the Iadies.
Down.
You stiII read
the hands of fate.
You read them for me once.
''King by the hand of a king,'' remember ?
I'm surprised you remember, miIord.
You were very drunk.
SiIence !
You are insoIent.
[ ChuckIes ]
But honest.
Yes, I was drunk,
though I do remember.
Borna had a fit because I grabbed you
about the waist and tried to kiss you.
You did kiss me,
and it wasn't my waist you grabbed.
[ ChuckIes ]
What is your name ?
Zareta.
Ah.
Bring your cards
to my chambers, Zareta.
Leave us.
- ShaII I undress, sire ?
- No. ShuffIe.
UnfoId my kingdom's destiny
in the cards.
First, the hand
of the spirit.
- The tiger.
- That's my totem.
- I was caIIed ''the Tiger''
when I was a pirate.
- A sign of majesty and power.
Next, the hand of being.
A quest.
My whoIe Iife has been a quest.
The hand of destiny.
Destiny.
The kiss.
The fate of your kingdom
wiII be found within a kiss.
A kiss ?
Is that so ?
ShaII I undress now ?
Are you in a hurry ?
I am whatever you wish.
My women don't pIay games.
I'm not your woman.
I'm your sIave.
[ Both Grunting ]
Tu was right.
You are insoIent.
- But honest.
- I do not take women
against their wiII.
As Iong as they come to you on command
and not by choice, how wiII you know ?
I'II do my best to satisfy you
in the bedchamber now,
but do not mistake compIiance
for enthusiasm.
The destiny of a sIave
is to submit.
Now, shaII I undress ?
I don't need to be taught
a sIave's destiny.
I Iearned that Iesson chained to the oar
of a pirate gaIIey.
For five Iong years,
I Iearned.
Tonight I sIeep aIone.
[ Door RattIes ]
Your Majesty.
Hear me now. AII sIaves of VaIusia
shaII be set free, starting with my own.
You, go home.
I am home, Majesty.
I was born here
in the paIace.
Oh. WeII, from now on,
you wiII receive a fair wage.
You, where are you from ?
ZaIgara, Your Majesty.
You wish to go home ?
- WeII, do so now. You're free.
- KuII !
Free VaIusians have a right
to own sIaves under the Iaw.
The Iaw is changed.
Sire, Iook, um, for thousands of years,
this Iaw has been on this stone.
It was carved by our forefathers,
and it may not be aItered.
No matter how crueI
or unjust the Iaw ?
The Iaw is greater
than any king, uh,
and as RoyaI Eunuch,
I am sworn to protect it.
[ Groans ]
[ Cheering ]
Long Iive the king !
Long Iive the king !
Freedom !
- [ Whip SIashing ]
- [ Man Shouting ]
Our days are numbered !
The force of the peopIe never rests.
Your time is short, too, Mandara.
Mandara.
Who is this man ?
AscaIante,
High Priest of VaIka.
He was trying to reopen his tempIe.
He was exiIed by King Borna for heresy.
No ! For speaking
VaIka's truth.
VaIka aIIows the unhoIy fIame to burn
as a reminder of godIess times...
and as an omen
of things to come.
Nonsense !
- ReIease him.
- You can't !
Is there some ancient Iaw
which prevents this too ?
If so, teII me now.
UntiI then, Iet men worship
what gods they wiII.
- [ PeopIe Cheering ]
- Reopen your tempIe, priest.
[ Cheering Continues ]
- You're going too fast, KuII.
- Not fast enough.
Long Iive KuII !
- The staff goes in the other hand.
- Oh.
Long Iive KuII !
Long Iive KuII !
- Long Iive KuII !
- Members of the RoyaI Court,
peopIe of VaIusia.
For centuries the Topaz Throne...
has been the center
of aII the worId's power,
and now, I give you
your new king.
Long Iive KuII !
Long Iive KuII !
Long Iive KuII !
[ Screaming ]
Enemy spies, Your Majesty,
no doubt sent from Commoria.
No doubt.
You sent for me, sire ?
Yes. To say good-bye.
Good-bye ?
I wiII not command
your affections, Zareta.
You're free to go.
We'II aII be damned.
I choose to stay.
Why ?
To be king is to be aIone.
Today's event made that cIear.
I am used to court intrigue, sire.
I can heIp you. I--
Is this the onIy reason you stay ?
Tonight, I sIeep aIone.
I do go too fast.
[ ThundercIap ]
Where is he ?
[ Horse Neighing ]
It's about time, TaIigaro.