"In a land of myth and a time of magic the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man." "His name:" "Merlin." "All right." "Who drank all my water?" " I believe you have your answer." " You said I could have some." "I said you could have some." "I didn't say you could drink every last drop." " I was thirsty." " Here." "Have some of mine." " That's very funny." " Here." "Unlike these ignorant fools, I share with my friends." "Maybe I'll drink all of yours." "Shh!" "What is it?" "I saw something in the trees." "There." "What is this place?" "This is a shrine." "In the time of the old religion, they built shrines like this to appease restless spirits." "We shouldn't be here." "Boo!" "It isn't funny." "Gaius told me about places like this, and they're cursed." "There's your spirit, Merlin." "There's nothing here for us." "Move out." "You all right?" "What do you mean?" "You're very quiet." "You didn't say a word on the way home." "It's called thinking, Merlin." "You should try it sometime." "Merlin." " What's that?" " Salt." "Pour it in a circle at the foot of your bed." "Helps to protect you from evil spirits." " Really?" "Does that work?" " Absolutely." "And if it doesn't, Gaius can always put it in his supper." "Very funny." "I'm surprised that such a shrine exists so close to Camelot." "And it was cursed." "I could feel it." "You were right to be wary." "The druids built shrines to bring rest to tormented souls." "Souls that were so badly wronged, they could find no peace in the other world." "Why do they hang all the ribbons and flags?" "The ancient rituals heal the ground so that the souls of the victims can find rest." "But the magic that binds the earth is delicate and is easily undone so the ribbons and flags act as a warning." "Wish I'd known that earlier." "Did anyone touch anything?" "Uh, no." "I don't think so." "Why?" "What is it?" "Anyone who disturbs the resting place risks releasing the spirit." "Merlin, you must promise me you'll never return to that place." "Oh, don't worry." "I have no intention of going back there." "And for once, I'm not lying to you." "Hello?" "Who's there?" "Show yourself." "Get away from me." "No!" "No!" "What are you doing?" "Nothing." "I was getting a drink of water." "Tripped over the table." "Uh-huh." "Heh." "We missed you at the tavern earlier." "Percival broke Sir Brennis's wrist in an arm-wrestle." " Sounds like fun." " Not for Sir Brennis." "Get some rest." "Arthur's planned a training session in the morning." "You know how the king likes his training." "Good night." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to scare you." "You didn't scare me." "I was asleep." "Why have you got that stupid smile on your face?" "It's nothing." "Why were you sleeping with your head on the table?" " I fell asleep while I was reading." " What were you reading?" "I am the king of Camelot." "I do not have to answer to the likes of you." "Oh, you're in a good mood." "You obviously got out of the wrong side of the table." "The wrong side of the bed, but you slept on the table, so" "That's extremely clever and funny, Merlin." "There really are no limits to your wit." "Now, will you please just get me some breakfast." "Right." "Merlin!" "Pair off." "Concentrate on counter-cutting." "Gwaine, you're with me." "What's that in your hair?" " It's stew." " Why have you got stew in your hair?" "Because he was reading." "Change of plan." "I think we'll try something different." "Elyan." "Elyan." "Elyan." "I think he's had enough." "Are you all right down there, Merlin?" " No." " Good." "Well, Merlin will feel that in his arms tomorrow." "All this training." "When are we going to see some real action?" "No." "No, no." "You all right?" "Leave me alone!" "Watch yourself." "Elyan." "Elyan." "Elyan!" " Why doesn't he speak?" " I don't know." "It's strange." "It's like he's lost his mind." "When I want your medical opinion, Gwaine, I'll ask for it." "Perhaps you would leave me alone to treat my patient." "It would be better if Arthur didn't know of this." "Why do you want to keep it from Arthur?" "Elyan hasn't been himself recently." "He hasn't said anything, but he's clearly upset about his sister's banishment." "Yes, it must have been hard for him to see that happen to Gwen." "We wouldn't want Arthur to think that Elyan's loyalties are divided." "Well, I'm sure the king doesn't have to know about every accident that happens in Camelot." " Thank you, Gaius." " Thank you." "Elyan, can you hear me?" "Blink if you can hear me." "Would you like me to make up the bed, sire, or will you be sleeping on the table again?" "Is this about Gwen?" "We all miss her." " You more than anyone." " You can go now." " Arthur" " Get out." "I'm done trying to be nice to Arthur." "I cook." "I clean." "I'm always there for him not to mention that small matter of saving his life more times than I care to remember." "Do I get any thanks?" "No." "All he ever does is shout at me." "So now you're ignoring me." "Great." "I might as well not even exist." "Hello." "My name's Merlin." "But don't worry about me." "I'm not even here." "I fear we may have more important things to worry about than Arthur shouting at you." "What is it?" "Did Elyan disturb anything yesterday at the shrine?" "I'm not sure." " I need you to be sure, Merlin." " I don't know." "He may have." "I tried to warn them." "You know what they're like." " They don't listen." " I'm sorry, Merlin." "It's just that I'm deeply concerned for Elyan." "He hasn't spoken a word since he regained consciousness and I can find no physical symptoms to explain it." "The only thing I could find was a pile of salt at the foot of his bed." " Oh, no." " What is it, Merlin?" "He's trying to ward off an evil spirit." "With a pile of salt?" "That's utter nonsense." "Elyan believes it to be true." "Then I fear that Elyan may have disturbed the spirit at the shrine." "What?" " What will that do to him?" " I dread to think what horror it might unleash." "You must tell Arthur what happened at the shrine." "You must tell him that Elyan is possessed." "Well, I'm not sure he'll believe me." "Not in the mood he's in." "You must make him believe you." "Leave me alone!" "Please don't be angry with me." "I'm sorry." "It's all right." "Don't be scared." "You're so cold." "It's all right." "What do you want from me?" "I want you to bring me peace." "You must right the wrong that was done to me." "How?" " What should I do?" " It's easy." "You must kill the king." "Elyan, you startled me." "Is everything all right?" "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Guards!" "I know Elyan is a friend to some of you but that friendship ended when he tried to kill the king." "Do not let him escape." "Now go find him!" " What happened?" " Elyan." "He attacked me." "I think he's possessed." "What do you mean possessed?" "He may have disturbed a spirit at the shrine." "I think that spirit's possessing him." "Why else would he attack you?" "When we catch him, I intend to ask him that very question." "I never thought I'd see the day when we would be hunting one of our own." "I can't understand why he would attack Arthur." "What would you do if your sister had been banished?" "Well, my sister is an evil old toad, so I'd be eternally grateful." "There he is!" "Elyan, we don't want to hurt you." "Put the knife down." "Why don't we all just put our weapons down and sort this out like friends?" "I had to do it." "Of course you did." "We understand." "We're your friends." "You failed me." "I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry." "Elyan must be tried and punished in accordance with our laws." " That would mean putting him to death." " So be it." "You can't afford to show favoritism." "What if Elyan wasn't acting of his own volition?" "What do you mean?" "Merlin believes that Elyan has been possessed by some kind of spirit." "Oh, I have no doubt he's just trying to protect his friend." "Why else would Elyan attack Arthur?" "His motive is obvious." "He seeks revenge." "You banished his sister from Camelot." "I know Elyan." "And no matter what he feels about his sister, he would never attack Arthur." "Arthur, you must see." "All this talk of possession and spirits it's just a ruse to save Elyan's neck." "But what if it is true?" "I'd be executing an innocent man." "More than that, I'd be executing a friend." "You cannot be seen to allow someone to try and kill you and then escape punishment." "You will appear weak." "That puts the whole of Camelot in peril." " Arthur" " Leave me." "Both of you." "Agravaine is just pushing for Elyan's execution." "Arthur may have no choice but to sentence Elyan to death." " We can't allow that to happen." " What do you propose we do, Merlin?" "There must be a way of ridding Elyan of the spirit that possesses him." "It would require very powerful magic." "Then I must master it if I'm to save Elyan's life." "And you intend to expel the spirit in the cells under the noses of the guards?" "Of course not." "First we need to break Elyan out of the cells." " Did I miss out on that part?" " Ha-ha-ha." "Elyan will have to be unconscious when you expel the spirit." "I put a powerful sedative in this water." "And, Merlin, remember, Elyan is not himself." "You cannot trust him." "I know." "Merlin." "I don't have time to explain." "You have to trust me." "We need to make it to the cover of the woods." "You know, Merlin, you're much braver than you look." " Are you calling me a coward?" " Ha, ha." "I'm saying there's not many people with the courage..." " ...to break someone out of the cells." " I had to do it." "They were going to execute you." "I know that you would never hurt Arthur not of your own volition." "After all that running, you must be thirsty." "Where are my manners?" "You must be thirsty too." " No." "After you." " No, no." "After you." "I insist." "No." "I had some water earlier." "If I drink too much, I have to pee all the time." "Ask Arthur." "I'm always peeing." "What are you looking at?" "I'm sorry, Merlin." "For what?" "I won't fail you again." "Just before he jumped me, there was a presence there." "I could sense it." "It was Elyan who was supposed to be knocked out." "Not you, Merlin." "I must find Arthur." "Elyan could make another attempt on his life." "After Elyan's escape, Arthur was put under heavy guard." "There's little more you can do to protect him." "This shrine, do you think you could find it again?" "I'm not sure I want to." "You said I was never to go there again." "We have to find out all we can about this spirit." "Unless we know what we're dealing with, we won't be able to help Elyan or Arthur." "Merlin?" "It's just through these trees." "What are we looking for?" "I'm not entirely sure." "But remember, don't disturb anything." "Trust me." "I won't." "Sorry." "Gaius!" "What is it, Merlin?" "Something terrible happened here." "These runes are in the druid tongue." "I also found this." "There are crossbow bolts scattered all around." "This was Uther's doing, wasn't it?" "It is revenge for Uther's crime that the spirit seeks." "Merlin." "Good of you to join me." "Perhaps I should fill you in on all that's been happening while you've been" "That's a good question." "What the hell have you been doing?" " I was" " Choose your next words carefully." "They may be your last." "I was searching in the woods for some herbs for Gaius." "Very rare herbs." "Hard to find, actually, and I got lost" "You mean to tell me that you've been wandering around in the woods all night?" "Yes." "What happened to your head?" "I--I tripped over a root and I hit my head on a tree and I knocked myself out." "Hmm." "Well, after wandering around in the woods all night knocking yourself out, you must be hungry." " I'm starving." " Pull up a chair." "Tuck in." "Oh, thanks very much." "I am actually-- You're joking." "Oh, no." "Why are you doing this?" "I must avenge my death." "What have you done to Elyan?" "Arthur!" "Don't make me kill you." "I don't want to kill you." "Stop!" "That's not the Elyan we know!" "You let him go." "The palace is secure." "No one is able to get in or out." "And we're searching the lower town even as I speak." "Fear not, my lord." "Elyan will be hunted down and slain." "I'll see to it personally." "Thank you, Uncle." "You know that isn't Elyan, or you wouldn't have let him go." "When Elyan spoke to me, it wasn't with his voice." "It was the voice of a boy, a child." "That is the voice of the spirit that now possesses him." "What do you know about this shrine, Gaius?" "I believe the site was once a druid camp." "There is evidence that the camp was attacked." "Your father was relentless in his persecution of the druids." "Many died." "I believe it is one of those tormented souls that now possesses Elyan." "And that's why he seeks his revenge." "The spirit craves peace." "He wishes to find his proper place in the other world but the unjust nature of his death has denied him that." "Is there anything that can be done to change this?" "In druid lore, only the atonement of the perpetrator can bring the spirit peace." "Uther's dead." " He can't atone for what he did." " Indeed." "What about Elyan?" "Elyan is no longer the man you knew." "The spirit has a hold over him that may be too powerful to break." "All we can hope is that he'll be found before he has a chance to enact his revenge." "And if we do find him?" "Then I fear you have no choice but to kill him." "It's not your fault." "You can't be held responsible for everything your father did." "That will be all, Merlin." "Thank you." "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" "I think I'm going to get an early night." "Yeah." "Yeah, I'm pretty tired too, what with having spent the night in the woods." "No one said anything about you getting an early night, Merlin." "In fact, you can make up for your little escapade by polishing my armor." "Merlin." "Fancy meeting you here." "What the hell are you doing creeping around in the woods?" "I'm following you." "What are you doing creeping around in the woods?" " Something I should've done a long time ago." " Elyan could be out here." "Do you know how dangerous that is?" "I have to face him." "Feel free to go back to Camelot anytime you like." "You're not going back then?" "I thought I might tag along." "I don't want you getting lost and scared." "Are you sure you want to do this?" "Maybe we should wait until it's light." "Or we could just do it now, whatever it is that we're doing in the dark, when it's incredibly scary and dangerous." "Is that a good idea?" "We might be needing it." "I'm not sure a sword will be much use against a spirit." "What about against Elyan?" "I'm here!" "That's what you want, isn't it?" "What are you doing?" "Everything Gaius said about this place is right except for one thing." "It wasn't my father that led the raid on the druid camp." "I did." "My blood is on your hands." "I cannot rest because of what you did." "I know." "I am responsible for what happened to you and for all the violence that happened here." "When I led the attack on your camp, I was young and inexperienced." "I was desperate to prove myself to my men, to my father." "I told the men to spare the women and children but I know that some of them ignored the order." "And there was so much happening." "I wanted to stop it." "I froze." "I didn't know what to do." "I can still hear the screams." "I cannot right this wrong." "Nothing I can do will ever change the horrors that happened that day." "But I can promise that now that I am king I will do everything that I can to prevent anything like this ever happening again." "From this day forth the druid people will be treated with the respect they deserve." "I give you my word." "I am truly sorry for what happened to you." "I forgive you." "Arthur?" "How's Elyan?" "Is he going to be all right?" "Gaius says he's going to make a full recovery." "You know, that was incredibly moving what you said at the shrine." "As long as Elyan's going to be all right, it served its purpose." "It wasn't just about Elyan though, was it?" "You meant it." " I know you did." " Does this have a point, Merlin?" "I don't think I've ever seen you cry before, not like that." "You had tears running down your cheeks." "It's nice to see this new sensitive, emotional side to you." " It suits you." " Shut up, Merlin." "Ah, I really thought you'd changed." "Then you're as stupid as you are ugly." "So there's no chance that we could have a hug?" "Merlin." "Princess Mithian, you are most welcome." "It's Arthur's fate to marry Gwen." "Am I supposed to do anything about it?" "Guinevere made her choice." "Now she must take the consequences." "They're planning to attack Camelot." " Who is this woman?" " A wench I recently acquired." "No more." "We must find her now." " If you stay here" " I have what I deserve." "You wish to see your beloved Arthur again?" "Then so you shall."