Prince Valiant Page #2

Knighthood cannot be had

for the asking.

It is not enough

to be highborn.

Look around.

You will see many kings' sons

concealed behind their armour.

They prefer to be called

Sir Knight.

Sir Gawain,

who brought you here.

Perhaps he failed

to tell you

that he is the son

of our friend, King Lot.

Sir Lancelot would not exchange

his knighthood for any kingdom.

Nor would Sir Tristram,

famed throughout our world.

Nor Sir Galahad,

the pride of Christendom,

who seeks the Holy Grail.

Yonder is Sir Brack,

who claims descent from Constans,

great king of Britain

who was my own father's father.

To be a Viking prince

means nothing here.

I will give you

whatever lies within my power

but knighthood must be won.

If that's where your aim lies,

you must start by becoming a squire.

I'll take him, sire.

Oh, never mind, Sir Brack.

I'll train him.

But I have no squire at the moment.

Nor have I.

I've never had a Viking

for a squire.

Then avoid it.

This lad is full of Viking tricks.

I'll tell you how we met,

though I hadn't intended to.

He crowned me with a rock.

In that case, Sir Gawain,

I think we must assign

Prince Valiant's tutelage to you,

or do you not agree,

Sir Brack?

Of course, sire. I hadn't known

about the Viking fashion of crowning.

I promise Sir Gawain that I shall watch

his new squire's progress

with fascinated interest.

- You see the red spot on that quintain?

- Yes, I do.

Now, keep your eye on it and go!

And don't stop!

Hold that shield up.

Up, to protect your head. Try it.

That's better. Not quite so low.

Try it on me.

See what I mean?

Give me three.

Better, but your footwork is off.

Let the weight come after the blow. So.

You see what I mean?

Keep your shield up. Up!

My... My foot slipped.

Yes, it is a little wet there.

That's enough for today.

You're learning fast, squire.

You handle a horse

and lance like a knight.

As for the sword, well,

that takes time.

Don't flatter him, Brack.

I hear you're going to the coast.

- Why don't you come along?

- No, we'll go out after the black knave

as soon as this Viking learns that a sword

isn't something you butter bread with.

I wish you more luck than Lancelot had.

He combed the entire coast.

He's beginning to think

my squire had a fancy dream.

No, he doesn't, sir.

Neither do I.

I wish you were coming along.

I could use you for bait, perhaps,

and find this phantom.

- He's no phantom, sir.

- Of course not.

Well, another time, Valiant.

All right,

take the swords in.

Excuse that knock, lad.

It'll teach you not to get rough

until you're sure of yourself.

We only learn by knocks.

If your head is sore,

remember that's how we met.

You almost split mine.

- Prince Valiant!

- Can... Can I come along with you, sir?

- Where's Gawain?

- Well, he's not coming, sir.

- Oh.

- Let me come along with you, sir.

I must say, you're a man

after my own heart.

But your vows are to Gawain.

What would he say?

He'll only be ashamed of making fun of me

if we find the Black Knight.

I can show you where I saw him twice.

- Twice?

- Yes, sir.

That's two reasons

I'd like to have you on this quest.

But I can take no responsibility

for what you do, Valiant.

- May I ask you a question, sir?

- Go ahead.

King Arthur said that you claim descent

from a king of Britain.

I don't claim it.

It's a fact.

Unfortunately,

I was not acknowledged.

Except for my mother's word,

I was never born.

Legality is legality. Arthur is the King,

and we must never question it.

That's where I fell from, sir.

Wonder you didn't break your neck.

What were you doing here?

- I was on my way to Camelot.

- Where did you come from?

Oh, forgive my asking.

I forgot.

You saw him twice.

Where was the first time?

Way up there, sir.

The two of them came galloping

along the bank and rode right past me.

- Didn't they see you?

- I was concealed in some bushes.

If there was undergrowth by the water,

you must have been close to the fens.

Well, sir, it was

quite a way from here.

I'll ride that way and take a look.

Get back up there and watch.

Hide your horse.

Keep out of sight.

I'll come back through the woodland

and join you.

All right. Put down your weapons

if you want me alive.

Oh, Ilene! Ilene!

Ilene!

I wonder who he is.

At least he's a Christian,

praise God.

All he needs is a little rest.

He'll come around shortly, milady.

Thank you.

That's Father.

We'd better be going, milady,

he's waiting.

- You go along.

- But I...

- Please.

- I'll tell him you're coming.

Am... Am I in heaven?

No. On Earth, thank heaven.

- Well, where?

- At Ord. My father's King of Ord.

- Yes, but...

- Please, don't talk.

You must sleep

and Father's calling.

- No, wait. Please.

- I'll come back later.

So far, Aleta, I have said nothing

to your nursing the Viking

but now that he's recovering, I demand

that you leave the nursing to the servants.

Oh, but, Father, that wouldn't be kind,

or even Christian.

Don't bring in religion

to confound me!

God help the king

who has two daughters and no sons.

Listen, my child.

It's time that you were married.

And because you are older

than Ilene,

the man you wed

will one day rule Ord with you.

That is why I have accepted

King Arthur's invitation

to attend the tournament

at Camelot.

- There you will find a husband.

- Oh, but, Father...

You will have all the best knights

in Britain to choose from.

You'll be betrothed before you return.

I've sworn it.

Somehow the knights who come here

to seek your hand never seem to suit you.

- They're all so old.

- We don't want striplings.

What's wrong with Sir Brack?

His blood is as good

as King Arthur's.

And he never lets us forget it,

as his own father apparently did.

Well, er, I don't say

there's not a blemish on his birth

but had King Arthur not been born,

Brack might hold the throne.

Legitimate or not,

he is of royal blood.

- So is Prince Valiant.

- But he's a Viking!

Barbarians, pirates,

uncivilised pagans, all of them.

And how do we know that he was

even with Sir Brack?

I'm sure that if

Sir Brack were near

he would have come and paid court to you

as he always does.

Besides, all we know about the Viking

is that he is a Viking!

Who's that arriving?

Why, it's Sir Brack!

He's come to see...

Incredible.

My horse went lame, and when I returned

to where I'd left you, daylight was going.

- There wasn't a soul in sight.

- You saw no armed men, sir?

- I only wish I had.

- I was sure you were in for trouble.

Only the trouble

of searching everywhere for you.

I'm afraid that you have the gift

of encountering things

that no one else can find.

I can't make out

why they only came after me.

They must have seen you.

From cover, perhaps,

and recognised me.

My lance is feared, Val.

The important thing is that you got away.

For that we must be grateful.

We'll take no more chances. I'm waiting

here until you're well enough to travel.

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