Well, here it is. this is the first Story that I have posted on . Nothing would make me any happier then seeing a little feedback :]
Enjoy!
Chapter One: The Gamble
"Well, here we are, Sophia. This is Camelot." Vaughn tossed his head back over his shoulder to look back at his two younger sisters. Vaughn jerked up on the reins from the back of his charcoal black horse that came to a decisive stop.
Sophia clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "So we are." Sophia didn't bother to hide the disgust from her voice while she ran her dark sapphire eyes over the new territory. Children ran wild with toys carried in their small arms, merchants crowded the streets and it proved to not be that different from Mercia.
"We ought to continue on foot." Vaughn suggested as he slung one foot over the side of his steed, his black boots clacked against the white cobblestone. Sophia drew her horse up next to his and gave him a look that demanded an explanation. "We mustn't approach as if we are better then these people. We don't come as conquerors."
"Come, Sophia, people are starring at us." Claudia's emerald eyes pleaded silently with her older sister. Claudia held down the gold-trim hem of her blue dress before she slid gracefully down from the off-white horse, still watching Sophia thoughtfully.
Sophia brushed off her sister's words and glanced around for herself. The guards that reluctantly allowed them through the gates abandoned their posts and now watched the group of three warily. The commoners too watched the strangers with fascination, wondering in the back of their minds who they were. "Fine, help me down." she growled in annoyance; extending a slender hand down at a steep angle to Vaughn who bit his tongue.
"Now was that so difficult?" Vaughn asked the rhetoric question and took the reins of Sophia's horse as well, knowing full well that she wasn't about to walk the horse down the roads. "You drive me mad sometimes. Do you know that, I don't know how I am ever going to convince King Uther to shelter you, Sophia."
"You're charming, brother." Sophia sneered, falling into step in between him and Claudia.
Claudia let out a throaty sigh. "I for one am pleased that the two of you will remain separated for some time. Perhaps it will teach you to appreciate each other more, we can only hope that is. Though the circumstances are quite unfortunate."
"State your purpose in Camelot." Two guards, one on the left and the other on the right, formed an X across the entry way into the inner city with bladed staffs. They eyed the three suspiciously, automatically knowing that they were not citizens of the kingdom.
"We've come to request court with King Uther." Vaughn spoke delicately, making direct eye contact with the one who demanded a response.
They guardians shared a short look. "We were not notified to allow anyone from Mercia into the city. It would be in your best interest to leave now. We'll notify the King that you stopped by, do you want to leave a message for him?"
"No. We wish to speak with him." Sophia cut in rudely, pushing Vaughn out of her way as he blocked her path. "I promise, we shan't be here long. Let us pass, we mean no harm. Last time I checked our kingdoms still got along well."
"Are you," The guard on the left lowered his staff, "the children of King Bayard?" Vaughn nodded his head slowly, perhaps it had finally sunk into their brains. "Our apologies, I didn't know. We weren't told that you three would be stopping by. Is the King coming?"
Vaughn patted his chain mail while his sisters passed through the gate. "Just us thank you."
"For a minute there I thought they were going to escort us out of Camelot." Claudia breathed a sigh of sweet relief. "Not that it would surprise me one bit it wasn't long ago when Mercia and Camelot were mortal enemies, father was here only a month ago to create a treaty."
"Yes Claudia, I know." Vaughn chuckled. "I was there remember, and they threw the whole lot of us into jail because they thought father attempted to poison Prince Arthur."
"Can we not refer to him as father please." Sophia challenged. "He hardly deserves the title, especially as of late. If he doesn't think of us as his children then we are not obligated to call him our father. Or am I the only one who remembers why we have come here in the first place."
Vaughn rolled his eyes. "No, you aren't. This was my idea in the first place. Maybe you forgot that?"
"Stop it!" Claudia cried, cutting Sophia off before she could retort. "For one moment, try and be civil to one another. You two are unbelievable."
"Excuse me," An approaching voice caught the attention of the feuding siblings. The one who said the simple words walked briskly before five knights who flanked him on either side. "I believe that you are requesting a court with my father?"
Vaughn's lips turned up into a small smile, before slightly dipping his head in respect. "You must be Arthur."
"Have we met?" Arthur quizzically looked Vaughn over, scrutinizing him, paying no attention to the women on either side of him. But before Vaughn could reply, "Oh wait. You must be the son of Bayard, what are you doing here in Camelot, does he send a message?"
"He doesn't know that we are here, actually." Claudia drew attention to herself. "We've come to ask King Uther for a favor."
Arthur tilted his head slightly to the side before waving off the knights who faithfully followed their Prince. "Well, then I'll see what I can do about that. Come inside the palace with me." When Arthur turned on his heel, the sword strapped to his waist clanked against his thigh. "And you may tie your horses up as well. No one is going to take them." There was almost a sug tone to Arthur's voice.
"I suppose you wouldn't want them dirtying up your home." Vaughn replied back, tying the three sets of reigns to three separate wooden poles.
Sophia ran the tips of her fingers over the white stone that made up the castle, not being able to help the comparison between the one in Camelot and in Mercia. Camelot, she was reluctant to admit it to herself, greatly out shined the palace in Mercia. "It's beautiful."
"Hmmm?" Arthur tousled his blonde hair when he glanced over his shoulder.
"Nothing." Sophia mummered, unaware that she had whispered that aloud for all to hear.
Arthur shrugged his shoulders simply and ignored the comment. "Anyway, here we are. The meeting room, you can probably find my father in there, he always is. Leaning over some document or chastising one of the servants." he motioned for the guards to pull the heavy oak doors open for them and led the way.
"Arthur," King Uther chewed on a purple grape that he popped into his mouth, "who are your friends here?" Even though the question addressed his son, it was not meant to be answered by him alone but by the party who accompanied him.
Vaughn bowed his head before introducing himself. "I am Vaughn the Crown Prince of Mercia. And these are my sisters; Princess Sophia and Lady Claudia. We have sought out your help and thank you for the opportunity to speak with you King Uther."
"Ahhhh, I trust that Bayard is doing well?" King Uther leaned with his fists against the long wooden table that was momentarily placed so he could enjoy his early evening meal. "What have you come to ask? Something wrong in the land of Mercia?"
"He is doing. . . .well, yes." Vaughn took a deep breath and gestured to his two sisters. "I am the only male heir my father has but I do not wish to rule Mercia after the passing of my father. The responsibility would be left to Sophia and now he plans to do something horrid and unthinkable to most men, Bayard wishes to murder Sophia and Claudia."
King Uther dashed his dull blue eyes to both women whose eyes were adverted to the ground. "He has ordered the death of his own children? Why?"
"Our father can't stand the idea of Sophia controlling an entire kingdom. If she marries, then the power will no longer be in our family but to another. That doesn't sit well with him. And he knows that if they are dead then I will have no choice but to take after him when he passes."
Uther was silent for a moment, deep in thought. "We have just signed a peace treaty with Mercia, as I am sure you know. By helping your sisters avoid the unavoidable, it would be considered an act of war against Bayard. Camelot is in a time of prosperity, we don't need a war. I am sorry."
"Father, you can't send them back. They'll be killed." Arthur defended the disheartened group.
"Arthur, think of what is best for our kingdom." King Uther scolded his only son.
"Bayard doesn't know that I have come to you to offer sanction to my sisters. He thinks that they stole away in the middle of the night and that I am hunting them down. There will be no way for Bayard to know that you are assisting us, please." Vaughn pleaded, searching the King's face for any hint that he might have changed his mind.
King Uther shook his head. "I can't. I am sorry."
"Only for the summer, until Bayard either changes his mind or is killed-" Vaughn started but was cut off.
"The words you are speaking are treasonous." King Uther spoke sternly. "I will not hear of a plan to kill an ally of mine."
"If you help us, the reward with be worth it." Vaughn said this hesitantly, not absolutely positive that he wanted to gamble away Mercia. The four in the room watched and waited patiently for him to continue, especially Sophia who only guessed what he wanted to say. "The kingdom of Mercia will be yours, just keep them safe."
Sophia's eyes widened and she starred at her brother in shock. "You have no right to say that, Vaughn!"
"Your lives are worth more to me then Mercia." Vaughn approached King Uther and extended his hand. "Have we reached an agreement? The protection of Sophia and Claudia in exchange for Mercia when it has been freed from my father's grasp?"
"Do you really want to do this?" King Uther was apprehensive, unsure how someone could promise such a thing and so suddenly. "I will hold you to your word." Vaughn fit his gloved hand into Uther's and shook it gently, an unwavering shimmer in his eye.
I hope this wasn't confusing, if so, it will be cleared up in the later chapters that I already have written. Thanks for reading :)