So no sooner do they say that, when along comes Launcelot (of course).  Lamorak waves him down, as a favor to these two knights, but when Launcelot stops, the two knights have already fled into the woods.

“Hullo, Lamorak,” says Launcelot.

“Hullo, Launcelot,” replies Lamorak.  “Did you need something?”

“…Didn’t you wave me down?  Anyway, no, thanks.”

“Well stay cool, pal!” Lamorak shoots Launcelot a thumbs-up, as Launcelot rides off.  Then Lamorak chases after the two knights, and tells them how much they suck.

 

Afterwards he’s riding along, and bumps into Sir Meliagaunce from the previous chapter.  “Yo, Meliagaunce,” he says.

“Have we met?” asks Meliagaunce.

“Probably.  Anyway, I overheard you moping about Guenever, what’s up with that?”

“Well, what about it?  Queen Guenever is awesome.  She’s the best and fairest lady.”

“Yeah, she is.  Is she, though?” asks Lamorak.

“Yeah!”

“Of course.  But really, is she?  I’m an Orkney man myself, always been partial to Queen Morgawse.”

“Sir Gawaine’s mother?  How old must she be by now?”

“There’s more to quality than youth, Meliagaunce!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

Somehow this discussion escalates to a joust.  They joust for some time, until Launcelot rides by with Sir Bleoberis (for some reason).

“What in tarnation?” cries Launcelot.  “And ye are both knights of King Arthur! What’s all this about?”

 

Meliagaunce complains to Launcelot about Lamorak refusing to accept that Guenever is the fairest lady in the land, expecting and receiving a sympathetic ear.

“Explain yourself,” demands Launcelot of Lamorak.

Lamorak sighs theatrically and points out that beauty is subjective, that those we love are always the fairest in our eyes, that he fully accepts that Lady Guenever is the fairest in the eyes of Meliagaunce, Launcelot, anybody.  Lamorak really doesn’t want to fight anybody over this, least of all Launcelot.  Launcelot is the best knight, after all.

“You’re just talking nonsense now,” says Sir Bleoberis.  “Crazy moon-talk! Beauty is an objectively determined quality derived from a woman’s Comeliness attribute! Everyone knows that!”

So Meliagaunce and Lamorak and Launcelot and Bleoberis are all talking at once, and they’re just going around in circles, and finally Launcelot is like, let’s just agree to disagree, and they all agree to that, and go their separate ways.

 

Then a mysterious knight rides up on Sir Lamorak, jousts him, and dehorses him easily.  The mystery knight declines to finish the joust on foot, and simply rides away.

“Jerk,” mutters Sir Lamorak, as he gets back on his steed.

What Lamorak doesn’t know: the mysterious knight is King Arthur himself!  Because apparently he heard about Lamorak talking smack about his wife.