The Black Rose Page #5

---

- What's it called?

- It's called a longbow.

- He calls it Sarah, my lord.

- Sarah. That's a woman's name.

- Yes, my lord.

You'll have reason to love your Sarah

even more after today.

She... saved

your skull, you know.

- Yes, I've just been telling him about that, my lord.

- The shaft should pierce armor.

- Yes.

- You've seen it tried? You.

Steel-tipped, it will

pierce anything, my lord.

I think this is the finest

weapon in the world.

She can reach out that long arm

of hers and meet the enemy...

before he can get close enough

to strike a blow against her.

With her, an English yeoman

stands as tall as any man.

He's the greatest soldier

in the world.

I take it

you're English then?

Yes, my lord.

I've seen you English hacking away

at the Saracens in your crusades.

Each man his own fortress

in his great armor...

so weighed down

he can't move.

It's very stupid.

But this... is not so stupid.

We'll talk about it.

Do you play chess?

- Sorry, no.

- Oh, I do, my lord.

- How well?

- Well, four moves soundly.

Four sound moves is more

than any man in this army can do.

- We'll play in my tent tonight.

- With pleasure, my lord.

Oh, how do we

find your tent?

Scholar, if any man in my army

can't tell you where my tent is...

our poetic young bowman

can use him as a target.

Maybe your Sarah did us a good turn

after all. Come on. We'll take her home.

You can make up

a sonnet to her as we go.

- Oh, go swallow your tongue.

- Why, Tris!

Over there.

Let me see

that bow of yours.

You'll find

the game's ready.

I always, uh,

make the first move.

About this, uh-

this bow of yours.

- Could you make another one like it?

- If I had the wood.

A sound game. Thoughtful.

It lies in wait for the attack.

It won't win against

an attack, of course.

It's just the kind of game I want,

young scholar. Pawn to king's bishop four.

Play it.

- Can you train men in the use of such a bow?

- Yes, my lord.

Then the right wood

can be found.

Uh, as a scholar...

you permit no weakness

in the attack.

Good. As a scholar

you know something of your country's...

military theory

and practice.

I have a-

I have a certain knowledge

of those things, my lord.

War is my trade.

At least I'm good enough to know

no war was ever won...

that was fought in the same way

as the war before it.

Why, I've made a weapon of speed.

Speed.

No man should wear armor so heavy

that he can't move quickly...

to save himself or to pursue

his enemy and destroy him.

That's why I like this bow of yours.

It's- It's light.

It can reach out to the enemy

and put an end to him.

That's the only way you can

ever sleep soundly, you know...

when your enemy's

sleep is eternal.

Forgive me for distracting you

from your game, but I'm curious.

Why are you young travelers

in this far place?

We came in search of

adventure into this new land.

We heard of the greatness of my lord Bayan

and came in search of him.

If that's flattery,

I don't like it.

We had to find someplace

to put our lives.

Don't you plan to return

to your own country?

We have no country, my lord.

That's a strange thing

for an Englishman to say.

Why? A woman?

- No, more than that.

- Oh, it doesn't matter.

Bowman and scholar,

both without a country.

It's just possible you two

could be of service to me.

I'll think about it.

It's your move.

Oh, it's you.

What do you want?

It is bad, very bad.

- What is?

- This old tent...

these old blankets

and one little servant.

Steal food, cook-

it's too much.

- You need second boy.

- How do we get him...

by the great

kindness of your heart?

Maybe I get him for you.

Maybe some dislike Christians.

I do not.

All right, out with it.

What are you trying to say?

Never talk important matters

where you cannot see who listens.

I have a message for you,

from the Black Rose.

And who would

the Black Rose be?

She is the sister

of my kindly master.

- Well, that's fine.

- She wishes to escape.

She say she is

going to England...

and that all

Englishmen are gallant...

and you will be glad to help

one of your own blood.

- Are you trying to say that she's English?

- There is some report...

that her father was English,

a crusader taken prisoner.

- Well, why is she called the Black Rose?

- That's the name...

they've given the clove,

the most precious of the spices.

I don't like it, a girl of English blood

being sent to these heathen.

- Oh, we don't know she's English.

- She has relatives in Maratha.

The only thing she needs

is to reach them.

I see. And what are you

doing this for?

I'm not troubled that

the lady's in distress.

She has

a very large sapphire.

What does she expect us to do

in the middle of Bayan's army?

The bird who feathers his nest

never leaves things to chance.

I have a very well-made plan in which

I will do all that's dangerous, if you're afraid.

Afraid? We'd do more for

English blood any day...

than you'd do for

an overgrown sapphire.

Oh, that's good.

I'll tell that to the Black Rose.

Master, the strange one's

here again.

Oh?

This is

your second boy.

- His name is Mahomet.

- Well, you can take him back.

- Go on. Get out of here.

- Very strange.

Last night, the camels

run through the tents of the women.

They have to take a time for the search.

The Black Rose is missing.

Go on. Get her out of here.

They'll find her when they search...

and they'll drag us over the hill like

they did that camel driver the other day.

- Go on, Mahmoud. Go on. Back to your work.

- Yes, master.

I'm no fool. Yesterday, I bought

a slave boy for the Englishman.

That boy disappeared...

and everybody thinks

this is the boy.

And I did something else.

One of the camels

that run away was saddled.

When they find that camel,

they will believe...

the Black Rose

tried to escape on it and was hurt.

- It's very simple.

- Well, get her out of here!

Perhaps I will call out

that I've found her here now.

No one would believe

your story.

Perhaps you would like

being staked out for vultures.

- Well, I found the camels.

- And we have a new second boy too.

He's all yours, Tris.

He has beautiful, big eyes.

Very simple, young sirs.

She will do whatever you tell her to do.

You understand that?

You know what'll happen to all of us

unless you do exactly as you're told?

Oh, yes, most kind grandeur.

Oh. Oh, where did-

Never mind. Mahmoud!

- I wish to say that I am very grateful.

- Yes, I know all about that.

This new second boy

will stay here to help you...

but you'll still be first boy,

you understand?

Master, we don't need second boy.

This boy no good.

- I can do everything.

- You'll do as you're told.

Get him out of here.

Get him some breakfast, and put him to work.

Yes, master.

Second boy will eat when I'm through.

Now, go!

Oh, it's not gonna work.

What are we gonna do now?

I guess the only thing to do

is just to sit here...

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote