"In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy." "His name?" "Merlin." "I hope your trip isn't too upsetting." "Thank you, Arthur." "Ensure you return to Camelot before dusk." "Yes, sir." "Where are they going?" "Morgana's on a pilgrimage to her father's grave." "You look troubled, Gwen." "I'm fine." "You're very secretive these days." "I'm beginning to think there's a man involved." "When do I get to meet any decent men?" "My ladies." "You must follow me." "Aah!" "Gwen!" "Head for the path." "Go!" "I warn you, I'm Uther Pendragon's ward." "He'll have your heads if any harm comes to me." "I have no intention of harming you." "At least not yet." "You're much more valuable to me alive..." "Lady Morgana." "He's coming." "You know what you must do?" "I demand to know where you're taking us." "You'll find out soon enough." "We have a long journey ahead of us." "Get some rest." "I wish to bathe." "You wish to bathe?" "I am the King's ward, and accustomed to certain standards." "I'm sure you are quite contented to stink like a pig, but I'm not." "The Lady Morgana wishes to bathe." "Who wants to help me guard her?" "Morgana's party hasn't returned to Camelot." "There's no sign of her anywhere." "Send riders to the outlying villages." "I want every guard, every sentry looking for her." "I'll dispatch them immediately." "You may find the water a little... icy." "I'm sure I'll manage." "If you were any kind of gentlemen you'd give me some privacy." "Well, unfortunately for you, I am no kind of gentleman." "Get on with it." "You can at least turn your backs!" "So you can make a run for it?" "Do you think I'm that stupid?" "I think you're very stupid." "Run!" "No, no." "This way." "Ow!" "Oh, come on!" "Put your arm around my shoulder." "Come on." "No, no, no." "We'll never outrun them." "You must go on without me." "I'm not leaving you behind." "Morgana, go, please - you must get help." "Take this." "Go!" "Check to see if anyone's alive." "This is Mercian craftsmanship." "Arthur." "It's a ransom note." "They've taken Morgana hostage." "The tracks lead off this way." "Where's Guinevere?" "How could you let her escape?" "Eh?" "You bring me this servant?" "She's worthless to us!" "Put them on." "What are you going to do with me?" "Hengist has never met the Lady Morgana." "For all he knows, you could be Uther Pendragon's ward." "I will not impersonate my mistress." "Then you will die where you stand." "It is such a relief to see you safe." "I couldn't bear the thought of anyone harming you." "The bandits still have Gwen." "I believe they were Mercian." "We've received reports that Hengist has crossed the border." "Hengist?" "You must send a rescue party." "If Hengist is holding her, it would take a small army to rescue your maid." "We can't abandon her!" "How many men would you have me sacrifice to save a servant?" "As many as it takes!" "Gwen gave herself up so that I might escape." "I owe her my life." "She did so willingly and she will be honoured for it." "I don't want her honoured - I want her rescued!" "She is more than just my maid." "She's my friend." "A servant is of no value to these bandits." "I fear she's dead already." "No!" "We cannot give up hope." "Arthur." "I'm begging you." "You have to do something." "My father's right." "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." "How can you say that?" "How can you live with yourselves?" "All of you!" "Kendrick, I was beginning to think you'd failed me." "May I present the Lady Morgana?" "Oh, you're as beautiful as they say, Lady Morgana." "I demand that you release me immediately." "Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays your ransom." "In the meantime, you'll be my guest." "Do not flatter yourself." "I'm not your guest, I am your prisoner." "As you wish." "Take her to the dungeon." "How can you be so heartless?" "Gwen is the most kind, loyal person you'd ever meet and she's been more than a friend to all of us, and you would leave her at the mercy of those animals?" "Morgana..." "Have you no shame?" "Do you think of no-one but yourself?" "Morgana..." "I knew you were many things, Arthur Pendragon, but I didn't know you were a gutless coward." "Morgana!" "Perhaps if you'd stop shouting at me for one second, you'd notice that I'm packing." "You're going after Gwen?" "Of course I'm going after her." "What do you take me for?" "I couldn't disagree with father in public." "Arthur?" "Bring her home." "I suppose you and Arthur are going after Gwen?" "Gaius, don't even think about telling me not to go." "There's nothing you can say that will stop me." "I wasn't going to try and stop you, Merlin." "All I ask is you make sure you come back safely, too." "I'll fetch the horses, you distract the guards." "How do I do that?" "I don't know!" "Do I have to think of everything?" "What did you do?" "I said distract them, not knock them out." "There's just no pleasing you sometimes." "Silence!" "Our royal guest, Lady Morgana, has grown bored." "She needs entertaining." "Yeah!" "Bring on the challenger." "Only one of you will emerge from the cage alive." "Do you accept the challenge?" "Come on!" "Yeah!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "What is your name?" "My name is Lancelot." "You've proved yourself to be a... skilful warrior." "I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest," "Lady Morgana." "My lady." "Next time you fight... do not expect any mercy." "Release the wilddeoren." "No!" "Ah!" "Aah!" "Argh!" "What are you doing, Merlin?" "I must have fallen asleep." "Oh, I'm exhausted." "I can barely keep my eyes open." "Thank you." "I feel so much better." "Guinevere's life is at stake." "We can't afford to waste a second." "Gwen?" "Lancelot!" "I could not believe my eyes when I saw it was you." "I thought my mind was deceiving me." "Why does Hengist think you're Lady Morgana?" "He believes he's holding Morgana to ransom." "When no ransom is paid, he'll realise the truth and then he'll throw me to those beasts." "I will not allow that to happen." "What are you doing here?" "Are you one of Hengist's men?" "No." "What became of you after you left Camelot?" "There are few opportunities for men like me, so I've been earning a living the only way that I know, with a sword in my hand." "It seems it's my destiny to entertain men like Hengist." "I don't believe that of you." "You were so full of hope." "I was wrong." "The world is not like that." "I still see the hope in you." "I do not accept it is gone." "I have thought of you often." "Have you thought of me at all?" "I thought I'd never see you again." "Someone's coming." "No matter what it takes, I'll find a way to get you out of here." "I will." "Merlin?" "Eh?" "Oh, what's happening?" "How long was I asleep for?" "Long enough." "Did you get some rest?" "Couldn't sleep." "I've never seen you like this about anyone." "What are you talking about?" "Gwen." "You really care about her, don't you?" "What I care about is not wasting any more time talking." "Let's get moving." "I have not yet received word from Uther that he intends to pay your ransom." "I was informed that the King was extremely fond of his ward." "Are you not surprised he's content to leave you here to die?" "How can I know the King's mind when I'm locked in your stinking cell?" "If I do not hear from Uther by dawn tomorrow, this stinking cell will be the last place you ever see." "The ransom was supposed to be delivered to the Vale of Dinaria." "If they're holding Gwen anywhere, it has to be there." "Which means... we can save a day's riding if we cut through the Tunnels of..." "Andor." "Oh, no." "I know that face." "I'm not going to like this, am I?" "What's in the tunnels?" "They're infested with wilddeoren." "What are wilddeoren?" "They're like giant... ..baby rats." "Baby rats?" "They don't sound so bad." "They feast on human flesh." "Maybe we should go over the mountains?" "What are you doing?" "Wilddeoren are completely blind, they hunt by sense of smell." "Gaia berries will put them off the scent." "If we smear ourselves with them, perhaps we can pass through the tunnels undetected." "Oh, these stink!" "They're really bad." "Perhaps you'd prefer to be eaten alive?" "Pass me some more, will you?" "I just stood on something." "That was my foot." "Oh, sorry." "How much further is it?" "Ssh!" "Wilddeoren coming this way." "Whatever happens, keep completely still." "Gwen?" "Lancelot!" "I was terrified I might find your cell empty." "There's been no word from Uther." "I fear Hengist is growing suspicious." "You must keep up the pretence." "I will not allow you to die here." "What about you?" "I have little to live for." "Do not say that." "It's the truth." "For all my words, for all that I believed, I've come to nothing." "You are everything that is right with this world." "I did not know you felt that way." "I didn't even know I could... feel this way about someone." "Then you have given me a reason to live." "Be ready." "I'll come for you before nightfall." "Gaia berries worked." "Huh!" "You didn't know if they worked?" "Not for sure." "Now you tell me!" ""Oh, what's that wilddeoren eating?" "It's all right, it's just Merlin."" "Were you trying to get us both killed?" "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have risked your life like that." "Well, they do say love makes you do strange things." "What are you talking about?" "Why can't you just admit your feelings for Gwen?" "It's so obvious a blind man could see it." "Is it really that hard to admit you like her?" "Just say it!" "I can't." "How can I admit that I think about her all the time?" "Or that I care about her more than anyone?" "How can I admit that" "I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?" "Why can't you?" "Because nothing can ever happen between us." "To admit my feelings, knowing that... hurts too much." "Who's to say nothing can happen?" "My father won't let me rescue a servant." "Do you honestly believe he'd let me marry one?" "You want to marry Gwen?" "No!" "No, I don't know." "It's all talk, and that's all it can ever be." "When you're king, you can change that." "I can't expect Guinevere to wait for me." "If she feels as you do, she'll wait for you." "We don't even know if she's still alive." "No, she is." "We will find her." "Come on, we've got a long trek ahead." "Oh, and Merlin... ..if you dare tell anyone about this," "I promise I will make your life a living hell." "You mean more than you already do?" "Yeah." "We could talk about your feelings while you walk?" "Shut up, Merlin." "Morgana..." "Morgana!" "I keep asking myself, why does Uther not pay the ransom?" "He's a rich man." "Why would he leave his beloved ward to suffer a slow and terrible death?" "I don't know." "Please..." "Please!" "It must be very upsetting to know that Uther has abandoned you." "It seems like no-one in the world cares for you." "I don't know why he doesn't pay." "Please, I don't know." "Take her to her cell." "Bring Kendrick to me." "Perhaps he can tell me why the Lady Morgana has the hands of a serving girl." "No!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Hengist, wait." "We did capture the Lady Morgana, but she escaped." "So who exactly do I have in my dungeon?" "Lady Morgana's maid." "Well, thank you for being so honest." "Release the wilddeoren." "No!" "No, please!" "I'm begging you!" "Hengist!" "Hengist, please, please!" "Hengist!" "Hengist!" "We haven't a moment to lose." "Aargh!" "Find her!" "Bring her to me alive!" "Follow this tunnel." "It will take you out beyond the castle walls." "I will buy you as much time as I can." "I'm not leaving you." "You must." "No." "I will not leave you here to die." "I would die for you one hundred times over." "Live for me, or everything that I am has been for nothing." "As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade." "Gwen, don't stop running until you are well away from here." "Run." "Run." "We'll have to scale the walls." "Maybe there's another way in." "Why don't you go and knock on the front gate?" "I'm sure if you ask nicely, they'll hand Guinevere over to you." "Before you die," "I can promise you the most unimaginable pain." "You can do what you will with me." "I do not care." "You can do no harm to Guinevere." "Oh!" "Was that her name?" "Huh?" "A serving girl." "And you really believe she's worth dying for?" "She is worth more to me than you will ever understand." "You thought she'd got away?" "No!" "You've failed her, and that must hurt you more than I will ever understand." "Uh!" "Oh!" "You really are completely useless, aren't you, Merlin?" "It's..." "Whoa!" "..harder than it looks." "Oh, now you're just showing off." "You distract them, I'll knock them out." "How do I distract them?" "What are you doing there?" "Nothing." "Actually, it's a funny story." "I was out walking, and I took a wrong turn, and here I am." "Do you know the way to the Vale of Dinaria?" "Who are you?" "Me?" "Er..." "I'm no-one." "It's him you need to worry about." "Hmm?" "That actually worked pretty well." "What do you say?" "Shall I spare them?" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "I'm sorry." "This is my fault." "You have nothing to be sorry for." "You reminded me of who I am." "I will die with faith in my heart." "That is worth more than anything." "Release the wilddeoren!" "What are you doing here, Lancelot?" "I came to save Gwen." "What about you?" "Likewise." "Get behind us." "The tunnel, it's our only chance." "Merlin!" "Don't sit there cowering." "Let's go!" "After them!" "Take Guinevere, I will hold them off." "No!" "Guinevere, we have to go." "Open the gate!" "I see you're still up to your old tricks, Merlin." "It's probably best you don't tell anyone about that." "Good to see you both." "Where are your knights?" "It is just us." "We've got to keep moving." "Thank you, Arthur." "We owe you our lives." "I am surprised you would undertake such a rescue mission with just the two of you." "Father would not risk the lives of his knights for a servant." "And yet you disobeyed him and came here anyway?" "Truth is, I only came because Morgana begged me." "I think I'll get some rest." "We should all get some rest." "I'll stand guard for a while." "I'll just...sit here, then." "Is it true that Arthur came to rescue Gwen because Morgana begged him?" "He has feelings for her, doesn't he?" "What about you?" "Do you have feelings for Gwen?" "My feelings do not matter." "I will not come between them." "Tell Gwen..." "Tell Gwen that she has changed me forever... ..but some things cannot be." "Where's Lancelot?" "Where is he?" "He's gone." "No." "He said that some things can't be." "He wanted you to know that you've changed him forever." "We have a long walk ahead of us." "Morgana." "There's someone here to see you." "Gwen!" "I thought I'd never see you again." "Look on the bright side." "You've still got me." "Is that supposed to cheer me up?" "Thought it might." "You really are a complete idiot, aren't you, Merlin?" "The potion is prepared." "Lady Catrina is not all that she seems to be." "Already he falls for me." "I can see it in his eyes." "How could he resist such beauty?" "Are you going to tell Uther that his new lady friend's a troll?" "That is exactly what I'm going to do." "Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd" "E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk"