Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [142]
IOLINDA: “Begin the punishment!” (Urlik strides forward to stay the hands of the guards.) “Traitor! I am your queen. You have sworn loyalty! My father was right to be suspicious of you!”
BELPHIG: “Take heed, Lord Urlik—you face your own destruction!”
URLIK: “You revenge yourselves on the weak—because you, too, are weak. But your weakness is spiritual …”
Urlik begins to cut Zayad free. The ropes fall away. Iolinda is beside herself. Jarak hovers in the doorway looking upset.
IOLINDA: “Slay her now!”
URLIK: “The Eldren possess scientific power—to destroy all of us!”
BELPHIG: “Then why not use it?”
ZAYAD (quietly): “It’s against our Code—our vow …”
Belphig is gleeful …
BELPHIG: “The Eldren have no will to live—so what matter if we kill them?”
Belphig signs to the guards who begin to draw their knives. Urlik gives them a warning glance, half unsheathing Stormbringer. They hesitate. Belphig steps in again.
BELPHIG: “Be reasonable, Lord Urlik. You are misguided, not disloyal. You’ll share the throne soon—Rule the whole planet …”
Urlik glares at him.
URLIK: “A planet reeking of death and treachery? No! Release Zayad. I’ll fight for you—but I’ll not betray the innocent!”
Belphig pretends to be amused.
BELPHIG: “The innocent, say you? She killed Meliadus—and many more. She’s enchanted you—she knows you’re our main strength …”
Urlik dismisses all this.
URLIK: “I trust my instincts. I gave my word …”
IOLINDA: “And I trust my instincts! Jarak—cut her down!” (Jarak, who has been happy to stay in the background, is confused … He hesitates, looking to Urlik. Iolinda is perfectly aware that she divides them.) “Cut her down, Jarak!”
Belphig seems almost delighted by this turn of events.
BELPHIG: “The queen must be obeyed, Captain Jarak …”
Urlik is furious.
URLIK: “This is barbarous! You turn friend against friend! Stay back, Jarak!”
Jarak is thoroughly miserable, but continues to move forward, his loyalties totally divided.
JARAK: “I told you, Urlik. My first loyalty’s to my queen. Zayad killed the king …”
URLIK: “Why?—He was going to spare her! Someone else killed the king.”
Belphig comes in quickly.
BELPHIG: “Do your duty, Captain Jarak!”
Urlik shouts desperately at Jarak.
URLIK: “You can’t!”
Jarak stares miserably around, drawing his sword. Urlik draws Stormbringer. It whines and moans. Jarak turns to defend himself. The guards also rush forward. Belphig tries to stop Urlik, but Urlik smashes upwards, catching Belphig under the jaw. Belphig goes down, virtually unconscious. Urlik kills the first guard, parries a blow from the second and kills him. Then it is only Jarak and Urlik facing one another. Urlik is begging Jarak with his eyes to stand aside, similarly Jarak is begging Urlik. Both men are about to lower their swords when Stormbringer shrieks and aims itself at Jarak, taking him in the heart. Jarak falls.
URLIK: “Stormbringer—it killed him!” (Urlik stares wildly around. He goes to Zayad’s side and tugs at her to go with him.) “Come—we leave!”
Iolinda is screaming for more guards. Screaming at Urlik and Zayad.
IOLINDA: “Guards! You’ll pay with your life, Urlik. You betray your oath!” (More guards arrive. Urlik, defending Zayad, moves towards them, clearing a path with his sword.) “Take the sorceress—and welcome. You are both damned now!”
Belphig staggers up and follows in their wake as Urlik and Zayad pass through the door.
106. Ext. Plaza. Night.
Urlik and Zayad burst out of the lighted hall into torchlight as guards hurry forward. Urlik heads for the horses, cutting his way through, knocking torches out of the hands of warriors, seizing one torch. Into this confusion staggers Belphig, still dazed from the blow, calling after Urlik as he helps Zayad to mount and then mounts himself, sword in one hand, torch in the other.
BELPHIG: “You’ll never be free of your fate! Stormbringer binds you to us!”
Urlik’s eyes glow with torment. With a yell he hurls the Black Sword