"Good." "Do you want to know how to win?" "Be the only one with a sword." "Easy." "Give him a hand!" "He fought well!" "Well done, John." "Winner takes all, my friends!" "One more challenger and I'll leave." "Once in a lifetime, you meet a man so fearless, no man can touch him." "While you're waiting for him, you can practice on me." "As sure as the sun will rise, there's a man who's better than me." "He could be here." "It could be today." "Yeah!" "It could be you." " He looks strong." "Is he good?" " Try him and see!" "Go on, Mark." "But don't hurt him." "So, you're Mark, are you?" "I'm Lancelot." " Are you ready?" " I'm ready." "You don't have to kill me to win." " Got tight hold of your sword?" " Don't you worry about that!" "Can I give you some advice?" "Don't drop your sword." "Is this your sword?" "Give him a hand!" " Well done, Mark!" " How did you do that?" " Was that a trick?" " No." "That's the way I fight." "Could I do it?" "Tell me." "I can learn." "Study your opponent, so you know what he'll do before he does it." " I can do that." " And wait for the critical moment." " I can do that." " You can't care about your life." "Come on!" "Quickly!" "Shut the doors!" "Where's Daddy?" "Burn it down." "We'll be burnt alive!" "We need water!" "Get water!" " No!" "Wait till they've gone!" " We'll be dead by then!" "Malagant." "Last night, men from this village killed three of my people." "In reprisal, I have destroyed your village." "The borderlands have been lawless long enough." "Know now, that I am the law!" "Come on!" "There she is." "Mind the dog!" " Come here, milady." " Wait." " Milady..." " I won't be much longer." "There's been another attack." "Another border village burnt." "Anne, take my place." " Is it Malagant again?" " Yes." "A small group got away." " Are they being looked after?" " They want to see you first." "No, no, please." "You poor people, after such a terrible journey." "We didn't know where else to turn, milady." "They say we're outlaws." "They say we crossed the border." "I know." "It's all lies." "He means to frighten us into submission." " Don't give in to him." "We'll fight." " I'm not the yielding kind." "Jacob." "Take these good people in and give them food and drink." "When you've rested, we shall pray for your village and for Leonesse." " God keep you safe, milady." " And you." "Now, go." " It's the third village he's burnt." " Does he want to destroy us all?" " He wants us to sign his treaty." " He thinks we won't challenge him." "If he doesn't get what he asks, he has the power to take it." "Oswald..." "You say nothing." " You know what I think, child." " Yes, I suppose I do." " Prince Malagant must be answered." " He will be." "I shall decide today." "Now leave me." "Oswald, stay." " I had hoped to have more time." " Don't you know your own heart?" "I know what I want." "I want to marry." "I want to live and die in Leonesse." "But I can't have everything I want, can I?" "Forgive me, but an offer of marriage from Arthur of Camelot..." "Yes, I know." "You're right, of course." "No more words." "Let it be done." " You accept the offer?" " I shall marry Arthur of Camelot." "I was so proud to hold you in my arms at your birth." "I shall be prouder still to see you wed." "Poor Arthur." "The only dowry I bring him is a land in danger." " But I shall love him, Oswald." " You should, child." "I could never marry a man without love." "Arthur wears his power so lightly." "He has such gentleness in his eyes." "I've never known anyone like him." "How could I love anyone more?" "Halt!" "It could be an ambush." "Look to the trees!" "Protect the carriage!" "Don't break the line." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Now!" "Follow!" "Follow!" "It's all right." "They're going." "Wait!" "Watch your flank!" "We've got to jump!" "Come on, Elise!" "Roll when you hit the ground!" "Petronella, come on!" "You have to!" "Hurry!" "Save yourself!" "It's me they'll follow!" "She must have gone to ground." "She can't be far." "There!" "Don't move." " Who are you?" " Who cares?" "Kill him!" " What is it?" " There were three." "Don't even breathe." "You... drop the sword." " Can I have her when you're done?" " You were after the woman?" "Of course." "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" " I don't know about that." " You don't want her?" "Her soft skin, sweet lips..." "young, firm body." " I have my orders." " Who's to know?" " I should take her back." " I'll hold her for you." " It won't take long." " I don't want any trouble." "This one's no trouble." "Look at her." "She wants it." " What's she doing?" " See for yourself." "Turn her around." "Look into her eyes." "See what she's got for you." "Hello, pretty." "Now... what have you got for me?" "Come on." "Come on." "Let's go." "Why did you risk your life for me?" "They could have killed you." "I'm not that easy to kill." "Do you know who I am?" "Guinevere." "I'm the Lady of Leonesse." "Well?" "Doesn't it please you to know you saved the life of a lady?" " I'd be happy to save a dairy maid." " She couldn't reward you." "If she were as pretty as you, she could." " What did I do?" " You insulted me." "Now I've insulted you." "How dare you treat me like this?" "I take it you know no better." "You have done me a good service and I shall forget the matter." " Which way?" " I've never been here before." " How do you know where the road is?" " I'm guessing." "See the scavenger birds?" "They're looking for small animals crushed by the passing wagons." " About this reward..." " My man will pay you." " I don't want money." " I'm on my way to be married." "Then you're not married yet." "You're free." " I've given my word." " I don't want your word." " I want you." " I'm not to be had for the wanting." "Why not?" "If you want me." " You may impress servant girls..." " I can tell when a woman wants me." " I can see it in her eyes." " Not in my eyes." " You're afraid, aren't you?" " I have nothing to hide." "Then look at me." "If there is any honour in you, promise me never to do that again." "I don't know about honour." "But I promise you..." "I won't kiss you again until you ask me to." "And that I never will." " When do you get married?" " On Midsummer's Day." "Before Midsummer's Day dawns, you'll ask me to kiss you again." " You insult me, then abandon me?" " That's the road ahead." "And that, I presume, is your brave escort." " My child..." "Thank the Lord." " Are my ladies safe?" " Were you followed, milady?" " No." "No, there's no one there." "Your new country awaits you." " If anything should happen..." " I'll send word." "Never fear." "Send Jacob." "I want to know at once, good news or bad." "Promise me." "I promise you." "I promise you." "Lady Guinevere of Leonesse." "Welcome to Camelot." "God be praised, you're safe." "Nothing shall ever harm you again." "My Lord honours me with his kindness." "Your coming brings me a happiness I had not dared hope for." "My Lord must not think too highly of me, lest he'll be disappointed." "Then I'll take you as I find you, if you'll do as much for me." "Leonesse awaits news of your safety." "John will send any message you want." "My Lord grants my wishes before I speak them." "Tell my people I'm come safe into my new country." "Tell them you saw my eyes filled with tears ofjoy." "Already a queen." " Agravaine, what happened?" " Ambush, sire." " Malagant?" " It has to be." " Was Lady Guinevere in danger?" " We were all in danger, sire." "There were two separate forces." " Lady Guinevere was in danger." " You weren't prepared for them?" "So many fell in the first strike." "How could we guess they had a second force?" "Malagant doesn't care how many men he loses, so long as he wins." " I'll not fail you again, sire." " We both know no one is perfect." " But I need to know everything." " Sire." "Come." "I first climbed this hill as a boy and saw what was to become my city." "I named it Camelot." " It's so beautiful it frightens me." " Why do you say that?" "I was brought up to set no faith in finery." ""Beauty doesn't last", my father said." "I remember the way he looked at you." "I remember him saying," ""Do all fathers think their daughters are so beautiful?"" "He never said that to me." "Camelot." "Good girl..." "Thank you!" "You saved me from a long ride." "God knows when she'd have stopped." " She's a fine animal." " Fit for a queen." " I'm Peter." "King's stableman." " Lancelot." "Which king?" "The King." "Arthur of Camelot." "This beauty is a gift for his bride." "People swore he would never marry, but I knew better." "He was just waiting for the right one." "Like we all do." "There'll be some feasting today!" "Come on!" "The party's started!" "Beat the gauntlet and meet the King!" "Who's got the heart of a lion?" "Be the first to get through the gauntlet, and you'll be up there drinking, as if he's your brother!" "Get up here!" "Get padded up and beat the gauntlet!" "What about you boys out there?" "Give your support to this brave, young man!" "Beat the gauntlet and meet our lovely queen!" "Will you give the victor a kiss, milady?" "How's that?" "Beat the gauntlet and win a kiss from Lady Guinevere, soon to be our lovely queen!" "Who will it be?" "Not like that, idiot!" "Come and get padded up first!" "Get down!" "You're mad!" "You'll kill yourself!" "Go on!" "Yes!" "Kiss!" "Kiss!" "Kiss!" " Extraordinary." "What's your name?" " Lancelot." "Lancelot." "We won't forget that name." "Your prize..." " Ask me." " No." "Ask me." "Never." "I dare not kiss so lovely a lady." "I only have one heart to lose." "Come." "Well done." " Have you run the gauntlet before?" " No, never." " How did you do it?" " You have to see the danger coming." "Others have found it very hard." "You're the first one to do it." "Perhaps fear made them go back instead of forward." " And you felt no fear?" " No." "I have nothing to lose." "No home... family?" "Do you have a profession?" " I live by my sword." " You fight for pay." "Nobody paid you to run the gauntlet." "I knew I could do it, so I did it." "Well, Lancelot..." "you're an unusual man." "I've never seen such a display of courage, skill, nerve, grace and... stupidity." "Come." "Here, every life is precious, even the lives of strangers." "If you must die, die serving something greater than yourself." "Better still, live... and serve." " The Round Table." " Yes." "The High Council meets here." "No head, no foot." "Everyone equal... even the King." ""ln serving each other, we become free"." "That is the very heart of Camelot." "Not these stones, timbers, towers, palaces." "Burn them all..." "and Camelot lives on." "Because it lives in us." "It's a belief we hold in our hearts." "Well, no matter." " Stay in Camelot." "I invite you." " I'll be on the road again soon." " What road?" " Wherever chance takes me." "Do you believe that what you do is a matter of chance?" " Yes." " In that hallway are two doors." " How will you choose between them?" " It won't matter." "It's all chance." "I hope chance leads you to the left." "It's the only way out." "Lancelot!" "Just a thought..." "A man who fears nothing is a man who loves nothing." "And if you love nothing, what joy is there in your life?" "I may be wrong." "Peter!" "Show us how she goes." " She's yours." " She's beautiful." "Peter thinks she's not suitable for a lady." " I would have chosen her myself." " I know." " How do you know?" " Remember when you joined our hunt?" " You were fearless." " My father's word was "reckless"." "He was always sparing with praise." "Come." " We could almost be alone here." " Do you have secrets to tell me?" "No." "No secrets." "Just a question to ask." "Do you want to marry me?" "You don't have to marry me because your father wanted it." "Camelot will protect Leonesse, whether you marry me or not." "Thank you." "You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that." "Do you want to be released from the engagement?" "No." "I want to marry you." "Not your crown or your army or your golden city." "Just you." " Just me?" " Yes." "If you love me." " Do you remember this?" " You hurt it in the hunt." " I didn't think you'd get a scar." " Just a scratch." "You wiped the blood away with a sleeve of your dress." "The sleeve still carries the stain." "I never thought until then how sweet it must be to be loved by one woman." "And for the first time in my life, I wanted..." " What?" " What wise men say doesn't last." "What cannot be promised, or made to linger any more than sunlight." "But I don't want to die, without having felt its warmth on my face." "Marry the King, Guinevere, but love the man." "I only know one way to love." "And that is body... and heart..." "and soul." "I kiss the hurt that brought me your love." "Try her." " Shall I fetch a lady's saddle?" " No need." " She's a rare beauty, sire." " Yes, she is." "So is the mare." "May God grant us the wisdom to discover the right, and the strength to make it endure." "As you all know, I am soon to be married." " And about time, too." " Hear!" "We have had our share of war." "Now, I look forward to quieter days." "But first, admit our guest." " Malagant..." " Malagant is here at my invitation." "May I congratulate the King on his forthcoming marriage." "I see my place hasn't been taken yet." " I was first among your knights." " You left of your own free will." "We each of us must follow our own road." "Where does your road take you?" "To Leonesse?" "Leonesse is my neighbour." "I offered the lady a treaty of friendship." " Is burning villages friendship?" " Yes, My Lady..." "Your land is becoming lawless." "Were you not just attacked?" " You know who attacked me." " I made it my business to know." " Justice has been done." " You know no law above yourself!" ""Armed forces to be given access to all Leonesse"." ""Troops to assist in the enforcement of law... in all Leonesse"." " Do you want to sign this?" " I'll never sign it." "She's very brave..." "now she's to be married." " Will Camelot protect Leonesse?" " Is Leonesse in need of protection?" "Come, Arthur." "I'm here to settle this business." "Leonesse is too weak to stand alone." "Let's say half each." "The lesser gives way to the greater." "What nation is greater than Camelot?" "The land ofjustice." "Come... your hand on it." "We'll all live together as friends." "You offer me what isn't yours to give." "You all know me." "You know I'm a man of my word." "Don't make an enemy of me." " I mean no harm to Camelot." " You know the law we live by." "Where is it written, beyond Camelot live lesser people?" "People too weak to protect themselves, let them die?" "Other people live by other laws." "Or does your law rule the world?" "There are laws that enslave men, and laws that set them free." "Either what we hold to be right and good and true is right and good and true for all mankind under God, or we're just a robber tribe." "Your words are talking you out of peace and into war." "There's a peace you only find after war." "If that battle must come, I will fight it!" " And I!" " And I!" "The great Arthur..." "and his great dream." "No dream lasts forever." " What is the status of the army?" " Four battalions, two in reserve." " I'll double the watch." " I don't think Malagant wants war." "Arm the reserves." "He wants war." " He wants Leonesse as a buffer." " He wants Camelot." " How soon could he attack?" " His army is five days' march away." "So much for my quieter days." "Who approaches there?" "I come with a message for Lady Guinevere!" "Enter." " My Lady, it's Jacob." " Where?" " Coming to the north gate." " Leonesse..." "Jacob..." " Mind the step." " Jacob, what is it?" "They've taken Lady Guinevere!"