But Sir Galahad's Dead

However, just as I reached it, the blackness disappeared and I could see trees and hills again.

Immediately, I span round to face my foes, their eyes gleaming in the starlight. One of them shouted at me that if I surrendered then I would be treated honourably. I did not deign to reply. No more deals with the Devil!

Now with nothing left to do in this world, I quickly commended my soul to the Lord. Then, I braced myself for their charge. Many would fall, but that was of little account as I too would be dead. Still, some pagan Saxons would learn how a Christian and a Knight of the Round Table meets his end.

As my foes slowly advanced on me, I began to feel a deep sorrow, but not for myself. For Morgan le Fey. In the last few days, I had come to see that there was more in her than just the evil enchantress who ensnared good men for her own ends. That for once her noble ancestry had come to the fore. However, when the swords were drawn she had reverted to type and sacrificed me to save herself. Were I a poet, I might even say that I had seen a ray of sunshine on an overcast day come and go.

My musing was ended by the sudden appearance of men in shining armour. They did not attack me. Instead, they charged straight past and set about my foes. For a moment, I was astounded by the sudden change in events! Then, I joined in the melee. It was fast and furious, but minutes later, the only combatants still standing were knights, Knights of the Round Table. It was Sir Gawaine and half a dozen others. By some means they had managed to come to my rescue, but I could not see how. Only one person knew where I was, she had abandoned me! So who had guided them here?

At the end of the affray, Sir Gawaine walked towards me and saluted me with his sword still dripping with Saxon blood. I acknowledged his action then challenged him with "What you doing here, old friend?"

"Rescuing you, of course, Perceval," he replied. "But, let’s get out of here. It is too damned cold here for my liking!"

You can say again, I thought. There was short delay whilst a shrouded figure worked magic and the rest of us shivered in the cold. Then, once we were back in the here and now, I looked straight to him, my question still on my lips.

"The Round Table had assembled at Camelot to praise God for saving the Land," he began. "Suddenly, Morgan le Fey burst in and demanded the service of some knights for a hazardous venture. We are so struck dumb by her insolence and gall that none of us moved. At that, she damned us all as cowards and said that she was going to rescue you with or without our help. It of course sounded Greek to us, but still I and six others volunteered to go with her. But not for her sake, false jade that she is, but for yours.

There was nothing that I could say to that. Just as Sir Galahad had followed me without any doubts, so my comrades in arms had come at my hour of need.

"I don’t understand been going on for the last few days," he continued. "I suppose being just a simple knight, I guess I never will.