Knights of the Round Table

It befell in the old days that Rome, at need...

withdrew her legions from England.

Then stood the realm in great darkness and danger...

for every overlord held rule in his own tower...

and fought with fire and sword against his fellow.

Then against these dark forces rose up a new force...

wherein flowered courtesy...

humanity and noble chivalry.

Your kinsmen have been here before us.

He is still here.

I cry Morgan Le Fay rightful Queen of England...

and her knight champion, Modred, Lord of the Isles.

I cry Arthur Pendragon, Duke of Gwent.

God keep you, stepsister.

God spare you, stepbrother.

Merlin the Wise made us meet here, and we're here.

Do we meet as foes?

We meet as kinsmen.

To put an end to bloodshed and restore a throne.

Which of us speaks as the king of that throne?

He who is Uther Pendragon's son is high king of England.

I am the only issue born to Uther in true wedlock.

No son was born to him by his rightful queen.

Yet your father was sire to a son.

- Born in shame. - His son nonetheless.

Morgan Le Fay is the rightful heir.

And Modred the rightful king.

My lady, we are met here so that he that is rightful king shall prove it.

Come.

What words are those carved upon the stone?

"I am the sword Excalibur.

"Whoso pulleth me from this anvil...

"is the rightwise born king of all England. "

How do we know this is the sword the legend spoke of?

If it be the true sword, why did Merlin alone know where it lay?

Because the King, Uther Pendragon, revealed it to me alone...

the night before his death.

Then I shall take what is mine.

Sire?

That is not the true sword.

It is the true sword.

It is witchcraft!

Let no man say otherwise.

Then we must summon a council at the Ring of Stones...

of the chiefs of all the land.

- They shall decide, my lord. - Aye.

They shall decide to hang thee from a tree, and all thy witchcraft within.

Though you be the unnatural brother of this lady...

take care you do not hang beside him!

We shall meet again at the council of the Ring of Stones.

The King of England!

You are not.

- What? - Not yet.

You have still to prove it by deeds, not words.

Return it to the anvil.

With a heart of furious fancies

Whereof I am commander

With a burning spear and a horse of air

By the wilderness I wander

By a king of ghosts and shadows

I am summoned to a tourney

And leagues beyond the wide world's end

Methinks it is no journey

Enough.

My belly's as limp as a bell rope and as hollow as a broken promise.

This Arthur of yours must be 100 leagues the other side of nowhere...

on a charger made of nothing.

Arthur's real enough and man enough to ride, as we do, in pursuit of glory.

Alas, good Lancelot, how far, in the name of reason...

will you chase this puffball fancy knight?

Who? Arthur? To the world's end and beyond.

We're there already.

It is the valley of death. The devil himself has plowed it under.

Not so, good Lancelot. I hear the song of life.

Sweet music to my hungry ears.

Four men against one hen. Chivalry, hide thy face.

Come, we'll look for something fiercer as a foe.

Sir, by your leave, my spirit is willing but my stomach cries for quarter.

Eat then, and join me later at the Ring of Stones.

Shall we see King Leogrance at the Ring of Stones?

Yes, but not his daughter.

Guinevere is here with me now.

Here in my heart, as she ever has been since the day we met as children.

And as she always will be, till the day this heart no longer beats.

Kind words.

I shall make her queen of all this island. Queen of all England.

How good the growing of the unhatched egg.

From hereon this is Modred's land.

I shall travel a different road to you.

Go by the downs, and let me go through the forest.

- 'Tis not as we planned. - It's as I plan it now.

- Why? - If one of us is ambushed...

the other will live to confound Modred at the Ring of Stones.

Please, God, it will be you.

- Ride with him. - No.

'Tis your blood Modred seeks, not mine. Stay with your master.

Ride alone you shall not.

I'll go through the forest and you shall take Bedivere...

or none of us move a step from here till doomsday.

I see I've been foster-father to a mule.

Very well.

Go through the forest, and Godspeed you.

You have always been more a father to me in wisdom and strength...

than he who sired me.

Without you, I endure life. With you, I rejoice in it.

Godspeed.

- Which road has Arthur taken? - Through the forest.

Sire, what of my reward?

You promised me enough gold to silence me.

Was there ever enough gold in Christendom to silence a traitor?

Nevertheless, silence him.

Here we part company. Bring me word to the Ring of Stones when Arthur is dead.

Within the hour.

Where would you have gone without me?

To the Council of Kings at the Ring of Stones.

- I do not want you there. - Why not?

Your life might be in peril.

Where you go, there I go also.

Did I have to say as much in words?

Why are you late, sir knight?

Why? How late am I, my lady?

I've been waiting for you here since dawn.

Alas, my lady. How was I to know?

You should have known by magic.

- Magic? - It's May eve.

I made a wish in the pool for a knight to come and carry me off.

- And I am the knight? - Of course you are.

- May I ask my lady's name? - Elaine.

- Of what place? - Of Astolat.

Come nearer. Perhaps you'd like to ride.

Where are you taking me?

To your home, if you'll tell me where it is.

I told you who I was, but you haven't told me who you are.

I am Lancelot of the Lake, King Ban's son of Benwick.

- Where is Benwick? - In France.

Then whatever are you doing in England?

I come in search of a great hero called Arthur Pendragon.

What will you do when you find him?

Ride the wide world by his side.

What will you ride in search of?

Giants and unicorns...

and beyond England, the sea of white bears and witch whales.

Beyond the sea, the happy islands where no one ever grows old...

or so Gareth the harper tells me in his songs.

- Have you a lady? - No.

Then I shall be your lady.

One day you will come back and take me to the happy islands.

- What is it? - Nothing that will harm you.

Who stands?

Come forward and declare thyself!

Why do you seek me?

Why do you lie in hiding like a knave?

So it's a nest of knaves.

Good sirs, draw your swords before my friends arrive.

Five to one is all Arthur himself could hope for.

- Are you Arthur's man? - To the death.

Kill him!

The lists are open. Who'll tumble in them next?

Behind you.

Thanks, my lady.

I am for thee, lone knight.

Declare for them or stand off!

Not while I live.

- I yield. Fair fight. - Fair fight? Ambush.

What now?

Now, my lady, I shall take you home to supper.

That meddler again.

I thank you for the help I did not need.

Those are brave words, if hardly grateful.

Do you deny you spoiled my fight?

- Why, do you seek another? - Do you not owe me one?

Come, pay your debts. With broadswords, if you wish.

Sir Lancelot, I'm hungry.

I'll be with you in the passing of a minute.

Take care she does not witness the passing of a knight.

I've never met your like before.

In combat, you have no peer.

I am Lancelot of the Lake.

By the faith of my body, I must know who you are.

I am Arthur Pendragon.

Why do you break a sword that served you with such might?

It struck you.

Then you shall have mine...

and may it serve you half as well.

My lord, while I live, I shall remember this hour.

I ache in every bone. I shall not be able to forget it.

Stand and declare thyself, plowboy.

I'm no plowboy, sire.

I am Percival of Astolat, and I ride in search of my sister, Elaine.

A thousand pardons to yourself and to your horse.

Yonder is the lady you seek, I think, asleep and safe.

We've been searching the countryside for you.

- I've been in such a battle. - A battle?

- We fought five men. - We?

- This knight and I. - This knight and you?

He and that other knight.

Who are you?

I am Lancelot of Benwick, and this is Arthur Pendragon.

Milord.

Milords, let me be your man and ride with you.