Erik the Viking Page #13

You'll be able to throw it further than I could.

Keitel thinks. This is true.

LOKI:

It must go far out to sea.

Loki presses the mouthpiece on Keitel. Keitel takes it, but reluctantly. Another Viking stirs.

LOKI:

Surely you haven't forgotten the Blacksmith's Oath?

Keitel is about to reply and say he's been having second thoughts about it, but somehow he can't. Loki has such power over him.

KEITEL:

I...

Suddenly another Viking stirs, and Loki hisses at him.

LOKI:

Hurry!

Loki pretend to go back to sleep. Keitel (feeling a bit lumbered) thinks about his task and hesitates... Who knows? Perhaps he is about to stand firm, but Loki plays his trump card.

LOKI:

(without opening his eyes)

Or I might have to tell Erik why you really came on this voyage.

Keitel is caught. He closes his eyes in resignation and then reluctantly starts to make his way out of the Hall. As he gets to the doors he trips over Snorri, who wakes. The mouthpiece falls a few feet away.

SNORRI:

Who's that?

KEITEL:

It's me. I'm just going to water the dragon...

(he gives a false laugh)

SNORRI:

Oh...

Snorri notices the silver mouthpiece on the floor, but he pretends he hasn't.

SNORRI:

Oh... clumsy idiot.

Snorri pretends to go back to sleep, but he opens one eye and watches Keitel Blacksmith recover the mouthpiece, and then follows Keitel out. Loki gets up too. He follows to keep an eye on Snorri. Cut to Aud on the shore, gazing moodily out to sea. She is brooding in Erik's imminent departure. Suddenly a stone falls from above; she looks up and sees a figure appear on the cliff above. Hurriedly she withdraws into the shadows. Keitel Blacksmith appears on the cliff-top. In his hands he holds the mouthpiece of the Horn Resounding. e examines it, turning over in his mind whether he is doing the right thing or not. then he decides he must.

KEITEL:

(to himself)

My fellow blacksmiths.

He prepares to throw it.

SNORRI:

Keitel!

Keitel jumps out of his skin.

KEITEL:

What?

SNORRI:

What are you doing, Keitel Blacksmith?

KEITEL:

Get away, Snorri.

SNORRI:

What have you got there?

Snorri advances towards Keitel. Keitel backs away, dangerously near to the edge of the cliff. His boot slips and he jerks himself forward. At the same time Snorri makes a grab for the mouthpiece. A scuffle ensues, during which the mouthpiece of the Horn Resounding is dropped. It bounces off the cliff and falls down to the shore below. Aud steps out of the shadow and picks it up. She frowns and looks up, and then screams, as she sees the men fighting.

AUD:

No!

But it's too late. Snorri goes white, gives a hideous gasp... and sinks slowly to his knees - revealing Loki standing behind him with a bloody knife. As Keitel and Loki watch Snorri die, a drop of blood from the knife falls to the ground. The moment it lands, there is a deep subterranean groan, and the earth begins to tremble violently. Keitel and Loki look around in alarm.

KEITEL:

Oh Gods! What have we done?

Back in the King's Hall, Sven, Sven's dad and Harald are wide awake, but for the moment paralysed, as bits of masonry crash around them. The cheerful figure of King Arnulf appears at the top of a stairway. He raises his hands.

KING ARNULF:

Stay calm! This is NOT happening.

The King then hurries out of a door at the top of the staircase.

SVEN'S DAD

What did he say?

ERIK:

Look out!

The doors of the Great Hall burst open and a wall of water crashes through, knocking the Vikings off their feet. There is little doubt that the whole of Hy-Brasil is sinking see a street go down, a statue sink and then we Cut to a close-up of King Arnulf. He is standing at the top of the Forum steps addressing a crowd of anxious citizens. They are keeping surprisingly good order considering they are already standing ankle-deep in water, and the whole town is rapidly sinking around them.

KING ARNULF:

Now, I know what some of you must be thinking... the day has come.... we're all going down, etc. etc. But let's get away from the fantasy and look at the FACTS. FACT ONE - The threat of total destruction has kept the peace for one thousand years. FACT TWO - The chances of it failing now are therefore one in three hundred and sixty-five thousand. FACT THREE...

By this time the water is up to people's knees, and several have crowded onto the lower steps to avoid getting wet.

KING ARNULF:

FACT THREE - Our safety regulations are the most rigorous in the world. We are all nice to each other, we never rub each other up the wrong way or contradict each other, do we?

CROWD:

No.

Rumble. The buildings sink and masonry falls.

CITIZEN:

We... er... do seem to be going down quite fast, Your Majesty - not trying to contradict you, course.

KING ARNULF:

No, of course you're not, citizen. But let's stick to the facts. There has NEVER been a safer, more certain way of keeping the peace. So whatever's happening, you can rest assured, Hy-Brasil is NOT sinking. Repeat, NOT sinking.

We cut to an unfortunate Hy-Brasilian who looks out of a window to see if it's raining, but is immersed before he can find out. The citizens in the Forum, however, are reassured by the King's words - even though they are now up to their waists in water. One of them steps forward.

ANOTHER CITIZEN:

May I just make a point in support of what King Arnulf's just said?

KING ARNULF:

We'd be delighted - wouldn't we?

CITIZENS:

Yes, we'd certainly like to hear what one of us has got to say...

Erik, Sven, Sven's dad and Harald struggle out of the Great Hall, carrying their belongings and the Horn Resounding, while the citizen is still speaking most articulately in support of the King. They are ALMOST in a panic.

ERIK:

What are you all doing?

CITIZEN AT THE BACK

(cheerfully)

It's all right. It's not happening.

ERIK:

(urgently)

The place is sinking!

CITIZEN AT THE BACK

Yes... I thought it was too, but the King's just pointed out that it can't be.

CITIZEN:

(still speaking in support of the King)

...and, of course, we mustn't forget King Arnulf's EXCELLENT eye for flower-arranging.

There is a smattering of applause. A few people pull their robes up out of the wet. Erik leaps onto a wall and shouts to the crowd.

ERIK:

Save yourselves! Hy-Brasil... is sinking.

There are a lot of knowing smiles amongst the citizens.

CITIZEN FROM MIDDLE

Look, you don't know our safety regulations.

KING ARNULF:

It can't happen.

ERIK:

But it IS! Look!

KING ARNULF:

(ignoring Erik)

The important thing is not to panic.

CITIZENS:

Quite... yes... we understand....

KING ARNULF:

I've already appointed the Chancellor as Chairman of a committee to find out exactly what IS going on, and meantime I suggest we have a sing-song!

CITIZENS:

Good idea!

ANOTHER:

Can we do the one that goes "TUM-TI-TUM-TI-TUM-TI-TUM"?

Erik looks around in despair. Meanwhile in another street someone is struggling in the floodwater.

LOKI:

I can't swim! I can't swim!

KEITEL:

Relax!

LOKI:

I'm drowning! Help!

Loki grabs Keitel round the neck.

KEITEL:

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