Isabel is a natural-born witch, chosen to be the bride of Mordred, the illegitimate son of King Arthur and his half-sister Morgause. As the wife of the king’s only son, a member of the powerful Orkney Clan, and the apprentice of the mysterious Merlin, Isabel finds herself constantly in the middle of everything, whether she wills it or not. From the death of the Lady of the Lake, to Lancelot and Guinevere’s affair, and even Galahad’s drawing of the sword from the stone, she finds herself drawn into the intricate web of court politics and personal vendettas that abound in Camelot.
Through it all there are only two constants: her irrational and obsessive love for the unpredictable Mordred, and her resolute desire to keep and build upon her magic power, even at the expense of her own happiness. Neither a meek damsel in distress, nor a feminist would-be warrior woman, Isabel is really an ordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances, in a time when only men are allowed to shine. As she becomes older and wiser, she takes Merlin’s place at Arthur’s side, becoming embroiled in the Grail Quest and ultimately, the fall of Camelot.
Central to the plot are her relationships with members of the Arthurian court: Mordred and his brothers Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth and Agravain; Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere; enchanters such as Morgan le Fey, Morgause and Merlin; and stalwart knights including Balin, Bors, Percival and Galahad – and many others besides.
This book is written in the first person, and gives an interesting twist on many of the Arthurian legends, seeing them through the eyes of a woman who is mostly outside of the various factions. It provides a creative means of explaining the conflicting versions that abound in Arthurian literature, essentially that certain memories were altered in the survivors of the Battle of Camlann.
This story has been extensively researched to make it as historically accurate as possible, with clothing, food, weapons and entertainment all authentic for the time period. Each and every name in the book was taken from a legend about Camelot, down to household servants and squires, and even dogs! Only Isabel is unique and is found nowhere in the legends that abound about Camelot – and that is actually the premise of the story itself. In a time when fantasy and Arthurian literature and movies are very popular, and with the new King Arthur movie coming out, this story will stand out as a distinctive look at that most famous of legends.
Gabrielle lives in Omaha, Nebraska. She has received a Master s Degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Currently, she teaches at several area universities as an adjunct professor. An avid reader, she has special interests in history and historical fantasies, as well as in science and science fiction. The subject of Camelot has been an obsession for nearly twenty years.
