Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles by Patricia Terry

Author:Patricia Terry
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
ISBN: 9781567924657
Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher
Published: 2012-05-02T04:00:00+00:00

Although he was now wearing different armor, Gawain recognized the Red Knight from the way he sat his horse. The queen had been right: he was now facing the man he had long been seeking. But in the instant his opponent came charging toward him, he remembered too the greatest knight he had ever seen, a man in black armor against whom no one could stand. Gawain and Lancelot came together with such tremendous force that both fell to the ground with their horses on top of them. They quickly disengaged themselves and jumped up, swords in hand. The duel went on for a long time. After noon Gawain’s strength diminished, as it always did at that time; Lancelot began to prevail. Gawain’s shield was in tatters, and there were gaping holes in his coat of mail. He felt he was close to death. But Lancelot too had suffered serious wounds. Gawain succeeded in surmounting his weakness; indeed, his strength gradually doubled. Now Galehaut feared for his friend. Gawain’s fighting was brilliant, but just when it seemed that Lancelot was facing defeat and death, Lionel arrived at the drawbridge and watched, aghast, the two friends who had turned into foes.

Just then, Lancelot sprang at Gawain with new ferocity and power. In a moment, he had the advantage. Lionel cried out to him, “Stop! By the order of the queen!” Lancelot instantly drew back, and Lionel shouted that he was fighting Sir Gawain. The two adversaries stood immobilized.

Sick with grief and shame, Lancelot threw down his sword, and gasped, “What have I done?” He ran to his horse, but Gawain jumped up behind him and held him so that they rode through the gates of the castle together. Galehaut was there when they dismounted. He saw that Lancelot was in such distress he could not speak, and asked Gawain to wait for a few moments until he recovered. While servants attended to the visitor, Galehaut led Lancelot into a chamber, where he tried to find out what had happened to grieve him so. Finally Lancelot blurted out that he had lost the queen’s love forever by injuring her nephew. Galehaut helped Lancelot take off his armor and wash his face. Then he said, “I’ll bring Gawain to you, and you can ask his forgiveness. Tell him you’re ready to do whatever he wishes.”

Galehaut returned to Gawain. “Tell me, my lord,” he said, “do you know who it is you were fighting?”

“I know that it was the Red Knight, who won the field when you first brought your army against us.”

“. . . and who because of you is mortified with shame and grief!”

When they entered the room, Galehaut said, “Here is my lord Gawain.”

Lancelot fell to his knees before him and asked his forgiveness. Gawain was astonished to recognize the young man whose beauty had touched everyone when he had first come to court with the Lady of the Lake. He raised him to his feet and put his arms around

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