One of the most engaging fellows in the series of Merlin’s Secrets is Merlin’s friend, Ectoris Coel. I know him as Old King Cole. In my first novel of this series, the “king” was known by the Greek version of his name— Hector, who was then in his late teens and one of the most respected men around the table discussing the Britons’ plea for military help from Rome to help them stop the Saxon invasion. It was a shocking time. Armed only with seaxes, and often naked, the Saxons

Who inspired King Arthur to be the great leader of ancient Britannia, a fierce but fair warrior and a king whose exploits would be venerated fifteen hundred years after his death? Many people would say it was Merlin who inspired Arthur and I think they would be partly right. But his father, Uther Pendragon, is a man who leaps out of history and demands to be reckoned with. He towered over his age. At six foot three, Uther was always the tallest in every room he ever entered,