So here's the start of Act II!
And a special thanks to gorgeousangel for reviewing. You make my day! :D
ACT II
(The scene begins just as the last one started. Gwen is sitting in the middle of the stage, staring at the door through which Agravaine, Mordred, and Morgana just dragged Arthur and Merlin. She is majorly in shock because, as you know, she just discovered that Merlin has magic. Now, since we've known he had magic since the moment we heard about the show, it's no surprise to us. But just imagine how shocked and horrified Gwen must feel in this moment. Her true love has just been captured and is going to be executed, along with her best friend, who she has just discovered has been practicing illegal magical activities since birth. That's kind of a lot to take in. But again, I digress. Most people don't even read the stage directions, anyway. So I'll stop now and get on with the show. And by the way, the knights just ran back onstage.)
LANCELOT: (seeing Gwen) Gwen! What happened? We just heard yelling...
LEON: Was Arthur here? I thought I heard him...
GWAINE: And Merlin! We heard Merlin too!
GWEN: They... they... Yes. They are here.
ELYAN: Where are they?
GWEN: Morgana and Mordred caught them.
LEON: No!
ELYAN: What are they going to do?
GWEN: It is said they are both to die within the hour, before the tournament begins.
LANCELOT: What are we going to do? They're going to kill Arthur and Merlin, and that guy with epic rippling muscles and sleeveless chainmail. (looks carefully at Gwen) Gwen, are you alright?
GWAINE: Of course she's not alright! Merlin is going to be executed!
LEON: And Arthur.
ELYAN: And Percival.
GWAINE: Yeah, yeah, the princess and the epic rippling muscles dude too. But they're going to kill Merlin!
GWEN: I... I'm alright. I just... need to be alone for a moment.
ELYAN: Are you sure?
GWEN: Yes. I'll give you all a pep talk in a moment. First I have to get all angsty.
GWAINE: Oh, yes, right. The angst. Well, don't take too long.
GWEN: I won't. Go on. (she shooes them offstage. she ensures they really are gone before turning back to the audience.) Holy bikini. Merlin has magic. I have no idea how to take this. I mean, Merlin's my best friend. He's not evil. But all magic is evil. That's been proven time and time again. How could Merlin have magic? How could he be a sorcerer? (Lancelot sneaks back onstage and waits behind Gwen, listening) Has he been pretending this whole time to be our friend? But if he had been, why would he keep it up now, when Morgana and Mordred are in control of Camelot? And why would they want to kill him? Nothing makes sense!
LANCELOT: Gwen?
GWEN: Ah! Lancelot! Don't interupt my angsty rant! I need to release all my conflicting emotions before I can come to a logical conclusion that will determine the rest of the storyline!
LANCELOT: Sorry, I just couldn't help but overhear... Are you ranting about Merlin?
GWEN: Uh... yes. Yes I am. How did you know?
LANCELOT: You said stuff about magic.
GWEN: You... you know he has magic?
LANCELOT: I've known about it since right after I met him.
GWEN: And you've never said anything?
LANCELOT: What would have happened if I did? Merlin would've been arrested and executed.
GWEN: Good point.
LANCELOT: Well, anyway, just thought I'd mention that Merlin's not evil. Just because he has magic doesn't mean he's out to kill Arthur and take over Camelot.
GWEN: Oh, I know.
LANCELOT: You...do?
GWEN: Yeah. I mean, now that I think about it, it's pretty obvious. If Merlin was evil he'd have had plenty of opportunities to kill Arthur, since he's his manservant. Hm. Okay, yeah, I'm good with it.
LANCELOT: You sure? That was pretty fast.
GWEN: I get over things pretty quickly. Think about how fast I got over the whole thing in episode five of season four when Arthur broke up with me and then just as quickly changed his mind...and I didn't even really care.
LANCELOT: Oh, no, Gwen you forget that by that point in the series, I'm dead. I don't remember any of that.
GWEN: Oh, that's right. So how are you still alive for this?
LANCELOT: Who knows? Why don't you ask the writer?
GWEN: Okay. PagieThePanda!
PAGIETHEPANDA: (my voice coming mysteriously from the sky) What's up?
GWEN: Why is Lancelot alive? Uther died in the series but you don't have him in here.
LANCELOT: Yeah, and so did Nimueh, Balinor, Morgause, Cenred, and countless numbers of Camelot's knights and guards. Oh, and Freya. I'm sure Merlin would like to have her back.
PAGIETHEPANDA: I wanted to have four knights, and since Percival had to take the place of Little John in the Robin Hood script, I resurrected you. But I can make you die again if you'd like.
LANCELOT: Oh, no, actually, that's fine- AK! (he crumples to the ground, dead.)
GWEN: Hey! You weren't supposed to kill him! Now we'll only have three knights to retake Camelot with!
PAGIETHEPANDA: Hm. Good point. Okay, back to life with you.
LANCELOT: (gasping) Don't... ever...do...that...again!
PAGIETHEPANDA: Note taken. Okay, stop talking to me, I'm not supposed to be in the play, anyway. And I'm bored with this conversation. Cue the other knights!
(The knights all stumble onstage like they've been pushed)
LEON: Woah! Hey, we're onstage now.
ELYAN: You all done being angsty, Gwen?
GWEN: Yup. I'm good now.
GWAINE: About time! Now let's go save Merlin!
LEON: And Arthur and Percival.
GWAINE: Yeah. Of course.
ELYAN: But how? There are only four of us-
GWEN: Five.
LEON: That's true. What could only the four of us do?
GWEN: Five of us. There are five of us.
ELYAN: I don't know if we could do anything, with only four of us-
GWEN: Guys, there are five of us! Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't fight for those I love!
GWAINE: Oh, we know. We weren't excluding you, Gwen. We were excluding Lancelot.
LANCELOT: Uh, what? Why?
GWAINE: You're dead.
LANCELOT: No I'm not. Not here, anyway.
ELYAN: Haha, real funny Lancelot.
LEON: We all know about it. You don't have to keep it a secret anymore.
LANCELOT: But no... wait, really, I'm alive!
GWAINE: Ha! Yeah right. Okay men... and woman... let's make a plan!
ELYAN: That's where we got stuck earlier.
LANCELOT: This makes no sense! How could you all think I'm dead now, when in the first act I was still alive?
GWAINE: Lots of things can happen in an intermission...
LEON: Lots and lots of things...
GWEN: Come on guys, we're wasting time. We all know Lancelot's dead.
LANCELOT: What? Gwen, I was JUST talking to you!
GWEN: Arthur, Merlin, and Percival are counting on us! Here's our plan: We wait until they come out to execute them. Then we surround them and demand justice!
LEON: It might work...
GWEN: It will work!
ELYAN: Wait a second. We're forgetting one big thing. Morgana and Mordred have magic. Swords can't fight against magic.
GWEN: But...magic can fight against magic.
LEON: What do you mean?
LANCELOT: Gwen...
GWEN: Look, I know this sounds backwards, but it is incredibly important that we rescue Merlin first.
GWAINE: Yeah! That's right! Merlin!
LEON: Why? I mean he's a good man and a close friend to all of us, but shouldn't we rescue the king first?
GWEN: Just trust me. If we rescue Merlin first, everything will turn out fine.
ELYAN: Oh, she's talking about the Merlin luck!
LEON: Oh, yes, of course, the Merlin luck.
GWEN: The what?
GWAINE: See Gwen, it's something we knights have noticed over our many escapades with the king and his loyal manservant. Nothing ever happens when Merlin comes with us.
ELYAN: Bandits attack, and we easily defeat all of them. We run into a monster, it somehow dies mysteriously. We get injured, in the morning we're somehow perfectly healthy.
LEON: And it only happens when we bring Merlin along. He's got some sort of luck about him.
GWEN: Yeah...luck. Uh, yes, I am talking about the Merlin luck. So just be sure you release Merlin first. Everything else will be taken care of.
GWAINE: Alright! I like this plan! (he snatches Lancelot's sword from out of his hand) Here Gwen, use Lancelot's sword. I'm sure he would have wanted you to.
LANCELOT: Hey! No! I need to use that!
GWEN: Thank you Gwaine. I'm sure you're right.
LANCELOT: I... I need that...
GWEN: Everyone form a circle with your sword hidden behind your back. When Morgana and Mordred are in the middle we surround them and demand justice! (all the knights but Lancelot stumble into a line and hide their swords. Gwen stands at the end of the line, looking determined. Lancelot stands just outside the line, looking lost)
LANCELOT: I don't understand...
(The door to the palace opens suddenly and Morgana, Mordred, and Agravaine come out, looking very smug and triumphant. Arthur and Percival are led on behind them with their hands bound and sacks on their heads. Merlin is carried on last, still unconscious. I guess that's the only way they could think to contain such a powerful warlock. Poor Merlin. :( )
ELYAN: (whispering) Uh oh. We've got a problem. Merlin's unconscious.
LEON: What do we do now?
GWEN: Uh...
GWAINE: We... IMPROVISE! (he chucks an apple which he happens to have (because Gwaine always has apples) at Morgana. It hits her head with a solid 'thunk')
MORGANA: Ow! Who did that! Who?
GWAINE: It's May Day, Lady Morgana!
MORGANA: You! Sir Gwaine! Did you throw that apple?
GWAINE: Of course I did! It's one of the traditions of May Day!
MORDRED: Throwing apples at people?
GWAINE: Yes, my Lord Mordred!
MORGANA: That's ridiculous. I've never heard of such traditions.
GWAINE: Well, obviously, you've never celebrated May Day at the tavern.
(Morgana and Mordred walk towards Gwaine, leaving their prisoners alone with Agravaine. The other knights and Gwen hurry over to the prisoners)
MORDRED: I should hope not.
AGRAVAINE: (pulling out his sword) My Lord, My Lady! The prisoners-
MORGANA: Shut up Agravaine!
AGRAVAINE: But... the knights- (Leon knocks him out soundly with the hilt of his sword. the others hurry to untie Arthur and Percival and attempt to rouse Merlin.)
MORDRED: Just shut up. We're busy taunting this annoying drunkard of a knight.
MORGANA: Why Arthur even knighted you is a mystery to me.
GWAINE: Maybe it's because I'm so very clever.
MORDRED: Ha! Clever? You?
GWAINE: Indeed, my Lord. In fact, I'm very, very, very... (he glances towards the others. Arthur and Percival are free and give him a big thumbs up. Merlin is still out of it)...very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very-
MORGANA: Enough already! Very what?
GWAINE: Good at providing distractions.
MORGANA: What kind of idiotic-
MORDRED: Morgana, look behind us. (they both turn to see all the knights, Gwen, Arthur, and Percival upright and armed, Merlin still lying asleep behind them)
MORGANA: Oh. That kind of distraction.
ARTHUR: Morgana! As The rightful King of Camelot, I demand you leave my kingdom at once!
MORGANA: Or what, Arthur? You'll kill me? You do not have the power.
LANCELOT: Hey! Arthur! You know me, I'm alive right?
ARTHUR: No, you died a long time ago Lancelot. And stop distracting me! Morgana, I don't want to hurt you…
MORGANA: Hurt ME? I'm the all-powerful sorceress, and you're afraid of hurting ME?
MORDRED: And she's got me to help. I'm a warlock, by the way. Just like your little friend there, Emrys.
MORGANA: Ah yes, how could I forget about Emrys!
ARTHUR: I don't know anyone by the name of Emrys. And I don't condone the use of magic.
GWEN: (kneeling by Merlin) Come on Merlin! You've got to wake up now!
MORGANA: Oh, trying to rouse him, are you Gwen? I'm afraid talking won't do anything for you. Only the most powerful of warlocks could escape from the deep sleep Mordred has put him in.
MORDRED: He'd have to be a Dragonlord as well.
LANCELOT: Well, that's perfect. Come on Merlin, this is easy!
ARTHUR: What have you done to my manservant?
MORDRED: We will deal with Emrys later. You should be more worried about yourself.
ARTHUR: Who is this Emrys you keep talking about? You mentioned him in the first act as well.
MORGANA: You still don't know? Merlin is Emrys. Merlin has magic.
DUN-DUN-DUH!
TO BE CONTINUED…
My favorite line I wrote in this play was in this section. Any guesses which one? :)
As always, please review!