"'In the days of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table 'the Christian king of Scandia was overthrown by a Viking traitor 'and escaped with his wife and son across the North Sea to Britain." "'The traitor, Sligon, searched for them relentlessly." "'But years passed, and Sligon had not found the hiding place 'where King Arthur had given them sanctuary 'in an abbey in a remote section of the coast of Britain. '" "Father!" "It's all clear!" "It's Boltar!" "Boltar!" "All pirate ships have been ordered to search for you, sire." "Last night we sighted some Viking ships off this coast." " Sligon's?" " Aye." "Aye." "There's something queer going on." "Does anyone in Britain know you're here?" "Only King Arthur." "I don't like it, sire." "To get his hands on you and Prince Valiant" "Sligon would pay any price." " Treason begets treason!" " Now, Boltar, I cannot let you..." "I don't mean Arthur, he's your loyal friend." "But why don't you leave this place?" "Go to King Arthur's court at Camelot." "You'd be safe there." "When I leave this island, God willing," "I've sworn to go in one direction, Scandia, to make a try for my kingdom, my sword and the traitor's life." " If the time is not yet right..." " It isn't, sire." "It isn't." "In that case, I will send my son to King Arthur." "Alone?" "As any young man must go who seeks knighthood." "I, Prince Valiant, son of Aguar of Scandia, do solemnly pledge on my father's sword, before me now only in symbol, to go to Camelot, and there strive with honour and diligence to become a knight of King Arthur," "son of Uther Pendragon and most Christian king of the Britons." "And when I have become a knight" "I pledge to return to my father and aid him to regain what is rightfully ours and to restore the Cross of Christ to all our Vikings." "Nor shall I ever rest until Sligon has been destroyed and the sword he sullied with pagan hands has been restored to this scabbard." "Always be proud of your Viking blood but conceal your identity until you reach Camelot." " I will, sir." " Tell no one where we hide." "King Arthur knows." "He'll not inquire." " To others, answer nothing." " I won't, sir." "Remember the name of Sir Gawain." "He is our friend." "He will give you good advice." "Follow it." "Pay him homage as a great knight of the Round Table." " Yes, sir." " Son." "Wear this." "God will protect you." "And a good right arm!" "Hit a lick first, and pray afterwards!" "Boltar!" "If for any reason we should need you here before you're knighted, I'll get word to you." " How, sir?" " I'll send you this." "No one can counterfeit its message." "Remember it well." "I will, sir." " Goodbye, Father." " My prince." "Goodbye, Mother." "By Odin, I'd give my soul to go along." "But he'll make it, sire, just as sure as one day you'll win back your throne." "I'll tell you something, Boltar, I'll never tell another, not even the queen." "I no longer dream of winning back my throne." "But my son shall sit on it someday if he's as good as I think he is and time alone will tell that." "My master pledges to land a thousand armed Vikings on this coast to do your bidding three months after you deliver the exiles into his hands!" "Your name, varlet, before I run you through!" " I'm sorry, sir!" " Speak up!" "Your name!" " I thought you were somebody else." " Liar!" "Look at my armour." "There's not a scullion in all Britain doesn't know the crest of Sir Gawain." " Sir Gawain?" " Don't pretend you didn't know!" "I didn't!" "I swear I didn't!" "Sir Gawain, I'm Prince Valiant." "You know my father, King Aguar." " He's in exile." " Yes, but I'm not." "Sir Gawain, I bring you my mother's greetings and my father's." "They told me you were a good friend." "Wait!" "When did Aguar and his queen see me last and where?" "In Scandia, a year before they were driven into exile." "Fine prince, you turned out to be, flinging rocks like any lowborn ruffian" "I've never been unhorsed by such a scurvy trick!" "If I hadn't lost my weapon, sir, I would have done it proper." "Don't be impertinent." "If you're King Aguar's son, why did you fling that rock?" "I thought you were the knight who was after me." " What knight?" " All I saw was his black armour." "The Black Knight?" "You saw him?" "I near had his lance in my back." "Who is he, sir?" "A ghost." " Ghosts don't chase a man in daylight." " Right." " But you spoke as if you knew him." " Rumours." "Vague reports at Camelot how a black-armoured knight appears and vanishes at will." "I don't believe in ghosts." "Where did you see him?" " On the coast, sir." " Can you take me to him?" "We can try, sir, but after what happened, I'm sure all the Vikings will be gone." " Viking ships?" "Here?" " Yes, sir." "Let me tell you what happened." "Tell me on the way." "We must lose no more time." " I'll show you where I saw him." " Not now." "We go to Camelot." "King Arthur must hear of this." "Get that lance." "Well, can't you mount a horse as well as you can fling rocks?" "But, sir, that's where a maiden rides." "That's right." "Get on." "Stop wasting time." "You don't have to dismount until we get there, Valiant." "Look!" "That's it." "Camelot." "Court of King Arthur." "Climb on." "You can't slide off downhill." "And then, sire, I dove into the water and stayed submerged until the Black Knight thought that I'd drowned." "He circled the lake a few times and then left." "I went on my way to Camelot, and that's where I met Sir Gawain and mistaking him for my pursuer, I..." "Never mind that, lad!" "King Arthur knows we met." "The point is, sire, that what was rumour now takes human form." "This is no phantom." "Our duty is to find this Black Knight and destroy him before his treason ripens." "Aye." "Where is your sire, Prince Valiant?" " In exile, sir." " Where?" "There's your answer, Sir Brack." "That's the way I would have it." "Yes, of course." "I hadn't thought." "I agree, sire, with Sir Gawain." "The fellow who goes in black armour is certainly no knight." "To credit him with that would be to cast a slur on every knight in the realm." " Well spoken, Sir Brack." " And therefore I say that his unlawful disguise endangers his life more than it threatens this kingdom for even a knave must know the penalty for wearing the armour of a knight when he's not entitled to the honour." "Aye." "And the more proof that he plots treason." "A man does not risk banishment or death in borrowed armour unless the stakes are high." "We'll speak no more of it now." "Forewarned is forearmed." "And for that we owe Prince Valiant." "How shall we repay you, son of Scandia?" "Make me a knight, sire." "You mean you wish to train as a novice?" " No, Sir King." "To become a knight." " Immediately?" "Yes, sire." "A knight of the Round Table." " Valiant!" " What's wrong?" " Hold your tongue and stand up." " Let me explain, Sir Gawain." "It is clear that you have little knowledge of what knighthood means." "In how many tournaments have you fought?" "What deeds have you done?" "Have you killed any enemies of our realm?" "Knighthood cannot be had for the asking." "It is not enough to be highborn." "Look around." "You will see many kings' sons concealed behind their armour." "They prefer to be called Sir Knight." "Sir Gawain, who brought you here." "Perhaps he failed to tell you that he is the son of our friend, King Lot." "Sir Lancelot would not exchange his knighthood for any kingdom." "Nor would Sir Tristram, famed throughout our world." "Nor Sir Galahad, the pride of Christendom, who seeks the Holy Grail." "Yonder is Sir Brack, who claims descent from Constans, great king of Britain who was my own father's father." "To be a Viking prince means nothing here." "I will give you whatever lies within my power but knighthood must be won." "If that's where your aim lies, you must start by becoming a squire." "I'll take him, sire." "Oh, never mind, Sir Brack." "I'll train him." "But I have no squire at the moment." "Nor have I." "I've never had a Viking for a squire." "Then avoid it." "This lad is full of Viking tricks." "I'll tell you how we met, though I hadn't intended to." "He crowned me with a rock." "In that case, Sir Gawain," "I think we must assign Prince Valiant's tutelage to you, or do you not agree, Sir Brack?" "Of course, sire." "I hadn't known about the Viking fashion of crowning." "I promise Sir Gawain that I shall watch his new squire's progress with fascinated interest." " You see the red spot on that quintain?" " Yes, I do." "Now, keep your eye on it and go!" "And don't stop!" "Hold that shield up." "Up, to protect your head." "Try it." "That's better." "Not quite so low." "Try it on me." "See what I mean?" "Give me three." "Better, but your footwork is off." "Let the weight come after the blow." "So." "You see what I mean?" "Keep your shield up." "Up!" "My..." "My foot slipped." "Yes, it is a little wet there." "That's enough for today." "You're learning fast, squire." "You handle a horse and lance like a knight." "As for the sword, well, that takes time." "Don't flatter him, Brack." "I hear you're going to the coast." " Why don't you come along?" " No, we'll go out after the black knave as soon as this Viking learns that a sword isn't something you butter bread with." "I wish you more luck than Lancelot had." "He combed the entire coast." "He's beginning to think my squire had a fancy dream." "No, he doesn't, sir." "Neither do I. I wish you were coming along." "I could use you for bait, perhaps, and find this phantom." " He's no phantom, sir." " Of course not." "Well, another time, Valiant." "All right, take the swords in." "Excuse that knock, lad." "It'll teach you not to get rough until you're sure of yourself." "We only learn by knocks." "If your head is sore, remember that's how we met." "You almost split mine." " Prince Valiant!" " Can..." "Can I come along with you, sir?" " Where's Gawain?" " Well, he's not coming, sir." " Oh." " Let me come along with you, sir." "I must say, you're a man after my own heart." "But your vows are to Gawain." "What would he say?" "He'll only be ashamed of making fun of me if we find the Black Knight." "I can show you where I saw him twice." " Twice?" " Yes, sir." "That's two reasons I'd like to have you on this quest." "But I can take no responsibility for what you do, Valiant." " May I ask you a question, sir?" " Go ahead." "King Arthur said that you claim descent from a king of Britain." "I don't claim it." "It's a fact." "Unfortunately, I was not acknowledged." "Except for my mother's word, I was never born." "Legality is legality." "Arthur is the King, and we must never question it." "That's where I fell from, sir." "Wonder you didn't break your neck." "What were you doing here?" " I was on my way to Camelot." " Where did you come from?" "Oh, forgive my asking." "I forgot." "You saw him twice." "Where was the first time?" "Way up there, sir." "The two of them came galloping along the bank and rode right past me." " Didn't they see you?" " I was concealed in some bushes." "If there was undergrowth by the water, you must have been close to the fens." "Well, sir, it was quite a way from here." "I'll ride that way and take a look." "Get back up there and watch." "Hide your horse." "Keep out of sight." "I'll come back through the woodland and join you." "All right." "Put down your weapons if you want me alive." "Oh, Ilene!" "Ilene!" "Ilene!" "I wonder who he is." "At least he's a Christian, praise God." "All he needs is a little rest." "He'll come around shortly, milady." "Thank you." "That's Father." "We'd better be going, milady, he's waiting." " You go along." " But I..." " Please." " I'll tell him you're coming." "Am..." "Am I in heaven?" "No." "On Earth, thank heaven." " Well, where?" " At Ord. My father's King of Ord." " Yes, but..." " Please, don't talk." "You must sleep and Father's calling." " No, wait." "Please." " I'll come back later." "So far, Aleta, I have said nothing to your nursing the Viking but now that he's recovering, I demand that you leave the nursing to the servants." "Oh, but, Father, that wouldn't be kind, or even Christian." "Don't bring in religion to confound me!" "God help the king who has two daughters and no sons." "Listen, my child." "It's time that you were married." "And because you are older than Ilene, the man you wed will one day rule Ord with you." "That is why I have accepted King Arthur's invitation to attend the tournament at Camelot." " There you will find a husband." " Oh, but, Father..." "You will have all the best knights in Britain to choose from." "You'll be betrothed before you return." "I've sworn it." "Somehow the knights who come here to seek your hand never seem to suit you." " They're all so old." " We don't want striplings." "What's wrong with Sir Brack?" "His blood is as good as King Arthur's." "And he never lets us forget it, as his own father apparently did." "Well, er, I don't say there's not a blemish on his birth but had King Arthur not been born, Brack might hold the throne." "Legitimate or not, he is of royal blood." " So is Prince Valiant." " But he's a Viking!" "Barbarians, pirates, uncivilised pagans, all of them." "And how do we know that he was even with Sir Brack?" "I'm sure that if Sir Brack were near he would have come and paid court to you as he always does." "Besides, all we know about the Viking is that he is a Viking!" "Who's that arriving?" "Why, it's Sir Brack!" "He's come to see..." "Incredible." "My horse went lame, and when I returned to where I'd left you, daylight was going." " There wasn't a soul in sight." " You saw no armed men, sir?" " I only wish I had." " I was sure you were in for trouble." "Only the trouble of searching everywhere for you." "I'm afraid that you have the gift of encountering things that no one else can find." "I can't make out why they only came after me." "They must have seen you." "From cover, perhaps, and recognised me." "My lance is feared, Val." "The important thing is that you got away." "For that we must be grateful." "We'll take no more chances." "I'm waiting here until you're well enough to travel." "Just what I was going to propose, Sir Brack." "You're more than welcome." "Thank you, sire." "And now I think that this young hothead has had enough excitement." "The more rest he gets, the sooner we'll be on our way." "Quite right." "Come, Sir Brack." "You must give me all the news of Camelot." "Gladly." "King Arthur has invited us to see the tournament." "I hope we shall see much of you there." "Aleta!" "It's been a long hour waiting." "I had difficulty in getting away from Sir Brack." "Well, I'm beginning not to like him." "Forget it." "I'm just jealous." " I like it." " Well, I don't." "Ever since he's arrived, all I get from you is stolen moments." "But wait till we get to Camelot." "Then you'll give me all your time." "Oh, gladly." "It's not only Sir Brack." "It's Father." "He's watching me like a hawk." "Look." "Ilene is standing guard." "She'll whistle if she sees anyone coming." "Why does she always keep asking me about Sir Gawain?" "She's in love with him." "Sir Gawain?" "Oh, I really shouldn't tell you." "It's her secret." "Well, you see, Father took her to Camelot the year Sir Gawain won the tournament." "She was just at that romantic age and she fell in love with him." "Never got over it." "She vows she'll never marry another man." "And he doesn't know a thing about it?" "Wouldn't it be dreadful if he were in love with another?" "My knight?" "All he loves is a good fight." "Then you must help them at Camelot." "She'd be broken-hearted if her dream didn't come true." "Promise me you'll help them." "What do you want me to do?" "Propose for him?" "Oh, I'm afraid that's one thing you don't know how to do, not for yourself, anyway." "Are you afraid of Father, or... or are you just trifling?" "Well, I can't say what I want to." " Not yet." " Why not?" "It's not only your father." "It's me." "It's my father." "I have a vow to fulfil before I can think of anything else." "Will you wear this?" "Put it on." "No, no, no." "Aleta!" "What are you doing here?" "Well, I came out looking for Ilene and found Prince Valiant sunning himself." "There's nothing like sun to cure an illness, Val." "There's more colour in your face today." "I thought from my daughter's report that you were still an invalid." "No, sir, I..." "That's what comes of perfect nursing." "Do you feel as sturdy as you look?" "Yes, sir." "Then I see no reason to delay our departure another hour." "Do you?" " No, sir, I..." " Very well then." " Oh, but not today." " Why not?" "Well, we leave ourselves in three more days." "I thought we were all going together." "You tempt me, Aleta, but duty comes first." "If Val is well enough, we must go." "Of course, Sir Brack, and so must we." "Why should we wait three more days and lose Sir Brack's protection?" "How much nicer to have three days at Camelot before the tournament." "Perhaps you are right, my dear." " Don't you think so, Sir Brack?" " Certainly." " Welcome to Camelot, sire." " Greetings, Sir Kay." "Our arrival is a little premature." "King Arthur and his queen will be all the more pleased." "Will you follow me?" " Prince Valiant." " Yes, sir." "Does Sir Gawain know that you've returned?" "Well, er, no, sir, not yet." "Where is he, sir?" "In his quarters, gravely wounded." "Excuse me." "Valiant!" "You're all right, lad." " What happened, sir?" " Oh, nothing much." "It was after you left, I..." "Blast you, boy!" "You ran off!" "I'm..." "I'm sorry, sir." "Sorry my beef bones!" "You broke your word." "Ran off without a by-your-leave." " I was a fool." " Don't take the words out of my mouth." "You're a Viking fool." "I'll keep no squire who disobeys." "Go to Brack." "Let him..." "Forgive me, sir, and please lie..." "Stop interrupting, and I'll tell you what happened." "When you failed to return, I went out after you." " That's how I came on the Black Knight." " You found him?" "Yeah." "It would have been a good fight if the knave had fought fairly." "He was searching the wood when I challenged him." "We fought, and he was good but his lance broke, and I unhorsed him." "I rode in to finish him when... when a dozen varlets who had been hiding came charging out at me." "They were on foot?" "Armed with bows?" "Aye." "It was only luck I got away through a hail of arrows." " So did I." " You what?" "I was set upon by a band of bowmen." "Escaped with an arrow in my back." " Where was Sir Brack?" " I don't know." "I was nearly captured where he told me to wait for him." "Now he says he went back to search for me and found no one." "Isn't that strange, sir?" " What do you imply?" " Well..." "It's hard to put into words, sir, but could it be that he covets King Arthur's throne more than anyone knows?" "Sir Brack?" "A base suspicion, Val." "Unworthy of you." "I..." "I suppose it is unworthy." "Infamous is a better word." "Sir Brack may have been born on the wrong side of the blanket but he's a knight of the Round Table sworn to lay down his life for our king and to defend truth, the weak and the helpless." " I'm sorry, sir." "I..." " Ah, say no more about it." "But control that knavish Viking imagination." "Now, how did you get into trouble?" "Well, I took Sir Brack down to the..." "What is it, page?" "Sir, there's a lady outside who wants to see Prince Valiant." "So that's the kind of trouble you been getting into, eh?" " Well, just wait till you see her, sir." " Hold on, lad." "Oh, Ilene." "I" " I had to find out about Sir Gawain." "How is he?" " Well, come on in and see for yourself." " No, no, I can't." "I-I just came to ask." "Oh, come on." "Don't be shy." "Sir Gawain, may I present the daughter of the King of Ord, Princess Ilene." "Excuse me, my lady." "You find me in a most unpresentable state." "I heard you were wounded, sir, and I ran..." "I mean, I had to..." "I came to see Prince Valiant." "Well, sit down, Ilene." "I want you to get acquainted with my knight." "Oh, no." "I really must..." "I'd love to, but..." "You can stay a while." "Sir Gawain needs company, and I..." "No, no, lad!" "Don't leave us." "But, sir, there is someone I want you to meet." " I'll be right back." " But, Val." "Valiant!" "You..." "Oh, sir, they say your lung's pierced." "Oh, no, it's-it's..." "It's just a cough." " You, er, you know Prince Valiant?" " Yes." " You like him?" " Yes." "I'll wait here." "You tell Prince Valiant I wish to see him." "Oh, that's all right." "You can go in." "He has another lady with him." "Another lady?" "You wait here." " Aleta!" " Oh, forgive me." "I-I thought..." "This is Sir Gawain." "Sir, this is my sister." "Oh, no." "No, Sir Gawain." "Please, lie still." "Forgive me, I'm... slightly wounded." "Not slightly, sir." "I was with Sir Brack when he asked the king's physician how you were." "It's nothing." "Oh, but he said your wound was very serious." "Have you a fever, sir?" "Have you a fever?" "Have you a fever, Sir Gawain?" "Sir Gawain?" "Have you a fever?" "Wonderful." " Why, you're burning!" " I am?" "Ilene, feel his brow." "You see?" "He's on fire." "Yes..." "Feel again." " We must send for his physician." " I'll go find one." " I'll go with you." " Oh, no." "Don't leave me." "Oh, please be quiet." "You must rest." "Page, run and fetch the king's physician." " Wait!" "Can't we go ourselves?" " Father's waiting." "He'll be furious." "I didn't know you'd sneaked off too." "Hurry now." "Tell him to come quickly." "Sir Gawain is delirious." " Sir Gawain." " Here, here, help me, lad." "I'm all thumbs." " You can't get up, sir." " Stop talking like that fool of a physician." "I'll fetch him, sir, and please, please, lie down." ""Lie down"?" "Don't be an idiot." "I've got to go find her and make sure I wasn't dreaming." "She touched me here." "I never felt anything like it before." "I" " I was tongue-tied." "That's wonderful!" " Are you making sport of me?" " You're in love." "Is that so comical?" "Yes, I am in love with the most beautiful creature I've ever seen." "You laugh because you think an old war horse like me won't have a chance." "No, no." "Because she's in love with you." "Oh, don't jest, Val." "I'm too fond of you." "It hurts." "I wouldn't lie for the world, sir." "She loves you." "On my honour." " How do you know who it is..." " I know all about it, sir." "She saw you win a tournament years ago, and she's loved you ever since." "I found out at Ord. She vows that she'll never marry anyone else." "I can't believe it." " You think I'd lie to you?" " No, no." "I..." "I just couldn't dream that..." "You don't know what you've done for me, lad." "I behaved like an idiot." "She kept asking if I had a fever, and by heaven, I did." "The moment I looked at her, I was on fire." "And no wonder." "She looked like an angel when she leaned over me with all that golden hair." " What?" " Like a golden halo around her head." " Aleta!" " Aye, that's her name." "Aleta." "But, sir, she came here looking for me!" "No, no, not for you, my cockerel." "For her sister." "The dark-haired lass who came running after you the minute you arrived." "I'm on to you." "I saw you were in love before you dragged her in to show her off and I don't blame you, boy." "She's charming, charming." "Sir Gawain, she's not..." "Look at you." "Stammering like a lovesick swain." "You don't have to hide it, Val." "You know my secret, I know yours." "Oh, I owe you my happiness, my life, Val." "I" " I couldn't dream I had a chance of winning her!" "Listen, Sir Gawain." "I've got to tell you." "Look here." "What's the meaning of this?" "What brings you here, Morgan Todd?" "This boy, and a good thing too." "What do you think you're doing?" "I was getting up." "You're out of your mind." "Drink this." " Bah!" "Take it away!" " Drink this down, or I'll pour it down." "Oh, what did you brew it from?" "Dead toads?" "Now, lie down." "You'll sleep." "My squire's a better leech than you." "He's cured me." "I'll be up for the tournament!" "You want to kill yourself?" "Come along, squire." "He'll sleep a dozen hours with that potion in him." " I've got to tell him something, sir." " Not now." "Come along." "Don't mind him, Val." "Say it." " Well, sir, it's about Aleta." "She's..." " Yes?" " Well, I..." " Go ahead." "Say it." " Nothing, sir." " Come along, squire." "You wanted to reassure me, is that it?" "Yes, sir." "God bless you, Val." "One moment, squire." "I'm glad you're back." "He needs watching." "He's in more danger than he realises." "Now, stay with him, humour him, but don't let him leave his bed." " Do you understand?" " Yes, sir." "Would you excuse me, please?" " Did you find him?" " No, they closed the corridor." " That's father's doing." " Look how he's watching." "I might as well be in prison." "Oh, I could murder him." " Father?" " No, that Viking, that miserable, hateful Viking." "Telling me we had only stolen moments at Ord but we'd have all the time here." "Three days and nights without a word." " Maybe he's sick." " Do you think so?" " Well, it's possible." " No." "No, I know what it is." " He's in love with someone else." " Oh, no." "All the time he was flirting with me at Ord he's had some little wench waiting for him here." "Now he's gone back to her and betrayed me." "No." "Father's right about those blasted Vikings." "Aleta!" "Giving me this so I'd wait for him." "What a liar." "He wants to break my heart." "And he'll do it too." "Aleta." " What is going on here?" " We were discussing her suitors." "Discussing them?" "Come and join them." "The hour is getting late, and tomorrow is the tournament." "The tournament!" "Come, my child." " What's the meaning of this?" " What, sir?" "Sir Gawain's pavilion and his armour." "He can't take part in that tournament." "He's got to stay in bed." "He will, sir, but there's never been a tournament when his armour wasn't seen." " So, here it is." " Well, you'd better keep an eye on him." "He told me to stay here and guard his armour." "That's just his way of having you see the tournament." "No, sir." "He says maybe I'll get a few ideas of chivalry into my Viking head." "I see." "He never admits his good deeds." "I'll go have a look at him presently, make sure he stays in bed." "Aleta!" "Have you nothing to say?" "No." "Aleta." "Hear ye!" "Hear ye, knights of the field!" "By royal edict of His Majesty, the King of Ord, in this first tournament, the knight who wins the field against all challengers shall win the hand in marriage of the princess Aleta, daughter of the King of Ord." " Father, please, you can't..." " I know what was wrong." "With so many to choose from, you couldn't make up your mind." "Now we will leave it to the will of God." "The best knight here shall be your husband." " Oh, but, Father, you can't!" " No, no, no, no." "Hear ye." "Hear ye." "The four remaining knights will now take the stand for the fifth joust of the day." "A new challenger has entered the list." " Sir Gawain!" " Are you sure?" " It's Gawain's armour." " He's ill." "He'll kill himself." "It's the Viking!" "Impostor!" "Sit down, Aleta." "Another challenger has entered the list." "It's Sir Gawain!" "Lie down." "For heaven sakes, lie down." "You've opened your wound again." " Is he badly hurt?" " Sire..." "He ought to be dead, but he isn't." "We'll have to move him to his quarters and dress his wound." " Where's Aleta?" " Here." "By the grace of God, you've won her hand in marriage." "By this sign, your troth be plighted." "Ah, it's like a dream." "I owe my happiness to Prince Valiant." "You very nearly owe your death to him." "You lied to me." "You ran back and got him out of bed." " No, leech, you did that." " Me?" "You came around and told me about the announcement." "I came to make sure you were in bed." "How could I know you were seeking a bride?" "Just in the nick of time too." "My loyal squire failed me for once." "Why didn't you come and tell me, Val?" " He was trying to win me for himself." " No." "No, don't mock him." "He was afraid I'd get myself killed." "He thought he could wear my armour and not be recognised." "Didn't you, Val?" " Yes, sir." " Ah, bless you, boy." "But it was madness." "I know you meant well and your heart was right, but you're in grave trouble." "You know it, don't you?" "I don't know what can be done about it." "I'll..." "I'll do everything I can, but..." "You're not going to do anything except stop talking." "Not another word." "I'm going to take you to your quarters and dress that wound." "Fetch the litter bearers, squire, and be quick about it." "Yes, sir." "Will you take the litter in, please?" "Guard, halt." "Squire, you'll come with us by order of the King." "Forward, march." " I thought I told you not to come here." " I had to come, sir." "This will tell you why." "King Aguar and his queen have already been taken." "Now there is only Prince Valiant." "It grieves us, Prince Valiant, that you have made no defence which might diminish your guilt." "We know of your devotion to Sir Gawain and of the motives which may have prompted you to impersonate him, but to wear the armour and identity of a knight of the Round Table is a crime for which you must be tried." "For your father's sake, I wish we might hear you plead that you were not aware of the gravity of your offence." "Do you so plead?" "I..." "I can't, sire." "In that case, only Sir Gawain's request delays judgment." "Until he is well enough to appear before us, you must be confined." "Sire, may I speak?" "Since it was I who suffered the indignity of being challenged on the field of honour by a squire in the guise of a knight," "I feel that it is my privilege to ask a favour for the prisoner." "I ask you all to remember that he is not a Briton but a Viking who has led a secluded life in exile with his father." "And though he does not deny knowing that the penalty for his offence is banishment or worse, yet he is highborn, and his word of honour can be trusted." "So I suggest, sire, to save him the immediate disgrace of imprisonment that he be left at large pending trial if he will swear to confine himself to quarters." "Aye." "The accused will kneel." "Do you give your solemn pledge to confine yourself to quarters until you shall be summoned for judgment?" "I do, sire." "So be it." "Forgive me." "I hate you." "Well, you should." "You're going to marry Sir Gawain, and..." "You don't love me." "You lied to me." " That's right." " No, no." "You're lying now!" "Have it your own way." "Oh, Val, you can't go." "You're on your honour." "If you break your pledge, you'll never dare set foot in Britain again." "It's worth your life to fail King Arthur." "I've already failed him as I've failed Sir Gawain and myself." "But I'm not going to fail my father." "I don't know what you mean, but you can't break your pledge." "I'll never see you again." " No." " Let go." "You'll get hurt." " Are you going away on account of me?" " No, but it's just as well." "No." "I hate you!" "I love you!" "I'll never marry anybody else!" "Sir Brack!" "I've done my part, Viking." "Now let Sligon do his." "My master keeps his pledge, for it is sworn by Odin." "When you give the word, a thousand armed men will come to do your bidding." "Traitor!" "An ugly word, and false." "You'll find yourself dubbed "traitor" when you're delivered to Sligon in Scandia, as your father already is." ""Traitor" is a word that winners give to losers, and you've lost." "But I shall win a throne that was mine from birth." "When I march on Camelot, all the losers will throw down their arms and hail me as their true king." "Not Sir Gawain." "Never!" "I've kept my word, delivered him alive." "Now you keep yours." "Val!" "Valiant!" "Val." "Val." "A..." "Aleta." "Run!" "Quickly!" "Run, Aleta!" "Run!" "That's my father's sword!" "Where is he?" "Be silent, infidel." "You're here to answer, not to ask." "Then I answer Sligon that he sits on a throne that will never be his and holds a sword that will never serve him." " Be silent!" " I'll tell you a secret." "A secret that's not a legend but a fact." "The Singing Sword will only give its power to its rightful owners." "It will never sing in the hands of a traitor." "You hold your tongue, or you'll lose it." "Now speak, infidel." "Who are the other Christians here?" "Aye, we know we have Viking traitors in our midst, cross-worshippers who sought to bring back Aguar to this throne." "Who are they?" "Name them!" "Name them." "He seems to have lost his tongue." "Perhaps the other prisoner can find it for him." "She knows nothing." "She's a Briton." "Her capture was a mistake." "She's betrothed to a knight of the Round Table." "Enough of that." "Call out the names of the conspirators." "I'll check them on this list." " Say nothing." " Speak up." "Confirm this list." "Your father named them all." "That's a lie!" "Take him out." "You'll need time to think, infidel." "You'll talk or die on the cross." "The cross is our salvation." "You'll burn in hell." "Valiant!" " Father!" " Oh, my son!" "My son!" "By this sign, ye shall conquer." "They who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ shall not fear death for they shall know everlasting life." "By this sign, shall ye conquer." "By this sign, shall we conquer." " Signs won't conquer Sligon." " Boltar!" "I mean it, brothers." "Words won't save our king." "We must trust in our Lord and keep the faith." "Would there be any Christian faith if our people had never fought for it?" "The Lord helps those who help themselves." "Are we going to hide and pray tonight while our king and his family die on the cross?" "Nay." "Nay." "I say we've got to fight." " We'd be outnumbered 50 to one." " Twice that." "Sligon sent for every warrior chief he could count on." "Ship captains too." "All the more reason we've got to fight." "Once Aguar's dead," "Sligon won't rest till he has crucified every Christian in Scandia." "Boltar's right." "Yes, but, Boltar, we'd die before we'd get through the gates." "At least we'd die fighting." " Would you lead the attack?" " You will." "I'll be inside." "I'm the only one here they'll pass through the gates." "And I'll take Gorlock." "When I get him inside, he'll make his way to the tower." "You gather every man." "Be armed and ready." "And when you see Gorlock wave the torch, attack!" "A torch waved from the top of the tower." "What will it mean?" "That I've taken care of Sligon." "Ah, it's been tried." "No one gets past Sligon's guards." "Leave that to me." "How will I know when to wave the torch?" "Idiot!" "Do you think I'll die quietly?" "Next." "Next." " Out." " Why?" " Out!" " But why?" "He's a friend of mine!" "No arguments tonight." "He's going out." "Get him out." "We don't want his kind in here." "Next." "My father, mother and Aleta..." "We've got to get them out of the dungeon." " Later." "I need you now." " But, Boltar, I've got to!" "Listen to me and do as I say." "Go to the tower." "Do you know the way?" "Know the way?" "You forget, Boltar, I was born here." "The alarm for an escaped prisoner." "That's you." "Get to the tower." "Escaped?" "Where?" "How?" "I'll put you in chains for this." "You get out and find him." "Go ahead!" "Get out and find him right away." "Get out, all of you." "Get him and bring him here." "Guard, take your men down that corridor, and I'll take this one." "Search every room and every passage, and hurry." "He can't be far away." "The signal!" "Sligon is dead!" "Long live Aguar!" "Sligon is dead!" "Long live Aguar!" "Sligon is dead!" "Long live Aguar!" "I want Prince Valiant in chains by morning." "Now go!" "To arms, sire!" "To arms!" "The Christians!" "They're attacking!" "Long live Aguar!" "Sligon is dead!" "Barricade the gates!" "Swing 'em out!" "Go!" "You, take that one." "You, get that one." "We'll give 'em another dose." "Boltar!" "Get that man!" "Get that man!" "Go on!" "Get him!" "Oh, it's Valiant!" "Oh, my son!" "As I arrived at the lake, I noticed someone on the far side." "And as I rode around to intercept..." " I demand to be taken to King Arthur." " You will be, under arrest." "Valiant!" "Sire, I have found your traitor." "The Black Knight." "You mean Sir Brack?" "I do, sire." "He used his disguise to make a pact with a Viking traitor plotting to seize your throne as Sligon seized my father's." "The lad has lost his reason." "I called you a traitor when you tricked me into Sligon's hands." "Now I say it again: traitor!" "And hear this." "Sligon, who promised you an army to overthrow King Arthur, is dead." "He's ill." "I pleaded for him once to save him from imprisonment..." "To keep me within your reach so I could be betrayed into Sligon's hands." "Because I believed he would honour his pledge, but as you know, his word means nothing." "He lies, sire." "He knew my father had been captured, for he had his ring." "He wanted me free because he knew that if I got the ring my pledge to go to my father would take precedence over the pledge I gave you here." "For that, I crave your forgiveness, sire, and and ask you to hear my detailed charges." "Pure raving, sire." "I call upon you to put an end to this madness." "And I call on you to make a better answer." " There is only one answer." "My sword." " No." "It's my right." "I demand my right according to our code of chivalry." "Prince Valiant, though you broke your pledge to us here, we are obliged to consider your sincerity." "But we have no right to doubt the honour of a trusted knight on the word of a squire." "I am sure you share our wish to hear him answer this mortal charge of treason." "This is my answer, the only answer this Viking's worthy of." "And I accept that answer." "But, sire, in a fight to the death, the lad is no match for Brack." "I'll take his place." "He's accused me." "Let him defend his lies." "It's my right, sire." "But the lad is no match..." "The accused knight demands a trial by combat." "He cannot be refused." "Prince Valiant, will you accept Sir Gawain to fight in your stead?" "No, sire." "Not here, Sir Brack." "I am the accused." "I have a choice of time and place." "Here and now!" "Stand aside." "No, Valiant." "No!" "Take care of her, sir." "Valiant!" "Oh, Val." "Thank you, sir, for wanting to fight for me." "You'll never need anyone to fight for you, boy." "I..." "I brought her back to you, sir." "No man ever had a squire like you, Val." "Don't you realise that her sister told me the truth, how you were a young fool, and I was an old one, which is worse." "We both had things to learn." "The truth hurts sometimes, but it's the only thing to build happiness on." "We thought you were both dead." "Ilene and I began by consoling each other." "Now we're..." "we're making a habit of it." "God bless you." "Kneel, squire." "With this sword, Excalibur," "I, Arthur, King of the Britons, strike thee once, twice, thrice and dub thee knight of our most Christian order, the knights of the Round Table." "Rise, Sir Valiant."