The Quest (The Sons of Camelot Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

struggling with the loss of her son, especially with her husband still afield. “Though it is a grave journey that you are bound upon as well. Has there been any word at all?”
    “None,” John replied, trying to fight back the heaviness that had overtaken him as he entered Kendal and which seemed to hang all about him. He had begun to think that perhaps going there had been a mistake.

 
    Chapter Three
     
    True to form, Thomas had been late. John had passed two days in the castle before his neighbor finally arrived and two more before they had gotten word from Merlin that they were to meet him further north at Gretna Green.
    Though he had fought it at every turn and the arrival of Thomas had lightened it, the burden of Cumbria, as he’d begun to call it, was all around him. Though the darkness of it was certainly felt in the castle at Kendal, its effects were even more evident in the disrepair of the surrounding countryside.
    They had traveled only a few hours before Thomas spoke of their surroundings. “I fear that we have let down a brother, John.”
    “Of which brother are you speaking?” John asked.
    “Look around you,” Thomas responded, waving his arm in a broad circle. “With both the estate holder and his son in absence, Cumbria has fallen into a horrible state. There hasn’t been the kind of ‘keep on carrying on’ recovery here as there has been almost everywhere else.”
    “I can see that; however, neither of us were the cause. The stragglers from Mordred’s armies hid in the forests and caves and swamps around Kendal for well over a year after the war before the scouts and sheriffs could root them all out. Under the circumstances, I think they’ve done as well as could be expected. The other counties sent as much aid as they could and we all pulled together in the aftermath. So, how have we let our brother down?” John still hadn’t grasped where Thomas was going with his earlier comment.
    “We ought to have sent more aid or tended to some of these things ourselves, don’t you think?”
    The weight of Thomas’ question hit him with its full force. They had mourned Henry and felt the heaviness of his passing in their hearts, but they had, indeed, neglected to tend not only to Henry’s family, but also to the people of Cumbria. In that moment, he began to realize that the darkness and the “curse” had been guilt lying upon his shoulders.
    “We can send word back to Camelot and to our respective homes at Penrith,” John replied. “It is a very sad commentary on our status as good, Christian knights of the realm to have erred in such a despicable way and we ought to ensure that things are set right again.”
    “I am in accord with you on this, John,” Thomas replied. “But you know as well as I the reasons for Cumbria’s fall to the wayside. As it is, both Camelot and Avalon have been stretched rather thin for the last five years. Both governing courts have struggled with structural reorganization, repairs to infrastructure and dwindling coffers. I doubt anyone can say that they have even returned to the countryside this far north since the Battle of Camlann. Arthur himself fell gravely ill just three days after officiating Rhys’ wedding. It is not entirely anyone’s fault.”
    “This I can understand. Still, having seen what we have, it is our duty to sound the call to arms in Kendal’s aid.”
    “Indeed, brother! We will create a detailed plan for the restoration of Cumbria and send out a half dozen messengers to our other brothers and to King Arthur himself.”
    “Yes,” John agreed. “Drawing on the aid of the others will no doubt restore Cumbria to its former glory, if not make it the jewel of the realm. I believe that Arthur would certainly be eager to join such a noble undertaking.”
    “Dufton!” Thomas turned in his saddle and called out to his squire. “You are to take note of those items that you see in disrepair and prepare to assist in laying out our