"Take those downstairs and then go and assist Sybil." "Yes, my lady." "Do you enjoy the view?" "Lady." "Please, I beg you." "What were you doing with that hand before you used it to sully my dress?" "My lady, I love you." "Do you?" "This is how you prove it?" "I'll do anything." "Anything." "Come with me." "Tell her your name." "Harwel." "And what have you offered me, Harwel?" "Whatever you wish of me." "Get him prepared." "Is everything else ready?" "Yes." "You're sure that Arthur will come?" "His bastard's heart craves a family." "And what am I, if not family?" "What better way to get inside his head?" "Double salt the meat and bring out the strongest ale." " Yes, my lady." " I want them thirsty and drunk." "We'll prove to Arthur just how loyal and devoted we are." "Morgan was allied with the man who killed both our parents." "But now we're the best of friends?" "She warned us of his attack." "Without her, we could have all died." "I'm warning you." "A feast at her castle is a risk." "And as your brother, I'm telling you, some wounds have to heal." "Besides, I've already broken bread with her and lived to tell the tale." "What do you think?" "I think it's a marvellous idea." "I'm looking forward to it." "If Merlin's not worried, I'm not worried." "If we don't go, I can't work out what Morgan's up to." "Besides, I miss the old place, and a feast will do us all good." "Camelot might have a library and an armoury, but we haven't got a table to sit at." " So we leave it undefended?" " We've recruited." "Gawain's trained them." "We don't lack good soldiers." "Just ale." "And Castle Pendragon has plenty of that." "Let's get a move on before it's all been drunk!" " Welcome, my king." " Your brother." "Thank you for inviting us." "Come lad, help with the horses." " Lady Igraine." " Get the water." "Must bring back memories." "I'm sorry for the way that you left." "Really?" "I had time to requite some of my decisions." "I hope you can forgive me." "So do I." "Please." "Refreshment awaits!" "Merlin." "Glad you could come." "I'd never miss an invite to the old place." "Whatcha you cooking?" "This is the last place you wanted to sit." "What do you mean?" "You've been avoiding me for days." "I can't hear what they're saying." "Does she have someone out back turning water into all this wine?" "That's very funny." "I haven't seen a spread this good since..." "God knows." "Yes, he does, Brastias, and he's watching." "We have all come together here at Castle Pendragon to heal old wounds and promote a new future for the land under our king," "Arthur." "Brother and King, I stand here as your sister and loyal subject, offering my love and devotion." "The king!" "The king!" "Do you believe her?" "I'd love to." "She'd make our endeavour so much stronger." "I cannot bring peace to this land alone." "I will need my allies and my family." "I salute you, Morgan, as a sister and an ally." "To Morgan!" "To Morgan!" "She covets Arthur's throne." "She claims..." "not anymore." "You trust her?" "And now for some entertainment!" " Arthur!" " Highness!" "Are you all right?" "Brilliant." "Enjoy the hospitality of Castle Pendragon in all its forms." "Don't mind if I do." "Gawain, what are you waiting for?" "It's fine." "You'll understand if I..." "decline." " Of course." " Ah, send 'em this way." "We'll see they don't go to waste." "Does the king not wish some company?" "I'm very happy with the company around this table." "They can't feed all of a man's appetites, surely." "You don't have a queen." "You're a king, not a priest." "I envy you, Guinevere." "You've found a man to whom you can give your whole heart." "And who has given her his." "I'm very lucky." "Give the signal." "I think every castle should have a pet nun." "She needed a home." "So Morgan, protector of the sick and needy, took her in." "Your reputation grows." "I've learned my lesson." "Ambition for its own sake is worthless." "You'd rather be a Queen of Hearts." "Camelot has one already." "Indeed." "Hey!" "Wake up!" "Aw, to hell with him." "We should not have left the king." "So either shit or get off the pot!" "He's fine." "Merlin and Leontes are with him." "Maybe some other time." "Leaving the party so soon, Gawain?" "You're welcome to her." "Well, come on, then!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "What was that?" " Fire!" "Get water!" "Hurry!" " Quick!" "Get water!" " What is it?" " I don't know." "Let's go." "More water!" "We need more water now!" " The fire's spreading." " Get water!" " Get water!" " Water from the well!" " All of you, help!" " Let's go." "Ulfius!" "Wake up!" "Come on, Ulfius!" " Water!" " What is this, more entertainment?" "Get down!" "Get down!" "Arthur!" "She's trapped!" "Push the cart!" "Push the cart around!" "Come on, Kay!" "Push!" "Around this way!" "Lift!" "Pull the cart!" " Pull!" " Halt!" "Help lever me up!" "Help lever me up!" "Round the back!" "Round the back!" "You there!" "Help me!" "On 3!" "On 3!" "Are you ready?" "Ready!" "One, two, three!" "Arthur!" "Come on." "Come on." "Spin the cart!" " Be careful, Arthur!" " Turn the cart around!" "Round this way!" " Push it up!" "Push it up now!" " Forward!" " Somebody catch her!" " Jump!" "Ready?" "Come on, Your Highness." "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen." "Or the stupidest." "They're usually one and the same." "You're safe." "Whatever defences you have, get them prepared." "Now!" "Here, Gawain!" "Come on!" "Yes!" "Who could be attacking us?" "Someone knows the king is here." "Someone who knows this castle well." "Which enemy could this be?" "But who?" " It could be Aldwulf." " Who is Aldwulf?" "He's a warrior king from the east, an old enemy of Uther's." "We've fought many times." "We've always prevailed." " Well, why would he come now?" " Uther's dead." "Maybe he sees a chance to get something he's always wanted." " Castle Pendragon?" " Territory." "Control." "If he takes Castle Pendragon, he can move on to the Bardon Pass and control the main route in and out of the valley." "And all our supply routes." "There'd be no trading without his say so." "Camelot would be under his command." "If he held the pass with a large force, we'd never remove him." "Do we have anyone defending the pass?" "A farmer called Lucan flies the Pendragon colour." "And that's it?" "In order to take Bardon, you have to come through here." "If they left Castle Pendragon unconquered, their whole rear would be open to assault." " They want to test our strength." " Which is in Camelot." "Our men are not with us." "Maybe he thinks" "I wouldn't stand in his way." "Our prior differences are well known, and I'm a woman, so no threat to his advance." "Well, then he's got a shock coming when he finds us waiting." " We're only a few." " Arthur, treat my men as your own." "They're yours." " Thank you." " What men are they?" "Uther's loyal subjects came with us to Camelot." "These are warriors loyal to me." " How many?" " A garrison of 40 well-trained men." " My, you have been busy." " No one has ever breached" "Castle Pendragon." "Then let's not set a precedent." "No, we should leave now, get you back to Camelot under the cover of darkness." "I've just sworn a toast to unity, and you want to leave my sister vulnerable because of a rumour?" "Kay is right." "You must survive." "It's not your home Aldwulf attacks." "But it is my land." "Castle Pendragon is under my protection." "Leontes." "You know the castle well." "Will you see to the defence?" "Leave it to me." "Find the attackers, assess the weight of their forces, and return." "Don't engage them." "Whatever happens, be back here by dawn." " You can depend on us." " Go!" "A fuck and a fight!" "This is turning into a good night." "Men treat all this like some kind of great game." "Guinevere, they're warriors." "The prospect of battle excites them." "What, and we're supposed to just sit here and wait?" "Given an army of barbarians out there, what choice do we have?" "Right now, they are full of planning and action." "But soon, they will stop and think." "And that's when they will come to us." "To remind themselves of why they will fight." "And if we doubt them, then they will doubt themselves, and the battle will be lost." "Our champions are stout, and this castle is strong." "So do not fear." "They hang on her every word." "You were given Igraine for a reason." "Did you want something?" "Our people are in position." "No, no!" "They're too long!" "These spears are all too long for close-quarter combat." "Really?" "They're coming up siege ladders." "They can only swing their weapons overhand, like so." "The second they do, you stab with a short spear." "And no wild swings." "You get right in, and you drive it up!" "Cut half of these down." "And line them on the walls." "Highness." "You look like you're enjoying this." "I prefer fighting over dancing." "Gawain, if you're done here," "I need you to check the men on the east wall." "Are you giving me orders now, Leontes?" "Have you ever defended this castle before?" "Then I'm giving you orders." "Leontes!" " You should be inside." " I cannot sit indoors and do nothing." "Leontes, let us be helpful." "There must be something we can do." "We need bandages and medicine." "Find them." "And Guinevere..." "Anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?" "You." "Every day." "We're going to need bandages and medicine." "Let me show you." "Excellent." "Well done, men." "Keep going." "No!" "Not all there!" "Spread them out across the wall!" "We need weapons at hand wherever our warriors are positioned." "So, you still think we should have come?" "Why are you so worried?" "This is what you train for, isn't it?" "You should be grateful for the challenge." "We're not prepared." "Then get prepared." "What men are supposed to be there?" "So it's just you here, alone in this castle." "I don't feel alone." "Do you not think about taking a husband?" "I've thought about it." "What would I gain from it?" "Love." "Isn't that what everyone wants?" "Isn't it a burden to hold another's heart in your hands?" "It's a privilege." "What if you damage it?" "Well, you mustn't." "That's the trust." "How do you feel about the king?" "What do you mean?" "Does he make a good ruler?" "Does your husband believe in him as he did my father?" "I think so." "He's a good man." "And handsome!" " Is he?" " You know he is." "I suppose." "But I'm married, so I don't look." "Someone is going to be very lucky." "I'm sure he won't be without a queen for long." "The Pendragon nun." "I've been hoping to bump into you." "Should you be up here?" "Why?" "Are there places I shouldn't be?" "I hear you know this castle of old." "It's never the buildings." "It's what people do inside them that matters." "Funny place for a woman of faith." "Faith is needed everywhere." "I think your mistress puts her faith in more primal forces." "She came back from the nunnery with some... interesting talents not particularly Christian." "And now here you are." "Did you take a vow of silence?" "I needed sanctuary, and Morgan gave it." "And what she get in return?" "There's someone coming." " It looks like he's wounded." " Open the gates!" "Help me get him down!" " Ulfius!" "Come on." " Get him inside." " Get him inside!" "Move!" " Back to your posts!" " Who is it?" " It's the scout." "What happened?" "A host of men making preparation for an attack." "Whose?" " Whose men?" " Aldwulf's." "Where?" "To the east." "They will come soon." "How many?" "The castle will be crushed." "We're prepared." "Nothing's changed." "You did well." " Open!" " Come on!" " No!" "Wait!" " What are they doing?" "!" "Who gave the order for them to ride out?" "!" "I did." "If we can attack them before their plans are complete, my men will have the element of surprise." "That was the stupidest thing you could have done!" "We have no idea what those plans are." "It's tactical suicide!" "Gawain, enough!" "I'm sorry, Arthur." "So now we take a different strategy." "Plan and work together." " Back to your posts, men." " Back inside." "Seal the gates." "So we have about 20, 25 able-bodied men." "That's not enough to defend the entire perimeter." "OK." "Well, say he comes at us head- on." "We concentrate our forces at the gate, making them seem more than they are." "And if he attacks from the rear?" "Then we make a run for it from the front." "Merlin, anything to add?" "Right." "Let's get to it." "There's another tactic." "My attack would provide a diversion and you could make it home." "Leaving you totally defenceless." "If I ran, everything we're working for would be over." "It's over if your head's stuck on a pike." "Maybe you should take Morgan up on her kind offer." "If 25 men is all we have, then we'll have to make do with that." "You have us." "We can fight." "No." "No, that's not gonna happen." "And if you fall?" "What of our fate?" "The battlement is no place for women." "I am not hiding indoors awaiting to be raped." "I'd rather die with a sword in my hand." "She's right." "We're all in this together." " Your Majesty" " Let them decide their own fate." "And if they can pull a bow or throw a spear, then we need them." "It's all about the position." "You need to keep it stiff." "Pull back, and know when it's time to release." "Does he take nothing seriously?" "I can die laughing, or I can die crying." "The only certain thing is I'm going to die." "Merlin was asking about me." "He suspects me of having a hand in your powers." "He's clever." "But Arthur wants to believe in my love." "Here was me thinking, "Go to a feast!" ""Have a dance, meet a man-- a decent one with manners"." "Now look at me." "I've even got to save myself from a fate worse than death." "I'll look after you." "Keep your left arm straight as you lower the arrow..." " She's good." " We're not hunting rabbits." "No, men." "And they're bigger, and slower." "What use is all this?" "When Aldwulf arrives with his forces, it's over." "Maybe." "We'll wait and see." "If we can keep them all inside till morning, the others will be certain of my loyalty." " And Merlin?" " Won't matter." "He'll think we pose no military threat, whatever my ambitions." "Men." "Even the clever ones think that armies decide everything." "Let's hope so." "Waiting is no strategy for war." " You're not joining in?" " Hm!" "No." "I know I'd make no difference." "But if it keeps their minds off what might come, then good." "I'll put my faith in Arthur and his champions." "Do you think it's possible to rise above your beginnings?" "To be better than your blood?" "Have you really changed, Morgan?" "You know better than anyone that we can't change the past, only atone for it." "I will prove myself to you all." "I promise." " How did I do?" " You did well." "A mark of my devotion." "A symbol of my gratitude." "Are you leaving?" "I'm going to go and find Aldwulf." "And kill him myself." "That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard." "You'd rather wait until Aldwulf is upon the gates?" "The king has given us his orders." "It's our duty to follow." "You and your duty-- to the king, to your wife, to God." "How do you find time in the day?" " You sound jealous." " Of you?" "Why are you so keen to go out there?" "It's a suicide mission." "Suicide?" "Waiting is suicide." "And I'd rather fight than wait." "If I'm going to die, it'll be on my own terms." "You're not going anywhere." "That's an order." "I've told you about giving me orders." "Now leave me be." "I'll not let you go." "You couldn't stop me." "Why does everything with you have to be a confrontation?" "The king needs you here." "You talk too much, Leontes." "Like your Scriptures-- too many words." "Go back inside." "You know you can't beat me." "I don't have to." "You say you need no one." "That's not true, is it?" " Shut up." " The truth is you can't handle your own company." "You don't know me." "I do, because when I look at you, I see myself!" "What the hell is going on?" "!" "I found him trying to leave!" "Is this true?" "Answer your king!" "I wanted to face Aldwulf myself." "You trained us." "I listened to you." "Now you listen to me." "You're not fighting on your own." "We are banded together here." "We stand as one." "No exceptions." "No exceptions." "Now man the battlements, and keep watch." "Come along, champion." "Do you believe her?" "You obviously do." "I know you're the self-appointed font of all knowledge, but you didn't see this coming, did you?" "We don't know what this is." "Not yet." "So you doubt that Aldwulf is out there?" "I doubt everything." "Hm!" "Yes, and everyone." "Why?" "You want to get inside my head?" "Hmm?" "See what I see?" "Hmm?" "Yes." "You think knowledge is power." "Knowledge is pain." "Do you want this?" "Share your burden." "Morgan killed Uther." "Poisoned him." "He rejected her, and she killed him." "Help us!" "That can't be true." "The look on your face tells me you know it is." "You kept this from me?" "What else are you holding back?" "Plenty." "But you can't tell Arthur." "Oh!" "He's in danger." "If Morgan wanted to kill him, she would have done it by now." "We are his strength and protection." "No good will come of his knowing." "Father God, send your angels to be with us this night." "Cover our" "I'm sorry." "Did you want to be alone?" "That's the last thing any of us want tonight, isn't it?" "Your faith comforts you?" "It does." "A good thing on a night like this, when doubts assail us." "God has given me all I could want." "He could take it from me just as easily." "Why would he?" "You are so devoted." "What if that devotion were tested?" "If tomorrow saw me losing friends and loved ones?" "Is that not the definition of true faith?" "You fear that something will be taken from you?" "I wake at night, cold, fearing that Guinevere will be taken from me." "Retribution for my sins." "It's not your faith in God I'd worry about, but your faith in man." "Listen to me." "You have champions" "Kay, Leontes." "You do not have to do this alone." "I cannot hide behind them." "It isn't hiding to let them care for you." "To love you." "It's taken me so long to find you," "I can't bear the thought of losing you now." "You do not need to prove your love to me." "I know it." "And I return it." "You're not just a mother to me, but to all of Camelot." "Arthur, where are you going?" "Tonight is not a time to leave things unsaid." "You know I wanted to kill you back there?" "I noticed." "You fought well." "I couldn't beat you." "It's a good thing, really." "I always could before." "Is that what faith gives you?" "I spent years bathed in blood." "Man versus man." "It felt like it had honour." "Then one day we rode into battle." "We entered a village at dawn;" "the fighting was fierce, and I took arms against a warrior." "Just as I flung him to the ground, another jumped on my back." "I..." "I didn't even think." "I just threw him to the floor and I drove my sword through him." "Except the warrior wasn't a man;" "it was a boy, no more than 12." "He could barely lift the sword that he held." "And I watched his mother-- all that pain and grief for her son." "That night we feasted to our victory as usual, and I felt nothing." "Later on in the middle of the night I..." "I prayed." "I asked God to forgive me." "Did he?" " Can I speak to you?" " You shouldn't be in here." "What I need to say cannot be said in public." "Then you shouldn't be saying it to me at all." "How it was between us." "I've never known that before." "Never felt like that." "Stop." "Please!" "I don't know if we can prevail tomorrow." "Arthur." "Tomorrow could be the end of all of us, and I don't want to die without having said this." "Leontes is my champion." "I honour him, and would never do anything to break your marriage." "But I need you to know I love you." "Go." "Please." "Ardulf, you bog-dwelling inbred!" "When you're finished interfering with your sister, come and have a go at the men of Pendragon!" "Cowards!" "Ardulf!" "Leontes loves Guinevere more than life itself." "She is the future he pins all his hopes upon." "And Camelot's hopes rest on Arthur's honour." "A wedge between Arthur and his champion could bring it all down." "And they all confide in the Lady Igraine." "I have what I need." "Are you sure this is what you want?" "You said I'd been given the gift for a reason." "Now I know what it is." " Riders!" " Riders approaching!" "The men return!" "What happened?" "Where are the others?" "Dead." "We are all that remain." "I told you this was madness!" "And what of the enemy, how far behind you?" "They are gone." " Gone where?" "To Bardon Pass?" " Let him speak." "They're gone." "We defeated them." "You did what?" "We took them by surprise." " The fighting was vicious." " Where are the rest of your comrades?" "Fallen on the battlefield." "All of them?" "Is Aldwulf dead?" "Did you claim his body?" "The last few fled." "We had no men left to follow." "You have done well." "The sacrifice you have made is huge." "My men are proud to fight under the Pendragon banner." "Sister." "We are in your debt." "But with your men so weakened, maybe you should accompany us back to Camelot." "We have brave men to bury." "My place is here." " What a tease." " So what you're saying is you're disappointed we didn't face certain death?" "What I'm saying is, I'm sad I missed the fight completely." "Morgan's men have claimed a famous victory." "Her legend grows." "You doubt her?" "He doubts everyone." "It's his way." "Keep up the whole inscrutable man of magic thing." "I just want to see the dead bodies." "I'm relieved we all made it out of this night." "Yes." "Uh, they're all waiting, so..." "What is it about you?" "What is it about that face that makes men weak?" "Are we ready?" "Yes." "I just wanted one last look at the place." "You miss it?" "No." "I've got a new home now." "Camelot." "What are the orders?" "You are to recruit some men-- not ours-- others disaffected with Arthur." "You will attack the outpost at Bardon Pass." "This will draw out the king." "Offer him no quarter." "I want to hear that from Morgan herself." "You're hearing it from me." "Or shall I tell her that you refuse?" "I'll do it." "Are you all right?" "Fine." "Just weary." "It was a long night." "Oh, Sister." "I know that this is Morgan's bidding." "Let me go and I will make sure that you are not punished." "Do you really think that the king will not wonder where I am?" "I know he won't." " Welcome!" " Prepare to take the horses." "Welcome, my liege!" "It's good to be home." "Yes." "It is."