ACT 4:
SCENE 1: Exterior of Roxburgh Manor, super imposed: “The Next Morning”
SCENE 2: Inside the Manor House… The two knights sitting at the table
(Sir Palidor knocks and enters the room.)
Sir Fachnan: Now who might you be?
Sir Palidor: You sent for me…I’m Sir Palidor from Edinburgh…
(Sir Palidor hands him his card…CU of card in hand)
Sir Fachnan: How was your trip here? Would you like something to drink?
Sir Palidor: Did you have me come here to pass the time of day or talk business?
Sir Fachnan: Well, fine. Direct and to the point. You're the kind of man I like.
Sir Palidor: I can't say the same… You say you have a problem with a so-called Ogre?
Sir Fachnan: The Ogre is real; it’s no idle story!
Sir Palidor: Let's hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs.
Sir Iestyn: We’ve had this problem for quite some time…some kind of creature is killing our sheep…we may be next!
Sir Palidor: Sometimes human places create inhuman monsters.
Sir Fachnan: We didn’t create it…go see for yourself.
Sir Palidor: Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden. Now where can I find this Ogre?
Sir Fachnan: Come with me and I’ll show you the path…just follow it and the Ogre will find you!
Sir Iestyn: You want several of us to come with you?
Sir Palidor: Local aid is always worthless or else biased.
Sir Palidor and Sir Fachnan leave
FADE OUT – FADE IN
ACT 5:
SCENE 1: LS of Sunlaws Ridge.
SCENE 2: In the woods, the two knights on a trail.
Sir Fachnan: The trail starts here…before too long, you’ll find it. I hope you’re as good with a sword as you say you are…that Ogre has defeated all our knights that have tried to kill it.
Sir Palidor: An Ogre that’s good with a sword? Doesn’t that seem strange to you?
Sir Fachnan: You’ll see there are a lot of strange things going on around here. And make sure you kill it…for the good of the town!
Sir Palidor: Heaven help us what men do in the name of good.
Sir Fachnan leaves, Sir Palidor continues on the trail
FADE OUT…FADE IN
SCENE 3: Another section of the trail. The Ogre jumps out and draws his swords.
Sir Palidor: Now hold it right there! I’m NOT a threat to you…see, my sword is NOT drawn. Can you speak?
Ogre: Yes…what do you want?
Sir Palidor: All I want to do is talk to you.
Ogre: It better not be a trick…I’m quite good with these swords.
Sir Palidor: its no trick…all I want to do is talk…my name’s Palidor, what’s yours?
Ogre: My name is Sir Iestyn of Roxburgh.
Sir Palidor: I just came from there, there’s a knight with the same name.
Ogre: That’s my son.
Sir Palidor: Does he know that you’re here…who you are?
Ogre: No…we never had the chance to talk. I’m sure that he thought I was dead of the plaque. A few years ago I took a group of knights to attack the English at Durham, but the plague met us there and most of my men died...I was one of the few that didn’t. A family took me in and nursed me until I was well enough to travel… But you see what the plague has done to me...When I reached Roxburgh, they thought I was some kind of monster or Ogre and wouldn’t let me near and they tried to kill me...I took refuge in this cave and with the lack of wild game; I had to kill their sheep to stay alive.
Sir Palidor: You can’t really blame them; you do have to admit that you do have the appearance of an Ogre!
Ogre: I realize that…there’s one more thing that you should know…after I moved into this cave I discovered a secret wall...behind it I found a treasure, no doubt part of what the Knights Templar hid.
Sir Palidor: I think it’s time that we all got together and have a talk… there is a universal solvent that dissolves all riddles. its name is truth.
Ogre: I’ll agree, but only if noone brings their swords!
Sir Palidor: Agreed.
(Sir Palidor leaves)
FADE OUT…FADE IN
ACT 6:
Scene 1: Inside Roxburgh Manor House, the two knights sitting at the table, Sir Palidor enters.
Sir Fachnan: You’re alive! Did you kill the Ogre?
Sir Palidor: Is that your answer to everything? To kill? No…we talked.
Sir Fachnan: Talked?! You were supposed to kill it!
Sir Palidor: Well, it seems that things are not as you say they are. These are much deeper waters than I had thought.
Sir Fachnan: You’re wrong Palidor! We had an agreement.
Sir Palidor: Well, I'm living up to my part of it.
Sir Fachnan: You've done nothing but throw the whole darn thing right back into my lap.
Sir Palidor: A man can be hired to do anything in this world for another man but make a decision for him!...I wonder why you’re so strong on having him killed. Has he killed anyone?
Sir Fachnan: Not yet…but no doubt he will!
Sir Palidor: Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well housed, well warmed, and well fed.
(Sir Palidor looks at Sir Iestyn)
Sir Palidor: And what about you…Do you want him killed too?
Sir Iestyn: Well…I’ll be satisfied if you could just get it to leave us alone.
Sir Palidor: Have you both heard the stories of the Knights Templar in this area?
Sir Fachnan: What’s that got to do with our problem?
Sir Palidor: Just answer the question.
Sir Iestyn: I heard that they were given asylum here in Scotland after being condemned by the Pope.
Sir Palidor: Is that all you’ve heard about them?
Sir Iestyn: There are rumors of a treasure that they brought with them. They were said to have hidden it in this area.
Sir Fachnan: That’s all just a story…there’s NO treasure!
Sir Palidor: It’s no rumor, it’s a fact. And you have no idea where?
Sir Fachnan: Just what are you getting at, Palidor?
Sir Palidor: What about the cave above Sawlaws Mill, where the “so called ogre” lives?
Sir Fachnan: If there really is a treasure, which I doubt…I guess it’s possible.
Sir Palidor: You guess??? I think you know more than you’re saying!
Sir Fachnan: Are you calling me a liar? We can settle this with a dual if you wish!
Sir Palidor: That won’t be necessary, I’m sure we’ll find the answer in due time.
Sir Palidor (to Sir Iestyn): And what have you heard about the Black Plague?
Sir Iestyn: That was a few years ago.
Sir Palidor: And what happened then?
Sir Iestyn: It hit England very hard…and an army was formed here in Scotland to take advantage and drive away the English once and for all.
Sir Palidor: Was there anyone you know that was in that army?
Sir Iestyn: My father led a group of knights from Roxburgh, but they were all killed by the plague.
Sir Palidor: And you know for a fact that anyone who gets the plague dies?
Sir Iestyn: I’m not a doctor, but that’s what I heard.
Sir Palidor: Well you heard wrong… the mortality rate for infected victims is only 72%. That means 23% survived. And a small number, about 0.2% of people are naturally resistant to the plague due to unusual protein structures. But for those who have lived, they paid a high price…the price is deformity...It seems that your father was one of those who didn’t die.
Sir Iestyn: You mean he’s still alive? Where is he?
Sir Palidor: He lives in a place you call Sunlaws Cave.
Sir Fachnan: Don’t listen to him, he’s only trying to confuse us. That Ogre is NOT your father!
Sir Palidor: You should let Sir Iestyn decide that for himself!
Your “so called Ogre” has agreed to meet with you on one condition…that we all leave our swords behind.
Sir Fachnan: That’s madness! It will kill us all! Why should we go?
Sir Palidor: Because it is my desire. Is that not enough? Are you afraid?
Sir Fachnan: No…I’m not afraid
Sir Palidor: Then it’s agreed, we’ll all go up to meet him and talk, and you can decide for yourselves what is truth and what is not! In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate.
Sir Fachnan: Very well, but I don’t like the idea of leaving our swords behind!
FADE OUT…FADE IN
