Nine
Kingsford
Summer 960 MC
Sir Barnsley Granville looked across the cobblestone courtyard, shaking his head at what he saw. "What a strange assemblage of knights."
His companion, a middle-aged man with a thick beard, wiped down his sword as he responded, "Whatever do you mean?"
"Well," the younger man continued, "it's rather an unusual mix, don't you think?"
"It's rather an unusual situation," interjected Dame Aelwyth, running her hand through her long, brown hair.
"Why would you say that?" asked the bearded man.
"It's simple," responded Aelwyth. "We're going into a potentially hostile foreign kingdom in the service of a young girl.
"The king must have a sense of humour," observed Sir Barnsley.
"Why," objected Aelwyth, "because most of us are women?"
"No," he replied, "because
