***A few days earlier...***
Lancelot received the news that there was an army marching on Camelot not two hours after Gwaine and Leon left. Just his luck, he supposed. He sent messages to them and to Arthur, but it was clear the army would arrive before any of them heard the news.
The morning of the battle was bright and cloudless, barely a breeze in the air. It seemed too fine a day to lose Camelot. Most of the civilians were at least locked in the lower town--their blood would not be shed until the castle could be taken.
Lancelot paled visibly when he saw the size of the army.
"10,000 looks a lot smaller on paper," Percival said, forcing a laugh.
Lancelot turned to the knights. "Look, if any of you would like to leave now, you may do so without shame. We cannot expect a dramatic victory with so few numbers."
But all the knights sat still and tall in their saddles, and Lancelot smiled to see them. He rode ahead a few feet, and saw the leader of the attacking army do so as well.
"Lord Galehaut," Lancelot shouted, "there is no need for bloodshed to maintain your honor."
"You speak wisdom, my lord," Lord Galehaut shouted back. "But proving one's honor is never a wise action to begin with, is it?"
"If your quarrel is with the castle and the crown, you will not harm the civilians in the lower town and beyond," Lancelot said. "This is our battle--those who are not of the sword should not die by it."
"As you wish, my lord," Lord Galehaut said, and in a moment he had given the word to his men, and the armies charged.
A volley of arrows arced above them, mowing down many of the horses of the attackers before any of Camelot's soldiers reached them--Lord Galehaut's horse was among them. He sprung up without a second glance at the dying animal, readying his sword. Lancelot was the first to reach the army, and rode toward the recovering lord, drawing his sword and swinging down off his horse only a few feet from where the lord stood. Lord Galehaut appeared thoroughly amazed by this, and threw up his sword at the last minute to block Lancelot's blow. Three times he struck at Galehaut's sword, feeling the enemy's sword ringing each time under the clash. On the fourth strike their swords locked, and their faces came very close to one another's. Lancelot thought he saw something strange in the nobleman's gaze.
"By my life, my lord, I capitulate," the nobleman said, and, kneeling, dropped his sword.
Lancelot was left, utterly stunned, holding his sword tip against the nobleman's neck. He was dressed very finely for a warrior, but it looked as if his armor had seen some wear--there was no reason why he should act so cowardly.
"You're trying to trick me," Lancelot said. "It won't work."
"No, no, on my oath, my lord." Tears--actual *tears* sprung up in the man's eyes. "I am--undone by you, my lord. Please, I surrender."
Lancelot blinked, utterly stunned as he looked into the nobleman's eyes. "Call off your men, then."
Lord Galehaut nodded, and said, "If you will forgive me," and slowly produced a horn from his side. He blew it several times, and as the horn called over the battlefield the fighting drew to a stop. His soldiers appeared as surprised as Lancelot was.
"You threaten Camelot with an army of thousands and now pretend defeat," Lancelot said, his sword steady. "Would you be so good as to tell me why such a thing is so?"
"I--had every intention of taking Camelot, my lord," Galehaut stammered. In every action he appeared to be telling the truth. He rubbed his eyes as Percival ran up to Lancelot, trying to hide his tears. "It's a matter of pride, you know. Every nobleman is expected to take his shot at the kingship. But--you surprised me, sir. Nowhere have I met such a man as you."
"There's nothing extraordinary about me, I assure you," Lancelot said, and felt himself blushing as Percival looked on with confusion.
"You--speak like a nobleman but fight like a seasoned warrior of the ancient times," Galehaut said. "Such a thing is rarely glimpsed in a lifetime. What is your name, my good lord?"
"Lancelot," Lancelot said, after such a statement he tried to sound more rough.
"Then I surrender this army of 10,000 to you, Lord Lancelot, and to King Arthur and Camelot."
"What?" Percy's face was the picture of confusion. "He's calling the fighting off already?"
"It appears to be so, yes," Lancelot said. "How many casualties do we have?"
"None that I know of," Percival said. "We've barely started! Do we just pack up and go home?"
Lancelot turned his attention back to Galehaut. "Have you any knights under you?"
"I wish!" Galehaut said, with a snort. It took Lancelot a moment to realize what was so funny, and when he did he glared at the other knights to make sure they stopped laughing, too.
"Then you alone will accompany us back to Camelot," Lancelot said. "The rest of your men will return to the province they came from." He'd never actually been involved in a truce like this, but he had read about it extensively, and this seemed like just the sort of thing Arthur would do. He sheathed his sword. "Stand. We will disband immediately."
"I am much obliged to you, my lord," Lord Galehaut said, standing up and wiping his tears away.
"I'm a knight, not a lord," Lancelot snapped, then instantly regretted it. Lord Galehaut smiled.
"A knight, sir! I should have known by your rough figure." He giggled, a very boyish sound that Lancelot did not expect. "You have the heart of a romantic pastoral shepherd, sir. I hope you do not mind me saying, sir, but if there were more men like you who also possessed noble blood in their veins, the world would be a more beautiful place." Lancelot would have thought he was faking except for the blush that accompanied the statement, and Lancelot found himself unable to keep from smiling.
"You shall ride my horse back to Camelot," Lancelot said.
Galehaut looked aghast. "Oh, no, sir--a knight's life is his horse--"
"But I'm not noble," Lancelot said with a smile. "I earned my knighthood. My rough figure does not find it burdensome to be without one, and a delicate constitution such as yours would appreciate it more than I." He eyed the nobleman to see his reaction, expecting to see him get offended as he himself had been.
But Galehaut only smiled, his eyes squinting as he did so. "Who says chivalry is dead," he said, and leapt into the horse's saddle.