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A Hidden truth

Marguerite looks up at the moon, the only thing that lights the Plateau, it reflects in the rippling lake and she can almost see the bottom. She closes her eyes almost wishing she could stay in this moment forever, everything is calm, quiet and normal. She sighs as she realises she should be getting back to the treehouse, she's been gone for too long all ready and Roxton seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to her wandering around at night.

A shout in the distance steals her attention and she makes her way through the bushes to investigate.

A CLOAKED MAN shouts at a YOUNGER MAN and trips him up, they're arguing and the cloaked man becomes enraged. The young man looks around on the floor for something, the cloaked man picks a golden dagger up off the floor.

CLOAKED MAN: looking for this?

The young man tries to stand and doesn't notice the dagger coming towards him, the cloaked man stabs him in the stomach and steps back. The young man staggers then falls to the floor. Marguerite arrives too late to save the young man but sees the vicious attack, she steps back into a bush and the cloaked man sees her.

She turns to run when the cloaked man grabs her and pushes her back against a tree, he puts the bloody dagger to her neck and smiles.

CLOAKED MAN: Not a word of this to anyone, if you do…You're family is as good as dead.

MARGUERITE: Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have any family.

He laughs and step back.

CLOAKED MAN: Evil always finds a way!

He disappears in a cloud of smoke, Marguerite runs over to the fallen man and checks his pulse, he'' dead.

MARGUERITE: I knew I should've stayed in tonight.

Her heart pounds heavily as she looks around squinting in the darkness, trying to find the killer, she hears horses in the distance and looks through the trees to see riders coming towards her, she runs back to the treehouse as fast as possible, covering her tracks as best she can. Never looking back, the cloaked man watches her as she leaves, he smiles to himself then disappears into the darkness.

* * * * * *

Marguerite walks silently out of the elevator and sneaks to her room, she doesn't notice Roxton sitting in the chair.

ROXTON: Marguerite!

She stops and stands as still as a statue then slowly turns around, she looks at him like a child whose hand has been in the cookie jar. She looks at him onnocently.

MARGUERITE: Didn't you sleep well either?

ROXTON: You shouldn't be wandering around outside at night.

MARGUERITE: I just took a walk, clearing my head.

ROXTON: Well being chased by a raptor is enough to clear anyone's head...

MARGUERITE: Well that didn't happen.

He walks over to her and lifts her chin gently, looking at her neck.

ROXTON: You're hurt!

She moves her head abruptly.

MARGUERITE: It's nothing!

She sees a flicker of hurt in his eyes but she just walks into her room, he follows her, she looks at him impatiently.

MARGUERITE: It's not...

ROXTON: It's not what?

MARGUERITE: It's not the time to be talking...I mean, it's late goodnight Roxton.

She turns away waiting for him to leave, knowing he won't get anything out of her that night he leaves her alone in her room, she gets a small cloth and wipes the blood off her neck then throws it outside, she watches as it blows in the wind then lands in the dirt below.

* * * * * *

MARGUERITE: We've been traveling for hours!

The explorers had set out early that morning to visit someone from a small fishing village who might know a way off the Plateau. The sun beams down on them making them all hot, tired and clumbersome, in Marguerite's case irretable.

ROXTON: We're almost there.

MARGUERITE: You said that an hour ago!

He turns to her frustrated.

ROXTON: And now we're an hour closer.

He carries on walking, ahead of the others.

MARGUERITE: Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Malone and Challanger look at each other and sigh.

CHALLANGER: What's wrong with them?

MALONE: I don't know, but I can't take any more of their arguing.

CHALLANGER: We may not have to.

He points to Veronica whose makes her way back to them after scouting ahead, she looks at them worried.

VERONICA: The village is deserted!

CHALLANGER: That can't be, I was here just last week it's a thriving...

VERONICA: Well it's not anymore.

MARGUERITE: You mean we came all this way for nothing! Can we go back now?

ROXTON: No. We need to find out what happened to villagers.

He starts walking again, Malone turns to Marguerite.

MALONE: The villagers could be in trouble.

MARGUERITE: And that's our problem!

MALONE: Someone from this village could be our ticket out of here.

ROXTON: I'd have thoughtyou'd want to get out of here.

MARGUERITE: Trust me, right now I'd like nothing better.

VERONICA: Then lets go.

She leads them to the sandy beach where the 'thriving' village once stood.

CHALLANGER: Whoever was here left in a hurry.

MALONE: We might find something if we look around.

MARGUERITE: Now we're just asking for trouble!

ROXTON: So stay here.

She rolls her eyes and walks over to a rock and sits down on it while the others search the huts. A shiny object washes up on shore and glints in the sunlight catching her eye.

MARGUERITE: Something good might come out of this trip after all.

She walks toward the object that has become embedded in the ground, in the distance riders come towards the huts. Roxton them then looks at Marguerite as she picks up the object, she takes one look at it then throws it to the floor, Roxton walks over to her and looks at the golden dagger on the floor.

ROXTON: What's wrong?

MARGUERITE: Nothing, nothing at all.

ROXTON: We've got company.

The others join them by the shore as the riders come to a halt in front of them. They dismount and draw their swords, all but one man, his cloak masking part of his face but Marguerite knows who it is.

ROXTON: Can we help you?

Marguerite opens her mouth to say something, the cloaked man puts a finger to his lips and shakes his head.

CHALLANGER: You can put you're weapons away we mean you no harm.

RIDER #1: We come to find a murderer.

MALONE: You're not going to find one here.

Rider #1 steps forward and points to Marguerite with his sword.

RIDER #1: Our seach has come to an end.

RIDER #2: (To Marguerite) you will come with us.

Roxton steps protectively in front of her.

ROXTON: She's not going anywhere with you.

VERONICA: There must be some mistake.

RIDER #1: You wish for her to stay with you?

ROXTON: She is staying with us.

RIDER #2: The you are all our prisoners.

CLOAKED MAN: Take them!

They surround the explorers, the cloaked man blows a horn and six more riders appear over the sandy dune.

CLOAKED MAN: You will come with us.

CHALLANGER: We have done nothing...!

CLOAKED MAN: She will have a fair trial, she will be found guilty...Unless new evidence presents otherwise.

MALONE: You have no evidence to start with.

CLOAKED MAN: We have an eye witness...

He points to the dagger in the sand.

CLOAKED MAN: She tried to conceal the the weapon.

Rider #3 grabs hold of Marguerite from behind, Roxton puches him, he lets go of her and stumbles back.

MARGUERITE: We can't get out of here!

ROXTON: Well I don't plan on staying either.

The riders on the dune gallop towards them. Rider #3 stands up and gets Roxton in a neck hold, Malone moves to help him and Rider #1 stops him, putting the sword to Malone's neck. Veronica goes for her knife and is pulled back by Rider #2 she struggles to escape as Challanger helps Roxton he suddenly becomes still.

ROXTON: Challanger?

CHALLANGER: I...Can't...Move!

MARGUERITE: (To the cloaked man) what are you doing to him!

CLOAKED MAN: Come with us and I will release you're friend...And you will have a fair trial.

MARGUERITE: Fair! As fair as you're being right now?

His face suddenly becomes hard and cold and his eyes glaze over, he raises his arms and the sea behind him rises up high into the air, his eyes cloud over as the skies become grey, a mighty wind almost knocks the explorers to the floor.

CLOAKED MAN: (Shouts) you are my prisoner!

As he shouts thunder explodes in the sky, the other riders dismount.

CLOAKED MAN: Sheath your swords...I don't think we'll have anymore trouble.

He puts down his hands and the sea becomes calm once again and the sun shines brightly, Challanger falls to the floor. he stands up slowly and looks up at the cloaked man.

CHALLANGER: How did you do that?

He ignores Challanger's question and signals for the riders to bring the explorers with them.

* * * * * *

The ride back to the castle is a long one, equally long for the explorers who are being dragged across the rough terrain, up ahead they can see a tall stone structure, not so much as castle as a ruin. Three of the once tall turrnets have crumbled, the castle itself looks cold and unwelcoming, the moat is all dried up. As they get closer the draw bridge is lowered and they carefully walk across for fear of the rotting wood collapsing under their feet.

ROXTON: (Sarcastic) nice place.

CLOAKED MAN: Silence!

They walk through to the courtyard which is suprisingly lively with a market, the villagers seem oblivious to the devastation around, too wrapped up in their own lives to notice the plight of the others. One OLD MAN hobbles over to the cloaked man and walks as best he can beside the trotting horse.

OLD MAN: Sire? Please sire, I...

The cloaked man grabs hold of him by his rags and drags him alongside the horse.

CLOAKED MAN: You are of no use to me, go away!

He lets go of the old man and kicks him back, he falls onto the cold, cobbled ground. Malone stops to help him, Rider #1 kicks him in the leg.

RIDER #1: You'll be joining him soon enough.

Malone stands up and is pushed forward. Veronica stares at Rider #1 coldly.

VERONICA: Are you all right?

MALONE: Never better.

In front of them Roxton is constantly being jabbed in the back, being forced to walk forwards. He stops suddenly and faces his captor.

ROXTON: I can walk without assistance!

He raises his hand to strike Roxton when the cloaked man halts alongside them.

CLOAKED MAN: Enough!

The villagers stop their work and watch the scene, some even daring to come closer to hear the conversation. The cloaked man turns to his audience.

CLOAKED MAN: I have found my brothers, you're kings murderer...The trial will begin in two days.

The crowd forces a smile, a few pretend to cheer, only his followers rush around him praising his work and showering him with flower petals.

FOLLOWERS: Long live King Mandrake!

He grins evily at them.

MANDRAKE: I may have work for you, you are my loyal subjects and I will treat you well.

CHALLANGER: (To Roxton) some king.

ROXTON: HIs...Subjects don't seem too pleased to see him.

MANDRAKE: Take the murderer to my quaters, her friends...Take them to the cells, I'll deal with them later.

Roxton grabs hold of Marguerite's arm.

ROXTON: what's going on? What the hells happened?

MARGUERITE: I don't know, I probably know less than you.

ROXTON: You know him, don't you?

She pauses and looks at him.

Flash Back

Veronica climbs down from the tree she was in and starts to walk ahead.

VERONICA: I scout ahead, I won't be long.

She disapears into the maze of trees, Marguerite wanders away from the others to a nearby stream. Someone taps her on the shoulder.

MARGUERITE: What do you want Roxton?

"Whose Roxton"

She turns around and sees Mandrake.

MANDRAKE: You lied to me, I don't like that...

Present Day

MARGUERITE: I've never seen him before in my life.

A GUARD takes her by the arm and leads her into the castle, while the others are dragged towards the cells.

* * * * * *

Marguerite tries to open the windows in Mandrake's room but their sealed shut, she walks to the door when it opens and Mandrake walks in.

MANDRAKE: Not thinking of leaving are you?

MARGUERITE: Of course not, you're hospitality is so nice.

MANDRAKE: My dear Marguerite if only you would have stayed away. You're friends gave you a chance to stay home but no...

MARGUERITE: You were watching me?

MANDRAKE: Didn't you feel compelled to go with them?

MARGUERITE: Don't be ridiculous!

MANDRAKE: That was me... My brothers guards followed him into the jungle and found him dead, I needed to frame someone, and then the blooded cloth, you picking up the dagger...Too good a chance to miss.

He walks past her to the window, she slowly backs towards the door.

MANDRAKE: My subjects need vengence...

He turns round and points to Marguerite, he clenches his hand into a fist and as she reaches the door she falls to her knees and coughs violently.

MANDRAKE: You can't leave, not ever you're my prisoner and I need you...

To be continued...

Please R & R!!!!