"To the grail quest" (from Merlin's Charge)

A Story by Peter Joseph Swanson

Here is a little excerpt from my published Arthurian paperback novel

“I must come with you,” Abbot Babble Blaise implored Merlin. “I want to be a part of the grail quest.”

Arthur asked him, “What about all the monks that need your care.”

“And need firm birching,” Merlin quickly added.

Abbot Babble Blaise pointed to the keep tower. “Fisher Minstrel can be temporarily in charge.”

“Who’s he?”

“He’s a poet that lives in the top of the keep tower. He won’t come down.

He’s afraid. Once he went to pick a plum and found that he was in a field between two opposing armies. Their great battle left him full of holes. He has healed, but still won’t come down.”

Arthur asked, “How can anyone be in charge from the top of a keep?”

Abbot Babble Blaise smiled. “He’ll have to wander out to see what’s going on. And I assure you, these monks are so mischievous that he’ll have to wander out to see what’s going on many times.”

“Grand idea,” Merlin said. “It’ll be what he needs to get over his fears and get him back out into the world.”

“And to get on with my life,” Abbot Babble Blaise said. “To the grail quest! You need an abbot along to bless the path, bless the find, and bless the slaughter!”

Arthur assured him, “We have Merlin for all that.”

“Let me come! O’ Virgin, it’s evil out there, I can just feel it! You need an abbot at your side!”

“He can come,” Merlin agreed. “If nothing else, he’s got guts. Lots of guts.”

Merlin, Arthur, Parsifal and Abbot Babble Blaise hurried off towards the manor of Baron Bearloin.

Read the blurb and reviews at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600761429/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=05DFYCF637XBH3E0EJVR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846