The Winter King (2023) s01e02 Episode Script

[UTHER] You failed
- Come on!
- to defend the prince.
[ARTHUR] The Saxons outflanked
us south and west.
- [UTHER] You truly are my bastard.
- [IMPACT GRUNTS]
- Father!
- [MERLIN] Banish him!
From Dumnonia and all of Britain.
[GROANS]
[ARTHUR, SOFTLY]
You're going to make it.
- Muder!
- [ARTHUR] You're a warrior.
[MERLIN] Silurians, we save the isles,
they thank us with endless raids.
[ARTHUR] He's dying.
Merlin, nurture him.
[MERLIN] Nimue, in time, you will be
the most powerful druid
Dumnonia has ever known.
[NIMUE] We'll call you Derfel.
It means strong.
[MERLIN] Your life must be
a solitary one.
Without union and without child.
What if I refuse?
- Then the gods won't speak to you again.
- [SCREAMS]
[UTHER] The kingdom of kingdoms has
a new heir, Prince Mordred.
[MERLIN] You have another son,
a man other men will follow.
You walk away now,
and you're never coming back.
[SHOUTING]
[GUNDLEUS] I've come to pledge
my allegiance, high-king.
[MERLIN] Come home, Arthur.
Only you can save the isle.
King Gundleus of Siluria.
[UTHER] You think Siluria's
treachery can be forgotten?
- [HOWLING]
- [GUNDLEUS] Set me a test,
worthy of my crimes. Anything.
[UTHER] Anything?
[GUNDLEUS] Anything.
[BIRDS SQUAWKING]
[MERLIN] Arthur, news of your
father's declining health
- has spread far and wide.
- [GRUNTS] Not that far.
He is not long of this world, Arthur.
You have a brother, Mordred.
Surely you must have guessed that.
Yes. I heard about
the birth of my brother.
That he's misshapen?
A club foot is no sin, Merlin.
I've seen what he can, will do.
Darkness is coming to Dumnonia.
It's already beginning.
Uther is weakening,
the wolves are circling.
Gundleus of Siluria is at Caer Cadarn.
- Gundleus?
- Uther's letting
his enemies get too close.
You must come back with me now.
Only you can bring the country together.
I'm flattered.
But it's not true.
Let's get you something to eat.
You're resentful
because Uther banished you?
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
He made me free.
I'm my own man.
- No family, no country, no religion.
- Careful, Arthur.
Growing up in Dumnonia
I didn't know who I was.
I spent half my time in Caer Cadarn,
the bastard son of a king
who didn't care for me.
And when I wasn't with him,
I was with you in Avalon.
And you taught me many things, Merlin.
Many things.
And I'm grateful.
I'm sorry you've come all this way.
Truly, I am.
But you must understand
the old country has no sway over me.
I am not coming back.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- [TEWDRIC] Queen Norwenna
- King Tewdric.
- Queen Norwenna.
- Nimue.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES]
Derfel.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Father, are you sure about
what you're doing with Gundleus?
There is someone else.
I've made up my mind.
Father, I know you've heard the stories.
Arthur's never lost a battle,
he's beaten every enemy
I won't speak of him.
And I swear, if you do again,
you'll suffer the same fate.
[MORGAN] Sorry.
Are they all there?
The ones you expected, yes.
- [COUGHS]
- Father, you are ill.
The Tribe Kings can wait. Please.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[DERFEL] Gundleus is
the man who took my mother.
I want him to feel the pain that I felt.
[WHISPERS] Oh, Derfel
[LAUGHS]
Derfel, please don't
do anything, please.
[BEDWIN] The king is coming.
[UTHER BREATHING LOUDLY]
I am old.
And I will not live long. [COUGHS]
[GROANS] [RETCHES]
[PANTS]
[GASPING] I have a
I have a baby boy.
And Dumnonia is his.
Dumnonia is Mordred's to rule
when I die.
And here now
I will name three men
who are bound by oath to defend my son
until he is ready
to assume his kingship.
Bishop Bedwin
the leader of
the Christian Church in Britain.
Owain, champion of Dumnonia.
And King
Gundleus.
[CADWYS] What?
He has shown you no loyalty.
He's raided us.
Taken our sheep, stolen our tin
Enough! [COUGHS]
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
Gundleus is a king
without a wife.
And very soon
my Lady Norwenna
will be a queen without a husband.
When I am gone,
they will be joined in marriage.
But only
only if he breaks his alliance
with his Uncle Gorfydd of Powys,
which Gundleus
has sworn upon his life to do.
[TEWDRIC] Gorfydd is
Dumnonia's greatest enemy
and Gundleus has always
done his bidding.
No more.
I give you my oath.
And how will you prove
that you've changed allegiance?
[GUNDLEUS] By action.
My Uncle Gorfydd is sending a war band
into Dumnonia to steal the harvest.
My men will stop him.
You'll wage war against your uncle?
For the honor of becoming
Mordred's protector
and the future husband
of Queen Norwenna
I swear it.
[INDISTINCT]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Where are you going?
I have supplies for my lord.
Big man, let him through. He's with me.
A Saxon?
One of Merlin's orphans.
[GUNDLEUS] Oh?
And why did Lord Merlin single you out?
- I survived a death pit.
- [MEN LAUGHING]
How's that possible?
I have the scars to prove it.
- You wish to see?
- Uh-huh.
You may have fooled
King Uther, Gundleus,
but the gods see you for what you are.
You're a fork-tongued snake.
So, slither back on your belly
to your Uncle Gorfydd.
Shh, shh, shh.
Who is this girl,
who dares insult me?
[OWAIN] This one?
- Oh, she's our druidess.
- Ah.
I speak for the gods.
The gods
are gone,
little druidess.
- Gone.
- [LOUD RUMBLING]
[HORSES NEIGHING]
The gods
The gods are everywhere.
- [GRUNTS]
- Until the next time.
Ha!
Derfel.
Derfel, please.
Why would you do that?
I had one chance to avenge
my mother and you've just
You've taken it from me.
They'd have killed you.
But that was my choice, not yours.
You can't die, Derfel.
The gods, they have a plan for you.
You've chosen your path.
Just let me choose mine.
Do you think it's easy for me?
Choosing a path without you.
Sometimes I think I'd like to marry
have children, watch them grow,
grow old myself,
with the person I love beside me.
Sometimes I think that's all I want.
[WHISPERS] Then do it.
Reach out and take that life.
[SIGHS]
Merlin says my way must be solitary.
He says I will be a great druidess
and that I will suffer.
I already am suffering.
Everything's about Merlin
and what he chooses for you.
Have you ever thought
maybe he might be wrong?
[WIND HOWLING]
[BIRDS SQUAWKING]
You must rest, please, high-king.
[UTHER] I'll have time enough for that.
Well?
Did Gundleus go north?
[CLEARS THROAT] He has. Aye, he has.
- Er
- Father! Father!
Now, Father.
Now you can rest.
It isn't easy to be the king.
[MORGAN] But you've been
the greatest of them all.
Truly.
Now, Father, you mustn't talk any more.
[BEDWIN] My lord.
[GROANS]
Gundleus is Gorfydd's creature.
See if he has the courage
to stand up to him.
But you can outwit him.
You must.
Owain
You
You have been a son to me.
Fight the Saxon in Calleva.
If Dumnonia falls to them,
all of Britain will fall.
[SIGHS]
I laid two stones
on Mordred's eyes.
And I sent the other one away.
Arthur.
He shone too bright.
Merlin favored him above me.
[MORGAN] No. No, my king.
Merlin loves you. He loves you.
[UTHER] If you have to,
lay down your life
for your baby brother.
He
He is your blood.
- He is Pendragon blood.
- I will.
- Promise me.
- I promise.
I promise.
Where is Merlin?
Where is Merlin?
He isn't here.
[GROANS]
I want to be burned in the old way.
In Avalon.
Yes.
Yes, Father.
I turned my back on the gods
but I didn't want to.
I had to do it to bring peace
to my kingdom. I
I I I hope they forgive me.
Do you think they'll forgive me?
[MORGAN] I know they do.
Father, I know they do.
Look for me
when you cross the water to
the Otherworld.
[CRYING]
[SOBBING]
[WHISPERS] Don't get lost in the water.
Be safe in the mist.
[WOMAN SCREAMING]
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- [LIGESSAC SINGING]
- [GUARD 1] You can do the night's watch.
- [GUARD 2] You rest well.
[LIGESSAC CONTINUES SINGING]
[SINGING]
The song of Uther's victory
at Caer Idarn.
Were you there?
- I'm not that old, boy.
- [ALL LAUGH]
This was my uncle's.
He fought at Caer Idarn.
On the way to the battle,
Uther saw the comet,
said it was in the shape of a dragon.
After he had beaten the Saxons,
he wiped their blood on his standard.
And from then on,
he was known as "The Great Red Dragon".
Britain won't see a king like him again.
I'm going to tend the sheep.
Join me when you're done.
I'm sorry we couldn't do better
than oat cakes and dried fish.
Oh, no, it's good for me not to overeat.
Now Queen Norwenna's
beginning to recover
from the death of the king,
she's happy here, isn't she?
[MORGAN] She's surrounded by women
and mothers. She feels safe.
Have you heard anything from Gundleus?
No, we don't know if he's alive or dead.
If he's fought Gorfydd's war party,
it could be the latter.
Let's hope so,
for Norwenna's sake.
She doesn't much like the idea
of becoming his wife.
[WOMAN] He's so beautiful.
I don't blame her.
How did you avoid marrying, Lady Morgan?
- [BOTH LAUGH]
- Er, no one would have me.
My tongue is too sharp.
[BOTH LAUGH]
I think you sharpened it
for that very reason.
[MORGAN LAUGHS]
[GASPS]
Nimue, what is it?
I don't know.
What did you see?
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[LUNETE] Can't you stay with us
a little longer?
The bishop says
he must return to Caer Cadarn.
Especially with Lord Owain
fighting the Saxons.
I'm glad he didn't take you with him.
- I'm not. I wanted to fight.
- Listen to him.
And I thought I could
make a farmer out of him.
[CHUCKLES] Wouldn't it
feel strange anyway,
to raise a sword
against your own people?
I may have been born a Saxon, but
I feel like I'm one of you.
Because you are.
Avalon will always be your home.
[WHIMPERING]
[BIRD CAWING]
[WHIMPERING]
[CLATTERS]
[HORSES NEIGHING]
Riders.
[HORSE NEIGHING]
I have come to pay my respects
to Queen Norwenna
and the Edling King.
- Who's she?
- Don't know.
- [HORSE NICKERING]
- [EXHALES]
[BEDWIN] Let him pass. He's
the Edling King's protector.
- King Gundleus.
- Bishop.
Lady.
May I see the child?
Lady Morgan?
How did you fare
with your Uncle Gorfydd?
Oh, I routed his war party.
[SIGHS] Thank the good lord for that.
- What proof do you have?
- Ah.
This. See?
Inscribed with the motto of Powys.
"Be so that you are."
I wish to lay this at the feet
of my Queen Norwenna.
- Welcome to Avalon, King Gundleus.
- Please.
I am at your service, lady.
Whatever you need of me
ask
and it shall be done.
- I am most grateful.
- [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Ah. How is the young king?
[NORWENNA] He grows strong.
The air is good for him here.
Ah, as it is for you, hmm?
I'd like very much
to hear of your adventures
against King Gorfydd.
Would you honor us and eat with us?
[GUNDLEUS] Oh, I will. Uh
May I hold him?
- [GUNDLEUS CHUCKLES]
- [BABY FUSSING]
Of course.
[GUNDLEUS] Oh.
Well, he's so small. [CHUCKLES]
[CLICKS TONGUE]
A baby cannot rule Britain.
- [ALL GASPING AND SCREAMING]
- No!
[DERFEL] Where's Nimue?
Run! To the river!
- To the river.
- Where's Nimue?
Father.
[MORGAN] Run!
[SCREAMS] My baby!
- Come on.
- I'll follow you.
I'll follow you.
- Whoo!
- [YELPING]
[SCREAMS]
[CHANTING]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
[CHANTING SOFTLY]
[GUNDLEUS PANTING]
Leave this sacred place!
[LADWYS] She's protected
by a ghost fence.
Let her be.
- I know you.
- [CHANTING]
Leave this sacred place!
No, don't!
[LAUGHS]
Druidess.
Leave now.
Or I'll make your soul scream
for the rest of time.
- [GRUNTING]
- [SCREAMING]
- No! Get off!
- [WHIMPERS]
[NIMUE] Get off me!
What are you doing?
Taking what's ours.
[GRUNTING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[MOANING]
[GRUNTING]
[MUFFLED GRUNTING]
- [GASPS, GROANS]
- [GUNDLEUS GRUNTING]
[MAN CHUCKLES]
Find anything of value,
then torch the place.
[FIRE CRACKLING]
[COUGHS]
[COUGHS]
- Derfel?
- Nimue.
Sit up. Sit up.
We have to get out. Come this way.
[GRUNTING]
[SCREAMING]
[DERFEL] Go! Go! Go!
[GRUNTING]
No!
No! [SCREAMS]
Stay down, stay down, stay down.
[GROANS]
- Come on! Come on!
- No.
We need to go!
- We have to go!
- Leave me.
Come on! Come on!
Come on!
[GASPING]
[GRUNTING]
[SCREAMING]
[GUNDLEUS] Here they are.
- Little chickens, come home to roost.
- [GASPING]
You're a lying traitor.
- You've broken your oath to King Uther.
- An oath?
Oh? Sworn on this.
[LAUGHS]
[YELLS]
Ah, Queen Norwenna,
no more tears, pretty lady,
or they soil that pretty face.
- My son.
- [GUNDLEUS] I know, but
For the good of this country,
I had to do it.
But I understand.
You were the mother of a king, now
you're nothing. Nobody.
- Let me go.
- Oh, where to?
Who to?
Oh, you need a protector.
I suppose I shall
have to take on the role.
Kneel.
Kneel.
Now.
[BEDWIN] Queen Norwenna, don't.
Kiss my sword.
[CRIES]
[BREATH TREMBLING]
Kiss my sword.
[GROANS]
The Almighty will
damn you to hell for this.
Now you, go tell the Lords
of Dumnonia what I did.
And if they won't submit to me,
I'll butcher their wives
and children too.
- [YELPS]
- [GUNDLEUS] And tell them
- I have a pagan as my betrothed.
- [GRUNTS]
And she will curse them as I kill them.
By sunset every man, woman
and child in Dumnonia
will know you for a monster.
Ah, fear breeds obedience, my love.
Pull back your hair.
- What if she's put spells on it?
- Oh, no, no, no.
All her powers died
after I took her, remember?
There.
Oh.
Queen.
Queen of Dumnonia.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
[NIMUE] He took my torc.
Merlin gave it to me
for my thirteenth naming day.
[GASPS]
It's only me, Nimue.
Morgan's in the boat ahead.
She'll find herbs to soothe you.
Everyone ran.
But you tried to save Merlin's Hall.
[GASPS]
- Listen to me!
- Let me go.
- Please, please, let me go.
- No, you can't do this!
I won't let you.
I won't let you do this.
- No, Derfel, I want to die.
- No, you can't.
[YOUNG NIMUE] Help!
Help!
Help!
[DERFEL] You're not giving up now.
Give me your arm, give me
your arm. Keep moving.
[GRUNTING, GASPING]
[SOBBING]
Listen to me.
You said that I had to stay
alive to do the gods' work.
Why is it not the same for you?
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[YOUNG NIMUE] Help!
- [PANTING]
- What is your name?
N N
- Nimue.
- I'm taking you to safety, Nimue.
Manawydn, the sea god, saved you.
It wasn't Manawydn.
It was Nehallenia
his wife.
[GASPS]
[WATER SPLASHING]
Merlin raised me
because I could see the gods,
but what if I can't now,
because of what Gundleus did to me?
I want to go to the Otherworld.
You must let me.
If I do, then Gundleus has taken
everything from me that I love.
I won't let you go.
- [BABY CRYING]
- You're alive!
- Oh.
- [MORGAN] Move, move, this way.
Is my father with you?
[MORGAN] Straight,
straight up here. Come on.
He's gone.
- Huh?
- He's gone.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
- I'm so sorry.
- [YELPS]
[MORGAN] Derfel, we must go.
Come, come. We must move. Nimue.
Come on.
[MORGAN] We must get to Caer Cadarn.
We can't take the road.
The Silurians will be guarding it.
[DERFEL] We have to keep moving.
Gundleus will hunt Nimue.
[MORGAN] It's not Nimue they're after.
Ralla.
[WHISPERS] I don't understand.
Prince Mordred? The Edling King?
Lord! Lord!
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
[GASPS]
[CULWYN] The baby
that Gundleus killed
it was ours.
Come. We need to keep moving.
No, no, no, stop, stop, stop.
- Your child
- Is dead.
[CULWYN] We made a
a secret oath to King Uther.
If the worst happened
we'd protect his son.
You made that oath. I didn't.
I had no choice. Please, please, Ralla.
Attack.
Get the horses, my love.
Go north, towards Abona.
You head south.
If they're on the road to Caer Cadarn,
you bring word to me
and you cut them off.
- Go.
- [ALL] Hyah!
Quick, Nimue.
- Quick, Nimue. Nimue.
- [BABY FUSSES]
Keep him quiet.
[WINGS FLAPPING]
A turtle dove alone is a bad omen.
[HORSE TROTTING]
Stay back, stay back, stay back.
- Hush, hush.
- [BABY CRIES LOUDLY]
- [BABY'S CRY ECHOING]
- Go, go. Move up.
There. Leave the horses.
- Quick, quick.
- [GASPS]
Go.
Quick, Culwyn.
Up there, up there.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
- [WHISPERS] Now what?
- [WHISPERS] We take them.
I've I've never killed a man.
Neither have I.
[WHIMPERS]
Wait, wait. Now.
[SCREAMS]
- [SCREAMS]
- [GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
[MEN GRUNTING IN DISTANCE]
- [DERFEL YELPS]
- [GASPS]
[GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
- [GRUNTS]
- [NOISE STOPS]
- [BIRDS CHIRPING]
- [TURTLE DOVE COOING]
They've killed them.
Derfel's dead.
No. Derfel's alive.
[BABY BABBLING SOFTLY]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I thought I'd lost you too.
I cursed him with our child's name.
He was one of the men in Merlin's Hall.
- He saw.
- He doesn't see any more.
You've earned this.
Come. Take what you can
and let's keep moving.
[DERFEL] Come on.
Quick.
Let's go, let's go.
On, quick as you can.
Let's move.
It's open ground. What do we do now?
I say we run.
- Let's go.
- [DERFEL] Move fast, everyone.
- [MORGAN] Hurry.
- [DERFEL] Fast. Come on.
[MORGAN] Ralla, come.
Give him to me.
[MORGAN] Let's keep moving.
Nimue.
There they are. Little rabbits. With me.
- [MORGAN] Hurry!
- [SHOUTING]
Let's go.
[MORGAN] Hurry.
[DERFEL] Quick.
Form a circle around the king.
I'll kill him
before he touches you again.
I'll kill myself first.
[GUNDLEUS] You've led us a dance.
- Give me the king.
- We will not.
[GUNDLEUS LAUGHS] Oh, you will.
Unless you and a stable boy and
a despoiled druidess can stop me.
I swore to my father
I'd protect him with my life.
And I keep my oath.
[GUNDLEUS] Well, then we'll
blunt our swords on you, lady.
You are a traitor and a murderer.
- A coward.
- Kill him.
[GRUNTING]
[PANICKED NEIGHING]
[GASPS]
[DERFEL] Arthur. Arthur has come.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]