Original subtitles

Day after day, they�ve been standing there.

Like carved statues.

They�ve the persistence of a hungry bear,

waiting for a wolf cub to leave its lair.

And would show as much mercy.

Perhaps.

They�re Wood People.

They bring nothing but trouble.

When things go well, Kai, we thank our gods,

but when trouble comes, we look elsewhere for the cause.

Because they�re strange? They�re different?

It�s easy to blame them for any misfortune.

They�re cursed.

Welcome back. How was Dirk?

Shifty. And as devious as ever.

Did he renew the treaty with us?

He made his mark.

He would disown it if it suited him.

But I suppose we should be thankful.

He demonstrates his wish for peace,

even if it is only because he doesn�t feel strong enough for war.

Are those barbarians still plaguing us?

They�re waiting for us to weaken and offer them hospitality.

Then we will reward their patience with some action.

I�ll take a couple of men

and have them running over the boundaries into Cornwall by nightfall.

You need only a horse.

Ride out to them and offer them the food and shelter they seek.

They�re Wood People, witches.

And they�re starving.

Then let them hunt their food, as we must.

How many boar have your hunting parties speared recently?

Then we send food out to them.

They�re freezing with the cold.

They can make a fire.

Which the rain will douse.

Arthur, these people are unclean.

They bring diseases.

Their children need shelter. And milk from our cows and goats.

Bring them in.

You can stay just a few days.

God protect you for your kindness!

Don�t touch me!

You will stay in the hut you�re given.

Each day, food will be put outside your door with firewood and water.

Stop it, you two!

I told you not to play with those children!

Kai told these dirty brats to stay in their hut!

He was only thinking of their welfare.

That they should be warm and comfortable.

Which one of you can run the fastest?

Me! Me! Me!

First one to the bridge and back gets this prize.

Are you ready?

Go! Off you go. Go on!

Badric�s wound is diseased.

The infection has to be burnt out.

Who won? � She did.

The whistle will offset the dreadful curses

those witches would cast on us.

I�ll still sleep easier when they�re on their way.

That wound�s badly infected.

You�ll have to be burned deep.

Soon.

There is no need for suffering.

Put these on the fire.

If the wounded man breathes the smoke from their burning, he will sleep.

And so, from his arm, he feels no pain.

I am not a sick child that I need comfort!

Least of all from a scavenger like you!

I�m a warrior!

I don�t run from pain, like... like some woman!

Ready.

Will those herbs do what the man claimed?

Yes. They�re famed for it.

Well, were it I with that wound,

I would have perhaps forsaken honour and accepted sleep, gratefully.

He�ll sleep alright. Either before...

or afterwards.

All�s well?

Cold night. � Eh.

Arthur!

Help us! You must. Help us!

They run into a roving band of Saxon looters.

Who kidnap two of their children,

and demand Arthur as ransom, dead or alive.

And you believe this?

Why should I not believe it?

Are you mad? Cerdig would pay a fortune for your head.

She had the chance to earn it. Why did she not take it?

Eh!

Your story has no ring of truth.

Would you put them all to the sword before you were sure of that?

I say she�s lying!

What does he look like? This Saxon leader,

who holds your friends as captives?

Big.

And he�s made marks on his sword hilt for all the men he�s killed.

Lots and lots!

He fought as a soldier in the Roman legion.

And he was a gladiator.

Look at the size of that monster.

We�ll have to take care of him quickly.

That�s Arthur!

Llud is right. With the children, we can�t take any chances.

Both you and Llud will take him.

The rest of us will drive a wedge between the children and his followers.

Cerdig will pay a fortune for you, friend!

The children first.

One at a time.

Come on. Come on!

Stand your ground!

Does not a frightened child run to its mother and father?

Strip off your cloaks.

So!

No!

If you wanna see the boy alive,

Arthur � alone!

Keep well hidden. And take your chance.

Kai was right.

The Wood People do have a curse on them.

Then once and for all, let�s crush it.

Come on!

On your feet, Celt!

Get on!

He�s our gladiator, clever with the sword.

He keeps always to open ground where we cannot surprise him.

Some time he must move into the forest.

Not before they reach the safety of Saxon territory.

As a last chance, we attack.

Better a quick death for Arthur than have Cerdig kill him slowly in a public ceremony.

Shh!

Still following. � Why?

They have the children returned to them.

What do they want now?

This was a Nubian, twice your size.

And this was a Greek, with a trident and net.

He gave me this.

And this was a Jute.

Perhaps if Cerdig�s feeling in a good mood

he�ll let me make it one more notch, for a Celt!

Hungry?

Here, Celt.

My hands are tied.

Hands? What need for hands?

You�re a pig, aren�t you?

Pick it all up with your teeth, pig!

Only three guards.

If we could draw near enough, then er...

Too dangerous.

One sound and we have a dead leader.

That smoke...

When you attended Badric�s wound... � Mmm.

Sentry outside the longhut...

Yeah.

Where the devil are they?

Not far away, you can be sure of that.

We need your help.

What can we do?

Herbs.

The ones you put in the fire to make the sentries sleep.

That�ll be difficult.

There are many kinds.

And there�s moss and fungus to be gathered too.

We need them before daybreak.

It�ll be light soon.

Once the sun�s up we�ll have no chance.

By the time that same sun is in the sky,

they�ll be safe in Saxon territory.

We can�t wait any longer.

May my gods help me.

May Arthur�s god help him.

Wait!

The powder is made.

No! You are not enough at one with the rocks and trees.

You�d be seen too soon, and when you are, Arthur dies.

But if the Saxons see only one of us,

the despised People of the Woods,

when they finish killin� him,

they will just laugh and spit on his corpse,

and leave your leader alone.

No!

Grund!

One day, someone will cut your throat.

Get some more wood for the fire.

And what were you after? Creepy little man.

Food? Money? Arthur?

Get rid of him! And keep your eyes open!

Your friends are brave men, Celt!

They send witches to rescue you.

Grund!

What�s happening?

It�s that cursed witch!

Celts!

Come back!

Keep back!

Move!

Keep moving!

Or by the gods I�ll slit your gullet, Celts or no!

If I must die,

then by the gods, you will be the first to go!

If I give you your freedom, then what?

I give you my word that none of my men

will stand in your way, or try to harm you.

How do I know that I can trust you?

You don�t.

Any more than I knew I could trust you in the exchange with the children.

Run, Saxon!

Before I disobey that pledge.

Wait!

You gave your word!

I gave you my word that none of my men would stand in your way.

I said nothing of myself.

If you want your freedom, Saxon, you must fight for it!

Two and twenty notches.

And I warrant not one of them for a cause.

Not one of them in defence of right or justice.

Just brutal, senseless killing.

Bury it with him.

Let them rot together.

We are poor, and have very little of value to offer.

But these are the Herbs of Sleep.

And you may yet find a use for them again.

My thanks.

We can never repay your kindness to us.

Then we are equally beholden to each other.

One of your men sacrificed his life for me.

I can never repay that.

You would make a gift of a pheasant and rabbits?

To disease-ridden witches?

Who are all cursed?

Thank you!

See you next year.