SCENE: SOPHIE'S ROOM AT LUCARD'S CASTLE. THE MOON AT THE HORIZON AND THE STARS ARE VISIBLE OUTSIDE A BARRED WINDOW. THEY PROVIDE THE ONLY LIGHT. THE DOOR OPENS, AND A SHADOWED FIGURE CREEPS IN. IT PAUSES TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND HESITATES WHEN SOPHIE ROLLS OVER, HER ARM LOOSELY FALLING OFF THE BED. THE FIGURE COMES NEXT TO THE BED AND REACHES OUT TO TOUCH HER. SOPHIE SITS UP, GRABBING THE FIGURE'S SHIRT AND YANKING WITH ONE HAND WHILE HOLDING UP THE CROSS AROUND HER NECK WITH THE OTHER. (TEMPTATION IS TO MAKE THAT LITERALLY A CROSS AROUND HER NECK, BUT SOPHIE'S USUALLY NOT RIDICULOUS, AND SHE NEVER TRIES TO BE RIDICULOUS, SO I'LL JUST ADD THAT THE CROSS IS ON A CHAIN, AND THE CHAIN IS AROUND HER NECK.)
Chris: (yelps) Sophie! It's just me!
Sophie: (sighs and shoves him away) Oh. I thought it was Lucard.
(HOW CLICHED IS THAT?) AFTER THIS, IN WHISPERS FOR A WHILE.
Sophie: (furiously) What are you doing?
Chris: Do you think we could make a break for it?
Sophie: How? The door's still locked, the windows are still barred.
Chris: Yeah, but it's late, and they might think we're asleep, so we might not be guarded. Remember, Lucard had them give me some lock picks. Can you use lock picks?
Sophie: Sort of. But what good will that do, if it is still guarded?
Chris: Yeah. We need to find out how many are out there.
Sophie: (nods) Every bit of information is asset, even if we can't use it yet. How do you propose to find out?
Chris: (spreads his arms wide) How should I know? Maybe we could ask.
Sophie: (silent a moment. Then) All right. I will.
Chris: What?
SOPHIE GOES INTO THE RECEIVING ROOM BETWEEN THEIR BEDROOMS AND TURNS ON THE LIGHT. CHRIS FOLLOWS. THEY'RE BOTH STILL WEARING STREET CLOTHES, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN OFFERED CLOTHES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PRIVATE BATHS. SOPHIE POINTS EMPHATICALLY TO HIS ROOM, AND CHRIS RETREATS FOR THE MOMENT. SOPHIE KNOCKS LOUDLY AT THE DOOR.
Sophie: (calling) Hello? Excuse me? Could someone bring me a glass of milk?
CHRIS, UNSEEN, SMOTHERS A SNICKER.
Sophie: Hello? Is anyone out there? (in a whispered call) Chris!
Chris: Yeah?
Sophie: No one's answering, so I guess no one's out there. Bring the lock picks.
HE DOES SO. SOPHIE KNEELS AT THE DOOR, POKING AROUND INSIDE THE LOCKS WITH FIRST ONE INSTRUMENT, THEN ANOTHER, WHILE CHRIS FIDGETS FROM FOOT TO FOOT.
Sophie: Stop that!
Chris: I can't help it.
FINALLY, THE LOCK GIVES AND THE DOOR OPENS. THEY DART OUT AND CLOSE IT BEHIND THEM. THEY HEAD TOWARD WHERE THEY REMEMBER THE ENTRANCE BEING, WHICH IS OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION THAT LUCARD TOOK EARLIER. DOWN A COUPLE OF HALLS, THEY RUN INTO THE ZOMBIE THAT HAD BEEN GUARDING THEM AND STOP, FROZEN IN THEIR TRACKS. THEY STARE AT EACH OTHER FOR AN INSTANT.
Zombie: (raising a glass) Milk.
Sophie: (nervously) Oh. Uh . . . thank you. (She takes the glass.)
Zombie: (pointing) Back.
Sophie: Um . . . my friend, here, wants some milk, too. (Chris glares at her.) He says it helps him sleep.
THE ZOMBIE NODS DULLY, TURNS, AND SHUFFLES AWAY, PRESUMABLY TO GET ANOTHER GLASS OF MILK. SOPHIE AND CHRIS REMAIN PETRIFIED, THEN HEAVE A SIGH AND START RUNNING. THEY MAKE IT OUT OF A SIDE DOOR WHICH IS BARRED, BUT ONLY ON THE INSIDE, AND TO THE GATE. WHILE THEY CONSIDER HOW TO CLIMB IT, A CULTURED VOICE SPEAKS BEHIND THEM.
Lucard: You wouldn't deprive me of your company for a mere twenty-four hours, would you?
A HAND WITH AN UNBREAKABLE GRIP PLACES ITSELF ON EACH OF THEIR SHOULDERS, IMPLACABLY TURNING THEM AROUND.
Lucard: Tell me, what did you think you were doing? If it's a good explanation, I'll find something to do with you other than the dungeons.
Chris: We were . . . looking for milk?
LUCARD STARES AT THEM STERNLY FOR A TIME, THEN THROWS BACK HIS HEAD AND LAUGHS. THERE IS A FAINT ECHO. SOPHIE AND CHRIS FEEL VERY UNEASY.
Lucard: Very well, then. I'll keep an eye on you myself. Don't bother me with petty questions, mind, or I'll be forced to gag you.
HE STEERS THEM BACK TO THE HOUSE, INTO A STUDY WITH A FIRE IN THE GRATE, AND SUMMONS A ZOMBIE.
Lucard: (to the zombie) Please fetch Miss Metternich's viola. (It leaves)
(SHOULD ZOMBIES BE IDENTIFIED WITH THEIR FORMER GENDER OR AS GENDER-NEUTRAL?) LUCARD SHOVES THE TEENS ONTO A COUCH, THEN PULLS THE CHAIR AWAY FROM ITS SKEWED POSITION, SEATS HIMSELF AT THE DESK, ADJUSTS A FEW PAPERS SCATTERED ACROSS THE DESK INTO THEIR APPROPRIATE PILES, AND CLEANS A PEN BEFORE HE GETS TO WORK. (THE IMPLICATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT HE HAD TO LEAVE QUICKLY. HOW DID I DO?) SOPHIE AND CHRIS SIT ANXIOUSLY, LOOKING AROUND, SOMETIMES AT EACH OTHER, SOMETIMES AT LUCARD. THIS IS A BORING SCENE, AND YOU'RE LUCKY YOU ONLY HAVE TO READ ABOUT IT. AFTER A TIME, THE ZOMBIE RETURNS WITH THE VIOLA AND LEAVES AGAIN.
Lucard: (orders casually) Play.
SOPHIE GETS OUT THE SHINING VIOLA AND TUNES IT. SHE SLOWLY STANDS AND SETS HER BOW TO THE STRINGS, BUT HESITATES TO BEGIN TO PLAY. LUCARD GLANCES UP WITH A RAISED EYEBROW, AND THIS PROVES TO BE ALL THE MOTIVATION SHE NEEDS. HOWEVER, WITH THE FIRST NOTE, AMY APPEARS. SHE LOOKS VERY ODD, PALE BLACK AND WHITE AMID THE RICH, DARK REDS AND BROWNS, WITH TOUCHES OF OTHER COLORS, OF LUCARD'S HOME STUDY.
Amy: (to Sophie) Shut up.
LUCARD SLOWLY STANDS UP, GLOWERING AT AMY. SHE FLOPS INTO A CHAIR AND STARES BACK BELLIGERENTLY.
Lucard: By what right do you give orders to my people in my house?
SOPHIE AND CHRIS ARE CONFUSED, AND THEY SHOW IT. SOPHIE SITS.
Amy: I get enough music with Amarantha. It annoys me.
Lucard: Not 'why.' By . . . what . . . right?
AMY STARES AT HIM, THEN WAVES A CASUAL HAND, AND THEY ARE ALL DISPLACED TO A FOREST. IT'S ACTUALLY IN AMERICA, AND EARLY NIGHT THERE AS OPPOSED TO EARLY MORNING IN LUXEMBOURG, BUT, BEING A SCREENPLAY, YOU HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT, SINCE AMY'S NOT GOING TO SAY.
Amy: Now do I have the right?
Lucard: I will not stand for abduction.
(NOTE: HE DOESN'T SAY JUST ABDUCTION OF HIMSELF, BUT HE'S ABDUCTED CHRIS AND SOPHIE, AND IS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABDUCTION OF MAX, ALTHOUGH I HAVE YET TO DECIDE HOW RESPONSIBLE [BUT I MAY WORK IT OUT IN THIS SCENE], SO, WOULD YOU SAY HE'S BEING HYPOCRITICAL, OR ARE THERE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES?)
ANYWAY, HE CAUSES A LARGE BRANCH TO DROP OUT OF A TREE OVERHEAD AND FLY AT AMY, THEN POUNCES ON SOPHIE AND CHRIS, AND VANISHES THEM AND HIMSELF BACK TO HIS STUDY. THE PAPERS ARE NOW SOMEWHAT IN DISARRAY, AND HE HAS TO REFASHION THE PILES. HE SNAPS AT SOPHIE:
Lucard: Be silent.
EVEN THOUGH SHE'S PRETTY MUCH FROZEN ON THE SPOT. IT'S EASIER TO TRANSPORT WITH AN ELF THAN WITH A VAMPIRE, AND THE LANDING MUST HAVE BEEN A BIT ROUGH. ALSO, THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE, AS THEY ONLY SAW IT HAPPEN TO MAX, AND EVERYTHING HAPPENED TOO QUICKLY TO ASSIMILATE. WE CAN FORGIVE THEM FOR BEING DISTRACTED.
LUCARD PACES LIKE A PANTHER FOR SOME MOMENTS, THEN SITS AND COMPOSES HIMSELF WITH A VISIBLE EFFORT BEFORE STARTING ON HIS WORK AGAIN.
SHOT OF THE HORIZON, SLOWLY LIGHTENING. STRINGS PLAY A REPEATED NOTE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR RANGES. AS THE DAWN BURSTS GLORIOUSLY INTO A NEW DAY, FLOW TO "THE DANCE OF HOURS." THIS MUSIC CONTINUES THROUGH THE SCENE, SO WE'RE NOT IMPRESSED BY THE DRAMA; IN FACT, WE FIND A LOT OF PARTS SOMEWHAT RIDICULOUS.
BACK TO LUCARD'S STUDY. AMY REAPPEARS BEFORE THE WINDOW. THIS TIME, SHE'S IN COLOR, WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS ODD, BUT STILL WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PALE.
Amy: My abductions are usually more successful than that. Ah, well, there's always next time. I'm here to talk about our dare.
Lucard: (looks up, his face a picture of fury) Dare, Mademoiselle Aimee? I recall no dare. However, I do recall a wish that you would leave me and mine alone, and I now reiterate that wish.
Amy: We didn't agree to that part of the dare.
Lucard: You did agree to that part of our deal, Mademoiselle Aimee.
Amy: No, we didn't.
Lucard: (even angrier) You did. (realizes what he just said) I will not be pulled into a shouting match with an exiled person of no purpose.
Amy: We didn't. You said "Leave me alone." We said "We won't interfere." Do you detect nullification of any interaction at all there?
LUCARD SITS, TRYING TO BUY TIME. AMY'S NOT FOLLOWING THE SAME SET OF RULES, THOUGH.
Amy: You can't, can you? I bet you can't. Come on, try! (sits on the window sill)
Lucard: It negates any interaction which is detrimental to something I am trying to do. I'm busy, Mademoiselle Aimee.
ON THE DESK, ONE STACK OF PAPERS VANISHES. IT REAPPEARS IN AMY'S HAND. SHE LOOKS AT THE TOP SHEET AND WRINKLES HER NOSE. AS LUCARD JUMPS TO HIS FEET AND TRIES TO RECOVER THE PAPERS, THEY REAPPEAR ON THE DESK. WITH DIGNITY, HE RETURNS TO IT. THE MUSIC RATHER SPOILS THE IMPRESSION HE'S TRYING TO MAKE FOR THE VIEWERS, AND AMY'S IGNORING HIM, AND SOPHIE AND CHRIS ARE JUST GENERALLY TOO NERVOUS TO PAY ATTENTION TO DIGNITY. LUCARD REMAINS STANDING.
Amy: With peanut oil?
Lucard: They happen to be a vital part of a top secret process which you should know nothing about.
Amy: (rolls her eyes) We've got a kid.
SOPHIE AND CHRIS JUMP.
Chris: Max! Is he okay? What are you doing to him?
Lucard: (slamming a hand down on his desk) Be SILENT!
THEY JUMP AGAIN, AND CHRIS'S KNEES GIVE OUT FROM UNDER HIM. SOPHIE MANAGES TO FEEL HER WAY TO THE SOFA BEFORE SITTING.
Lucard: About the child, Mademoiselle?
Amy: Uncooperative. I feel it's not worth looking after him until you're ready unless we have some sureties.
Lucard: What . . . sureties, Mademoiselle?
Amy: I'm not your demoiselle. We already went over that.
Lucard: (waves a dismissive hand) Da, Domnisoara.
THIS TIME, AMY GETS ANGRY AND TRIES FOR SILENCE AS A WAY TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO NEXT. LUCARD ALMOST DECIDES TO LET HER, SO AS TO SET AN EXAMPLE. THEN:
Lucard: What sureties?
Amy: (with a grimace) Something better than last time, as if anything positive wouldn't be better. Preferably direct permission for access to your entire collections, and usage of anything thereof which will not depreciate the value.
Lucard: For some things, simply knowing of them would depreciate the value.
Amy: (innocently) Well, we won't tell. (smiles)
Lucard: Why should I?
Amy: We could let the little one go. Call everything even. We've done very little for you, and you have done very little for us. We could leave it that way.
Lucard: (levelly) We could.
AMY FALTERS. SHE APPARENTLY THOUGHT THAT LUCARD WOULD FALL FOR THIS BLUFF.
Lucard: Or . . . we could continue as we started.
Amy: (angrily) There are other sources for what I want!
Lucard: Yes. Hidden sources. Well guarded sources. Dangerous sources.
Amy: (snorts) Dangerous to me?
Lucard: If you think you can get your keys elsewhere, go right ahead. Why did you come to me if elsewhere is easier?
Amy: You have other stuff that might be interesting. I'd like to have a few days to look through it.
Lucard: Wasn't that what got you exiled in the first place?
Amy: (with a swift glance at Sophie and Chris) No!
Lucard: Please speak freely in front of my guests.
Amy: I wouldn't speak freely in front of you. What do I care what some humans know?
POLL: HOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE READING THIS ARE HUMAN? HOW MUCH OBJECTION WILL AMY HAVE TO YOU READING THIS?
Lucard: I have found, on occasion, that humans can be a dreadful nuisance. Also, there is the circumstance in which they can be more than human, as when they become a vampire. Knowledge is a dangerous thing, my dear, no matter who holds it. Remember that for later.
Amy: Then why should I let your "guests" know anything?
Lucard: Anything I know, Sophie may know, and I suspect that Sophie will keep few secrets from Chris.
SOPHIE SUDDENLY CANNOT LOOK AT CHRIS, WHO IS TRYING TO MEET HER EYES. LUCARD RAISES HIS HAND TO COVER A SMUG COUGH.
Amy: Whatever. I'm not telling you everything, you're not telling me everything. Let's leave discussions of secrets at that, shall we?
Lucard: Except for a symbol of good faith.
Amy: Haven't I left you alone for the most part?
Lucard: Except for swishing us off a few moments ago.
Amy: I was just trying to stop the music.
Lucard: You do not think that some sign of trust is in order?
Amy: There's time enough to talk about that after we decide how trusting we should be, which is after we seal the deal.
Lucard: What's wrong with the original deal?
Amy: Amarantha made it. Which is to say, fine for getting started, but once her mind wanders, I'll be stuck watching the boy, and I won't do that without something a bit firmer under my feet.
Lucard: How do I know this boy will be what I want?
Amy: That, my dear M Lucard, is one thing that Amarantha and I are uniquely suited for doing. The right person, in the right frame of mind.
CHRIS LOOKS WORRIED. LUCARD SMILES. AMY SMILES AND LAUGHS. SOPHIE PROBABLY DOES SOMETHING EXPRESSION-WISE, BUT SHE'S STILL THINKING ABOUT LUCARD'S EARLIER STATEMENT, AND MAX ISN'T HER BROTHER, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS.
~
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