This week, we’re welcoming author Cheryl Carpinello whose YA title The
King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) won the 2012 Silver Award for YA Fiction
from the Children's Literary Classics. Join us Sunday, when Cheryl will be here to talk about the novel and offer an ebook copy to a lucky winner. Here's the blurb:
In
medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip,
and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in
friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed
and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king’s treasury, the Wild Man is
accused of the theft and murder.
Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights
of the Round Table) at:
Filled with disbelief at the arrest of
the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight’s quest to save their
friend’s life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and
insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all.
Join Gavin, Philip, and Bryan on their
quest and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and
his Knights of the Round Table.
**An
Excerpt from The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table)**
Chapter One - Gavin
Gavin bounded
down the keep steps, eager to discover the cause of the cacophony echoing
through the tower. The snorting and whinnying of horses competed with the
voices of knights calling to each other across the courtyard. He stuffed his
green tunic into his black breeches as he ran. In too much of a hurry to comb
his hair, Gavin tried to smooth the brown cowlick with his fingers.
As the youngest
prince of Pembroke Castle, Gavin dutifully attended his daily lessons. As a
page, he was learning to handle a sword in battle and take care of the weapons,
equipment, and horses of the knights. Soon to be a squire, he worried about how
he would act in battle. Well, not exactly in battle. Squires tended the
knights’ horses and guarded the supplies while they fought. The unspoken rule
of warfare stated that squires couldn’t be put in danger. However, others in
the castle had talked about the times the enemy had sent warriors behind the
fighting to attack the supply line. Squires who hadn’t run away had been
injured or killed.
Gavin worried
about disgracing his family and the crown, worried that he would be scared
enough to run or worse, get injured or killed.
The simple
truth was, he was afraid.
Burying those
thoughts, Gavin burst into the bailey courtyard amassed with horses and knights
milling about. Dust swirled, choking the air, causing him to cough and sneeze.
He recognized his older brother Robert across the chaotic courtyard and raised
his hand in salute.
Robert led his
black gelding over and handed Gavin the reins.
“Hi, Gav.”
Robert tousled Gavin’s hair.
“What’s
happening? Where are you going?”
“Someone broke
into the throne room last night and stole the King’s Ransom...”
Gavin gasped.
The medallion was made of gold and embedded with emeralds so dark the jewels looked black except in the sunlight. Then the deep green sparkled
lighter and reminded him of the first blades of grass pushing up through the
dark earth in the spring. The tremendous weight of the medallion required him
to use both hands when holding it.
Stories passed
down said that a traitor over the channel had used it to force a king to ransom his kingdom. To be in possession of it meant to be in possession of
power. Many men wanted that power. Gavin’s grandfather’s grandfather had found
it as a young man during the siege of a French castle. Though only seventeen,
that prince had recognized its importance and had risked his life to bring it
home. To protect his find, he’d spent the night in a storeroom listening to the
screams of the defeated forces and the drunken laughter of the victors. He’d
presented it to his father, and it had been in the possession of the King of
Pembroke Castle ever since.
“...and killed
one of our men,” Robert finished, breaking into his thoughts.
“Who?”
“Aldred.”
An image of the
thin, wiry man appeared in Gavin’s mind. It wasn’t pleasant. Aldred had managed the estate and castle’s daily needs and also watched over the
treasury. That meant that he frequented the throne room. Invariably he was with
the king when Gavin needed to talk to his father. It bothered him that Aldred
shared the private conversations he had with his father, always made him feel
unimportant. But his father would be upset at his death.
“As soon as
Father gets here, we’re going hunting. Man-hunting.”
“Might I go
along as your squire?” Gavin asked.
Robert seemed
to see the hesitation Gavin knew was etched on his face.
“Not this time,
Gav. You’ll get your chance to join us soon enough. And
Gavin...” Robert paused. His body stiffened as he spotted the king making his
way through the crowd on his black stallion. “You’ll do well.” He mounted his
horse and held out a hand. Gavin handed him the reins and watched as Robert
joined their father, King Wallace.
“You know your
father’s rule,” a soft voice behind Gavin said.
Gavin glanced
up at the tall, slender figure now standing beside him. Most days, Queen Katherine
didn’t look old enough to be his mother. But today, the sadness of Aldred’s
death had left its mark. He had learned that events that affected his father
had the same effect on his mother. Her green eyes, which usually sparkled with
laughter, held traces of tears. A frown replaced her usual bright smile as she
watched her husband and two oldest sons prepare to leave. Gavin was startled to
see the grey streaks running through her brown hair. He hadn’t noticed that she
was getting older.
“You’ll be
twelve in a few days. Then you’ll be made Robert’s squire. It’s tradition, and
your father is firm on tradition. You must wait until then.” She put her arm
around Gavin and squeezed his shoulders.
Gavin nodded.
Together they watched through the dust as the troop of knights, with the king at their head, rode through the gate, out across the moat, and into the
forest. As much as he longed to be with them, he couldn’t forget his fears.
Cheryl Carpinello is the author of award-winning
"Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend" and the CLC Silver Award Recipient
& Recommended Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round
Table) from MuseItUp Publishing
