TEASER
FADE IN on a street leading into the port city of Spyridon. A wagon bumps along on the uneven road; there are many well-traveled and nicely flattened-out roads leading to the city, but this is not one of them. A farmer bounces about on top of the wagon, oblivious to this fact. He is elderly, with deep wrinkles and the barest hint of hair remaining on his head. He chews absently on a piece of hay.
Behind him, in the flat bed of the wagon, Autolycus and his 11-year old sidekick Muran bounce around among crates, large urns containing milk, and baskets full of vegetables. Muran seems to be kind of enjoying the ride; Autolycus definitely does not. The farmer pulls to a stop and leans back. "I'm about to take the side-road to the market, young feller," he tells Autolycus. "If you want to go to downtown, I better let ya off here."
"With pleasure," Autolycus says, climbing out. It takes a minute to get his bearings once he is back on solid ground.
Muran waves goodbye to a couple of chickens peering out of a crate and hops off. "Thank you for the ride, sir," she says. "And thanks for letting me nibble on your cheese wheel. It was delicious."
The old farmer smiles. "Thank you for taste-testing it for me, young lady. Pleasant journey to you both." He cracks the reins, and his tired old horses gallop off, carrying him down the road to the market.
"I had forgotten how handy it is to have a horse," Autolycus mutters.
"That farmer was nice," Muran protests.
"He gave you free food," Autolycus replies. "You'd think Ares was a wonderful fellow if there was a meal in it for you."
Muran harrumphs this, then turns her attention to the traffic heading into Spyridon. "This city is so cool!"
"Yeah, right. Let's just get Haley and get the Underworld out of here."
As they walk through the streets, Muran keeps pausing to admire the buildings, and especially the multitude of restaurants. "I mean, what can you have against this city?" Muran asks. "The people are friendly---"
"Except for the pirates who shanghai you and force you to work on their boats."
Muran ignores this, and continues. "There are plenty of restaurants----"
"As long as you like seafood."
"Lots of stores to go in----"
"Most of them priced to gouge tourists."
"Boy, you are in a sour mood today," Muran says. "If this town is so bad, why did you leave Haley here?"
"Madriaga has a home here, with a stable. He promised to look after Haley until I got back."
They walk past several food vendors, stopping at one where Falafel, the traveling cook, is working furiously. He looks up at them and smiles, a crooked-toothed, dentist's nightmare of a smile. "Ah, my friends! Are you hungry today?"
"Are we ever!" Muran says, running up to the booth and looking at what he has on his grills: sausages fried with onions and peppers. "It smells great!" she continues.
Falafel, not used to having his cooking complimented, beams at the comment. "For you, my dear, a discount. Two for the price of one!"
"Great! What are they?"
Falafel takes a fork and pokes a sausage, then drops it into a bread roll. "Spiced pork sausages, served piping hot with onions and peppers and a special sauce made of mustard seeds, inside a bread roll that I have specially made," he says, plopping some onions and peppers on top and holding out one for her. "I call it a 'hot hog'."
At a nearby booth, an old man is picking out tomatoes, and being very fussy about which ones he takes, much to the annoyance of the woman running that booth. The man glances back at Autolycus and Muran, gasps, and drops the tomatoes, running off. "Hey!" The vendor woman calls after him. "You bruised these, you bought them!"
Meanwhile, Muran bites into her sandwich as Falafel prepares one for Autolycus, who seems less eager. "You ever wash your hands there, fellah?" Autolycus asks.
Falafel smiles. "Oh, yes, once a week, minimum."
"This is delicious!" Muran says... near as can be made out, because her mouth is full at the time.
Falafel presents the second 'hot hog' to Autolycus, who reluctantly takes it and bites into it. He contemplates for a moment. "Not bad, I gotta admi---"
"YOU!" A voice calls behind them. They all turn. It is a local constable, sword drawn.
"This is TOO pork," Falafel cries out indignantly. "We went over this yesterday. These are hot HOGS, not hot d---"
"Not you," the constable says, as other soldiers, swords ready, join him. Behind them stands the old man, watching warily. "YOU." He points his sword toward Autolycus.
"Now look," Autolycus says, starting to back up. "There are plenty of thieves that look like me. So if you're trying to connect me with any of the----"
"We're not talking about thievery," the constable growls.
Autolycus is taken aback. "You're not? Then what are you---"
"Murder," The man snarls.
Muran swallows the last bite of her 'hot hog' with a gulp. She glances up at Autolycus, who has furrowed his brow...
FADE OUT. OPENING CREDITS ROLL.
ACT ONE
TITLE CARD: "ROBBERS AND THIEVES AND COURTS OF JUSTICE"
SPECIAL GUEST STAR: JONATHAN FRAKES AS JUSTICER BARRIS
SPECIAL GUEST STAR: PATRICK STEWART AS THE JUDGE
FADE IN on the crowd of street vendors. Autolycus and Muran run along the streets, followed closely by a half-dozen sword-swinging soldiers. Autolycus bounds onto a fruit cart, and leaps onto the balcony of a nearby building. Muran follows, barely making it. Autolycus kicks a window open and runs through a storage room. Below, one of the soldiers tries to follow, but he is more clumsy and ends up tipping the fruit cart over. Other soldiers run into the business and head up the stairs.
Back upstairs, Autolycus and Muran reach another window. "What are they talking about?" Muran asks.
"I have no idea," Autolycus replies. "I'm a lot of things, but I'm no murderer."
He tosses his grappling hook, takes hold of Muran, and swings the two of them across to another building, where they crash through a window.
The soldiers reach the window they just exited, then turn around and race down the stairs, scrambling madly.
Autolycus and Muran make their way to the roof, then bound across to another building. Before long, it is obvious that they have lost their pursuers.
"We have to find someplace to hide," Autolycus says, catching his breath. "and then find out what they're talking about."
"What did you do last time you were here?" Muran asks as they make their way along the ledge of a building.
"Nothing. It was right after you'd been abducted by Lord Bouh-L'ar, and all I did was track them down to the ports here. They had already set sail, so I got Madriaga to take me the way they were headed. I never even had time to steal anything while I was here. He took me to one of the port cities of the desert lands, and I made arrangements for him to watch after Haley til we got back."
"Think he'll know something about this?"
"That's what I'm hoping," Autolycus says grimly, then slides down a drainpipe, followed by Muran.
CUT TO:
"I have no idea," Madriaga says. Autolycus and Muran stand in the parlor of his house... if 'house' is the right word. It is darned close to being a mansion. "There's been no ransom on your head that I've heard of. People in Spyridon tend to think of 'Autolycus' as the daring kid you once were".. he grins wickedly..."not the broken-down old thief you are now."
Autolycus frowns. "So could someone who looks like me have commited a murder? For that matter, how about you? People could mistake us for relatives..."
"Don't flatter yourself," Madriaga says with a grin.
"I wasn't," Autolycus snaps back. "Look, this is serious. Have you killed anyone?"
"Not lately, not here. I'm a pirate captain. The people I fight are out on the high seas. Spyridon is where I come to rest in between voyages. I try not to make trouble while I'm here." Madriaga pours himself a glass of wine. "Now, harboring a fugitive probably counts as making trouble, but you're welcome to stay here. I have to head to Minos to pick up some bolts of silk, and won't be back for weeks..."
"Pick up bolts of silk? I thought you were a pirate, not a merchant," Autolycus says, then adds teasingly "or are you just getting less ambitious in your old age?"
"I'm diversifying," Madriaga says defensively.
They hear the front door slam shut, and Autolycus jumps up.
"Calm down," Madriaga says patiently. "It's probably my friend Kiril. He's a sculptor, and lives here with me when he's not out 'taking in the world' for his art...."
Kiril enters the room. He is a stocky, handsome man with blond curly hair, sideburns and thick eyebrows. He looks to be in his late 30s. "You won't believe the fuss out on the streets, Mad..." he starts, then pauses as he notices the visitors. "Who are these?"
Madriaga stands. "Kiril, this is my old friend Autolycus, and his ward, Muran."
Kiril shakes Autolycus's hand absently. "Pleased to meet you. Anyhow, Mad, the constables are running around like crazy. They think they finally found the man who killed Lady Rissaeus...."
Autolycus gulps. "Lady WHO?"
CUT TO:
Autolycus and Muran stare out the window of Madriaga's attic. Soldiers mill about on the street below. Madriaga is behind them, bringing up blankets. "You can stay here," he says. "I'll bring some food and cider up as well."
Autolycus is lost in thought."Five years ago, I broke into the Rissaeus manor. It was one of my most daring robberies in Spyridon---"
"I'll say," Madriaga interrupts. "Lord Rissaeus is one of the biggest landowners in the province."
"---But I didn't kill anyone." Autolycus finishes.
"After the house was robbed, it burned to the ground," Madriaga explains. "Her body was found in the rubble."
Autolycus sits on a crate, looking concerned. "Could I have knocked over an oil lamp or something, accidentally caused her to die?"
"Not unless you also accidentally stabbed her repeatedly," Madriaga replies. "She was found with the knife still in her. For years, now, they've been trying to solve this case, and the only witness who saw the killer was Rissaeus's manservant."
"The old man who was standing behind the soldiers, probably," Autolycus mutters. "But he didn't... oh, Hades."
"What?" Muran asks.
"He saw me a few days earlier, when I was casing the joint. Then he might have seen me sneaking out with the gold I stole from Rissaeus's hiding place."
"And thought since you were just there you were the killer." Muran finishes the thought.
"Look, if you say you aren't the killer, I believe you," Madriaga says. "After all we went through together all those years ago, I owe you my life ten times over. But the best thing for you to do is get on Haley after darkness falls, and get the hell out of town. My boat sets sail in a few hours, but Kiril will still be here til tomorrow. He can help you with whatever provisions you need."
"I appreciate this, Mad," Autolycus says. "I want to clear my reputation, but it's more important I get the kid out of here safely."
CUT TO:
Night time. Haley trots down the street, with two riders: Muran in the lead, and behind her, Autolycus underneath a flowing robe with a hood he has pulled over his face. They are trying to be as discreet as possible.
"Halt!" Yells a soldier. "Identify yourselves."
"I'm Eroica," Muran says. "And this is my grandmother. She's sick, and I need to get her to the apothecaries' before---"
"Let's have a look at her face," the soldier says, stepping closer.
"She's got leprosy," Muran adds.
The soldier backs up and nervously waves them past.
"Thank you, sonny," Autolycus calls out in a pathetic attempt at an old lady voice.
"That was close," Muran whispers.
"Too close," Autolycus says. "Let's take that back road the farmer brought us in on. Maybe it won't be quite as---" He pauses as they see a roadblock up ahead. "Crowded," he finishes.
Soldiers are inspecting carriages carefully, much to the annoyance of the riders in front of them.
"Let's very quietly turn around..." Autolycus suggests, and they start to head back toward town. "We'll find an unwatched area of woods and head into them, instead of the roads..."
"HALT!" comes a voice behind them. One soldier turns to the others. "Those two on that horse! They're running from the roadblock!"
"Aw, damn," Autolycus says, kicking Haley in the ribs. The horse snorts and breaks into a run, followed closely by soldiers on horseback. Autolycus flings his grappling hook toward a tall building. It catches on the stonework and they lift off Haley's back, swinging through the air.
There are more soldiers this time, and they are starting to move from other directions. Autolycus and Muran leap from one rooftop to the next. One final death-defying leap across to the roof of a temple and....
They are confronted with three soldiers, crossbows ready.
Autolycus spins around and tosses his grappling hook, which catches onto a balcony on a nearby building.
"I wouldn't try to escape, killer," The lead soldier sneers. "We'll fill you full of arrows before you get halfway across."
Autolycus frowns, holding the rope limply in his hands. Muran looks up to him. "What do we do?" she whispers.
Autolycus forces the rope into her hand and pushes her off the temple's rooftop.
She yelps in surprise, but holds onto the rope and swings across to another window on the adjacent building. "YOU, get to safety." Autolycus says softly. "Me, I dunno." He turns, holding his hands up in surrender, and the soldiers move in on him.
Muran watches helplessly as Autolycus is knocked down and his arms are tied...
FADE OUT
ACT TWO
FADE IN
Morning on the streets of Spyridon. A crowd mills around a cathedral-like building. The front door opens, and a constable emerges. "Ladies and gentlemen," he starts, and the crowd suddenly goes silent. "Justicer Barris has asked me to inform you all that we have indeed captured the man we believe responsible for the death of Lady Rissaeus."
The crowd cheers.
"The accused will go on trial tomorrow. King Odom has appointed one of his brothers to act as the judge, and we would ask for volunteers to act as a 'jury' to hear the arguments and help decide the verdict."
There is an uproar as people surge forward, eager to join in. At the back of the crowd, Muran stands on a barrel watching this, distressed.
"This isn't going to be a fair trial..." she starts sadly.
"You're telling me?" comes a voice from nearby. She turns around and sees a 12-year old boy standing next to the barrel looking up at her.
He is lean, with blond hair and shimmering brown eyes; five or six braided strands hang down from different spots in his hair, but the rest is worn shaggy. He is clad in worn-out leather clothes with torn sleeves. The bottoms of his pants legs are shredded, and his boots are similarly worn out and at least two sizes to large for him.
He reaches up. "Need some help?"
She doesn't, but she takes his hand anyhow and lets him help her off the barrel
"I'm Augustus," he says. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around... and I would've noticed.". He flashes a devilish grin that causes her, just barely, to blush.
"I'm Muran. My friend is the one they're going to put on trial."
Augustus looks over to the milling crowd. "Ooh, tough luck," he says. "Cause there's no way your friend is gonna come out of this with his head and his body still attached."
"What makes you so sure of that?"
"Everyone hates the man who killed Lady Rissaeus," he says. "I know I do."
"You don't even know him!" she protests as they walk along the edges of the crowd.
"Ever since she died, Lord Rissaeus has been an ogre. He's increased the rent on all his property, demanded extra interest on loans, and made life miserable for anyone who needs to do business with him in this city... which almost everyone does. Everyone thinks it's despair that drove him to all that, and they blame the killer."
"Do you?"
"No, but that's 'cause I used to know him. Back when I was little, my mother worked in his household. But then she ran out on us. If Lady Rissaeus had still been alive, I'm sure she would have taken us in. She was a nice lady. But Lord Rissaeus just threw my brother in me into an orphanage. He's always been a mean old cuss."
"So you live in an orphanage?" Muran asks.
Augustus scoffs. "I don't THINK so. We got out of there in about six months. Since then, I've been living on the streets taking care of my brother Josias." They come up to a cluster of old ladies chattering away, and Augustus pauses. He motions, and Muran follows where he is pointing. In the middle of the crowd, an 8-year old boy is quietly sliding through, lifting purses. He is a younger version of Augustus, with the same hair and eye color but with no attempt at hair grooming of any sort. He glances around nervously and makes his way out of the cluster, toward Augustus.
"This crowd is easy!" he says in what amounts to a loud whisper. "I bet I got ten purses that have more than a few coins in 'em."
"Josias, this is Muran," Augustus says. motioning to her.
"Hi," Josias says shyly. He had not noticed her at first.
"So you two are thieves?" Muran whispers.
"Not thieves," Josias says defensively. "Antranours."
Augustus rolls his eyes. "En-tre-pe-neurs," he corrects. He turns to Muran. "Come on, I'll show you where we live."
CUT TO:
The basement of a dilapidated building. Muran carefully walks down the rickety steps, which seem ready to give way at any second. A few shreds of light make their way in through a tiny window. The rest is damp, dank and muggy. Some crates have been pushed together, and ragged blankets are atop them. Augustus jumps on top of one of these makeshift 'beds' and rolls over. "Home sweet home," he says.
Muran looks around. "Is this place safe?"
"Until they tear it down," Augustus says. "Then we'll move again."
Josias is ignoring them as he empties the purses he had snatched and starts sorting the coins.
"Can you help me get my friend out of there?" Muran asks.
Augustus snorts. "I doubt it! The constables are pretty tough to begin with, and they're gonna be extra defensive with that guy. Can't you just find a new friend?"
"Would you just try to find a new brother?" Muran says angrily.
Augustus glances over at Josias, who is admiring the patterns on a gold coin. "I get your point. But what can we do?"
CUT TO:
A balcony of the city's courthouse. Justicer Barris stands on the balcony, watching with delight as members of the crowd beg for a chance to be in the jury.
Barris is blandly handsome, with a well-trimmed beard and short-cut brown hair. He is clad in immaculate, stylish clothing, and holds a glass of mead in his hand.
"Quite a turnout, don't you think, Sergei?" he says over his shoulder.
Behind him, a lanky, hawkish man is going through stacks of scrolls. "Yes, sir," Sergei says, not taking his eyes off the scrolls. "Quite a turnout indeed... THIS is interesting, 'City of Spyridon versus Shantarra of Andonine,' charged with grand larceny, but there was no physical evidence of her guilt. The case was built on circumstantial evidence"
"Was she convicted?"
"Yes, but she escaped," Sergei says, rolling the scroll back up.
"THAT was before I became Justicer of this city," Barris says proudly. "This murderer won't get off so lucky."
A fat little man with red hair worn in a bowl cut races into the room, panting. "Justicer..." he wheezes. "Important... discovery..."
"What is it?" Barris says impatiently.
The messenger holds up a scroll. Barris snatches it from him, stares at it and grins. "Is this for real?"
"Yes... sir...." the messenger gasps.
"Excellent," Barris says with an evil grin....
CUT TO:
The courtroom. Autolycus sits tied to a chair at one table, and beside him Barris and Sergei sit. Sergei is still going over his stacks of scrolls. Twelve jurors sit in a boxed-in area to one side, and the courtroom is filled with people talking excitedly amongst themselves.
At the podium in front of them, an imposing bald man in his mid-50s takes a seat. He is clad in elaborate robes, and looks like he has been sucking on some lemons that went bad. "This court will now come to order!" He bellows. Everyone goes quiet.
"Justicer Barris, are you ready to present the case against the accused?"
"Yes, your honor," Barris says smugly.
"And accused..." the judge turns to Autolycus..."What is your name?"
"Bouh-L'ar," Autolycus offers.
"Well, Bouh-L'ar, are you ready to plead YOUR case?"
"Not really, your honor. I'm not that well-versed in Spyridonian law and---"
"A counsellor has been appointed for you."
"Really?" Autolycus seems almost hopeful.
"Cogleus!" The judge calls out.
"Coming, your honor," comes a voice from the back of the courtroom. A hyperkinetic, balding little man works his way to the front of the court, holding an ungainly stack of scrolls. He keeps having to pause to pick up scrolls that fall out of his hands. He stumbles and falls, then grabs up the scrolls and drops them onto the desk. He finally plops down in his chair right next to Autolycus and glances at him. "Hi."
Autolycus says "Hi" in response and rolls his eyes. His earlier hopefulness is gone.
"Now that everyone is here, let the case of the City of Spyridon versus Bouh-L'ar commence..." The judge starts.
"Your honor, if I may," Barris says, standing.
"If you may WHAT?" The judge asks impatiently.
"I would like to point out that before this trial has even gotten underway, the accused has already committed perjury and made a mockery of this court!" Barris says, striding confidently to the front of the courtroom. He turns around, and points accusingly at Autolycus. "This man is NOT named Bouh-L'ar!"
Barris unrolls a scroll and holds it up for all to see.
It is a wanted poster that is weathered with age. It says 'Wanted for Cattle Thievery: Autolycus of Scyros: Reward 5,000 Dinars Dead or 5,001 Dinars Alive. By order of King Sisyphus' with a reasonably accurate drawing of Autolycus .
"THIS is Autolycus, the King of Thieves!" Barris declares.
The courtroom gasps.
"That's right, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the same Autolycus who started a crime spree in this very city twenty years ago! The man wanted in the thefts of the dagger of Helios, the Quallus crystal, and the sceptre of Ahn-Ah'ra, among countless other treasures! A man wanted in twelve provinces!"
The courtroom is abuzz with this stunning new revelation.
"Only eleven," Autolycus corrects weakly.
Cogleus looks at him uncertainly. "We aren't off to the best start here," he says, understating the situation dramatically.
CUT TO:
Barris paces in the front of the courtroom. Seated before him is the old man who had identified Autolycus at the market.
"And are you sure this is the same man, Hussius?" Barris asks.
"Yes, sir," Hussius says, pointing at Autolycus. "He was in the manor a few days before the tragedy. He had been brought in there by Aura, a servant girl. She claimed he was an 'old friend'."
"And you doubt that story?"
"She was a tramp, and met him at a tavern..."
"I object!" Autolycus yells, trying to stand before remembering that he is tied down.
The judge scowls at him, then turns to Hussius and says "Go on."
"They were caught together in a... compromising position... in one of the guest chambers, and I threw him out. But before that, I noticed that he had been skulking around examining the positions of windows and doorways, very suspicious-acting. Several days later, I saw a figure running away from the manor when I was making my nightly rounds before turning in. I recognized it as him." He points again at Autolycus.
"Can this servant girl Aura confirm this story?"
"No, sir. She ran off with Nikos, the groomsman, in the confusion after the fire. They took several expensive horses with them. We never found them."
"I see."
Near the back of the court, in the midst of the crowd, Muran and Augustus watch. Muran glances over and notices that Augustus has clenched his teeth and his eyes are watery.
"What's wrong?" She asks.
"That's my mother he called a tramp," Augustus whispers back.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"He's right, though. She was a tramp. She just ran off with that guy and left us."
Muran drags him out into the hallway. "Look," she whispers. "She may be the only person who knows that Autolycus is innocent. We have to find her."
"She doesn't want to be found," Augustus replies harshly.
"We HAVE to try," Muran says, on the verge of tears. "My friend might DIE otherwise."
Augustus rolls his eyes. "Okay, okay. I can't stand it when girls cry."
CUT BACK TO: The courtroom. Cogleus paces in front of Hussius. "How old are you, Hussius?" He asks.
"Seventy." Hussius replies proudly.
"And your mental faculties haven't faded? Or your eyesight? Can you SWEAR that is the same man you saw five years ago?"
"That's what I've been doing," Hussius replies. "It's the same man. He even wore that stupid little goatee back then too."
Autolycus grunts defensively, stroking his goatee.
"I have an excellent memory," Hussius continues. "It was him."
"But how are you so sure that he was the same one who you later saw sneaking away?"
"First off, he was the same height and build. Second off, he was coming out one of the windows I had seen him examining earlier. Third..." Hussius turns to Barris. "Should I tell them?"
Barris smiles inscrutably and nods.
"Third, he was wearing... THAT." Hussius points over to Barris, who has opened a sack and is holding aloft a green vest with dark stains on it. He waves it so everyone in the jury can see. "Exhibit One," Barris says proudly.
"I saw him wearing that vest," Hussius continues, "And after the fire I found it soaked with blood outside the manor." The crowd erupts in renewed murmurings.
Cogleus scurries over to Autolycus. "Do you know anything about this?" he whispers angrily.
"I used it to cover my hand when I broke through the glass window," Autolycus replies. "It wasn't thick enough, and I got cut. That's my blood, not hers."
Cogleus frowns. "We have no way to prove that, though, do we?"
FADE OUT
ACT THREE
FADE IN
Muran and Augustus race along on the streets.
"Do you have even the vaguest clue of where she might have gone?" Muran asks.
"None. She ran off with Nikos, and they took horses with them, so they may have been planning to go pretty far away."
"Any relatives who might have been in contact with your mother since then?"
Augustus rolls his eyes. "Of course not. My mother moved us to Greece when I was four. We're originally from Rome, but my father died in the Hyperborian War and she wanted a new start. Josias was born during the boat ride, and we came to Spyridon. This is as far into Greece as she ever ventured. If I have any relatives back in Rome, I've never met 'em or heard of 'em."
"Did she have any friends?"
"I don't know! I was seven when she ran away! All I remember is her bringing a man home just before she ran off. All these years I thought that was Nikos, but seeing your friend I think it was him."
"Autolycus?"
"That's the only friend of yours I know," Augustus says sarcastically. "It was past my bed time, but I heard talking downstairs and went to the stairwell. She was sitting at a table whispering something to him, and they were looking at some parchments. Then she kissed him, and I ran back to bed. It was the first time I'd ever seen her kiss someone who wasn't my father."
"Sorry," Muran says, sensing his sadness. "But what could Autolycus and your mom have been talking about?"
Augustus shrugs. "I dunno."
CUT TO:
A chamber at the courthouse. Cogleus paces back and forth, his mind racing.
"Okay, we have to admit that you did break into Rissaeus's manor and steal his treasures." Cogleus says, raising a finger.
"Yep," Autolycus says. "But I didn't kill anyone---"
"And we have to admit that WAS you're vest with blood on it that was found outside the manor," Cogleus continues, raising a second finger.
"Yes," Autolycus says. "But that was MY blo---"
"And we know that a witness saw you running away from the manor shortly before the fire." Cogleus raises a third finger.
"So he says," Autolycus replies.
"Now, I have to know your side of the story so we can defend you properly. What was your relationship with the servant girl Aura?"
Autolycus frowns. "I met her a few weeks before the robbery..."
FADE BACK TO:
Five years ago. Autolycus wears his hair in a short ponytail, but otherwise looks much like we know him today. He wears a white shirt, black leather pants, and green vest. He is strolling through the market.
VOICEOVER (from modern-day Autolycus): "I had come to Spyridon to hide out for a while after a particularly daring robbery in Scyros."
Autolycus stops to admire some fruits from a stand run by an elderly woman. He grins and starts juggling a few of the apples, and the old woman laughs in delight. He glances over to one side and notices something. Distracted, he doesn't pay attention to what he's doing and two of the apples conk him in the head... which makes the old woman laugh even harder. He puts the apples back on her stand and moves away from it...
VOICEOVER: "I met Aura at the city market. She was absolutely breathtaking..."
Autolycus approaches a stand where a beautiful young woman haggles over the price of some fish. She is short and buxom, with shaggy blonde hair and shimmering brown eyes.
"Can't we work something out?" She asks the fish vendor. "I can pay you the rest on Friday...."
"Pay now, or get nothing," The vendor says coldly.
"But my sons need food..."
"Excuse me?" Autolycus interrupts. Aura and the fish vendor turn to him. "But I was wondering how much this would buy." He holds up a gold coin.
The fish vendor eyes it greedily. "Three large sea bass," he says, pointing to them.
"Make it four." Autolycus flips the coin to him, then turns to Aura. "On me."
"What?" Aura says, dumbstruck. "You're buying them... for me?"
"For you and your sons, I suppose," Autolycus says, grinning, then arches an eyebrow. "And would it also be for your husband?"
"No," she says sadly. "He died years ago, in a war." She takes the bundle of fish from the fish vendor and she and Autolycus walk away from the booth. "I work for the House of Rissaeus, and take care of my sons the best I can."
"Doesn't the lord of the manor provide his servants with food?"
"No, not at all." She says. "We don't even live in the manor. He has small houses set up on his estate. He lets us live there rent-free...."
"How kind," Autolycus mutters sarcastically.
"But he hates to have 'peasants' in the same house he is in. His manservant is the only one who has a room in the manor itself."
"And you can't sneak food out?"
"I've tried. Rissaeus is so strict on that, he once flogged a stableboy for stealing a slab of cheese."
"Charming."
They walk along, and then we CUT TO a scene of them sitting together at a table in a tavern, talking quietly.
VOICEOVER: "We got to talking, and figured out a plan. She would help me scout out the manor, and I would break into it, steal what I could, and we would split what I found. That way, she could take care of her kids and get away from that tyrant. Along the way, we kind of became... involved..."
CUT TO: scene of Autolycus and Aura in her sparsely-decorated cabin. A ladder leads to the attic, and we can see 7-year old Augustus peering down it to watch them. Autolycus and Aura kiss, and Augustus gasps and runs back up into the attic.
CUT BACK TO: Present Day.
Cogleus leans in to Autolycus. "Then why didn't she run off with you instead of the groomsman?"
Autolycus shrugs. "The plan was for me to leave a portion of the treasure in a hole we dug out underneath a rock on the edge of Rissaeus's estate. She would pick it up when the heat was off. We knew if I stayed there, or if she left right away, people would get suspicious. When I came back to Spyridon a year later, I heard that she had moved away and assumed she and her kids had a happy life somewhere else."
"Perhaps we can paint you as a noble thief who was trying to help this poor woman, get some sympathy going with the jury..."
CUT TO:
"Oh, COME ON!!" Barris says, rising from his seat.
Autolycus is on the witness stand, and Cogleus is there in front of him. Cogleus turns. "I'm not through questioning the defendant..."
Barris walks out onto the main floor beside Cogleus. "You're trying to paint him as some sort of 'noble thief' who was helping that 'poor woman' make a better life for her children," he says sarcastically.
"Yes, and that's exactly what---"
"But tell me, Autolycus," Barris says, turning to the King of Thieves. "If she was trying to make a 'better life' for her children... why did she leave them behind?"
The courtroom gasps, almost in unison. Autolycus is dumbstruck. "Whaaat?"
"She abandoned them, left them there. Lord Rissaeus had no option but to put them in an orphanage."
"She wouldn't have done that," Autolycus replies, still trying to work out this revelation in his mind.
"But she DID, my friend," Barris says with a nasty smirk.
CUT TO:
Muran nibbles on a piece of bread. She is sitting on an old crate in an alleyway. Augustus is there, along with Josias and three other urchins, all of whom are in Muran's age range.
"We could find out who might have bought those horses Nikos stole," offers a 10-year old boy of West African heritage.
"And how would we find THAT out, Ahlan?" Augustus asks gruffly.
"We could check all the deeds of sale in a hundred-mile radius until we found Nikos's name," offers an 11-year old Indian girl with long hair worn in a ponytail.
"I don't think so, Veshna," Muran replies. "There's no telling if he even used his own name, and once you get outside the city such things aren't that well-documented."
The last urchin, an 11-year old brown-haired boy, jumps up. "I've got it!"
Augustus looks doubtful. "You've got what, Deren?"
Deren grins. "Watch me..."
CUT TO:
An old woman opens her front door to the sound of knocking. "Yes?" she says in a quavering voice.
Deren looks up at her. He is better-groomed than when last we saw him. He smiles pitifully, his eyes wide and innocent. "Are... are you my grandmom?" he asks in an exaggeratedly boyish voice.
The old woman stares down at him. "Who are you?"
"My mommy said that my daddy was a horse rider named Nikos. Some people told me you're his mommy." He absently kicks his foot around, making circles in the dirt, and shyly glances up at her.
"Oh, my!" the old woman cries out. "Come in, young man..."
Deren looks over his shoulder and winks at the other urchins and Muran, who hide in a nearby alleyway.
"He's good at that," Muran says.
"Tell me about it," Augustus replies. "If he wasn't such a spendthrift, I think he'd own a house by now."
CUT TO:
Deren emerges from the cabin, with a sack of food and provisions. "Thank you, grandmomma!" he says.
The old woman smiles warmly. "Now you be careful!" She calls. "And tell Nikos to write more often!"
Deren runs over to the alley, and offers the food to the others. They greedily dig in.
"She told me where Nikos lives now," Deren says. "He has a farm in Carolos. She gave me money for a carriage ride there."
"That's not too far away," Augustus says, then glances at Muran. "We can make it there and back in a day and a half." He turns to Veshna. "Can you watch after Josias?"
"Yes, of course," Veshna says.
"I don't need watching after!" Josias protests, his mouth full of bread.
CUT TO:
Barris paces in front of the jury box.
"Are you telling me that this man sold you a gemstone from Rissaeus's treasure?" He asks.
On the stand sits Urelles, a weaselly little blond-haired thief of Autolycus's unfortunate acquaintance.
"Yes, sir," Urelles says.
"I object!" Cogleus says, standing. "Your honor, we admit that Autolycus stole Rissaeus's treasure. But this case is about whether or not he killed the woman, and this has no bearing on ---"
"If I may," Barris says, turning back to Urelles. "Has Autolycus ever threatened your life?"
"On many occasions," Urelles says.
Autolycus leans over to Cogleus. "Everyone who knows Urelles threatens his life," he whispers.
"The last time we met, Autolycus stole a crystal from me," Urelles continues. "He used it to blow up a building."
The courtroom gasps.
"It wasn't a building!" Autolycus protests, standing. "It was a big... object of some sort, but not a building! And it had these nasty creatures in it!"
"Sit DOWN, Autolycus!" The judge bellows.
Cogleus reaches up and pulls Autolycus back into his seat. "You keep up these outbursts, and they'll go back to tying you down," he whispers harshly.
Autolycus stares at Urelles, fuming.
CUT TO:
A covered wagon rolls along the bumpy roads leading to Carolos. A pudgy middle-aged woman and her thin, browbeaten husband sit on one bench in the back of the wagon, Muran and Augustus on the other.
"Where are you young people going?" the woman says in a haughty tone.
"We're eloping," Augustus says with a grin.
The woman is flabbergasted. "You're too young to do that!" She protests.
"Aw, you sound just like our folks," Augustus replies, kicking his legs up on a window and gazing out at the passing countryside.
"We're actually going to meet some of his family, ma'am," Muran offers.
"That's better," the woman says, sniffing. "Insolent whelp." she growls at Augustus, who doesn't acknowledge her.
"You try to make enemies everywhere you go?" Muran whispers harshly.
"Aw, she's just an old busybody," Augustus replies, also whispering. "Who cares what she thinks?"
"We're in sight of Carolos!" the wagon driver yells back at his passengers. Augustus and Muran lean out the windows.
"I hope to Zeus we can find some answers here," Muran says. "They've GOT to have some proof Autolycus didn't do it."
CUT TO:
A farmhouse. Animals mill about, and horses trot contendedly in a nearby field. Muran and Augustus approach the house itself.
"On second thought, you can ask them," Augustus says, starting to turn around.
"Oh, no you don't," Muran says, grabbing his arm. "You're going to have to confront your mother some day."
"I'd rather just wait for her to die so I don't have to."
"What a horrible thing to say!" Muran replies.
"What a horrible thing she did, abandoning us in the first place."
Muran spins him around so she is face-to-face with him. "Look. I haven't seen MY mom since I was four years old, and I would love nothing more than to see her again. There must have been a reason for what your mom did. And you HAVE to find out what that is."
Augustus sighs. "Oh, all right," he says, resigned to his fate. They walk up onto the porch and knock on the door.
"Coming!" a woman yells from inside. Augustus gulps and looks around. Muran takes his hand and holds it in hers.
The door opens. A woman in her late 30s stands there. She has sandy brown hair worn up in a bun, and wears an apron with fresh flour on it. "I'm terribly sorry for how I look, but I've just been baking a pie..." She starts. "Can I help you?"
Augustus is thunderstruck. Muran looks at him, and looks back to the woman.
"Um, are you the wife of Nikos?" Muran asks.
"Yes, I am," she replies, wiping her hand on her apron.
"And is your name Aura?" Muran continues.
"No," the woman starts, suddenly concerned. "It's Mayna."
"No it's not," Augustus says hoarsely, still in shock. He turns to Muran. "It's Lady Rissaeus."
FADE OUT.
ACT FOUR
FADE IN
A crowd mills about outside the courthouse in Spyridon. Suddenly, the doors leading out onto a balcony swing open and Barris strides out. The crowd roars in approval, and he waves for them to be silent... after enjoying the moment.
"My dear fellow citizens," he says, smiling broadly, "I know there are many rumors circulating about the trial. And I just wanted to assure you all, this whole nightmarish ordeal is almost over! Within the day, I expect the case to go to the jury, and justice will finally be served for the horrific tragedy that befell the house of Rissaeus!"
As the crowd goes wild, Barris turns and whispers to Sergei, "I told you this case would make me."
Sergei nods, never taking his eyes off the crowd, and whispers back "After Autolycus is beheaded, you'll be able to win ANY election."
"I certainly hope so," Barris whispers through clenched teeth as he maintains the smile and waves at the crowd. "Mindless rabble, I could've convinced them a rabbit committed the murder."
Sergei glances discreetly over his shoulder. Behind him, in Barris's office, a stocky man with greying shoulder-length hair and a two-inch long goatee watches approvingly.
CUT TO:
A wagon races along the cobbled streets of a small town in between Spyridon and Carolos. In the front of the wagon, Mayna (who was once Lady Rissaeus) sits beside a stocky, handsome man with weathered features. He is running the horses as fast as they will go.
In the back of the wagon, Muran and Augustus bounce around with nothing but bales of hay to grab onto. Augustus is lost in thought. Muran scoots over closer to him, and a sudden bump practically knocks her into his lap. He helps steady her, and then looks back off into the distance.
"Are you okay?" she whispers.
"No," he says, surprised by his own honesty. He looks into her eyes, and she can see that he has been crying. "If Lady Rissaeus is alive, does that mean the body they found... was my mother?"
"We don't know that," Muran says, hugging Augustus. "Just... hope for the best."
"How about this one?" Augustus says, quieter. "What if those two planned it way back then? What if they take us off into the woods and try to kill us?"
"We won't let 'em," Muran says with a faint smile.
CUT TO:
The courtroom. Cogleus paces in front of the jury box at such a fast clip the jurors never stop moving their heads following him.
"I put it to you that the evidence Justicer Barris has presented is purely circumstantial. No one actually SAW Autolycus kill Lady Rissaeus, and in his long, illustrious career as a 'King of Thieves' he has certainly NOT developed a reputation as a killer." He spins to face the jurors. "The only fair verdict is 'Not Guilty.' This man is no murderer. A thief? Yes. A rogue? Yes. A seducer of innocent maide--"
"A-HEM!!" Autolycus calls out from his seat. Cogleus glances to him with a 'sorry, I got carried away' expression on his face.
"In conclusion, Autolycus is many things, but he is NO killer. Thank you."
Cogleus takes a seat, and glances over worriedly at the judge.
"Well, you have heard closing arguments from both sides. I now put it to you all to render a fair verdict in accordance with the laws of Spyridon. Bailiffs?"
Several guards escort the jurors out of the room.
The judge turns to address the court. "The court is recessed until we hear from the jurors that they have made a decision. Guards, take Autolycus back to his cell."
As the guards approach, Barris slides up next to Cogleus.
"That was the BEST you could do?" Barris asks incredulously.
"Autolycus is an innocent man," Cogleus responds. "That is ALL the jury needs to consider."
"But what about his long list of crimes? Even if he didn't do THIS crime, there are others he hasn't been brought to justice for."
"The laws of Spyridon don't allow executions for anything except murder and treason, you know that." Cogleus turns to face Barris. "And if YOU have doubts about Autolycus's guilt, bear in mind that as long as only ONE other person on that jury has similar doubts, my client will walk."
Barris's face goes pale as he considers that.
CUT TO:
Autolycus paces in his jail cell, looking around at the floor. "Come on, there has to be SOMETHING," he mutters. "No needles, no flecks of stone, not even a stray bone."
"Don't bother looking," says a man in an adjacent cell. Autolycus looks up. The man is elderly, with frizzy hair that is mostly white but still has a few red strands in it. He has been in the jail a very long time; his beard is a foot long, and his fingernails are more than an inch long. He looks like he hasn't had a bath in about five years. "They're VERY careful not to leave anything you can use to break out. And even if you did, the guards are ready to cut you to ribbons. Really, really thin ribbons, to be specific."
"Swell," Autolycus replies, then rubs his chin. "Say, lemme ask you something..." he starts, moving closer to the bars between their two cells....
CUT TO:
The guards stand alert outside the door leading to the jail cells. Suddenly, they hear the old man cry out "Guards! Help!!!"
Two of them race in while two more remain outside. They walk in and find the old man cowering in the corner of his cell. "Oh, my," he says. Oh, oh, my..."
"What's wrong with you, old fool?" one guard asks. The other one glances over at Autolycus's cell... which is empty.
"Hey, where's the other..." Before he can finish the sentence, Autolycus swings down from the rafter he had been holding onto and kicks the guard into the cell bars.
"How did you get out of your cell?" The other guard starts, drawing his sword. Before it is unsheathed, Autolycus grabs hold of the bars, kicks his legs up, wraps them around the guard's head, and swings him around so he, too, slams into the bars. The guard staggers and falls beside the other one.
Autolycus smiles at the prisoner. "Told you we could do thi--"
"Behind you," the prisoner whispers, pointing. The fingernail on the finger he is pointing with is no longer exceptionally long.
Autolycus glances over his shoulder to see the third guard with a sword drawn and pressed against the back of Autolycus's neck. The fourth guard stands behind him. "It was worth a try," Autolycus says, dropping the inch-long fingernail piece he had used to pick the lock.
The guard pushes him back into the cell, and Autolycus glances suspiciously at the inmate in the cell next to him. "You told me there were only two guards out there," he says.
The old man grins, exposing his snaggled, discolored teeth. "Yeah, but you might not've tried to break out if you knew there were four. Have to have SOME excitement around here."
CUT TO: The courtroom.
Cogleus glances over at Autolycus, who is once again tied down. "That escape attempt was NOT a smart move," Cogleus chides him.
"Neither was coming to this godsforsaken town," Autolycus grumbles.
Barris strides in, smiling confidently. "Didn't take the jury too long to find a verdict, did it, Cogleus?"
Cogleus glances over at him disapprovingly, but says nothing.
CUT TO:
Barris's office. His assistant Sergei is grooming an ornate outfit. Behind him, the stocky goateed man we saw earlier frowns. "I would prefer Barris kept this all low-key," The man says. "He's turned it into a circus."
"With all due respect, my lord," Sergei replies, "The people are on your side. We'll have Autolycus on the chopping block soon enough." He holds up the outfit. "I think Barris will look SPLENDID in this, addressing the crowds. Don't you?"
The man grunts, and looks out the windows. "The crowds wouldn't care if he was naked, they just want to see bloo----" his voice trails off and his eyes go wide. "SERGEI! COME HERE!"
Sergei moves over to the window. "What is it, my..." He looks down... "lord..."
Below them, a wagon makes its way through the parting crowd. The crowd is yelling, and for good reason: riding in the passenger seat is Lady Rissaeus. Sergei's jaw drops, and he scrambles out of the room. "This is bad, this is VERY bad...."
The goateed man just continues to stare down.
CUT TO:
The wagon makes its way up to the front of the courthouse. The people are in shock. "Is it her?" "Can it be?" "What the?" and so on can be heard from the crowd.
Mayna waves at the crowd as Nikos commands the horses. In the back, Muran looks around excitedly. Augustus glances up, and grabs her shoulder. "I think I just saw Lord Rissaeus staring down from one of the windows of the courthouse," he whispers. "We better be ready for trouble."
At the front door of the courthouse, Nikos helps Mayna down off the wagon. They turn, and find the door blocked by Sergei and a contingent of guards.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a trick," Sergei announces loudly. "You know the legends. Autolycus is a master of disguise, and his fellow thieves are as well. This is obviously a fraud, to confuse everyo---"
"Oh, stow it!" Nikos yells, throwing a punch. Sergei collapses and the guards grab Nikos and Mayna. Other guards approach Muran and Augustus, who jump back up onto the wagon.
Muran reaches into her coat and pulls out Autolycus's grappling hook. She winks at Augustus and flings it toward the courthouse. She isn't as strong as Autolycus, but is able to get it to stonework on a window above them. They swing up on it, narrowly dodging the guards. Augustus kicks at the guards as he and Muran scramble the rest of the way up the rope and onto the ledge.
CUT TO:
Inside the courtroom.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asks.
"We have, your honor," the jury foreman, a short, chubby man, says. He lifts a piece of parchment. "We, the jury, find the defendant---"
There is a loud rapping noise at the window, and everyone turns. Muran and Augustus stand there.
"Who are those children?" the judge asks.
"Overeager spectators," Barris replies. "What was that verdict?"
The foreman starts to read it, when the judge jumps from his seat. "They're motioning down to the street. What the Hades is going on out there?" He strides to the window and looks out. Muran mouths something ("La-dy Ri-Sa-eus") to him and points downward. The judge looks where she is pointing and pulls back in shock.
"Court is in recess until I figure this one out!" He yells, racing out of the courtroom. Barris follows, as does Cogleus.
CUT TO:
Street level. The guards mill about uncertainly. Several of them continue to hold Nikos (who resists aggressively) and Mayna (who does not), while others try to climb up onto the ledge to get the two children. As they climb, they are pelted with rocks, rotten vegetables and garbage from the crowd.
The doors to the courthouse swing open and the judge stands there, taking this all in.
"Will someone please explain WHAT is going on here?"he bellows.
"I can," Mayna offers. "I am Lady Rissaeus..."
CUT TO:
The courtroom. Lady Rissaeus is on the stand. "... and I told Lord Rissaeus I was going to leave him, that I had fallen in love with Nikos," she says. "He told me if I did, he would hunt us down to the ends of the Earth. But he never did, and we never knew why."
Cogleus paces in front of her. "So, you were nowhere near the Rissaeus manor on the night before the full moon in that particular month, five years ago?"
"I had left him the day before," she says. "He swore he would not tell anyone, to avoid scandal when he dragged me back."
"A scandal he avoided conveniently by faking a fire and your murder," Cogleus says.
"Your honor, I object!" Barris cries out.
"To WHAT?" The judge replies harshly. "Lord Rissaeus is not in this courtroom, and if he were, your duty would be to PROSECUTE him, not act as defense counsel."
Barris slumps back in his chair.
"As I was saying," Cogleus continues, smirking at Barris, "He used the ill-timed robbery to give himself a scapegoat. I propose that he may have even come up with this plan on the spur of the moment, and killed an innocent woman and left her in the fire... most likely Aura, the cleaning woman, since she lived on his estate and was nearby when he needed a body to 'save face'."
At the defense table, Augustus watches, shaking a bit. Muran reaches over and puts her arm around him for support.
"We may never know if this is true," Cogleus concludes, "but we do know that Autolycus could not have murdered the woman who sits before us."
"But he may have murdered Aura!" Barris cries out. "So he could keep all the treasure!"
"I left the treasure for her," Autolycus replies. "If she never got it, I doubt anyone else stumbled across it..."
CUT TO:
A wooded area on the Rissaeus estate.
The judge, Cogleus, Mayna, Nikos, Barris, Muran, Augustus and a few others from the court stand around as Autolycus pushes a rock aside. "I chose a relatively small rock," he grunts, "So she wouldn't have trouble moving it aside... damn thing must've settled..." finally it moves, and he reaches down into a hole underneath it, pulling out a sack. The judge takes it from his hand. Inside are tarnished coins and jewelry.
"The evidence indicates that Autolycus is innocent," the judge announces. "The contents of this sack must be worth thousands of dinars, perhaps tens of thousands."
"Which must be returned to Lord Rissaeus," Barris says.
The judge arches an eyebrow. "Really, Barris? And what would the public think of giving such money to a suspected murderer? I doubt it would be a wise move for your political career."
Barris glowers at Autolycus.
"In fact, the next time anyone in Spyridon sees Lord Rissaeus, they must have him arrested at once."
"What about the money, then?" Autolycus asks.
"Do you want to keep it?" The judge replies. "I have no objection."
Autolycus glances down at the contents of the sack. "That's tempting, your honor. Very tempting.... very, very tempting."
"BUT..." Muran says, nudging him.
Autolycus rolls his eyes. "But, I think it should go to Aura's family."
"Which would be Augustus and his little brother Josias," Muran adds.
Augustus looks at them in shock.
CUT TO:
The courtroom. It is empty now, and all is quiet. Cogleus stands there, breathing in the air of it, smiling to himself. He steps forward, and notices a crumpled piece of paper. It is the parchment the jury foreman was going to read. Cogleus picks it up, looks at what it says, and grins. Then he slides it into his pocket and strolls out of the room, whistling.
CUT TO:
The docks. Sergei rushes along, glances from side to side. Once he is sure noone is watching, he motions and a hooded figure races up. It is the goateed man.
"This ship is heading to Italy," Sergei whispers. "The captain took the money and said you could ride as a passenger, no questions asked. I've had what money of yours I could collect put into the storage compartment. Good luck, my lord."
The goateed man glances around. "Does anyone else know about this?" he asks.
"No, my lord. I didn't even let Barris know about it. As far as Spyridon knows, you just disappeared. I'm the only one who will no otherwise."
"Good," the man replies, moving closer. Sergei gulps, then looks down to see a large knife sticking in his chest. He falls to his knees, then face-forward on the dock. "Now no one will know," the goateed man says with a smirk as he kicks Sergei's body into the water below.
"What's the commotion down there?" calls a voice from the ship.
"Nothing," the goateed man says. "Are you the captain of this vessel?"
"Yes. Are you the 'traveler' I've been waiting for?"
"Yes, I am," the man says as he strides up the plank onto the ship. "My name is Thraiden. I'm a merchant, and plan to scout some new business opportunities."
"Whatever," The captain says gruffly, obviously not believing this story... but obviously not caring, either. "I'm Captain Draccar. Welcome aboard."
CUT TO:
An elaborately-maintained graveyard. Augustus stands before an ornate tombstone marked with Lady Rissaeus's name. Muran stands beside him.
"All these years, I hated my mother for abandoning us," Augustus says, trying hard not to choke up. "But she... they say we'll never know for sure, but I feel it, she's the one buried here."
Muran hugs him. "I'm so sorry," she whispers, then pulls back and looks into his eyes. "But I know you'll pull through it. You have to, for Josias."
"Yeah," Augustus says, wiping away a tear. "Now that we have all that money, we'll be moving out of the basement of that old building."
"I would hope so," Muran says with a smile. "I can help you move."
"I wish you didn't have to leave," Augustus says, staring into her eyes. "You could stay. The judge said he would help us set up a home, and act as our guardian til I'm old enough. I've invited all the other orphans of the streets I know to live with us. There'll be room for you..."
"I have to go," Muran replies softly. "Autolycus and I are looking for..." She pauses. "someone. But maybe someday we'll pass back through here."
"I'd like that," Augustus says.
Muran smiles shyly. "Me too."
Augustus leans in and gently kisses her. Muran's eyes go wide for a second, and then she closes them and lets the kiss linger.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything..." Autolycus says with a grin, popping around a tree.
The two pull apart and blush. "Uh, no," Muran says nervously.
"Good, good. I've ordered a feast prepared at the tavern down the road. Anybody hungry?"
"You bet!" Muran says.
"Me too," Augustus says. "But I'd like to stay here a minute or two longer. I'll catch up."
"You sure you'll be okay?" Muran says, concerned.
Augustus forces a grin. "Yeah. I'll be there shortly."
Autolycus leads Muran away so the boy can have a moment of privacy. As soon as they're out of earshot, Muran glances up to Autolycus. "You think he'll be okay?"
"He's a strong kid," Autolycus replies. "It'll hurt, but he'll recover in the long run. Same as I did."
"What if my mom is dead?" Muran says quietly.
"What?"
"I'd never let myself think about it... but what if we never find her? What if she died long ago, and I never knew it?"
Autolycus puts his arm around Muran. "I'm sure she's out there somewhere, kid," he says, grinning. "And we better find her soon, otherwise I'M stuck with ya."
Muran playfully elbows Autolycus as they walk into the tavern and we....
FADE OUT.
END CREDITS ROLL. DUE TO MANAGEMENT ON HIGH (er... me) NOT BEING SURE WHICH OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE EPISODES WILL BE POSTED NEXT, THERE IS NO TRAILER FOR THE NEXT EP. INSTEAD WE HAVE A MONTAGE OF SCENES OF AUTOLYCUS AND MURAN IN ACTION WITH PONDEROUS MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND BEFORE WE CUT TO THE RENAISSANCE PICTURES LOGO.