E + Ar 'War'

 Fireplace:

Argon is stood calmly in front of the lit fireplace. Elizabeth walks enters and walks towards Argon. Elizabeth embraces Argon from behind and kisses his shoulders. Argon puts his hand on top of Elizabeth’s.

Argon: How are you feeling?

Elizabeth: Fine. My heads throbbing… a little.

Argon grabs Elizabeth’s wrist and pulls it towards him. Elizabeth hisses, attempting to mask the pain of the raw cuts and burns from the chains.

Argon: (Tracing Elizabeth’s wounded wrists) You always were a terrible liar.

Argon brings Elizabeth’s wrist towards his jaw and bites it, sucking the blood from her wrist. Elizabeth inhales deeply, pressing her lips together. Argon bites his lips violently and pulls Elizabeth’s wrist across the cut. Elizabeth wrist heals instantly. Argon drops Elizabeth’s wrist and gently brings Elizabeth’s other, healed, wrist to his lips and kisses it. Elizabeth rests her head on Argon’s shoulder and kisses his neck. Argon holds Elizabeth’s hand as they stare into the fire. Argon looks at Elizabeth in the reflection on the fireplace. Elizabeth’s eyes turn into the image of flames. Argon looks around the room to see that all the candles have been lit. Argon smiles.

Elizabeth’s room:

Elizabeth awakes alone in her room and runs her hand through her hair. Elizabeth looks across the room to see a pink corset suit. Elizabeth walks briskly towards the suit and picks up the corset, admiring it. Elizabeth puts the corset down when she sees the note next to it saying ‘Will you grace me with your presence, little one? It’ll bring me much pleasure. Argon.’ Elizabeth smiles.

Veranda:

Elizabeth walks out onto the veranda and looks for Argon. Argon walks in quietly behind Elizabeth, seeing her corset loose, he grabs Elizabeth from behind and begins tightening her corset. Elizabeth gasps.

Argon: It’s quite the novelty to be putting your clothes. I am much more familiar and much more prefer taking them off. (Smirking) Then again I guess I can do that later.

Argon pulls the last string on Elizabeth’s corset tightly. Elizabeth exhales deeply and bites her lip. Elizabeth’s eyes turn into diamonds. A vase on the edge of the Veranda falls and smashes. Argon smiles. Elizabeth steps away and turns towards Argon.

Elizabeth: What are we doing here, Argon? I can’t believe you’ve made me dress in Knights wear for your own amusement.

Argon: Well as much as seeing you in Knight’s wear amuses me.

Elizabeth smiles and laughs softly.

Argon: No, I haven’t. I’m going to teach you.

Argon throws Elizabeth a sword. Elizabeth catches the sword

Elizabeth: Teach me what, exactly?

Argon ‘vampire walks’ to behind Elizabeth and puts his sword to Elizabeth’s side.

Argon: (Whispering) Everything.

Elizabeth spins out of Argon’s hold to face him.

Argon: I’ll teach you how to fight.

Argon and Elizabeth begin to duel.

Argon: I’ll teach you how to cast and especially for you I’ll teach you one more thing.

Argon and Elizabeth’s sword cross in and ‘x’ facing each other. Argon leans towards Elizabeth and whispers in her ear.

Elizabeth: I find it difficult to believe that you are qualified to teach such an art.

Argon and Elizabeth continue their duel.

Argon: No? I’m a vampire. I have years on you, years of experience that is.

Elizabeth: Not many from what I’ve seen.

Argon: Oh, really? Times have changed Elizabeth I’ve learnt much of you since you’ve been gone.

Elizabeth: (Sarcastically) Why don’t you enlighten me on your ground breaking discoveries, Knight of Galideas?

Argon: I can’t… not as a knight.

Elizabeth: Why?

Argon: You’ve been gone ten years. A lot of things have happened in those ten years. Me and my brother we’re not on the same terms as we once were.

Elizabeth becomes less focused on fighting and loses her concentration in her duel with Argon.

Elizabeth: I’m sorry.

Argon: My brother and me, we had very different minds and very different ideas. He believes in dictatorship and I believe in equality. It was very difficult to live in harmony with such diverse ideals; other objectives harmonized us.

Elizabeth: Tell me about him – your brother.

Argon: He’s possessive and controlling and cruel but when he loves, he loves unconditionally and whole-heartedly it almost drives him mad.

Elizabeth: What happened to him in my absence?

Argon: He grew his empire at the velocity of five-thousand dictators. He has aged to be a powerful man with much admiration from neighbouring counties. His army has risen to be the most remarkable in all of the kingdoms. He has built the dictatorship he had always dreamed of.

Elizabeth: (Stops fighting) For what purpose?

Argon: (Raising his sword towards Elizabeth’s sword) Don’t drop your guard.

Elizabeth: It’s my fault isn’t it? I can tell by the way you look at me when you speak of him. You look at me with the greatest sympathy and the most driven hatred, as if it pains you to think of me even close to him. Was he good to me?

Argon: He tried.

Elizabeth: Tried? I thought so.

Argon: Your emotions are clouding your judgement. In war you have no time to feel you must act on impulse. It’s the only way to survive.

Elizabeth: Is this war?

Argon: No this (looks Elizabeth up and down) this is for my own comfort – in many ways. You don’t need to worry about war.

Elizabeth: So what your saying is that war is not matter of my attention but it is of yours, meaning that you don’t want me at the centre of war but you want me to be able to protect myself, meaning I am being targeted for personal gain from each side, meaning I am at the centre, exactly where neither side wants me, meaning that it is my fault, meaning your brother wants me just like you do but you have me and are safe-guarding me from your brother.

Argon: Perhaps your emotions don’t cloud your judgement, but widen your wisdom. Elizabeth, you are losing concentration. Pick up your sword, now. This is not a matter for you to worry about.

Elizabeth: Then why are you teaching me how to fight?

Argon: So that if my brother does come you can protect yourself.

Elizabeth: What would he do?

Argon: I could never predict what my brother would do but I know I wouldn’t be able to help you if he did come. I can’t always keep you safe Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Does my safety really mean that much to you?

Argon: (Laughing) Don’t joke about such petty things. Now, are you going to give me a fair fight or are you going to let me win?

Elizabeth smiles and picks up her sword. Elizabeth and Argon carry on their duel laughing and smiling.

Argon: Do you still think so curt of me, little one?

Elizabeth shrugs her shoulders whilst laughing. Argon manoeuvres himself to behind Elizabeth and slices the ribbon of her corset, leaving it to fall the ground. Argon ‘vampire walks’ to embrace Elizabeth from behind, covering her bare back and chest.

Elizabeth: (Smiling) Certainly.

Argon picks Elizabeth up and kisses her passionately. Argon ‘vampire walks’, whilst kissing and carrying Elizabeth, to a tree in the forest behind them. Argon puts Elizabeth down by a massive tree trunk. Elizabeth admires the beauty of the forest that surrounds. Argon takes his shirt off and puts it on Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: I can button up a shirt, you know?

Argon: I know I just do it so much better.

Elizabeth laughs as she shakes her head.

Argon: You disagree?

Elizabeth: Not entirely.

Argon laughs. Argon cups Elizabeth’s face with his hands and kisses her, pushing her toward the tree trunk. A secret door in the tree opens when Elizabeth’s back pushes against the tree. Argon nods his head towards the entrance. Argon walks down a winding staircase. Elizabeth follows.

Secret library:

Argon sits down on a sofa. Elizabeth walks into the library and brushes the shelves with her hand as she walks past. Elizabeth hovers her hand over a book. The book flies through the air into Argon’s hand. Elizabeth smiles.

Argon: That’s not for your eyes.

Elizabeth: What is it? A diary?

Argon puts the book down on a table and sits back down. Elizabeth lunges for the book but Argon grabs her wrist before she does.

Argon: Do you want me to rip your clothes off again?

Elizabeth: Do you think I’d object?

Argon releases Elizabeth’s wrist, takes the book and begins to walk towards a door in the library. Elizabeth walks towards a bookshelf, smiling.

Elizabeth: Or perhaps I might.

Argon walks into a separate room, leaving Elizabeth alone. Elizabeth explores the library and comes across a book labelled ‘Eligible Zabian Ethics’ with ‘Eli’ ‘zab’ and ‘eth’ printed in gold lettering.

Elizabeth: (Whispering) Eligible Zabian Ethics.

Elizabeth pulls the book and one of the book shelves clicks and opens slightly. Elizabeth pulls the door open to reveal a bluely lit room. Elizabeth wipes the bed frame with her finger and sprinkles the dust from it on the floor. Elizabeth explores the room. Elizabeth walks over to a whitely lit podium with a Capiture open on it. Argon walks into the room unsurprised.

Argon: I see you’ve found my secret hideaway.

Elizabeth: Eligible Zabian Ethics? Really?

Argon: Most would not recognise my riddles.

Elizabeth: Are you comparing me to the minority?

Argon: Indefinitely.

 Elizabeth: What is this place?

Argon: You could call it a shrine, if you wish? Everything in here belongs to you.

Elizabeth: I find that hard to believe.

Argon: Why?

Elizabeth: You were a knight of Galideas. We lived, me you and your brother, in Galideas, up until I left. Wouldn’t my possessions stay in Galideas, where I knew it well?

Argon: Galideas wasn’t the only treasured place you knew, Elizabeth. Your admiration took refuge elsewhere.

Elizabeth: Such as here?

Argon: Yes, this place is cryptic and secluded to us only. You did not seek sanctuary or comfort here often but one did hold this place tightly the heart.

Elizabeth: I can tell.

Elizabeth walks back over the podium and Argon stands behind her.

Elizabeth: Possession, what is it?

Argon: It’s not something I’d ever consider.

Elizabeth: Why?

Argon: You take someone’s mind, body and soul. You’re creating a golem. People say it’s meant to be out of love but if you loved someone you wouldn’t destroy them. Possession takes everything that person was, strips it away and leaves an empty figure.

Elizabeth: Why do people do it then, if not as an act of love?

Argon: To create an army.

Elizabeth: An army of humans?

Argon: Exactly that.

Elizabeth: What purpose would an army of humans behold? We are inferior. We’re weak and powerless against vampires.

Argon: Yes against vampires. But to humans they are invincible. An army ordered by its commander is led on trust and the will of the people whilst an army of dominated humans is controlled solely by its proprietor. It’s extraordinary to see what the human mind and body are capable of when compelled by a stern objective which they cannot escape.

Elizabeth: A human army led by vampires.

Argon: The perfect empire.

Elizabeth: Your brother?

Argon: Not to my knowledge. I don’t even think my brother is capable of possession. It’s something beyond the knowledge and moral capability of our own.

Elizabeth: This book, it’s different. Everything else in this room is clouded with dust but this it recently used and intently cared for. All of the items here, I touch and I feel a connection but I touch this and it feels cold and evil, not something of mine or your nature.

Argon: (Muttering under breath) Always perspicacious.

Elizabeth: Pardon?

Argon: Possession intrigues me. It holds such easily accessible power but the power isn’t weak, it’s subjugating and spellbinding and suppressing and…

Elizabeth: (Sarcastically) Dominating.

Argon: It’s very unique.

Elizabeth laughs to herself

Argon: Are you mocking me?

Elizabeth attempts to turn the page in the Capiture but the book flickers through the pages itself. Elizabeth steps back into Argon, in shock. Argon laughs to himself.

Elizabeth: Playing games are we Argon?

Argon: I wish; that’s not my magic, little one.

Elizabeth: Then who’s? I don’t have magic. I…

Elizabeth hovers her hand over the Capiture and the pages flicker across. Argon smiles with pride at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: (Overjoyed) I have magic. (Continuing to flicker through the Capiture using magic) But how?

Argon: Ground breaking discoveries.

Elizabeth: (Distractedly flicking pages) What did you find?

Argon: Obviously something less interesting than your ma…?

Elizabeth laughs. Argon gesture over the Capiture and the pages stop flicking. Elizabeth keeps gesturing at the Capiture confused. Elizabeth looks up at Argon and smiles.

Elizabeth: I apologise. How do I have magic?

Argon: As I was about to say. In the ten years of your absence I looked into your family history to locate where I would find you and came across an anomaly.

Elizabeth: What sort of anomaly?

Argon: Scarring.

Elizabeth: Scarring?

Argon: Everyone from your father’s blood line has a diamond shaped scar on their side (lifting Elizabeth’s shirt up to show where the scar should be) but you don’t.

Elizabeth: What are you saying?

Argon: You are not of your father’s bloodline. You’re mother was unfaithful.

Elizabeth: But my mother was admired for her loyalty.

Argon: Yes, loyalty but loyalty to who?

Elizabeth: So what you’re trying to say is that my mother had loyalties to my biological father not her husband?

Argon: Yes.

Elizabeth: Then why has my magic only be expressed recently?

Argon: Your mother’s husband was angered by her betrayal. He didn’t want to have a child diverse from him but your mother couldn’t part with you. You were her child born of love not politics hence your mother’s husband said that if he couldn’t destroy you he’d take everything that made you your mother’s lover’s daughter away.

Elizabeth: So he destroyed my magic?

Argon: Magic can’t be destroyed but it can be made dormant.

Elizabeth: Then how have I woken it now?

Argon: When I restored you in the ice cave it seems I gave you back your magic. I knew that you weren’t born of your believed father’s bloodline but I never believed your biological father would be of the supernatural.

Elizabeth: Do you know who my father is?

Argon: I have not had that much luck. (Uplifting) I can teach you, little one?

Elizabeth: But you’re a vampire, isn’t it different?

Argon: Different origins, yes, but same art.

Argon holds his hand out to Elizabeth. Elizabeth takes Argon’s hand. Argon leads Elizabeth back out into the library and holds his hand out; a book flies into Argon’s hand.

Argon: This is a Capiture; it’s like a spell book.

Elizabeth reaches out for the book in Argon’s hand. Argon pulls the Capiture out of Elizabeth’s reach and walks away.

Argon: Magic isn’t a gift it’s an honour, an earned honour.

Argon places the Capiture on a shelf and nods his head towards it. Elizabeth smiles bends over and reaches out her hand to draw it towards her. Elizabeth’s eyes narrow as she stares at the Capiture. The Capiture shakes. Argon observes Elizabeth intrigued and walks to behind Elizabeth. Elizabeth begins to come frustrated when the Capiture stops shaking. Argon leans over Elizabeth.

Argon: (Whispering) Perhaps we need a little spark.

Elizabeth gasps. The Capiture flies into Elizabeth’s hand. Elizabeth smiles at Argon as she clasps the book to her chest.