Nero the Assassin (2025) s01e03 Episode Script

1
[sombre music playing]
[preacher] Oh, it's so good
to see you here today.
Listen to my words.
You are God's lost sheep.
You live in sin, but it's not your fault.
They told you that God was merciful,
so you stopped fearing him.
They gave you God's forgiveness,
but who are they to forgive in his stead?
God's forgiveness is not given freely.
It must be earned.
I, too, listened to all the lies
of the priests of Ségur.
But our guide,
Brother Penance, opened my eyes.
So much wrong,
but where is our repentance?
Penance!
All of us have to pay penance!
[penitents laugh] Penance!
Penance!
Penance now!
Give penance!
Penance now!
Let's go.
You three, come back!
You don't have my permission to leave!
After them!
- [penitent] Catch them!
- [tense music playing]
[yelps] Perla, run!
- Run.
- [man 1] Come on, this way!
- [man 2] Get her!
- [man 1] This way!
- She ran that way!
- [man 2] There she is!
[tense music continues]
[music ends]
[man 1] Where is she? I can't see her!
[Horace grunts]
[Hortense whimpers]
So will you tell me why God's word
doesn't interest you, monk?
You and your Brother Penance have
no interest in the word of God.
Shut up, usurper!
You're as fat as a sow,
while we all starve to death.
Where is your sacrifice?
How have you suffered?
And where is your penance?
Suffering won't save us from this drought.
You're the only person here
who believes in your lies.
[tense music playing]
And she is?
Travelling with your whore, I see?
Just the daughter
of the Consul of Lamartine
and the betrothed of your prince.
[villagers gasp]
I suggest you let us leave this place.
Unless you and your cripples
prefer to end up crushed
by my father's and my husband's armies.
Would you like that?
[music continues]
What luck!
[villagers laugh]
We have the honour of a visit
[chuckles]
from our future princess.
[villagers laugh]
God spoils us!
But pray tell me, Princess,
do you submit to God?
Or perhaps you think
you're greater than him?
You're the one trying to play God.
- [preacher yelps]
- [villagers gasp]
Now give to God!
[Hortense sniffs]
[breath trembling]
[ominous music playing]
Here, that's all I have.
I demand proof of submission
and you dare try to corrupt me?
What should our princess offer to God?
Penance!
Penance now!
[penitents] Penance!
- Penance!
- Penance!
- You stay here!
- [Horace groans]
[breath trembling]
Her titles and her wealth
have entitled her to have it all.
But she has forgotten God.
[chuckles]
It's to God she owes it all!
God gave her beauty.
And she has done nothing to deserve it.
[grunts]
The time has come now
[grunts]
to give it all back to God!
God is love and you are hatred.
[preacher sighs]
[Hortense whimpers]
And what else will she give to God?
One of her eyes?
[chuckles]
[singsong voice] Or her nose?
[cackles]
- [spits]
- [villagers gasp]
[tense music playing]
I don't know if you've fully understood
the meaning of the word submission.
I'll have to teach you.
By the time I've finished with you,
I can assure you
that no prince will be interested in you.
[Hortense groans]
[sobbing]
[screaming]
Go on! Go and finish this old man.
And I'm going to deal with the princess!
[penitent laughing gleefully] Stay here!
[Hortense] Horace!
[man 1] Come on!
Here, take them. Take them!
- [groans]
- [man 1] Throw the knucklebones.
You must do penance.
One black is a body part,
but you have the right to choose
which one we cut off.
Two blacks is two of them.
You still get to choose which ones.
Three blacks [laughs] It's my choice.
Four blacks, there's no choice.
It's the head.
But no black, four whites,
then it's your lucky day.
God doesn't want anything from you.
Go on, play.
Go on, now.
[suspenseful music playing]
Play!
[cackles] Go!
- Play!
- [knucklebones clatter]
[gasps]
Four blacks!
[excited] You got four blacks.
Four blacks that is the head.
All blacks is rare.
Yes, it's very rare.
[Horace struggles]
[man 1] Comfortable?
- So what's our plan, huh?
- There's no time.
Cover me.
[Horace grunting]
[Néro] No, no, no! Wait!
Let me play, let me play!
Let me play as well.
For I have sinned. Let me play.
Oh, I've sinned. I've sinned a lot.
I wanna pay penance. I wanna take part.
I wanna throw the knucklebones.
I've greatly sinned, much more than him.
- I should go before him.
- In what way?
Well, I've uh, uh lots of stuff.
Lust and and pride, gluttony, crime Pff!
All of it. All of it. All of it. Please.
Oh, please. Let me.
Let me do it, please.
Let me throw the knucklebones.
Please, please let me throw them!
- Yeah, but wait your turn.
- Now, now! Please make it now.
- Happy to help, sir.
- [exhales] Thank you, master.
[Néro puffs, pants]
[Hortense yelping]
[suspenseful music playing]
[continues whimpering]
- [man 2] Come on, get up.
- Thank you, master. Thank you, sir.
Thank you, master.
[grunts]
[whispers] That's it.
- [man 2] It's your lucky day.
- Four whites? You're fucking joking!
Come on, next. Come on.
No, no, no. Hang on. Just wait there.
Let me have one more chance.
Just one, hey? Just one.
Alright, one last try,
then it's over. Go on.
[suspenseful music playing]
[breathing heavily]
No! No!
[groaning] No!
[screams]
Thank you, master.
[music fades]
I won't think, I'll just throw it.
Yes!
Two blacks! Two body parts! Yes!
- Which?
- Oh, now let's see.
'Cause Well, they're all good, so
Would it be greedy to chop it all off?
Hmm? Uh
- What would you do? Tell me.
- [man 1] Me?
Would you choose
the thing you like the most or the least?
- I didn't have any option.
- Ah, yeah. The nose.
It's a good one.
Uh Hang on now.
[man 1 growls]
Get on with it!
Don't don't pressure me now.
[inhales deeply]
Hey. I know.
This one.
[all laugh]
Or this one here? Hey?
- [villagers gasp]
- [action music playing]
[groans]
[villagers scream]
[penitent 1 yells]
[penitent 2 battle cries]
- [Hortense crying]
- [preacher moans]
[Perla yells]
[priest screams]
- [Hortense yells]
- [preacher groans]
[Perla growls]
[screaming]
[Perla shrieks]
[woman screaming]
No, no, not the children.
No. No. Wait, wait.
Just listen to me. Listen to me.
- [penitent groans]
- Where's Perla?
She managed to escape.
She must be hiding somewhere.
[tense music plays]
[moaning]
- [groaning]
- [Hortense yells]
- [yells]
- [chains rattling]
[yelling furiously]
[music fades]
[sobbing shakily]
[soft melancholy music playing]
Perla.
[Hortense sniffling]
[Néro panting]
Wh
[melancholy orchestral music playing]
Some of the villagers are going
to Lamartine.
I think you should go with.
I'm no longer your hostage?
No.
Thank you.
[music fades]
[Horace] Lord, we beseech you.
You are the life and the resurrection.
- [woman sobs]
- Let those who are departed rest in peace.
And deliver us from the madness of men.
[speaking Latin] In nomine sanctis.
Amen.
[digging]
[crying in the background]
Here you go.
We found them on a penitent. This too.
Thank you.
Keep the rest.
[horse approaches]
- The villagers have given us a horse.
- [Néro] Hmm?
[clicks her tongue]
Here.
I got you some in the forest.
It's a piece of root.
I didn't abandon you again.
He held me up a bit.
Go on.
- We can leave.
- No.
Let's spend the night. To rest up,
gain strength, and leave tomorrow at dawn.
It's a four-day walk to Ségur. If you do
as I tell you, we might get there alive.
I'll travel with you.
[intriguing music playing]
You can denounce my father with my help.
Your words will carry more weight
with my testimony.
- You really want your father to be burned?
- I just want justice.
He killed my fiancé
and sold Perla to a witch.
- [Néro sighs]
- These penitents rape and loot.
And he'll never stop it.
'Cause he exploits it.
He doesn't deserve to live.
Mm. That's very kind,
but this journey isn't for you.
You could get wounded and slow us down.
I'd rather she came with us.
Either way, I don't need your permission.
[sombre music playing]
[spits]
[cleric clears throat]
There are 16 cases of witchcraft
awaiting trial, Your Grace.
Hmm. Pardon them all.
Everything now is a pretext
for pouring out hatred.
But the Holy See has warned
of the coming of evil.
We must take heed, Your Grace.
Don't be fooled by that, Barrin.
The Devil may take on many faces.
And he may already be within these walls.
[ominous music playing]
Your Majesty.
[music fades]
The prince welcomes your arrival, Consul,
and rejoices in the union
of our two cities.
Are those the territories conquered
by these infamous penitents
who terrorise your lands?
Well, yes, they are.
With the dowry I brought,
you could pay
for three companies of mercenaries.
That would resolve things.
And on behalf of the people of Ségur,
you can be sure that we thank you,
my Lord Consul.
Today, I have brought you gold.
Tomorrow, food, if you need it.
And the day after, my army, if needs be.
[archbishop] Mmm.
And do tell us
the price of such generosity.
The price? [chuckles]
I don't know.
There'll be peace, prosperity,
and perhaps the joy of living?
[chuckles softly]
You speak like a merchant,
so I too shall speak
to you like a merchant.
Am I right to say
you're here to buy something?
The prince would like to understand
what he's selling to you.
Your Majesty,
I expected a slightly warmer re
Just answer, Consul.
Well, um Lamartine is more
than a generous city,
it's also pragmatic.
If we help you, we'd want
to have access to your resources
and offer you trade deals
that will benefit all of us.
[archbishop] Hmm.
Yes, the Lord Consul is
in fact referring to the tin deposits
which are, sadly,
completely unexploited in this region.
- And
- [archbishop] And what? Dig mines?
And make Ségur the new Babylon?
By importing your drunkards
and your pleasure houses with them all?
[sighs]
You'd rather have beggars
outside your ramparts?
I much prefer to have workers,
even if they do go to brothels.
[chuckles awkwardly] What
what the Lord Consul means is
Must I remind you
that gold cannot be eaten, Consul?
[Rochemort chuckles]
And profit always goes in one direction.
From bottom to top, never down.
Do not have the gall to try
to make us believe otherwise.
And you, my lords,
it is your hypocrisy
Yes, it is, and your cupidity
that continues to fuel
the arguments of the penitents.
And makes them grow.
[woman] The pe the pe
pe pe penitents,
surv on
- O
- Thank you, Joséphine.
As circumstances force us
to accept your gold,
this marriage will take place.
But we will not allow you
to grab any of our territory,
nor the soul of our city.
If that doesn't suit you,
perhaps you should go back
and take your gold with you.
[dramatic music playing]
I believe I have summarised
the position of His Majesty, haven't I?
You have, yes.
[smugly] Mmm.
That will be all, Consul.
Your Majesty.
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
[Néro coughing]
[flies buzzing]
[continues coughing]
[insects rattling]
[eerie music playing]
[Hortense] There are penitents
around here.
[Néro] They're everywhere,
Princess. I warned you.
We need an escort.
We could stop off
at the Havreval fortress?
How close is it?
A one-day trek.
To the east.
I'm sure that they'll have horses.
So, perhaps we could spend
the night and take a bath.
Wouldn't do you any harm.
And because they're nice
they'll agree to it?
They will. The Count of Havreval
is a vassal of Ségur.
Officially, I'm still the future princess
of Ségur.
No. Why make a two-day detour
for a few guards? Or a bath?
It's completely ridiculous.
I want to learn to fight.
Put it down.
[Lothar chuckles softly]
Right foot forward.
Hold your guard lower.
And thrust.
[tense music playing]
You teach me then?
We'll see.
Come on, let's go now.
- [Hortense] Havreval?
- Forget it.
[Rochemort] You gave me your word.
You said the child was
completely malleable.
And he is.
All of the nobility's on board.
I simply underestimated how much influence
the archbishop has gained
since the prince's father died.
[Rochemort scoffs]
Don't ask me why,
he thinks you're like some plague.
I'll speak to the prince.
One to one.
No, that's impossible.
The archbishop won't allow it.
[Rochemort chuckles]
[ominous music playing]
My Lord Chancellor,
I will have you killed one day.
Hmm?
You may leave now.
[music builds, ends]
[Perla grunting]
[Lothar] Start again.
- It's good she learns to defend herself.
- [Néro] That's not how you learn.
- [Lothar] Go again.
- Granted.
But who did she ask? Not you, was it?
[swords clanging]
- [Lothar] Again.
- Tell me, Princess, I've been wondering.
[Perla grunting]
What changed your mind about your father?
Why do you want to know that?
Just wondered, that's all.
You wouldn't get it.
- Give me a try.
- There's no point.
I'd talk about righteousness,
justice, looking at oneself
That's beyond you.
Okay.
I I can be slow, but
but your father
[clears throat] You've only
just worked out
he's a corrupt scoundrel who has
people killed and lines his pockets?
Oh, because I've seldom seen
you refuse clothes or jewellery.
On the contrary,
you've often demanded them.
[whimsical music playing]
You could have killed more people than me.
Pathetic.
[Horace grunts]
[Lothar] Thrust.
[Horace groans]
You're dead.
[Horace chuckles]
[music fades]
- Is she doing well at school?
- Uh
Not really, no.
That's no surprise.
[chuckles]
[coughing]
[flies buzz]
When this is over,
I'll come and see her once in a while.
A little late to show interest.
At least it's something.
Take her to Ségur, that's all I'm asking.
- [Perla grunts]
- [Lothar] Again.
What's wrong with taking an interest, huh?
[continues coughing]
[sombre music playing]
[otherworldly whispering]
[suspenseful music playing]
[women laughing]
[woman 1] Oh, he's so sweet!
[woman 2] He's so cuddly!
My lady
Could I have the honour
of an audience with you?
[music fades]
Earlier, at the council,
you had something to say.
Th The the
Take your time, Joséphine.
The p penitents
The penitents, yes?
S sur
sur sur sur
Survive on
Yes?
S s s
On the famine or?
- On on
- On the drought? The?
Our inaction.
[soft music playing]
You are so very right, Joséphine.
But that has to change.
Joséphine,
only you can help me save Ségur.
I must speak to the prince.
[door closes]
[music becomes sombre]
[music fades]
I'm listening, Consul.
Make it brief.
If not for the love of my sister,
I'd never have accepted.
You'll go with me outside the ramparts?
Outside the ramparts?
It's too dangerous.
If I might say, a prince
should never fear his subjects.
Quite the opposite.
The archbishop won't allow it.
Well, don't tell him then.
[intriguing music playing]
Your sister said
there is a passage around here,
so that the prince can flee
in the event of a siege.
[music continues]
[peasant coughing]
[cough]
[groan]
[laboured breathing]
Drought, famine
and war are terrible trials,
but more than bread,
do you know what these people lack most?
Hope.
So, yes.
The mines would
forever change the face of Ségur.
But when
when you look the city in the face,
really look at Ségur,
don't you wish it would change at all?
[prince] Generations ago,
my ancestors built
an entire city turned towards God.
And they always refused to look
for solutions outside of the holy texts.
Especially my father.
[Rochemort] If you give these people hope,
they'll follow you to Hell.
And that will be the end of the penitents.
The archbishop has his role
and he serves God.
You, you have to serve your people.
[woman sobs]
[birds squawking]
[flies buzzing]
[Hortense] Good God.
We'll go to Havreval. If you'd listened
to me, we'd already be there.
No, we won't go to Havreval.
- Who said he could decide?
- Because I'm in charge.
Why isn't it Lothar?
[exhales nervously]
Who votes for Lothar?
[muttering] Unbelievable.
Right.
So, Lothar, what's your decision?
To go to Havreval.
[feigning surprise] Ah!
[sombre music playing]
You're shitting me.
Your Grace,
I have listened to your concerns.
I've thought it over.
- And providence can take many forms.
- Well, uh
And, though it displeases you,
in these troubled times,
it's come to us from Lamartine,
under the guise
of Consul Rochemort, it seems.
I regret that we did not welcome him
as we should have done.
[archbishop] Your Majesty,
I understand you.
Uh, it's tempting to try
and grab hold of the first opportunity.
- But, in the words of your own father
- Who is dead now.
If you disapprove of my decisions,
I'll have no choice
than to do without your blessing.
[tense music playing]
The mine excavations will begin
at the end of Lent.
And this seat, Consul, will be yours
until your daughter arrives.
[chuckles softly]
[music becomes ominous]
[Rochemort] Your Majesty.
[music fades]
[Hortense panting]
[sighs]
He's doing it on purpose, I'm sure.
All okay?
We're not keeping you, are we?
Do take your time, please.
- [Néro] What's the matter?
- [sighs]
I was admiring the scenery
before I'm hanged.
You should do the same because
it's what's waiting for us in Havreval.
Huh?
Have you ever stopped to think
that's why she wants us to go?
Huh? She said it.
The Earl of Havreval is a vassal of Ségur.
And she's officially still
the princess of Ségur.
She'll do what she wants with us.
Mmm.
And she was our hostage not so long ago.
This could just be
her plan to get revenge.
[chuckles]
- I'd shut up if I were you.
- Oof.
And I'd save my breath for walking.
I see.
So you've changed masters, huh?
You were her fiancé's lapdog.
Now, you're hers.
- [sucks teeth]
- There's just one lapdog here.
- That's you.
- [mocking] Ooh!
Rochemort put a collar on you too.
- [Horace] Néro!
- [groans]
[exaggerated sigh]
Come on! Whoo!
Let's do it.
The old way. Fair and square. Let's go.
That's it, Néro.
Oh, you sounded like Tancrède.
- [whining]
- Fuck him up.
- [Horace] Enough!
- You be quiet there.
[coughing]
Right
[clears throat] Wait, wait, wait, wait.
[coughs violently]
- Stand up.
- [hoarsely] Just a minute.
[continues coughing]
Néro.
Hmm Mmm
What?
- [coughs]
- Look.
[dramatic music playing]
What is it?
[groans]
[retching]
[Horace] It's witchcraft.
It's the necklace. It's poisoning you.
The archbishop can remove it.
[eerie music playing]
Okay.
Let's go then.
With all your detours, we're nowhere near.
[music crescendos and stops]
[exhales]
Are you dying then?
[whimsical music playing]
Of course.
Like everyone.
No, I mean, die soon.
Mmm is that what you want?
Horace!
When will the necklace kill me?
I don't know.
Well, then.
That answer it?
Here. We can share if you like.
Thanks.
[whimsical music continues]
[sinister trill]
[jaunty medieval music playing]
[music turns sombre]
[moody orchestral music playing]
[medieval theme music returns]
[music builds rhythmically]
[sinister music playing]
[rhythm builds]
[medieval theme music returns]
[music slows]
[sombre music playing]
[medieval theme music returns]
[sombre music returns]
[wistful music playing]
[music ends]