Arthur and Meer Ling

Preface

The name Merlin conjures up visions of mystic power, in the foggy hills of Wales, England and Scotland. Even today the legend has it that he will return at Britain's hour of greatest need, he is but sleeping, hidden under the hills. Some say he is an immortal being, living well beyond the years normally allotted to man. But perhaps he was just a man after all. Not a normal man by any stretch of the imagination, but a well traveled man, born thousands of miles away from the British Isles. And in his travels he had acquired great knowledge.

Languages and fine arts had been absorbed. Trades observed and learned through practice and need. Animals had been seen and ridden. Warriors of other cultures and the arts associated with war were no stranger to him, the differences in the conduct of war across the continents had been seen and added to his knowledge.

Perhaps Merlin wasn't even his real name, just the sound of his name the residents of the British Isles were able to duplicate and fit their tongue. Perhaps his name was Meer Ling, a traveler from China that had journeyed across Asia and India, crossed through portions of Africa and into Europe. Bringing with him knowledge and history beyond anything then found in the islands across the channel. Armed with knowledge as well as a rather unusual sword, the Merlin of this story found himself in a strange place at a stranger time.

Within a matter of minutes this strange wanderer became a squire and in turn a champion. The result was a reward desired by every squire, but bewildering for this traveler. With riches beyond what he had any use for he found himself in possession of two sets of armor, a fiefdom and responsibility for an orphan boy and a now fatherless son and the husbandless widow.

No, it isn't intended to be entirely accurate to history, though the author has attempted to avoid any obvious anachronisms. There is a mixture of time frames, all generally expected to be in the 11th and 12th centuries as generally expected today.

Mark S. Wellington

Copyright 2004, Mark W. Swarthout