Krull Page #3

TUROLD:

You'll both wait. At least for five

hours. The wedding is at three.

COLWYN:

(acting offended)

It was a platonic kiss, Father.

TUROLD:

Of course it was.

Turold snorts down a laugh. Colwyn and Lyssa begin to

giggle. Then all three break into laughter.

EXT. COURTYARD OF WHITE CASTLE - DAY

The occupants of the castle - servants, soldiers, minor

nobles, and retainers - stand in two parallel lines, forming

an aisle.

Turold and Rowan, on horseback, face each other at opposite

ends of the aisle. Midway between them stand Colwyn and

Lyssa, side by side, Colwyn facing Rowan, Lyssa facing

Turold. The two fathers are not armored, but they hold

longswords balanced across their pommels.

Colwyn glances up toward the Queen's balcony.

EXT. QUEEN'S BALCONY - INTERCUT

The Queen lies on a couch, attended by her two girls-in-

waiting. She answers Colwyn's look with a nod.

COLWYN:

(shouts to Rowan)

I am Colwyn, son of Turold, of the

eagle's blood, and I am come to take

your daughter from you.

ROWAN:

(shouts)

You shall not!

LYSSA:

(shouts to Turold)

I am Lyssa, daughter of the Queen,

of the leopard's blood, and I am

come to take your son from you.

TUROLD:

(shouts)

You shall not!

The two men spur their horses toward the wedding couple, who

stand perfectly still as the horses thunder down on them.

Turold and Rowan swing their swords directly above the heads

of the young couple, the blades striking with a clang. Then

they wheel their horses to a stop. Colwyn and Lyssa, almost

obscured by the whirling dust, have not moved a muscle.

TUROLD:

Let it be done then.

He hurls his sword at the ground beside the wedding couple.

ROWAN:

It is done.

He hurls his sword, which sticks in the ground beside

Turold's, crossing it. A cheer goes up from the spectators

and the guards on the walls.

As Colwyn and Lyssa kiss, a crossbow bolt strikes one of the

guards, who topples thirty feet to the courtyard below.

Slayers appear around the walls, leaping over the parapet

and attacking the guards.

TUROLD:

(shouts)

Slayers! To arms!

Men and women arm themselves as Slayers descend the walls.

They mount a fierce counterattack against the Slayers, women

fighting beside their men, Lyssa fighting beside Colwyn.

But suddenly the main gate is rammed open and a dozen

Slayers on horseback, led by Modred, attack the defenders

from the rear. In the melee, Colwynn and Lyssa are

separated.

EXT. QUEEN'S BALCONY - DAY

The Queen and her girls hear Slayers forcing the door to her

bedroom within.

QUEEN:

Help me up. I will die on my feet.

The two girls help the Queen to stand. She faces the door

defiantly as it bursts open. A Slayer steps into the

bedroom.

QUEEN:

And I will not die alone.

She hurls a knife, which pierces the Slayer's throat. But

even as he falls, three more Slayers enter the room and

advance on the three women, who stare back defiantly.

EXT. COURTYARD OF WHITE CASTLE - DAY

Colwyn sees that his father is being pressed by several

Slayers and hacks his way to his side. They dispatch their

assailants, then Colwyn looks through the courtyard for

Lyssa, who has just run a Slayer through with her short

sword, when she is felled from behind by Modred's mailed

fist. He picks her up and lays her across his saddle.

COLWYN:

They have Lyssa!

TUROLD:

You can't reach her!

(opens a door in the wall)

Through the door.

(as Colwyn hesitates)

Quickly!

They go through the door, and are followed shortly by two

Slayers.

INT. CORRIDOR IN WALL OF WHITE CASTLE - DAY

Colwyn and Turold back down the dark corridor, fighting the

two Slayers. They kill the Slayers but, in the exchange,

Turold is badly wounded. He leans against the wall, holding

himself erect by force of will.

TUROLD:

The passage. Open it.

Colwyn pressed one of the rough-hewn stones and a door

swings open in the wall: A staircase leads to an underground

passage. He moves to help his father through the door.

TUROLD:

(shaking his head)

You will go alone.

COLWYN:

I won't leave you here.

TUROLD:

You will do as I tell you. You will

try to reach Ynyr, the old one.

COLWYN:

I must follow the Slayers. They've

taken Lyssa.

TUROLD:

(sharply)

You will not follow the Slayers, you

will obey my command!

(softer)

You have no chance alone, boy. You

must try to break through to Ynyr.

He has great knowledge. Only with

his help can you save Lyssa.

They hear footsteps in the corridor.

TUROLD:

Go now.

(as Colwyn hesitates)

Go! I command you!

As Colwyn enters the passage and begins swinging the heavy

door shut, Modred appears, advancing on Turold with drawn

sword. Turold places himself in front of the door, but he is

weak from his wound and goes down under Modred's first blow.

Modred thrusts his sword into the crack of the door,

preventing it from closing. Turold, slumped against the

wall, looks up at him with pleading eyes.

TUROLD:

Spare him, Modred. Have you never

loved anyone?

MODRED:

(after a pause)

If I spare him, they will kill me.

TUROLD:

He is your godson now. He and Lyssa

were married.

Modred stares at him for some moments, then withdraws his

sword, allowing the door to close. Turold flashes a look of

gratitude, then dies.

EXT. COURTYARD OF WHITE CASTLE - DAY

The castle is in flames, the occupants slain.

The Slayers, mounted, wait in a double column for Modred's

command. Lyssa sits on a horse in the middle of the column,

her hands tied behind her. Modred approaches her with a skin

canteen of water, which she refuses by averting her face. He

steps back and signals the column, which trots out through

the main gate.

As Modred mounts his horse to follow the column, the twin

suns dip below the horizon. Modred rides through the main

gate, disappearing in the shadows. We hear an inhuman

scream, amplified by the stone walls of the gate.

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