Queen Guinevere Pendragon
Name: Guinevere Pendragon
Age: 39
DOB: April 22nd
Hair color: Strawberry blonde (silvering)
Eye color: Cornflower blue
Theme Song: “It’s So Easy” Sheryl Crow
Favorite Book: Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Favorite Movie: N/A
Greetings, fair sir/lady. I am Guinevere Pendragon, wife of King Arthur, Queen of Camelot. I have been Arthur’s wife for twenty-five years—and unfaithful to him for twenty-four, I will admit. Though I have only ever had one lover, Sir Lancelot, I have still been a failure as a wife – unfaithful and barren to him. Still, I try to make up for it in the ways I can. I use my woman’s skill with tact and wordplay in the service of his kingdom, and I try to be a good stepmother to his illegitimate children (after all, the pot shouldn’t call the kettle black, should it?).
Lance … he is the love of my life, though I will admit that our early years together were tumultuous, to say the least. For what it’s worth, I swear that, had I been allowed to marry him, I never would have been unfaithful to him (though I can’t promise he never would have been unfaithful to me). But that will win me no sympathy in the hearts of Camelot. Lance and I have found our peace, finally … I just pray we will be allowed to keep it.
King Arthur Pendragon
Name: Arthur Pendragon
Age: 47
DOB: December 25th
Hair color: Mahogany (graying)
Eye color: Steely gray
Theme Song: “Good Boy” Barenaked Ladies
Favorite Book: Plato’s The Republic
Favorite Movie: N/A
I am Arthur, King of the Britons. Rex quandam, rexque futurus, my tutor Merlin once said. The founder of the Round Table, the drawer of the Sword from the Stone. A king, a knight, a husband, a lover, a brother, and a father to Thomas, Jessica—and Mordred.
I have made mistakes, though with God as my witness, all I ever set out to do is to make life in England good for all. I know that I will suffer for those mistakes, not the least of which was bedding my half-sister, Morgause of Orkney. If I could, I would ensure that I was the only person to suffer for those mistakes, but I know that that is not possible.
It will be soon. My son Mordred, the agent of Morgause’s revenge and manifestation of my sin, gathers allies and power. He will make his move soon. My doom has already begun.
But I’ll be damned if I don’t meet it fighting.
Morgan Le Fay
Name: Morgan le Fay
Age: 56 (but appears about twenty-five)
DOB: October 31st
Hair color: Raven black
Eye color: Slate blue
Theme Song: “No Good Deed” Wicked
Favorite Book: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Favorite Movie: ?
Greetings. My name is Morgan le Fay, daughter of Gorlois and Igraine, sister of Morgause of Orkney and Elaine of Garlot, half-sister of King Arthur. Neither of us like to admit that, but what can you do? I am a sorceress, a Seer, skilled in the art of reading the past, present and future. I am a teacher; I trained my niece Jessica in the magical arts. I am a friend; I shuttled my friend Alison back and forth through time in preparation for the birth of her twins and I continue to transport her and her daughter on their visits to Camelot. And I am very, very worried.
Mordred, my nephew (twice over, God help us), his power is growing and the storm is gathering. Camelot will soon fall. I just pray I can protect those I love from death or worse. But one thing is certain – while I breathe, Mordred will never gain the throne of England.
Dr. Alison Blaise
Name: Alison Blaise
Age: 45
DOB: September 15th
Hair color: Copper red, probably dyed to cover up grays
Eye color: Spring green
Theme Song: “Seven Years” Norah Jones
Favorite Book: Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Favorite Movie: Sense and Sensibility
Oh, hello. My name is Dr. Alison Blaise. I’m a vet, firmly in the 20th/21st centuries, thank you very much! Well—not so firmly—somehow I got transported back to 6th century Camelot. I ended up—um—having an affair with King Arthur. We had two children together, twins, Tommy and Jessie. Tommy stayed with his father in Camelot, and I raised Jessie. I try to do the best I can, with both of my kids. Part of me regrets the way things turned out – I was raised in a single-parent family, my father left when I was a baby, and I wanted better for my kids – but then I look at Jessie laughing with her friends, or Tommy on his horse or with his dogs, and I know I wouldn’t have things any other way.
Lately, though, I’ve been getting worried. Mordred, Arthur’s son from a—previous relationship, let’s say, has been … I don’t know what he’s been doing, but I don’t like it. I need to protect my kids, but against an enemy like Mordred, what can I do?
Whatever it takes, that’s what I’ll do.
Sir Lancelot du Lac
Name: Lancelot du Lac
Age: 43
DOB: July 27th
Hair color: Raven black (quickly degenerating into salt-and-pepper)
Eye color: Molasses brown
Theme Song: “I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No” Blackhawk
Favorite Book: That would require him to read for pleasure …
Favorite Movie: N/A
Ah, good morrow to you! My name is Lancelot, Sir Lancelot du Lac. Folk call me the greatest knight of Arthur’s court, but … it’s approaching a miracle that God allowed me to retain that title this long, and I doubt it’ll be for much longer. Getting too old for the job. Sir Gareth looks fit to take on that title, and maybe in a few years my nephew, Sir William, will grow into it. He’s a good lad. Besides … how can I be the best knight of Arthur’s court if I spent the past four-and-twenty years betraying him?
The courtiers of Camelot would say that I have betrayed Arthur in the worst way possible, but … I would help the King fight any enemy, I would support him in any endeavor. I have spent some of the best years of my life questing and fighting for him. He is more than my king, he is my best friend. I just—love his wife … and God grant that this love does not lead to both of our deaths, and the death of fair Camelot.
Sir Bors de Ganis
Name: Bors de Ganis
Age: 38
DOB: December 9th
Hair color: Raven black (graying)
Eye color: Oak brown
Theme Song: “It’s Hard to be Humble” Mac Davis
Favorite Book: The Bible
Favorite Movie: N/A
What? Yes, I’m Sir Bors de Ganis. Son of King Bors of Gannes, thank you very much. Cousin of Sir Lancelot, brother of Sir Lionel. I have a pair of nephews, Corentin and Rainier. They’re good lads. Oh, and I have a daughter – Gwendolyn, a bastard. Strict with her? I’m not strict with her. I am just raising her to be an obedient, God-fearing maiden, as any father would do. Though I can’t say all the fathers are around here are any good … what she wants? What do you mean, what she wants? She’s a maiden. All they want is a husband and babies.
Let’s talk about something else. I was the only knight to achieve the Grail and come back, you. The other two to achieve it, Sir Galahad (Lance’s son, by the one woman he bedded who wasn’t a mistake) and Sir Percival both died in the Holy Land, God rest their souls.
The other women Lance bedded? Well, there was only one. The Queen, unfortunately. He’s going to get us all in trouble with that someday … still, I’ll stick by him. That’s what family does.
Maude "Granny" Parkinson
Name: Maude “Granny” Parkinson
Age: She could tell you, but then she’d have to kill you.
DOB: May 5th
Hair color: Silver
Eye color: Dark chocolate
Theme Song: “No One is Alone” Into the Woods
Favorite Book: The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare
Favorite Movie: Arsenic and Old Lace
Oh, hello! Have a cup of tea, sit down, chat, why don’t you? Relax. Yes, yes, I’m Maude Parkinson, but call me Granny. I do seem to be Grandma to the neighborhood, or at least to all the friends my Dannie brings home.
Am I a witch? I prefer the term wardsmith, dearie, but yes, I guess you could say that I am something of a witch. I make wards, shields, magical methods of protection for your home or person. I like to think I’m quite good at it, and my clients don’t disagree with me. Why, just last week I had to raise my prices (inflation, you know) and they only gave token complaints!
I’ve raised Dannie ever since her parents died when she was four. And I’ve been a babysitter and surrogate grandma for her best friend, Jessie. She lives right next door with her mother, though her father and brother are in the Middle Ages. Camelot, to be precise. Oh, you didn’t know I knew that? Well, neither do they, to be honest. They haven’t quite realized a lot of things about me yet. But they will.
… Poor children, they’ll have to realize a lot before all this is over …
"Mr. G"
Name: Mr. G.
Age: Extremely old
DOB: September 1st
Hair color: White
Eye color: Hawkish hazel
Theme Song: “These Are My Children” Fame
Favorite Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Favorite Movie: Notorious
Ah, of course.
Ah, good morning. Hold these books while I unlock my door, please? Thank you. Yes, I’m Mr. G. No, I won’t burden you with my whole last name. It’s quite long and nearly impossible to spell. My students butcher it worse than I butcher their last names.
Yes, I am a teacher. I teach English – as in England, Great Britain, Britannia – literature at John F. Kennedy High School. It’s an honors course for our juniors. My classes cover the length and breadth of the greats of English literature as well as I can manage. My favorite unit is the Arthurian unit. Why? Well, Arthur is one of the richest subjects in English literature – you can find examples of the Arthurian legend in practically every period and type of English literature – it’s a great way to introduce students to a variety of styles with a single, unified subject matter. And I have—well—personal reasons. Miss Ferreira and Miss Pendragon? Ha—the last name—Pendragon. Quite apropos, don’t you think? But yes, I have them both. Not in the same class, though.
They’re both quite bright students, though in different ways.
Much as I’m sure they know more than they’re telling …
Sir Kay
Name: Sir Kay
Age: 48
DOB: February 5th
Hair color: Graying crystal brown
Eye color: Hazel
Theme Song: “Don’t Stop” Fleetwood Mac
Favorite Book: Aristotle’s Politics
Favorite Movie: N/A
Ah, greetings, there! I’m Sir Kay, son of Sir Ector. I was the foster-brother of King Arthur, and he made me seneschal of his lands once he yanked the sword from the rock. It was probably so I wouldn’t tell everyone all the embarrassing stories of his youth, ha ha! Arthur’s a good king and a good brother, so I won’t tell you too much, but I will say this: when Arthur was younger, he was just like his son Tommy. I’m sure your imagination can take it from there.
Still, Arthur is a great king, the greatest England has ever had. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my younger foster-brother. Still, recently … ever since that meeting with Mordred and his brother Agravaine, Arthur has been—edgy. He seems to have some fool idea that fate is out to get him, that Mordred will kill him or worse and there’s nothing he can do about it. Damn it, Arthur, just fight the man, the same way he’ll fight you – sneaky, underhanded, devilish.
But Arthur will never do that. That’s what makes him such a good king. And that’s why I’ll be loyal to him until the day I die.
Elizabeth Campo
Name: Elizabeth Campo
Age: 69
DOB: October 19th
Hair color: Gray (Formerly blonde)
Eye color: Spring green
Theme Song: “She Didn’t Have Time” Terri Clark
Favorite Book: City of Light by Lauren Belfer
Favorite Movie: Erin Brokovitch
Oh, hello. Hold this bag of groceries for me, will you? Thanks. Now what were you saying?
You know my grandkids? Which ones—oh, my real grandkids! *laughs* Sorry, it’s just that, since I’ve got three stepchildren (and they almost all have kids) as well as my daughter Alison, it’s hard to keep track of which grandkids are being talked about when. Do I know about them? Well, yes, I do—if you’re referring to their parentage. And where and when Tommy spends most of his time. Vincent – my husband – he doesn’t, and neither do his kids.
Yes, Vincent is my second husband; Alison’s father … well … he left. Said he had … well … I prefer not to talk about it. So I had to do the best with Alison all on my own, at least until I married Vincent, but even then, Vincent had Gabriella, Dinah and VJ to take up his time. Not that we didn’t do our damnedest to make our family a truly blended family, but I think Alison always felt like the odd one out.
And now she’s given birth to two more odd ones out. But my Allie’s a good girl, a great mom. And she’s raised herself a pair of great kids. If anyone can get those two through what they’re going through – not like anyone sees fit to share the details with me – it’s her.