Original subtitles

Thank you.

Yes. Traitor.

Well?

Beg pardon, sir. It's the man.

Been some talk.

Talk?

That his majesty's dying, sir.

He is?

Tell the man the king's wound will soon heal.

He's in no danger.

How is the young fool?

Suffering more from shock than anything else, I think.

Did he eat at all?

No.

I warned him against that devil, Hensar.

Colonel, I think the men should be told.

They saw what happened. They know Hensar attacked him.

They must realize by now it's Michael who means the king harm.

If they should believe for one second that Brassendale's not the king, we're

finished. They won't take kindly to being tricked.

Are you in pain?

How long have I been asleep?

Some hours.

And the courier? The courier has been dispatched. He should be in Streltsal by

now. And Hentha?

Hentha was not mentioned.

The report simply says you suffered in a hunting accident. Nothing more.

Now lie back. You must rest.

Hurry.

Water? Grog, sir.

In that case...

No more has ever been asked of you, lads, than to prove your devotion to the

king should the occasion arise.

I think you all know that moment has come.

Aye, sir, and we'll read it.

When you were chosen for this exercise, you were informed that a friend of the

king's was being forcibly confined within the castle of Zender, and that

rescue was the objective of this expedition.

Well, that was only half the truth.

Today isn't the first time an attempt has been made on the king's life.

Black Michael.

Black Michael, indeed.

And that's the rest of the truth.

The king's main desire is that we should help him to carry into effect certain

steps against his brother.

Feed him to the pigs, we hope.

The exact nature of what has to be done needn't concern you.

But make no mistake about it.

This is war.

And the king's life is at stake.

It's just that I feel Rupert enjoys it all too much.

He'd sooner cut a man's throat than play cards.

He'd sooner ruin a woman than do either.

Come now, Fred, you're the best. You never kill the man in open fire. No way,

John, you're mistaken.

I do believe he once tried to stab an ape in his sleep.

Are you sure it was an ape?

I heard a woman.

And she certainly wasn't asleep.

And she certainly wasn't a dagger, eh, Bertrand?

Ah, I thought Bertrand was asleep.

Is Madame not to join us tonight?

She attends our prisoner.

And Rupert too?

Gentlemen, I wish you good night.

care, my friend.

You are not indispensable.

What is he waiting for?

If the play actor is dead, is there any reason why the king should remain alive?

Only that damned English imposter stood between Michael and the throne. If the

play actor is dead, how can we be sure Hensau's dagger hit the right spot?

By going now to find out. Not by waiting for some official bullet from Hensau.

Whether Rathendil's dead or alive, that hunting lodge would be better guarded

now than a fortress.

The sap's no fool.

With the king's life hanging in the balance, he's not likely to make

death public, is he? One thing's certain.

Hence, Sire's attack will make them think twice about putting their heads in

lion's den.

Let me be.

Let me die.

Must I rot out my life in this cell? Why don't you kill me?

Hush, Sire.

Hush.

You're very kind, Madame.

Save all your strength, Your Majesty.

When help arrives, you must be ready.

Well, sir, if you've had enough of the latest society, we shall leave you to

repose.

But first, you must fasten these little ornaments.

Oh, really? Is that necessary?

I'm too weak even to leave the bed unaided. I could release him. Please do.

For a favour.

Good night, sir.

A kiss?

Taken, perhaps.

Never given.

You really prefer that dullard, Michael?

You're infinitely charming, Rupert.

Good -looking, too, and young.

Must be because I'm in love with you, Master, that I find you quite repellent.

Oh, dearest, I'm very tired.

What does he mean to you?

I've told you before, he means nothing to me at all.

You expect me to believe that?

He means as little to me as the Princess Flavia does to you.

Have you anything to say to her before I leave?

I'm dying by inches here.

If heaven's name kill me, I can't have done with it. I'd be only too happy to

oblige that.

I'm afraid the Duke doesn't desire your death just yet.

When he does, behold your pathway to heaven.

That is an improvement on Jenkins' Ladder. No common route for Your

A pretty private passage where the vulgar won't stay.

Sleep well, Your Majesty.

Who knows?

You may wake in paradise.

Oh!

Too late for you to go tonight.

But you must leave at dawn as soon as the door bridge is lowered. If anyone

should stop you, tell them I have sent you to the market in Sender for fresh

herbs. God be with you, Johanna.

And you, madame.

What is your name?

Schmidt, my lord.

Johann Schmidt.

Of the Duke's household?

No, sir. My lord.

Sir, will do.

I serve only Madame de Maubon, sir.

A lady's maid, Johann.

Has your mistress no women to perform that function?

There are no women at the castle, sir.

Michael, show some sense after all.

Only my mistress.

And she sent you here? Yes, sir.

With a message for His Majesty.

Attack as soon as you can.

The king is very weak. For God's sake, save us from this den of murderers. And

whose fault brought her there, I'd like to know.

Help me up.

We mean you no harm, Johan.

We had to be sure.

You know there is a prisoner in Zender.

Do you know who he is?

No,

sir. Only that he must be of some importance and a private enemy of the

His Majesty will join us.

Is that wise?

He insists.

If your Royal Highness would care to rest in my office, I'll see that the

carriage is prepared immediately.

Your Highness, it is not wise.

I beg you to return with me to the capital before Duke Michael learns of

arrival in Zinda. The king has been hurt in a hunting accident.

My place is by his side.

I wish to be alone until the carriage arrives.

How many men does he have?

Well, besides the six bodyguards, sir, I've seen only four servants.

Two soldiers guard the drawbridge.

Are the servants armed? Yes, sir.

Where do they sleep?

Here, sir, in the entrance hall. The duke and my mistress have their quarters

immediately above.

And his bodyguard?

Yes, sir, but two of them guard the prisoner at all times, day and night.

In the passageway? Well, one in the passage outside the cell here, sir, and

other inside.

Cunning.

If the outer door's stormed and the guard in the passageway killed, the man

inside the cell still has time to murder the prisoner.

He can simply throw him down the well.

Well? What well?

There's a trapdoor in the cell, sire, covering an old well.

The prisoner will be dead before he reaches the drawbridge. Not necessarily.

All this applies to an open attack on the castle. It's clear we shall have to

enter by stealth, not force.

How ill is the prisoner, Johan? Very weak, sir. My mistress attends to him

daily. We can expect no help from that quarter.

The drawbridge.

Is it drawn up at night?

Yes, sir. And the Duke himself holds the key.

You're a brave man, Johanna, and you've done well.

But you must return at once. We have need of you in the castle.

Take this note to your mistress and charge her for the sake of all our lives

to fail in what it orders.

If all goes well, you should live in prosperity for the rest of your life.

Now go quickly before your absence from the castle becomes suspicious.

Help me to dress, friend.

Are you strong enough?

I must show the men that I am.

I don't think Zap's too happy with your plan.

How can we do otherwise?

The slightest indication of an attack, Michael will have the king murdered.

It's your part in it he doesn't like.

For the first time in my life, Fritz, fate has given me the opportunity to

real courage.

Now, not even Zap will deny me that now. I've played too passive a role so far.

Too passive?

Good Lord, man, you've been crowned king of the realm. You've been shot in the

hand, stabbed in the arm, and taken on three cutthroat swine with a tea table.

You call that passive?

That is right.

If we lose both our kings, what will become of those of us who are left?

They will serve Queen Flavia, and I would to God I could be one of them.

What a fraud you are.

The bulletin was so serious, I expected to find you on your back and fight him

with death.

Do you realise you've gravely offended the medical faculty of Strolzow by not

calling any of them to your bedside?

I ordered the Marshal not to let you out of his sight.

I'm afraid your orders carried no more weight than his.

Our Royal Highness insisted.

I'm glad she insisted.

Rudolf, don't send me away, I beg you.

Let me stay with you.

Well?

Well, I'm sorry, Colonel, but she refuses to return with me.

Good God, he's not dying. She can see it's only a scratch. What's the matter

with her?

Her Royal Highness is in lounge.

Well, if I'm going to act as courier, I must go at once, or the marshal won't

receive your report till tomorrow.

Damn it, man, she can't stay here. It's no place for a woman. No, she insists,

and so does His Majesty.

His Majesty.

Would you defy the princess and the king?

Perhaps it's for the best zapped.

They should be together.

The people were given to understand that a marriage ceremony would follow

immediately after the coronation.

Damn the people.

Drive on.

I hope this won't become a habit.

First a dog and then a wild boar.

I think you should prohibit hunting altogether.

It's clearly far too dangerous.

If it finds favour with you, then of course I shall.

And was the boar's name Michael?

It was Hensar.

Did you spare him?

Not yet.

Gentlemen, if you'll forgive me, it's been a long and tiring day. Good night.

Captain Baptist feels very angry with me. He means well.

He thinks you should have pretended to tell us all for your own safety.

Safety?

I meant comfort, dearest, for your own comfort. This lodge is quite primitive.

I have everything I need.

Sleep sound, dearest, and wake to happy days.

To have her with me is like a toast of heaven to a damned soul.

Just don't let your snoring keep her awake for it.

Perhaps his majesty will consider something a little more urgent than the

welfare of his ministering angel.

Have you forgotten what we're here for?

No, sir.

I have not.

The king is sick.

The longer he remains in captivity, the less chance we have of ever seeing him

again. We must strike a blow now.

Tonight? Tomorrow.

We shall leave here at dusk and use the cover of the woods to the east of the

castle.

If all goes well, we shall be there by midnight.

We can't abandon the princess without a guard.

We can only spare one man.

If I should fail, you will return at once to Stralsau with the princess and

raise an army to march on Zender.

What is it?

Fritz?

Crassendale. In the circumstances, Fritz will go.

No. You're wound, man. No, Zapt. Rudolph, your life is too valuable. It's

the question.

Then at least both go. No.

One man might escape notice to double the party. Doubles the risk.

Very well.

We'll play the game as you planned it.

But you'll need proper clothing. Wear something dark and carry a knife. A gun

would be useless.

Will you wear this for me?

Till the day I die.

And after.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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