Aithusa Merlin

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.

It is not worth anyone's life.

Isn't it? It's cost me 20 years of mine.

It is of no use.

You will never find the third part of the Triskellion.

Ah, but you're wrong. I already know where that bit is.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Hello, Gaius. Surely you remember me.

Only too well. Why are you here?

Please. I could do with drying myself by your fire.

You've a nerve coming back here.

You left me in a lot of trouble.

Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. What can I say?

Execution didn't really appeal to me.

Don't pretend you supported Uther.

Tell me why you're here.

Save your eyesight, Gaius. It's the Triskellion of Askhanar.

-You're sure?

-I'm certain.

Let me see.

This is a Druid tongue.

The bind runes are in threes, that's rare.

I can save you the trouble.

They guide the bearer to the tomb of Askhanar.

Yes.

We both know the legend.

We both know what he hid there.

A dragon's egg. And you have come to steal it?

I wouldn't say steal.

You're forgetting one thing - you're missing a part of the Triskellion.

Oh no, I know where that bit is.

Where?

In the vaults beneath your feet.

In Camelot?

Where it has lain safe and secure for the last 400 years.

And you want me to help you get it?

We could bring this noble creature back to life.

I want no part of your plan.

You don't want to release the last living dragon?

-The old ways should die.

-That is not what you taught me.

It's what I feel now.

I believe in the King that Arthur will become

and the future he will build.

Think about it ....

I've given you my answer.

Now I think you should leave Camelot sooner rather than later.

Arthur may not be his father but he is no friend of the old ways.

You'll find me in the tavern in the lower town. Take your time.

Oh, Gaius, I know I caused you trouble before,

but I'm a changed man.

Believe me.

Who was that?

-Oh, it doesn't matter.

-Gaius?

He was a pupil. His name is Julius Borden.

Why won't you help him? This is our one chance of saving the dragons,

of helping Kilgharrah preserve his kind!

Borden is not a man to be trusted.

You don't think the Triskellion is real?

That I have no doubt.

-Then what?

-His motives, Merlin.

Even as a young man he was prone to dishonesty - who knows what path he is on now.

You want the egg to remain lost forever!

I don't want it to get into Borden's hands.

The tomb of Askhanar has lain untouched for more than 400 years.

It is my belief it should remain that way.

Now let's get some sleep. We've got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.

I never dared dream of such a moment, Merlin.

Until now I believed the egg would never be found.

That I would be the last of my kind.

So the legend is true.

This is a chance in 100, Merlin.

You must retrieve the egg.

I know.

Then what is the matter?

Gaius has forbidden it.

Merlin. You are a Dragonlord. It is a gift passed down from your father.

He gave up everything in his life to save me.

What do you think he would say?

The egg harbours the last of my kind.

I beg you, Merlin, in your father's name,

promise me that you will do everything in your power

to rescue it.

You have my promise.

What do you want?

To help you.

Who are you?

A friend of Gaius. I heard what you told him.

I want to see a dragon's egg. I want to come with you.

-Did he send you?

-No.

No? Then get out.

Please. I know everything about dragons. I've read everything...

I'm not interested. Go away.

All right, but you won't get into the vaults without me.

And how's a boy like you going to help me?

Because I'm the personal servant of King Arthur.

What on earth are you doing?

Looking for woodworm.

Before breakfast!

That is when the worms are most active.

Get out.

These need washing.

So do these.

Oh, and Merlin, before you go, I need that belt.

We need to strengthen all our outlying defences,

as Odin's raids prove but it is the Northern borders that are vulnerable.

It has always been so. The reason is obvious.

If you look at the terrain here ...

Allow me to help you, sire.

No! No!

-Merlin!

-Your Majesty!

-Merlin!

-Your Majesty...

-Get off me!

-I'm trying to help you, Sire.

-There we go. Will there be anything else, Sire?

-No!

So, the terrain here...

I'm beginning to like you, Merlin.

This is as far as I go.

Now this key opens the last gate but you have to get past the guards.

That won't be a problem.

Follow me.

-Thanks.

-Any time.

Tell me, Merlin...

would you say you are a good liar?

If I need to be.

You're going to need to be.

Merlin! What are you doing?

Shh...

I'm listening for woodworm.

I'm getting slightly concerned about you.

CHURCH BELLS RING

What the hell's that?

The lock hasn't been damaged which suggests whoever it was had a key.

Strange.

With all these treasures, this was all they were interested in.

What was in here?

I believe, sire, one third of a Triskellion.

A type of key, that according to legend,

opens the ancient Tomb of Askhanar.

I remember my father talk of such a tomb. It contained a dragon's egg?

-It has been said.

-You don't believe it to be true?

Well, it is possible, sire. The wealth and wisdom of Askhanar

-were without equal.

-Is the egg still there?

I can't be certain, but to my knowledge

no-one has disturbed the tomb for more than 400 years.

But with this Triskellion, someone could?

Sire, a dragon's egg can live for 1,000 years - even today,

it could still hatch and another dragon be born into the world.

-My father's work to rid the world of these monsters would be undone.

-That must be our fear.

Then we have no choice - we must hunt down this intruder

and destroy the egg.

How could you be so stupid?

-What were you thinking?

-I am a Dragonlord.

It's my sacred duty to protect the last of the dragons.

The tomb could have remained closed for another 400 years

and the egg would have been completely safe.

Now Arthur's riding out, intent on destroying it.

-We have to hope that Borden gets there first.

-You trust Borden?

You really think he is going to release that dragon?

I fear to think what he intends for the poor creature.

Why couldn't you leave things alone?!

Hurry up, Merlin!

Same hoof tracks.

We must be closing on him.

Look.

He's made camp.

Still warm.

-He can't have more than a few hours lead on us.

-We need to keep moving.

Deer tracks.

Have we lost him?

It's getting too dark to see.

We'll find somewhere to hole up for the night.

But we're so close to him.

Unless you can see in the dark, Merlin, there's not much else to do.

Whoa, I'm famished. Thank you.

Yeah, I'm hungry as a horse.

-That's a point, Merlin. Have you fed them?

-What?

-The horses.

-Well...

-Come on, they must be starving.

-But...

On your toes.

That was lovely, Merlin. Thanks.

-I loved it.

-Me too.

-If you're going to wash those up, wash this too.

-Thanks.

Oh, hang on. There's still a bit left.

Mmm...

-Mmm...

-Good was it?

-A little salty though.

Merlin, there's another plate here.

ALL LAUGH

FAINT WHISPER: Emrys...

FAINT WHISPER: Emrys...

Where are you?

(Emrys...)

Do not be afraid. We know your quest.

How?

The man you seek also stole from us.

He passed through these woods not three hours before you.

-Which way did he go?

-To the East but you must be wary, Emrys -

the legends tell a tale that only the Druids know.

What do they say?

Askhanar was a wise man -

he knew one day men would come seeking to disturb his rest.

The Triskellion is not just a key.

-It is also a trap.

-What do you mean? What kind of trap?

I do not know, but the legends are very clear. You must beware, Emrys.

Emrys!

There is one other thing the legends say.

Only when the way ahead seems impossible will you have found it.

-He must've left in the night.

-There are no horse tracks.

He's covered them.

We had him. We were so close!

-Where are you going? We don't know which way he went.

-He's heading East.

-How would you know, Merlin?

-Because I can sense it.

Sense is not a word I associate with you, Merlin.

Hang on...

He's right.

He can't be.

Well done, Merlin.

Have you ever heard of the word "sorry"?

No - is it another word you've made up?

It's a dead end. That's it. Let's go back.

What about the cave?

-We're wasting our time.

-Arthur.

Merlin, this is ridiculous. Where's he heading?

There's light ahead.

No wonder no-one's ever found it.

CROSSBOW FIRES

ARGH!

Take cover!

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Where's he firing from?

I'll draw the fire. Get him to safety.

(Arthur.)

What happened? Where's he gone?

Perhaps he ran out of bolts.

Careful!

Who knows what he's left lying in wait for us.

-We can go round that.

-No.

-He knows we're coming.

-That's a risk we have to take.

We'll make camp and continue at dawn.

-Merlin, can you get some more firewood?

-But I was just ..

Mmm... This is good!

Guys, you've got to try this.

Mmm!

All right, don't tell me. It was too salty.

Typical.

Well, if you think I'm doing the washing up...

Ic pe purhhle pinu licsar.

Ic pe purhhle pinu licsar...

No!

Prosm tohweorf!

Give it to me.

It's not yours to take.

You give it to me and I will grant you a half share, Merlin.

No, it must go free.

Don't be a fool.

Think of the power it will bring us.

-The lands we can rule over, the riches.

-I'm not interested in that.

With this dragon at our command, we will live like kings.

We will have the freedom and power to do as we wish.

Dragons cannot be used like that.

They must be left unshackled, free to roam the earth.

This is your chance. Your chance to escape your meaningless life,

your worthless existence.

It's not my life that is pitiable, it's yours.

You've wasted it for nothing.

I pieced together the Triskellion. I found the path that lead us here.

The dragon belongs to me.

Now hand it over.

You are not going to stop me, boy!

Dragons are magical creatures - they belong to no man, they are for the benefit of all.

What do you know? You are but a serving boy.

I am the last Dragonlord and I'm warning you...

leave this egg alone.

What the hell happened?

The tomb was a trap. He set it off.

He never got out.

What about the egg?

-It would've perished with him.

-Are you sure?

We need to be certain.

Nothing's going to survive under all that.

Shame about the egg.

Yes.

You weren't able to save it?

No.

All the jewels, all the treasures, Gaius, they don't compare.

It was nearly lost because of you.

I'm sorry, Gaius. I was too quick to act.

You have to think things through. Askhanar did exactly that.

He had the foresight to conceal this for more than 400 years.

And now it is down to you, Merlin.

For you to decide what you intend to do with it.

I've thought about that.

I'm going to make sure it goes back to where it belongs.

Is it still alive?

It can live for more than 1,000 years.

So you are no longer the last of your kind.

It would seem not.

When will it hatch?

Young dragons were called into the world by the Dragonlords -

only they had the power to summon them from the egg.

As the last Dragonlord, this solemn duty falls to you, Merlin.

How do I summon it?

You must give the dragon a name.

Aithusa.

DRAGON GURGLES

A white dragon is indeed a rare thing -

and fitting.

For in the dragon tongue, you named him after the light of the sun.

No dragon birth is without meaning.

Sometimes the meaning is hard to see but this time I believe it is clear.

The white dragon bodes well for Albion, for you and Arthur...

..and for the land that you will build together.

You are still untested as a king.

-I can't just kill a man in cold blood.

-You must do what you need to, to assert your authority.

Do you really have the guts to kill me?

You've always shown mercy in battle. This isn't like you.

The whole of Camelot will pay for this.

Arthur will not win because I have the power to ensure that he doesn't.

I made the wrong decision.

Now I've brought this war upon Camelot myself.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media

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