Original subtitles

They were going to kill Arthur.

Can you imagine?

They would've killed him too,

but I put a stop to it.

The arrogance, the stupidity.

Not that Uther ever was one for a scholar's coat.

I heard about their sordid plan in the way that I have,

whispers in the wind, faces in the embers of the fire,

and I made it my affair to save him.

The high king would do his worst,

but I would have my way.

My way,

was it?

Was it ever my way?

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I always am.

This is to be Arthur's story,

but there's more to Arthur than his birth.

To understand him, you have to understand the land.

This land, this Island of the Mighty.

And you have to understand me,

for I am the man who made him.

Every year of my kingship, it has been my custom

to give the first take of my salmon weir

to one of your number as a sign of my respect.

Respect for what?

Everyone knows that your boy is cursed.

So you say, but the weir is mine,

and the salmon mine to give.

Elphin is my only son.

A man must do for his true sons what he can

to advance their fortunes.

Bring a bounty, boy, and show them the curse is broken.

And what if the nets are empty?

You might have warned me about the snow upriver.

You might have warned me of your foolish plan.

All his ill luck aforetime was nothing.

You've let him destroy the virtue of our weir.

Elphin, enough!

He, he has something.

It's nothing, a drowned carcass.

Why so eager to share this bad luck?

The scrawny thing's dead.

Who'd be for throwing a babe like that in the river?

The child is bewitched.

Throw him back in and be done with it.

Don't touch him.

The babe could be cursed, son.

I'm already cursed.

By the goddess.

Behold.

Taliesin of the radiant brow.

Never in Gwyddno's weir

was there such good fortune as today.

Small you are, Taliesin,

and weak, yet there is virtue in your tongue.

A bard, the boy will be.

A maker with words like no other

from the beginning of the world,

and in his voice will be born a kingdom of summer.

Henceforth, let no one say Elphin Ap Gwyddno is unlucky.

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis,

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis,

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis,

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis,

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis.

Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis, Charis.

You there, fetch me your lord.

And be quick with you.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

Peace, Hafgan, peace.

What have you seen?

They're coming.

Picti?

From today, we will no longer speak

of Irish, Pict, or Saecsen, but of Barbarian.

Unified?

Mmm.

I had hoped for a few more years.

One season more or less, what difference?

Take the day as it comes, o'King.

Do you see victory for us?

Better to ask your son.

He sees these things much clearer than I.

I have not seen Taliesin in three days.

Where is he when I need him?

He'll be where he's needed most.

Earth Mother, behold your son.

Sky Mother, recognize your devoted servant.

Father of Wisdom, speak to me that I may hear your voice.

Great Goddess, Queen of Life,

reveal to me the vision of your sight.

Speak- A beautiful prayer.

The gods of this place must be pleased.

It is unwise to sneak up on a man while he prays.

It is unwise to pray while a man sneaks up on you.

You are old to have climbed this hill alone.

You are young to have climbed it at all.

You think me young to seek the gods?

Few enough seek the gods, young or old.

The chair on which you sit

belongs to the head of our order,

the Chief Druid of the Island of the Mighty.

And are you a druid then, Taliesin Ap Elphin?

You know me.

All men know of the great Taliesin.

They say you are the most powerful of your people.

I am as you see me.

Who are you?

Curious, isn't it?

Why did your order allow one

of their sacred stones to fall?

Must have fallen long ago.

I wonder, will you be the man to raise it?

I see why it fell.

Forgive me, stranger.

Do the dead forgive?

It is very old.

What of the markings?

Cernunnos, The Horned Lord!

One of your gods?

No, much older.

Ancient one.

No, no.

No.

Put it back!

Put the stone back!

No doubt I think this Cernunnos

would prefer you lift his stone upright.

He would have me revive the old ways.

Ah, and what do you think?

Look upon me then, Shining Brow.

Have you nothing to say to me, Great Bard?

No song to sing or wisdom to declare?

On the day of your liberation,

your tongue will be loosed

and the words I give you will come.

You will be my bard,

proclaiming my reign in the world of men.

Men will hear your voice

and will know who it is that speaks.

Taliesin. Father.

Who am I, father, that the gods should war for my soul?

You are my son, boy,

and the greatest bard in the history of your people.

Nothing more?

Is that not enough?

Come now.

Our enemies gather against us.

I need you.

Hail Maximus.

I don't remember a Roman legion

requiring the aid of a Celtic ala to avoid defeat.

You have a short memory.

I see you've met the enemy.

Thank you for coming, Elphin,

but I can't allow you to stay.

The barbarian have overrun Luguvallium.

By the goddess.

The wall is fallen.

Go home, friend.

Defend your own.

Both our people will stand a far better chance

if we stand together.

Besides we have my son to uphold us.

Hail, Taliesin!

I confess I should not like to miss the chance

to fight under your blessing once more.

Then you shall have it.

Will you join me, Teacher?

The Horned God, what did he offer you?

Great power for a great price.

Let us hope your refusal is not the doom of our people.

My acceptance surely would've been.

There is no other like him in all the empire.

There is none other like him in all the world.

Who could it be?

Saecsen? Irish?

More likely a traveler stopping for rest and shade.

I never thought we would find it occupied.

One horse is hardly an occupation, Collen.

Still, we should wait.

Maybe they'll move on.

What are you doing?

We didn't come all this way to cower before the prize.

Ave Maria.

Goodness.

Holy Mary, Mother of the Christ.

Have mercy on us.

What manner of men are you?

Unworthy men, Lady.

I see.

Why have you come here?

Seeking this holy place.

And who is this Holy Mary of whom you speak?

Why, the Mother of the Most High,

Jesu the Christ, Savior of Mankind.

You are not the Blessed Lady?

There are those who would call me Savior,

but I've never heard of this goddess Mary.

Goddess?

Forgive us, Lady.

We worship no God but the True God,

the God who was once worshiped in this very place.

The True God worshiped here?

That seems unlikely.

Again, I beg your forgiveness.

We have traveled all the way from Gaul

to find and restore this place

in order that the truth of our God

might be proclaimed once more hereabouts.

You speak often of truth.

Is this God of yours so interested in truth?

In truth, yes, but also in love.

I see.

A strange God then,

and often disappointed, I should think.

This is blasphemy.

My companion studied under Brother Martin in Tours.

He is zealous, but perhaps less open-minded

than the situation calls for.

He's honest.

If you wish to restore this place,

you will need the permission of King Avallach.

Faery!

You are of the Faer Folk, who dwell in the Glass Isle?

The people here tell many strange tales about you.

Have you heard we change our shapes at will?

Have you heard we never sleep or rest

and we have but to bid and the winds bring us news

from any corner of our realm?

And more.

What do you believe, Priest?

We will believe whatever the Holy God reveals to us.

I trusted a god once, long ago.

What happened?

I killed him.

I've never seen anything like it.

Not in Rome or Athens or Constantinople itself.

Truly, these are the Faery!

Hey, brother, they're mortals like as we.

Mortals, perhaps.

But never like us.

What strange men are you?

Priests, my lady.

Are they with the others?

Your father has given audience to a large group

of strangely dressed Britons.

Our father, Morgian.

He asks that you join him on your return.

My presence was not requested.

Do you think these painted men

will strike this far south?

In time.

Although, in Dyfed, we heard the emperor

was withdrawing two legions from Gaul

and sending troops back to the wall.

Here she is.

King Elphin Ap Gwyddno, I present to you my daughter,

the Princess Charis, Savior of our People.

Princess Charis.

Your father was just telling us

how you delivered your people from calamity.

It is the way of fathers

to exaggerate the accomplishments of their children.

Never say it.

Not an Atlantean draws breath who doesn't owe their life

to my daughter.

My people know something of loss as well.

We too are strangers in these lands.

Travelers are always welcome within these walls.

Please stay with us if you can.

Allow me to share the bounty of my table this evening.

Your offer is most generous.

Please accept this token as a sign of our gratitude.

You honor me, Lord Elphin.

Mmm.

I gather his people have been driven

from their homeland in the North?

Driven?

By war, war which will soon visit us in the South.

If it is as bad as they declare.

You don't believe them?

Desperate men can never be trusted.

Can they be trusted?

Powerful men can never be trusted.

What say you, son?

Taliesin.

Sorry, Father.

I need you in the present,

not lost in the past.

King Avallach has shown kindness

when kindness was not required.

And yet?

I sense danger in this place.

You must be wary.

Mmm.

Are you unwell, King Avallach?

An old wound, and deep.

Pay me no heed.

It is fortunate your people were able

to escape the troubles in the North, King Elphin.

Mm.

The luck of Elphin Ap Gwyddno is legendary.

Among our people,

when breaking bread with new friends,

it's customary to have a song.

Alas, our best minstrels lie dead

at the bottom of the great sea.

Indeed.

We have all seen our homes lost and kinsmen killed.

And yet, our people escaped not only with our lives,

but with our greatest treasure.

Hafgan speaks truth.

The treasure is my son, Taliesin,

a bard of extraordinary talent.

Is this true?

Taliesin, Taliesin.

Is this true?

It is the way of fathers

to exaggerate the accomplishments of their children.

False modesty is unbecoming, Taliesin.

King Avallach has shared his bounty with us.

Let us share ours with him.

Hear, then, if you will, the Lament of Pwyll,

Prince of Annwifn.

In the days when the dew of creation

was still fresh upon the earth,

Pwyll was lord over the seven catrefs of Dyfed.

Seven of Gwynedd, and seven of Lloegr as well.

In Caer Narberth, his principal stronghold,

he awakened one morning to look upon the hills,

abounding with game.

A thought came to him

and he assembled his men to go out hunting.

And this is the way of it.

♪ In Glyn Cuch, as the light of day did fade ♪

♪ Into the western sea, into the sea ♪

♪ In the hunting grounds ♪

♪ loosed the hounds to play ♪

♪ But they were not alone, not alone ♪

♪ An otherworldly king, ♪

♪ Arawn of Annwfn ♪

♪ His own hound packed the mighty stag did kill ♪

♪ And upon this unaware stood right King Pwyll ♪

Oh, ah-ah-ah

Oh, ah-ah-ah

Charis!

Princess Charis?

The Savior of her People is not here, stranger.

The foal is in breech?

I'm not strong enough to turn it.

The fourth emanation.

I know the price of the power you display.

I've never spilled blood for power.

Perhaps that's why I failed.

Failed?

Shh.

Shh.

The foal is turned.

All be well.

Thank you.

Forgive me.

I seek the Princess Charis.

Did she come this way?

She took her grey and rode out.

She often bathes below the Tor at night,

when there are fewer prying eyes.

Thank you,

friend.

I beg your pardon, princess. I didn't mean to startle you.

Is it customary in the north to spy on a woman

while she bathes?

Never, lady.

Then what do you here?

I needed to see you.

Have you not seen enough of me?

It wasn't my intention to intrude into your thoughts.

You intruded into my soul.

I know what the bull-god offered you.

Cernunnos offered me the same.

And?

I made the same choice you did.

Then damn us both.

Aye.

I do not find myself in need of company.

Less so the company of a savage.

Well, you think of us as savages, aye?

And we think of you as otherworldly.

Perhaps, we're both just people.

I am not just anything, singer.

How dare you enter my chamber without leave!

You have no right!

It shows me more than it ever showed you!

Never from curiosity.

How many times have I told you?

You were ever weak.

And you were ever a fool. Just like your sister.

Oh yes, she had the sight, too.

And what did she do with it? Savior of our People?

A thousand thousand of our kinsmen swallowed by the sea,

and this savage crag is our

salvation?

True power is killing what you love, little girl,

not letting it kill you.

I do not love the bard. It's only his power I desire.

As I desired yours.

And now you have none left to give.

Princess Charis.

Prince Taliesin.

Alas, only Taliesin.

Hereditary titles are not known among the Cymry,

savage as we are.

Never say it!

Your people are as noble as any I have encountered.

King Avallach. Lady of the Lake.

I've never met another like him.

He's proud enough.

When he sings, I forget the pain of our loss.

Even my old wound grieves me less.

His song brings no comfort to me.

Truly?

I plan to gift them the lands north of the Tor

if they will have them.

You would settle them here?

Their need is dire, and it's not a tenth of my holdings.

You object?

Why should I care where the singer lays his head?

Charis!

Wait!

I thought to find you barefoot.

Your boots, you left them at the lake.

A true prince would have returned them.

As I've said, I'm no prince.

But I'll redeem myself, if you will allow me.

They are yours, are they not?

They are.

Neither pain nor pleasure, evermore.

I thought that was all life held for me after our loss.

2,000 of us arrived on these shores after the cataclysm.

Only 1,000 remain.

And yet, you live.

And while there is life in you,

there is hope for your people.

You are young-

To your eyes, perhaps.

My people carry our years more lightly than others.

This place need not be a grave, Charis.

I like to believe something great and tragic

occurred in this place.

Sometime long ago.

Do not tell me otherwise, bard. Even if you know.

All the world is made up of events both great and tragic.

Some are observed and remembered, others-

There was a woman.

She came from across the sea.

Her life was hard, for the land was harsh.

And she could not help remembering all she had left behind.

She longed to return to her home.

What became of her?

She grew lonely.

And died.

Was there no man to love her?

Once there was a man whose song captured her heart

as easily as a fowler catching a bird in a silken snare.

But they were from different worlds, and it could not be.

Why is this?

Neither pain nor pleasure, evermore.

Charis! Charis!

Haw!

Look upon me then Shinning Brow.

All this is an illusion,

an echo of a voice that has died.

And soon that echo will cease.

Death before slavery!

Men are weak, Taliesin,

unwilling to pay the price for better world.

There is a new power at work in the world. I've seen it.

I've seen a land shining with goodness.

It's the kingdom of summer.

Where you came from no man knows.

Where you are going no man can say.

I'll not be separated from you.

I will not give my daughter to a barbarian.

Marry me, Charis.