important. The fact that a man of his class spoke to her was. She couldn't imagine what he might want with her.
Making sure that she didn't offend him by meeting his gaze, she spoke in an even, calm tone. "Is there something I can do for you, my lord?"
He glanced behind him toward another handsome knight who looked close enough in features to be a relation of some sort. Only that knight had his blond hair cut shorter and wore a well-trimmed beard.
"Are you Seren of York, the weaver's apprentice?"
She cocked her head suspiciously, wondering how noblemen had learned her name and why they would know it. "Why do you ask me such, my lord?"
"I am Gawain," he said with an eager, gentle smile, "and this is my brother Agravain."
The names surprised her. She'd only heard of them in one place. "As in the tales of King Arthur?"
His face lightened instantly. "You know us?"
"Nay, my lord, I do not. I only know of the stories the old men and minstrels tell at night for food and shelter, or in the street when they seek coin."
He frowned at her. "But you do know of the knights of Arthur's Round Table?"
"Aye, my lord. Is there any who does not?"
His smile returned. "Then you know us. We are the same. My brother and I have been sent here to find you. You are to be mother of the next Merlin, and you must come with us so that we can protect you."
Seren went cold at his words. Mother to the next Merlin? What was this game they played?
But then she feared that she knew. It was more than common for a nobleman to set his sights on a peasant girl for his pleasure. There was nothing she could do to stop it. Peasants had no rights before their noble masters.
Yet if she went with them and Master Rufus learned of it, he'd throw her out. Both he and his wife required chastity of all their apprentices. Gilda had been turned out just last year when they had learned she'd done nothing more than walk home from Mass with a young man.
They hadn't even held hands, and now Gilda was ruined and working in the local stew with no hope of anything better.
"Please, my lord," she said, her voice shaking with sincerity, "do not ask this of me. I am a good and decent woman. I have nothing in this world except my untarnished reputation. I am sure there is goodness in you that you would not see an innocent woman suffer for your lust."
He looked confused by her words.
"You're blowing it, Wain," the other knight said in an aggravated tone.
What strange words to use. She'd never heard such before, and they most certainly didn't apply to their situation since the knight he addressed held nothing to his lips.
He moved past Gawain and bowed low before her. "My lady, please. We mean you no harm. We are only here to protect you."
It was a struggle not to look up at them. "Protect me from what, my lord?"
The only thing she needed protection from was men such as these.
It was the one called Gawain who answered. "Morgen's clutches. You belong with us and are to be a bride of Avalon and as such we need you to come with us now before the mods find you and take you to Camelot."
She couldn't help looking up at them after all that. What odd words they used. "Mods? What the devil is a mod?"
"Minions of death. Mods. They are a race that was created by the Celtic god Balor before he died. Now they are controlled by Morgen and she will send them for you. Mark my words."
They were mad! Both of them. Seren took a step back, her heart hammering. What could she do? If she called out for help, they could claim her as one of their serfs. She wasn't even sure if Master Rufus would help her. He wouldn't dare contradict a nobleman.
God save her.
There was nothing to be done about it. She'd have to run and pray she escaped them.
Holding tight to her cloth, she dodged into the street, away from them, and ran with all her might. She heard the men shouting at her to stop. But there was no way she would allow them to catch her and have their pleasure with her.
Darting down an alleyway, she stumbled over a piece of broken cobblestone, then caught herself. She looked about for