Castle Gambrevault stood out on a great cliff above the sea, like a huge white crown on the country's brow. It was as fine a mass of as the south could show, perched on its great outjutting of the land, precipiced on every side, save on the north. , , stupendously strong, it sentinelled the sea that rolled its blue to the black bastions of the cliffs. Landwards, green downs swept with long undulations to the valleys and the woods.  
That Junetide Gambrevault rang with the clangour of arms. The Lord Flavian's riders had spurred north, east, and west to and hamlet, grange and moorland tower. There had been a great of arms, a bending of bows through all the broad . Steel had over the downs towards the tall towers of Gambrevault. , with esquires, men-at-arms, and yeomen, had ridden in to keep faith. The Lord Flavian had swept the country for a hundred miles for mercenary troops and free-lances. His coffers poured gold. He had pitched a camp in the Gambrevault meadows; some fifteen hundred horse and two thousand foot were gathered under his banner.
 
From the hills cattle were in, and heavy wains with flour creaked up to the castle. There was much victualling, much blaring of , much blowing of pennons, much stir in the meadows. It seemed as though the Lord Flavian had a campaign in view, and there was much on the wind. The strange part of it was, that none save Sir Modred had any knowledge for what or against whom they were to fight. It might be John of Brissac, Gambrevault's mortal enemy; it might develop into a against the magistracy of Gilderoy. Blood was to be spilt, so ran the current conviction. For the rest, Flavian's feudatories were loyal, and left the managing of the business to their lord.
 
The men had been camped a week, and yet there was no striking ............