The Once and Future King

As the opposing armies prepare for battle, Arthur and his inner circle discuss his idea of assembling his knights around a Round Table. Arthur argues that his new age of chivalry will require recruiting knights while they’re young and not set in the old ways. Merlyn then prophesies that Arthur will marry Guenever, daughter of King Leodegrance. Before Arthur can question the prophesy, the conversation turns to appropriate uses of force. Merlyn responds that Jesus only made his ideas “available” without forcing them on people, unlike a certain Austrian dictator who “plunged the civilized world into misery and chaos” (266-67).

Grummore and Palomides decide to disguise themselves as the Questing Beast to distract Pellinore from his lovesickness. After much arguing and torn fabric, the costume is complete. Morgause, meanwhile, realizes she despises these English knights and turns her attention to her sons. Gareth runs through the castle—originally built by Indigenous Britons and altered over the years by the invading Saxons. He discovers his brothers arguing over their mother’s friendship with the knights. Gawaine and Agravaine fight. Gareth and Gaheris separate the two before Gawaine kills his younger brother.

Grummore and Palomides hide the costume in the cliffs and inform Pellinore that they have seen the Questing Beast. At first disinterested, he becomes more engaged after several shots of whiskey. They accompany Pellinore to the cliffs that very night and don the costume under cover of darkness. Pellinore, meanwhile, stands in the rain miserably thinking of his lost love. As Grummore and Palomides move through the dark in costume, they sense another presence nearby—the real Questing Beast making amorous advances.

The night before the battle, Merlyn assures Arthur (whose army is outnumbered) that he will be victorious. He then drops a series of cryptic hints about Guenever, Lancelot, and Excalibur, but he can’t remember the details. He tells Arthur a parable of a man who tries, unsuccessfully, to escape death. Both he and Arthur will return from death, he prophesies. In fact, Arthur’s tombstone will read: “the once and future king” (287).

Pellinore discovers Grummore and Palomides trapped in a crevice, the Questing Beast holding them captive. They ask Pellinore to kill it, but he doesn’t see that she is doing any harm. He suggests they return the beast’s affection. They refuse, so Pellinore holds the beast’s tail while the two knights run for it. They make it back to the castle and the drawbridge is pulled up, leaving Pellinore and the beast outside. From the battlements, Grummore and Palomides see the Questing Beast sitting alone. A short time later, Pellinore approaches the gate, his arm around his love, the princess of Flanders (Piggy). The magic barge returned and carried her to the Isle of Orkney and to Pellinore. The drawbridge is lowered, and Pellinore and Piggy enter the castle, the forlorn Questing Beast holding vigil outside, waiting for its mate.

The battle between Arthur and King Lot takes place in Sherwood Forest. Encouraged by nobles who have no problem sacrificing the poor for their cause, the serfs are inflamed to violence by ethnic animosity. Arthur, however, orders his knights to fight only other knights. Further, he does not abide by protocols of war; he attacks at night and doesn’t signal his attack in advance. He does not slaughter serfs purely for the sake of a body count. The surprise catches the Gael nobles off guard, and they are soon on the run. As Arthur’s cavalry drives them back, King Lot decides to wear the enemy down. Half his army will rest while the other half engages Arthur’s knights. Arthur, however, springs a trap. He drives Lot into an ambush—10,000 French soldiers hiding in the trees. Lot’s regiments are overwhelmed and have no choice but to surrender.

Weeks later, Pellinore and Pinky are engaged, and the Questing Beast still sits outside the castle, pining for her “mate.” Merlyn strolls past the castle and suggests explaining the misunderstanding to the Beast. The knights plead with Merlyn to stay, but he vanishes.

In Lot’s castle, Queen Morgause draws a “Spancel” (a long ribbon of human skin) from her coffer; she intends to cast a love spell. Her sons, meanwhile, kneel in the castle chapel, praying that they will never forget their heritage or their stake in the “Cornwall feud.”

The wedding party sets out from Lot’s castle. It includes Pellinore and Piggy as well as Toirdealbhach and Mother Morlan (a local woman in whose house he resides), who are also betrothed. They reach the walled city of Carlion, and Arthur meets them to attend the wedding, which is a grand affair held in the cathedral.

In North Humberland, Merlyn suddenly remembers a vital bit of information he forgot to tell Arthur—his mother’s name, Igraine, the countess of Cornwall, whose sexual assault by Uther Pendragon caused the Gael rebellion.

In his throne room, Arthur wakes from sleep to find Morgause—his half-sister, though he does not know it—standing before him. She casts the love spell, and nine months later, she bears him a son, Mordred. This act sets in motion the great tragedy of King Arthur.