Original subtitles

Your men,

your ships, and your kingdom...

now belong to Cumber the Ice King.

Tell Uther,

tell the King of Lies,

the true blood heir to House Pendragon has come!

Listen to me.

It's all that matters now.

Bring this to Merlin.

It's all that matters.

It's in your blood, child.

It's there.

I've, um, been guarding it.

I'm actually rather relieved you finally woke up.

They don't like me here.

You know, Man Blood and all.

"Man Blood"?

Non-Fey.

Too human.

And that I... I don't have antlers.

Or wings.

You're up.

See?

What did I tell you?

You're not alone.

Welcome to Nemos.

Dizier.

I know.

I'm sorry.

I'm responsible.

No. He understood the risks.

Just honor his memory.

Comfortable?

We need hunters.

Go make yourself useful, brother.

Bring the sword to Merlin, that's what she said.

Merlin the Magician? Counselor to King Uther Pendragon?

-The same Merlin? -I don't know.

The only Merlin I know is the one in the old legends.

Yeah, I'm told he's flesh and blood.

Then it must be the same one. But did your mother tell you why, or...

Why him?

She didn't. She never had the chance.

Oh...

I'm sorry, Nimue. I didn't...

It's true. Merlin's a Druid and ancient, if you believe the legends.

He's no friend to the Fey, though. His loyalty's to the kings of men.

Are you sure he's the one?

Mother must have known something about him.

Caught one.

We need five more.

And what about Arthur?

It's complicated.

He saved my life.

But you wouldn't have been in that situation if not for him.

Yeah, but he didn't know that the sword was...

Look, why am I defending him?

You're his sister.

Exactly. I know him best.

And what does that mean?

It means there's very little time for little-girl crushes.

What?

That's ridiculous.

You're far too important to tie your heart to one man,

to any man.

You're not some Druid maid anymore, Nimue, you're the Wolf-Blood Witch.

You wield the Devil's Tooth.

And unless you start to claim this fate, it'll eat you alive.

And it starts with knowing who your true friends are.

-And how do I know that? -Well, look around you.

When the paladins come for me, no bards will sing my story.

I've thrown my lot in with these poor souls,

and there is no turning back.

Morgana, for that and more, I welcome your friendship.

Will you help me, then?

Will you help me find Merlin?

I will.

But understand this, Nimue.

You are in a far stronger position than you realize.

Every king from the Northlands to the Southern Deserts will want this sword

so they may proclaim themselves the king of all kings.

You're in a position to bargain for your survival,

for your people's survival.

- That him? - Yes.

Whoa.

Merlin the Magician?

I was. Once.

Well, whoever you are now, you're under arrest.

On what charge?

Treason.

To His Majesty the King.

Treason?

To the Widow, my girl.

Run like the wind.

Surround him!

Hold.

It's all right.

Over here, Father.

Your Holiness.

Rise, Father Carden.

And approach, please.

I find these waters very restorative.

You must be tired after your long journey.

Shall we draw you a bath?

I doubt if I've used all the hot water.

Please don't trouble yourself, Your Holiness.

No rest from the work,

the Great Work.

Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, Father Carden, I assure you.

How many villages...

cleansed so far, Father?

Is there a number?

Some can hardly be called villages, Your Holiness.

Many live in trees like animals.

Others live in tents made of skin beneath the swamp water.

Incredible.

But we are rooting them out.

Praise be to God.

Glory be to God, indeed.

How many Red Paladins do you command?

We're overrun with volunteers, Your Holiness.

In some areas, we've lost count.

However, it would not be boastful

to suggest 5,000.

That is impressive.

And losses?

-Some. -Some?

How much is "some"?

We've encountered some...

minor resistance in the hills near Cinder.

Is this what we're calling the "child"?

A Resistance?

-All by herself? -She's not all by herself--

Don't contradict me. You said she was burned.

To discourage her followers.

Or to hide your failures from me.

You're turning her into a symbol.

You've already named her the Wolf-Blood Witch.

Perhaps you should pen a ballad to her great deeds.

We're setting a trap, Your Holiness.

And when we find her,

I swear by Almighty God that I will make such an example of her,

as will drive her followers to despair and madness.

I hope so, Father,

or it is you who shall be made the example.

Is there anything else you would like to tell me?

She wields the Devil's Tooth, Your Holiness.

The Church wants that sword.

Of course, Your Holiness.

Displease me again,

and my Trinity will assume command of your Red Paladin army.

Be advised, Father,

my Trinity have many Godly virtues.

Mercy is not one of them.

I understand, Your Holiness.

Now go.

This is your failure that brings me here to be the subject of such humiliation.

Have you no pride?

The witch mocks us.

But mark my words,

if I burn,

I'll not burn alone.

-What do you want, boy? -I'm a girl.

I want to join you...

...I want to be a Red Paladin.

We don't take girls.

Go home. Piss off.

Speak for yourself. I take girls.

I don't have a home.

There was evil there, so I burned it out.

Please. I want to be a Red Paladin.

I told you, piss off.

What do I need to do? Tell me.

Bring us the head of the Wolf-Blood Witch.

Here.

-What's this? -Your letter to Merlin. I changed it.

You changed it? Why?

It needed more strength.

"To the Great Merlin, greetings from the Wolf-Blood Witch."

Is that my proper name now?

Keep going.

"By now, I trust you're aware I possess the sword of the ancients

known as the Devil's Tooth.

I assure you that Father Carden knows this,

for many of his paladin have felt the sting of its bite."

You really intend to send that?

- What's wrong with it? - You don't win allies with threats.

- Nor with stolen swords. - What the hell do you know?

Look, she's no expert.

Truly are brother and sister.

These men have to see you as an equal.

All they respect is power.

Keep reading.

"Yet, what I seek most is an end to this violence and peace for my kind.

I propose an alliance, Great Merlin,

and request you use your influence with the king to quell this massacre.

In return, I offer you the Devil's Tooth, the Sword of Power,

and trust you will use it to restore the Fey

to their lands and villages.

Refuse me, and I will water all the fields of your kingdom with paladin blood."

I love that last bit.

Yeah, I'm not saying that.

That's the best part.

Morgana.

Yeah, yeah. Ah, there's no coins.

- Ah! - Told ya!

Throw it to the sea, I says.

Might need to throw this one back.

No... no!

Valuables?

Nothing.

Are you mad sneaking on this ship? Do you know whose ship it is?

Nice hair, though.

-Fey wear it long like that. -I'm not Fey.

I'm not.

Fey are bad luck.

-Drown her. -No, no, no, please! Please! No!

Aren't the Fey healers?

I mean,

if she's Fey,

they know about herbs and that sort of thing.

But I'm not...

Uh... I mean...

I...

am Fey?

Well, which is it?

I am Fey.

And a healer.

A very well respected healer.

I was the healer in my village...

and several surrounding villages, actually.

- Never lost a patient. - She lies.

With Thrain gone,

could we use her?

There are slower deaths than drowning,

I promise you.

If the ale turns sour or I find any dead birds on deck,

I blame you. Understand?

-Otherwise, you will heal my wounded. -Yes, ma'am.

That's captain, you Fey bitch!

Sorry.

I need my crew strong.

You serve the Red Spear now...

in her war against Cumber the Ice King.

Don't lie to her. She can read your thoughts.

Just give her the letter.

You're scaring me.

Yeva is a real sorceress.

A Moon Wing elder and quite mad.

If she turns on you, it's very dangerous.

But she's our best chance at finding Merlin.

Through there.

-You're not coming? -No Man Blood permitted.

Hello?

Hello?

They have many questions about you.

I was told you might be able to help me.

You smell wrong.

What are you?

Sky Folk.

You don't smell like Sky Folk.

My mother was high priestess of our clan. My father was our healer.

Hmm.

When you think of them, there is pain.

This priestess and this healer.

Jonah, she's your daughter.

You know what she is! Tell me the truth, Lenore!

-I don't know what you're talking about. -Papa, don't go.

Is this what your father feared, these scars?

-Just stop it. -He was right to fear you.

He was right to fear your blood.

Please.

I just wanna know if you can send this message to Merlin.

Merlin?

I curse that traitor to his kind.

-What do you want with him? -The message is private.

But it is of vital importance to the survival of the Fey.

I don't know where he is.

But Marguerite can find anything.

Even traitors.

And taken three ports, Hastings, Grimsby, and Dover,

and sank five of our ships! Our ships!

Good Lord, I hope you didn't blubber on like this down at court.

And claims he is the true Pendragon king!

The audacity.

Is this an invasion? Are we at war?

It's the pity of princes that no one ever teaches them how to take a punch.

Because when someone finally does, they screech like pheasants.

Cumber wants the Sword of Power, and unlike some monarchs I could mention,

he appears motivated to actually get it.

Of course we want the bloody sword!

And how is that working out for you?

Where is Merlin, anyway?

Chained in his quarters.

-Let him rot. -Well, that certainly won't do.

A Merlin rotting is a Merlin plotting.

What has Merlin to do with Cumber and our burning ports?

Your weakness. That's what they have in common.

And I hasten to add Father Carden and his Red Paladins to the mix,

who apparently can march through your lands

and burn villages with impunity.

Are they all poisoned?

Not all.

What would you have us do?

Be the damn king.

Demonstrate to your court, your subjects, and potential usurpers

what happens to layabouts and traitors.

Kill Merlin.

Kill him?

Publicly.

Loudly.

So that it rattles in the Ice King's halls.

It's dangerous.

Even better.

It will show there's more than silk beneath those breeches.

And after?

Embrace the Church.

Ally with the Red Paladins against the Ice King

and throw him back into the sea.

It will be easy to claim the sword

once there are no kings to resist you.

Thank you, Mother.

Always a pleasure.

Indeed, Your Majesty.

Come on, it's just a little further.

I can't see.

Are we outside?

Arthur, I don't like surprises.

There we are.

Oh...

Morgana says it's the best-kept secret in the caves.

It's warm.

The snowmelt from the top of the mountain...

heats up as it works through the rocks.

Well?

Oh, my God!

Some warning, please.

What are you waiting for?

Oh, God.

Ooh!

Feels good.

Come on.

Oh, I'm... I'm fine, thanks.

I have seen a naked woman before.

We're all very impressed.

You don't have to hide them, you know.

Hide what?

We all have scars.

Nimue.

-No, it's fine. -Nimue!

- It's... it's fine. It's too hot. - Look.

Look. Look!

When I was a boy, I used to bet on rat races.

Ah...

My first race,

my rat got scared,

ran up my trouser leg, tried to eat his way out.

Now, the boys had a good laugh.

And I ran home crying and,

well, dancing with a rat in my trousers.

What about that one?

Oh, that.

That's from the first man I ever killed.

Yeah, he stuck me pretty good before it was over.

Who was he?

He was one of the brutes who killed my father.

Or so I thought.

Turns out, I'd... pegged the wrong gang for it.

And not that he was... some angel. He wasn't that.

But he'd... done me no wrong.

I was just... young

and drunk and...

angry.

You wanted justice for your father.

There is no justice.

You know, men...

...men aren't built for it.

And truth is, it...

would've broken my father's heart to know what I'd done to him.

Thank you.

For what?

For telling me.

Nimue, I... Nimue, I can't stay.

I have debts to bad men. And not just Bors.

There are others.

You don't need my problems too. I'm sorry.

-Why are you doing this? -You deserve someone good.

Have I judged you?

-Did I say something? -No, it's... ah!

I'll mess it up.

All right?

I have to go. I don't want to see you hurt.

You won't.

You'll be gone.

What ails you?

Oh, my...

You mind cracking it in so I can get back out there?

What now?

I've just been having dark thoughts of late.

Tell me.

Thrain would've just cut them off!

Well, Thrain's dead! You've got me now!

I got one.

How goes it, Minnow?

Did you do this to me on purpose?

I saved your life.

Drowning would be a mercy.

Does your stomach ail you?

Here.

Give your hand.

Mm! Ow!

Ow!

You have blood on you.

Yeah, I pulled out this arrow, and there was just...

...blood everywhere.

Are you gonna keep pinching me or...

Stomach better?

Dunno.

-Maybe. -Never lost a patient.

Look, are you injured? I'm very busy.

I don't get injured on raids.

Sigurd protects me.

But if I can only see you when I'm injured,

perhaps I will leave Sigurd on board.

Leave us.

Your Highness.

I would stand, but--

Why didn't you tell us about the Sword of the First Kings?

- Well, I was-- - Wait. We know.

You wanted to acquire it for us first before animating any false hopes.

Well, yes, Your Majesty.

Always the perfect answer.

I confess, the way I left was not ideal,

but you see, the omens--

Yes, the omens.

Blood raining down on Castle Pendragon.

-Terrifying. -Yes.

But as I've said before, there are different--

Different possible meanings to signs. Yes, we remember.

We are not as stupid as you think.

-I never suggested that-- -We remember all your lessons, Merlin.

For instance, we need not fear omens,

but rather we can seize them,

turn them around, and examine them

until they tell us something new.

And then, through action,

make those signs come true.

And we found this thinking to be...

particularly instructive.

How so?

Because we decided the blood that fell upon the castle was not ours...

-but yours. -Uther!

You never believed in us. And now we no longer believe in you.

The Age of Wizards is over, Merlin.

We consider your recent derelictions to be treason.

And for that, there can be only one recourse.

- Execution. - Without a trial?

Without a hearing?

Who's turned you against me?

You've done that yourself with your disdain for us,

your drunkenness,

and your disloyalty!

You have every reason to be disappointed in me, Uther.

But if you want the Sword of Power,

killing me is madness.

See, I have it on good authority the sword is coming to me.

Now, give me one week--

Oh, no.

You have until the morning to deliver the sword.

And then we give the mob your head.

What can I do from here, Uther?

That's not enough time.

Uther!

Come with us. We'll take you somewhere safe.

♪ In the ditch ♪

♪ Hiding from the Wolf-Blood Witch ♪

♪ Paladin, paladin♪

♪ Choke and twitch♪

♪ Bitten by the Wolf-Blood Witch♪

♪ Paladin, paladin jump in the ditch♪

♪ Hiding from the Wolf-Blood Witch ♪

♪ Paladin, paladin... ♪

Oh, no. Please, I want to be useful.

I'm sorry, I don't, um...

I don't understand.

My name. Cora.

Ah. Nimue.

May I ask you, do you know who's in this painting?

The Green Knight is our leader, our protector.

He find the Fey to save them.

The Green Knight.

Come. I show you something.

Tomorrow night, there is Amala.

A "Joining."

No, I-- I can't.

Not for me. You do too much.

Yes, you will wear.

You will come. You and that handsome human boy.

Your Majesty, without me, you'll never get the Sword of Power.

Our ears tire of your words.

Uther!

Uther!

Uther!

By the power invested in us by Almighty God,

Merlin the Magician, you are hereby sentenced to die

for the crime of treason against our person.

A message, my liege.

There is a note, sire.

Well?

Borley, what does it say?

It is a letter from the Wolf-Blood Witch offering to bring the Sword of Power,

the Sword of the First Kings...

to Merlin the Magician.

Tell her I'm indisposed.

Get him up. Get him up!

Clean him up, then bring him before us.

You're one of Yeva's, are you?

Tell that old crone this changes nothing between us.

That's the best part.

There you are.

Nimue?

Yes?

Oh.

There's a Joining tonight.

Like your weddings.

They, uh... made me this.

Yeah, you look like a dream.

You're leaving now?

Yes.

I, um...

I'll never be what my father hoped.

I'll-- I'll never be a true knight.

But maybe somewhere I can find my honor.

Maybe somewhere I can find... justice.

Are you searching or just running away?

They can look the same, you know.

Honestly, I'm...

I don't know anymore.

You'll ride through the night?

With everyone looking for me, I thought it best.

I'm sorry.

I-- I-- I wish we could ju--

No. Forget it.

Come with me to the Joining.

I mean, wouldn't it be lovely just to forget it all for an hour?

No swords or debts or...

Merlins or paladins.

We could just...

be us.

I would like that very much.

Would you?

Well...

Well, all right, then.

Whey!

Nimue...

what if it's you?

What if what's me?

What if you're my honor?

What if it's your justice I'm meant to serve?

Your honor was never lost, Arthur.

But if you want to stay,

I want you to stay.

The Green Knight!

-The Green Knight is here. -The who?

- The Green Knight! - Spread the word, child!

- Come on. - It's the Green Knight!

Let's go see this Green Knight, then.

Squirrel?

- Nimue! - Oh!

I... Thank the gods. I... I looked for you.

I'm sorry, Nimue.

I heard you, but...

You're here. It's okay.

You're here.

You're alive!

Oh!

The Green Knight saved me.

Gawain?

Nimue.

It's me.

-Oh, my goodness. -I can't believe you're alive.

-I can't believe you're alive! -I thought... Tell me everything.

You need to tell the story...

Don't be sad. You'll have friends here.

This Man Blood smell funny.

Don't be mean.

You're safe.

Because, look,

the Wolf-Blood Witch is here.

She kills all the Red Paladins.

...desiccated. How are you here?

-I can't believe you're here. -I can't.

-I need to hear. -You look so different.

- It's just so... - Well, it's been years.

I... Um...

Oh, Arthur, uh, this is Gawain.

He's my, uh...

He's like family, one of my dearest, oldest friends.

How nice.

Gawain, this is Arthur.

We're... friends?

Kind of hard to describe what we are,

but we've been on quite the journey together.

Arthur.

Sell-sword?

On occasion.

Human.

Uh... Aye.

Thank you for taking care of my Nimue.

Take as long as you need to rest up here. What little we have, we will share.

Thank you.

We'll be right back. We just need...

We have so much to catch up on, but we'll...

-I'll be right back, I promise. -Take your time.

What is it?

Merlin.

- What a surprise. - Your Majesty Queen Regent.

To what do we owe the honor of your visit? And may we offer you a cake?

So kind of you.

But I ate my fill at the court.

Though I hear they are delightful.

Wine, then?

You must have earned quite a thirst after such an exciting day.

Exciting day, yes.

For some reason, a day like this reminds me of a story.

Perhaps you've heard it.

Among the gentry, they call it "The Story of the Midwife."

I don't believe I have.

Huh!

They say it was an unusually cold night for May.

A frost had settled over the crops.

And yet the people stood beneath the stars holding candles

because a king was being born that night.

And this was very important

because the king had died only months before,

leaving the queen a regent,

not a true blood heir to the throne.

But were she to deliver a son, then he would rule as the true king.

But as the night wore on,

it became clear that the child hadn't turned

and struggled inside the Queen Regent.

And though she prayed to St. Margaret that her child come free

as easily as Margaret escaped the dragon's stomach...

the baby was stillborn.

And a boy.

Knowing the dead child would snuff out her claim to the throne,

the Queen Regent huddled with the midwife and devised a plot.

And so...

by the light of the moon...

...the midwife snuck away from the castle to a peasant's home that was known to her,

one that had recently celebrated the birth of a baby boy.

It's said the mother was paid handsomely in gold coins from the royal coffers.

And yet...

days later,

the same woman was found dead from a curious suffocation.

Poisoned, some surmised.

Indeed, almost anyone who might have known of the foul conspiracy met similar ends.

All except for the midwife,

who, fearing for her life,

fled the kingdom, never to return.

One imagines were she ever found,

she would represent quite a danger to the king.

Which I suspect is why she remained hidden forever,

given the grim outcomes of the other characters in the story.

Or perhaps the simpler explanation

is that she never made it out of the kingdom at all

and shared the fate of that poor mother who sold her child for a few gold coins.

That's always been my suspicion as well.

-There is a third option, of course. -Is there?

That perhaps the midwife is alive and well and under my protection.

Good night, Your Majesty.

Who knows about this?

No one.

Arthur knows and Morgana.

Any of the Fey Elders?

No.

Why?

This is the sword of our people, Nimue.

This is our history.

Our hope.

And you want to give this to Merlin the Magician,

who turned against his own kind?

He's a conjurer who serves a Man-Blood king.

- It was Lenore's wish. - I loved Lenore like my own mother.

But this is wrong.

Why him?

-I don't know. -Well, there must be a reason.

Gawain, these were the very last words she spoke to me.

She could have said anything, but she chose this:

"Bring this to Merlin."

A bargaining chip, then.

She hoped that this Merlin might protect you,

but you don't need that because I'll protect you.

There is more to it. I know there is.

And I don't need protecting.

Are you sure?

This is also known as the Sword of the First Kings.

Uther Pendragon will want this sword.

And if history is any guide, then he will promise the world

and then leave the Fey at the mercy of the Red Paladins.

Well, I wouldn't know, for I am no king.

Then give it to someone else.

Someone here.

I will take it if I must,

but not Merlin.

Mother wouldn't be careless about something like this.

She wouldn't entrust...

She knew him.

How?

I don't know, but it's the only explanation.

Oh, no!

No!

Morgana...

...it'll be all right. I promise.

Get away from me!

What's happened?

There was word.

Yvoire Abbey is burned to the ground.

Celia?

No survivors.

She must have been so afraid.

Celia saw the good in everyone.

Oh...

I have such hate in my heart.

Such frightening hate.

I guess we're both orphans now, aren't we?

In a sense.

I suppose we are.

Sisters in blood.

The traitor...

...has given his answer.

That lazy dog gives me work.

Next time, Marguerite brings back his balls.

What will happen?

You sit, you breathe, you dream.

The Hidden take you to Merlin.

Not safe, he says, on the road.

This is the way, the Old Druid way.

Memory will come.

Maybe good, maybe bad.

Pay attention.

That is the voice of the Hidden.

And that is the road to the Between...

where Merlin awaits you.

Take this to Merlin. It's all that matters now.

Run!

Papa! Don't go.

You've brought darkness to this family, Nimue.

Jonah, she's your daughter. Do something.

You are cursed.

I'll fix it, Papa. I'll take the medicine. I won't complain.

It's in your blood, child.

Ask your mother the reason...

...I will not say it.

Papa, I'm sorry. Come back!

Please come back!

You're him.

You're Merlin.

And you're the Wolf-Blood Witch.

Dreaded wielder of the Devil's Tooth.

-You're making fun of me. -No.

But you're playing a dangerous game, young lady.

You think this is a game?

What's your connection to this place?

Why do you ask?

The Between has found a common ground for us.

One we must both share in memory.

Otherwise, we'd be in an ordinary room or field, not here.

I'm Sky Folk.

This is my home.

And this temple is where my mother died.

-You're the daughter of Lenore? -I am.

She gave you the sword.

Yes.

And asked me with her dying breath to bring the sword to you.

You knew her?

I did, yes.

And, uh, her instructions to you were very wise.

-Look at me, Merlin. -No, I'm sorry, I--

Look at me.

What do you see?

You have her eyes.

Anything else?

What... what name were you given?

Nimue.

Nimue.

That is indeed a beautiful name.

I've been asking myself, "Why you?

Why did she ask me to bring the sword to you?"

And what's your answer?

Because...

you're my father.