02x21 - Avalon: Part 1

[bunniefuu]

[GOLIATH] One thousand years ago, superstition and the sword ruled.

It was a time of darkness. It was a world of fear.

It was the age of gargoyles.

Stone by day, warriors by night.

We were betrayed by the humans we had sworn to protect, frozen in stone by a magic spell for a thousand years.

Now, here in Manhattan... the spell is broken, and we live again!

We are defenders of the night.

We are gargoyles.

Previously on "Gargoyles":

My friends, the gargoyles, will come, Mother.

Nay. The gargoyles were destroyed, Tom.

If I had my book of spells, I'd...

Magic spells. Ha! Makes me glad I can't read.

This, I take it, is about the Archmage. Let him dare to return and I...

You will die.

The eggs in the rookery will soon hatch.

We will watch over them as if they were our own.

Why did we steal these things?

For that matter, why are we working together?

[ROARS]

[HUDSON] What a glorious night.

Aren't you coming, Goliath?

No. I've been looking forward to finishing this book for nights.

[BRONX WHIMPERS]

-Not tonight, boy. You stay here. -[WHIMPERS]

Hey, old man. What's with the tin tuxedo?

I have no quarrel with you, sirrah. I am on a quest.

Nice shiv, tin man. Why don't you give it to me?

Because, young man, it is mine.

You had your chance, old-timer.

[GRUNTS]

-Oh, man. -Who is this guy?

-I'm outta here, man. -Your leader is all noise, like this city.

I'll give you noise, tin man.

-[ALARM RINGS] -[HORN BLARES]

[WHISTLE]

-Police! Freeze! -Scatter!

[SIRENS]

-Throw down your w*apon. -Is this a whole city of lawless ruffians?

I'm the law here, pal. See? "Protect and Serve."

And I say you can't be running around my city with that sword.

You are a guardian like myself.

I will submit to your law.

-Ohh! -[LAUGHTER]

[LAUGHTER]

-Morgan, what's so funny? -I just pulled in this rangy old guy.

He was walking the street in full armor. Real armor. King Arthur stuff.

He said he was looking for gargoyles.

Another one, huh? These guys ought to start a club.

This guy was different. Good, somehow.

He even had the gargoyles named. Said he was looking for... Goliath.

-And he asked for you by name. -I know of no "guardian."

Well, he seems to know you.

We've got to find out what else he knows.

Agreed.

But we cannot bring him here.

I can't bring you to him, so I'll just have to get him out of that cell.

How about Belvedere Castle in an hour?

[WHINES EXCITEDLY]

I'll be there.

Yes, this time you can come.

I took a big chance telling the sergeant I knew your family.

If you know Goliath, one could say that you do.

[BARKING]

Goliath, I cannot believe it is you.

Finally, here in the flesh.

You know, the last time I saw you was the worst night of my life.

[WHIMPERS]

Ah, good boy there.

-I do not know you. -But I know you.

I also know of Princess Katharine, the Magus and the gargoyle eggs.

-Who are you? -Why, it's me, Tom.

I was but a lad at Castle Wyvern the night that the Vikings destroyed your clan.

But there's no time to explain now. We must go.

-The eggs are in danger. -[GASPS]

The eggs? You mean the gargoyle eggs?

Of course. But come, we must get back before sunrise.

-Hey! Get back here! -[BARKS]

-Where did that boat come from? -Please.

-Who is this guy? -Tom was a friend to my clan, when friends were all too few.

-If this is actually Tom... -Bronx seems to like him.

Come, or the Archmage will destroy the eggs.

The Archmage? But how?

Very well, then. I will go with you.

Go where? The other side of the lake?

Wait for me.

Vocati venti fortunate ex ricae Oberonis et hic navis frugum regate ad orae Avalonis.

How did you get here from Goliath's time?

My journey has been a long and strange one.

[SIGHS]

-Be there any more? -This is the last one, Your Highness.

-How many were there, Tom? -I counted 36, Mama.

I wonder how many of them will survive the journey to your Uncle Kenneth's kingdom.

All of them, Mary. I'll see to that.

Aye! We'll fight off any who would thr*aten these eggs.

Come here, Tom.

Kneel before me and swear.

Do you solemnly swear on your life and your honor to protect these gargoyle eggs and the beings within them as long as you live?

-I swear. -Arise, Tom, Guardian of the Eggs.

Come then, Guardian, our journey is a long one.

Agh!

[LAUGHTER]

To my niece, the Princess Katharine, in recognition of her brave journey.

May she find contentment within these walls.

[CHEERING]

Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words.

And may you also find contentment, my Lady Finella.

You've seemed so restless lately.

Och, never, when I'm with you.

-To Princess Katharine. -My thanks to you, Lord Constantine.

So my uncle the king is smitten by Finella.

Aye, but Finella's heart yearns elsewhere.

She's foolish over Constantine, whose one true love is power.

-He courts her to get near the throne. -Mary! That's a terrible thing to say.

But true nonetheless. The poor, lovesick lass is playing with fire.

He'll break her heart. You'll see.

My cousin Katharine is a strange one.

To travel all this way with gargoyle eggs and then fuss over them like human babes.

Aye, but she's brave and she's loyal.

Not easy things to find, my son.

Perhaps loyalty is more scarce than you know, Father.

I think you are too soft-hearted for this court.

Now, Maol Chalvim, be nice.

Constantine is a good boy who's lacked your privileges.

[THUNDER RUMBLES]

I thought you might like to tour the gardens with me, Your Highness.

The roses are almost as beautiful as you are.

Thank you, sir, but my time is not my own today.

I must be certain that all of the eggs are thriving.

Good day, sir.

I thought I'd find you here, with her!

The princess means nothing to me.

In fact, it is time we told King Kenneth what is in our hearts.

Thank goodness.

He thinks my restlessness can only be cured by marriage, and has proposed.

And you have not accepted?

The old fool is sweet and kind, but I do not love him.

I'm sure he will give us leave to marry, if only to see me happy.

We'll ask for his blessing at dinner tonight.

No! The old king cares for you.

It will be kinder to speak with him in private.

Well...

If you think that's best.

Have the king meet you... oh, here, in the drying house, away from the prying ears and eyes of the servants.

-[CLAP OF THUNDER] -Ohh!

Let me speak first. You will be too blunt.

I don't want to hurt him.

-Oh, Your Highness. -I came as swiftly as caution would allow.

-What is it you wish of me? -Your throne!

Aargh!

[SOBBING]

The king is dead.

Long live the king.

[YELLING]

[ADULT TOM] Constantine lost no time establishing his authority.

He imprisoned anyone not swearing fealty to him.

He imprisoned Katharine as well.

Where can he be?

I found him curled among the eggs, which are safe.

-No telling what horrors this boy has seen. -This is madness.

Constantine has m*rder*d my father, and seeks to imprison any who would question his claim to the throne.

-We must go now. -Nay. I need time to move the eggs.

You are daft. If you do not leave, you'll be dead.

We're out of time, Katharine.

My life is in danger. I cannot wait for you.

He hunts me even now.

I cannot go with you, cousin.

And I do not ask you to stay.

Go on.

You do not have to stay with me either.

Take Mary and her boy, and go.

Never.

And as high king, I swear by the Stone of Destiny to protect Scotland and to serve her people all of my days.

[ALL] Hail, King Constantine.

I pledge my loyalty to the crown.

And to your own crown, when you are my queen.

[GASPS]

The princess and I shall wed on Michaelmas when I return from the inspection of my holdings.

I will never submit to this outrage!

You have 36 very good reasons to obey me.

You're not going to marry that m*rder*r, are you?

Never.

But we need time to get the eggs to safety somehow.

I've been looking through the Grimorum. I think I have an idea.

Per iussum meum adsumate similitudo ut optare.

I'll take these to the boathouse.

The guards will think it's more old kitchen stuff to be dumped into the sea.

Per iussum meum adsumate similitudo ut optare.

Taking the bairns for a walk, my dear?

Gargoyle eggs must be turned, my lord.

Or they'll cr*ck too soon.

I don't think I like gargoyle eggs.

All of the eggs are in the boat, Your Highness.

We can get the eggs to safety, Tom, but not the princess.

Constantine himself visits every hour on the hour.

Tomorrow morning, I will be queen.

You must take the eggs and go without me.

You know I'm right, Magus.

If I go, Constantine will hunt me to the very ends of the Earth.

Then I will take you beyond them.

[KNOCKING]

Tom has told us that you had no foreknowledge of my uncle's death.

You risk too much to help me.

I do it more to hurt Constantine.

I've arranged to meet him in the drying house at midnight, supposedly to beg for his favor.

Ha! The irony was irresistible to him.

Toast him with this cider - put the stone in your mouth before you drink and the sleeping potion won't affect you.

That will buy us a few hours' time.

-Where are we going, Mama? -To Oberon's mystic island of Avalon.

He'll never reach us there.

Are you sure you know the way?

With the right spell, Avalon can be reached from any body of water.

Vocati venti fortunate ex ricae Oberonis et hic navis frugum regate ad orae Avalonis.

[KATHARINE] Where are we?

[ALL GASP]

Stand aside and let us pass.

You know better than that, Magus.

Oberon has named us guardians of his island.

No magics may enter here, save Avalon's own.

You cannot make us go back or the princess could die. The eggs could die.

You screech like barn owls.

Meaningless chatter of meaningless lives.

-Magus, do something. -[WEIRD SISTERS] So owls you will be.

Per iussum meum fierateres ut optare.

[SCREECHING]

Magus, you did it!

I cannot go with you to Avalon. I cannot bring the Grimorum.

-Then leave it. -It is the source of my magic.

-Without it, I am... -Still the Magus, and my friend.

This book is as good as a map to Avalon.

If Constantine or his sorcerers get a hold of it...

Leave the book with me, Magus.

I will protect it with my life.

I'll stay with Finella. A woman alone may run into trouble.

Two women can cause plenty of it.

But I want to stay with you, Mama.

Oh, Tom.

You witnessed Constantine's evil, my boy.

You'll not be safe in Scotland, nor anywhere, unless I keep the Grimorum safe from Constantine.

Besides, we need you, Guardian.

Mama, I cannot see you.

Godspeed, my angel.

I owe you more than I can ever repay.

I still don't understand how you could have lived back then and still be here.

Time passes differently on Avalon.

For every hour spent there, one day goes by in the real world.

I returned every 100 years to see if you had awakened, Goliath.

You spoke of the Archmage, but he d*ed before you were born.

Nevertheless, he lays siege to Avalon.

We must get back before the sun rises there.

-We will help you in any way we can. -[BARKS]

-Bronx likes it here. -He's found the eggs.

Where?