Tristan hesitated.
Ere had no such qualms.
“A two-timing hussy? A disloyal tart? A faithless philanderess?”
“Something like that. But none of it is proven,” Tristan rushed to add. “Just rumors.”
“Certainly. Would it not imply the same of Morgan?”
“Oh, her husband died,” Tristan said.
“Mysteriously. He was said to have opposed Arthur’s ascension to the throne. He was rallying troops to fight against the king. But then he disappeared.”
“Just like that?”
“Aye. That was when rumors of Morgan le Fay’s powers started. Many accused her of murdering her husband. Theirs was not known to be a happy marriage.”
“You certainly know a lot for one so tender in age,” Ere abruptly remarked.
Tristan shrugged.
“I’ve always been sociable. For some reason, people like to talk around me. And I listen.”
“You seem like such a big, harmless golden retriever puppy that I am tempted to underestimate you,” Ere mused.
“But you’re pretty sharp, aren’t you? No wonder you became one of the Elite.”
“Eh?” the young man grunted quizzically.
Rui didn’t understand either.
“Never mind,” Ere waved his befuddling comment aside.
“What about Merlin?”
“Who?”
Ere blinked at him owlishly.
“You’ve never heard of Merlin?”
“Is that the lord you’ve come to these lands to visit?” Tristan queried.
“Tsk, Tsk,” Ere admonished. “Do your fishing elsewhere. I’m onto you now.”
The young warrior blushed.
“No, I’ve never heard his name before,” he answered.
“Huh,” Ere muttered, nonplussed.
Rui did not know who this Merlin was. Well, she didn’t know any of the people Ere and Tristan were talking about. But she read from the look on Ere’s face that the name was important. He was surprised by Tristan’s ignorance.
“So…” Ere drew out the word.
Rui could almost hear his sharp mind whirring.
“Morgan and Guinevere aren’t BFFs.”