During his wanderings, Valiant witnesses a clandestine meeting between a group of Sligon's Vikings and a black-clad knight. Valiant is discovered by the Vikings, but with slyness and improvisation he manages to elude his pursuers. During his flight, Valiant runs into Gawain. After Valiant convinces Gawain that he is indeed the son of Aguar, Gawain listens to the prince's story of the mysterious Black Knight, a knight known only in rumor in Camelot, and takes Valiant to King Arthur. Arthur decrees that Valiant be trained as a prospective knight by undergoing the rigors of squirehood. One of Arthur's knights, Sir Brack, offers to train him, but Valiant is instead assigned to Gawain.
