4 Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 How Morgana le Fay Returned to Camelot with a Plan to Harm King Arthur and What Happened to Sir Accalon Meanwhile, Morgana le Fay, pretending to be humble and sorry, returned to King Arthur's court to beg for brotherly forgiveness. While there, she and Arthur fell into a friendly talk about Excalibur.

"I'd like to take a closer look at it than I have before," Morgana said. "May I?" King Arthur walked over to Excalibur, which was resting in a place of honor in the corner. He gathered up the sword and the case and allowed Morgana to examine them. He reminded her, as I am reminding you, that the magical blade could cut like no other, and that the sheath protected from wounds whomever was wearing it. "Oh, brother," Morgana sighed. "Excalibur is so beautiful. I cannot bear to give it back just yet. Do you think I could take it home with me and keep it, just for a little while, so that I may look at it some more?" Arthur hesitated, but he was so grateful they were friends again that he agreed. Little did he know that the dishonest Morgana would not just take Excalibur home to look at it. Rather, she would hire goldsmiths and armor smiths and jewelers to make an exact

copy of it. No one except her would be able to tell the difference just by looking at it. Soon afterward, Morgana went back to the court to visit. After greeting her warmly, Arthur asked about Excalibur. "You know," Morgana said, "I forgot to bring it because I was so excited about the other present I have for you. She told him about the beautiful new black horse she had waiting for him downstairs. As Arthur had been planning to go on a hunt, this worked out perfectly. Asking her to bring Excalibur next time, Arthur thanked his sister and set off. The horse was so fast as it chased the hounds and hare that it raced well ahead of everyone else's horse but one, that belonging to Arthur's friend Sir Accalon of Gaul. The two men soon found themselves quite alone and lost in a deep and thickly tangled part of the forest. They decided to trust their horses'

instincts to take them home, or at least to some other safe place. Arthur's horse took the lead and the men traveled through the night. The next morning, the horses pushed through the forest and stopped on a beach before a smooth sea. On the horizon, a ship with colorfully stitched silk sails was moving quickly toward them. On deck, there stood twelve very beautiful women waving. "Come aboard," they cried. "Surely you are hungry and thirsty and tired!" "What do we have to lose?" King Arthur said. "Perhaps it shall be another great adventure." Sir Accalon agreed and the two men went aboard. Suddenly the ship began to move out to sea. The men were worried, but they soon became distracted and had an enjoyable evening. At the end of the night, they allowed the women to lead them to sleeping

quarters where they would spend the night. When Arthur opened his eyes, he thought he must still be dreaming, for he found himself in a dark and gloomy dungeon made of stone. Around him he saw many other knights, moaning and in a sorry state. One of the knights explained that they were being held prisoner by a knight named Sir Domas. When Sir Domas's father had died, he left everything in his large estate to Sir Domas and his brother, Sir Ontzlake. Over the years, however, Sir Domas had taken almost everything from his younger brother except for one small castle. "He wants that last castle," the knight said, "but he cannot get it himself and he cannot find a knight to take up his greedy case for

him. That is why we are all here, as prisoners. All of us refused to help him." "I will help him," Arthur vowed, "if only to get free. But then I will hurt him, for what he has done." A woman came into the room then. Arthur recognized her as one of the women who had lured him and Sir Accalon onto the ship. "Did I hear you say you would defend Sir Domas's cause?" she asked. "I will take on his cause on one condition," Arthur said. "You must promise to go to Camelot and ask Morgana le Fay to send me my sword, which she is holding." Morgana le Fay laughed when she heard the message, for of course she had set up the whole thing. She laughed even harder when she gave the woman not the real Excalibur, but the copy she had made. Now, when Sir Accalon opened his eyes, he was not in a dungeon. Rather, he was in a