King Arthur Page #3

Arthur, you fight for a world

that will never exist.

Never.

There will always be a battlefield.

l will die in battle.

Of that l'm certain.

And hopefully a battle of my choosing.

But if it be this one,

grant me a favor.

Don't bury me in our sad little cemetery.

Burn me.

Burn me and cast my ashes

to a strong east wind.

(woman screaming)

Don't touch their women.

We don't mix with these people.

What kind of offspring

do you think that would yield?

Weak people.

Half people.

l will not have our Saxon blood

watered down by mixing with them.

According to our laws, no man

may deny me the spoils of our conquest!

He speaks the truth, Father.

My lord! O, my lord!

God's thanks, my lord.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Kill her.

(wails)

No! No!

(softly) Are you challenging me?

lf you want to challenge me,

you have to have a sword in your hand.

As long as my heart beats,

l rule and you hold your tongue.

Or l'll cut it out.

(neighing)

We are three days' march from

the Great Wall, if we camp at night.

We won't camp.

The wall - what troops are stationed there?

Light Roman infantry

and possibly Sarmatian knights.

Arthur Castus is their leader.

Arthur? Who is this Arthur?

lt is said he has never been defeated

in battle. lt is said he is a great warrior.

Why should l trust you?

You're a traitor to your own people.

Tell my father of the Roman estate.

Speak up!

A very high-ranking family live there.

They are of great importance to Rome.

Father, their ransom

could pay for the entire campaign.

l'll attack from the north

with the main army.

You bring your men down here.

Cut off their retreat to the south.

Burn every village, kill everybody.

Never leave behind you a man, woman

or child who can ever carry a sword.

Saxon.

How many?

Thousands.

(horse whinnying)

(Tristan) Woads. They're tracking us.

(Arthur) Where?

Everywhere.

Yaah!

Get back!

Get back!

This way!

(warcries)

Yaah!

What are you waiting for?

Inish.

Devil ghosts.

- Why would they not attack?

- Merlin doesn't want us dead.

We should have killed them, Merlin.

There might be a purpose

for Artorius and his Knights.

No!

He is our enemy!

So is the Saxon!

(clap ofthunder)

(Gawain groaning)

Oh, l can't wait to leave this island.

lf it's not raining, it's snowing.

lf it's not snowing, it's foggy.

And that's the summer!

The rain is good.

Washes all the blood away.

Doesn't help the smell.

Hey, Bors, do you intend to take Vanora

and all your little bastards back home?

Oh, l'm trying to avoid that decision...

by getting killed.

Dagonet, she wants to get married

and give the children names.

Women!

The children already have names,

don't they?

Just Gilly.

lt was too much trouble,

so we gave the rest of them numbers.

That's interesting.

And l thought you couldn't count.

You know, l never thought

l'd get back home alive.

Now l've got the chance,

l... l don't want to leave my children.

- You'd miss 'em too much.

- l'll take them with me.

l like the little bastards.

They mean something to me.

Especially number three.

- He's a good fighter.

- That's because he's mine.

l'm going for a piss.

(laughter)

- (guard) Who are you?

- l am Arthur Castus,

Commander of the Sarmatian Knights,

sent by Bishop Germanius of Rome.

Open the gate.

(man) lt is a wonder you have come.

Good Jesus.

Arthur and his knights.

You have fought the Woads.

Vile creatures.

Our orders are to evacuate you

immediately.

But that... that is impossible.

- Which is Alecto?

- l am Alecto.

Alecto is my son.

And everything we have is here in the land

given to us by the Pope of Rome.

- Well, you're about to give it to the Saxons.

- They're invading from the north.

- Then Rome will send an army.

- They have. Us.

- We leave as soon as you're packed.

- l refuse to leave.

Go back to work! All of you!

- You heard! Go!

- All right, all right.

- Go!

- Get back to work, all of you!

Go back!

lf l fail to bring you and your son back,

my men can never leave this land.

So you're coming with me

if l have to tie you to my horse and drag

you all the way to Hadrian's Wall myself.

My lord.

Lady, my knights are hungry.

Go.

Come!

Come. Let us go, hm?

(man) Sir, you're famous.

You're Arthur, aren't you?

l'm Ganis. l'm a good fighter and l'm smart.

l'd serve you proudly.

Are you from Rome?

From hell.

- Sir.

- Who is this man?

He's our village elder.

What is this punishment for?

- Answer me!

- He defied our master, Marius.

Most of the food we grow

is sent out by sea to be sold.

He asked that we keep

a little more for ourselves, that's all.

My ass has been snappin' at the grass

l'm so hungry!

You're from Rome. ls it true

that Marius is a spokesman for God

and that it's a sin to defy him?

l tell you now.

Marius is not of God.

And you, all of you,

were free from your first breath!

Help this man.

Help him!

Now hear me. A vast and terrible army

is coming this way.

They will show no mercy, spare no one.

Those of you who are able

should gather your things

and begin to move south

towards Hadrian's Wall.

Those unable shall come with us.

You, serve me now.

Get these people ready.

(Ganis) Right, you heard him.

You go grab enough food and water

for the journey.

Let's get a hurry on, else we're all dead!

Come on, hurry.

They have flanked us to the east.

They're coming from the south,

trying to cut off our escape.

They'll be here before nightfall.

- How many?

- An entire army.

And the only way out is to the south?

East.

There is a trail heading east

across the mountains.

lt means we have to cross behind Saxon

lines, but that's the one we should take.

Arthur, who are all these people?

They're coming with us.

Then we'll never make it.

(distant drums beating)

- Come on, get back to work!

- Back to work!

Move.

Move.

Move!

- What is this?

- You cannot go in there.

No one goes in there.

This place is forbidden.

(Marius) What are you doing?

Stop this!

Arthur, we have no time.

Do you not hear the drums?

Dagonet.

Agh!

Agh!

- Key.

- lt is locked.

From the inside.

- You, you... go.

- (whimpers)

Move!

- Gawain.

- (man chanting) Exaudi orationem meam.

Exaudi orationem meam.

In nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis

et in virtute Spiritus Sancti.

Who are these defilers

of the Lord's temple?

Out of the way.

The work of your god.

ls this how he answers your prayers?

See if there's any still alive.

How dare you set foot in this holy place?

- There was a man of God.

- Not my god!

- (Arthur) This one's dead.

- By this smell, they are all dead.

And you.

You even move, you join him.

Arthur!

You must not fear me.

Water! Give me some water!

His arm is broken.

And his family?

She's a Woad.

l'm a Roman officer.

You're safe now.

- You're safe.

- Stop what you are doing!

What is this madness?

- They're all pagans here!

- So are we.

They refuse to do the task

God has set for them!

They must die as an example!

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