EPISODE 87
>click here to access the webtoon episode<
PALAMEDES :
Mother…
Why are you crying?
?? :
Oh, hayati.
I’m thinking about the past,
and about what I’ve lost.
I was a legend, you know.
Esclabor of Babylon.
But now, here I am…
… having fled my land, chased from it…
Palamedes, habibti,
never lose sight of who you are.
Don’t ever be ashamed.
It doesn’t matter whether others walk all over you, or treat you with contempt.
Hold your head high.
BREUSE :
What, not paying attention?
Or do you still expect me to fight fair⎯
[ she absolutely GETS his lack of an ass ]
BREUSE :
What, are you going to finish me off when I’m already down?
That’s not very knightly of you.
…
Palamedes?
PALAMEDES :
Silence!
You’re a man without honor, who shamelessly takes advantage of laws
that prey on people’s weaknesses.
You’re despicable.
You don’t deserve my mercy!
BREUSE :
…
Are you really comparing me to those who took your mother’s lands from her?
Do you really think I’m that important? That I have that kind of power?
I’m nothing but a rat picking up others’ scraps, not someone who throws them out just so others can’t have them.
Besides…
Maybe what you’re fighting for isn’t all that perfect after all.
Else, why keep letting men like me get away scot free again and again?
[ palamedes turns away, picks up her scarf, ties it on again and walks off. ]
BREUSE :
… Ahah…
What a woman.
[ cut to the listefam again ]
BRIANE :
My family has always been responsible for the Grail,
to the point we’ve forgotten when and how it came to be in our hands.
But one thing is for certain : each generation has to prepare themselves to the possibility
of having to choose a new guardian.
I watched my father’s health deteriorate over the years,
and at our ages, my brother and I were too old to serve as his replacement.
So, we looked to our children.
Pelles had Eliezer, from a previous union. He was already too old.
As for me…
I had you.
Each of you had the potential to be eligible,
a potential that faded with every passing year.
AGLOVALE :
Does age matter that much?
What would happen if I were to become the guardian right now?
BRIANE :
You would begin to suffer from the Grail’s adverse effects much faster, with a significant risk of being incompatible.
AGLOVALE :
Meaning?
BRIANE :
The Grail would reject you, pure and simple.
LAMORAK :
Why not pass that responsibility over to someone else?
AGLOVALE :
… [judgemental ]
LAMORAK :
Don’t give me that look, I just want to know.
Having seen Pelles myself, I’m surprised he didn’t try to get rid of this whole ordeal.
BRIANE :
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d tried.
[ she picks at the folds of her dress. ]
Merlin even told me he did some research on the topic…
In theory, it would not be impossible to bind the Grail to another bloodline, but there are no mages capable of doing so right now.
Besides, its compatibility with another bloodline would be close to none,
for the blood of Corbenic - our blood - is intrinsically tied to the fate of the Grail.
AGLOVALE :
Is Merlin the one who has to bind the Grail to its bearer?
BRIANE :
No.
It is the secondborn’s duty⎯that is to say, mine.
The firstborn becomes the heir…
… and the second a mage.
PERCIVAL :
[ shook ]
…
Why did you never tell me anything all these years, Mother?
BRIANE :
It was never very important, in the end.
I am no great mage.
I was taught with only one purpose⎯to know how to perform the ritual.
My other abilities are very limited, illusions more than anything. Your father found them very amusing, though.
PERCY :
But how did you become a mage?
BRIANE :
I cannot speak for every mage,
but I had to go into the Otherworld.
LAMORAK :
Who cares about all that!
What happened, then?
When you had to come to a decision about the Grail?
Why are none of us the guardian, if it’s that important?
BRIANE :
Because I wanted to spare you that fate.
When we had to confront the fact that someone had to succeed our father, Pelles and I had to talk it over.
PELLES :
You understand we have to do something about this.
Only your children are the right age to take over this duty.
Well, Aglovale’s nearly too old already.
And since my accident, I can no longer have any child of my own
Neither can you, if I understand how your last delivery went.
BRIANE :
…
There must be a solution that doesn’t sacrifice my children, Pelles.
PELLES :
What, you want to ask our sons to knock some servant girl up?
Don’t be ridiculous.
Besides, making a decent marriage is starting to get complicated, what with the current conflicts.
This said, I may have something of an idea.
Lancelot du Lac escorted you here, yes?
She’s serving as your bodyguard, if I recall correctly.
Eliezer…
… has mentioned her to me extensively.
BRIANE :
You wouldn’t dare.
PELLES :
Maybe you’d rather wait
for Lamorak to be of childbearing age, then?
BRIANE :
…
PELLES :
Or perhaps…
… you’d prefer to leave without your youngest?
BRIANE :
Nine months later…
… Galahad was born.
[ cut to palamedes running. she hears voices down on the beach. ]
PALAMEDES :
What’s going on?!
MORDRED :
Sir Palamedes!
Sir Tristan jumped from the balcony!
PALAMEDES :
The balcony?!
But he’s…?!
DINADAN :
Are you really that surprised?
And you, stop laughing!
You could’ve croaked!
TRISTAN :
You were right to come, things are…
[ sighs ]
… complicated, with Mark.
I don’t think I can return now…
Palamedes, are you hurt?!
PALAMEDES :
It’s not as bad as it looks.
TRISTAN :
…
Thank you, Palamedes…
Thank you for coming to save me…
Thank you all…
PALAMEDES :
[ sighs ]
I’ll take you to Iseult.
?? :
Sorry, Palamedes.
You need someone to take care of you, too.
MERLIN :
I’ll take the lot of you to Iseult.
ROUND TABLE TRIVIA
Becoming a mage is a long, complicated and grueling process.
After long years of study alongside another magic user, the student must go into the Otherworld…
... and perform a ritual only they know the workings of. There are very few mages in the world because few have returned from their journey into the Otherworld.
previous episode | next episode.