"I shall tell you of William Wallace." "Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes." "The king of Scotland had died without a son, and the king of England, a cruel pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, claimed the throne of Scotland for himself." "Scotland's nobles fought him and fought each other over the crown." "So Longshanks invited them to talks of truce, no weapons, one page only." "Among the farmers of that shire was Malcolm Wallace, a commoner with his own lands." "He had two sons, John and William." "I told you to stay." "Well, I finished my work." "Where are we going?" "MacAndrews'." "He was supposed to visit when the gathering was over." "Can I come?" "No." "Go home, boy." "But I want to go." "Go home, William, or you'll feel the back of my hand." "Go you home, William." "MacAndrews!" "MacAndrews!" "Holy Jesus." "It's all right!" "William!" "William!" "William!" "William, it's all right." "It's all right." "Easy, lad." "William." "And I say we hit back now!" "We cannot fight them!" "It's suicide!" "Something's got to be done." "Wallace is right!" "We fight them!" "Every nobleman who had a will to fight was at that meeting." "We cannot beat an army." "Not with 50 farmers." "We do not have to beat them, just fight them." "Now, who's with me?" "I am, Wallace." "All right, all right." "Ready." "Where do you think you're going?" "I'm going with you." "You're going with me, are you?" "And what are you going to do?" "I'm gonna help." "And a good help you'd be, too, but I need you to stay here and look after the place for me while I'm away." "I can fight." "I know." "I know you can fight." "But it's our wits that make us men." "See you tomorrow." "English." "Get down." "With your father and brother gone, they'll kill us and burn the farm." "It's up to us, Hamish." "Nah." "Da?" "Da?" "William." "Come here, lad." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "William." "I'm your uncle." "Argyle." "You have the look of your mother." "We'll stay here tonight." "Tomorrow you'll come home with me." "I don't want to leave." "You didn't want your father to die either, did you?" "But it happened." "Did the priest give a poetic benediction?" ""The Lord bless thee and keep thee"?" "It was in Latin." "You don't speak Latin?" "Well, that's something we shall have to remedy, isn't it?" "The Lord bless thee and keep thee." "The Lord cause his light to shine on thee." "The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace." "Amen." "Your heart is free." "Have the courage to follow it." "What are they doing?" "Saying goodbye in their own way." "Playing outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes." "It was the same for me and your daddy when our father was killed." "First, learn to use this." "Then I'll teach you to use this." "Many years later," "Edward the Longshanks, King of England, supervised the wedding of his eldest son, who would succeed him to the throne." "Amen." "As bride for his son," "Longshanks had chosen the daughter of his rival, the King of France." "the King of France." "It was widely whispered that for the princess to conceive," "Longshanks would have to do the honors himself." "That may have been what he had in mind all along." "Scotland." "My land." "The French will grovel to anyone with strength, but how will they believe our strength when we cannot rule the whole of our own island?" "Where is my son?" "Your pardon, milord." "He asked me to come in his stead." "I sent for him, and he sends you." "Shall I leave, milord?" "If he wants his queen to rule when I am gone, then, by all means, stay and learn how." "Please." "Nobles." "Nobles are the key to the door of Scotland." "Grant our nobles lands in the north, give their nobles estates here in England, and make them too greedy to oppose us." "But, sire, our nobles will be reluctant to uproot." "New lands mean new taxes, and they're already taxed for the war in France." "Are they?" "Are they?" "The trouble with Scotland is that it's full of Scots." "Perhaps the time has come to reinstitute an old custom." "Grant them prima nocte." "First night." "When any common girl inhabiting their lands is married, our nobles shall have sexual rights to her on the night of her wedding." "If we can't get them out, we'll breed them out." "That should fetch just the kind of lords we want to Scotland, taxes or no taxes." "A most excellent idea, sire." "Is it?" "Now in Edinburgh were gathered the council of Scottish nobles." "Among these was Robert, the 17th Earl of Bruce, a leading contender for the crown of Scotland." "I hear that Longshanks has granted prima nocte." "Clearly meant to draw more of his supporters here." "My father believes that we must lull Longshanks into our confidence by neither supporting his decree nor opposing it." "A wise plan." "And how is your father?" "We missed him at the council." "His affairs in France keep him long overdue." "But he sends his greetings, and he says that I speak for all of the Bruces and for Scotland." "It's all over now." "You've dropped your rock." "Test of manhood." "You win." "Call it a test of soldiery, then." "The English won't let us train with weapons, so we train with stones." "The test of a soldier is not in his arm." "It's here." "No." "It's here." "Hamish?" "Here you go, Son." "Show him how." "Come on, Hamish!" "You'll never beat Hamish." "Come on there, boy!" "My boy!" "That's a good throw." "Aye." "Aye, it was." "I was wondering if you could do that when it matters." "As it matters in battle." "Could you crush a man with that throw?" "I could crush you like a worm." "You could?" "Aye." "Well, then, do it." "Would you like to see him crush me like a worm?" "Aye." "Come do it." "You'll move." "I will not." "Right." "He'll move." "Come on, Hamish." "Come on there, boy!" "Well done!" "Fine display, young Wallace." "Are you all right?" "You look a wee bit shaky." "I should have remembered the rocks." "Aye, you should have." "Get up, you big heap." "It's good to see you again." "Aye." "Welcome home." "Got my head." "Well, you should have moved." "William, will you dance with me?" "Of course I will." "I've come to claim the right of prima nocte." "As lord of these lands, I will bless this marriage by taking the bride into my bed on the first night of her union." "By God, you will not!" "It is my noble right." "Good evening, sir." "Young Wallace." "Grand soft evening, huh?" "Aye, it's that." "I was wondering if I might have a word with your daughter." "What do you want to have a word with her about?" "Well..." "Murron, would you like to come and ride with me on this fine evening?" "In this?" "You're out of your mind." "It's good Scottish weather, madam." "The rain is falling straight down." "Slightly to the side, like." "She can't go with you." "No?" "No the now, anyway." "No the now." "No the now?" "We'll see you later." "The weather's just fine." "It's hardly raining." "Did you not hear what I said?" "Murron!" "Murron!" "Get..." "It's you she takes after." "How did you know me after so long?" "I didn't." "It's just..." "I saw you staring at me, and I didn't know who you were." "I'm sorry." "I suppose I was." "Are you in the habit of riding off in the rain with strangers?" "It was the best way to make you leave." "If I can ever work up the courage to ask you again," "I'll send you a written warning first." "That wouldn't do you much good." "I can't read." "Can you not?" "No." "Well, that's something we shall have to remedy, isn't it?" "You're going to teach me to read, then?" "If you like." "Aye." "In what language?" "You're showing off now." "That's right." "Are you impressed yet?" "No." "Why?" "Should I be?" "Do that standing on your head, and I'll be impressed." "My kilt will fly up, but I'll try it." "God, you certainly didn't learn any manners on your travels." "The French and the Romans have far worse manners than I." "You've been to Rome?" "Aye, Argyle took me on a pilgrimage." "What was it like?" "What does that mean?" "Beautiful." "But I belong here." "Murron?" "Come in now." "Sir, I know it was strange of me to invite Murron to ride last night, but I assure you..." "MacClannough's daughter is another matter." "I've come to fetch you to our meeting." "What kind of meeting?" "The secret kind." "Your meetings are a waste of time, Campbell." "Your father was a fighter and a patriot." "I know who my father was." "I came back home to raise crops and, God willing, a family." "If I can live in peace, I will." "Go on." "You say you want to stay out of the troubles?" "Aye." "If you can prove it, you may court my daughter." "Until you prove it, my answer's no." "No?" "No, Wallace." "No." "Didn't I just prove it?" "No!" "No?" "No!" "Of course, running a farm's a lot of work, but that will all change when my sons arrive." "So you've got children?" "Not yet, but I was hoping that you could help me with that." "So you want me to marry you, then?" "It's a bit sudden, but all right." "Is that what you call a proposal?" "I love you." "Always have." "I want to marry you." "Is that a yes?" "Aye, that's a yes." "It is?" "We best hurry." "He'll be waiting." "Wait." "Where are you going?" "What's that?" "You'll see." "Father." "I will love you my whole life, you and no other." "And I you, you and no other, forever." "When am I going to see you again?" "Tonight?" "I can't." "Why not?" "My dad's growing suspicious." "Growing suspicious, is he?" "Wouldn't have anything to do with that, would it?" "When?" "When?" "When?" "When?" "Tonight." "Tonight." "Tonight." "Look lively, Sergeant." "Where are you going, lassie?" "That looks heavy." "Let me help you with it." "No." "It's fine." "I'm not going to steal it." "You remind me of my daughter back home." "Hello, lassie." "No!" "No!" "Keep it quiet, Smythe." "You bitch!" "You bitch!" "Are you all right?" "All right?" "Come on." "Are you all right?" "Aye." "Are you all right?" "Can you ride?" "Aye." "Come back here, you bastard!" "Raise the alarm!" "Help!" "Meet me at the grove." "Ride!" "They're getting away!" "Go round back!" "Get her!" "Come on!" "You bitch!" "Murron?" "Murron!" "All of you know full well the great pains I've always taken never to be too strict, too rigid with the application of our laws." "And as a consequence, have we not learned to live together in relative peace and harmony?" "And this day's lawlessness is how you repay my leniency!" "Well, you leave me with little choice." "An assault on the king's soldiers is the same as an assault on the king himself." "Now, let this scrapper come to me." "Sir!" "There." "Corporal." "Some archers on the tower." "Now!" "Hold still, Father." "You're an idiot, boy!" "Father, you all right?" "MacAulish." "MacAulish." "MacAulish!" "MacAulish!" "MacAulish!" "MacAulish!" "MacAulish!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "What you waiting for, boy?" "Here." "You can do it." "I'll hold him down." "Here." "You can do it." "I'll hold him down." "Pour it straight in the wound, boy." "I know it seems like a waste of good whiskey." "Indulge me." "Hold him." "Hold him." "Hold him." "Now let him go." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "That'll wake you up in the morning, boy." "There's somebody coming!" "Arm yourselves!" "There's somebody coming." "MacGregors, from the next glen." "We heard about what was happening." "We don't want you amadans thinking you can have your fun without us." "That's right." "Aye." "Go home." "Some of us are in this." "Can't help that now." "But you can help yourselves." "Go home." "We'll have no homes left when the English garrison from the castle comes through and burns us out." "And they will." "Aye." "Welcome." "Patrol returning, milord!" "So what news?" "I have dispatched 100 soldiers to Lanark." "They will be returning now!" "Were they dressed like this?" "Actually, it was more like 50." "Make it quick." "You remember me?" "I never did her any harm." "It was my right." "Your right?" "Well, I'm here to claim the right of a husband!" "I am William Wallace, and the rest of you will be spared." "Go back to England and tell them there that Scotland's daughters and her sons are yours no more." "Tell them Scotland is free." "Burn it." "Good job, milord." "Scottish rebels have routed one of my garrisons and murdered the noble lord." "I heard." "This Wallace is a brigand, nothing more." "And how would you deal with this brigand?" "Like any common thief." "Have the local magistrate arrest him and punish him accordingly." "Leave us." "Wallace has already killed the magistrate and taken control of the town." "Stand up." "Stand up." "In the morning," "I depart for France to press our rights there, and I leave you here to quell this little rebellion." "Understood?" "Is it?" "One day, you will be a king, at least try to act like one." "Get away from me!" "Convene my military council." "There!" "After them." "No point resisting." "You're outnumbered and trapped." "Now, where are the rest of you?" "Where's Wallace?" "Father?" "Come in." "Come in." "A rebellion has begun." "Under whom?" "A commoner named William Wallace." "You will embrace this rebellion." "Support it from our lands in the north." "I will gain English favor by condemning it and ordering it opposed from our lands in the south." "Sit down." "Stay awhile." "This Wallace, he doesn't even have a knighthood, but he fights with passion, and he inspires." "And you wish to charge off and fight as he did?" "So would I." "Well, maybe it's time." "It is time to survive." "You're the 17th Robert Bruce." "The 16 before you passed you land and title because they didn't charge in." "Call a meeting of the nobles." "They do nothing but talk." "Rightly so." "They're as rich in English titles and lands as they are in Scottish." "Just as we are." "You admire this man, this William Wallace." "Uncompromising men are easy to admire." "He has courage, so does a dog." "But it is exactly the ability to compromise that makes a man noble." "And understand this," "Edward Longshanks is the most ruthless king ever to sit on the throne of England, and none of us and nothing of Scotland will remain unless we are as ruthless." "Give ear to our nobles." "Knowing their minds is the key to the throne." "Wait." "Wait." "Look." "This is out, and this is left." "Of course." "Carry on." "Carry on!" "You know, eventually, Longshanks will send his whole northern army against us." "Heavy cavalry, armored horse." "Shake the very ground." "They'll ride right over us." "Uncle Argyle used to talk about it, how no army had ever stood up to a charge of heavy horse." "So what do we do?" "Hit, run, hide, the Highland way." "We'll make spears." "Hundreds of them." "Long spears, twice as long as a man." "That long?" "Aye." "Some men are longer than others." "Your mother been telling you stories about me again." "Volunteers coming in!" "William Wallace, we've come to fight and to die for you." "Stand up, man." "I'm not the Pope." "My name is Faudron." "My sword is yours." "I brought you this." "We checked them for arms." "I brought you this." "My wife made it for you." "Thank you." "Him?" "That can't be William Wallace." "I'm prettier than this man." "All right, Father." "I'll ask him." "If I risk my neck for you, will I get a chance to kill Englishmen?" "Is your father a ghost, or do you converse with the Almighty?" "In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God." "Yes, Father?" "The Almighty says don't change the subject, just answer the fucking question." "Mind your tongue." "Insane Irish." "Smart enough to get a dagger past your guards, old man." "That's my friend, Irishman, and the answer to your question is yes." "You fight for me, you get to kill the English." "Excellent!" "Stephen is my name." "I'm the most wanted man on my island, except I'm not on my island, of course." "More's the pity." "Your island?" "You mean Ireland?" "Yeah." "It's mine." "You're a madman." "I've come to the right place, then." "Sure didn't the Almighty send me to watch your back?" "I didn't like him anyway." "He wasn't right in the head." "William!" "It's several runners!" "The English are advancing an army toward Stirling." "Do the nobles rally?" "Robert the Bruce and most of the others will not commit to battle, but word has spread, and the Highlanders are coming down on their own." "Aye, in droves of hundreds and thousands." "Are you ready for a war?" "Well, what news?" "We're outnumbered, at least three to one." "How many horse, then?" "Three hundred." "Maybe more." "Three hundred heavy horse?" "We must try to negotiate." "Well, who is in command?" "Did he have a scarlet chevron?" "Aye, he did." "We can still negotiate." "What are they talking about?" "I can't hear, but it doesn't look good." "The nobles will negotiate." "They'll do a deal, then we go home." "If not, we charge." "Three hundred heavy horse, we've no chance." "So many." "I didn't come here to fight so they could own more lands." "Then I'll have to work for them." "Nor me." "All right, lads!" "I'm not dying for these bastards." "Let's go home!" "Stop, men!" "Do not flee!" "Wait until we've negotiated!" "William Wallace." "Can't be." "Not tall enough." "The Almighty says this must be a fashionable fight." "It's drawn the finest people." "Where is thy salute?" "For presenting yourselves on this battlefield, I give you thanks." "This is our army." "To join it, you give homage." "I give homage to Scotland, and if this is your army" "why does it go?" "We didn't come here to fight for them!" "Home!" "The English are too many." "Sons of Scotland," "I am William Wallace." "William Wallace is seven feet tall." "Yes, I've heard." "He kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here, he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse." "I am William Wallace, and I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny." "You've come to fight as free men." "And free men you are." "What will you do with that freedom?" "Will you fight?" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Fight?" "Against that?" "No!" "We will run, and we will live." "Aye." "Fight, and you may die." "Run, and you'll live." "At least awhile." "And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives," "but they'll never take our freedom?" "They seem quite optimistic to me." "Maybe they do want to fight." "Confrontation might be a foregone conclusion, milord, but, nonetheless, I think we should deliver the king's terms." "The king's terms?" "He'll never live up to them." "Milord, I think..." "All right." "Offer them the terms." "They're coming out." "Shall we go and meet them?" "Let me do the talking." "Agreed?" "Agreed." "Fine speech." "Now what do we do?" "Just be yourselves." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to pick a fight." "Well, we didn't get dressed up for nothing." "Mornay, Lochlan, Craig." "Here are the king's terms." "Lead this army off the field," "and he will give you each estates in Yorkshire, including hereditary title, from which you will pay..." "From which you will pay him an annual duty..." "I have an offer for you." "Cheltham, this is William Wallace." "From which you will pay the king an annual duty..." "I said I have an offer for you." "You disrespect a banner of truce?" "From his king?" "Absolutely." "Here are Scotland's terms." "Lower your flags and march straight back to England, stopping at every home you pass by to beg forgiveness for 100 years of theft, rape and murder." "Do that and your men shall live." "Do it not and every one of you will die today." "You are outmatched." "You have no heavy cavalry." "In two centuries, no army has won..." "I'm not finished!" "Before we let you leave, your commander must cross that field, present himself before this army, put his head between his legs, and kiss his own arse." "I'd say that was rather less cordial than he was used to." "You be ready and do exactly as I say." "On my signal, ride round behind our position and flank them." "We must not divide our forces." "Do it and let the English see you do it." "They'll think we run away." "Take out their archers." "I'll meet you in the middle." "Right." "Come on." "Insolent bastard." "I want this Wallace's heart on a plate." "Archers." "Archers!" "Archers!" "Archers!" "Archers, forward!" "Archers, forward!" "You bastards!" "Loose!" "The Lord tells me he can get me out of this mess, but he's pretty sure you're fucked." "Ready!" "Loose!" "Ride!" "See, every Scot with a horse is fleeing." "Our cavalry will ride them down like grass." "Send the horse." "Full attack." "Steady!" "Hold!" "Hold!" "Hold!" "Hold!" "Now!" "Send the infantry." "Milord..." "You lead them!" "Retreat!" "Bastard!" "All right." "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "I knight thee Sir William Wallace." "Sir William, in the name of God, we declare and appoint thee guardian and high protector of Scotland and thy captains as aides-de-camp." "Stand and be recognized." "Does anyone know his politics?" "No, but his weight with the commoners could unbalance everything." "The Balliols will kiss his arse, and so we must." "Sir William." "Sir William, inasmuch as you and your captains hail from a region long known to support the Balliol clan, may we invite you to continue your support and uphold our rightful claim?" "Damn the Balliol clan!" "They're all Longshanks' men!" "Gentlemen." "Gentlemen!" "Now is the time to declare a king." "Wait!" "And you're prepared to recognize our legitimate succession, I take it." "You're the ones who won't support the rightful king." "Those were lies when you first wrote them." "No." "That's the truth." "I demand recognition of these documents!" "These documents were lies when you wrote them!" "Gentlemen, please!" "Gentlemen!" "Please, gentlemen!" "Wait!" "Sir William, where are you going?" "We have beaten the English, but they'll come back because you won't stand together." "What will you do?" "I will invade England and defeat the English on their own ground." "Invade?" "That's impossible." "Why?" "Why is that impossible?" "You're so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshanks' table that you've missed your God-given right to something better." "There's a difference between us." "You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position." "I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom, and I go to make sure that they have it." "Wait!" "I respect what you said, but remember that these men have lands and castles." "It's much to risk." "And the common man that bleeds on the battlefield, does he risk less?" "No." "But from top to bottom, this country has got no sense of itself." "Its nobles share allegiance with England." "Its clans war with each other." "Aye." "Aye." "If you make enemies on both sides of the border, you'll end up dead." "We all end up dead." "It's just a question of how and why." "I'm not a coward." "I want what you want, but we need the nobles." "We need them?" "Aye." "Nobles." "Now, tell me, what does that mean, to be noble?" "Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don't follow titles." "They follow courage." "Now, our people know you." "Noble and common, they respect you, and if you would just lead them to freedom," "they'd follow you." "And so would I." "Damn it!" "My sodomite cousin the prince tells me he has no troops to lend, and every town in northern England is begging for help." "He advances!" "To which town?" "To here, milord." "Bring the food and provisions inside." "Double the wall guards, seal the gate." "Now!" "Bring in the provisions!" "Sir, we can get you out if you leave now." "I'm not about to tell my uncle" "I've lost him the greatest city in northern England." "Come on!" "Make way for the king!" "It's not your fault." "Stand up to him!" "I will stand up to him and more." "What news of the north?" "Nothing new, Your Majesty." "We've sent riders to speed any word." "I heard the word in France, where I was fighting to expand your future kingdom." "The word, my son, is that our entire northern army is annihilated," "and you have done nothing." "I have ordered conscriptions, sir." "They're assembled and ready to depart." "Excuse me, sire, but there's a very urgent message from York." "Come." "Leave us." "Thank you, sire." "Wallace has sacked York." "What?" "Wallace has sacked York!" "Sire, thy own nephew." "What beast could do such a thing?" "If he can sack York, he can invade lower England." "We would stop him!" "Who is this person who speaks to me as though I needed his advice?" "I have declared Phillip my high counselor." "Is he qualified?" "I am skilled in the arts of war and military tactics, sire." "Are you?" "Then tell me, what advice would you offer on the present situation?" "I shall offer a truce and buy him off." "But who will go to him?" "Not I." "If I fell under the sword of that murderer, it might be my head in a basket." "And not my gentle son." "The mere sight of him would only encourage an enemy to take over the whole country." "So whom do I send?" "Whom do I send?" "I'm dreaming." "Yes, you are." "And you must wake." "I don't want to wake." "I want to stay here with you." "And I with you, but you must wake now." "Wake up, William." "Wake up." "William, wake up, wake up." "William!" "A royal entourage comes, flying banners of truce and the standards of Longshanks himself!" "I am the Princess of Wales." "I come as the king's servant and with his authority." "To do what?" "To discuss the king's proposals." "Will you speak with a woman?" "I understand you have recently been given the rank of knight." "I have been given nothing." "God makes men what they are." "Did God make you the sacker of peaceful cities, the executioner of the king's nephew, my husband's own cousin?" "York was the staging point for every invasion of my country, and that royal cousin hanged innocent Scots, even women and children, from the city walls." "Longshanks did far worse the last time he took a Scottish city." "You ask your king to his face." "Ask him." "You see if his eyes can convince you of the truth." "Hamilton, leave us." "Milady..." "Leave us." "Now." "Let us talk plainly." "You invade England, but you cannot complete the conquest so far from your shelter and supply." "The king desires peace." "Longshanks desires peace?" "He declares it to me." "I swear it." "He proposes that you withdraw your attack." "In return, he grants you title, estates, and this chest of gold, which I am to pay to you personally." "A lordship and titles." "Gold." "That I should become Judas?" "Peace is made in such ways." "Slaves are made in such ways!" "The last time Longshanks spoke of peace, I was a boy, and many Scottish nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him, under a flag of truce, to a barn where he had them hanged." "I was very young, but I remember Longshanks' notion of peace." "I understand you have suffered." "I know about your woman." "She was my wife." "We married in secret because I would not share her with an English lord." "They killed her to get to me." "I have never spoken of it." "I don't know why I tell you now," "except I see her strength in you." "One day, you'll be a queen, and you must open your eyes." "You tell your king that William Wallace will not be ruled, and nor will any Scot while I live." "My son's loyal wife returns unkilled by the heathen." "So he accepted our bribe?" "No, he did not." "Then why does he stay?" "My scouts tell me that he has not advanced." "He waits for you at York." "He says he will attack no more towns or cities if you are man enough to come and face him." "Did he?" "The Welsh bowmen will not be detected arriving so far around his flank." "The main force of our armies from France will land here to the north of Edinburgh." "Conscripts from Ireland will approach from the southwest to here." "Welsh bowmen?" "Troops from France?" "Irish conscripts?" "Even if you dispatch them today, they'd take weeks to assemble." "I dispatched them before I sent your wife." "So our little ruse succeeded." "Thank you." "And while this upstart awaits my arrival in York, my forces will have arrived in Edinburgh behind him." "You spoke with this Wallace in private." "Tell me, what kind of man is he?" "A mindless barbarian." "Not a king like you, milord." "You may return to your embroidery." "Humbly, milord." "You brought back the money, of course." "No." "I gave it to ease the suffering of the children of this war." "That's what happens when you send a woman." "Forgive me, sire." "I thought that generosity might demonstrate your greatness to those you mean to rule." "My greatness will be better demonstrated when Wallace returns to Scotland and finds his country in ashes." "William!" "There's riders approaching!" "Personal escort of the princess." "Aye." "Must have made an impression." "Aye." "I didn't think you were in the tent that long." "Mademoiselle." "It's true!" "English ships are moving up from the south!" "I don't know about the Welsh yet, but the Irish have landed!" "I had to see it with me own eyes before I could believe it." "What the hell are the Irish doing fighting with the English?" "I wouldn't worry about them." "Didn't I tell you before?" "It's my island." "Hamish, ride ahead to Edinburgh and assemble the council." "Order it." "Aye." "Your island?" "My island!" "Yup!" "You want to negotiate?" "No, please, gentlemen!" "Lords, Craig is right!" "This time, our only option is to negotiate." "Now, unless you want to see Edinburgh razed to the ground..." "My army has marched for more days than I can remember and we still have preparations to make, so I'll make this plain." "We require every soldier you can summon." "Your personal escorts, even yourselves, and we need them now." "With such a force arrayed against us, it's time to discuss other options." "Other options?" "Don't you wish at least to lead your men onto the field and barter a better deal with Longshanks before you tuck tail and run?" "Sir William..." "We can't defeat this army!" "We can!" "And we will!" "Sir William!" "We won at Stirling, and still you quibble!" "We won at York, and you would not support us." "If you'll not stand up with us now, then I say you're cowards." "And if you are Scotsmen, I'm ashamed to call myself one." "Please, Sir William, speak with me alone." "I beg you." "Now, you've achieved more than anyone ever dreamed, but fighting these odds, it looks like rage, not courage." "It's well beyond rage." "Help me." "In the name of Christ, help yourselves!" "Now is our chance." "Now." "If we join, we can win." "If we win, well, then we'll have what none of us have ever had before." "A country of our own." "You're the rightful leader, and there is strength in you." "I see it." "Unite us." "Unite us!" "Unite the clans." "All right." "Right." "This cannot be the way." "You said yourself, the nobles will not support Wallace." "So how does it help us to join the side that is slaughtered?" "I gave him my word." "I know it is hard." "Being a leader is." "Now, Son..." "Son, look at me." "I cannot be king." "You and you alone can rule Scotland." "What I tell you, you must do." "Not for me, not for yourself, for your country." "Lads, make way." "Coming through you." "Make way, lads." "Make..." "The Bruce is not coming, William." "He'll come." "Mornay and Lochlan have come, so will the Bruce." "Quite a lovely gathering." "Wouldn't you agree?" "The archers are ready, sire." "Not the archers." "My scouts tell me their archers are miles away and no threat to us." "Arrows cost money." "Use up the Irish." "The dead cost nothing." "And send in the infantry and cavalry." "Infantry!" "Infantry!" "Infantry!" "Cavalry!" "Cavalry!" "Cavalry!" "Cavalry!" "Cavalry!" "Advance!" "Advance!" "Advance!" "Good to see you this morning!" "Hi." "How are you?" "Irish." "Glad to have you with us." "Watch this." "Mornay?" "Lochlan?" "I gave Mornay double his lands in Scotland with matching estates in England." "Lochlan turned for much less." "Archers." "I beg pardon, sire." "Won't we hit our own troops?" "Yes, but we'll hit theirs as well." "We have reserves." "Attack." "Archers!" "Archers." "Archers." "Loose!" "Loose!" "Send in our reinforcements." "Send in the rest!" "Bring me Wallace." "Alive, if possible." "Dead, just as good." "Send us news of our victory." "Shall we retire?" "Protect the king." "Get up!" "Get up!" "Up!" "Get up!" "Get him out of here!" "Jesus!" "Go!" "I'm dying." "Let me be." "No." "You're going to live." "I've lived long enough to live free." "Proud to see you become the man you are." "I'm a happy man." "I'm the one who's rotting, but I think your face looks graver than mine." "Son," "we must have alliance with England to prevail here." "You achieved that." "You saved your family, increased your land." "In time, you will have all the power in Scotland." "Lands, titles, men, power, nothing." "Nothing?" "I have nothing." "Men fight for me because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and their children." "Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk, they fought for William Wallace, and he fights for something that I've never had." "And I took it from him when I betrayed him, and I saw it in his face on the battlefield, and it's tearing me apart!" "All men betray, all lose heart." "I don't want to lose heart!" "I want to believe, as he does." "I will never be on the wrong side again." "No, please!" "There he is!" "After him!" "Lord Craig, is it true about Mornay?" "Aye." "Wallace rode into his bedchamber and killed him." "More a liability now than ever he was." "And there's no telling who'll be next." "Maybe you." "Maybe me." "It doesn't matter." "I'm serious, Robert." "So am I!" "Christ!" "Shit!" "Search the place!" "Lochlan." "William Wallace killed 50 men." "Fifty if it was one." "A hundred men with his own sword." "Cut through them like..." "Moses through the Red Sea." "His legend grows." "It will be worse than before." "He rallies new volunteers in every Scottish town, and when he replenishes his numbers..." "They're sheep, mere sheep!" "Easily dispersed if we strike the shepherd." "Very well." "Pick a flock of your finest assassins and set a meeting." "Milord, Wallace is renowned for his ability to smell an ambush." "If what Lord Hamilton tells me is correct, he warmed to our future queen and would trust her." "So we'll dispatch her with the notion that she comes in peace." "Milord, the princess might be taken hostage or her life be put in jeopardy." "My son would be most distressed by that." "But in truth, if she were to be killed, we would soon find the king of France a useful ally against the Scots." "You see, as king, you must find the good in any situation." "It's William Wallace, sure." "He's given up his sword." "Be ready." "Milady," "Milady," "I received your message." "This is the second time you have warned me of danger." "Why?" "There will be a new shipment of supplies coming north next month." "Foods and weapons." "They won't..." "No, stop." "Why do you help me?" "Why do you help me?" "Because of the way you are looking at me now." "Just when we thought all hope was lost, our noble saviors have arrived." "Off with their hoods." "Sir William, we've come to seek a meeting." "Well, what's the point?" "You've all sworn loyalty to Longshanks." "An oath to a liar is no oath at all." "Every man of us is ready to swear loyalty to you." "So let the council swear publicly." "We cannot." "Some scarcely believe you're alive." "Others think you'll pay them Mornay's wages." "So we bid you to Edinburgh." "Meet us two days from now." "Pledge us your pardon, and we'll unite behind you." "Scotland will be one." "One?" "You mean us and you." "No." "I mean this." "It's the pledge of Robert the Bruce." "You do know it's a trap." "Tell him." "I think if the Bruce wanted to kill you, he'd have done it already at Falkirk." "Aye." "I know." "I saw." "Leaving him aside, what about the others?" "Nest of scheming bastards!" "They couldn't even agree on the color of shite!" "It's a trap." "Are you blind?" "Look at us." "We've got to try." "We can't do this alone." "Joining the nobles is the only hope for our people." "You know what happens if we don't take that chance?" "What?" "Nothing." "I don't want to be a martyr." "Nor I. I want to live." "I want a home and children and peace." "Do you?" "Aye, I do." "I've asked God for those things." "It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom." "That's just a dream, William." "A dream?" "Just a..." "Then what have we been doing all this time?" "We've lived that dream." "Your dream isn't about freedom." "It's about Murron." "You're doing this to be a hero 'cause you think she sees you." "I don't think she sees me." "I know she does." "And your father sees you, too." "Jesus." "Get up." "Give us your hand." "Shall I come with you?" "No." "I'll go alone." "I'll see you after." "Right." "Sooner rather than later, I hope." "He won't come." "He will." "I know he will." "Milord, he approaches!" "No!" "Stay out of it, Robert!" "You lied!" "You lied!" "Bruce is not to be hurt!" "That's the arrangement!" "Father!" "You rotting bastard!" "Why?" "Why?" "Longshanks required Wallace." "So did our nobles." "That was the price of your crown." "Die!" "I want you to die!" "Soon enough, I'll be dead and you'll be king." "I don't want anything from you." "You're not a man!" "And you're not my father." "You're my son, and you have always known my mind." "You deceived me." "You let yourself be deceived." "In your heart, you always knew what had to happen here." "At last, you know what it means to hate." "Now you're ready to be a king." "My hate will die with you." "William Wallace, you stand in taint of high treason." "Against whom?" "Against your king." "Have you anything to say?" "Never in my whole life did I swear allegiance to him." "It matters not." "He is your king." "Confess, and you may receive a quick death." "Deny, and you must be purified by pain." "Do you confess?" "Do you confess?" "Then on the morrow, you shall receive your purification." "Your Highness." "I will see the prisoner." "We've got orders from the king that nobody..." "The king will be dead in a month and his son is a weakling." "Who do you think will rule this kingdom?" "Now open this door." "Majesty." "Come on, filth." "Up on your feet." "Stop it!" "Leave me." "I said leave me!" "Milady." "Sir, I come to beg you to confess all and swear allegiance to the king that he might show you mercy." "Will he show mercy to my country?" "Mercy is to die quickly, perhaps even live in a tower." "In time, who knows what can happen if you can only live." "If I swear to him, then all that I am is dead already." "You will die." "It will be awful." "Every man dies." "Not every man really lives." "Drink this." "It will dull your pain." "No." "It will numb my wits, and I must have them all." "For if I'm senseless, or if I wail, then Longshanks will have broken me." "I can't bear the thought of your torture." "Take it." "All right." "I have come to beg for the life of William Wallace." "You're quite taken with him, aren't you?" "I respect him." "At worst, he was a worthy enemy." "Show mercy, O thou great king, and win the respect of your own people." "Even now, you are incapable of mercy." "And you..." "To you, that word is as unfamiliar as love." "Before he lost his powers of speech, he told me his one comfort was that he would live to know Wallace was dead." "You see, death comes to us all." "But before it comes to you, know this." "Your blood dies with you." "A child who is not of your line grows in my belly." "Your son will not sit long on the throne, I swear it." "I'm so afraid." "Give me the strength to die well." "Here he comes!" "Now behold the awful price of treason!" "You will fall to your knees now, declare yourself the king's loyal subject and beg his mercy." "And you shall have it." "Rope!" "Stretch him!" "That's it!" "Stretch him!" "Shame!" "Shame!" "Pleasant, yes?" "Rise to your knees, kiss the royal emblem on my cloak, and you will feel no more." "Rack him!" "Enough?" "It can all end right now." "Peace." "Please, just say it." "Cry out, "Mercy."" "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Cry out." "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Just say it." "Mercy." "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy, William." "Mercy." "Jesus, now say it." "The prisoner wishes to say a word." "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Freedom!" "After the beheading," "William Wallace's body was torn to pieces." "His head was set on London Bridge, his arms and legs sent to the four corners of Britain as a warning." "It did not have the effect that Longshanks planned." "And I, Robert the Bruce, rode out to pay homage to the armies of the English king and accept his endorsement of my crown." "I hope you've washed your arse this morning." "It's about to be kissed by a king." "Come." "Let's get it over with." "Stop!" "You have bled with Wallace!" "Now bleed with me." "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "Wallace!" "In the year of our Lord, 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields of Bannockburn." "They fought like warrior poets." "They fought like Scotsmen, and won their freedom."