The Man in the Iron Mask Page #3

Among the guests are Raoul and MICHELLE, a stunningly

beautiful young woman. Michelle is awed by the richness all

around them, while Raoul sees only her. He holds the ring.

MICHELLE:

Isn't it glorious!

RAOUL:

Michelle...

But just as he starts to speak, trumpets blast and the King

steps through the doors and out into the lavish gardens; the

party goers give him a rousing ovation. Raoul returns the

ring to his jacket, to wait for another moment.

Everyone watches the King, who begins guzzling wine and

telling jokes to his sycophants, who howl at the King's

witticisms. Then Louis catches sight of Raoul and Michelle,

and lowers his voice, to his FRIENDS...

LOUIS:

Who is that?

FRIEND 1

Raoul, son of Athos.

LOUIS:

Not the soldier, you idiot!

FRIEND 2

Her name is Michelle.

The king is transfixed.

D'ARTAGNAN

is presiding over a huddle of fresh faced young Musketeers,

directing them to their positions around the gardens, like

secret service agents protecting a president. He leaves

them, and quickly moves to the King.

D'ARTAGNAN

Your Majesty...

LOUIS:

What is it, d'Artagnan? Assassins

falling from the sky now?

The sycophants laugh loudly.

D'ARTAGNAN

The plans for use of the maze were

not disclosed to me.

LOUIS:

I decided it this morning.

D'ARTAGNAN

Then you must allow me to stay close

to you so that --

LOUIS:

I am King, d'Artagnan. I will

change my mind as I wish, and I will

enjoy my banquet as I wish!

D'ARTAGNAN

But I deployed the Royal Guards

according to your previous --

LOUIS:

Let us play a game, d'Artagnan, let

us pretend I am King and you are

Captain of my Musketeers. Let us

behave as if my wish is law. And my

wish is to enjoy this party!

D'Artagnan bows sharply as the young sycophants chuckle.

D'Artagnan retreats, then looks back to Louis and follows his

gaze to the tender young beauty who caught his eye.

D'Artagnan recognizes Raoul, son of his friend Athos.

RAOUL AND MICHELLE

As the guests mix and mingle, Raoul tries again.

RAOUL:

Michelle, I... Ever since I returned

I've been wanting to speak with you

about... about --

A gaunt SERVANT interrupts, presenting a tray of delicacies.

SERVANT:

Monsieur, Mademoiselle...?

RAOUL:

No! Thank you -- Michelle, I --

They are interrupted by the SQUEAL of a piglet, squirming in

the hands of the king's dwarf, who holds the fat little

animal above his head and runs among the startled guests.

LOUIS:

It pleases us to announce an

entertainment for our guests! A

contest of agility and cunning!

He takes the pig from his dwarf; the pig is clean and

perfumed, a colorful fake horn tied onto its head.

LOUIS:

Behold our unicorn! Whichever of

our guests captures the unicorn

shall win its treasure!

With this announcement the King produces a diamond the size

of a pecan, suspended from a ribbon; the guests gasp at its

richness. The King ties the diamond around the pig's neck.

RAOUL AND MICHELLE

Michelle is amazed at this.

MICHELLE:

I have never seen a diamond so

large!

It almost makes Raoul ashamed of the modest ring hidden in

his hand.

LOUIS:

Into the maze! All of you!

Disperse, I command you!

The dwarf releases the pig, poking him through a tiny break

in the hedge; the critter skitters as only a pig can, eluding

the first laughing lunges of the guests.

THE PIG CHASE is a merry melee, as the maze becomes a tangle

of confusion. LOUIS climbs to a platform above the top of

the ten foot hedge that forms the maze. From his perch he

looks down on all the action, and calls encouragement.

LOUIS:

Are you men or mice?!

MICHELLE squeals as the pig scurries by and Raoul dives for

it. He almost has the pig... then it kicks free.

RAOUL:

The pendant will be yours!

With that he races after the pig.

MICHELLE tries to follow, this way, that way, through the

maze. Then she stops, face to face with the King, entering

through a gate hidden in one of the maze's dead corners.

LOUIS:

Michelle, isn't it?

Speechless, she nods.

LOUIS:

I would have said it was impossible,

but I believe the excitement of the

chase has made you even more

beautiful.

MICHELLE:

Sire, I --

LOUIS:

You blush! You do not wish to be

beautiful to your King?

Her eyes go still; she understands what is happening.

FROM BEHIND THE GATE, we see d'Artagnan, watching as Louis

tries to seduce the young woman. Even as d'Artagnan watches,

the pig comes rooting through the hedge; with a deft movement

d'Artagnan catches the animal's leg and lifts it with the

sureness of the farm boy he once was. The pig is quiet and

comfortable in d'Artagnan's hands.

D'Artagnan watches as the King approaches Michelle, and she

allows him to touch her cheek. The king leans to kiss her...

Michelle does not move...

WHHEEEKKKK! The pig sails over the gate and hits the ground

running, right at Louis' feet; it sets him dancing.

The spell of the king's royal attention is shattered; as the

pig scrambles away, Michelle backs away.

LOUIS:

Wait! Michelle, I --

Too late, he sees the shadow of the man looming above him,

leaping down onto him from the observation platform. It is

the servant who offered the tray to Raoul and Michelle; he

has armed himself with a knife from the carving table, and is

diving now to plunge the blade into the king's throat.

The king is helpless, frozen. The assassin leaps, falling

toward the king... and is impaled on the sword of d'Artagnan,

springing through the gate to save his king.

Michelle screams, the king gasps, and the assassin drops,

mortally wounded. They stare down at him now; the would-be

assassin gurgles words through his agony...

ASSASSIN:

Feed... your... people.

Party guests, having heard Michelle scream, are running in to

find them. Michelle rushes off, to find Raoul; several

people are coming up.

ASSASSIN:

Your people starve...! Feed --

The king snatches out his own dagger and imperiously cuts the

throat of the dying man, to stop these offensive words. The

king looks at his stunned subjects.

LOUIS:

A pitiful madman, nothing more.

Come, let us continue our chase!

Where is our unicorn?

The King prances away. It takes the guests a moment, but

they know that only gaiety will please their King, and off

they go again, laughing as if nothing happened.

D'Artagnan stands still as the young Musketeers under his

command come rushing up with swords drawn.

YOUNG MUSKETEER:

Captain!

Seeing the dead assassin, their eyes fill with admiration.

YOUNG MUSKETEER:

You are the best --

D'Artagnan can't even listen; with a last glance at the King

he turns quickly and walks away.

INT. FORTRESS PRISON

The Man in the Iron Mask sits on the floor. A key rattles in

the lock and his keeper shuffles in, carrying food.

KEEPER:

Food, moron.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

Thank you, Keeper.

Not watching what he's doing, the bulbous keeper trips on

something and stumbles, dropping the food. The prisoner

jumps to his feet, concerned.

KEEPER:

Look what you've done!

He picks up the tray and slings it at the prisoner.

MAN IN THE IRON MASK

I'm sorry, Keeper...

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