The Witcher (2019) s02e04 Episode Script

The Trail will test you.
Force you to move beyond the pain, the fear, the failure.
Until you become one with the killer itself.
Remember, hesitation will draw danger to you like fire.
But trust the path you choose and it will protect you.
Even in darkness.
As long as you listen.
Always listen.
Don't be scared.
I'm not going to hurt you.
You're a girl.
So are you.
I'm going to Kaer Morhen.
Is that where you're headed? I appreciate the suspicion, but be reasonable.
Would I have gotten this far if I didn't know the way? Let me look.
Your heart beat faster.
I heard it.
It's nice to meet you.
You you're a sorceress, like Yennefer.
Triss.
And a friend of Geralt's.
You must be quite charitable.
It's good to see you again.
And you.
I brought dinner.
More than that.
My child, what a surprise.
Hello, Vesemir.
Oh, hell, haven't even had me fill of grog yet, and already, the women are doubling.
- Merigold.
- Lambert.
I see your wounds have improved, but your manners have not.
I wish you'd come sooner.
We all could have used you.
Hopefully, we still can.
Your turn, boys.
Get to it.
I'll go and dress for dinner.
I assume you'll all want to wash up as well? Of course not.
So how do you two know each other? People of Gors Velen, the end is nigh! The Wild Hunt walks among us.
- Get in there, you elven pig.
- The end is nigh! The end is nigh! Nilfgaard are our punishment from the gods! Keep it moving! Take your mind off it, Beardell.
I have done.
For the past hour.
Stop! That is enough from the two of you! Stop fidgeting! Shut up and get over here! - I need to relieve myself.
- We'll reach our destination by sundown.
- Where are you taking us? - Shut up! Please, sir.
I can't wait.
Could I be escorted to an alley? You can restrain me.
Yeah, well, if it can't wait, it can't wait, can it? Thank you, sir.
Go on, then.
Relieve yourself.
You elf scum.
Come on, then! - Move, you pointies! - The Wild Hunt! The Wild Hunt walks among us! Watch for the signs! The market is too crowded.
Soldiers are everywhere.
Portal us out of here.
I can't.
Portals can be tracked.
Then explain to me how you're not dead weight.
Looked in the mirror lately? Prison didn't do you any favors.
I have a mission to complete.
We must get back to Cintra.
Sure.
The Nilfgaardians will be thrilled to have me.
We can reminisce and share fond memories of Sodden.
You'll be entering with their commander general.
They'll make new memories.
They already are.
With the elves.
Oh, you didn't know.
Reclaimed as Xin'trea.
- Under Fringilla's leadership.
- Fringilla? Funny how quickly people forget about you when you're no longer of use to them, isn't it? We're not safe here.
We are not a "we.
" Cintra it is.
King Vizimir, the Northern Kingdoms are united by a common enemy now, but it is a tenuous alliance.
Opportunists and assassins lurk where you least expect them.
I will not live in fear.
Nor would we ask you to.
We only want to serve Redania as best we can.
Ugh.
- Dijkstra? - Good afternoon, Your Highness.
Drink it.
Now.
Oh! Apologies for the theatrics, Your Highness, but I just had to be sure.
Fuckers.
Do you know, I've known him since I was 12.
Even traitors speak the truth.
The Northern Kingdoms have formed an alliance based on their mutual hatred of elves.
But, and if you'll excuse me for saying so, Your Highness, we shouldn't give a shit.
What'll happen once the elves are rounded up and killed? Once they've escaped to Cintra? Why did Nilfgaard go to all the trouble of taking the Continent's crown jewel only to fill it with hungry mouths? Yes, speaking of which, I'm starving, Dijkstra.
Get to the point.
Cintra is the point, Your Highness.
We would never have taken it from Calanthe.
But now Cintra could be ours? If we're smart.
Leave it with us.
I'm starving.
Can I start? It's quieter in here than I remember.
- More food for the rest of us.
- My belly's cooled down.
Talking of bellies Aren't there any herbs or mushrooms for me today? In December? That windmill knock your head about, Princess? Right.
So, Geralt said you saved his life.
He found himself in my kingdom a time ago.
Helped me with a a princess in trouble.
Nastier than you, even.
- Hm! - He's not joking.
She took a big chunk out of him.
But he saved her anyway.
Well, you healed my cheek.
Seems pretty impressive too.
I like your dress.
Thank you.
Would you like me to show you around the keep? I actually know this place pretty well.
When Geralt told me what Triss had done for him, I invited her here.
I brought her here for you.
To help guide you.
What, like Mousesack did for my mother? Just like Mousesack.
But now it's time for bed.
I'm not tired.
All right, come on, you little rat.
I'll play a few rounds of snaps with you before bed.
Maybe I might even let you win.
Yeah, you wish! Night, everyone.
Good night.
- Good night, Ciri.
- Night.
- Night, all.
- Good night.
So, you think you can beat me, do you? So how do you two know each other? We can steal our way onto a boat at dawn.
Oi! What's under the hat? Look! I knew it.
A fucking elf! - Get down boy.
Stay down! - Pointy fuck! Come.
You two.
Thought you could get away? - I had that covered.
- Course you did.
Down here! Oh, shit.
Shit, shit.
We're safer down here than we are up there.
Make a move and lose your head! Stay back! We're not here to hurt you.
I'm still thinking it over! Run, Dermain.
Run! Run like hell! I'm not abandoning you.
I'll stay and fight.
You don't really want to hurt me.
Dermain, was it? Traitorous elven mage, from the posters, you're her! And the wanted Nilfgaardian soldier! Ba'lian, they're on our side! No one's on our side, you trusting idiot.
Are you going to the Sandpiper? Shut up, damn it! Shut up! The Sandpiper is an angel of refuge to the persecuted.
- What is he saying? - All right, all right! Um The Sandpiper helps elves get to Xin'trea.
We get to Oxenfurt, he puts us on a boat.
It's just the two of us.
If you know a way to Cintra and help us, I can assure you your pick of land on our safe return.
If there's no room, we'll catch the next boat.
I promise.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
All right.
Come on.
You're very pretty.
It appears you have some use after all.
Thankfully, men remain simple.
So your surprise was more surprising than you'd imagined.
And mysterious.
She won't tell me anything from before the fall of Cintra.
Well, if her mother did have powers, as you say, if she was a mage who never properly harnessed, the child could have inherited an evolved version of it.
But it's an untested theory.
When did Ciri start exhibiting signs of Chaos? That's the issue.
She hasn't exhibited any typical indicators of Chaos.
- She can't even form witcher signs.
- What do you mean by "typical"? She might have the power of foresight.
She seems to have visions of things that have yet to come to pass.
Like what? She saw me at the aftermath of Sodden Hill.
Before it happened.
No one should have to gaze upon that carnage.
That loss.
There's more.
Ciri felt something else.
A pull.
Toward the leshy that turned Eskel.
Like a compass to a magnet, she led me straight to it.
And then this tore it in half and charged us.
Gods - What is it? - I've never seen anything like it.
But it did try to get her.
Both of them did.
To do what? I didn't let it live long enough to find out.
Could a mage have made this? Theoretically.
But generating monsters has been outlawed for centuries.
Oh, outlawed.
So definitely not a mage, then.
There is one way to find out.
May I? If there is any sign of mutagenic alchemy, if a mage has been involved, that component will glow.
We'll know by morning.
But why would a mage want her? I don't know.
Mages, Nilfgaard, something dark lies ahead of her.
I can feel it.
That's why I'm training her.
I won't be here forever to protect her.
I'm sorry about Eskel.
I'm sorry about Sodden.
Those who died, I I say their names at night when I lay down, so I don't forget.
Atlan Kerk.
Vanielle of Brugge.
Axel Raby.
- Dagobert - Stop.
If it's up to me, everyone will know their names.
They can live on in our memories.
Perhaps something more.
Oh.
You witchers, you pretend not to have emotions, but you do.
I know you feel it too.
All of it.
Normal love, normal hatred, normal pain, fear and regret, normal joy, and normal sadness.
Stay with me tonight.
- Triss.
- Only stay.
Let's not be alone.
I'm sorry.
What is this place? Old elven aqueducts.
Humans built their world on top of our ruins.
Hand me a torch.
Who did this to you? This is important.
Yeah, all right, all right.
Some villagers came at us at a tavern, a week back.
We work well, worked at the bank in Gors Velen.
It's dwarf-owned, so the owner let us escape before the guards came in for a roundup.
Ever since the elves took refuge in Xin'trea, the North have been claiming that we're all sleeper agents for Nilfgaard.
Sounds familiar.
Oh, I doubt that.
All we can hope for now is to survive.
There's said to be a pregnant elf in Xin'trea.
Think of it, Bal.
A new beginning.
It's a fairy tale.
We don't have the fight left anymore to start anew.
The North have made sure of that.
Fuck the North! Yeah, I know.
Fuck the North! No.
I'm starting anew.
Get a little patch of land, raise some chickens.
Find a buxom, raven-haired woman to boss me around.
I'll borrow your hope, then.
Come on, help him! Help me! What the fuck is it? I can't see a thing! Help us! Pull! - No! - Hey! Come back! - No! - No! No! No! He's gone! Fuck! Shit.
Got you! Kill it! Use your magic! I can't! Get off! Move! Come on! Let's go! Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuck, fuck! What the fuck is the point? - Of screaming? - Of anything! You're born helpless so you find strength.
Then that's all they want you for, to use you.
And you find love, but it isn't real.
It's it's a wish someone made once, before they even knew who you were.
And you you find power, and it turns to ash in your hands! Hey! You were incredible that day in Sodden.
The fire.
Oh Oh, that's what did you in, isn't it? It stole your power.
We all have our time in the sun.
Your magic has served its purpose.
Perhaps there's a bigger plan out there for you now.
Yes, yes, yes, the benevolent White Flame who brings purpose and meaning and all that fuckery! Skip the recruitment speech.
- Fringilla already gave it.
- Fringilla is devoted to the cause.
Oh! The most important thing they teach you at Aretuza isn't magic! It's to make people in power believe anything you want them to.
Do anything you want them to! Fringilla's a political animal.
- Trained by the best.
- Yes, I met your best! She tried to puncture my brain and extract every one of my thoughts.
- Exactly.
- Yes, and it didn't work.
But what if it had, huh? What if it had worked? What would she have found? Fringilla and I serve Emhyr because he served us first.
Everyone answers to someone eventually.
Even you, I suspect.
You little shit.
Oi! Get here now, you little shit.
Come on.
Find somewhere.
Hey! Come on! All those lonely nights You left your friend to die in a fucking sewer.
You ran.
I I I took the only option I had.
He would have done the same.
I I had to save myself.
You're not worth it.
What's going on? We have to wait for the place to empty.
Then the piper will take us to the boat.
- The Sandpiper? - That's the one.
He performs here every night.
As I burn all the memories of you Ladies and gentlemen, you have been the most beautiful audience.
Remember to toss a coin if you can.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at the bar.
What for do you yearn? - It's the point of no return - Ooh-hoo-hoo! After everything we did, we saw You turned your back on me What for do you yearn? Watch that Butcher Burn! At the end of my days when I'm through No word that I've written Will ring quite as true As burn Burn, Butcher, burn! Burn, Butcher, burn! Burn, burn, burn! Burn, burn, burn, burn Watch me burn All the memories Of you Thank you.
Leave it with me.
Leave it with me.
Leave it with me.
No, no, no.
No.
There's a religious zeal to the followers of the White Flame.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maybe that's our way into Cintra.
The priestess.
Good point.
Holy men are always the most depraved.
Hmm Hm, hm! A prostitute.
Emhyr has to like women! Or men.
That's the problem.
No one knows his proclivities.
No one knows anything about him.
Who he is.
What he is.
Where he is.
What he wants.
And nothing he does makes any fucking sense! We need to get as much information as possible.
Whoever we use needs to be inside the city walls for a while.
But that narrows our options considerably.
Now that is an out of the box idea.
Getting an elf into Cintra won't be a problem.
But it needs to be the right one.
Someone malleable.
Distrustful.
In all the right ways.
You.
Come with me.
Things are Good morning, Ciri.
Morning.
You look lovely and refreshed.
Triss, when do you think we can get started? Today.
I was hoping you'd help me in the lab.
We can get to know each other.
I can show you a few incantations.
Get a sense for your potential.
and be a great foal to ride, too.
Everard.
Good morning.
Did you sleep well? Oh, good morning, Your Highness.
Please tell me you lost a bet.
Is that a flower in your hair, girl? Oh, she's not joking.
You never got my rags that clean.
Yeah, like you ever wash.
I don't need to, Coen.
Now that's funny.
Thought it suited her, actually.
Sure, if she's going to a ball.
What happened? Oh, nothing.
She just got her royal knickers in a twist.
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
It's just a bit of fun.
For who? You dress her in rags.
Keep her bruised as an apple.
That is, when she isn't washing piss-pots or your trousers.
Does she even have a chemise? Or soap? Or cloth for when she gets her blood? Though, with those mushrooms you're feeding her, you'll ruthlessly deprive her of that before too long.
You say you're mutants.
That's why you don't understand what people feel.
But the truth is, you're choosing to be ignorant arseholes, aren't you? Triss.
How long did it take you to learn to control your powers? A long time.
Just like it will for you.
It's not ready yet.
I can wait.
They felt bad you didn't finish your breakfast.
You know, my grandmother fought battles and wore dresses.
You can do both.
I know.
It's ready.
No glow.
So no evidence of mutagenic alchemy.
But there is something strange.
Stellacite.
Like from a monolith.
I've never seen that before.
This was taken from the leshy that turned Eskel.
More stellacite.
How did two different monsters wind up with the same dust on them? They came from the same place.
A monolith? It doesn't make sense.
Tell us what you know about it.
When when Nilfgaard attacked Cintra, just outside the city walls, I I saw a monolith topple.
How? Daughter of Chaos belongs to us.
Turn your backs.
Join the procession.
There is only death here.
- Cirilla.
- Ciri.
Hey.
I'm fine.
I'm fine.
You are brave.
But let us help.
All right.
When the Black Knight captured me I was scared.
I screamed.
And that's when the monolith cracked and fell.
I toppled it.
How could that be? I don't know.
I need to see it for myself.
I really didn't mean to do it, Geralt.
And if these monsters are my fault It's all right.
I'll fix it.
Sleep it off somewhere else, chap.
Bard.
Witch.
What are you doing here? And what fresh hell did you just crawl out of? A sewer.
- What's your excuse? - Oh, a sewer? I always knew you were a blood-sucking, joyless hugger? Hugging.
We are hugging.
Oh, gods, I miss the days when my biggest problem was an ever-present, sing-songy twit.
Uh, drink? I'm gonna drink.
I am not having this conversation unless I'm drinking.
I heard the song.
Geralt must have left quite a sour taste in your mouth.
What? He No one leaves any tastes in my mouth, thank you very much.
I sing of universal matters, my dear, generous lady.
Emotions which anybody could experience.
That song could be about anyone.
- Mmm.
- Anyone.
- Mm.
Mm-hm.
- Anyone.
- Anyone.
- Mm Fine.
Yes, when I wrote it, it did come from the heart.
Perhaps a broken one.
We're better off without him.
Yes.
Oh, by the gods, that is awful.
And I am going to find anything else to drink whilst you tell me why the hell your sad arse is here.
You're the Sandpiper.
What? No.
Yes.
No.
How do you know that name? You pick up a thing or two when you're in hiding.
You're in hiding? Because you're part elf Yennefer, I completely forgot.
I'm so sorry.
I would not wish that fate on my worst enemy, and, yes, you are firmly lodged in that category, it has to be said, but what they've done to you and your people is unspeakable.
But some people are speaking.
There are anonymous benefactors working behind the scenes, helping me, helping us, helping us make this right.
Why help? What's in it for you? I was at the great oak Bleobheris when it was raided.
The Seat of Friendship, the druids called it.
Where every free thinker was welcome, no matter their race, their creed They come for the elves, Yennefer.
They'll come for the dwarves.
And sooner or later, they will come for everyone.
Anyone that they deem the "other," so Eventually no artist is safe.
Besides, at the end of the day, if I've learned one thing, it is that sometimes, legends can be intoxicating.
Well, Sandpiper, the man, the myth, the legend, - I need your help.
- Stand back! Stand back! He's with me.
It's okay.
I need to get to Cintra.
The both of us.
Well, I'll do what I can.
But know this.
You, you both smell truly awful.
I mean, it is like something has crawled up your arses and died.
So We leave Oxenfurt at nightfall.
Plenty of time to take a bath before then.
Just sayin'.
Coen replenished your elixirs.
Thank you.
Last night It's all right.
I can't be what you want, Triss.
What you deserve.
- If things were different - Except they're not.
And I'm grown enough to understand that.
Last night you were what I was looking for.
Your pain it excited me.
Because I finally felt something again.
You mean after Sodden? Most of us were cured after the battle.
You can hardly see the marks, but Some wounds cannot be healed.
I understand that more than you know.
I hope that in your search to feel again - you feel your value.
- To Ciri? To me.
You are important to me, Triss.
- You always will be.
- You're going to Cintra? You said you'd never go back there.
Twice.
No witcher yet has died of old age lying in bed dictating his will, Vesemir.
I have a girl to protect.
I can't just stay here.
I have a friend who studies monoliths.
I can portal you to him.
Portals are no fun.
There you go.
Stay back! You must be the mage.
I know who I am.
Who the fuck are you? A group of elves from Tretogor is on board.
And if the ship is full? Well then you're swimming.
Come on.
I'll go first.
Stick close to the wall and stay out of sight until I give you the signal.
I'm gonna do what I do best.
And what's that? Oh, I never really know.
Yeah, that's why I'm so good at it.
Excuse me.
- Fuck! - Excuse me! Papers for the transit, please.
- Papers? Absolutely.
Papers.
- Yeah.
Ah-ha! How silly of me.
I'm just gonna One moment.
- A lot of pockets.
- Mm-hm.
The golden one with the golden rules Ain't that the, uh the song with the, uh The long-necked warriors - With all their tools - You know it! - Oh, yeah, yeah! - Oh! You're him.
Jaskier, the bard? - Guilty.
- Oh! Not literally, but, you know.
- Don't worry about the papers.
- Oh! Thanks for the tunes.
My niece, oh! Just loves them.
Oh, that's lovely.
- Well, bless her, bless yourself.
- Oh, yes.
- Have a lovely evening.
- Oh, you take care, good sir! Uh, although, if you don't mind me saying so, that one, it's, uh it's not your strongest.
Oh, yeah? It's a bit complicated.
Took me to the fourth verse to understand there were different timelines.
- Oh, did it? Well - That magic kiss? - That was a bit cheap.
- Yeah? I spotted the dragon reveal a mile away.
Oh, you're clever.
You're a clever one.
I must say, the, uh the bit when the lute player ends up with the warrior ladies Lovable, lovable lutanist.
Yeah! Didn't really ring true for me, I must say.
All right.
Am I gonna say it? Yeah, I'm gonna say it.
You know, if you could write yourself a little song, you could sing yourself whatever you please, but you can't, can you? Because you are a dockside scapegrace, a qualling feculent, a beef-witted, hell-hated, addlepated goon This is taking too long.
We need to get him away from the ramps.
- and a waste of your father's - What are you doing? I'll distract him.
You take them onto the boat.
Like hell! I'm not going to fucking Cintra without you.
My head will roll before I step through the gate.
- Listen to me.
- in all of my None of us will get to Cintra if I don't do something.
- If you do, you'll get us all killed.
- leave it to And maybe, just maybe, you are grateful to be entertained.
- You're an hero to my niece.
- Well - Practically worships you.
- Naturally.
She'll be heartbroken to hear her favorite bard - is a steaming pile of shit for brains.
- Well This ship's not going anywhere till I check your papers.
Understand? Fuck the North.
What did you say? Fuck the North.
Come again? Fuck the North! No, don't Fuck the elves.
Go on, get stuck in.
Go on! We need to go.
Now.
Go on, lads! Hmm.
Ohh According to Geralt, no one knows the Continent's vegetation better than you.
Tell me I'm not crazy.
Tell me what I'm looking at here.
- Feainnewedd.
- Mmm.
This only grows where Elder blood has been spilled.
Where did you find this? Killer Trail.
Training course.
Everywhere that girl got her ass kicked.
Elder blood was wiped from the Continent generations ago.
There are legends that Elder blood was one of the key ingredients in the creation of the first witcher mutagens.
Mutagens that were destroyed in the sacking of Kaer Morhen.
Not another witcher's been created since.
Vesemir, these are new buds.
Exactly.
Destiny has given us a gift.
The key to making more witchers.
Ciri.
It's all right.
You're safe.
You're safe.
You all right? Thank you.
We, all of us, would be dead without you.
Ah, well.
I'm Dara.
It's lovely to meet you, Dara.
I expect you to do great things, all right? Make this worth it.
Someone should receive you on the other side.
Thank you.
I'll make sure they get everything they need when we arrive.
What? What? What happened to you? I've lived a long life.
You'll have to be more specific.
Chaos appears to be done with me.
You've lost your magic? Is is that even possible? Go on.
Get your gloating in.
Time's limited.
Once upon a time, I would have used this opportunity to call you an empty, lonely, power hungry she-demon, but I'm an artist, Yennefer.
It's my job to put myself in other people's shoes.
Even if they are, in your case, large, clunky, and, I don't know, probably full of snakes or something.
I'm scared too.
I'm scared that one day, the muses will stop speaking to me.
Because who are we when we can no longer do the one thing we were put on this Continent to do? We find a new purpose.
A better one.
Hopefully.
Hmm.
Chaos could never be done with the likes of you, Yennefer of Vengerberg.
Of that much, I am certain.
So, if it's all the same to you, goodbye, good luck, good riddance.
Same to you.
Oh, no! Yennefer, what are you doing? Yennefer! We have to save ourselves.
I hear You're alive How disappointing I've also survived No thanks to you Did I not bring you some glee Mister Oh, Look At Me? Now I'll burn All the memories of you Ladies and gentlemen, you have been the most beautiful audience! Remember to toss a coin if you can.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at the bar.
What for do you yearn? It's the point of no return After everything we did, we saw You turned your back on me What for do you yearn? Watch that Butcher Burn! At the end of my days when I'm through No word that I've written Will ring quite as true As burn Burn, Butcher, burn! Burn, Butcher, burn! Burn, burn, burn! Burn, burn, burn, burn, burn Burn Watch me burn All the memories Of you