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| - KILGHARRAH 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. -- [EXT. LOWER TOWN – NIGHT] [A bounty hunter arrives in Camelot with a druid girl locked in a horse-drawn cage. He leaves her outside in the thunderstorm while he goes to the tavern. Gaius is making a house call with Merlin in the lower town.] GAIUS If he's not better in the morning, let me know. [Merlin and Gaius pass the girl in the cage on their way back to the castle.] MERLIN Gaius. GAIUS She's fallen prey to a bounty hunter. MERLIN She's only a girl. GAIUS She'll still fetch a good price, though. MERLIN Someone's going to pay for her? GAIUS Uther offers a handsome reward for anyone with magic. MERLIN There must be something we can do. GAIUS Merlin, bounty hunters are dangerous men. They're not to be meddled with. You of all people should understand that. -- [INT/EXT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS/LOWER TOWN – NIGHT] [Merlin sneaks out while Gaius sleeps. He peeks in the tavern to make sure the bounty hunter is occupied before going to the caged girl.] MERLIN Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Tospringe. [The cage door breaks open. Merlin steps inside and puts his hand over her manacles.] MERLIN [The manacles break off. He takes her hand and they hide behind the cart just as the bounty hunter exits.] MERLIN [The tavern sign breaks off and hits the bounty hunter. Merlin runs with girl.] MERLIN [Merlin lights a torch and takes girl down some tunnels under the castle.] MERLIN They won't find you here. [Merlin takes off his jacket.] MERLIN Here. [She shrinks back.] MERLIN Sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just thought you might be cold. FREYA Why did you do that? MERLIN What? FREYA Help me. MERLIN Well, I saw you and...it could've been me in that cage. You'll be safe down here. I'll come back in the morning with some food and candles. Will you be alright till then? [Freya nods.] MERLIN I'm Merlin, by the way. FREYA I'm Freya. MERLIN Freya. [Merlin hands her his jacket and she accepts it.] MERLIN I'll see you in the morning, Freya. FREYA Thank you. [Merlin nods.] -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS/ARTHUR’S CHAMBERS – DAY] [Merlin looks for food the next morning, finding only a stale hunk of bread and a shrivelled apple. Merlin goes to Arthur's Chambers and exchanges these for fine meat, bread, and cheese. Merlin opens the curtains.] MERLIN Breakfast! ARTHUR Oi! Where's the meat? Cheese? MERLIN That's the new breakfast menu. ARTHUR This isn't enough. MERLIN We, we've got to keep you in shape. ARTHUR I'm fighting fit! MERLIN But we want to keep you that way. ARTHUR Merlin! [Arthur throws the food at him.] ARTHUR Is there somewhere you have to be? MERLIN Of course not! ARTHUR Good. 'Cause I've got some chores for you to do. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, ARTHUR’S CHAMBERS – DAY] [Merlin prepares Arthur's bath.] ARTHUR Make sure it's hot enough! MERLIN Onhǽte þá wæter. ARTHUR Is it ready? MERLIN Yep. Freshly heated. ARTHUR Ah! You bumpkin! It's boiling! MERLIN Boiling? ARTHUR You are half asleep today! MERLIN I'm sorry, Sire. Erm, I'll get you some cold. ARTHUR No, I'll get you some. [Arthur splashes Merlin with a water pitcher.] ARTHUR That woken you up? MERLIN Raring to go, Sire. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, COUNCIL CHAMBER OF DOOM – DAY] [The bounty hunter enters with some knights .] UTHER Ah, Halig. You've come bearing gifts? HALIG Yes, Sire. A druid girl. But she escaped last night here in Camelot. UTHER Well, don't worry. We'll soon find her. Have some guards help with the search. [A knight bows and exits.] HALIG You need to warn them, Sire. The girl is dangerous. The informer told me she was cursed. UTHER How so? HALIG He didn't know, but he said even the druids were frightened of her. They cast her out of their camp. GAIUS It's against all the druids believe to reject those in need of care. UTHER Why would they do such a thing? GAIUS I dread to think. UTHER Set up sentries on all the gates. HALIG We should search the lower town, Sire. Someone may be harbouring her. GAIUS You think she had help? HALIG I saw two figures running away. UTHER Give Halig all the help he needs. I want this girl and her accomplice found. -- [EXT. KING’S PALACE, GATE – DAY] [Peasants queue up to enter the palace grounds. Halig inspects each one.] GUARD Get in line! [Halig shakes his head that it's not the person he saw.] GUARD Move along. [Halig nods at the next woman. She's taken by guards. Halig shakes his head at Merlin, but then looks at him as Merlin passes by.] -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, TUNNELS – DAY] [Merlin enters tunnels with a torch and a care package. Freya's sleeping.] MERLIN (whisper) Freya? [Merlin touches her shoulder. She wakes and shrinks from him.] Merlin (whisper) It's all right. It's okay. It's me. It's Merlin. And look... [Merlin shows her what he brought. Freya stuffs the food in her mouth. Merlin sets up the candles.] FREYA It's good. MERLIN Believe me, it's fit for a prince. [Merlin lights candles with magic. He sees a tattoo on her arm.] MERLIN Is that a druid symbol? [Freya nods.] MERLIN Were you born a druid? FREYA Why are you asking me all these questions? MERLIN Sorry, I didn't mean to. FREYA I'm sorry. MERLIN I understand. FREYA You could never understand. MERLIN I know what it's like to keep secrets. FREYA Does anyone know you have magic? MERLIN Only you. And one other person. He knows, but I'm not sure he understands. FREYA I wish I was like everyone else, but... MERLIN You always know, deep down, you're not? FREYA Because I'm cursed. MERLIN Freya, don't say that. Magic doesn't have to be a curse. It can be a gift. Look. Hoppaþ nu swicae swá lig flíehen. [Merlin floats the candles.] FREYA Beautiful. MERLIN I have to go. Erm, someone might notice I'm missing. But I- I'll come back, and I'll bring you some more food. I promise. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN’S CHAMBERS – DAY] [Merlin enters.] GAIUS Do you know anything about the girl? MERLIN What girl? GAIUS The girl from the cage. She escaped last night. MERLIN Good. I'm pleased. GAIUS They're out hunting for her. MERLIN Why can't they just let her be? GAIUS Did you help her escape? MERLIN No. GAIUS Merlin? MERLIN You told me not to get involved. GAIUS You promise me you'd nothing to do with this? MERLIN Yes! GAIUS Good. Because when Halig finds out who helped her, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, ARTHUR’S CHAMBERS] [Arthur eats dinner.] MERLIN Would you like some water with that? ARTHUR Mmm. [Merlin pours the water out of the pitcher and magically knocks Arthur's knife off of the table. When Arthur bends down to pick it up, Merlin magically shoots a drumstick into the water pitcher.] ARTHUR I had two drumsticks. MERLIN No you didn't. ARTHUR Merlin, I had two drumsticks. MERLIN Maybe it fell on the floor. [Arthur leans over to check and Merlin magically grabs the sausages.] ARTHUR I had sausages! MERLIN You sure? They must've fallen under the table. ARTHUR Merlin! MERLIN What? You can search me, I haven't taken them. ARTHUR Well, where have they gone? MERLIN Strange. ARTHUR Very. MERLIN Sure you didn't eat them? ARTHUR I haven't had the chance! -- [EXT/INT. LOWER TOWN/DUNGEONS] [Merlin rushes through the lower town with the pitcher full of meat and runs into Halig. Guards drag Merlin into a dungeon cell. Halig overturns pitcher and meat drops out.] MERLIN It's just the Prince's leftovers. HALIG Does he know you steal his food? MERLIN Not exactly. HALIG Where were you taking it? MERLIN Home. For my dinner. HALIG Really? The druid girl I'm looking for, have you seen her? MERLIN No. HALIG Do you know how much money she's worth to me? [Merlin shakes his head.] HALIG More than your life. So I'm asking you again. Have you seen the druid girl? MERLIN (shakes head) No. [Halig pushes Merlin into a chair.] HALIG Hold him. I think you're lying to me. MERLIN I'm not! HALIG I don't believe you. [Halig swing his arm back to punch Merlin.] ARTHUR Halig! What do you think you're doing? HALIG We caught the boy behaving suspiciously, Sire. ARTHUR Merlin? HALIG He could be harbouring the girl, and he's gonna tell us where. [Merlin shuts his eyes, waiting to be hit. Arthur grabs Halig's arm and gets Merlin out of the chair.] ARTHUR Leave him alone. Merlin is my servant. He has my absolute trust. If you have a problem with him, you come to me. Do you understand? HALIG Sire. (bows) Goodnight, Merlin. Don't forget your dinner. [Arthur notices the meat on the floor.] MERLIN Thank you. [Merlin notices Arthur staring at the meat on the floor.] MERLIN Ah. ARTHUR Are those my sausages? MERLIN (nods) Mmm. ARTHUR You took them? MERLIN To keep you in shape. [Merlin picks up the meat.] ARTHUR Are you saying I'm fat? MERLIN No. Well, not yet. ARTHUR I am not fat! MERLIN You see? It's working. -- [INT. TUNNELS] [Merlin goes to Freya in the tunnels.] MERLIN I'm sorry I took so long. You must be hungry. What is it? FREYA Nothing. MERLIN But you're upset. FREYA No. MERLIN D'you think I wasn't coming? But I promised you I would. FREYA I scare most people away. MERLIN I'm not most people. How long had you been in that cage? FREYA A few days. MERLIN And the bounty hunter? FREYA Halig. MERLIN How did he find you? FREYA (sniffs) You can't always trust people. MERLIN I know. That's why I left home. FREYA Where is home? MERLIN Ealdor. It's a small village. Just a few fields, a couple of cows. Nothing special. FREYA My home was next to a lake surrounded by the tallest mountains. In the winter the storms whipped up the water into waves and you thought they were going to crash down and take away all the houses. But in the summer, wild flowers and light. It was like heaven. MERLIN Sounds perfect. FREYA It was. MERLIN Was? FREYA My family died. MERLIN Have you been on your own ever since? You're not on your own anymore. I'm going to look after you. I promise. FREYA You can't look after me. No one can. MERLIN No, I don't think you understand. I've never known anyone like you. I wish I could stay. FREYA You're going? MERLIN We need to be careful. I'll come back in the morning. You know I will be back, don't you? FREYA Merlin, I've never known anyone like you either. -- [EXT. LOWER TOWN] GAIUS I think they've been killed by some kind of wild animal. UTHER Have you're men been able to track the creature? ARTHUR That's the strange thing, 'cause the ground is soft. Obviously a bear or wolf would leave some mark. But there are no tracks. GAIUS Then what are these? ARTHUR Human footprints. GAIUS But they're leading away from the bodies. Did someone escape the attack? ARTHUR No one's come forward. UTHER Could the person who made these be responsible? GAIUS I don't believe so. These wounds could only've been inflicted by a beast of considerable size. UTHER And if this was done by neither a man nor beast, there's only one other explanation. It must be the work of a magical creature. -- [INT. TUNNELS] MERLIN I know, I'm late again. Sorry. But, er, this is going to be the best bread you have ever tasted. What do you want with it? Come on. You can have anything. Ham. Cheese. FREYA Strawberries. MERLIN Strawberries it is. [Merlin clears his throat and rubs hands together.] MERLIN Blóstma. [Merlin opens his hands to reveal a red rose.] FREYA That's not a strawberry. MERLIN Er, it's the right colour. FREYA Why are you so good to me? MERLIN Because I can't help it. I don't know. I like you. With you I can just be who I am. We don't have to hide anything. We don't have to worry. FREYA Merlin, please, listen to me. I'm not like you. MERLIN They must've followed me. FREYA They're going to find me. I can't go back in that cage, I can't. MERLIN Shh. I won't let that happen. I promised you I'd look after you, and I will. No matter what. You really don't realise how special you are, do you? FREYA You're not scared of me? MERLIN Being different's nothing to be scared of. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS] *Merlin hums* GAIUS Will you stop that? MERLIN What? GAIUS Sit down and eat your soup. *Merlin is humming again* GAIUS Merlin. MERLIN Sorry. GAIUS What is wrong with you? MERLIN Nothing. I feel great. GAIUS Good. Then you can get on with some chores. MERLIN Chores? GAIUS Unless you have something better to do. MERLIN Sorry, I'm going out. GAIUS Well what time will you be back? MERLIN Er, well don't wait up for me. I might be late. -- [INT. TUNNELS] FREYA What are you doing here? MERLIN I couldn't help it. FREYA It's dangerous. MERLIN I don't care. FREYA No, Merlin, you have to be careful. MERLIN Ugh, I'm fed up with being careful. I am fed up with all of this. So I've decided, we're going to get you out of here, out of Camelot. FREYA How? MERLIN I'll get you some clothes, disguise you. What's wrong? FREYA It's just, I'm going to miss you. MERLIN No, you won't, because I'm going to come with you. FREYA What? MERLIN I told you I'm going to look after you. FREYA You can't. Don't say that. MERLIN It's not what you want? FREYA Merlin, you have a good life here. My life is...I have to keep moving, always looking over my shoulder, people chasing me. MERLIN Then we'll go somewhere no one knows us. Somewhere far away. You haven't given me your answer. FREYA I want that more than anything. Where will we go? MERLIN Somewhere with mountains. FREYA A few fields. MERLIN Wild flowers. FREYA A couple of cows. MERLIN And a lake. FREYA And a lake. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, MORGANA’S CHAMBERS – DAY] [Merlin knocks on Morgana's door.] MERLIN (muffled) Lady Morgana? [Merlin enters.] MERLIN Lady Morgana? [Merlin looks through Morgana's closet looking for a dress.] GWEN Merlin? I'm sure there's an obvious explanation. MERLIN There is. GWEN Which is? MERLIN Moths. GWEN Moths? MERLIN Yes. The castle's overrun with them. GWEN Really? MERLIN I was just checking that they hadn't got in here as well. GWEN And have they? MERLIN That's, that's totally infested. We'll have to burn it. GWEN Burn it? MERLIN Yeah. And if we don't stop them, we'll all be walking around naked. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, CORRIDOR – DAY] [Arthur sees Merlin with the dress.] ARTHUR What are you doing? MERLIN Er, running an errand for Gaius. ARTHUR For Gaius? MERLIN Yes. ARTHUR Strange. MERLIN Oh, I don't think it's for him. ARTHUR As long as you do a decent day's work, Merlin, that's all I care about. MERLIN No, no. It's not for me. ARTHUR What a man does in his spare time is completely up to him. MERLIN No, you- you've got this wrong. ARTHUR Colour suits you, Merlin. -- [EXT. LOWER TOWN – DAY] UTHER The beast has struck again? GAIUS I'm afraid so. The wounds match those of the previous victims. ARTHUR The man who saw it spoke of a huge black cat with wings. UTHER I was right. This is not the work of a natural creature. GAIUS Are there any tracks this time? ARTHUR Just human footprints again. UTHER Can you identify this monster? GAIUS I will need more time to investigate. UTHER Oh, come on. You always have theories in these matters. GAIUS This time, Sire, I prefer to wait till I'm certain. UTHER There is no time to waste, Gaius. GAIUS I'll report back to you before the day's out, Sire. -- [INT. TUNNELS] [Merlin brings Freya the dress in the tunnel.] MERLIN Believe me, it was not easy getting this. FREYA It's beautiful. MERLIN You look like a princess. FREYA I'm not. I can't take this. MERLIN Freya, I don't understand. FREYA You keep doing all this for me. I don't deserve it. MERLIN I want to. What's wrong? FREYA Nothing. MERLIN Here. Please. You'll look wonderful in it. We can leave tonight as soon as it gets dark and we'll be together. FREYA We'll need supplies. Food, water. MERLIN All right. I'll try to get horses, and we'll need blankets, but that's all we'll need. FREYA Go on, go. MERLIN I won't be long. [Merlin leaves.] FREYA Goodbye, Merlin. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS – NIGHT] MERLIN Gaius, I was just... GAIUS Merlin, sit down. I want to talk to you. MERLIN Is everything alright? You look worried. GAIUS The beast struck again last night. There are two more deaths in the lower town. MERLIN Do you know what it is yet? GAIUS Once more there were no tracks around the bodies, but human footprints were leading away from them. MERLIN Right. GAIUS It doesn't seem to add up. The footprints would indicate a human was responsible, but the wounds inflicted are definitely the work of some kind of beast. MERLIN Strange. GAIUS Yes. Until I remembered what Halig said about the druid girl, that she's cursed. MERLIN What's that got to do with the monster? GAIUS The ancient chronicles speak of a heinous curse. It dooms its victim to turn at the stroke of midnight into a vicious, bloodthirsty beast. The writers of old called this creature a Bastet: a monster of nightmare that inhabits the twilight world between the living and the dead. Merlin, I want the truth. Did you release the druid girl from the cage? MERLIN Of course not! GAIUS There was a time when you thought twice before lying to me. MERLIN I did what was right. GAIUS You know the creature and the girl are one and the same. MERLIN You're wrong. Freya is just a girl. GAIUS Merlin, please think about what I'm saying. You know it is the truth. Where is she now? MERLIN No. GAIUS She's killed already, and she'll kill again. She can't stop herself. MERLIN Please, Gaius. Where are you going? GAIUS To Uther. MERLIN I'm begging you! Just give me some time to get her out of the city, please. GAIUS I'm sorry. I can't let more innocent people die. -- [INT. TUNNELS – NIGHT] MERLIN Freya. Freya! -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, MERLIN'S CHAMBER – NIGHT] GAIUS I had no choice, Merlin. Uther had to be told. MERLIN They won't find her. She's gone. GAIUS I'm sorry. I do understand how you must feel, Merlin. MERLIN You could never understand. Do you know how it feels to be a monster? To be afraid of who you are? GAIUS Freya's very different from you. She's dangerous. MERLIN Whatever she is, and whatever she's done, she doesn't deserve to die. I just hope she's safe. Somewhere far away. [Warning bells sound.] GUARD There she is! Stop! [Freya gets to a wall and can't escape.] FREYA Please let me go. HALIG No one escapes from me. [The clock begins to chime. Freya begins screaming, transforming into Bastet. Arthur and the knights fight her in the square, Arthur wounds her. Merlin runs into the square, she sees him and flies off instead of attacking.] -- [INT.TUNNELS] [Merlin finds Freya weeping and naked in the tunnels and he places his jacket over her.] MERLIN You're all right. You're safe now. FREYA(crying) You must hate me. MERLIN No. FREYA I'm a monster. I tried to tell you. MERLIN I know. FREYA I wasn't always like this. MERLIN Shh. You shouldn't try to talk. FREYA There was a man. He attacked me. I didn't mean to hurt him, but I thought he was going to kill me. MERLIN It was an accident. FREYA His mother was a sorceress, and when she find out that I'd killed her son, she cursed me to kill forever more. MERLIN I'm going to make you better, Freya. FREYA No, Merlin, the wound's too deep. Please go. MERLIN No. I'm not leaving you here. -- [EXT. LAKE OF AVALON – DAY] [Merlin takes Freya to the Lake of Avalon, surrounded by mountains.] FREYA You remembered. MERLIN Of course. I'm so sorry for what that sorcerer did to you. FREYA Merlin, you have nothing to be sorry for. MERLIN There must be something I can do, some way to save you. FREYA You've already saved me. You made me feel loved. MERLIN I don't want you to go. FREYA One day, Merlin, I will repay you. I promise. [Merlin places Freya in a boat.] MERLIN Astyre. [The spell sends the boat out onto the lake.] MERLIN Wæcce on sæbát bælfýr mæst. [The spell ignites the boat.] -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS] GAIUS Merlin, I was so worried. MERLIN I'm sorry, Gaius. GAIUS Where's the girl? MERLIN She's gone. She's dead. GAIUS I'm sorry, Merlin. Truly, I am. -- [INT. KING’S PALACE, ARTHUR’S CHAMBERS – DAY] [Merlin cleans Arthur's boots, sitting on the floor.] ARTHUR Ah, Merlin. I'm looking for you. MERLIN Yeah, right, er, you're gonna ask me to polish your armour and to, er, wash your clothes and clean your room. [Arthur sits down on the floor next to Merlin.] ARTHUR Something's been upsetting you, hasn't it? MERLIN Maybe. ARTHUR Was it when I threw water over you? MERLIN It wasn't very nice. ARTHUR It was a bit unfair. Like when you called me fat. MERLIN Why was that unfair? ARTHUR Because I am not f... [Arthur puts Merlin in a headlock and rubs his hair with his knuckles.] MERLIN Ow! Ah! ARTHUR Still think I need to get in shape? MERLIN No! No! No, no, no, no! ARTHUR That's better. MERLIN Thanks. ARTHUR You are right, though. You need to polish my armour, wash my clothes, and clean my room.
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