"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." "There's a chill in the air tonight." " What?" " You say that every night." " Do I now?" " Only for the last 30 years." "Stop your fussing and come to bed." "John." "Don't go outside." "I'm begging you." "It's my duty." "I'm the elder of this village." "John, please" "Lock the door behind me." "Let no one in." "No one." "Do you hear?" "Aldrif?" "Hello?" "Is there anybody there?" "Gwen?" "Mary." "I was told I might find you here." "Mary." "What a wonderful surprise." "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." "No, no, not at all." "What brings you to Camelot?" "I don't want to trouble you, Gwen." "John and I-- I know we haven't seen you for many years but there was no else we could turn to." "What is it?" "We're just--We're just so scared." "Oh, Mary." "Guinevere informs me that you live in Longstead in the Feorre Mountains." "Is that right?" "That's right, sire." "Our village--We're blighted by a sickness." "Three good men it has taken now." "We have no physician, sire." "It is beyond our understanding." "I see." "Forgive me." "I have no right to bring such a small matter before the king." "You have every right." "It is my responsibility to protect the people of this kingdom whoever they may be." "You'll help us?" "I'll do whatever I can." "Thank you." "This is the fourth case of sweating sickness I've seen today." "In normal circumstances, I'd be happy to travel to this village to investigate, but" " Of course." "I understand." " Might I make a suggestion, sire?" "Why not send Merlin in my place?" " Merlin?" " He has a knowledge of the healing arts." "If the diagnosis is straightforward, he can prescribe a remedy, I'm sure." " And what if it isn't?" " Then he can bring his findings to me." "Findings?" "Merlin can't find his own backside most of the time." "I think he's capable of much more than you imagine, sire." "You really think he'll be able to handle the responsibility?" "Yes, sire, I do." "Do you really think I can do this, Gaius?" "I know you can." "I'm not a physician." "I don't have anything like the knowledge you do." "You've been working for me for many years, Merlin." "I suspect you know more than you think you do." "I just do what you tell me to do." "I don't have to make the decisions myself." "These people will be putting their lives in my hands." "I put my life in your hands every day, Merlin." "As does Arthur and Gwen and all of Camelot though they may not know it." "You're the one who holds the fate of this kingdom in the balance." "But that's different." "That doesn't require a lifetime of learning, just" "Intelligence, courage, compassion." "All I know is I have every faith in you." "Merlin." "Before you go, you'll need this." "Oh, I can't take that, Gaius." "That's your medicine bag." "Don't worry." "I've got plenty of spare supplies." "Thanks, Gaius." "Are you ready?" "As I'll ever be." "My village lies at the foot of those mountains." "With luck, we should be there by nightfall." "John." "It's good to see you." "We came as quickly as we could." "Words cannot express our gratitude, Gwen." " Where's Gaius?" " I'm sorry." "He was needed in Camelot but I will help in any way that I can." "We're living in fear for our lives." "We need a skilled physician, not a boy." "His name is Merlin." "He was appointed acting physician by King Arthur himself." "Where are they?" "They're alive, but only just." "How long have they been like this?" "Two or three days." "We've tried to feed them, keep them warm, but nothing seems to make any difference." "And you've no idea what happened to them?" "No." "It just strikes suddenly, without warning." "Well, we need to stimulate the blood flow." "A poultice of patchouli oil should work and a tincture of belladonna to stimulate the heart." "Will it cure them?" "Will it bring them back?" "Let's see what the morning brings." "Right now we need hot water and plenty of blankets." " Gwaine!" " Sorry." "Call of nature." "I could have killed you." "With a fishing rod?" ""Sir Gwaine was slain with a fishing rod."" "That's the stuff of legends, eh?" "Whoa-ho." "I barely feel a pulse." "How are they?" "I'm afraid the treatments have had no effect." "You mean they're dying." "I'm sorry." "There's something at work here that I don't understand." "Are you suggesting sorcery?" "That's possible, yes." "I feared as much." "The other night, when I found Aldrif I felt a--A presence." "An evil in the air." "We need to get back to Gaius." "Only he can explain this." "Whoa." "Dismount and muzzle your horses." "Not a sound, any of you." "Bandits?" " Looks like it." " We'll skirt their camp." "With any luck, we'll reach the plain unnoticed." "Over there." "Over here." "Looks like we were too late." " No, she's" " Aah!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "It's all right." "It's all right." "We're knights of Camelot." "You're safe now." "You're safe." "Here." "My name's Gwen." "What's yours?" "Lamia." "My name is Lamia." "What happened to you, Lamia?" "I was traveling home when the bandits took me." "Your hands." "Did they do this to you?" " Let me clean them" " No!" "No!" "Are you strong enough to ride?" "Then let's get out of here before they return." "We'll be safe here till the morning." "Here." "Hey." "Get away from her, Merlin." "And stay away." "Merlin, he didn't mean it." "They're just tired." "That's all." "Shh." "Don't worry." "No harm can come to you now." "Sorry." "Would you like some water?" "It's been two days." "They should be back by now." "There must be some delay at Longstead, sire." "If there was a delay, they would have sent word." "Then it must be the bridge is down at Brechfa River." "No, I already checked." "A patrol passed through there yesterday." "Well, should I send some scouts out to search for them?" "Gaius, is your work done here?" "Yes, sire." "I'm satisfied the sweating sickness has all but passed." "Then we leave for Longstead at first light." "Would you like--?" "I'll just put it here." "She still won't eat." "No appetite at all." "Poor girl." "Pack your bags." "We ride east with the rising sun." "Wait." "East?" "Camelot lies west of here." "Lamia has asked that we take her home." " No, we need to get Gaius." " Gaius can wait." "We were sent to help the people of Longstead." " Their lives depend on us." " You dare to question our judgment?" "You are not a knight." "You're not even a physician." "You're nothing but a servant." "Please!" "Listen, Merlin's right." "We have to get back" "Stay out of this, Gwen." "It's none of your business." " Is anything wrong, sire?" " Listen." "No birdsong." "Nothing." "Sire!" "Does anything strike you as odd about these bodies?" "Yes, sire." "There's not a mark on them." " Not so much as a scratch." " Over here, my lord." "Southron slave traders by the looks of it." "What were they transporting, some kind of an animal?" "No." "These marks were made by humans." "And whoever they were, they did anything they had to to get out." "Can he be treated?" "I could try, sire." "But I'll need time and somewhere to work." "He comes with us." "We'll make Longstead in a matter of hours." " Why don't you watch what you're doing?" " Watch your damn tongue." " You'd do well to learn some manners." " Nothing I can learn from you." " We'll see about that." " Enough!" "What's got into you?" "Great!" " Take him." " I'll get the medicine bag." "Come on." "Spread out and speak to everyone." "Someone must know something." "Did you speak to the village elder?" " It seems they left yesterday morning." " Where were they headed?" "Camelot, my lord." "Something must have happened." "We can't go after them tonight." "Then we ride at dawn." "See that the men are prepared." "Yes, sire." "And they've been like this for four days?" "And each day, they grow weaker." "Merlin is right." "This is no ordinary illness." "There is sorcery at work here." "That needle's the size of a spear." "Well, I'm sorry." "It's all I have." " Wait." "Done." " Thank you." "Leon and Gwaine, I've never known them to act like this." "Elyan's the same." "I hardly recognize him." "I think it's something to do with her." " Lamia?" " The knights are like brothers yet they fight and quarrel like foes." "It started the moment we found her." "But look at her." "She's just a girl." "How could she affect them this way?" "Hmm." "I don't know." "Any luck with the Southron?" "I've done my best, sire." "His condition is perilous, but he lives." "Was he able to tell us anything?" "He is a slave trader, as you suspected." "They were traveling south with a girl." " Did he say what happened to them?" " He claims they fell under some kind of spell." "Quarrels and fights broke out among them." "They began to suspect the girl of bewitching them." "It seems they were right." "Why?" "What happened?" "The girl escaped and killed them all but him." "How is that possible?" "She's just one girl." "Not a girl, sire." "A lamia." " A lamia?" " A creature of magic." "In their wars with the ancient kings, the high priestesses of the old religion took the blood from a girl and mingled it with that of a serpent." "The creatures they created had ferocious powers." "They could control the mind of a man, suck the life from him with a single embrace." "Which is why none of the traders had a mark on them." "But the lamia proved more deadly than their makers had ever imagined." "They could transform at will and become hideous monsters." "And they kept on killing, sire." "They would not stop." "So this girl, this creature, is still out there somewhere." "I'm afraid so, sire." "Forgive me." "I didn't mean to frighten you." "I couldn't sleep." "Nor could I." "Then again, it is my job to stay awake." "Don't be afraid." "I won't hurt you." "Elyan?" "He was supposed to be on guard." "He should have woken us long before now." "Elyan!" "Elyan!" "Elyan!" "Gwen, stay with Lamia." "The rest of you, come with me." "Spread out." "Elyan!" "Don't worry." "They'll find your brother soon enough." "Elyan!" "Elyan!" "Six horses." "Riding east." "The tracks are no more than a day old." "Oh, God." "Elyan!" "Oh." "What happened to him?" "I don't know." "We found him like this." "Merlin." "She did this." "I know she did." "We need to get him back to Camelot now." "I know this area." "There's a castle not far from here." "We could take shelter there." "You could tend to your friend." " Then lead the way." " We don't need shelter." "We need Gaius." " He's right." " Silence!" "Both of you!" "You have no say in these matters." "You come with us or you stay here." "It's up to you." "Let's go." "We could try reasoning with them tell them Lamia's responsible for what's happening." "They won't listen." "You've seen how they are." "It's like they're under an enchantment." "We have to do something." "Arthur's our only hope now." "We've been gone too long." " He must know something's wrong." " He'll never find us." "We're in the middle of nowhere." "We need to give him some help." " The tracks stop here." " We could be wasting our time, sire." "For all we know, they could have gone back to Camelot already." "No." "Camelot lies west of here." "Tracks heading east." "Fan out." "See what you can find." "This way." "This is madness, Percival." "Elyan needs help." "You know nothing about this girl." "You've no idea where she's taking you." "You heard Sir Leon." "We have no interest in your opinion." "So keep your mouth shut, or I'll shut it for you." "Is everyone all right?" "Where's Lamia?" "Lamia!" " What is this place?" " Whatever it is, it isn't safe." "We need to find Lamia." "She could be in danger." "We're the ones in danger, Leon." "She's brought us here to" " She's led us to a trap." " That's a lie!" "She's poisoned your minds and you can't see it." "Enough!" "It was Lamia that attacked Elyan!" "I said enough!" "Please!" "My brother's hurt." "We need to find him somewhere warm." "Over here." " I'll make us a fire." " Percival and I will search for Lamia." "You will stay here and you will do as Gwaine says." "Do I make myself clear?" "It's impossible." "They can't have just disappeared." "It could be that we're following the wrong tracks, my lord." "Any number of people pass through these woods." "It was them." "I know it was." "Maybe we should go back to Longstead, try in the morning." " By morning they could all be dead." " They're knights of Camelot, my lord." " They're capable of looking after themselves." " Maybe so." "But you're forgetting one thing, uncle." "Guinevere is with them." " I realize that, sire." " We keep going." "All night if necessary." "We need more wood." " I'll go and get some." " Heh." "No." "You stay where you are." "I'll get it myself." "You're not going anywhere." "Gwaine, please listen to me." "It's not safe for you out there." " Are you trying to tell me my business?" " No." "I'm just saying" " What?" " Nothing." "If he doesn't get some help soon, he's not going to make it." "That was her." "I'm sure of it." "Lamia?" "It's nothing." "I don't understand it." "Why have only the knights been enchanted?" "Why not us as well?" " You're a woman." " So?" "All her victims have been men." "So why haven't you fallen under her spell?" "I've just been lucky, I suppose." " There must be a reason." " Maybe it's because I'm not a knight." "The three villagers weren't knights either." "Who knows?" "There's something about you, Merlin." "It's the way she looks at you, as if you were the enemy." "Whatever you do, don't leave this room." "Gwaine." "Gwaine." "Agravaine." "Huh?" " It's Guinevere's." " How can you be certain?" "It's from her tunic." "I'd know it anywhere." "We must be close." "Come on." "Lamia." "Are you all right?" "We've been looking everywhere for you." "I thought you might never find me." "Thank you, Percival." "Thank you." "No." "No." "No!" "No!" "You won't find me such easy prey." "Your magic holds no fear for me." "I could have killed you anytime I wished." "Then what are you waiting for?" "Merlin." "Get away from him!" "Arthur!" "You carry on." "Don't worry about me." "Sorry." "It's almost good to see you, Merlin." " Likewise." " Almost." "How are they doing?" "I have given them the same compound that cured the villagers, sire." "They're fortunate that you got to them when you did." "Thank you, Gaius." "So, Merlin." "Being saved by a woman, that really can't feel good." "Feels a lot better than being dead." "Does it?" "Being saved by a woman, or dying." " I'd have to think about that one." " Don't think too hard." "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." "Come." "You wanted to see me?" "Just wanted to make sure you were all right." "Been through a lot these past few days." "I'm fine." "Nothing a change of clothes couldn't cure." "I thought I knew everything about you, Guinevere." "Your loyalty, your wisdom." "Since when did you become this fearless hero?" "Heh, well, maybe you just didn't notice before." "Hmm, maybe I didn't." "Truly." "You showed great courage back there." " I did what anyone else would have done." " You did a good deal more than that." "You were equal to any knight of Camelot." "I'm proud of you." "Really?" "Really." "Merlin." "Guinevere, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" "I want to believe that everything is fine, that we really have Lancelot back." "We can't thank you enough for what you sacrificed on the Isle of the Blessed." "Do you think he means to harm Arthur?"