KING ARTHUR IS SITTING AT ONE END OF THE GREAT hall in Camelot, talking to his foster brother, Sir Kay.
“More than forty men are questing for the Grail,” he says. “But Sir Gawain has failed. Sir Lancelot has failed. How can anyone succeed?”
“I doubt anyone will,” Sir Kay replies.
“Sir Galahad?” says the king. “Sir Bors?”
Sir Kay raises his eyebrows, and smiles a twisted smile. “Not even Sir Perceval is perfect,” he says. “But what about you?”
Arthur-in-the-stone shakes his head. “Lady Fortune would prevent me,” he said. “And my own failings.”
Now a young woman wearing a wimple and riding a white mule—the woman who came to Camelot before—rides straight into the hall again.
“Dismount!” yells Sir Kay.
The young woman ignores him.
“I said dismount!” Sir Kay shouts rudely.
“Forgive me,” says the woman, “but I will not dismount until a knight comes to Corbenic and wins the Grail. The shield I left here is still hanging on that pillar. Is there not a single knight here fit to claim it?”
“Many of my knights have made the Grail their dream and cause,” King Arthur replies. “More than forty of them are in the field now, riding through forests, crossing seas…”
“They’d do better to look into their own hearts,” the young woman says.
Now she raises her right hand, and sweeps off her wimple.
The king and Sir Kay lower their eyes.
She is still bald.
“Not a hair will grow on my head,” she says in a low voice. “Nothing will grow until a knight comes to Corbenic and asks the question.”
“What is your message?” asks the king.
“Sire,” says the young woman, “King Pellam, Guardian of the Grail, greets you, the greatest king on this middle-earth. He implores you to urge all your knights still here at Camelot to quest for the Grail. The world is a wasteland.”
“I will,” the king replies.
The young woman takes off the little pouch hanging round her neck.
“King Pellam has sent you this gift,” she says.
Arthur-in-the-stone unties the pouch. He draws out a readingpointer, quite long and slightly curved, like a bone hairpin. One end is tapered, the other flat and triangular.
“Ivory,” the young woman says. “Gold bands.”
“And this little triangle?” the king asks.
“A precious stone, made of ice and fire.”
“I have never seen anything more beautiful,” says the king.
“King Pellam lies in agony,” the young woman tells him. “But he used to mark and follow words with this pointer when he read the scriptures.”
“As I will mark King Pellam’s words, and act on them,” King Arthur says. “Thank him and assure him I will urge all my knights to quest for the Grail. Tell him I will use this pointer when I read the scripture.”