The Once and Future King Book 3, Chapter 27 Summary

  • After driving Agravaine away from them for killing their mother, Gawain and Mordred come back to Camelot after they kill Lamorak.
  • The brothers kneel before Arthur and ask for his pardon for what they have done.
  • Well, we didn't expect this: Arthur grants them pardon. And then tells them to go away.
  • Neither Guen nor Lancelot has ever seen Arthur so angry before. Ever.
  • Arthur announces that the formation of the Round Table was apparently just a step toward getting rid of Might Makes Right.
  • He's tried to divert aggression via the Round Table, in what he calls Right by Might, but it hasn't solved the problem: there's nothing to fight for now, since justice prevails in England.
  • Now, all the fighters are having a go at each other.
  • So, they've now got to fight for something spiritual, since they've gone through the worldly things they can use their Might on, like the evil barons.
  • Lancelot looks interested as talk turns toward a more spiritual version of the Round Table. He's definitely liking what he's hearing.
  • Plus, there's lots of infidelity around going in, like with Tristram sleeping with King Mark's bride. Morals are also going to rot. (Ahem—Lance and Guen, we're looking at you even if Arthur is not.)
  • Lancelot gets the idea. He suggests the knights turn their attention toward questing for objects that belonged to God, like relics, the One True Cross, the Holy Shroud, etc.
  • Who knows? They might even find God.
  • They should search for the Holy Grail, Lancelot exclaims.
  • Just then, a messenger arrives from King Pelles, telling Lancelot that there's a young man at a nearby abbey who is waiting for Lancelot to come knight him.
  • Galahad.