The Lioness and Her Knight — Gerald Morris

No sooner does Luneta leave home to visit King Arthur's Court than she gets swept up in adventure, romance, betrayal, and more than a little bit of magic. Adventure, magic, love, and knights of the realm collide in this delightfully witty tale from the legend of King Arthur. Lady Luneta lives cooped up with her parents in a remote region of the kingdom and, like many teens, longs to get out and have some fun. When her parents agree to let her see a bit of the world, and to give them a break from mother-daughter turmoil, Luneta is thrilled. Soon she is on her way, accompanied by her cousin, the knight Ywain, to the castle of a family friend near Camelot. They meet Rhience, a former knight now pursuing the career of fool, and the three travel together, with Ywain imagining himself fighting gloriously in battle and Rhience spouting barbs and witticisms along the way. Once at Lady Laudine's castle, Ywain kills their hostess's husband in battle and immediately falls in love with the lady herself, Luneta becomes an enchantress under the direction of her great-aunt Morgan Le Fay, and Rhience proves to be a loyal companion and not such a fool after all. The characters are well developed and compelling and the dialogue is intelligent and sharp. While the plot goes on a bit long and occasionally veers off into several different directions, it's just too much fun not to find out what's around the next corner.