Pendragon and the Mists of Britannia (Pendragon Legend Book 2), page 7
“Yes, from the continent and from the past.”
The last part of that sentence did not settle well with Arthur. He had heard nothing of that from Vipsanius.
Uther began relating the story of how the man had walked into the tent not expecting to find what he did.
“Then he found that rug. That Anatolian rug,” Uther said, pointing to the one that Bulanid Mehmet had identified and about which he accurately related the story of how Uther had acquired it.
“What is the importance of that rug?” Arthur asked, having never been told the story of many of his father’s campaigns from the past.
“I took that rug from one of the homes I led a raid on. I was a new general in your grandfather’s legions,” Uther continued, his face gradually descending into pain. “I was commanded by your grandfather, the emperor, to destroy that city. I was to kill each and every one of them and burn it to the ground,” Uther explained.
“Why? Was it a strategic point on the map?”
“I will get to that,” Uther said, and paused as his eyes searched for his wife as she turned away, denying him the solace from the pain.
Arthur kept studying the faces around the table. Everyone had paused as the servants brought in the meal prepared for Arthur. Once they left, Uther resumed.
“When I raided that village, I thought I had killed everyone, but one boy escaped. He had gone to hide in the rubble. According to him, it was somewhere on the south end of the city. None of my men had found him and so he escaped with his life.”
“What does this have to do with us?” Arthur asked, not knowing where any of this was going.
“The man who arrived in our settlement happens to be that boy,” Uther finally said, much to Arthur’s shock and surprise.
“How is that possible? After all this time, how could he have found you? That is hard to comprehend,” Arthur said as he struggled to fit the pieces of the events.
“I did not know it was him, but he recognized one of the rugs I took that day from a particular house. When he came here, the rug, which is unique to every family, lay on the floor, and he saw it, triggering a flood of memories from that day, thirty years ago.”
“So pay him off and send him away. What is the problem that I see hanging over both your faces?”
Uther and Igraine kept silent. Arthur couldn’t see the difficulty in the situation but then it occurred to him. He raised his head and looked at Uther.
“Why did the emperor want that city razed?”
Uther looked at Igraine, who could no longer control the tears. They streamed down her cheeks as Uther began to speak.
“The little boy was not the real child of the family that lived in that house. He was adopted by the father who was a merchant. The boy was an orphan from that village. He was my son. The emperor didn’t want anyone to lay claim to the throne and so had me raze the city.”
Enjoying Pendragon and the Mists of Britannia? Continue the story in Pendragon and the Traitor's Menace!
Also By C.J. BROWN
Book One: Merlin's Tomb
Book Two: The Mists of Britannia
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About the Author
C.J. Brown has a lifelong passion for fantasy literature and she quit her career in marketing to pursue her dream of becoming an author. Legends and myths in particular strike her fancy, and she loves putting her own spin on them. An adventurer at heart, when not writing, she can be found exploring the old mystical Northwoods around her home, where she finds much of her inspiration.
Website: cj-brown.com
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C.J. Brown, Pendragon and the Mists of Britannia (Pendragon Legend Book 2)
