"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." "What's taking so long?" "It's the Feast of Beltane." "The king must look kingly." "I'm hardly gonna look kingly in my undergarments, am I?" "Have a little patience." "Think of something pleasant." " You in the stocks?" " Heh." "Wait one second." "One." "What have you got there?" "Nothing." "My hand." "My other hand." "Why are you putting another hole in this belt?" "I was, uh enhancing it for comfort and ease of use." "Are you saying I'm fat?" "No, I'm saying that the belt is one hole shy of perfection." "Ridiculous." "Come on." "Don't be too hard on yourself." "A little extra padding goes with the job what with all the feasts and banquets and ceremonies." "All right, Merlin, do what you have to do." " Not a word of this to anyone, understand?" " Trust me." "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's keeping secrets." " Have you seen Agravaine?" " Uh, no, sire." "Not since this morning." "Strange." "He should be here by now." "Ah, my favorite." "Herb-crusted capon." "Easy, now." "We don't want any more holes in that belt." " Wine?" " Merlin." "It's a good job you don't have anything of any actual importance to keep secret, isn't it?" "You all right?" " No one likes to be called fat, Merlin." " Sorry." "It's Gwen, isn't it?" "I look for her in the room." "She's not there." "Then I remember why." "It's time." "Form a line to the well!" "We need more water." "Now!" " Forget about the water." " But if we can't" "How did they breach the gate?" "We can't worry about that now." "Quickly, sound the alarm." "Sire, we're under attack." "They're within the city walls." " Merlin, get everyone to the inner chamber." " Yes, sire." "Everyone follow me!" "Gwaine, secure the armory." "Percival, with me." " This is your doing." " Oh, stand aside." " There's nothing you can do about it now." " I can kill you for the traitor that you are." "Brave words, Elyan." "And they shall be your last." "We don't have time to play soldiers, Agravaine." "The lower town is lost." "It's only a matter of time before they reach the citadel." "How did this happen?" "How did they get in without being detected?" "We knew Agravaine was planning something." "It seems your worst fears have been realized, Merlin." " Merlin?" " I've got to find Arthur!" "We can't hold them for much longer." "Lead the people to the woods." "Retreat!" "Retreat!" "Merlin." "Been hiding in the broom cupboard as usual, Merlin?" "We need to get out of here." " Are you all right?" " I'm fine." "Maybe a broken rib or two." "Agravaine." "Don't." "It's no good." "Arthur, there are too many of them." "We can deal with your uncle later." "All right?" "Go." "Quickly, this way." "Go on." "Quickly, go on." "The city has fallen." "Camelot is ours." "And?" "Taking Camelot was the easy part, Helios." "I want Arthur." "Where is he?" "He's right here, my lady, in the palace." "He has nowhere left to run." "Hmm." "I can bind the rib cage, but even then, we run the risk of puncturing a lung." "Do whatever it takes, Gaius, just so long as I can swing a sword." " How do we stand?" " The citadel is overrun." "We can't hold on much longer." " How long before they reach us?" " Minutes at best." "They're coming for Arthur." "They'll kill him." " We must get him to safety while we still can." " Arthur would never abandon his people." "He'd rather die." "Barricade the doors." "Give us as much time as you can." "We need to get Arthur out whether he likes it or not." "Give him some potion, something to knock him out." "I don't have anything strong enough." "In my chambers perhaps, but the Southrons have control of the palace." " There must be something." " I'm sorry, Merlin." "Maybe there's something you can do." "Arthur won't go willingly." "But what if he was to lose his will?" "Are you suggesting magic?" " Can you do it?" " I can try." " I'm sorry, sir." "This is going to hurt." " Just get on with it." "We need to leave now, sire." "Of course." "Then let's go." "We'll use the postern gate." "I'll keep them off your back as long as I can." " Gather your things, Gaius." " You go, Merlin." "I'll just slow you down." " Gaius, no." " You must know it's for the best." " No, if you stay here" " No time to argue." "I'm sorry." "Look after our king, Merlin." "It seems your victory is short-lived, Morgana." "Prepare the horses." "We're going on a hunt." "Thank you, Percival." "Can you walk on your own?" " Oh, yes." "Just point me in the right direction." " Shh." " Elyan." " Heh." "Don't hold back on my account." " Is the way out of Camelot clear?" " As far as I can tell." "Come on, Arthur." "They'll come after us." "They know Arthur's alive." "Then we have to make it across the border, find sanctuary anywhere we can." "I know a place." "Ealdor." "It's beyond the White Mountain." "Wait." "Listen." "Run!" "Where's Percival?" "We have to go." " Go." " What about you?" "Don't worry about me." "Go." "Sorry." "My fault." "Well, I think we're safe for now." "But we need to find you some kind of disguise." "You're too conspicuous in those clothes." "Whatever you say." "I'm entirely in your hands." "All quarters of Camelot are now under our control." "Some knights have fled to the woods, but those that did not escape are either in our dungeons or dead." "Very good." "Have the people of Camelot welcomed me as their queen?" "They will swear allegiance to no one but Arthur." "I expected no less." "Burn their crops." "Let's see how they feel when their children begin to starve." "And what of Arthur?" "We'll find Arthur soon enough." "Ah." "Perfect." " In your own time, obviously." " Unh." "Sorry, Merlin." "Some of these things are a little on the tight side." " Beggars can't be choosers, sire." " No, you're right." "I probably should learn to think before I speak, shouldn't I?" " It would be a start." " Unh." "All done." "Well, Arthur, what can I say?" "You look like a total turnip-head." "Well, shall I try something else?" "There's plenty more here." "No, no." "That will do absolutely fine." " Although maybe I'll take that." " My gold?" " Probably safer with me." " Of course." "Do you know what this is?" "No?" "It's a Nathair, from the Mountains of Asgorath." "Harmless enough most of the time." "But with a little persuasion, it can cause a man pain beyond all imagining." "So you have a choice." "Tell me where Arthur is or sample the delights of my little friend here." "I'll tell you nothing." "I was hoping you'd say that." "Good God, will it never end?" "What's wrong?" "Don't have the stomach for it?" "Arthur travels to Ealdor." "You will leave without delay." "And, Agravaine fail me again and you'll be taking Elyan's place." " What have they done to him?" " This is the work of the Nathair serpent." "He's been tortured to the limit of human endurance." "Can you help him?" "I'll do what I can." " I thought I told you to leave at once." " My men are all ready to depart." "Then what are you waiting for?" "I" "I just wanted to say goodbye." "Consider it done." "And to ask you to take care." "Why?" "I have nothing to fear." "Despite all that you have achieved, Morgana, you must remain cautious." "There's danger at every turn." "You can trust no one, not even Helios." "No one except you." "Is that it?" "I am your one true ally, my lady." "I am your one true friend." "I would do anything for you." " You know that." " I am grateful for your loyalty, Agravaine." "That is why I have entrusted this mission to you." "I understand." "Of course I do." "I only wish it did not take me from your side where I can best protect you." "Find Arthur and you need never leave my side again." "My lady." "Stop." "Wait here." "Hello." "I found them lurking in the woods." "See anything interesting?" "No." "You wanna watch where you stick your beak, boy." "I didn't see anything." "We were just passing through." " They've no horses, no supplies, nothing." " Like to travel light, do you?" "Something like that." " So where you headed?" " North over the border." "Lot's kingdom." "He doesn't take kindly to strangers, I can tell you." "Likes to decorate his fortress with their heads." " So why are you heading there?" " I have my reasons." "Right." "I agree with him." "What's wrong with your friend?" "He's a simpleton." "He can't help it." " Look after him, do you?" " Without me, he wouldn't last a day." "Very well." "I suppose you can be on your way." "Could we not come with you?" "I mean, I would be grateful for the company, to be honest." "I'm very annoying." " Sorry." " Please?" "Don't push it, boy." "You're lucky I let you go with your lives." "I could pay you." "With gold." "Well, why didn't you say so before?" "Mm." "What kind of coward would deny who he is?" "Men, this way." "They can't have gone far." "We make camp here." " Why, thank you." " My pleasure." "That doesn't concern you." "Oh, I'm sorry." "It's just I recognized that smell." " That is frankincense, isn't it?" " What if it is?" " Must be worth a fortune." " It must be." " You're smugglers?" " We prefer to think of it as free trade." " Heh." " It's forbidden by edict of the king." " If you're caught, you could be killed." " Caught?" "Tristan and Isolde?" "I don't think so." "We're too quick and too smart for the half-wit king in Camelot." "You don't say." "More soup?" "Yes, please." "Thank you." "A "please" and a "thank you" all at the same time." "That's amazing." " Is it?" " Mm." "Well, let's just say manners are not your strong point." "Really?" "In what way?" "Rude, thoughtless, insensitive." " And that's when you're in a good mood." " I'm sorry to hear that." "I don't think you realize how hard I work for you." "I know you're the king, but it would be nice if you could do one small thing for yourself as a gesture, mark of respect." "Sorry to have been a disappointment, Merlin." "I'll try harder in future." "Oh, I look forward to that." "On the other hand, why wait?" " That pot will need rinsing out as well." " Of course." "And when you're done with that, the horses need a rubdown too." "My pleasure." "Over there." " You all right?" " Yeah." "You'd better have a damn good explanation for this, Merlin." "Fine." "I'll just carry on kicking you." " You're back." " What do you mean I'm back?" "You're talking gibberish." "Listen to me, please." "Camelot is lost." "You were injured in an attack." "You passed out." "I had to get you out of there." "Where are we now?" "We're heading north to a safe haven, to Ealdor." "Hopefully, the knights will meet us there." "Who are these people?" "They're, uh smugglers." " Smugglers!" " Shh." "All right, let's assume for one moment you know what you're doing." " It doesn't explain why I look like a village idiot." " It's the perfect disguise." "No one would ever suspect you of being, you know, who you are." "I'm sorry, Merlin." "I am not going around looking like this." "You have to." "You've got to keep in character." "Character?" " What character?" " You." "We leave as soon as the horses are watered." "Explain it to the simpleton, would you?" "Simpleton." " He's talking to you." " I don't answer to that name." "You're in character, remember." "Impressive piece." "Thankee, sir." "May I?" "Magnificent." "The only place you find workmanship of this quality is the royal forge of Camelot." "Tell me how did you come by it?" "I won it in a card game." "I gave it to him as a present." "He won't be parted from it." "Makes him feel safe." "I hope for your sake that's true." "I'd hate to think that I was riding with a knight of Camelot." "Aye." "Knight of Camelot?" " Ha, ha." " Look at him." "You're right." "The knights may be stupid, but they're not that stupid." "Pack your things, simpleton." "Call me that again and I'll run you through." " We won't have to keep it up for much longer." " How long?" "Stay close." "Head for those trees." "We'll cover you." "Do you wanna live or not?" " Now what?" " Now it's our turn." " Who's gonna cover us?" " Don't be a simpleton, Merlin." " They haven't found the cargo." " They will." "Besides, they weren't after the cargo." "They were after you." "Who the hell are you?" "My name is Arthur Pendragon." " The king of Camelot?" " At least, I was." "I've lost everything I've worked for for some good-for-nothing king?" "That's something coming from a smuggler." "I wouldn't have to be a smuggler if it wasn't for your damn taxes, would I?" "Those taxes help protect the people of this land." "My people are dead." "You call that protection?" "Excuse me." "Sorry to interrupt, but:" "Isolde." "We had a deal." "Partners for life, remember?" "When have I not kept my promises?" "We need to keep moving." "There'll be more coming soon." "Then go." "There's nothing stopping you." " Come with us to Ealdor." "You'll be safe there." " I'm choosy about the company I keep." "He saved my life, Tristan." "Thank you." "But none of this would have happened if it wasn't for them." "She's injured." "She needs shelter and rest." "Mm." "Very well." "But know this, Arthur Pendragon." "I do this for her." "You and your kind bring nothing but misery to this land." "Have you come to gloat, my lady?" "Is that any way to treat an old friend?" "Oh, I'll forgive you." "After all, you're not looking your best." "Can't you see he's starving?" " We all are." " Of course you are." "You killed so many of my men." "I'll have the kitchen prepare you a feast." "I think not of myself but of Gaius." "He can't survive long without food." "Oh, Gwaine." "So handsome so selfless." "Of course, you shall have some supper." "As long as you're prepared to sing for it." "This marks the border between Camelot and Lot's kingdom." "Ealdor lies at the far side of that valley." " Maybe half a day on foot." " We'll rest here for the night." "There's no way Agravaine could have tracked us through those mountains." "I'll make a fire." "We must keep Isolde warm." " Here." "Keep your strength up." " I'll get my own." "Behold!" "A knight of Camelot." "Famed as the greatest knights in five kingdoms." "Let's see if that fame's deserved, shall we?" "You knew?" "You knew Agravaine was betraying me?" "I couldn't be sure." "But, um, I did have my suspicions." "I feel like such a fool." "I put such trust in him." "All this time, I was blind to his treachery as I was to Morgana's." "You were deceived, Arthur." "It could happen to anyone." "Yet it keeps happening to me." "I cared about these people." "I..." "I don't understand." "What have I done wrong?" "Why do they hate me?" "No, they don't hate you." "They just crave your power for themselves." "Perhaps." "Would they still want that power if I was the king my people deserve?" " Maybe Tristan is right." " Tristan was angry and afraid." "He needed to blame someone." "But it's not you that's to blame." "You seem very sure about all this." "All I know is that, for your many faults you are honest and brave and truehearted." "And one day you will be the greatest king this land has ever known." "Well good to know I have the support of my servant, at least." "I'm not alone." "Believe me." "Is that all you have?" "I was promised a decent fight." "You're a very angry man." "I can see that." "It must be hard being so ugly." "Children crying, women screaming." "Come on." "Congratulations, Sir Knight." "An admirable display." "You've earned your reward." "But you're going to have to do better if you want some more." "Merlin." "Mother." "Welcome home, Merlin." "Cleaned her wound." "There's no sign of infection." "So as long as she gets plenty of rest, she'll be fine." "Thank you, Merlin, for everything you've done for her." "I'm sorry I've brought this misfortune upon you." "Well, I may have lost my cargo but I still have my beloved Isolde." "Then you're richer than you know." "Spread out." "Ensure the village is surrounded." "No one must escape." " It's good to have you home, Merlin." " I'm so sorry it's been so long." "I understand how it is, your life in Camelot." "I worry about you sometimes." "The dangers you must face." "Mother, I don't want you to worry." " I can't help it." "It's what mothers do." " Well, we are safe here, all of us." "How's she been?" "As well as can be expected, but, um, a broken heart takes time to mend." "Yeah." "Guinevere." "Hello, Arthur." "What are you doing here?" "It's as good a place as any." "I've missed you." "And I you." "Agravaine." "He's found us." " Any suggestions?" " Round the back." "There!" "Get them!" "Merlin." "You have magic."