life goes on. Now, tell me about the place you come
from; what is it called?
MERLAI N
We come from and the Island of Albion. A place blessed
with high cliffs and sandy coves around it’s edges sitting
in the cool Northern waters.
It has fine, clean rivers filled with succulent fish and
other food.
It has forests of huge trees of every species and many
differing native wildlife; beautiful meadowland where
the earth if fertile and green.
Domesticated horses and sheep wander unmolested through
the wide open spaces.
Some parts of the island have magnificent lakes and
mountains where spring waters shoot from the earth to give
us nourishment and overhead a vast blue sky protects us
from the worst excesses of the sun.
PRIESTESS,
This island, Albion. How long and wide is it?
MERLAIN
Well, not that I’ve done it myself of course but they say
to ride a horse from our tiny corner to the other takes over
four full moons. Yet to cross the middle of the island is only
a two day ride.
It is certainly a beautiful place; a jewel set in a silver sea.
PRIESTESS
Yet you have chosen to leave it; how strange?
The girl returns and lays a tray of wine and food before her mistress. She bows and leaves again. The priestess fills to goblets with win and places a selection of food on a platter for her guest which she hands to him. They fingers touch lightly as he takes it and their eyes meet.
MERLAIN
With a heavy heart Amber; I’m afraid. You see our
beautiful little corner has been invaded by savages
armed with weapons we were unable to defend against.
My charge, young UTHUR, is the son of the King of our
land and so I was asked to take him away until a solution
to our predicament could be found.
AMBER
How sad; are you any closer to a solution?
MERLAIN
Do you know, we are. We were seeking a dragon to
catch but tonight I found out dragons are fictitious
and that we really should be seeking a pot called a
dragoon.
A dragoon and the secrets of metalworking.
AMBER
They propagate the story of dragons to hid their metal working
Skills; but now you know the truth you may as well learn everything.
Would you like to earn the secrets of metal?
MERLAIN
Yes I would. With this knowledge I will be able to
Take the boy home and free our people.
AMBER
If you have gold I will sell you a dragoon, we have many
here, but if you want to learn how to work the metal
you will have to stay a while; are you in a rush?
MERLAIN
Well, we have to return to Babylon before the next
full moon; my ward is racing the following day and
I think the King would like a chance to win back
some of his gold.
AMBER
Do you mean to say you beat Jasbar at last?
MERLAIN
Not me, UTHUR. He took the laurel crown and
the trunk of gold.
AMBER
But you were not carrying a trunk last night; unless it
was a very small trunk.
MERLAIN
We left our winnings back in Babylon with a friend;
but we have this to go on with.
He takes a purse from under his robe and pours gold coins onto the sofa.
Would this be enough to learn how to work metal here,
in the short time we have?
AMBER
Of course; you make me very happy Merlain of Albion;
very happy indeed.
SCENE 20 INT: NIGHT
Merlain returns to the rooms and finds ESUIT and UTHUR sitting upon one of the beds fully dressed and looking eager to leave.
UTHUR
I am so glad to see you again...
ESUIT
Quick, let us tell you what we saw before we leave...
MERLAIN
Calm down young people; I need to speak first.
Our plans have changed slightly.
ESUIT/UTHUR
What?
UTHUR
But how can they, we have to return to Memet in Babylon?
MERLAIN
Yes, but only before the next full moon.
ESUIT
I can’t stay here, they will want to shave my head and
enslave me once again;
I’d rather die than be mistreated so.
MERLAIN (Laughing)
Please, trust me, no one intends to shave your
pretty head and you will only stay here if you want to.
No one is here under duress.
UTHUR
So what plans have you made?
MERLAIN
The lady in charge, the Ipsissamus, has invited us
to stay and learn how to craft metal. I have said we will.
UTHUR
They have a dragon for us?
MERLAIN
Not exactly, but they have the next best thing...
SCENE 21 EXT DAY
ESUIT, UTHUR MERLAIN and AMBER are in the courtyard watching two woman practicing their own brand of martial arts. Using staffs like swords they try to disarm each other or trip the other up. Suddenly ESUIT can stand it no longer.
ESUIT
What’s wrong with these women; don’t they know how
to fight properly?
AMBER
They seem to be doing okay; our previous leader used
to teach them but since we lost her we have been muddling
through; I thought they were doing fine.
ESUIT
The tall one is leaving her left side unguarded; a real
opponent would see this instantly. The smaller one is
fast but she is clumsy. Look, there, I would have killed
her in that instant.
MERLAIN
If you think you can teach these women Esuit, feel free
to show us all. I’m sure Amber would not mind.
AMBER
We do not usually allow adepts into to fight until they
have learned the basics but I will bow to your greater
knowledge. Give us a display of your skills.
ESUIT
Okay, I will.
She removes her cloak and steps into the square as the two woman stop. They look towards Amber with annoyance and see their leader expression informs them to humour the newcomer.
Have you an opponent who is worthy of my
experience?
AMBER
Call Astar; she is our best staff fighter.
One of the women leaves and returns shortly after with a huge, bald woman marked with deep scars across her face. ASTAR grimaces and grunts as a staff are thrown into her hands.
This should be interesting.
ESUIT readies herself as ASTAR looks towards AMBER waiting for the signal to begin. Upon a slight nod she launches herself at ESUIT and a fierce battle begins. ASTAR uses her immense size and weight of bully and intimidate ESUIT but she holds her ground. Then ESUIT is lifted by the woman’s staff and launched through the air to roll across the dusty ground. ASTAR snarls and rushes over to deliver the knockout blow only to be tripped by ESUIT’s weapon. She crashes to the floor in a cloud of dry dust.
ESUIT jumps to her feet and prepares to fight again.
AMBER
Your opponent is down, get her now, while you can.
ESUIT
I do not strike
when an opponent is down. It is not honourable.
ASTAR stands and wipes blood from her mouth before snarling at Esuit again
ASTAR
That will be your last mistake.
The two clash again and the staff weapons splinter under the force of their blows before ESUIT turns and uses the end of her staff to up end ASTAR’S feet and traps them in a sophisticated face down hold. ESUIT then places one foot across the free end of her staff and smiles at her audience while ASTAR pants, hollers and struggles in a wasted attempt to escape
UTHUR
Brilliant, well done.
AMBER
I thought you were bragging but I should have known,
you were too confident to be lying. I am convinced
now that the grade of Adept would be wasted up you.
ESUIT
Really?
AMBER
Only our greenest recruits are inducted as adepts. If,
like you, we have inductees who show well grounded
skills in a certain discipline our rules can be varied.
I think you should enter the order as a Adeptus Major.
This is three grades up from the Adept and just one
under the grade of Master; our teaching grade.
ESUIT
I am flattered but I am sorry, I have a confession to make...
AMBER
Really, a confession, how mysterious.
ESUIT
Yes, I’m afraid....
MERLAIN
What my dear friend wishes to say, ere...
AMBER
Yes?
MERLAIN
What my friend wishes to say is that after careful
discussion last night she has decided to return to
Babylon with us when we leave...
AMBER
No, really?
ESUIT
Only until after the race....
MERLAIN
Yes, she wishes to support young UTHUR in his
battle with Jasbar before committing her life
to the order here.
AMBER
Is this true Esuit?
ESUIT
It is; I don’t think I could have settled down until
after the race....
UTHUR
And I needed her support with the horses. There
is no-one quite so qualified to handle my horses
as Esuit.
Without her I may lose and that would be a disaster.
AMBER
Then it is decided. When do you intend to leave?
MERLAIN
Babylon is three days ride or so we should go no
later than the next phase of the moon.
AMBER
Then it is decided, I shall come too. I have not seen
my sister, the Ipsissamus of Babylon, for many seasons now
and we have adepts in Babylon who would benefit
from my council. If this fits in with your plans
Merlain; I wouldn’t like to be a hindrance.
MERLAIN
I couldn’t imagine anything better....
SCENE 22 INT NIGHT
MERLAIN and AMBER are sitting in a long sparse room by a panoramic window overlooking the valley beyond. There is a wall of stars over the horizon and a soft breeze billows the long chiffon curtain which drapes half the window. She takes a drink from a blue glass and looks at him from under her hood intently.
AMBER
I love this room, the view at night makes me feel
part of the cosmos; connected to the stars that veil
the heavens. It gives me the feeling that we are all
part of it somehow, that we are made of stardust.
MERLAIN
But are you happy?
AMBER
What?
MERLAIN
Isn’t it a little sad, all these strong women shut away
in this building with only the stars for company.
Women, like men, need the comfort and intimacy of another.
So, are you truly happy here?
AMBER
Merlain; do you want the diplomatic answer or the truth.
You see if I were diplomatic I would say we are an
ancient and mystical order working in this building to
teach how to manipulate magical forces for the
good of mankind.
MERLAIN
And the truth?
AMBER
That is not so romantic. You see, in this age, in this part
of the world a woman’s role is never a happy one.
She is born to be someone’s servant daughter, or a helpful sister
then we are married off for money, a dowry, and become a
servant wife and mother.
In the end we are cast aside as useless old widows with
no recourse upon our former husband’s fortune.
This passes down to his eldest son or to the state leaving
us destitute and seeking a quick and painless death.
MERLAIN
Surely this is a woman’s lot in any age and in any corner
of the world? It is for them to carve out a life from their
service to their families.
Many women’s lives are blessed in this way, they receive the
gift of their children and the love and protection of their men folk.
Isn’t this the natural way?
AMBER
Yes, But what if the daughter is abused by the father
who should be protecting her, beaten by her brothers and
married off to another brute who uses her for vile pleasures
and beats her for good measure.
What if she is starved and shamed and forced to eat
from a cup of abominations just to survive;
is this the natural way of which you talk?
MERLAIN
Of course not?
AMBER
Well here, in this place and during this age, many
woman have only that to look forwards to.
This temple was established to give girls and women
a place of refuge far from the rule of man; somewhere for them to
escape when they need to steal away.
We create a mystical legend of witchcraft and sorcery
to frighten the peasant locals and those who seek their
missing wives and slaves
into leaving us alone.
In this we have become so successful. Rich men travel
from the four corners of the earth here and give
us gold to win the blessing of our powerful spells.
We use this to feed and clothe our sisters,
to teach newcomers to
read and write and other skills with which they
may make their own money should they ever choose
to leave here. The remainder is used to feed the
poor widows of this realm. Even the king believes we
are powerful witches able to foretell the future and
change bad luck into good fortune. It is a falsehood I am
proud to have maintained.
MERLAIN
What a wonderful person you are, I am shamed by my
gender and more so by my ignorance.
AMBER
Don’t feel bad, We too dislike having to fraudulently
deceive those that pry here-about too heartily;
but while our legend is strong the order can continue
doing its work.
If our illusions are seen for what they are, cheap
tricks, we may as well throw ourselves from the top of the
nearest cliff-edge.
MERLAIN
What I saw on our first night here was spectacular,
I would never describe it as cheap. I was amazed.
How is it done?
&nb
sp; AMBER
It is something our previous leader developed.
She saw that friction between two divergent materials
creates a small spark. The same sort of spark we have
all seen when flint and hard stone is smashed together.
Using a metal tube appears to allow the sparks to collect
and we then feed these down thin copper wires into a chain
mail tunic where the spark can be discharged in the way
you saw.
Very dramatic but quite easy to achieve; we have no real
understanding of the principles at work but it does the trick
and that is all that matters.
MERLAIN
What of the spinning cylinder with the steam funnels;
how does this work?
AMBER
Surely you have seen hot water in a pot with as lid
upon it. The steam pushes up the lid and makes it rattle?
MERLAIN
Yes?
AMBER
Well we build a fire under the pot and the steam forced
out the funnels causes it to spin. It is attached to a long
leather belt and this in turn is wrapped around a copper cylinder.
The faster the cylinder spins the more friction created
and thus more sparks are collected in the tube.
MERLAIN
Fascinating. When we eventually return to Albion I intend
to use this illusion to frighten those who have subjugated
our land and forced our people into slavery.
AMBER
Yes, let them believe you have become a great wizard.
Most people are so superstitious they run when confronted
by something their eyes do not understand.
We have other illusions which may interest you.
MERLAIN
And you are willing to share your secrets with us, with me?
AMBER
I can see in your eyes the goodness lurking in your soul,
my dear friend. I would be happy to help you chase bullies
from your land. I know this would benefit all the people
of Albion; not just you and your young ward.
MERLAIN
Thank you, how could I ever repay your kindness?
Uther and the Secret of the Dragon Page 7