Nero the Assassin (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
[bird caws]
[sombre music playing]
[man] Why do your wells dry up?
And all of your crops die?
Why do your children go hungry?
It's because God is enraged!
He's enraged on account of our pride!
So we have to pay penance now!
Penance now!
[villagers] Penance now!
[music continues]
God has sent us
this drought as punishment.
We have to submit to God.
And you, good man,
what will you offer up to God
to bring back the rain?
Please, I have a family to feed.
I am poor. I have nothing left.
So offer up your son.
[woman gasps]
- No!
- No. Not my son, please.
[woman sobs]
Then you shall pay penance.
Throw the knucklebones.
Black thrice!
God has spoken.
[penitents cackle]
You shall give your ears to God
because you don't listen enough.
- [woman shrieks]
- [screaming]
[medieval music plays]
Hey, stop. They'll see us.
[Horace] Ya! Ya!
- Will they go by bridge or boat?
- The bridge, I'm sure.
Take the boat then. We'll lose them there.
Tell him she wants to speak to them.
You will tell Lothar
that we're taking the ferry boat, hmm?
Hmm?
[Horace] Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.
[horse whinnies]
Shh.
[Lothar] Coachman,
who gave you the order to stop?
[Horace] My lady did.
[Lothar] My lady?
[tense music playing]
My lady?
That's right.
- I want us to take the ferry road.
- [Lothar] Are you quite sure?
Once we've crossed the river,
we could run into penitents.
It doesn't worry me, Captain.
I have every confidence
in my brave escort. We'll take the ferry.
Very well, my lady.
- [Lothar] We'll take the ferry road.
- [Néro sighs]
[horses nicker]
[dramatic music playing]
The coachman.
[man] We found the coachman
unconscious in the stables.
Néro
He has your daughter.
[tense music playing]
And she is?
My daughter.
Don't. Stop it. Stop it!
An absolute charmer.
- What's your name, child?
- Doesn't speak.
Perla.
What do you plan to do
when you have to leave the carriage?
You'll find out.
So you have no plan at all?
I have you. That'll do me fine.
They will hang you, you know.
And your daughter too.
Such a model father.
Your father wanted to sell her to a witch.
[scoffs] Of course you believe in witches.
You don't know him one bit.
Because you lick his boots,
you think you know him better than me?
[horses whinny]
[carriage stops]
Horace!
Why is the
[Lothar] Don't move.
[tense music playing]
[Horace] We have no hand in all this.
Captain, it is my solemn duty
to take the child to Ségur.
The judge will decide that for you.
You think with everything I have
on Rochemort, I'll get a fair trial?
And what are those things?
He's behind the death of Corsini.
He's what?
- He made a bargain with a one-eyed witch.
- [neighing]
There are men coming.
[tense music playing]
It's them. Untie me.
- Untie me.
- Listen, please. Let us leave.
Don't let them get their hands on her.
You see this here?
Go on, try to remove it. It's bewitched.
More like hideous.
It was me who killed your fiancé.
Under your father's orders.
He was in the way
of your marriage to the prince.
You don't believe me? Try it.
Say you'll hand me over
to the authorities and see how they react.
Will you please
just let me hide the child?
[music fades]
Good work, Captain.
You alright, my dear? Did they hurt you?
Go on.
Seize Néro.
With all due respect, my Lord Consul,
I shall take him in person to the judge.
I already gave you your mission, Captain.
To take my daughter
to Ségur for her wedding.
Néro says it was him who killed Tancrède.
On your order.
[sombre music playing]
Come now, my dear.
He'll make up any old tale
to save his skin. So, please
I killed him with one strike,
under his arm.
I got a good bonus.
I even bought myself the same boots.
Hand me custody of that man, Captain.
[chuckles]
That's an order you'd do well to obey.
[music intensifies]
[gasps]
[Rochemort chuckles]
Now, guards, you are raising your
deadly weapons against your consul.
Are you sure that's a good idea?
[swords rattle in sheathes]
Right.
Seize him
and put the captain under arrest.
- [blade swishes]
- [Néro groans]
You, my lord, you are dead.
[groaning]
[serpentine rattling]
[Perla gasps]
[Néro continues groaning]
[otherworldly whispering]
[Néro straining]
[continues groaning]
[rattling continues]
Where's your daughter?
[continues groaning]
Where is she?
Come on.
[Horace] No! Perla, no!
[Néro yells]
[Horace] Perla!
[Néro snatches for breath]
[coughs]
[grunts]
Get away.
- Back off.
- You'd kill your own daughter?
Like you wouldn't?
I don't give a damn about this girl.
I hardly know her.
So drop your weapons!
You, drop your weapons!
You wouldn't dare.
No!
- [Hortense gasps]
- [Perla screams]
That was between the liver and her kidney.
The next one will be in her jugular. Hmm?
Follow his orders.
Kill him.
- [blade swishes]
- [woman splutters]
Throw down your weapons.
[Perla groaning]
[weapons clattering]
Come with us, you.
[Perla continues groaning]
And if you bastards even try
to come after us,
I'll gut your daughter too, Rochemort.
Ya!
[action music playing]
[Horace] Hey! Hey!
Ya! Ya!
- [Perla groans]
- Wait. Hang on.
- [Hortense] Uh, hey!
- [fabric rips]
Here you are. Press hard.
Press on it, press, press, press.
[Perla screams]
Don't move. Don't move.
It's a root.
Here, chew it. Chew it. Bite it.
It'll take away the pain. Go on, bite.
It's bleeding a lot. It's bleeding a lot!
Hold on. Alright.
[Perla yelling]
How do you know
you missed her liver and kidney?
My expertise.
[continues groaning]
Shh. Keep on chewing.
Sorry, I had no choice.
- [exhales]
- [Perla] I know. I'm not stupid.
Great.
[exhales] Whoo!
[triumphantly] Ya!
[panting]
- [Horace] Ya! Ya! Ya!
- [Néro] Phew!
Do you think you could
thank me for saving your lives?
- Don't find my necklace so funny now?
- [Lothar] It's witchcraft.
If we show that to the Archbishop
of Ségur, the consul's done for.
[Horace] Ya!
Yeah. I had other plans for your father,
but a burning by the archbishop suits me.
[Horace] Hey, ya!
You'll work with him
even though he killed Tancrède?
He'll get his comeuppance.
Just us two. Him and me.
You what? Yeah, of course. Of course.
[chuckles] Oh, yeah. A duel.
It's the only way. And it's classy.
And I'll kill you.
I'm sure you will.
See you!
- [playful music plays]
- [Lothar grunts]
[Néro] Alright, bye then. See you later.
What?
[man whimpering]
[groans]
[Rochemort] Right.
Now bring me back my daughter.
And the others?
[Rochemort] No witnesses.
Kill them all.
[One-Eyed Woman tuts]
Not all of them.
The kid, let her keep her.
See you in Ségur.
[suspenseful music playing]
[rasped breathing]
[Horace] Hey! Hey! Ya! Ya!
Hey! Ya! Ya!
[Néro] So
What's it like to know
your father's an arsehole?
Well, I don't know. Ask your daughter.
The best thing is
this brings us so much closer.
I've lost everything and you will as well.
Because, tell me what happens if, uh
you're the daughter of a man
who was burnt for witchcraft
and your property and castle are seized.
Where do you end up?
A convent or prison?
I don't know what would happen. [chuckles]
- [Horace] Whoa! Whoa!
- Whoa! [grunts]
[Horace] Néro!
[sombre music playing]
[Néro] What is this?
[serpentine rattling]
Is this the river?
- [Horace] The Apocalypse.
- What?
The seven plagues of the Apocalypse.
War, famine, disease,
false prophets,
drought.
The fifth plague before the arrival
of the Messiah of Darkness.
- What's happening?
- What's happened is it used to be a river.
There was a river!
Ah, so this was your plan
to escape my father's men?
Yes, we'd take the boat, cross over,
cut the rope and then they'd be screwed!
[Hortense] Mmm.
Okay.
[takes a breath]
Off we go. We'll cross it on foot.
Otherwise, we'll get bogged down.
[eerie music playing]
Do you have anything to eat?
Please, I'm hungry.
Please, sir, please?
We're very sorry,
but we've nothing, my good folk.
- Sir, please, my family is hungry.
- So is mine.
- [horse whinnies]
- Whoa!
[Néro] Oh, for fuck's sake! What now?
Oh, come on!
[straining] Alright, ready.
- Come on, go!
- Ya! Ya!
Come on! Hup!
[grunting]
Stop, stop. Your wound will reopen.
[Horace] Come on! Hup!
We could do with some help here.
I think you should come here.
[Perla straining]
[sinister music playing]
We're leaving.
- [Horace] But the horses?
- Leave them here.
Come on!
[music intensifies]
[horse whinnies]
[neighs]
- [whinnies]
- [thud]
Let's go.
[sinister music continues]
Here, drink some.
[music fades]
[creaking]
[wood cracking]
[clattering in the distance]
Did you hear that?
The forest
It's dying.
These trees are as dry as the hearts
of man. The Apocalypse approaches.
Come on, Horace. Leave it out.
Show me that.
[Perla groaning]
Thanks.
Here. Go on.
You're hurting me.
That's a good sign 'cause it means
you're still alive. Come on, let's go.
The others won't be resting, will they?
[sombre music playing]
[flies buzzing]
[rasped breathing]
[otherworldly whispering]
Is there a problem?
[One-Eyed Woman] Let's go.
Now!
[otherworldly whispering]
[Perla groaning]
[birds squawking]
She's in pain.
I need to dig up more roots for her.
- [Horace] Ah.
- [flies buzz]
And what will they do with her in Ségur?
Well, they'll protect her.
So your archbishop will pay me
just because I saved her?
He's a good man.
- He rewards good deeds
- Don't take me for a fool.
What's so special about her?
It's your blood.
What about our blood?
You are the [clears throat]
You are the descendants of uh
Yeah?
A saint.
A very old saint.
The archbishop will tell you which one
I'm the descendant of a saint?
- Huh?
- Yes.
Oh, so that's why that one-eyed whore
wants our blood, huh?
It is.
That is Perla's blood.
Okay. So mine's useless to her?
Completely.
[creaks in the forest]
As long as your archbishop believes it
and I'm not wasting my time.
[creaks continue]
[eerie music playing]
[music intensifies]
[Hortense] What is this?
A message from the penitents.
- [Hortense] Why would they do this?
- Because they're deranged.
They think we're not
submissive enough to God.
They say that's why there's been no rain.
Good God.
Come on.
[sombre music continues]
[suspenseful music playing]
[music crescendos and stops]
[Perla groaning]
[Hortense] Ugh.
And my mother?
[continues groaning]
What about her?
Who is she?
Didn't Horace tell you that?
No, 'cause that's your job.
She was a prostitute.
Her name was Callista.
She was lovely.
Dead now though.
- How come?
- I I don't know.
You don't know?
[Néro sighs] Let's get this straight now,
shall we?
I didn't want any children.
I'm only here to help you.
Do we have that clear?
Help me? Horace is paying you
to take me to the archbishop
- I saved you at the orphanage.
- [scoffs]
- You'd have given me to Rochemort.
- That was to kill the witch.
So you'd win back your place with him.
[scoffs] He didn't want you back though.
You didn't manage
to kill the witch either.
You're not just a bad father,
you're a pathetic assassin.
[groans]
Where are you going?
Gonna look for more root to ease her pain.
Otherwise, we'll never get anywhere.
- I can walk
- [Néro] So she'll shut up.
I preferred her not talking.
[Hortense sighs]
[grunts]
[crack]
- [groans]
- [metallic ring echoes]
[tense music playing]
What on earth is he doing?
So, what's the plan?
[Horace] We wait.
He's not coming back.
[music turns melancholic]
[Hortense] Really? Are you sure?
Yes.
Come along, Perla. Let's go.
And I do what?
We don't need you.
Pardon?
What do you think? That I'll stay here
when it's just crawling with penitents?
No. I'll come with you.
[music fades]
[Néro grunting]
Well done.
You got me good there.
A real traitor, very pro.
You reap what you sow.
Mmm.
- On your feet.
- If you think I'll go with you
I could kill you here on the spot, Néro.
Your dead body and your necklace
It's enough to have Rochemort
condemned for witchcraft.
[intriguing music playing]
Wait.
[panting]
Look, please. Help me find her.
She's wounded.
This, it's for Perla.
You care nothing for her.
So don't take me for a fool.
Now move.
[music fades]
[Hortense] I'm hungry.
[Horace] Stop complaining.
[Perla huffs]
[gasps]
- [squeaking]
- Shh!
[crack]
- No!
- Catch it! Go, Perla!
- [Horace] Perla, no! It's dangerous.
- Run!
[sombre music playing]
Oh, don't pretend you're not famished!
[cracks]
[hooves approach]
[dramatic clang and music fades]
[horse nickers]
[panting]
[tense music playing]
[breathing heavily]
She's here.
[dramatic drums]
[bird screeching]
Sorry about Tancrède. I do mean that.
I know you two were pals.
We were soldiers,
the both of us. It's not up to
I was a soldier. You're an assassin.
[Néro sighs]
Different names, same profession.
We both kill.
[Lothar] Not for the same reasons.
You kill to make a bastard wealthy.
[tense music playing]
[flies buzzing]
Her wound must have reopened.
Several horses came this way.
[music continues]
Sorry.
[sombre music crescendos and fades]
[footsteps approach]
[Hortense] Couldn't find anything to eat.
[sighs]
He's dumped you. He won't be back.
[tense music playing]
There's no way
you'll get to Ségur without him.
We'd be better off returning to Lamartine.
The witch
She mustn't get her hands on Perla.
It's not just her life that's in danger.
What do you know?
[footsteps approach]
[whispering] Nothing.
How did you do?
[Hortense] Ugh.
[exhales]
[inhales deeply]
Alright.
Hungry?
- Give me your earrings.
- They're worth a fortune.
So try and eat them.
[Hortense scoffs]
[groaning]
Oh. Oh.
You really are a bitch.
- Just like your father.
- Let's talk about your father, shall we?
He sold me to a witch.
He killed your betrothed.
And yours kidnapped me.
He abandoned you in the cradle,
and he's abandoned you now,
right after he stabbed you in the guts.
I don't care though.
I hardly know him at all.
[sombre music playing]
[Horace] I'm here about a child.
A child I care for.
[sombre music continues]
She must die.
[ecclesial vocalisations]
Help me defeat evil.
Give me faith.
[music builds ominously]
Give me strength.
She is the last descendant of the Devil.
[music ends]
[Horace sobbing]
[birds chirping]
[sighs]
[sighing]
[urinating]
[woman] Let's stop.
They can't be far away.
We'll find them today.
[tense music playing]
Zineb?
Zineb!
- Are you okay, my lady?
- No.
I want to go to Lamartine.
- [panting]
- [footsteps approach]
Where is the girl?
You tell me.
I've just escaped. They'll be far away.
[yelps]
Easy.
[Hortense whimpers]
[rasped breathing]
- [Zineb yells]
- [suspenseful music playing]
[man yells]
[Hortense gasps]
[neck cracks]
[Zineb panting]
[suspenseful music continues]
[music stops abruptly]
[One-Eyed Woman groaning]
[breathing echoes]
[Hortense gasps]
[eerie music playing]
Flee.
[swords clanging]
[Hortense panting]
[both scream]
[horse galloping]
[ecclesial vocalisations]
[suspenseful music playing]
[horse whinnies]
We need to run.
Quick!
[music ends]
On your feet.
On your feet!
[ominous music playing]
What the fuck have you done?
Why did you eat all that?
Hey, wake up, Néro!
On your feet, now! [groans]
[knife swishes]
You're dead.
Once Perla's safe
Hmm?
Then you're a dead man.
[melancholy orchestral music playing]
[villagers begging]
[music continues]
[music fades]
Welcome to Ségur, Lord Consul.
Is the prince not here?
You'll see the prince this evening.
Not before?
No. I'm afraid he's occupied today.
For ten million ducats,
I thought he'd be free.
A handsome dowry, don't you think?
It is.
And your daughter is not not here?
En route.
[tense music playing]
[breathlessly] Oh, look. Oh, sir, please!
Will you help us out?
If you please,
we're being hunted.
Can you help us?
[panting]
Take us to your village
and you'll be rewarded handsomely.
[flies buzz]
I beg you, please.
You don't have to fear us.
[tense music playing]
[birds squawking]
[woman screams]
[birds squawking]
[clamouring]
[villagers] Penance! Penance now!
Penance!
[tense music crescendos and stops]
[chuckles softly]
[jaunty medieval music playing]
[music turns sombre]
[melancholy orchestral music playing]
[music fades]
[medieval theme music returns]
[music stops]
[music builds rhythmically]
[music distorts]
[otherworldly whispering]
[sinister music playing]
[rhythm builds]
[otherworldly whispering]
[medieval theme music returns]
[music slows]
[sinister trill]
[sombre music playing]
[ecclesial vocalisations]
[medieval theme music returns]
[music builds]
[music fades]
[wistful music-box music playing]
[music builds]
[music ends]