to.”
“By the faith of my body,” said Balin, “I was not able to save her, for she slew herself unexpectedly.”
“I am sorry about that,” said Merlin, “because the death of that lady shall cause you to strike a blow more dolorous than ever a man struck, except the blow done to our Lord Jesus Christ. You shall hurt the truest knight and the man of most worship who now lives. And through that blow three kingdoms shall be brought into great poverty, misery, and wretchedness for twelve years, and the knight shall not be healed of his wound for many years.” Then Merlin took his leave.
“Nay,” said Balin, “that cannot be so. For if I knew you were speaking the truth—that I would do such a terrible deed—I would slay myself in order to make you a liar.” Then Merlin vanished suddenly, and Balin and his brother took their leave of King Mark.
“First,” said the king, “tell me your name.”
“Sir,” said Balan, “you can see that he bears two swords, and thus you may call him the Knight with the Two Swords.” And with this, King Mark departed and went to Camelot to King Arthur, while Balin and Balan headed towards King Rience. As they rode together, they met with Merlin who was disguised so that they did not know him.
“Whence do you ride?” asked Merlin.
“We have little reason to tell you,” said the two knights. “What is your name?” said Balin.
“At this time,” said Merlin, “I will not tell.”
“That is an evil sign,” said the knights. “That suggests you are not a true man because you will not tell us your name.”
“As for that,” said Merlin, “be that as it may. But I can tell you why you ride this way: to challenge King Rience. But it will be no use unless you have my advice.”
“Ah!” said Balin. “You are Merlin! We will follow your advice.”
“Come on,” said Merlin, “and you shall have great worship. See that you behave knightly, for you will need to.”
“As for that,” said Balin, “fear not, for we will do as well as we are able.”
Then Merlin and these two knights rested themselves in the woods among the leaves beside the highway, and took the bridles off their horses and turned them loose to graze. They lay down to rest until it was almost midnight.
CII.9
Then Merlin bade them rise and make ready, “for the king is coming near. He has sneaked away from his army with three score of his best horses and knights, and twenty of them have ridden ahead to warn the Lady de Vaunce that the king is coming, for this knight King Rience intends to sleep with her.”
“Where is the king?” said Balin.
“Wait,” said Merlin, “for here along the straightaway you shall meet with him.” Then he pointed out the king to Balin and his brother. Then they challenged him, and struck him down and wounded him severely, and laid him out on the ground. There they slew on the right hand and on the left hand more than forty of his men, and the remnant fled.
Then they turned again to King Rience and would have killed him if had not put himself at their mercy. Then he said, “Knights full of prowess, slay me not! For if I am alive, you may gain much, but my death will profit you nothing.”
“You speak the truth,” said the knights. So they placed him in a horse-litter.
And at that, Merlin vanished, and came to King Arthur and told him how his greatest enemy was vanquished and captured.
“By whom?” said King Arthur.
“By two knights,” said Merlin, “who desire to be in your service. Tomorrow you shall know what kind of knights they are.”
Later the Knight with the Two swords and his brother came, and they brought with them King Rience of North Wales and delivered him to the porters, charging them to guide him. Then they departed again at daybreak.
Then King Arthur came to King Rience and said, “Sir king, you are welcome. What adventure brought you hither?”
“Sir, “ said King Rience, “it was a hard adventure that brought me here.”
“Who captured you?” said King Arthur.
“Sir,” he said, “the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother, who are two knights of marvelous prowess.”
“I do not know them,” said Arthur, “but I am much beholden to them.”
“Ah, sir,” said Merlin, “I will tell you. It is Balin who achieved the sword and his brother Balan, a good knight. There is not a better knight of prowess or worthiness alive. It will turn out to be the greatest sorrow any knight has ever known, for he will not live long.”
“Alas,” said King Arthur, “that is a great pity. For I am much beholden unto him, and I have little deserved it after my unkindness to him.”
“Nay, nay,” said Merlin, “he will go on to do much more for you, which you will see soon. But sir, are you prepared?” said Merlin, “For the army of King Nero, King Rience’s brother, will attack you soon with a great host. Therefore, prepare yourself, for I must depart from you.”
Then King Arthur made his army ready in ten battalions. Nero was ready in the field before the Castle Terrabyl with a great army, and he had ten battalions with many more people than King Arthur had. Nero was in the vanguard with the greater part of his people.
CII.10
Merlin came to King Lot of the Orkney Islands and detained him with a story of prophecy until Nero and his people were destroyed. In that battle, Kay the Seneschal did so well that all the days of his life the honor he earned there stayed with him. Sir Hervis de Revel also did marvelous deeds of arms that day with Arthur, and King Arthur slew that day twenty knights and maimed forty.
At that time the Knight with the Two Swords came to court with his brother, and they did such marvelous feats of arms that the king and all the knights marveled at them. Everyone who saw them said that they were either angels sent from heaven or devils sent from hell. King Arthur himself said they were the doughtiest knights that he ever saw, for they struck such blows that all men had great wonder at them.
In the meantime, someone came to King Lot and told how while he had tarried there Nero was destroyed and killed with his army.
“Alas,” said King Lot, “I am ashamed. If it had not been for my error there would have been no army under heaven able to match us; but this imposter with his prophecy has mocked me.”
Merlin had done this, for he well knew that if King Lot had been at the first battle with his army, King Arthur would have been slain and all his army distressed. Merlin well knew that one of the kings would die that day, and he was loath that either one should die; but of the two, he would have preferred King Lot of Orkney to have been slain rather than Arthur.
“What is the best thing to do?” said King Lot. “Is it better to try and negotiate with Arthur or else to fight? For the greater part of our people are killed and distressed.”
“Sir,”
