A Hidden Truth

Chapter Four

Marguerite looks at the grinning man in front of her, she sits back down on the bed.

MARGUERITE: I…I killed you?

He sits down next to her and smiles, he shakes his head.

OLD MAN: No that's what you were made to think it was Mandrake who killed me and framed you to save himself.

MARGUERITE: So you're a ghost?

OLD MAN: No, the Rapu tribe saved me and brought me back with their magic…Mandrake wanted me to mine some caves near here, he wanted me to believe it was for the gold…

MARGUERITE: Gold!

OLD MAN: It was in fact for the Rapu magic, once its combined with his own he'll be unstoppable…I knew about the caves so I declined his offer, in a jealous rage he killed me.

MARGUERITE: Why didn't you help us sooner? My friends are in trouble and you did nothing to help them!

OLD MAN: I couldn't show myself to my people, not yet anyway. It will spoil everything, if I come back Mandrake will only try and kill me again.

MARGUERITE: Then I'll stop him myself.

She stands up and walks to the door.

OLD MAN: Wait! You'll need help.

He signals to two Rapu and they come forward.

OLD MAN: They will take you to the caves where you're friends are.

MARGUERITE: Thank you.

She leaves with the two Rapu and heads towards the caves.

* * * * * *

The guard pushes Roxton on top of the cliff, he stands back up and staggers a little.

ROXTON: Try that again now my back isn't turned!

The guard raises his arm to strike Roxton he blocks the punch and knees the guard in the stomach, behind him another guard strikes him with his whip

Malone and Challanger come up behind the guard with the whip, Challanger taps him on the shoulder when he turns Malone punches him in the face.

MALONE: You looked like you needed a little help!

ROXTON: I had everything under control!

At the mouth of the cave a a guard blows a horn, all the workers stop and kneel on the floor, Mandrake walks over to one and strikes him.

MANDRAKE: Kiss the floor...

HIs guards laugh as the man falls on the floor and lies there.

MANDRAKE: Where are the killers accomplacies?

A guard points to them on the cliff and Mandrakes smiles.

MANDRAKE: Bring them to me, they will pay for their friends crime.

* * * * * *

In the dark, dreary cell Veronica waited pounding on the door had done nothing but anger the guards, there was no window to escape from just cold, wet rock, she walks to the door and shouts out for the fiftieth time that day.

VERONICA: Let me out of here!

Leeson hobbles over to the door and peers in.

LEESON: Will you please desist?

VERONICA: I will once you let me out.

LEESON: Oh I can't do that.

VERONICA: Yes you can, you can blame one of the guards.

He thinks about this then shakes his head firmly.

LEESON: Nope.

She pounds on the door as he walks away laughing.

VERONICA: Hey...Where are my friends...What did you do to them?

LEESON: You'll see them soon enough.

She walks over to the bench and sits down defeated.

* * * * * *

Marguerite walks behind one of the Rapu warriors, another behind her watching for danger.

MARGUERITE: Do you know where you're going?

The Rapu stops and looks around.

MARGUERITE: What is it? What do you see?

The Rapu warriors face hardens, he speaks in his own language to Rapu #2, who walks to the front.

RAPU: Mandrake!

MARGUERITE: Yes I gathered that.

She sees Roxton walking through the trees, she steps forward but the Rapu stops her.

RAPU: No.

MARGUERITE: What do you mean no! That's not Mandrake.

RAPU #2: That is.

Behind Roxton is Mandrake then Malone and Challanger with five guards behind them.

MARGUERITE: Where's Veronica?

Mandrake suddenly stops and looks directly at them.

MARGUERITE: He can't have seen us!

RAPU: He can sense us.

MARGUERITE: I knew it was a bad idea bringing you two along.

The Rapu suddenly becomes very still, his eyes dilated.

MARGUERITE: Whats wrong..Hey talk to me.

Rapu #2 grabs her by the arm and they run, Marguerite pulls back.

MARGUERITE: We can't just leave them!

RAPU: We will fight another day, he know we are here...It is too dangerous to attack now.

MARGUERITE: You can run if you want to, but by tomorrow they could be dead!

She walks back over to the other Rapu who is still motionless. Rapu #2 follows her.

RAPU #2: I was told to protect you, I cannot leave.

MARGUERITE: Good...We can follow them back to the village and then...I'll think of what we'll do next when we get there.

They follow Mandrake and the others from a safe distance towards the castle.

* * * * * *

A worker runs excitedly from the cave he's mining, he waves his pick axe in the air drawing attention, two guards run over to him.

WORKER: I did it! I found it! Look in there

He runs back inside the cave and the two guards walk in cautiously, the other workers slowly walk over to the cave and peer inside.

Right at the back of the cave amongst all the rumble is a large gold chest, encrusted with large emeralds.

GUARD: Gather six of our best men, we'll need their help to carry this back to the castle.

Guard #2 runs outside to find all the workers have disapeared and the guards standing motionless among a cloud of blue smoke.

* * * * * *

Mandrake steps aside to let Roxton, Malone and Chllanger pass through the door of the courthouse, inside the whole village have gathered for this monumental event, the villagers watch them not with a look of anger but of pity and sorrow, they know the truth but don't dare question Mandrake.

Mandrake walks to the front of the courthouse and stands on a platform.

MANDRAKE: My people this has been one of the hardest few day of our lives, your king is dead, brutally murdered by a woman with no motive, she is gone and now her friends will pay for her crime...

The doors to the courthouse creak open and Marguerite enters, she looks around at everyone and her gaze fixes on Roxton, he moves to come towards her but a guard pulls him back.

CHALLANGER: I thought you said she was dead!

ROXTON: I should've known he couldn't stop her.

MALONE: I hope she's got a plan.

The villagers look at each other and start whispering all eyes then turn to Mandrake as she walks and stands in front of the room, Roxton, Malone and Challanger watching her. Mandrake turns and faces her.

MANDRAKE: She murdered him, the punishment is death!

His guards cheer but the villagers are eerily silent.

MANDRAKE: Don't you want revenge?

MARGUERITE: They know the truth.

The villagers stand up and walk towards him, he holds out his arm and they become still.

MANDRAKE: They can't stop me!

MARGUERITE: I can.

Mandrake laughs and smiles at her.

MANDRAKE: You, you...Oh now thats funny!

MARGUERITE: If you think thats funny then you'll think this is hilarious.

She turns and faces the guards.

ROXTON: What are you doing?

She points at one of the guards and he is thrown across the room, knocking over two chairs as he lands.

CHALLANGER: How did you do that?

Mandrake steps back confused.

MANDRAKE: That isn't possible!

The villagers start to move again, he runs out of a back door with the villagers right behind him. He steps out into the blinding sunshine to see his workers coming out of the jungle, in front of them the Rapu walk carrying spears, covered in war paint.

MANDRAKE: How did you escape?

The workers and villagers surround him, angry and seeking revenge.

Inside the courthouse the guards have deserted Mandrake, Veronica enters and looks around.

VERONICA: Where is everyone?

Malone turns around and sees her, he walks over and hugs her.

VERONICA: What was that for?

He blushes slightly and smiles.

MALONE: Well I missed you.

They walk over to where the others are waiting.

CHALLANGER: How did you escape?

VERONICA: Someone let me out, he ran off before I could say anything.

MARGUERITE: He had somewhere to be.

They look at her questioningly, she walks through the courthouse and outside through the back door, the others follow her curious.

Mandrake cowers as the villagers come closer, he stries to stop them but can't. The old man walks towards the crowd and they part to let him pass, Mandrake can see the gold chest behind the old man, he looks at it greedily in spit of the situation.

MANDRAKE: The power will be mine.

He stands up and walks towards it.

OLD MAN: Take it, its all yours.

He kneels down and slowly opens the chest and looks inside, the air around him becomes cold and he shivers slightly. He closes the lid in disgust.

MANDRAKE: Theres nothing there.

He stands up and looks around, the blue smoke appears and surrounds him lifting him off the floor.

MANDRAKE: I am recieving the power.

MARGUERITE: Oh he's recieving something all right.

The blue smoke suddenly becomes black, Mandrake jerks backwards and forwards his face disorted and in pain, he cluthes his stomach and blood appears, a long dark cut appears on his neck, and he coughs vilontly and starts to choke. The Rapu start to chant and Mandrake spins round and round.

MANDRAKE: W...What's hap...happening to...M...Me?

OLD MAN: Your experiencing all the pain you've ever bestowed on other people, the pain that you bestowed on me...

MANDRAKE: I never...Hu...Hurt you!

OLD MAN: But you did...

He slowly changes his form and he becomes younger, the villagers bow as they see their king stand before them.

KING: Hurt me brother.

MANDRAKE: No! Help me!

He suddenly falls to the floor.

KING: You are my servent.

As Mandrake bows he takes a dagger out of his scabard and rushes towards his brother, dark shadows appear and flow through him he screams then falls to the floor motionless.

MALONE: Is he dead?

KING: No, but when he wakes he will be catatonic.

MARGUERITE: Serves him right.

KING: Thank you for all your help.

MARGUERITE: Couldn't have done it without you.

KING: I would like you to meet someone who I believe can help you on you're quest.

CHALLANGER: Quest?

KING: To find your way home.

* * * * * *

The explorers sit on small wooden stool in front of the old woman, a fire burning in the corner lighting the darkened room. She opens her eyes and looks at each of them.

OLD WOMAN: Your future is unclear, you're path of this plateau may not lie in this realm...

MALONE: Then where is it?

OLD WOMAN: They are with your parents...

She looks at Veronica who sit up and looks at the old woman her heart pounding almost out of her chest.

VERONICA: You know where my parents are!

OLD WOMAN: They are in a realm filled with white cold.

VERONICA: White cold?

OLD WOMAN: Ice and...

MALONE: Snow?

OLD WOMAN: Yes...

VERONICA: How do we get there?

OLD WOMAN: Follow the cloven footed beast.

MARGUERITE: Is that it?

OLD WOMAN: That is all I can tell you.

VERONICA: No, there must be more, please!

OLD WOMAN: You will find a way...

* * * * * *

That night Marguerite sits by the lake watching the still, calm water.

"You don't learn do you?"

She turns around startled, until she sees Roxton standing behind her.

MARGUERITE: I knew you was behind me...Honest.

He sits down next to her.

ROXTON: I'll forgive you...This time.

She smiles at him.

MARGUERITE: Oh come on you know you couldn't stay angry at me for long.

ROXTON: Obviously not or I'd still be angry about last time.

She walks over to the water, then turns and looks around mischieviously.

MARGUERITE: Feel like a swim?

ROXTON: I've got a better idea.

He stands up and walks beside her.

MARGUERITE: Now what could that be?

ROXTON: I'll give you three guesses.

MARGUERITE: Why don't you just tell me...Or show me.

She suddenly steps back and walks past him, he aims his rifle in the direction she looking, she lowers the rifle.

MARGUERITE: I think we've found our cloven footed beast.

They step towards the reindeer when it turns and runs away...

The End