- Armus Grey: During the crusades, I didn't fight - I was a cook. I trained so hard for the right to do battle for my king - to take my rightful place as father's son. I looked forward to the day I would lift a sword in combat. When that day came... I didn't see him at first. A knight to my rear warned me. I swung 'round, my broadsword wielded. The blade thrust into his belly... the life drained so quickly from his face. He was a boy like me. He watched me watching him die. It was as though it was happening to someone else.
- Eleanor Grey: You killed in self-defense.
- Armus Grey: The kill came so easily. I'll never forget the feeling of power it gave me - a feeling I had no wish to acquire a taste for.
- Richard Grey: I went to bed every night wanting to be just like you. I dreamt I was you.
- Armus Grey: I dreamt I was you.
- Richard Grey: Me?
- Armus Grey: There's nothing I would rather have been than a second son.
- Richard Grey: But that's the worst thing to be.
- Armus Grey: You're the lucky one. You can be whatever's in your heart. I had to be what was in father's heart - just as he had to be what was in his father's.
- [first lines]
- Sir Thomas Grey: Friar! Friar!
- Friar: My lord?
- Sir Thomas Grey: I need a prayer.
- Friar: A prayer?
- Sir Thomas Grey: Yes, a prayer. You pray, don't you, Friar?
- Friar: Of course, my lord. Any particular sort of prayer?
- Sir Thomas Grey: My family is off to Sussex. The Duke of Arondale, the depositor of the king's taxes, is there.
- Friar: Oh, good.
- Sir Thomas Grey: It's taxes, Friar. What could be good about it? Everybody comes from around the county, sips spiced wine, pretends to like each other and then leaves large sums of money they can ill afford.
- Friar: I see what you mean.
- Sir Thomas Grey: A traveling prayer would be in order, you know the usual thing - good weather, safe journey - whatever else you can think of.
- Friar: Of course.
- Sir Thomas Grey: And, ah, Friar, perhaps you could say another as well for my sons Armus and William. They're off to war. I worry for them. I miss them.
- Friar: I'll pray the best prayer I can pray for them, Sir Thomas.
- Sir Thomas Grey: No doubt you will, Friar, and while you're at it, might as well mention something about the damned taxes!
- [speaking of Eleanor's huge brother]
- Eleanor Grey: I wonder what Armus would enjoy for dinner.
- Lady Elizabeth: I wonder what Armus wouldn't enjoy for dinner.
- Richard Grey: They are serving food in the Great Hall, you know.
- Armus Grey: It may be something one ingests by mouth, brother, but it's certainly not food. Besides which I couldn't bear to spend another moment in the same room with John Mullens. His disposition hasn't improved over the years.
- Eleanor Grey: You don't know the half of it.
- Armus Grey: [referring to the lovely Alexandra Mullens] And who, by the way, is that creature with him? And more importantly, why?
- Lady Elizabeth: Have we remained a decent amount of time?
- Sir Thomas Grey: No, but we shall leave anyway. If we remain much longer we run the risk of death by extreme boredom.
- [to the assembled nobles gathered at the Duke of Arondale's castle to pay their taxes]
- Bandit Leader: I may not kill anyone; then I might kill all of ya. I don't know. Now you know what they say - two things you can't avoid in life - death and taxes.
- Bandit #1: We have it all.
- Bandit Leader: Do we? I don't see the good duke's contribution. I'm sure it was an oversight. You've a lot on your mind right now. Oh yes, the rate has risen this year, unfortunately. I'm afraid we'll be taking, well, just about everything you own, actually.
- Duke of Arondale: A shilling is more than you'll get from this house.
- Bandit Leader: A man of principle. I admire that. Kill him.
- Sir Thomas Grey: It's not worth your life, your grace.
- Duke of Arondale: Yes, you're right, of course.
- Bandit Leader: Let him go. Isn't tax season just hell?
- [the bandit leader discovers his avenue of escape has been cut off by the king's men]
- Bandit Leader: [to the Duke] The escape tunnel - where is it? I'll rip out your gullet with my fingers, I swear!
- Sir Thomas Grey: Problem?
- Lieutenant: I'll have them bring up the battering ram, Captain.
- Captain: No. There are other nobles in there, as well as the Duke. I'll not make a foolish decision in haste to spill blood.
- Lieutenant: These men are in possession of the King's gold, Captain. If the king does not get it, then the only blood that's shed might be ours.
- Bandit Leader: It seems we have a dilemma. The only thing keeping you alive is me. The only thing keeping me alive is the threat of killing you.
- Alexandra Mullens: We shouldn't even be talking.
- Cedric Grey: Why not?
- Alexandra Mullens: You're a Grey.
- Cedric Grey: You know, I can always change my name.
- [the bandit leader has sent out a list of demands to the king's men]
- John Mullens: You missed an opportunity there. I could have delivered that list.
- Bandit Leader: Perhaps you're right.
- [shoots his messenger in the back]
- Bandit Leader: Has the brain trust had time to gather its thoughts?
- Captain: Your demands are unreasonable.
- Bandit Leader: A painful death, by definition, is always unreasonable.
- John Mullens: Your son has violated my daughter!
- Sir Thomas Grey: Leave my son alone.
- John Mullens: And watch him ruin her? Not in this lifetime.
- Sir Thomas Grey: Your lifetime may have become quite short.
- Richard Grey: Why didn't you shoot?
- Armus Grey: I couldn't.
- Richard Grey: What do you mean "you couldn't"?
- Armus Grey: I'm not the kind of knight you think I am, Richard.
- [Richard and Eleanor gather arms for their counterattack against the bandits]
- Richard Grey: Help if you want to, brother, and if you don't - stay in the kitchen. Just don't get in the way.
- Bandit Leader: Now you do want to help your family, don't you?
- Cedric Grey: Are you going to kill me or talk me to death?
- [to Alexandra Mullens as his brother and sister battle the entire gang of brigands]
- Cedric Grey: I don't think I can change my name after all.
- Bandit Leader: Cut me free!
- John Mullens: Fascinating life, isn't it? Just when you think you've got it all worked out, it takes the most unexpected twist.
- [the bandit leader spots Cedric Grey and Alexandra Mullens kissing passionately]
- Bandit Leader: Yesss.