‘I and my lands are subject to this knight,’ she said, ‘if enemies will concede it.’

Gahmuret made a request which met with ready assent. ‘Approach, lord Razalic, and kiss my wife! You, too, my lord Gaschier!’ He also asked proud Hiuteger the Scot, still smarting from his lance-wound, to kiss her on the lips. He invited them all to be seated, but himself remained standing. ‘I should also like to see my cousin, if I could do so without offence to his captor,’ were his politic words. ‘I am bound to free him as a kinsman.’ The Queen laughed. She ordered the knight to be fetched, and soon the charming young count was elbowing his way through the throng. He had been wounded in battle, but had also distinguished himself there. He had been brought to the wars by Gaschier the Norman. His father was French, his mother was Kaylet’s sister. He had been bred up at court and had come in the service of a lady. His name was Killirjacac. He excelled all other men in beauty.

As soon as Gahmuret saw him – their very faces proclaimed their relationship, since they resembled each other closely – he asked the Queen to kiss and embrace him. ‘Now come over here to me, too,’ said Gahmuret and he kissed him on his own account. They were delighted to see one another.

‘Ah, my charming young man,’ continued Gahmuret, ‘why do you expose your tender person here? Was it at the command of a lady?’

‘The ladies command me very little, sir. My uncle Gaschier brought me here, he knows best why himself. I maintain a thousand knights here, ready at his service. I marched to the place of assembly at Rouen in Normandy, bringing him young fighting-men. I left Champagne for his sake. Now misfortune is turning her treacherous arts against him – unless through a generous deed you add lustre to your name. If it be your wish, let him profit from my friendship: soften his ordeal!’

‘Follow your own advice. Go with my lord Gaschier and fetch me Kaylet.’

They went to do the warrior’s bidding and returned with Kaylet as they had been asked. He too was affectionately received by Gahmuret, and the puissant Queen embraced him warmly. She kissed the handsome knight, nor did she demean herself, since he was her consort’s cousin and a king in his own right.

‘I swear, lord Kaylet,’ said Gahmuret with a laugh, ‘if I were to take Toledo, say, and all your lands of Spain just to please the king of Gascony who is always attacking you so fiercely, I should be thought disloyal, you being my cousin. Yet you have the pick of the old guard with you here! Who forced you to join this expedition?’

‘My uncle Schiltunc commanded me to serve him,’ answered the proud young warrior. ‘Vridebrant is his son-in-law, it was of his prompting that I joined Vridebrant. Because of his wife, Vridebrant has six thousand warlike knights from me alone. I brought others, too, to serve his cause, but some of them have since gone away. Formidable contingents were here for love of the Scots: two kings from Greenland, redoubtable fighting-men, in great strength, with a veritable torrent of knights and many ships. I was much taken by their troops. Morholt, too, who fights with brains as well as brawn, was here.