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In the later years of King Arthur's reign, after he had subdued the Romans and became Emperor of that great Empire and ruled most of Europe and much of the Middle East, he held court in the city of Caerlon in the Kingdom of Wales.
Here, along with Guinevere and several Knights of the Round Table he dined and supped, enjoying the peace his Empire was experiencing.
Among his retinue in the former Roman garrison was Owain Mac Urian, the son of the King of Moray in the Scottish Highlands and the nephew of Domangart, the King of Scotland.
Owain, one of Arthur's most loyal soldiers, spent his days in Caerlon drinking with Arthur's sons Kyden and Thomas and playing gambling games with the King's older half brother Cador, not having much to do besides these things.
Arthur, when not sharing their company, was in the main hall seated on a throne conducting government business, a task he took most seriously. Owain sometimes acted as his bodyguard, but in general the King needed no such man since Excalibur sufficed in most instances.
Owain also spent time with the Queen, the two close friends and they passed the time by sharing stories, both from their own lives and tales they heard from around the island.
But all these activities could keep Owain only so long before he grew restless and bored. He was used to fighting, to combat, and now that Arthur was the undisputed ruler of the greatest Empire of the time, he was at a loss.
So one night Owain decided to do what many of his fellow Knights had done in previous months.
He decided to set out on an adventure and he knew exactly where he wanted to go.
The Brecilien forest in Lothian where, according to the rumors and tales of the Scottish farmer, a Fairy fountain existed and a beautiful Fairy woman called it her home.
Owain, knowing of how Arthur received Excalibur and how the Queen of Avalon, Vivian, saved him during Accolon's assassination attempt, wanted to see a Fairy for himself.
So the Knight gained permission from the King and the next day he set out to return home to Scotland where he hoped to reunite with his father and uncle before beginning his quest properly.
This he did, spending time with Domangart and Urian in the capital city, then returned to his main focus, riding to Lothian and searching long for the enchanted forest.
Brecilien, as a Fairy forest, wasn't a natural part of the Scottish landscape, connected as it was to the realm of Avalon, and so Owain couldn't find it by conventional means.
How he ultimately gained access is lost to time as no source, whether Chretien or other writers, do not explain how he managed to get inside, all we know is that he did.
Once inside the Brecilien forest Owain rode straight onto a forest path, trusting in his abilities to keep him safe. After a few hours of riding he came to a castle where two young men were throwing daggers at a dummy and another, a man dressed in yellow, stood watching them.
Owain hailed him, asking if he may rest there for the evening. The man in yellow consented and welcomed the Knight inside.
Within the castle he met three beautiful women sitting in the main chamber spinning cloth. Owain was entranced by their looks as, just like the legends said, Fairy women were far superior to human women in appearance.
Once finished their work the three women, sisters he learned, cooked the Knight dinner and laid out the table for him.
Sitting together Owain, the three sisters, and the man in yellow, their father he learned, began to put food on their plates. However, Owain remembered that he must not eat any food or drink any drink while in the Fairy realm.
To do so, he reminded himself, was to risk being stuck in their realm forever, and so he politely declined the roasted chicken before him, even as the women urged him to eat.
Once the man in yellow ate his fill the Knight asked him where he could find the Fountain.
The Fairy wasn't keen on revealing its location but in the end did so and after that Owain retired for the night, wanting to get a good start in the morning.
The following day, his horse made ready by the sisters, Owain left the castle and headed off to find the Fountain, which he did a few hours later upon turning onto another path.
This path, as the man in yellow told him, led to the fountain, guarded by a Knight in black armour.
This Knight, a red haired Fairy named Esclados, was the husband of the Fountain's owner, Laudine. Esclados, fearing the human had come to harm him and his wife, drew his sword and attacked.
Owain, fast, smashed down the Fairy's strike and the two locked in a fierce battle, neither giving an inch.
Then, in a swing to the head, Owain cut through the Esclados' helmet, blade slicing into his head.
The Fairy Knight immediately spun round and galloped back to his castle, blood streaming down his armour. Owain gave chase.
Mac Urian, hot on the Fairy's heels, made it through the portcullis before it closed.
His horse, sadly, did not, the gate coming down on the poor animal's back, slicing him in two.
On the other side Owain came up against the Knight's servants, their anger kindled seeing their master near death. The Scottish Prince fought his way through them, killing five before the others fled, and he went in search of his enemy.
Searching the castle Owain eventually discovered a chamber where a woman with curly blonde hair was washing clothes. This woman was Laudine and when she saw the human Knight she knew who he was at once.
But, instead of attacking or calling for help, she welcomed him in and gave him water to clean up his wounds. Surprised at this, Owain took the bowl of water and cleaned himself, becoming sleepy due to its potent Magic and soon found himself sleeping.
The next morning he was awoken by loud wailing. He jolted up from bed, arms reaching for his sword, when Laudine placed a hand on his shoulder.
"The Master of the castle is dead,"
She said,
"They mourn for him."
Slowly Owain rose from the bed, taking in the information Laudine gave him. His blow, while not immediately deadly, did take the Fairy Knight down, rendering the castle Masterless.
And Laudine a widow.
The Lady prepared a bath for him and also a meal, both of which were the best he'd ever had.
Owain stayed in the realm of Avalon for an untold number of days, becoming closer to Laudine and she with him.
When the time came to return to the human world the Knight asked the Lady of the Fountain to accompany him back, not as his friend, but as his wife. Laudine accepted.
So the two lovers left Avalon and rode from Scotland to Camelot where Arthur and the rest of the Round Table greeted them warmly, eager to hear of Owain's Otherworldly adventure.