ACT 2

SCENE 1

Scene: The forest. Night has fallen. ROBIN, GAR and RAVEN are all around a pile of timber, which GAR is trying to spark into a fire.

GAR: Man, I thought my days of sparking fires were over.

RAVEN stares at the fire. Wind rises briefly, then a full fire erupts from the pit. ROBIN flinches back. GAR cries out.

GAR: GAH! That's- that's some- ha ha ha, that's some very useful power you got going on there. (Laughs and cries at the same time)

RAVEN: I'm going to eat over there.

GAR: Well, guess a girl who can make fire happen with her mind doesn't need to be by the fireside, huh? Ha ha!

RAVEN: exits.

GAR: (To ROBIN) Yo, does she freak you out too?

ROBIN: (Sullen) Obviously. She is a witch, Gar. I'm not the one who invited her to join us.

GAR: What did you want me to do? She looked cold, just standing there.

ROBIN: It's weird that she appeared again. Why is she following us around? And how did she get to us so fast?

GAR: But we have all this food, and a fire. It would have been rude not to share it.

ROBIN: That doesn't matter. No one invites a witch to their fire, Gar. Look, just don't get too close to her. Witches are dangerous. You should always be nice to them, but never accept help from one. Or take material goods.

GAR: Right. (Beat) Oh no.

ROBIN: What?

GAR: Nothing. By the way, do you have a coin I can borrow?

ROBIN: Garfield.

GAR: (Covering his face) Ugh. Great! Now I have a debt with a witch! What do I do?

ROBIN: Give it back, whatever it is.

GAR: But won't that offend her?

ROBIN: Yep. You got yourself in a nice mess there.

GAR: (Groaning)

SCENE 2

Scene: Next morning. GAR is wrapping up. ROBIN appears.

ROBIN: Did the witch ever come back last night?

GAR shrugs.

ROBIN: Well, better lost than found. Let's hurry up and go.

ROBIN exits.

GAR: But what about the coin I owe her?

GAR looks around, kneels down next to a shrub, and moves it to uncover a group of RABBITS.

GAR: Hey, did any of you guys see a witch around here? She's yay tall, has a blue cape, and… that's all I know, actually. No? Nothing?

Some way off, a SQUIRREL makes a sound.

GAR: What's that, friend? You saw her by the river?

SQUIRREL answers.

GAR: Alright, to the river I go.

GAR walks into the forest. Beyond a shrubbery he sees RAVEN, tying up the front of her black dress. He turns around violently.

GAR: Oh no. If I'd arrived any sooner I'd be a peeping Tom.

Beat. GAR looks again. RAVEN is picking up her cloak. He turns around again.

GAR: Huh. She doesn't look like how I think she'd look. Come to think of it, I never wondered what was under the cape. I mean… yes, her skin is very pale. And her hair is oddly purple. She looks odd, and creepy. But not unpretty. In fact, she's prettier than any witch has a right to be. Or maybe witches were pretty all along.

GAR looks again. RAVEN is pulling on her cloak.

GAR: I wish she wouldn't keep her hood up all the time.

ROBIN: (Entering) What are you doing?

GAR: (Turning around) GAH! Found the witch! I found the witch.

ROBIN: Great, pay her back and we're gone.

GAR: Um, actually…

RAVEN enters.

ROBIN: Morning. Gar here has something to say to you.

GAR: Uh… I don't think so.

ROBIN: Excuse me? I'm pretty sure he does.

GAR: No, I can't think what you mean.

ROBIN glowers.

GAR: (To RAVEN) By the way. Here's the money you gave me back. (Offers a coin)

RAVEN: (Pockets it) Fine.

ROBIN: Great. And now we're off. Bye. Thanks for the company.

GAR: (To ROBIN) We're seriously going to leave her all alone in the woods?

ROBIN: What the hell are you talking about? She's a witch. This is where they live.

ROBIN exits. GAR exits reluctantly.

RAVEN: The story continues with a…-

GAR: (Re-entering) Dude. I never asked your name.

RAVEN: It's Raven.

GAR: So, which way are you going? Maybe we're going the same way. Maybe we can all travel together.

RAVEN: Your way. But not yet.

GAR exits, confused.

RAVEN: The story continues with a runaway prince.

The shadow of a tall, hulking young man appears behind the foliage. This is VICTOR.

RAVEN: The prince had ran from the castle several weeks back, for motives unknown to all. Whatever the reason, he was about to come across the hero and the boy.

SCENE 3

Scene: ROBIN, GAR and RAVEN walk through the woods. ROBIN and GAR go first, RAVEN follows at a distance.

ROBIN: (To GAR) Okay, now why is she following us?

GAR: Because she's going the same way as us. Obviously.

ROBIN: To where? You're following me. And I don't even know where we're going.

GAR: Wait, what?

RAVEN: The hero was in a conundrum. For the wood was full of dangers, and he was suspicious of the witch tailing them, not knowing she was just trying to do her damn job.

ROBIN: Has she asked about me?

GAR: What?

ROBIN: When I haven't been present, has she asked you anything about me?

GAR: Jeeze, self-centered much? No she hasn't.

RAVEN: However, all that would have to wait, for they were about to come face to face with the lost prince of Stone Court.

There's a rustle in the wood. The three stop.

ROBIN: Who goes there?

VOICE: (Off-screen) No one of consequence.

ROBIN: Show yourself anyway.

The shrubbery parts. Out comes VICTOR, in full shiny armor, his visor down.

ROBIN: Who are you?

VICTOR: A traveler, just like you.

ROBIN: Not quite like me. I could never afford armor like that. Who are you, really? Are you a noble?

VICTOR: If I am, it's not in your best interest to challenge me.

RAVEN: What he is, is going the wrong way.

VICTOR: (To RAVEN) Excuse me?

RAVEN: (Going to him) You're going the wrong way. You need to turn back and go home. The help you seek will end up destroying you.

VICTOR: How would you know where I'm going… How would you know who I'm seeking? (To all) What is this, some sort of divining troupe?

ROBIN: Don't look at us, I don't know what she's talking about.

GAR: Yeah, she's just kinda tagging along. (Puts an arm around ROBIN) We're just two adventure bros, seeking adventure.

ROBIN: (Shakes off GAR) Wait a second. You're a high-born man but you have no escort. You're in full armor because it obscures your face. And these woods lead to the capital. You're the lost prince of Stone Court!

VICTOR: (Unconvincingly) No. I'm not!

ROBIN: Then pull up your visor.

VICTOR: I can't.

ROBIN: Because then we'll see who you are.

VICTOR: Because I can't.

ROBIN: (To GAR) Gar, we could take the prince to the capital and collect the reward.

GAR: I thought you weren't after the prince.

ROBIN: That was before he appeared before me. Think about it. We could use the money.

GAR: (Sparkly-eyed) We?

ROBIN: If you help me get him, of course I'm splitting it with you. (Takes out quarter-staff. To VICTOR) Come with us, my Lord. We'll see you safely to the castle.

VICTOR: You mean you'll get a hefty amount on my account.

RAVEN: You're better off with money-grabbers than going on the way you intend.

VICTOR: (Angrily) What do you mean? Speak clearly!

RAVEN: You were told to go to the Fortress Hive. But they won't cure you. They will only doom you.

VICTOR: I was told they could fix me.

RAVEN: They're not the only ones who can help you.

VICTOR: …Can you help me? Is that what you're saying?

ROBIN: I need to hear you say you'll come with us, your Majesty.

VICTOR: Not until she answers me!

(All look at RAVEN)

RAVEN: Yes. I can help you.

VICTOR: (Doubting) Still, I'd rather keep going my way than trust a witch who held me up in the forest.

RAVEN: Then you would be destroying the kingdom you so love.

VICTOR: (Blanching) And what's it to you?

RAVEN: I don't want to see one more instrument of that evil power in the world.

VICTOR: Okay. Here's a deal. You take me to Hive. Show me how evil it is. If it's truly all you say it is, then I will trust you.

RAVEN: Sure. I was going that way anyway.

VICTOR: (Unsettled. To all) I'll go with you to the capital if you first let us go to the Hive.

ROBIN: (Puts back staff) Done.

GAR: What? We're all going on a different quest now? Where is this thing anyway?

ROBIN: (Smirking) Thought you wanted adventure.

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