expect me to do?”
Lancelot shrugged his shoulders. “Does it matter what you do? You are our King. We will follow you wherever you go.”
“We can invest in and work on the issues you think important,” Kay said. “The initiatives we started with Avalon are merely the beginning.”
“Though we did fund what we thought you would be interested in,” Griflet said. “The water purification venture was my idea!” He sidled up to Blancheflor and batted his eyes at the faerie lady. She rolled her eyes, but Britt didn’t miss the way she minutely shifted closer to him.
“You can’t just throw all this money at me,” Britt protested as Merlin led her around the Round Table. “I’m not a business person—I won’t know what to do with it!”
“Most of our funds aren’t liquid, so we are incapable of physically assaulting you with it,” Gawain pointed out. “Except for your crown and armor, of course.”
“I saw your statements online. Avalon is a multi-billion-dollar organization,” Britt said, preparing to hold her ground on the issue. “You can’t be so calm and nonchalant about passing it off to me!”
Bedivere blinked at her, wide-eyed as if he were shocked with her reaction. “Why not?”
“Because, because you can’t!” Britt said.
“Britt,” Merlin said, stopping her tirade.
“What?” She snapped.
Merlin tilted his head at the wall. Still feeling overwhelmed and snappish, Britt, scowling, turned to face the wall, and her anger faded away.
Excalibur, mounted on a wooden plaque, was bolted above the fireplace. Britt reached out and brushed the hilt, which still felt as if it were made especially for her and hummed in her grasp.
Touching it made some of her protests die. “But…. You….” She sighed. “We’ll have to make a new goal,” she said finally. “I mean, we can’t do anything with the British government. I’m not a citizen, and it’s not just a monarchy anymore.”
Merlin helped her lift Excalibur from the wall, freeing it. “Oh, I wasn’t thinking about Britain this time.”
Britt snorted as the sword practically hummed in her hand. “Then what were you thinking of?”
“How about…the world?”
The End of King Arthurs and Her Knights
You can find free King Arthurs extras and short stories at kmshea.com
Afterword
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br /> Thank you for reading Endings I hope you enjoyed the final chronicle of Britt’s adventures! If you want to read more of my work, sign up for my newsletter to receive my free K. M. Shea Starter Pack ebook.
It contains:
A King Arthurs and Her Knights prequel short story
A Red Rope of Fate prequel short story
An original fairy tale, Princess Snow and Queen Ruby
My newsletter is released every month, and contains information about contests, new freebies—like short stories and extra scenes—free books, and reader opinion polls.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. I am proud to say I have the best readers. Therefore, it is my dearest wish that Britt and her boys made you laugh, and warmed your heart. Thank you.
Other books by K.M. Shea
Life Reader
Red Rope of Fate
Princess Ahira
Robyn Hood:
A Girl’s Tale
Fight for Freedom
The Magical Beings’ Rehabilitation Center:
My Life at the MBRC
Farewell to the MBRC?
The Lost Files of the MBRC
King Arthur and Her Knights:
Enthroned
Enchanted
Embittered
Embark
Enlighten
Endeavor
Three pack (Enthroned, Enchanted, Embittered)
Timeless Fairy Tales
Beauty and the Beast
The Wild Swans
Cinderella
Rumpelstiltskin
The Little Selkie
Puss in Boots
Swan Lake
Sleeping Beauty
The Snow Queen:
Heart of Ice
Sacrifice
About the Author
K.M. Shea is a book lover, champion web surfer, and all around geek. She is a fulltime independent author, and lives in the quaint Midwest with her beloved companion, Perfect Dog.
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Visit her blog: www.kmshea.com
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