Tammy’s Reviews > King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table > Status Update

Anyone else who sleeps on his bed will go mad. Then Merlin took the scabbard and hid it for Galahad to find some day. Then he hid the sword in a stone that went into the water. It’s the flip of Excalibur. Then he went to Arthur and told him everything. Arthur found the story of the two brothers especially tragic.

They ask the lady to bury them in the same tomb and write what happened. They only wrote Balan’s name and laft the other blank. When Merlin showed up, he told her that the other name is Balyn, the one who used the Dolorous Stroke. Then he rebuilt the sword and said that only Lancelot and his son Galahad can ever use it and Lancelot will kill Gawain with it. Lancelot has a bed that only he can sleep on.

They were senseless and, when they woke up, they found with swords and wounded each other but kept fighting. A large crowd of ladies and knights watched the great battle. Finally, both had seven wounds and bled out life blood. They revealed their identies and to his horror, Balyn killed his brother and his brother killed him. Before they die, they made peace and shared a bunch of “if only” questions.

Before he left, a knight said his shield was so small. He would trade shields. As he walked to the river, a damsel told him that he is doomed because he would have been recognized by his shield. He refused to turn back because he did not want to look like a coward. He met a knight in black armor with his visor down and no device on his shield. When they jousted, both spears shattered. Both men were on the ground.

They mourned that he had brought sorrow and he will no doubt face vengeance. Balyn rode through the deep forest and to a river and, after eight days, he came to a bridge with a hundred maidens and a hundred knights singing. For some reason, this screamed Tolkien to me. The lady of the castle welcomed him and said that to cross to the castle he must defeat their champion.

Merlin arrived on the fourth day and awakened Balyn and healed him. He explainsed what the cup and spear were and how Joseph of Arimathea brought them to Britain. He said that King Pelles has an uncurable wound that will not heal until Sir Galahad comes. The damsel had died along with a lot of other people. Balyn rode through the waste land and people told him that his actions had laid waste to three counties.

He heard Pelles behind him who knelt because all the anger left him. Madness seized Balyn as he looked at a the spear that pierced the side of Jesus. It is called the Dolorous Stroke. As he seized the spear, the voice admonished him again. He struck Pelles and wounded him, deeply on the side. A great wind seized Balyn and whirled him around and fell on the ground bleeding and senseless.

He heard King Pelles’s footsteps so he pushed open the door. A Voice (capital V) told him he was not worthy. The neglected room had no dust. He saw a silver table with a white cloth. On it was a great cup filled with light and he could hardly see (it’s like Happiness in The Christmas Pig. OH WOW! Balyn found the Holy Grail and he wasn’t looking for it! All he wanted to do was kneel and worship God.

King Pelles was outraged that his knight was killed. He snatched a sword off the wall and hit the dagger so hard that it shattered. Balyn took off running full speed and Pelles followed. He ran from room to room, not knowing where was goingHe went up winding steps in a tower and seemed to be heading to a part of the castle that had not been touched in a long time. He came to a door and knew he shoudl not enter

Nobody was allowed to bring swords but unbeknownst to the guards Balyn wore a dagger under his robes. He asked about Garlon; the king pointed him out. Big mistake. Garlon saw Balyn stare at him, told him off, and insulted him. Balyn added that was why he was doing this and he flew at the evil knigth and killed him. The crowd was shocked. King Pelles told him he shall die and Balyn said to come and get him.