The Lovers Page #2

---

Highness,

these visions, they just come to me.

I cannot call them at will.

Oh, come on, tell me something.

No matter how small.

- Tell me, tell me, tell me.

- Highness, I can't. I really can't.

Well, this is for you, my dear guard.

Please forgive my silliness.

It's magic, so my grandmother said.

Anyway, it's ancient and precious.

Even though it is flawed.

And you know what they say,

they say it brings lovers together

and keeps them together. Do you like it?

Tulaja,

if you ever have the chance

of love, grab it.

And you will be richer

than I will ever be.

We are betrayed.

The king's brother is a traitor.

It's a coup.

Go, warn the king! Go, warn the king!

Gauri, Gauri, the queen in danger!

Shut the doors! Protect the queen.

Katamaji, the king's in danger.

Get the guard.

Tulaja.

Why? You have everything that you need.

Not everything.

Not yet... Your Majesty.

On your knees, you jackals!

You are in the presence of your lord.

You old buffoon.

Have you lost your mind?

Shrimant, please, I beg you.

Spare me.

Sadly, Munajee...

life is brutal.

I'm sorry.

Salim.

- Get him, go.

- Go, Pawan.

I'll have to break the arrow off, Tulaja.

Just be brave, okay? Be brave.

Sonubai? Sona.

Wife! Sona...

Sonu?

What you had asked for is done...

- my queen.

- It is done?

Yes.

My king, I'm queen.

- Udaji.

- Father.

- What happened?

- The king is deposed.

- He's dead.

- Who killed him? Raoji?

Yes. Raoji.

- I must go back.

- Get her in.

I must go back to the queen.

James. James.

Charlie.

That's from Governor Hornby.

Oh, aye.

Colonel Egerton has seized the day.

There's been a coup in Purandhar.

The king?

Assassinated.

We have to get there post-haste.

"Upon completion of this mission,

you shall receive 1,000 gold sovereigns?"

Well, Massachusetts here we come!

- Maybe. Joost!

- Sir!

Have the men strike camp.

Desai, we leave at once.

Well...

your father will be pleased that we have

Captain Stewart to escort us to Pahadpur.

Does Captain Stewart know

you're in love with him?

Dolly, enough! Enough!

- Tulaja, it's too soon.

- Udaji, I need to do this.

Yes, but you haven't fully

recovered yet, Tulaja. Please.

We need a spy at the palace.

You said so yourself.

Let me come with you.

Stay here and help your father, Udaji.

That is your duty and I must do mine.

Goodbye, my friend.

In every breath of wind,

there's a word and that word is shame.

I can hear it in the rustle

of every leaf.

- Can you live under the rule of a coward?

- No!

Because we will all be cowards if we fail

to avenge the murder of our king!

Twenty years I served

as chief minister to his father.

I, Mudhoji Kiledar

will destroy the usurper Raoji,

I swear it!

The palace is called the Rajwada.

- Magnificent, isn't it?

- Is that where we're going to stay?

- Does the king have a harem?

- I don't think so, Dolly.

But doubtless she'll ask him.

My Lord...

I know you fear that your enemies

will rally around the dead king's heir.

Why don't you let me give... you an heir

of your own. They can rally around him?

We must kill the queen.

Now, you're king...

next, you'll be emperor.

- Queen.

- What are you doing here?

Highness.

Not so high anymore. You're wounded.

No, Highness, I'm fine.

They mean to kill me.

They can't.

No one can do anything to you.

No one's going to hurt you.

They mustn't know I'm pregnant.

I swore to them I'm not.

Go! Go!

It is usual to stand

when a queen enters.

When a queen enters, I will stand.

I've brought peach oil for your hair...

after we've washed it.

Just like old times.

Have you put weight on?

I think so.

My husband says we must

take great care of you.

He's a king now.

And a king's disapproval is worse

than a husband's disapp...

My husband thinks he's a lion.

But like most cats

if I stroke him in the right way...

he just rolls over.

He won't save you. Not for long.

- Your Majesty, this is a great honor.

- Yes.

Your Majesty...

Her Majesty, my wife,

wants ex-queen Jamnabai dead.

You know what women are like.

And I do see some merit in the idea.

His Majesty,

my king...

wishes her alive.

She's with a child.

A rival heir to my throne is a cause

for my enemies to fight for.

With our king's support,

you outnumber your enemies.

If Queen Jamnabai dies,

you forfeit that support.

That is a matter for...

With respect,

it is our king's strict stipulation.

I'm to escort the queen

to Bombay forthwith.

- Take her.

- Your Majesty.

I...

The palace gates will be left unlocked.

You must leave within 3 hours.

Good luck.

- Highness.

- Did you hear?

Bombay's far away.

We have a chance of getting rescued

before we reach there.

- Are you sure?

- Yes, Highness.

I have a plan.

If you will permit me to explain.

This is damnable, sire.

Did you advise the governor

of this change of course?

I did not, colonel.

The change of ruler here is in

the company's best interest, captain.

Sh*t, sir, it took 3 years of planning.

I'm England's servant, colonel,

not the company's.

As are you in the final analysis...

unless I'm mistaken.

Well, captain...

I charge you with the safety

of my daughter and of her governess.

If anything should befall them,

I shall come for you.

Hindu Stewart... I shall come for you.

Don't push! You'll get seen...

I can't see why we

can't just take the carriage.

Because your father

needs a carriage here.

- But this is a box.

- This is not a box.

This is a royal carriage.

Queens travel in this.

Highness.

I'm sorry. We must hurry.

Thank you.

Sir, this thing's worse

than an oyster's fart. They knows it.

Runnin' around this scurvy place

with a gaggle of females.

We have our orders, Joost. Under duty.

Aye. But duty never made a rotten order

sweet did it, Captain Stewart?

Let's move out, Joost.

Company form up. Make ready to move.

We've been traveling

all night and half a day.

I'm seasick.

We're not even on the sea.

Why couldn't we have stayed in Pahadpur?

Your father told us twenty times

we'd been made hostages.

I'd rather be a hostage

than throw up in this thing.

Oh, golly.

No, I really feel sick.

I need some brandy.

Yes, but we don't have any brandy.

Yes, we do.

I liberated it from pop's bag

before we left.

It's bad for his gout, anyway.

- Captain.

- Is all well, Highness?

Sorry about the pace of our travel.

- You look worried, captain.

- No, Highness.

Really? I saw some men

in the hills. Following us.

Aye. Possibly Raoji's men.

Possibly.

Oh, Krishna.

They chose the wrong queen.

Are you ready?

It's a large escort, Your Highness.

I'm paying a large price.

After her, slit her open

pull the baby out and bring it to me.

Stunning woman, Her Highness.

Never see a face like that

on Clyde Street.

James, are we going

to be in for a fight?

I think they may try to ambush us

at the bridge at Dwarka.

If we pass it by nightfall,

we'll be safe.

We'll be outnumbered ten to one,

if it comes to an ambush, won't we?

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote