Sir Roger and Sir Rafa Set Out In Quest Of The Holy Grail: Part 1

The Round Table magically appeared in the 21st century. The knights sat around the table wondering who would occupy the 13th seat and undertake the Quest for the Holy Grail. When Sir Roger appeared and took his seat there, cheers went up. None was more worthy than him.

All the knights set forth into the world to undertake their deeds of valor. Sir Roger was indeed the mightiest. His tales of chivalry and courage inspired legends and myths. Ballads were composed and sung in his praise.

In the next few years, some knights retired and some new ones joined, the most exciting among them being Sir Rafa who even bested the great Sir Roger in several duels.

Soon it was time for a performance review and King Arthur called a meeting.

All the knights arrived one by one. Sir Roger arrived with his suit of armour painted in purple with splashes of gold. His coat of arms showed the initials RF with the motto, "I am the best."

King Arthur frowned, for was not purple the color of royalty? But he did not say anything, as secretly he was afraid of Sir Roger.

The last to arrive was Sir Rafa. He apologised for being late. He had been busy practising and although he had an expensive watch, he had forgotten to look at it. His coat of arms showed a Spanish bull with the motto, "I go to practice to learn something."

The knights recounted their deeds. The most stirring were the exploits of Sir Roger. Many were the battles he had fought and he had slain 16 dragons.

"16 dragons?" said Sir Scribe who was the only knight to wield a pen rather than a sword. All the knights, as well as the King, feared him, as his weapon was mightiest.

"Good lord, that's a record no knight has achieved and no knight can ever hope to better!"

"Yes, actually I myself am often surprised by my accomplishments. I am so supremely talented!" said Sir Roger with a modest smile. "What's more, I am not done. I hope to add at least four more."

This was greeted by a stunned silence followed by thunderous cheers.

Sir Rafa's tales were no less impressive though he had slain only nine dragons.

Sir Nole declared that Sir Rafa had "proven to the world that he is the best in this moment."

Sir Scribe said, "Sir Roger, during the tournament at Flushy, had you not said that should Sir Rafa slay the dragon, you would acknowledge him as the greatest?"

"Correction, my dear Sir Scribe. I said he could stake a claim."

"What's the difference?" asked a fresh-faced knight. 

"The difference is that I continue to be the greatest," said Sir Roger with a smug smile.

Sir Rafa agreed with Sir Roger. "You see the dragons of him and you see the dragons of me? It's no comparison."

Sir Roger beamed affectionately at his rival. The young knight from the small kingdom of Mallorca was obviously well brought up.

Quite unlike the young whippersnappers, Sir Nole and Sir Mandy, who often got above themselves. He remembered with satisfaction the blow he had struck Sir Mandy in the head at the Melby tourney. That had quite scrambled the young man's brains. Sir Mandy spent most of his time with a scowl on his face battling his inner demons instead of going out and slaying a couple of dragons as all good knights were expected to do.

Sir Roger wished he could have taught a similar lesson to Sir Nole. But in their last battle at Flushy, he had had the strange experience of every now and then suddenly forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. The most embarrassing was the lapse just before he was supposed to deliver the killer blow in the final set.

His lady Mirka had suggested that he might be getting old. Sir Roger had scolded her for the blasphemous thought. Him getting old? He was just 29!

Merlin, who was standing by King Arthur's side, asked Sir Roger when he expected to find the Holy Grail.

Sir Roger scowled. "It is not easy. No knight has ever found the Holy Grail."

"I thought Sir Rod had found it twice," said the fresh-faced knight.

"No, it is true that Sir Rod had twice accomplished the feat of slaying four dragons in a row but they were all clay or grass dragons. Not enough variety," said Sir Scribe who made it a habit to keep track of others' exploits.

"I suggest," said Sir Nole, "that Sir Rafa may be entrusted with the Quest. After all, he has already slain three different dragons in quick succession and the one at Melby shouldn't be a problem."

"But this seat is mine. Only the most worthy can occupy it," said Sir Roger, turning as purple as his armor.