To Kill the King Merlin

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.

-Boo!

-Oh!

-Did I surprise you?

-You certainly did!

I've got another surprise for you, too.

-It's...lovely.

-Well, in case you ever need a spare.

You know...for this...

It's beautiful!

You're a beautiful girl, Gwen. You deserve beautiful things.

But how...I mean...it must have been expensive?

Oh, very. But we're on the up now.

Things are going to be different.

-What's going on?

-It'll be all right. Trust me.

I won't be back for supper.

Hello?

Is it prepared?

Yes. Look.

Very good.

What is that?

I'm not paying you to ask questions.

The lead, please.

Ferian aet gylden.

You didn't mention magic. I don't want trouble.

Ic bugan peos...

Ferian aet gylden.

Gold?

Pure, priceless gold.

Yours, blacksmith. If you keep your mouth shut.

Seize them!

Quickly, after him!

-Stop!

-He must be caught.

Stop that man.

-Sire, please...

-You're under arrest.

Can't sleep?

Something woke me.

What?

I don't know.

A feeling.

What kind of feeling?

Powerful magic, here, in Camelot.

Gwen! What's wrong?

-My father's been arrested.

-What for?

They say he was making weapons for a sorcerer!

They're charging him with treason!

-Treason!?

-Yes, treason.

The blacksmith was consorting with a known enemy.

-Enemy? What enemy?

-Tauren.

The leader of a band of renegade sorcerers

sworn to bring down the King.

And where is this Tauren now?

-He escaped.

-Well, then how can you be sure...

Because Arthur saw him with his own eyes.

If the man is who you say

you can't sentence Tom to death for being seen with him!?

We have reason to believe he was forging weapons for Tauren.

He would never do such a thing.

Every man has a price.

Found this on the blacksmith.

So he was paid!? He's a blacksmith.

-He could've been paid for shoeing Tauren's horse!

-In gold?

This is madness. You condemn a man with no proof!

I have enough proof.

Arthur! Have you nothing to say?

Father, the blacksmith committed a crime,

but we don't know for certain he meant treason?

No. You are right.

Nothing's certain. Save one thing.

The law stands or this Kingdom falls.

But the law must give him a fair trial!

He'll get a fair trial, and he'll be found guilty,

because that is what he is.

I will never forgive you.

Never.

Maybe we should investigate further.

Tauren slept somewhere, he fed somewhere.

Find anyone who helped him in any way.

They must be punished.

The people must see the laws of Camelot are not to be trifled with.

Yes, Father.

I didn't know Tauren was a sorcerer.

I meant no harm, I swear.

Why didn't you tell me what was going on?

I knew you wouldn't like it, Gwen. You're cautious.

-I didn't want to let an opportunity pass.

-Opportunity?

You call this an opportunity?

I know.

I've been a fool.

I just wanted to make a better life for us.

For you.

I wanted to make you happy.

But I am happy!

I don't need anything else. I have everything I want.

And I've thrown it all away!

It's all right,

we will get you out of here, I promise.

-What did he say?

-Tauren came to him at the forge,

offered to pay him a fortune not to make weapons,

for an experiment or something.

-What kind of experiment?

-Tauren didn't say.

But he used some kind of stone...

some kind of magic...

She's sleeping now.

I don't understand it.

What would a sorcerer want with Tom?

His forge, Merlin. It's the finest in the Kingdom.

You think Tom was lying? You think he really was making weapons?

-No, I don't.

-Then what?

-When Tom was arrested, they found gold on him.

-So?

From what Gwen was saying,

Tauren's experiment bears all the hallmarks of alchemy.

But alchemy's impossible, isn't it?

To change the very nature of one thing to another has defeated all who have tried.

But if you used magic...

Do you think that's what woke me?

It is possible, I suppose.

Gwen?

Gwen?

Gwen?

-Merlin.

-Morgana?

How is she?

She's doing OK.

We should let her rest.

Yeah.

Morgana, have you spoken to Uther?

He must realise this is a mistake.

Whatever Tom was doing, it wasn't plotting against the King.

I know that. Of course I do.

But Uther...

Uther only sees enemies.

But Tom is the most gentle soul I've ever met.

But he was seen with Tauren.

That makes him an enemy.

Then...there's little hope...?

There is no hope, Merlin.

None at all.

Arthur?

I bring you no relief, Tom. I'm sorry.

I came only to see you were comfortable.

-How's Gwen?

-She's a brave girl.

She wishes only to see you free.

I know what Uther thinks about sorcery.

One must always seize the moment.

Good luck.

They committed a serious crime.

Giving a man a bed for the night?!

- Not a man. A sorcerer. - Maybe they didn't know that?

It is not for you to question my father's actions.

- Is that understood? - Yes, Sire.

Now go get on with whatever you're meant to be doing!

Sound the warning bell!

BELL RINGS

He's just proved his guilt.

But the trial, Father...

The trial is a formality. Now I want him dead.

DOORS OPEN

Please...

You have blood on your hands, Uther Pendragon.

May I remind you that you are speaking to your King!

May I remind you that a King is wise and just.

You are neither. You rule only with the sword.

You know nothing of what it means to be King.

The fate of Camelot rests in my hands. It is my responsibility

to protect the people of this land from enemies.

Then the Kingdom is doomed.

For one by one you make enemies of us all.

Take care, child, or I'll have you restrained.

You just try.

And you will remain here until you learn your lesson!

Release me because I have learned it already.

That you care not for me, or anyone but yourself.

That you are driven mad with power.

That you are a tyrant!

All right?

I just don't understand. Why did he try to escape?

His trial was this morning.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sire...

Guinevere, I...

want you to know that your job is safe.

And that your home is yours for life.

I guarantee you that.

I know that

under the circumstances

it's not much but, erm,

anything you want, anything you need,

all you have to do is ask.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, Sire.

Now you listen to me.

In two days' time, I'll be at the darkling woods at dawn.

You find the stone, you bring it to me.

Merlin, come and take a look.

I have been doing some research and found this.

-The Mage Stone?

-Wonder of the ancients.

Lost for a thousand years or more.

What does it do?

Theoretically, it could give the bearer the power of transformation.

Gold.

-The power of alchemy.

-Exactly.

I believe it was the Mage Stone you sensed on the night of Tom's arrest.

Of course!

Gwen said that Tauren had some kind of stone.

DOOR OPENS

You.

How proud you must be.

Son of the mighty Uther.

How you must look up to him.

Does the King's little helper bring a message

or have you just come to gloat?

Guards!

Get away from me, you cowards!

You're free to go.

-Morgana.

-Yes?

I swore to him you'd never challenge his authority again.

I swore that you'd learned your lesson.

Tread carefully.

Next time, I may not be able to help you.

Thank you.

You're a better man than your father. Always were.

My lady.

Gwen.

I didn't expect to see you here.

What happened to you?!

Nothing. Well, nothing a hot bath wouldn't fix.

I spent the night in the dungeon.

Uther.

He doesn't like to be challenged.

It wasn't about my father, was it?

You have enough to deal with without worrying about such things.

You shouldn't have done that!

Not on my behalf. If anything happened to you, I couldn't bear it.

You need to go home, Gwen.

-Get some rest. Please.

-I'm fine, my lady.

Tauren...

Tauren?!

He attacked me! He threatened me!

He was looking for some kind of stone.

-Stone?

-He's waiting for me in the darkling woods.

I have to do something.

If I don't get this stone to him by dawn tomorrow...

What are you going to do?

I'm going to send the guards, of course.

It won't be you that Tauren meets. It'll be the Knights of Camelot.

-Where's your maid?

-I've come in her place.

Give me the stone.

You were foolish to come here.

The stone. You took it to the forge. Why?

With it a man can alter the very essence of things.

He can turn a lump of lead into gold.

Gold?

A good man died in your quest for riches, Tauren.

His daughter is now an orphan.

I am sorry for that.

Truly.

But we did not want the gold to line our pockets.

The gold was but a means,

a means to rid this Kingdom of Uther Pendragon once and for all.

What are you saying?

Bribery is rife at Camelot.

I will use the corruption at the heart of his kingdom,

and such an abundance of gold will buy me into the King's chambers,

even to the King himself.

The guards may be fools, Tauren, but the King is not.

Do you have a better plan?

To get to Uther, you need someone close to him.

And you know of such a person?

I do.

Me.

Pass the salt, please.

-You all right?

-What?

Yeah.

I've got a few things on my mind, that's all.

Anything you'd like to talk to me about?

I can't imagine you'd be interested.

So long as you're sure.

I should be getting to work.

Er, Merlin?

That's a broom cupboard.

HE COUGHS

Well, young warlock, what is it you come to ask of me?

-I need your help.

-Of course you do,

but this time,

will you heed my words?

The sorcerer Tauren is plotting to kill the King.

He has made an ally of Morgana.

I don't know what to do!

Do...

..nothing.

What do you mean?

It is Uther that persecutes you and your kind, Merlin.

But surely that doesn't make it right to kill him!

Only if Uther dies can magic return to the land.

Only if Uther dies will you be free, Merlin. Uther's reign is at an end.

Let Arthur's reign begin.

Fulfil your destiny!

Free this land from tyranny, Merlin.

Free us all!

DOOR OPENS

I didn't expect to see you.

You wish to say something?

I came to apologise, my Lord.

Good.

I didn't mean to rile you.

I thought only of Gwen.

The poor girl is all alone in this world.

It was not my intention to hurt your maid.

I know.

But now she suffers.

And I know how she must suffer.

-Morgana...

-I only meant,

I know what it's like to lose a father.

Your father was a great friend.

You sent him into battle.

You promised him reinforcements and then gave him none.

-It was never my intention.

-But it happened!

And it keeps on happening.

-Morgana!

-I'm sorry, my lord.

Do you think Uther's a good King?

Sorry?

Uther. Do you think he's good for the Kingdom?

Yes. Yes, I do.

In the light of recent events, you may find that hard to believe.

Hard? No. Impossible? Definitely.

-Merlin...

-Everyone hates him.

It is not Uther's job to be liked.

It is Uther's job to protect the Kingdom.

Despite Uther's failings,

he has brought peace and prosperity to this Kingdom.

But at what cost? At the cost of women and children, fathers and sons!

When will it end?

It will end when Arthur is King.

Then why not let that time be now?

Why not let Arthur be King?

Arthur's not ready.

The responsibility would be too great.

Brave though he may be, he lacks experience, he lacks judgment.

-Is there anything you want to tell me?

-I can't... I just..

No, I can't. You've just got to trust me.

Gaius, it's something I've got to work out for myself.

I do trust you, Merlin.

Whatever it is,

I know you'll make the right decision.

Morgana!

I'm not disturbing you, I hope?

Not at all.

These are difficult times.

They put a strain on us all.

Yes, my lord.

I cannot tell you how much it pains me to be at odds with you.

And I with you.

I've been thinking about what you said.

And I realise I may have been insensitive.

I should have foreseen the distress that your maid's loss would cause,

that it would stir old memories.

I've opened an old wound.

For that, I'm sorry.

My Lord, it gladdens my heart to hear these words.

I too wish to heal these wounds.

Let us visit my father's grave together and put the past behind us.

Nothing would give me greater happiness.

Shall we leave tomorrow at first light?

I will make arrangements.

Psst!

-So, My Lady, what news?

-Uther has fallen for the bait.

We ride out in the morning for the Old Cairn on the hill.

Are you sure you're committed to this?

More than ever.

Merlin?

Gwen. How are you doing?

I was about to ask you the same question.

I'm fine. Fine.

Morgana's been amazing these last few days.

I think you've been amazing.

After all that's happened.

Getting your life back together...

It's better than sitting in an empty house,

waiting for my father to walk through the door.

The thing I find hardest to bear

is that people will always think he was guilty

because he tried to escape.

I know he was innocent.

I think he tried to escape because he knew

that Uther had already made up his mind.

That's the kind of man he is.

I wouldn't blame you if you wanted him dead.

What would that solve?

That would make me as bad as him.

You're right.

Of course you're right.

Is anything wrong?!

No, no. See you later!

Do you think that we could have some privacy?

Fine. Wait here. We're in no danger.

Father...

Ackwele!

Your father was the greatest man I've ever known.

He stood for everything this kingdom represents.

Truth, justice, valour.

A hundred times he saved my life on the battlefield.

His courage and his honour were without equal.

When Gorlois died, I lost the truest friend I ever had.

For he was as fearless in questioning my judgment as he was in defending my kingdom.

That's the mark of a true friend.

I know how he respected you, my lord.

But I don't share these memories.

How can I? I was ten years old.

I only know I loved him and he was taken from me.

When he died, and I took you into my care,

you fought me from the beginning.

Your will is as strong as my own.

You challenge me as a friend must. As your father did in his time.

But when I do, you clap me in irons.

I know I'm not an easy man.

My temper blinds me sometimes. There are things that I regret.

Gwen's father?

Yes.

Ackwele!

I will strive to listen to you more and quarrel with you less.

You have been a blessing to me, Morgana.

You are the daughter I never had.

Your counsel is invaluable,

as is your friendship and your love.

-Without you I cannot hope to be the king this land deserves.

-My lord...!

Please forgive me, Morgana.

No!

-Ah. Busy day?

-Had its moments.

Morgana must have courage to defend a king against such odds.

I suppose you had nothing to do with it?

Oh, you know. Just background stuff.

-No need to be so modest, Merlin.

-Sorry.

It's not a criticism.

-It's a compliment.

-Right.

Thanks, Gaius.

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