The opponents take the battlefield, but hold until King Bademagu is safely ensconced in the tower, sitting next to Guinevere.
Word of the battle had spread, so people have traveled from far away to watch. The following dawn, the knights prepare for their confrontation. Realizing that reason will not prevail, Bademagu sends an old Christian man to apply some balms to Lancelot’s wounds. Bademagu tries unsuccessfully once again to reason with both Lancelot and Méléagant, but both are insistent on fighting. He expects Lancelot to recover before confronting Méléagant for the queen, but is suprised to learn that Lancelot will allow no such delay. King Bademagu rides out to meet Lancelot, and offers his whole-hearted assistance to the knight. Despite Bademagu's persistent arguments and insistence that he will aid Lancelot, Méléagant refuses to surrender the queen. Bademagu, however, recognizes Lancelot's worth, and counsels his son to relinquish Guinevere without a fight. Méléagant has grown furious at seeing Lancelot survive the Sword bridge, as he realizes that he might lose Guinevere. In its window appears King Bademagu, Méléagant's father and, as the narrator assures us, an infinitely more honorable knight than his son is. Having crossed the Sword Bridge successfully, Lancelot looks up to see an incredible tower.
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