AGNESS
(Whispering) Do not say a word.
She turned to the door.
Come.
MEMET hears the door open and someone step into the room. The sound of footfalls alerted him that someone had crossed the room towards her as the door closed. He then heard the sound of a man’s voice.
You wanted to see me?
AGNESS
Yes; I was surprised to see you there last night.
MAN
Were you?
AGNESS
Yes, considering...
A thick silence befell the room and Memet could almost feel the rising tension from behind the curtain.
MAN
Considering what?
AGNESS.
Let’s not be coy, I know that it was guilt that brought
you there. Perhaps you were waiting for the spirit of
my sister to rise up and forgive you for your actions.
Only the living can forgive, you will have wait until
you join her to hear her voice announcing your
rehabilitation; in this life forgiveness can only be
earned through penance. Are you ready to repent?
MAN
A pennant you say; should I kneel before the bull and weep?
AGNESS
You should know that the spirits talk to me and
I know that which you think is hidden. I Know....
MAN
Then you will know that what I did was done for love.
If I have anything to regret it is that I allowed the person
I wanted to spend my life with to get away.
I saw you working here, in this city waiting for a time
when you could rise up and take your place at the head
of this order of maids.
Knowing that while she lived you would be condemned
to spend your life here, second best to the role you were
destined to play.
That of Ipsissamus of the Order.
A role that would allow you to take a partner if
you wished. Then I would, perhaps, have my opportunity
to have you once more.
AGNESS
This is your motive for taking the life of my sister?
You did this for me; for us?
MAN
Of course.
AGNESS
I loved someone once. Many seasons ago when I was
in the first flush of youth.
He was a tall and handsome young man, well spoken
with the cool confidence of the educated and a certain
wild side that made him enigmatic and attractive.
I watched him grow. Our two families were close and as we
both matured into young adults I found myself wallowing
in his clear blue eyes, laying in my bed dreaming for his
flushed red lips and hoping one day that our fingers
would entwine and we’d find love together.
MAN
It sounds familiar. What happened to your love?
AGNESS
It turned out to be a dream. For as I got closer to that boy,
that man, I saw beyond his good looks and confident manner.
That behind these shallow signs a mind lurked that was
full of wickedness and terror.
I saw a beautiful youth become a cruel and wicked man,
whose thoughts were full of hatred and bile even his colourful
clothing and smart language could not cover his evilness for long.
Eventually everyone would become aware of his conceit and
hard-heart. Seeing the brute he had become.
Before that happened I took myself away from the world.
I hid myself away in this order to ensure that never again
would my senses be blinded by the love of a man.
MAN
Do I know this person, your thwarted lover?
AGNESS
You should do; it was you Jasbar.
JASBAR
What, and you never thought to tell me how you felt?
AGNESS
I was thoughtful enough to see how you developed
before throwing myself to your feet and swearing undying
love; now I know that I was right to walk away and
bring myself here.
JASBAR
But imagine what else you will have once you become leader
of this band of witches; with me at your side we will have
the power to take on anyone.
AGNESS
What makes you so conceited that, even after acknowledging
the murder of my beautiful sister, you’d still believe that
I would want to spend my life in your shadow?
JASBAR
Come now, she was a witch and as such deserved to die.
You did not see her in the mist of the fight invoking
daemons to rise from the tips of her fingers.
They then exploded in tiny sharp fragments and tore
my men into ribbons; killing them all.
I saw it all, she had to die before anyone else was killed
with her demonic spells.
AGNESS
So you were the leader of an ambush; it gets worse.
How many of your men lay in wait to set upon my sister?
JASBAR
It wasn’t like that; we were waiting for the old man and the
boy; it was they who we wanted. She just presented an
easy target.
Suddenly the curtain pulled to one side and MEMET stood pointing his sword at JASBAR.
MEMET
You will die for your crimes.
JASBAR
Oh Agnes, you should have said you had guests.....
MEMET
I heard it all, now Jasbar I shall go to the king and tell him
what I heard. He no doubt will order your arrest and free
my companions.
JASBAR
You wish. I have known the king since he was a small
boy and his father before that.
What makes you think he will take the word of some
greasy, little Arab against that of his longest friend?
AGNESS
I will make sure he does.
JASBAR
Oh dear little Agnes, what plans I had for you. I guess
you will have to do as you wish; even though I know he
won’t believe you. What proof do you have beside the
word and of this greasy interloper?
AGNESS
We have the arrow that you used to pierce my sister’s heart.
An arrow forged in this city, at your request.
JASBAR
I know of this so called arrowhead; one of thousands made
every season. Let the man who can prove it be
very sure of his words because I shall hold him
to account if he is not believed.
MEMET
You think you are so clever, don’t you? Come let us go
to the king and see what his judgement decides.
SCENE 40 INT DAY
At the palace the king is surrounded by his court, he stands in the middle of a group of men trying to get his attention and interest in their individual plans and ideas. He looks bored and quite relieved when a group of guards approach. The courtier’s step aside as the leading guard addresses the king.
GUARD
Your royal highness, there is a party who wish to speak
privately to you?
KING
I am very busy today what with Lord James’ plans to build
a house, the matter of a falling bridge, erm...
CHANCELLOR
..Don’t forget the funding of the widows....
KING
Yes, the widows and whatnot, now what does this party
/>
want and how long will it take?
GUARD
It is Agnes, the high priestess of the temple and with
her Jasbar, your royal subject.
KING
Agnes, to see me. Well show her in....
GUARD
She has asked for a private audience sir...
KING
Nonsense, show her in at once....
The guards go and return moments later being followed by Agnes. In her wake walk MEMET and JASBAR, all three bow low as the king sits upon his throne.
KING
Agnes, how very nice to see you again, the very sad
occasion of our last meeting was only made bearable
by your presence. I trust the temple is getting back to its
former self now that your sister has been risen up to Minos.
AGNESS
It is about my sister that I trouble you today, Sir...
KING
Trouble, never. Now what can I do for you....Speak up.
AGNESS
At this very moment you have four friends of this land
in the palace cells; condemned to die.
KING
Really, if they are friends why are they condemned
to die. We do not usually kill friends, do we?
CHANCELLOR
Perhaps in the time of your father, Sir. But not recently.
KING
There you are, I thought not...
AGNESS
They are condemned to die for the savage murder of
my sister, Amber, the Ipsissamus of Medin.
KING
Really, and you consider them friends still?
AGNESS
I do, Sir.
KING
And why would that be?
AGNESS
Because they were not responsible for my sister’s
brutal slaying.
They are the victims of a devious plot and the real
murderer is free amongst us...
KING
Really, the victims of a plot, you say.
AGNESS
I do.
KING
And the real murderer is free amongst us?
AGNESS
He is.
KING
Come now, we do not usually make such mistakes,
do we?
CHANCELLOR
Perhaps in your father’s time, my lord....
KING
There you are, so what makes you think a mistake
has happened in this instance?
AGENSS
The real murderer has confessed his sin to my sir.
KING
Really?
AGNESS
Yes, sir.
KING
Confessed, to you?
AGNESS
Yes Sir, today...
JASBAR
So this woman claims, but I have a different version
of events, sir...
MEMET
Don’t listen to this vagabond; he is a liar, sir...
KING
Excuse me, do I know this person?
AGNESS
He is my witness, Sir. He overheard the confession
of the murderer of my sister The Ipsisssamus of Medin.
JASBAR
That is a downright lie.
MEMET
It is not a lie, I heard, with my own ears....
KING
How very confusing. Tell me Sister, what is this man
confessing to?
AGNESS
Not he, Sire. He is here to bear witness against
Jasbar.
For it is he who murdered my dear Sister.
JASBAR
LIES!
MEMET
No, it is the truth. I heard him confess no less
than a few moments before we came here...
KING
Confess?
MEMET
Yes Sir.
KING
To the murder of your sister?
MEMET
Indeed.
KING
Well, this is very serious, err,
what do we do in such cases?
CHANCELLOR
If I may interject your Royal Highness...
KING
Please do.
CHANCELLOR
Your father would ask both parties to explain
themselves and then seek further evidence if
the case is still unclear.
KING
Then that is what I shall do, err, have you further evidence
that my loyal subject Jasbar is responsible for the
murder of our dear sister; beside the word of this, err,
visitor to my realm?
AGNESS
We do.
KING
Ah!
A stifled groan filled the room as those present pushed forwards to hear better what was being said.
MEMET
(Taking the arrowhead from his pocket and presenting it to the King)
Here Sir, the very tool of murder, taken from the heart
of the victim following her demise. It was made in this
city by the very smith who provides Jasbar with his arrows.
KING
Is this true?
JASBAR
It may look like the kind of arrowhead I use but surely
there are thousands of these in the city; anyone could
have used it to murder the girl.
KING
True...
AGNESS
But today this man confessed that he had killed the
lady so that I may take her place.
Saying that he did it for me, for us, so we may run the
order together in some corruption of the role.
JASBAR
Lies, all lies. This woman considers herself above all
others if she thinks that men, or a man, me for instance;
would kill for her hand.
The suggestion is ridiculous.
AGNESS
I have no reason to lie. The people in your cells have no
relation to me and I am motivated only by a sense of justice
towards my dearly departed sister.
KING
And what of you, what are you prepared to come before
me and swear against this man.
MEMET
I do it because one of those accused is my rider. I am the
owner of the Arabian colt who won last month’s race.
Jasbar lost his crown that day and it is surely this
that motivates him against my friend.
KING
Then it is decided. We shall let Minos judge them both in
battle. I decree that both Jasbar and your rider will meet
tomorrow on the track. Instead of gold they will race for
their freedom and whoever wins will walk free.
The looser will die a murderer’s death; have you any doubts
about such a contest?
MEMET
None Sir, not only is my rider more skilled but he has the
winds of justice blowing behind him.
I would wager my entire fortune on a favourable outcome.
KING
And you Jasbar?
JASBAR
Well...I will race and I will win. This man is a fool if he thinks
this, this boy can beat me again.
The last time we met I was too confident. I did not try hard
enough; tomorrow I will have Minos pushing me.
The outcome is a foregone conclusion.
KING
Then Minos will decide. But Arab, know this. If the boy
looses I will have title over his life and over that of the
horse. You agree to this.
MEMET
&n
bsp; Without doubt; let Minos decide.
SCENE 41 EXT DAY
The crowds are thick around the race track as the king waves from his Diaz. The women surround the bronze bull holding flaming torches as trumpets sound. Suddenly a hush falls across the crowd and the women lower their torches as AGNESS steps onto the track carrying red velvet cushion. She walks steadily towards the Diaz and kneels before the king.
A deep drone sweeps across the scene as JASBAR enters upon his black horse no longer adorned in heavy bronze medals. He does a circuit an comes to a halt in front of the king. Then another drone announces the arrival of UTHUR, wearing his golden crown of laurel. The crowd cheer as he too does a circuit before pulling up beside JASBAR.
He takes off the laurel crown and places it upon the velvet cushion which AGNESS passes to the king’s valet. The king stands and addresses the crowd.
KING
People, today these riders race not for glory, not for gold.
Not even the love of you, our wonderful population.
Today they race for their freedom.
In the crowd, by the track’s entrance MEMET turns to ADRIUS and snarls.
MEMET
All this hot air, let them race, look at my dear Arabia,
she is raring to get on with it.
ADRIUS
Patience, my friend. It will be the time soon.
KING
Minos the bull will spur his hero home. For whoever
wins the laurel crown will walk from this place a free man,
the looser will suffer a murder’s death. Are you both ready.
Both riders nod as the king is handed a white cloth. They line up in front of the bull and the horns sound. The king raises the cloth and as the horns stop, silence erupts.
The cloth drops and the race begins.
With s snort and puff both horses burst into motion as the crowd start to scream. The dry earth turns to a cloud of dust as eight hoofs stamp into it. Approaching the first bend UTHUR turns to see JASBAR snarling like a mad banshee as his free hand thrashes his steed’s rump.
Uther and the Secret of the Dragon Page 12