Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [105]
BOOK ONE
THE DREAM OF ONE YEAR:
THE DREAM OF EARTH
BARGAINS IN BLADES
CHAPTER ONE
Friends at Court
FOR TEN THOUSAND YEARS the Bright Empire of Melniboné ruled the world—drawing her power from terrifying compacts with the supernatural.
Some say she’s invulnerable and will rule for another ten thousand …
Some say corruption already comes from within … Some say her doom will fall from outside … But, decidedly, doom is written in her future.
In mysterious realms of the multiverse ruled by the Lords of the Higher Worlds omens and portents proliferate.
Even in the corridors of dreaming Imrryr—capital of the empire—forbidden words are whispered.
They say the empire will live or die according to which of two youths becomes the next emperor.
Meanwhile, plots are hatched and abandoned.
Even the Tower of D’a’rputna, home to the emperor’s own kin and court, festers and itches with hitherto unthinkable thoughts.
(Note on style: Make towers very elongated wigwams—cowled rather than roofed. The designs and dominant styles—braided hair or shaven scalp with single lock—are Plains and forest Indian, as if these early Americans had risen to the skills of building a huge city like this and practising advanced metallurgy. No feathers, as such but some have crowns of metal feathers and so on. The colours are native American. Nothing too obvious, but that’s the underlying style.)
Opening shot of Imrryr, the Dreaming City of ancient towers, rising up upon a volcanic mound like a choir of angels, a chord of music made into subtle, complex architecture. The characteristic architecture of Melniboné is tall towers, with a single large room at each level of each tower. They rise above the warehouses and trading sheds of the ancient harbour—itself surrounded by jagged cliffs, the same cliffs which guard the entrances to the sea-maze which leads to the port.
High above all this, in the tallest, perhaps even slenderist, tower, dwells the royal family of Melniboné—Sadric the emperor, Elric his son, a youth, his sister-in-law Ederin, mother to daughter Cymoril (on whom she dotes), son Yyrkoon (whom she mistrusts and dislikes) also certain members of the Tvar family, who are all expert Dragon Masters and are close kin to the emperor. And there is also a human servant woman, Arisand, whose secret ambitions are not inconsiderable…
Arisand moves from floor to floor. We identify some of our characters in their various rooms of the Tower of D’a’rputna, The Emperor’s Tower… She enters the highest chamber of the tower, flanked by what appear to be great buttresses, where looms the shadow of Sadric, the King Emperor… (Ivan the Terrible but with less charm).
But first, a few floors down, we are introduced to Yyrkoon (Olivier as Richard III, Walter? Sans hump?) in his bed of concubines.
He is dismissing certain officers of his acquaintance.
YYRKOON: “You may go, but consider carefully what I have said. All our fates depend on this moment!”
On the steps outside this room some soldierly types confer. A slave closes a door on them as they leave. Three captains pause for a moment on the top stair before it curves out of sight.
FIRST CAPTAIN: “Prince Yyrkoon doesn’t persuade me. My loyalty’s still to Elric.”
SECOND CAPTAIN: “Elric’s weak. He’s sick. How many years can he live? Only sorcery sustains him. Ambitious and aggressive, Yyrkoon will claw us back to our former power.”
THIRD CAPTAIN: “He’ll defend and expand the old dragon fiefdoms. The Young Kingdoms shall be no more. Each captain shall rule a province!”
SECOND CAPTAIN: “Conquest will revive our blood. Our wives will again bear healthy children. The empire will rule with all her old arrogance … yet it’s hard to turn against traditional loyalties …”
FIRST CAPTAIN: “Treachery doesn’t taste too good, eh? Well I hope the rest of you have equally delicate palates. Think long and hard before you betray our rightful lord.” (He’s emphatic, almost mocking them … He indicates a portrait which hangs below them