Excalibur Page #5

IGRAYNE:

No--

But he uses it before Igrayne can move. He severs the leather

thongs that bind the iron breastplate to his chest. He casts

it to the floor. His chest is smooth and milk-white in

striking contrast to his creased, weathered face. And beaming,

he holds the baby to it.

UTHER:

Through him, I will learn to love

them, for I am tired of battle. I

will stay by his side and

(looking shyly at

Igrayne)

his mother's...

Igrayne's hatred for the man is at the very edge of becoming

love. The baby starts to cry.

UTHER:

Here. It's hungry.

And his free hand opens her shift, and he holds a swollen

breast in his gloved hand, squeezing gently. Milk bubbles

from it and he thrusts the baby's mouth onto it.

Igrayne weeps and Uther watches proudly as the baby suckles.

Merlin advances from the window, his cape the same iridescent

green-black as the feathers of the crows that were perched

by the window.

UTHER:

Merlin! Out of the sick sleep at

last.

MERLIN:

Doing what I did for you, it wasn't

easy, you know. It takes it's toll.

It took nine moons to get back my

strength.

Uther avoids looking at him.

MERLIN:

Now you must pay me.

UTHER:

I?

MERLIN:

The child is mine, Uther. I have

come for him.

Uther is shaken to his roots. Igrayne watches, trying to

understand.

UTHER:

The oath. You didn't say--

MERLIN:

You didn't ask!

IGRAYNE:

Uther, is it true? Don't let him

take the child.

UTHER:

I swore an oath, Igrayne. I made a

pact with Merlin.

Igrayne suddenly understands. She glares at Uther.

IGRAYNE:

It was you? You came to me that night.

You are the father.

Uther is caught, and turns to Merlin who is harsh and

unswaying.

MERLIN:

It's not for you, Uther, hearth and

home, wife and child.

UTHER:

To kill and be king, is that all?

MERLIN:

Maybe not even that, Uther. I thought

once that you were the one to unite

the land under one sword. But it'll

take another, a greater king...

UTHER:

You strike me with words as hard as

steel.

MERLIN:

They are not weapons, my friend, but

truths. You betrayed the Duke, stole

his wife and took his castle, now no

one trusts you. Lot, Uryens, your

allies will turn against you. Give

me the child, Uther, I will protect

him. Go back to your war tent.

Uther wrenches the baby from it's mother's breast and hands

him to Merlin.

UTHER:

(in torment)

By the oath, take the devil child.

Take him!

With the bawling baby under his cape, Merlin exits. Igrayne

pulls herself out of the bed, weak, her legs giving under

her. She starts after Merlin.

IGRAYNE:

WHY?... Why must he have the baby?

Uther stops her with his bulk and she claws savagely at his

chest to get past him. He weeps as he folds his arms around

her.

INT. PASSAGEWAY, TINTAGEL CASTLE - NIGHT

As Merlin walks through the castle, the baby crying in his

arms, the knights and ladies step back, afraid to intervene

in royal matters.

INT. HALL, TINTAGEL CASTLE - NIGHT.

Merlin comes across the empty banquet hall, cooing to the

baby, strangely pacifying him. Morgana steps out of the

shadows in his path, and Merlin stops at the sight of the

little girl, her pale eyes glaring at him.

She speaks haltingly and clearly while far-off Igrayne cries

out her distress.

MORGANA:

Merlin, are you now the father, and

the mother, of the baby?

Staring at her, Merlin shudders and without answering he

continues away, faster now, and into an unlit passageway,

disappearing from sight a bit sooner than an ordinary mortal

would have.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

The forest is dark and shiny with rain. An unseen battle

rages.

The first combatant in sight is Uther, who swings the mighty

Excalibur, cutting an attacker in half at the waist. Uther

and a small force of knights, Ulfius among them, are

retreating through the slippery wet forest, completely

outnumbered.

Lord Lot of Lowthean and Lord Uryens of Gore are the leaders

of the attack.

URYENS:

(to his men)

The King's sword. I must have it.

Ulfius and his men stand their ground so the King may escape

the onslaught. They are hacked down.

Uther flees alone, severing the limbs of any man and tree

that stands in his way.

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