The War Lord Page #4

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The sister of pigs!

This blazing whore!

That naked strumpet

wears our father's ring!

Then honour it! And her!

She is mine.

You are bewitched.

You've had her.

Now keep her.

And may your soul be damned for it.

Where is she?

He speaks of love. The sort of thing

that songs are made of.

(Odins) Love?

That means he's not yet tired of his toy.

I must see Lord Chrysagon...

Don't ever touch me!

Well, what are you waiting for?

Can't you see it's over?

Where is she?

Father...

What I said last night, I'm sorry.

He had the right.

But now I have her back, I...

He keeps her!

No! Don't tell me of his rights.

He has none, not now.

What can you do? You want

to be cut down with that sword?

- They are warriors, boy.

- You won't get by the door.

I have a sickle.

I killed a wild boar in the marsh once,

I can kill a horse and a man.

You'll never kill him, boy.

Killing's his trade. He was born to it.

I'll sink my sickle in his chest

like a hook in rotten beef.

I liked him.

You know that? I liked him.

Norman or no, he seemed a man.

I'd have served him.

I raged last night, but then I thought,

"He's higher than I am, better.

"And she..."

I'll strangle him

in his own stinking guts.

- But not alone.

- Do what I told you, go to the Frisians.

Take the boat in the fen,

bring them back with you.

And why should they come and help us?

Because this half-sized Norman

says they will?

No, you ditch dog!

For the boy I told you of,

the boy I took.

He's a prince of those people.

If they know he still lives

held in that tower,

they'll take it down stone by stone

to have him back.

A Frisian prince? He told you that?

These did.

Take that to them.

I'll keep this to be a lord in.

Go, then, my son.

It can't be mended now without blood.

I'll be back within the week.

She'll escape him somehow,

no matter how close he keeps her.

All right, old woman, take it in.

(Thunderclap)

Where are the men from the village

to work on the moat?

None came today, lord.

Yesterday, only two.

The village elder,

I haven't seen him since...

(Falcon shrieks)

It's cold here, love,

you're shivering.

Do you know the stars? My father

taught me to find my way by them.

I know only this village.

And now, only this tower.

Do you want to go back?

But I can't leave you.

I know.

Well, the world's wider than this tower.

And I do know that road.

There's a place...a far place...

...where I can carry you.

- When? Please...

- Oh, my love.

- When?

- When all's done here.

I must hold this place a while yet

for the Duke.

(Dogs barking)

The Frisians, they're back.

(Bell tolls)

Tybald, get oil and water to the roof.

Break some stones loose

from the parapet.

(Screams)

Boy!

Warlord! Warlord!

The boy...or we cut

your Norman throats!

Has the whole village

gone over to them?

Nearly all, I fear, my lord.

God save their souls.

Isn't...isn't that your falconer?

The little man?

Volc, too?

So, Sir Flea has deserted us.

Oh, well.

Small loss, eh, brother?

Warlord! The boy! My son!

Your son, is he?

You gave my father back

for a bucket full of gold pieces.

The same for your son, then.

Or take him without his head!

Think you can put enough edge on that

to cut your way out of this, brother?

Oh, I know we're all safe

in your strong hand,

and do but trust in you

and all will yet be well, huh?

Lie here with your wench, then,

Sir Chrysagon de la Crux,

till those pirates pull the Duke's tower

over into the swamp.

Draco, what would you do?

If you break the Duke's faith...

I break his faith?

You're the lord of this place.

"Hold it well," he told you.

And where are the dogs

you hold it for?

Waiting outside your door

with pitchforks!

- But you plot...

- What, brother?

Will you chop me

with this great sword?

Well...it might be.

You're a tall, strong man.

Or I might chop you.

But neither way would make you right.

Now! Open it!

My brother's ridden for help.

To the Duke.

It's ready!

Now the tower door!

Now!

- We need a grappling hook.

- There is none.

My lord!

The boat...

It could have an anchor.

Get me a rope!

Take a turn around that post.

- Not you, Bors.

- Why not?

I would as soon die a wet death

as a dry one.

(Banging)

Steady.

Pull!

(War cries)

(Bors) Pull! Pull!

Pull! Pull your heathen guts out!

(Cheering and shouting)

Will...will help soon come

from Ghent?

Help?

Aye, if the Duke wills, it'll come,

soon or late.

But...but will it be in time?

Ha! Look here, priest...

If they rise early, move fast

and find us alive,

then it will be in time.

Hey, up now.

Come, Morgo, up!

You, Rainault!

Fire!

Water!

It's no use from here. We'll go below.

(Screaming)

Barricade the stairs!

If they overrun us down here...

The horses!

(Whinnying)

- Now the oil!

- Oil!

(Screaming)

(Chrysagon) Block up that doorway.

They haven't finished.

(Shrieks)

(Creaking timber)

(Low rumbling)

Tybald, sound the bell.

Now!

Go!

(Bors) It's Draco with thunderbolts!

(Cheering)

My lord!

(Cackles)

Lord Draco...

Draco...our saviour.

Oh, not yet.

Those wild men are still in the woods.

They won't leave.

Not while we hold the boy.

They can't take him now,

so they must buy him.

Our generous Duke gave me more than

the men-at-arms I saved your skins with.

He promised me half the gold

our captive princeling brings.

Ransom?

Oh, so the world turns, brother.

As his father held ours,

so we hold him.

Perhaps we could sell him

a pound at a time.

Hmm...pity he's so small.

Well, any ear should do

to show we're honest traders.

Draco, let be. I've had a bellyful

of blood over this.

"Let be", is it?

Oh, no, brother.

My glorious brother.

No more! The Duke's had a bellyful, too!

When I told him of the devil's brew

you'd stirred up,

he gave me your holding here.

Did I say it was a turning world?

You are lord here?

I am.

And that little insect is mine

to kill, maim, ransom as I see fit.

This village is mine.

As for the clods in it...

...they'll find what rebellion brings.

I'll give them empty sleeves

and wooden legs...

- For what I did?

- If you like, brother.

Carry it all on your broad back, then.

Your sins and mine.

Carry them to a monkery and pray

your way back to God's grace again.

Or go to hell.

I've been there.

Then go on a quest for the Holy Grail

and take that with you.

But first, I'll have my father's ring.

The ring, I say!

- Draco!

- Shall I take her finger with it?

I can't fight you, Draco.

Then I'll fight you.

(Screams)

Why?

While I ate the bread

you earned in the wars,

and rode the horse you gave me,

and lived in the shadow

of your sickening righteousness,

because the Duke smiled on you!

Well, he's not smiling now,

now I hold this place!

And you will all swear your fealty to me.

Not while my lord lives.

Then your lord shall die.

This thing must be settled.

Draco...

I swear to you, Draco...

I swear by my father's...

Ring!

If you prefer butchery to combat,

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