In an age of treachery and darkness, one king brought peace and prosperity to his land, defended it from every danger, and expanded it to an empire that would rival Rome itself. His wise counselor taught him the ways of justice and to value truth.

At his command a loyal band of fearless, gentle knights protected the helpless, struggled against evil, and faced unimagined peril in the search for the holiest of relics. Though his queen and his best knight would betray him, though his own son would defeat him, though the shining kingdom he had forged would fall into ruin, still he set the standard by which all other leaders would be judged for
centuries.


He was the legendary King Arthur...




THE SWORD AND THE STONE




In the old days, as it is told, there was a king in Britain named Uther Pendragon. He was a good king and mighty, and much of his strength he owed to his chief counselor Merlin. For Merlin was an enchanter who could read the stars and hold converse with the fairy world; Merlin knew the secrets of nature and the hearts of men; to him the future was as clear as the past, and of either he could speak when he chose; and he could change his shape at will. So that it was a small wonder that King Uther prospered with such counselor


Now, at that time, the duke of Tintagel, in Cornwall, made war on his overlord, King Uther, and came against him with an army. In the fighting the duke was slain and his men yielded, all except those in his castle of Tintagel, which was held by his lady Igraine. Because she was a brave and noble lady, King Uther's lords pleaded with him that he should make peace with her, and to this, Uther agreed. When he saw the Lady Igraine, with her beauty and dignity he fell in love and took her for his Queen. At the same time, he gave in marriage the two young daughters of Igraine and the dead duke, Margawse and Morgan le Fay. Margawse was wedded to King Lot of Orkney in Scotland; and Morgan le Fay, who for all of her youth, was as skilled in sorcery as any witch of three times her years, was wedded to good King Uriens of Gore.

Soon after this, Merlin came to Uther and said, "On a certain day, a son will be born to your queen, and because there are things which are hidden from other men yet not from me, I know that it would be well if you were to give me the child when he is born, that I may take him secretly to a good knight whom I know and so shall he grow up in safety."

And because he ever trusted Merlin's counsel, King Uther agreed to this.






Midi: Lothlorien ©Enya




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