Status Updates From King Arthur and His Knights...

Moreover, the greatest knight will do this again at the end of the time of blessing for the Logres. The knight will do so by the touch of his hand.

Ch. 2 It is the day before the first anniversary of the formation of the round table (thus, the day before Pentecost). A bunch of knights were about to go hunting in the forest when four squires arrive carrying a knight with a grievous wound (the broken blade of a sword sticking out of his head). King Arthur asked what he needed. The knight said that the Lady Nimue has told him the greatest knight will heal him.

Now that I know that Gawain had accidentally beheaded a woman on his first quest, I can see why shame is a big deal to him. Yet again, he has proved himself to be unworthy, but in a minor thing. At least he did not sleep with the wife. Ah, the enchantment the Green Knight used came from the Lady of the Lake, Nimue.

Gawain was totally at fault because he should have gotten up at the crack of dawn after the first day. Plus he did not tell his host who gave him the kisses. At least, he shows Gawain to be the skank that he is and boy did he lie (of omission) concerning the green lace. Of course, we will not know if he would have accepted the squire’s proposal if he did not have the magic lace.

This is a children’s book after all. I don’t think I’ll narrate this because I’ve read the actual poem. I am not as pathetic at Arthur as I thought because Sir Gawain is familiar. Now, I do find it interesting that the pentangle is called the Star of Logres. I will need to revisit Sir Gawain and the webinar after doing this deep dive. At least he did not tone it down. The lady did flirt with Gawain.

Book 2 Ch. 1 This reminds me of what was said about the disciples of Jesus: King Arthur and his knights did so many things that it cannot all be written down. Fame of what they did spread far and wide. Then he lists all the knights. Now I have to giggle here, having taken Angelina’s webinar. He wrote that Gawain was his first and bravest knight. There were so many stories about him (ha, ha) but he will only tell one.

As proof, the damsel offered Arthur a gorgeous mantle, but Lady Nimue warned him that it was a trap (Admiral Akbar). Arthur ordered the damsel to try it on and POOF she was a screaming alpha. They never heard from Morgana again. She stayed at her castle at Gorre and plotted how she would entrap Arthur next, especially now that he could bleed to death!

They were catching up to Morgana and her damsels (also riding). She threw the scabbard into the lake. It sank because it was covered in gold. Then she changed herself and her damsels into stones, and they were not found. When Arthur returned to Camelot, Guinevere and the court rejoiced. Soon, one of Morgana’s damsels arrived and apologized on her behalf. She said a devil had tricked her; she will never hurt him.

She pleaded to be allowed in to heal him as she was his sister and she wanted to sit by his bedside. Her real plan was to steal Excalibur, of course. Cue up, “Evil Woman” or “Devil Woman” or.... Anyway, she stole the scabbard but not the sword (because it was hard to hide under her cloak). When he found out who sat at his bedside, he scolded the people caring for him. He jumped on a horse and Sir Outlake joined him.

The damsel gave the sword to their son who was outraged about the plot. Uwaine confronted his mother and threatened to kill her. She said the devil made me do it so he asked her to vow on the Blessed Sacrament never to make another attempt like this again. As Morgana was leaving Camelot, she told Guinevere that she was going riding. Then she showed up at the abbey where Arthur was healing.

When Arthur told him who he was, Accolon was surprised and apologized. They realized that they both had been tricked by Morgana. King Arthur forged peace between the brothers Damas and Outlake. Nimue used her healing power on Arthur, but Accolon’s wounds were so bad that he died. Meanwhile, Morgana told one of her damsels to give her a sword so that she could kill her husband.

Arthur grabbed it and put it on his belt. After more fighting, Nimbue used magic to put Excalibur in the ground. Arthur took it to get the upper hand. Arthur went to slay him if he did not renounce his vow. Then he told Arthur the same thing Arthur said to him. Arthur realized he was a brave man and asked his name. Once he heard it, Arthur asked how he got the sword. Accolon said it came from Morgana le Fay.

The battle continued. Accolon pressed Arthur to give up, but the latter refused. While being battered, he raged so fiercely that his stroke on Accolon’s helmet made him fall. Arthur’s sword broke. Again Accolon suggested he give up or he will kill Arthur who said it would be shameful to kill a man without a weapon. Accolon was distracted when he hit Arthur’s shield. Nimue used her magic to send Arthur the scabbard.

The two combatants wore strange armor with no devices. They met on a green field and the combat was bloody. Accolon had the upper hand and Arthur could not believe it. He was actually bleeding and his sword did not cut as well as it should have. Because of his vow, he continued to fight. He continued to lose and he continued to bleed. Those who were watching saw clearly that Arthur was going to die.

Oh, Arthur gave Excalibur and the scabbard to Morgana le Fay for safekeeping. I don’t take it back because Merlin warned him not to trust her and what did he do? Trust her! Rant over. Sir Outlake and six squires ate with Arthur before the big fight, while Sir Damas and six squires ate Accolon. A damsel came to Arthur and said that her mistress Morgana instructed her to give him Excalibur and his scabbard.

When Sir Accolon woke up, he nearly fell off a cliff. Then, he realized that the damsels were evil and he vowed to kill them if he ever met them again. Meanwhile, a dwarf came to him with Excalibur and the scabbard. Morgana le Fay sent the dwarf because her husband was dying from wounds delivered by some knight that Accolon must defeat with Arthur’s sword and scabbord. What treachery! Balyn/Balan all over again!

If he will fight on the behalf of Damas, then her father’s land will belong to Arthur and the knights will be freed. Arthur agreed for that reason. Then he said he needed a horse and armor. OH, NO, IDIOT! DID YOU LOSE YOUR SWORD AND SCABBARD! She gladly provided. However, the damsel worked for Morgana le Fay and, when asked if she had ever been to his court, she lied. Now, it gets even worse!

Morgana’s eyes smiled but she said not a word but she knew all. Arthur woke up in a prison with twenty other knights, some of whom have been there for eight years. He had no idea how he got there. An evil man (Sir Damas) had taken the castle from his elder brother, a good knight (Sir Outlake). He imprisoned any knight who showed up. A damsel pretending to be the daughter of Damas told Arthur a big whopper.

Arthur encouraged them to go onboard for an adventure and an adventure it was. It got dark and candles on the bulwarks lit automatically. Twelve fair maidens fed them the sweet meats and they drank wine. There was a heavy scent of sweet flowers. They each went to a room with a bed of their own and fell asleep. The next day, Morgana’s dh woke up in his bed and he was confused how he got there.

His tomb could be in many places and one was BRAGDON WOOD! Yes, as in That Hideous Strength. WOW!!!! Arthur, Morgana la Fey’s husband, and some knight from Gaul were following hart, deep in the woods of southern Wales. They rode so fr and for so long that they were lost. Then the hart died from exhaustion. They noticed down a steep bank was a ship fitted with rich silks.

Wow! Dante and Lewis all in one spot!!! Nimue sat under a hawthorn tree and wove nine (Dante) circles of magic around Merlin. He laid his head on her lap and fell asleep. He asked her to stay but Arthur was in danger because Morgana le Fay was weaving evil magic around him. Merlin had to sleep until the appointed time. He was sleep walking down steps into the ground and laid on a stone slab. Image of Christ.

He wil be one of the best knights and he and Lady Elaine will have a son Galahad who will rank as high as Lancelot. I guess the boy was returned at some point because Merlin blessed him and Pant and Elayne marveled at these words (echo of the wise men’s visit to Mary and Joseph). Then Merlin followed Lady Nimue who played a Welsh harp and led Merlin deeper into the woods.

Arthur begged Merlin to stay but Merlin accepted his fate (although he warned Arthur about his fate) to be laid into the ground by Lady Nimue. Merlin went deeper and deeper into the woods, led by Lady Nimue. When they reached northern Wales, they reached King Pant and Queen Elayne and told them a strange story. The Lady of the Lake (Nimue) had kidnapped their son Lancelot to raise him.

Ch. 4 Wild ride ensues! The day after Pentecost Arthur rode in the woods, mourning the loss of Merlin. He bumped into Merlin who warned him to hang onto Excalibur and his scabbard. An evil woman will try to steal it and her son will kill him. BUT, she will bring Arthur to Avalon (is that like the Grey Havens?) and the Ladies of Avalon will tend him. The evil woman’s sins will be purged.

Then Merlin announced that he was going to his great sleep until the time of awakening when a new circle of Logres would be formed on Earth. Huh! I think That Hideous Strength will make more sense now. Also, Lady Nimue left as well. That is suspicious. She showed at the oddest times.

I was wondering if their failure led to chivalry. After hearing Gawain tell what happened and his self-imposed penance to always show mercy, Arthur announced it. Basically, it is the Great Commandment on steriods, except that they must show particular mercy to women and widows (the most vulnerable in society). All knights must swear on the Blessed Sacrament to follow the code at their annual feast every Pentecost.

Pellinore and Tor caught up with Gawain and they arrived at Camelot together. Arthur and Guinevere had them narrate their quests. Arthur forgave Pellinore for not rendering aid to the lady who turned out to be his own daughter Alyne and her husband Sir Miles. He had been searching for his daughter for many years. Arthur said that Tor had done well (yeah, I read that right). Then he wondered about the headless woman.

The one of the knights killed Sir Pellinore’s horse and he split the knight’s helmet into as well as the knight’s head. The other knight stopped fighting and explained that Lady Nimue is his cousin and he will gladly let Pellinore have his horse so that he can take Lady Nimue to Camelot. His name is Merliot and he’s the guy who owned the castle where Balyn escorted the damsel who had to give blood.

Like Gawain, he did not show mercy (Good Samaritan), and it resulted in death. Tor did offer a boon, and he got magical help. I wonder if I am reading that right. Lady Nimue, the damsel who was carried off, told Pellinore to take the bodies to Camelot so that he could tell Arthur what had happened. He kept going through the forest and saw Lady Nimue held captive by two squares. Their knights were fighting over her.