“King Nentres, King Urience, and the host,” he said.
“Even so, sire.”
“They were bidden to follow.”
“Loyal to their king.”
Uther watched them with a great pride stealing into his eyes; he smiled and held his head high.
“All these are mine,” he said.
Merlin’s face had kindled.
“Grapple the days to come,” he said; “let Scripture and old ethics rot. You have a thousand knights; let them ride by stream and forest, moor and mere. Let them ride out and sunder like the wind.”
“The quest of a King’s heart!”
“Sire, like a golden dawn shall she rise out of the past. Blow thy horn. Let us not tarry.”