Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [136]
URLIK: “It was virtually undefended. Is this what we feared?”
BELPHIG: “Their skill in sorcery more than compensates for the smallness of their number …”
Urlik glances around, seeing fearful faces of women and children.
URLIK: “These do not seem to be working much sorcery … We must help them.”
Meliadus laughs.
MELIADUS: “We’ll end their misery soon enough!”
Urlik takes his meaning but chooses to ignore him. Iolinda stares around her in distaste, holding on to Urlik’s arm.
IOLINDA: “What wretches! It is hard to believe them so evil …”
Urlik is profoundly upset.
URLIK: “I’ve been fighting women and children and a handful of warriors! This isn’t worthy of the trust you told me I bore—this is a massacre—genocide!”
Belphig is still persuasive.
BELPHIG: “It is all deception—intended to confuse you. I remind you again—these are cunning demons, not true men at all …”
Urlik turns on his heel.
URLIK: “The sight is sickening. The city’s vanquished—let’s leave now!”
MELIADUS: “And refuse our men their triumph? No, Sir Champion—we celebrate our victory …”
Dark smoke drifts over the scene again. We see hot, lustful eyes and lips through the smoke. We see the terrified faces of the beautiful Eldren. The smoke grows thicker and we fade on it.
77. Ext. City. Night.
We see Urlik bursting through a door into the plaza. Behind him it is evident that Meliadus and the rest are enjoying themselves in a drunken orgy. Urlik turns as Meliadus calls him from the interior. Meliadus lifts his goblet, spilling wine. He has an arm around a shivering Eldren girl.
MELIADUS: “You weary of our company, Sir Hero? Is this courtesy—to your future father-in-law?”
We pan so that we can see Iolinda staring with hurt baffled eyes at Urlik.
URLIK: “You sink into barbarism before my eyes. I’ll fight with you—but I’ll not join in your pleasures.”
Meliadus stands up, glowering, almost toppling forward, the Eldren girl forgotten.
MELIADUS: “You grow arrogant—you believe your own legend, eh? You despise us …” (Meliadus looks again at Iolinda who moves to his side.) “But you’ll not despise her hand in marriage, eh? Belphig seeks my throne, I know—but you’ll defend me, Urlik—for the throne when I die! Belphig would use you against me—but my daughter is—is …” (Meliadus flings his arm round Iolinda, leaning heavily on her.) “… my security …”
URLIK: “Nothing makes me war on defeated wretches!”
Iolinda supports her all but insensible father. She looks pleadingly at Urlik.
IOLINDA: “Let him enjoy his triumph—he has waited long—tomorrow the city burns …”
Urlik tries to reply, but he’s too disgusted. He strides away from the open door, into the night, leaving Iolinda looking hurt and reproachful after him as she gradually lowers her father back to his seat. As Urlik plunges into the night, Jarak steps from the shadows. Urlik is relieved to see the only humane face in all that number. He smiles.
URLIK: “All your people seem to scheme against one another—or suspect schemes …”
Jarak is amused.
JARAK: “Mankind always has to have an enemy—even if it has to invent one …”
Urlik shakes his head in confusion.
URLIK: “And the Eldren are a fine new target, eh?”
Jarak is reluctant to agree to this, though it’s evident he really does believe it. Urlik wants to press the matter but just then there is a harsh laugh from the shadows behind them and they turn, seeking the source.
78. Ext. City. Night.
Meliadus and Iolinda stand there, having followed Urlik from the Hall. Meliadus still very drunk.
MELIADUS: “I insist—finish—conversation …”
Before Urlik can reply Meliadus spots a movement in the shadows, lurches and catches a frightened, beautiful Zayad.
MELIADUS: “Aha! The gods send me a consort for the night!”
Iolinda is embarrassed, turns to Urlik for help. Then Jarak recognizes Zayad.
JARAK: “She’s Zayad—the Eldren leader!”
Iolinda is curious and looks closer at Zayad.
IOLINDA: “Most notorious of all Eldren sorceresses! Halag Tharm’s sister—rules the Eldren jointly with him …”
Urlik hardly hears Iolinda in his