EXT. CAVE – NIGHT
We see a group of three men and several horses standing a
short distance from the mouth of a cave at the base of a cliff. It is RAINING
very hard, and they stand huddled, with the hoods of their cloaks pulled low
over their faces. Their breath steams in the air.
JAREK
We shouldn’t have let him go in there alone.
BARAN
Sod that. I ain’t goin’ in there.
JAREK
We’re supposed to be his bodyguards. We never leave his
side.
BARAN
Fine. You go.
Jarek glares at Baran, but he stays where he is.
BARAN (cont’d)
Bloody freezing out here.
The third man (HOGARTH) reaches under his cloak and passes a
wineskin to Baran. Baran begins to drink. Hogarth looks toward the cave, and we
see that there are several SPEARS thrust into the earth along the trail to the
cave mouth. There are bleached SKULLS impaled on the top of each spear.
HOGARTH
...Seven hells.
BARAN (offers the
skin to Jarek)
Oi. Bit o’ the old red-red, brave sir knight?
Jarek shakes his head.
BARAN (cont’d; drinks
again himself)
Suit yourself. Cheers, Hogarth.
Baran passes back the skin. Hogarth drinks.
JAREK (quietly)
We shouldn’t have let him go...
The camera moves away from the huddled men toward the mouth
of the cave. As the camera gets closer, we can see there is dim light coming
from deep inside. Smoky TORCHES gutter inside the cave. We can distantly hear
CACKLING LAUGHTER from somewhere inside.
INT. CAVE - NIGHT
A SACK OF GOLD – CLOSE
We see a bulging velvet sack tossed to the ground with a
metallic clink. Gold coins spill out on the earthen floor, glimmering in the
torchlight. We hear more cackling laughter.
BLACKTREE
(off-screen)
There is your price, hags.
THE CAVE – MEDIUM SHOT
We see LORD BLACKTREE, a tall, powerfully-built man in his
forties with black hair beginning to go iron grey, standing inside a large cave
lit by more torches. The cave walls and ceiling are elaborately painted with
ancient PICTOGRAPHS. There is a large, bubbling COPPER CAULDRON in the center
of the chamber. The only furnishings here are heaps of dirty animal skins and
furs. Three WITCHES stand opposite Lord Blacktree: one is young, perhaps no
more than nine or ten (the MAIDEN); one is older, an adult (the MOTHER); the
third is ancient (THE CRONE). All are naked, incredibly ugly, and dirty. Their
hair is wild. We can just barely make out SYMBOLS painted on their bodies under
the top layer of dirt.
CRONE (lewdly)
You sure you wouldn’t rather like to settle in trade,
Blacktree?
She holds up her saggy, withered breasts in her gnarled
fingers, licking her lips.
BLACKTREE (repulsed)
You have your gold. Give me what is mine.
MAIDEN
Oh, I think you’ve offended
His Lordship, he’s a proper noble gentleman, don’tcha know.
MOTHER (mocking)
Too fine and important to spend his seed inside a peasant
girl.
CRONE
That’s not what I’ve heard.
The witches CACKLE LOUDLY. Lord Blacktree places his hand on
his sword.
BLACKTREE (furious)
Enough. I will
not be mocked by you filthy, deranged—
MOTHER
--Stay your anger, Blacktree. No one cares about the
bastard get you’ve spread about the countryside.
MAIDEN
You’ve paid for a vision, and a vision you shall have.
She reaches into the cauldron. We can see that there is a
thick, nasty-looking liquid BOILING inside. Lord Blacktree looks startled as
the MAIDEN fishes around in the boiling liquid for long moments, apparently
unaffected. She flashes her yellowed, jagged teeth as she lifts something out
and holds it out to show Blacktree. We see that it is a handful of EYEBALLS.
Lord Blacktree recoils, and the witches LAUGH again. The Maiden passes them to
the other witches.
CRONE
So timid. That
isn’t your reputation, “Milord”.
She makes a pelvic thrust motion and laughes uproariously,
taking an eyeball in her teeth. Lord Blacktree turns away as they begin to eat,
milky liquid running down their chins. The MAIDEN stuffs her mouth with eyes,
eating loudly and sloppily.
BLACKTREE (clapping a
hand to his mouth)
By the Gods.
MOTHER
Your weak Gods can’t help you, Blacktree. That is why you
have come to us.
The witches are moving about the cave now, ecstatic,
beginning to pass into a trance. When the MAIDEN speaks, we see that her eyes
have begun to cloud over with milky CATARACTS.
MAIDEN (trance)
Blacky Blacktree commands us to see. To open the eyes of
the darkness and gaze upon his enemies.
CRONE (trance)
The castle with red banners. You would see the hold at
Land’s End. Where the old Bear and his cubs make their den.
MOTHER (trance)
We know what you want, Blacktree. And tonight fortune is
with you. The old Bear breathes his last. In three days, the funeral bells will
ring for him at Land’s End.
BLACKTREE
At last.
Blacktree smiles, and strides out
of the cave.
EXT. CAVE – NIGHT
The bodyguards straighten up as
Lord Blacktree emerges.
JAREK
...My lord?
BLACKTREE
We ride for the capital on the morrow.
CUT TO BLACK.
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