The Knight of the Sacred Lake

by Rosalind Miles

  Always at the center of the story is Guenevere, proud and powerful, yet vulnerable to the longings of her heart. When the young French prince, Sir Lancelot of the Lake, enters the scene, an Otherworldly passion is ignited in Guenevere’s heart, and they each must contend with the painful reality that they cannot fulfill their love without shattering the code of chivalry and the man they both love with all their hearts, Arthur. Yet Arthur is not without demons: A bleak shadow falls across Camelot and across the sacred Isle of Avalon as he allows Roman priests to encroach on the kingdom, bringing with them a violent new religion that threatens to destroy the ancient ways of the Mother. And even in the sanctity of the court all is not well, as betrayals, jealousies, and ancient blood feuds fester. The half-mad Druid Merlin plots furiously to ensure the supremacy of the Pendragon line at any cost; Morgan and Arthur’s incestuous progeny, Mordred, menaces the increasingly fragile peace; and the assembly of the famous Round Table of knights stands vulnerable to Morgan’s dark designs and the irresistible power of the forbidden love shared by Guenevere and Lancelot.

  As the final, brilliant cycle of the Arthurian legend spins out, the Quest for the Grail and the fall of Camelot bring Guenevere to the brink of utter tragedy, where she ultimately may complete her destiny as the greatest Queen of the Isles and at last find her heart’s content.

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  BOOK ONE: Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country

  When Arthur arrives at the Queen Stone during Guenevere’s queen-making ceremony, Guenevere immediately accepts him as her Champion and Chosen One, although she has no idea who he is. And in the course of their very first conversation, Guenevere is repulsed by Arthur’s subservience to Merlin and his acceptance of the Christians, who are beginning to infiltrate the Middle Kingdom. Why does she press on with their union despite these initial misgivings? Is it significant to the story that Guenevere and Arthur are united by a political treaty before they are united romantically?

  As Guenevere prepares to marry Arthur, the Lady of the Lake tells her: “Those who follow the Goddess can always enter the dream. May you awaken from yours, and become that which you have dreamed.” What does the Lady mean? Do you interpret her words differently by the end of the novel?

  During the tournament when Arthur is almost killed by a flying sword, Guenevere and Morgan each have a foreboding glimpse into the Otherworld and share a moment of terror: “The evil had come and been thwarted, and there was nothing more to say. And though they both had seen Arthur’s death, they did not speak of it, and Guenevere knew they never would.” How are Guenevere and Morgan linked by their roles in the unfolding drama? What do they have in common? Are they both victims of destiny?

  When Guenevere returns from Joyous Garde, Arthur kneels in prayer and rejoices that he “still had the unswerving love of all his knights. Nothing had changed that.” Does he? How have his conversion to Christianity and his devotion to the monks at court taken a toll on his knights, who worship the Goddess? Why do they put up with the change?

  BOOK TWO: The Knight of the Sacred Lake

  Throughout this second book, we see Agravain descend further into evil. From insolence toward the King and Queen to palpable lust for Orkney family power to a depraved murder, his actions indicate that he is spinning out of control. Does Agravain’s behavior stem from a desire for vengeance for the treachery of the House of Pendragon toward his mother’s House of Cornwall? Or is Agravain simply an evil individual? Why doesn’t Morgan take advantage of her nephew’s evil for her own purposes?

  Queen Morgause’s sweet, supportive, patient, and long-suffering paramour, Lamorak, never accomplishes his heart’s desire: to marry her. Why does Morgause’s devotion to her sons prevent her from embracing her one true happiness, despite the fact that she believes in the right of queens and has long since been freed from her tyrannical husband, King Lot? How does the relationship between Morgause and Lamorak mirror that of Guenevere and Lancelot?

  When Elaine of Astolat floats down the river, having committed suicide because of her unrequited love for Lancelot, Guenevere can think only of her own tragic mistake in accusing Lancelot of betraying her with the dead girl. She does not give Elaine’s death a thought, but focuses solely on herself. Does this event color your perception of Guenevere? Why or why not?

  Mador’s attack on Guenevere, whom he blames for his brother Patrise’s death, signals a climax in the impending separation between Arthur and Guenevere. Why does Arthur allow Guenevere to stand trial for witchcraft when he knows she cannot be guilty? How does the opportunism of the Christians turn this situation into a worse mess than Agravain even intended when he orchestrated the crime that led to Patrise’s death?

  BOOK THREE: The Child of the Holy Grail

  As the book opens, we find Merlin engaged in his never-ending mental struggle with Guenevere over Arthur’s soul. Merlin is weary of constantly working to keep the Pendragon line alive and thriving and laments that Arthur did not take a meek Christian girl who would have had no influence over his decisions of state. Yet Merlin is a Lord of Light, which means he worships the Goddess, and indeed we see him on Avalon at the end of the story. How can he be loyal to the Goddess and the right of queens, and to the now Christian-influenced Pendragon dynasty at once?

  Increasingly, we see Arthur being impetuous, short-sighted, a bad listener, a puppet to the Christians, stubborn in resisting Guenevere’s suggestions, and pigheaded about how to raise his son Mordred. His insensitivity comes to a climax when he impulsively sends his company of knights out on a hollow Quest, and he truly betrays his marriage when he determines to build a Christian church on the sacred Tor on Avalon. Is this Arthur radically different from the shining hero we met in Book One? The Lady foretells: “One thing alone for Arthur will remain.” What do you think she means? By casting Excalibur back into the water at the end, does Arthur redeem himself?

  The knights who lived to honor their King and Queen in Books One and Two are by now very sick of all the disappointments and tragedies plaguing Arthur and Guenevere’s reign. Even the endlessly loyal Bors calls Arthur “a blindworm, a mole, a fool,” and finds Guenevere “deaf and dumb to anything but her own desires.” How has this fall from naïveté taken place? Who or what is to blame?

  During the final battle, an unprecedented tête-à-tête takes place between Guenevere and Morgan. How do you account for Morgan’s change of heart? Is Arthur’s impending death the impetus behind this scene? As Guenevere enters the battlefield, she hopes for peace “now that things have changed.” What does she mean? Now that Morgan has released her desire for vengeance? Now that the scabbard has been returned to its rightful owner? Now that Guenevere has accepted Morgan’s love of Arthur?

  The Guenevere Trilogy

  The pervasive subtext of the Arthurian legend tells the story of Christianity’s hostile attack on an older, female-centered religion. In fact, the Christians are as much Guenevere’s enemies as is Morgan, if not more so, as they attempt to destroy the succession of queens and usurp Avalon’s sacred relics for their own use. How does this underlying battle affect your reading of the story? Does Miles do a good job of setting the historical record straight? Why or why not? What do you make of the Lady?

  Throughout the Trilogy, we watch the fascinating and terrifying development of Morgan’s character: the defenseless, frightened creature sobbing in Arthur’s arms; the evil, hypererotic seductress; the havoc-wreaking shape-shifter, who appears at various times as a cat, a raven, a snake, a murderous knight, and a nefarious nun; and the bodiless, tormented spirit hovering in the trees, endlessly torturing Merlin. Are you ever able to sympathize with Morgan? Which is her most frightening guise? Are you able to accept her radical transformation at the end?

  Greed is a powerful motivating force for many characters in the story. The Abbess Placida covets an authoritative position at Canterbury; Sylvester lusts for Arthur’s soul and Avalon’s treasures; Malgaunt wants control over Guenevere; Mordred wants to be
king; Agravain wants undue power and recognition; Merlin wants his Pendragon bloodline to rule the world. Is Arthur greedy? Is Guenevere? Is greed a punishable offense in the universe of this story?

  The theme of children separated from their parents seems to run throughout this story: Morgan and Morgause are wrested from Igraine; Arthur is taken from Igraine and Uther; Amir is lost by Guenevere and Arthur; Mordred is removed from Morgan; and Galahad is hidden from Lancelot. How do these separations, some more painful than others, mold each character? Why are they necessary? Do you think this theme symbolizes a larger issue?

  The bestselling Guenevere trilogy concludes With

  The CHILD of the HOLY GRAIL

  The Third of the Guenevere Novels

  The sun rose late in Camelot, weltering in blood. A baleful light played over the ancient citadel of the Summer Country, reddening the white walls looking down n the valley below. A spiteful wind ran peeking here nd there, driving the dead leaves into whispering heaps. Hurrying through the castle, the servants agreed that the omens were not good. If Sir Gawain and his brothers thought they’d get round the Queen, they’d better think again.

  “The King, maybe,” opined the Captain of the Guard at the end of the night watch, taking a deep warming pull on his morning ale. “They might get round the King. They’re his kin, after all, and the King has always favored Sir Gawain. But the Queen—”

  He broke off. Standing round the brazier in a raw red dawn, the young soldiers of the guard listened, and hoped to learn. The King— the Queen—these were the names of mystery and awe to them. A tall, shapely woman drifting in white and gold, a great bear of a man in royal red and blue, this was all they knew. But the Captain knew more, and seemed ready to tell them now.

  “The Queen—?” prompted the boldest of the band.

  “Queen Guenevere?”

  Smiling, the Captain warmed his hands round his mulled ale, unaware that the glow he felt was coming from his heart. “Five thousand years and more we’ve had queens here in the Summer Country, and she’s been the best of the lot. Twenty years she’s ruled in Camelot—since before you were born,” he added, eyeing the newest of the recruits, a youth still devoid of a beard.

  The lad blushed to find the attention focused on him. “What about Sir Gawain then?” he wondered. “Where does he fit in?”

  “Oh, he’s all right!” The Captain chuckled knowingly. “A bit of a rough one, especially with women, but as loyal as the day. Him and his brothers too.”

  A silence fell as they all recalled the three mighty figures riding into court through the early-morning mist.

  “But if they’re loyal to the King,” puzzled the young guard, “what’ll they want from him that he won’t give?”

  The Captain’s face darkened. “Don’t ask, lad,” he said sourly. “Don’t ask.”

  GUENEVERE STOOD in the window gazing out on the blood-red sun. Far below, the fields and woodlands still slumbered in the chilly mist, and the little town huddled round the walls of the great castle to keep itself warm. Behind her came the footfall of her maid, as soft and familiar as a cat. “I’ve looked out a heavier robe, my lady, the Audience Chamber will be cold today.”

  “Thank you, Ina.”

  Guenevere stepped back into the low, whitewashed chamber, the private quarters of the Queens of the Summer Country since time began. Now a table by the wall gleamed with her perfumes and lotions, lavender, patchouli, and sweet almond oil. A massive bed stood in the shadows at the back, swathed in royal red and gold. A great cloudy mirror rested against the wall, and an applewood fire filled the air with spring.

  In the center of the room Ina was holding a long robe of gold with a white fur collar and sleeves falling to the floor. Watching Guenevere approach, the maid marveled to herself. Was there any other woman of the Queen’s age who still boasted the same body as when she was young? Tall and inclining to fullness in the breasts and hips, Guenevere had not lost the small waist King Arthur had loved when they met, so the Queen herself had confided to Ina then. To look at her, you’d never know she’d borne a child.

  Borne, and lost. And the Queen was approaching the time when there would be no more. Was that why she was looking so sad today? Or was it this awful business with Sir Gawain?

  A fierce possessive love seized Ina’s heart, Gods above, how did the big knight dare? Well, no use complaining about what the Great Ones did. Briskly Ina slipped the robe onto Guenevere’s shoulders and tugged sharply at the sleeves.

  Guenevere felt Ina’s devotion in the flurry of brisk touches and gave her a quick smile. For herself, she was not much interested in the image Ina now presented to her in the glass, a tall figure in a red silk, gowned in white and gold, gold at her neck and wrists and on the slender fingers of each hand. She knew that her face told the story of her life, and that the lines round her eyes showed each of her forty years. But for one who had borne all she had, she looked well enough.

  “The crown now, madam?” Ina inquired. Standing behind her, the maid reached up and placed a deep circle of gold and moonstone on Guenevere’s head. “There!” she breathed, entranced. Her small face clenched like a fist. “I wish you well, lady, in the audience ahead. They’re bad blood, all the sons of Lot.”

  “Not all of them,” Guenevere said with a frown. “Gawain was the King’s first companion and he swears he’ll be the last. And Gaheris and Gareth are men of honor too.”

  Ina shook her head. “They are Orkneyans, lady,” she said simply, “and you know what Sir Gawain wants now.”

  Guenevere’s soul darkened. “Yes, Ina.” she breathed. “I do.”

  THE AUDIENCE CHAMBER had been slowly filling all morning, as the word spread through the court of what was afoot. Now, as the raw spring sun moved toward noon, the lofty hall was crowded with furs and velvets brushing against whispering silks and shining silver mail. Between the bright lords and ladies were scattered the harsh black habits of many monks, drifting together like clouds on a sunny day.

  At the far end of the room, three massive figures stood with their backs to the crowd, facing the dais with its empty thrones. Sir Gawain and his brothers were waiting for the King and Queen in a silence like the tomb. At their head, Gawain shifted from foot to foot, stifling an inner groan. Gods, make it right, he prayed fervently. Let me not be wrong!

  Yet how could he be? His big face knotted in an angry frown. Blood was blood. There had always been four princes of the Orkneys, four sons of Lot. For ten years now there had been only three. It was time to repair the breach in the Orkney ranks.

  Not that the other two agreed with him. Gawain sighed and cast a swift glance at Gaheris, standing by his side. In Gaheris, the third of the clan, the tawny coloring of their mother had come out as true red. Her fair skin had become his milky pallor, and his blue eyes were as pale as the rain-washed morning sky.

  But now his face was set in a grim stare. For his brother thought he was mad, Gawain knew.

  “Why rake it all up again?” Gaheris had cried. “He’s well enough where he is, why not leave him there? He’ll only cause trouble if you bring him back.”

  And Gareth too, the baby of them all, had shaken his great blond head with the same fearful regard and begged Gawain to think again. “Agravain’s born to make mischief, brother, you know that.”

  Yet damn them both, Gawain muttered darkly in his heart, I am still their elder brother and the head of the clan. We are the sons of Lot, and King Lot always had his way. Gawain’s laboring brain returned to where it had been. Blood was blood. Why all the argument, then?

  At the entrance to the hall, reflected in the great bronze double doors, a pair of shifting shadows appeared in a blur of red and gold.

  “Attend there, all attend!” The sharp cry of the Chamberlain broke through noise of the crowd. “The King and Queen! Make way for the King and Queen!”

  Gripping Arthur’s large and comforting hand, Guenevere moved forward with him into the hall.

  So many people�
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  She stepped in to face a buzzing, smiling throng. Lords, knights, and ladies pressed in from all sides among the mighty landowners and petty kings. She smiled and nodded greetings, almost overwhelmed. So many people, a full court today—

  She threw a glance at Arthur, always glad on these occasions to have him at her side. He caught her gaze and smiled, and there it was again, the old uprush of love for him, the same catch in her heart. Thank the Gods, she thought, the years have treated him well. True, the sorrow in his eyes would always be with him now, and the bright hope of youth had long ago left his face. But his keen gaze had lost none of its force, and the crown of Pendragon sat lightly on a head only brushed with gray. His great broad frame carried off the bright scarlet tunic and flowing cloak of gold as it always did, and the ancient sword of state swung from a belt no wider than in his boyhood days. He still led his troops in battle and was undefeated at the joust. Of all the men in the hall, there was no doubt which was the King.

  In the body of the hall, a cluster of black habits caught her eye. And the Christians too, how numerous they are. She suppressed an angry shrug. When the men of Christ first brought the faith from the East, they had one meager church in London and huddled together in its crypt to keep warm. Now those few beginners were leaders of their church, spreading the word of their God throughout the misty isles. London, York, and Canterbury were their strongholds, and whole kingdoms now knelt to the Father God.

  But here in the Summer Country, the Goddess still held sway. Here the people worshiped the Old Ones, who had made the world, and the Great One, who was the Mother of them all. The Summer Country traced its line of Queens from her, and kept the Mother-right. This was a land where women were born to rule. The Christians loudly preached the rule of men, but for years now they had not troubled Guenevere. In truth, she hardly noticed them at all. They comforted Arthur, and that was enough.