Uther and the Secret of the Dragon Read online

  life goes on. Now, tell me about the place you come

  from; what is it called?

  MERLAI N

  We come from and the Island of Albion. A place blessed

  with high cliffs and sandy coves around it’s edges sitting

  in the cool Northern waters.

  It has fine, clean rivers filled with succulent fish and

  other food.

  It has forests of huge trees of every species and many

  differing native wildlife; beautiful meadowland where

  the earth if fertile and green.

  Domesticated horses and sheep wander unmolested through

  the wide open spaces.

  Some parts of the island have magnificent lakes and

  mountains where spring waters shoot from the earth to give

  us nourishment and overhead a vast blue sky protects us

  from the worst excesses of the sun.

  PRIESTESS,

  This island, Albion. How long and wide is it?

  MERLAIN

  Well, not that I’ve done it myself of course but they say

  to ride a horse from our tiny corner to the other takes over

  four full moons. Yet to cross the middle of the island is only

  a two day ride.

  It is certainly a beautiful place; a jewel set in a silver sea.

  PRIESTESS

  Yet you have chosen to leave it; how strange?

  The girl returns and lays a tray of wine and food before her mistress. She bows and leaves again. The priestess fills to goblets with win and places a selection of food on a platter for her guest which she hands to him. They fingers touch lightly as he takes it and their eyes meet.

  MERLAIN

  With a heavy heart Amber; I’m afraid. You see our

  beautiful little corner has been invaded by savages

  armed with weapons we were unable to defend against.

  My charge, young UTHUR, is the son of the King of our

  land and so I was asked to take him away until a solution

  to our predicament could be found.

  AMBER

  How sad; are you any closer to a solution?

  MERLAIN

  Do you know, we are. We were seeking a dragon to

  catch but tonight I found out dragons are fictitious

  and that we really should be seeking a pot called a

  dragoon.

  A dragoon and the secrets of metalworking.

  AMBER

  They propagate the story of dragons to hid their metal working

  Skills; but now you know the truth you may as well learn everything.

  Would you like to earn the secrets of metal?

  MERLAIN

  Yes I would. With this knowledge I will be able to

  Take the boy home and free our people.

  AMBER

  If you have gold I will sell you a dragoon, we have many

  here, but if you want to learn how to work the metal

  you will have to stay a while; are you in a rush?

  MERLAIN

  Well, we have to return to Babylon before the next

  full moon; my ward is racing the following day and

  I think the King would like a chance to win back

  some of his gold.

  AMBER

  Do you mean to say you beat Jasbar at last?

  MERLAIN

  Not me, UTHUR. He took the laurel crown and

  the trunk of gold.

  AMBER

  But you were not carrying a trunk last night; unless it

  was a very small trunk.

  MERLAIN

  We left our winnings back in Babylon with a friend;

  but we have this to go on with.

  He takes a purse from under his robe and pours gold coins onto the sofa.

  Would this be enough to learn how to work metal here,

  in the short time we have?

  AMBER

  Of course; you make me very happy Merlain of Albion;

  very happy indeed.

  SCENE 20 INT: NIGHT

  Merlain returns to the rooms and finds ESUIT and UTHUR sitting upon one of the beds fully dressed and looking eager to leave.

  UTHUR

  I am so glad to see you again...

  ESUIT

  Quick, let us tell you what we saw before we leave...

  MERLAIN

  Calm down young people; I need to speak first.

  Our plans have changed slightly.

  ESUIT/UTHUR

  What?

  UTHUR

  But how can they, we have to return to Memet in Babylon?

  MERLAIN

  Yes, but only before the next full moon.

  ESUIT

  I can’t stay here, they will want to shave my head and

  enslave me once again;

  I’d rather die than be mistreated so.

  MERLAIN (Laughing)

  Please, trust me, no one intends to shave your

  pretty head and you will only stay here if you want to.

  No one is here under duress.

  UTHUR

  So what plans have you made?

  MERLAIN

  The lady in charge, the Ipsissamus, has invited us

  to stay and learn how to craft metal. I have said we will.

  UTHUR

  They have a dragon for us?

  MERLAIN

  Not exactly, but they have the next best thing...

  SCENE 21 EXT DAY

  ESUIT, UTHUR MERLAIN and AMBER are in the courtyard watching two woman practicing their own brand of martial arts. Using staffs like swords they try to disarm each other or trip the other up. Suddenly ESUIT can stand it no longer.

  ESUIT

  What’s wrong with these women; don’t they know how

  to fight properly?

  AMBER

  They seem to be doing okay; our previous leader used

  to teach them but since we lost her we have been muddling

  through; I thought they were doing fine.

  ESUIT

  The tall one is leaving her left side unguarded; a real

  opponent would see this instantly. The smaller one is

  fast but she is clumsy. Look, there, I would have killed

  her in that instant.

  MERLAIN

  If you think you can teach these women Esuit, feel free

  to show us all. I’m sure Amber would not mind.

  AMBER

  We do not usually allow adepts into to fight until they

  have learned the basics but I will bow to your greater

  knowledge. Give us a display of your skills.

  ESUIT

  Okay, I will.

  She removes her cloak and steps into the square as the two woman stop. They look towards Amber with annoyance and see their leader expression informs them to humour the newcomer.

  Have you an opponent who is worthy of my

  experience?

  AMBER

  Call Astar; she is our best staff fighter.

  One of the women leaves and returns shortly after with a huge, bald woman marked with deep scars across her face. ASTAR grimaces and grunts as a staff are thrown into her hands.

  This should be interesting.

  ESUIT readies herself as ASTAR looks towards AMBER waiting for the signal to begin. Upon a slight nod she launches herself at ESUIT and a fierce battle begins. ASTAR uses her immense size and weight of bully and intimidate ESUIT but she holds her ground. Then ESUIT is lifted by the woman’s staff and launched through the air to roll across the dusty ground. ASTAR snarls and rushes over to deliver the knockout blow only to be tripped by ESUIT’s weapon. She crashes to the floor in a cloud of dry dust.

  ESUIT jumps to her feet and prepares to fight again.

  AMBER

  Your opponent is down, get her now, while you can.

  ESUIT

  I do not strike
when an opponent is down. It is not honourable.

  ASTAR stands and wipes blood from her mouth before snarling at Esuit again

  ASTAR

  That will be your last mistake.

  The two clash again and the staff weapons splinter under the force of their blows before ESUIT turns and uses the end of her staff to up end ASTAR’S feet and traps them in a sophisticated face down hold. ESUIT then places one foot across the free end of her staff and smiles at her audience while ASTAR pants, hollers and struggles in a wasted attempt to escape

  UTHUR

  Brilliant, well done.

  AMBER

  I thought you were bragging but I should have known,

  you were too confident to be lying. I am convinced

  now that the grade of Adept would be wasted up you.

  ESUIT

  Really?

  AMBER

  Only our greenest recruits are inducted as adepts. If,

  like you, we have inductees who show well grounded

  skills in a certain discipline our rules can be varied.

  I think you should enter the order as a Adeptus Major.

  This is three grades up from the Adept and just one

  under the grade of Master; our teaching grade.

  ESUIT

  I am flattered but I am sorry, I have a confession to make...

  AMBER

  Really, a confession, how mysterious.

  ESUIT

  Yes, I’m afraid....

  MERLAIN

  What my dear friend wishes to say, ere...

  AMBER

  Yes?

  MERLAIN

  What my friend wishes to say is that after careful

  discussion last night she has decided to return to

  Babylon with us when we leave...

  AMBER

  No, really?

  ESUIT

  Only until after the race....

  MERLAIN

  Yes, she wishes to support young UTHUR in his

  battle with Jasbar before committing her life

  to the order here.

  AMBER

  Is this true Esuit?

  ESUIT

  It is; I don’t think I could have settled down until

  after the race....

  UTHUR

  And I needed her support with the horses. There

  is no-one quite so qualified to handle my horses

  as Esuit.

  Without her I may lose and that would be a disaster.

  AMBER

  Then it is decided. When do you intend to leave?

  MERLAIN

  Babylon is three days ride or so we should go no

  later than the next phase of the moon.

  AMBER

  Then it is decided, I shall come too. I have not seen

  my sister, the Ipsissamus of Babylon, for many seasons now

  and we have adepts in Babylon who would benefit

  from my council. If this fits in with your plans

  Merlain; I wouldn’t like to be a hindrance.

  MERLAIN

  I couldn’t imagine anything better....

  SCENE 22 INT NIGHT

  MERLAIN and AMBER are sitting in a long sparse room by a panoramic window overlooking the valley beyond. There is a wall of stars over the horizon and a soft breeze billows the long chiffon curtain which drapes half the window. She takes a drink from a blue glass and looks at him from under her hood intently.

  AMBER

  I love this room, the view at night makes me feel

  part of the cosmos; connected to the stars that veil

  the heavens. It gives me the feeling that we are all

  part of it somehow, that we are made of stardust.

  MERLAIN

  But are you happy?

  AMBER

  What?

  MERLAIN

  Isn’t it a little sad, all these strong women shut away

  in this building with only the stars for company.

  Women, like men, need the comfort and intimacy of another.

  So, are you truly happy here?

  AMBER

  Merlain; do you want the diplomatic answer or the truth.

  You see if I were diplomatic I would say we are an

  ancient and mystical order working in this building to

  teach how to manipulate magical forces for the

  good of mankind.

  MERLAIN

  And the truth?

  AMBER

  That is not so romantic. You see, in this age, in this part

  of the world a woman’s role is never a happy one.

  She is born to be someone’s servant daughter, or a helpful sister

  then we are married off for money, a dowry, and become a

  servant wife and mother.

  In the end we are cast aside as useless old widows with

  no recourse upon our former husband’s fortune.

  This passes down to his eldest son or to the state leaving

  us destitute and seeking a quick and painless death.

  MERLAIN

  Surely this is a woman’s lot in any age and in any corner

  of the world? It is for them to carve out a life from their

  service to their families.

  Many women’s lives are blessed in this way, they receive the

  gift of their children and the love and protection of their men folk.

  Isn’t this the natural way?

  AMBER

  Yes, But what if the daughter is abused by the father

  who should be protecting her, beaten by her brothers and

  married off to another brute who uses her for vile pleasures

  and beats her for good measure.

  What if she is starved and shamed and forced to eat

  from a cup of abominations just to survive;

  is this the natural way of which you talk?

  MERLAIN

  Of course not?

  AMBER

  Well here, in this place and during this age, many

  woman have only that to look forwards to.

  This temple was established to give girls and women

  a place of refuge far from the rule of man; somewhere for them to

  escape when they need to steal away.

  We create a mystical legend of witchcraft and sorcery

  to frighten the peasant locals and those who seek their

  missing wives and slaves

  into leaving us alone.

  In this we have become so successful. Rich men travel

  from the four corners of the earth here and give

  us gold to win the blessing of our powerful spells.

  We use this to feed and clothe our sisters,

  to teach newcomers to

  read and write and other skills with which they

  may make their own money should they ever choose

  to leave here. The remainder is used to feed the

  poor widows of this realm. Even the king believes we

  are powerful witches able to foretell the future and

  change bad luck into good fortune. It is a falsehood I am

  proud to have maintained.

  MERLAIN

  What a wonderful person you are, I am shamed by my

  gender and more so by my ignorance.

  AMBER

  Don’t feel bad, We too dislike having to fraudulently

  deceive those that pry here-about too heartily;

  but while our legend is strong the order can continue

  doing its work.

  If our illusions are seen for what they are, cheap

  tricks, we may as well throw ourselves from the top of the

  nearest cliff-edge.

  MERLAIN

  What I saw on our first night here was spectacular,

  I would never describe it as cheap. I was amazed.

  How is it done?

&nb
sp; AMBER

  It is something our previous leader developed.

  She saw that friction between two divergent materials

  creates a small spark. The same sort of spark we have

  all seen when flint and hard stone is smashed together.

  Using a metal tube appears to allow the sparks to collect

  and we then feed these down thin copper wires into a chain

  mail tunic where the spark can be discharged in the way

  you saw.

  Very dramatic but quite easy to achieve; we have no real

  understanding of the principles at work but it does the trick

  and that is all that matters.

  MERLAIN

  What of the spinning cylinder with the steam funnels;

  how does this work?

  AMBER

  Surely you have seen hot water in a pot with as lid

  upon it. The steam pushes up the lid and makes it rattle?

  MERLAIN

  Yes?

  AMBER

  Well we build a fire under the pot and the steam forced

  out the funnels causes it to spin. It is attached to a long

  leather belt and this in turn is wrapped around a copper cylinder.

  The faster the cylinder spins the more friction created

  and thus more sparks are collected in the tube.

  MERLAIN

  Fascinating. When we eventually return to Albion I intend

  to use this illusion to frighten those who have subjugated

  our land and forced our people into slavery.

  AMBER

  Yes, let them believe you have become a great wizard.

  Most people are so superstitious they run when confronted

  by something their eyes do not understand.

  We have other illusions which may interest you.

  MERLAIN

  And you are willing to share your secrets with us, with me?

  AMBER

  I can see in your eyes the goodness lurking in your soul,

  my dear friend. I would be happy to help you chase bullies

  from your land. I know this would benefit all the people

  of Albion; not just you and your young ward.

  MERLAIN

  Thank you, how could I ever repay your kindness?