While Arthur is coming to these conclusions, however, it is no simple task for Merlyn to lead him down the right path. He certainly has his fair share of trials including flirtations with evil, bad influences, and his handling of his first uprising. .
Kay constantly proves throughout the novel to be a bad influence on his younger brother Arthur. Arthur frequently talks of chivalry with Kay and others including Merlyn and Sir Ector, his adopted father. Most of these discussions include reasons why war is unnecessary and ways in which war can be avoided. At one point, in an attempt to change Arthur's point of view on war, Merlyn tells him that he believes war is useless because anything that a king can go to war for can be talked out much more easily. In this situation, rather than siding with Merlyn and trying to guide the young and impressionable Arthur into the right path of kingship, Kay describes why he thinks war can be a positive. Kay shares his opinion with Arthur and the rest of the group about his idea of "might is right". He believes that those who are more powerful than others should not have to feel bad for asserting their will onto the weaker parties. He then adds that he thinks that fighting to be able to force good ideas onto people is a legitimate justification of war. Merlyn disagrees, and states that he thinks it is much better to make these ideas available to others without forcing them to agree with them. Kay argues with Merlyn, claiming that Merlyn is actually helping Arthur to fight this war against Lot even though Merlyn swears that he does not believe in war. Merlyn once again fires back, saying to Arthur, "Unless you can make the world way better than it does at present, King, your reign will be an endless series of petty battles" (241). Arguments and differing viewpoints such as these go a long way towards helping Arthur to mature and develop his values on his kingship.