Givret and Erec arrived at Limors the next evening. They looked for a place to stay but the only inn was full. The Beautiful Lady contest was to take place the next day and all the rooms were taken by people who had come to watch.
"Why don't we ask this Count Oringle if he 11 put us up?" Erec suggested. "After all, were from the Round Table."
This wasn't a bad idea, really. In those days, it was common for traveling knights—especially those of Arthurs court—to stay with local nobles. Givret remembered what Harold the Herald had said about Count Oringle, but since he had no other ideas, he agreed. They made their way to a large, if rather shabby house at the edge of the town, where Erec knocked.
An old man with a kind face opened the door. "Yes?"
"Is this the home of Count Oringle?" Erec asked.
The old man looked less kind. "No," he said shortly. "The count lives in the larger house on the other side of town."
He began to close the door, but Givret spoke. "Forgive us if we were rude, sir. We weren't looking for the count especially, but only for a place to stay the night. We are Sir Givret and Sir Erec of King Arthur's Round Table, and we've been on the road all day."
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The old man relaxed and opened the door again. "Why didn't you say so? My home is yours." He showed them an empty stable for their horses, and a few minutes later they were walking together into a large, bare dining room.
"My name is Sir Valens," the old man said. "And I was just about to have my dinner. It's not much, but I would be honored to share it."
They accepted politely Sir Valens didn't seem wealthy, but he treated his guests with an old-fashioned courtesy that put them at their ease. When they were seated at the dining table, Givret asked Sir Valens if he had heard of a knight named Sir Yoder, son of Nut.
Sir Valens had not, and Erec added, "We thought he might come here because of this Beautiful Lady contest."
Sir Valens's face grew sad, and Givret asked quietly, "Could you explain this contest, sir? It seems an odd idea to me. Is Count Oringle a fool?"
In a low voice, Sir Valens replied, "No. The count is a villain, and he may be a madman, but he's no fool." He took a long breath, then said quietly, "Let me explain: This man Oringle came to Limors about ten years ago, at the head of an army of hired soldiers. He stole the castle of the former Count of Limors, and then proclaimed himself the new count."
Erec looked outraged. "Didn't the real Count of Limors fight back?" he demanded.
Sir Valens shook his head. "This was a peaceful county, and the count was a peaceful man. He didn't even have any knights."
Erec's eyes blazed. "I would have died before I let someone steal my land and title!" he exclaimed.
Sir Valens smiled sadly. "But the old count had a young daughter. What would have happened to her if her father had been killed?"
While Erec thought about that, Givret asked, 'What did become of the count and his daughter?"
"Oringle let them live in an old house nearby, where he could watch them, but he took their horses, so they became almost prisoners. Then, as the years passed, the old counts daughter grew into a beautiful woman, and Oringle decided to marry her. Of course, the old count refused to allow it."
Givret nodded. "Hmm. And did Oringle have the old count killed?"
"I see you've heard Oringle's reputation," said Sir Valens. "No, the people of Limors still love the old count and might rise up against Oringle if he did that. Instead he came up with this Beautiful Lady contest. All the ladies in the land must go to the town square tomorrow to be judged, and the one who is chosen is required to marry the highest noble in Limors, which of course is Oringle. Hell choose the old counts daughter, then act as if he has no choice but to marry her, under the law."
Givret said, "But what if some other lady is more beautiful than the counts daughter?"
"Judge for yourselves," Sir Valens said. "I think I hear my daughter, Enide, coming now."
"Your daughter?" said Givret.
Yes," said Sir Valens. "I am the old count."
Then the door opened and no one spoke for a long moment, because standing in the doorway was the most dazzlingly beautiful lady that either Givret or Erec had ever seen.
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"My daughter, Lady Enide," said Sir Valens.
"Pleased to meet you, my lady' Givret said.
Erec said nothing. He only stared.
"Finding Sir Yoder will just have to wait," Givret said as soon as he and Erec were alone. "We must help Sir Valens and Lady Enide."
"Yes!" Erec agreed enthusiastically. "Enide must not marry that horrible count! I have an idea!"
"Er ... you do?" Givret asked. This didn't sound like Erec, somehow.
"Yes! I shall take Enide away with me to East Wales, to the castle of my father, King Lac!"
"Riding double, I suppose?" asked Givret. "Remember, they have no horses."
Erec frowned. "But we must do something! Enide is perfection itself! Her face! Her eyes! And she's so clever, too!"
"Clever?" Givret repeated. Lady Enide was a beauty but at dinner it had occurred to Givret that he had never heard anyone say so much about so little for so long. "Don't worry, Erec," he said. "I have an idea, too. Now listen closely, because I need you to follow these instructions." He told Erec what to do the next day, made him repeat it several times, and then took his black cloak and slipped out into the night.