The Kingdom of Heaven Page #17

MULLAH (CONT’D)

Why did we retire? God could not

favor him! God alone determines the

results of battles.

SALADIN:

The results of battles are

determined by God. But also by

preparation, numbers, the absence

of disease, and the availability of

water.

(kindly)

One cannot maintain a siege with

the enemy behind.

The MULLAH stares: heresy.

(CONTINUED)

83.

CONTINUED:

SALADIN (CONT’D)

How many battles did God win for

the Muslims before I came?

(a courtly pause)

Before, that is, God determined

that I should come.

MULLAH:

Few enough.

(thinks about the reason)

That is because we were sinful.

SALADIN:

It is because you were unprepared.

MULLAH:

If you think tha way you shall not

be king for long.

SALADIN:

(drily)

When I am not king I quake for

Islam.

(he takes the Mullah’s

hands)

Thank you for your visit.

MULLAH:

(not leaving)

You promised to return Jerusalem.

SALADIN nods. The MULLAH goes. SALADIN stares into flame.

SALADIN:

(softly)

If I do not deliver war, I have no

peace.

IMAD:

The king of Jerusalem will die

soon. When he is dead, the boy will

be king, and have no control of the

kingdom. The Christians will make

the war you need.

SALADIN nods, frustrated, condemned. Neither man is happy

with the realpolitik. OS the sounds of the camp, and prayer.

EXT. JERUSALEM. TWILIGHT

The domed city is under a dust-storm. Heavy wind. We hear

wind-torn churchbells and together with them the Muslims call

to prayer.

84.

EXT. A GARDEN. CONTINUOUS

THE BOY KING is riding around a garden on his pony, laughing.

SIBYLLA watching, careworn, with love. BELLS.

EXT. A WALL AND GATE OF JERUSALEM. CONTINUOUS

Wind is blowing dust in the faces of spitting workmen who are

levering a great stone up a ramp. BALIAN and ALMARIC walk,

cloaked, supervising the works. TWO CLOAKED MEN go past,

salaaming to the embarrassed Balian. A burkahed woman gives

him an orange from her basket: A memory of Godfrey. He

smiles. Climbs up the wall. GREAT PIPES (for Greek Fire) are

being swayed up. BALIAN watches, supervising.

ALMARIC:

My lord?

BALIAN:

(still uncomfortable with

the “my lord” business)

Yes.

ALMARIC:

It is enough that you ask men-atarms

to push stones, and dig. It is

worse to ask them to do it all day

and night.

BALIAN:

We have a dying king. We need

strong walls. As for work, I want

every man at arms to learn a trde.

ALMARIC:

A trade?

BALIAN:

A trade. Shoemaker. Tanner.

Carpenter. Joiner. Baker.

Blacksmith.

This strikes Almaric as unreasonable.

ALMARIC:

It is beneath their condition.

BALIAN:

The first man to bring me a

respectable pair of shoes I will

make a knight.

Smiles. Tosses Almaric the orange.

(CONTINUED)

85.

CONTINUED:

ALMARIC:

(rationalizing)

Jesus was a tradesman, of course.

Nothing could be more noble.

Balian turns and sees: GUY at the head of his troops. A GREAT

LINE OF KNIGHTS AND MEN AT ARMS is parading through the gate,

Guy very much at their head, coming in from a brief patrol.

It is also a show of force in the city. Fascistic, powerful.

An image of Guy’s power in the Kingdom. BALIAN, windblown on

the wall with his own dusty, hard-working men at arms, and

stares down, locking eyes with GUY, as the knights stream

past.

INT. HALLWAY IN THE CASTLE. LATER

GUY watches over a cup of wine as PHYSICIANS go into the

King’s rooms.

INT. THE PALACE DUNGEON. CONTINUOUS

REYNALD is like a snarling lion in the dungeon.

REYNALD:

(echoing)

I am Reynald of Chatillon. I am

Reynald of Chatillon!

INT. THE KING’S CHAMBERS. CONTINUOUS

A PILLAR CANDLE is burning. The king, breathing laboriously,

is washed by his silent physicians. INCENSE smokes in censers

hanging all around the room.

PATRIARCH:

The things we have left undone

plague us as death comes. That is

why to the dying there is no

comfort but the Lord.

The MASK turns to the side and the kings haunted eyes glitter

at:
THE CHESSBOARD.

THE KING:

We must announced the boy as my

successor. Go to Tiberias and tell

him to come.

The PATRIARCH nods.

THE KING (CONT’D)

Leave me.

86.

EXT. HALLWAY IN THE CASTLE. CONTINUOUS

The PATRIARCH, coming out, nods at GUY. GUY sips wine, and

moves along the hall. He goes to the door of Sibylla’s rooms.

He hesitates, and then kicks in the door.

INT. SIBYLLA’S ROOMS. CONTINUOUS

The MAIDSERVANT stands in shock. She retreats a little.

GUY:

Where is my wife?

The MAIDSERVANT retreats. GUY smiles, and goes after her.

GUY (CONT’D)

You sometimes dream you are my

wife. Le us pretend you are my

wife.

The MAIDSERVANT simpers, ready for it. He rummages on a table

and puts a little tiara crookedly on the poor girl’s head.

INT. BALIAN’S HOUSE, BEDROOM. NIGHT

A CANDLE lighted from a splinter of wood reveals: SIBYLLA.

She is bare-shouldered, her hair down, but careworn.

SIBYLLA:

We cannot meet in the city.

BALIAN:

Then we will leave it.

SIBYLLA looks at him over her shoulder.

SIBYLLA:

Balian...My brother is dying. My

son will be King and I his regent.

I must rule for my son. Not just in

Jerusalem, but Acre, Ascalon,

Beirut...

CLOSE ON Balian as the candles gutter. He is afraid of what

he’s opened up.

BALIAN:

And Guy?

CLOSE ON SIBYLLA, thinking.

87.

INT. SIBYLLA’S ROOMS. LATER

Torchbearers comes in, GUARDS, and then Sibylla, cloaked. She

sees first...her boy playing with LEAD SOLDIERS...and then,

with a shock, GUY sitting in a chair. A bit worn out. Holding

the handle of a dagger.

SIBYLLA:

These rooms are not yours.

GUY:

One day I will be the husband I

was...commissioned to be.

SIBYLLA:

And perhaps not.

GUY knows that she refers to Bailian. He smiles thinly, eyes

down.

GUY:

Your lover has a hundred knights

and the love of the king. I, the

largest force in the Kingdom...the

support of the Templars...and I can

do without...the other. But your

love...

SIBYLLA knocks away his hand. Her GUARDS are standing there.

GUY (CONT’D)

Soon, we will come to an

understanding. You need my knights.

Or your son’s rule will be bloody

and brief.

He leaves the torchlight and the room. SIBYLLA takes of her

cloak, face white.

OMITTED:

INT. THE DUNGEON. LATER

REYNALD, hair tangled, in soiled linen, is eating porridge

with his fingers. He stops to yell his name. The doors open:

GUY. Still dusty from riding.

GUY:

In the desert, I had a thought.

(CONTINUED)

88.

CONTINUED:

REYNALD:

That is what the desert is for. Did

you come to kill me for giving your

name? Because I haven’t. And won’t.

GUY:

Be as much at peace as you can in

here. You will not be here long.

REYNALD:

And you? Do you think that the king

really wants you at the head of the

army when his is gone? Do you?

GUY leans against the wall, thinking.

REYNALD (CONT’D)

Do you think your wife does?

GUY:

I have a problem.

REYNALD:

I saw him at Kerak. Celebrated.

GUY:

Precisely.

REYNALD:

You must beware of a popular man.

As do, I think, the Templars.

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