ACT 2nd
The Deuce of
Swords”
Scene 1st
Back at the Coffee
House the Sisters and Jack patch are sitting together, along with the host of
the evening, they are drinking coffee and being attended to by the Black
Figures. There is no on else there.
EILLAINE: Nice place
you’ve got here, Jack, planning on leaving it, or was it just a one night
stand?
JACK PATCH:
Well, now that’s an interesting question.
If I leave it someone will have to run it for me.
On the other hand if I remove it, then I’ve got to change reality for a
lot of people outside the doors, including anyone who might have just passed by
last night.
LAURAL: The Prince of
Lies is having problems with lies?
JACK PATCH: Please,
you cut me to the quick. That name
was applied to me by someone who couldn’t stand the truth.
looking at the host, How do you like being mortal?
HOST: It’s
interesting, I’ve never tried “human” before.
If you want me to keep this place up for you I’m not busy for a few
centuries yet.
JACK PATCH: If
you’re sure you can handle the native born viciousness and hatred of this era
you’ll do all right for a few years, it might even prove entertaining—if
nothing else educational.
HOST: Entertaining is
good, educational can be painful. Still,
it might be fun to see the nonsense first hand.
JACK PATCH: Okay, then
it’s done.
LAURAL: Great.
“Host,” what’s your name?
HOST: You mean on
Earth? At home, my name is just
that “Host,” or sometimes “Legion.”
Hmmm, what should I use for a name here?
JACK PATCH: Something
that fit’s the name of this joint?
LAURAL: How about
“Nicholas von Teufel?” People could call you “Nick,” I doubt Jack needs the name any more.
HOST:
I like it.
JACK PATCH: I’m sure
you’ll do it proud, that is once some of the insanity blows over and they have
a war or two.
LAURAL: Must you two
always talk shop?
EILLAINE: Typical,
we’ve just seen an incredible turn of events, and these two only want to talk
business.
JACK PATCH:
Goddess, isn’t business what it’s all about?
This is America after all. Pauses,
scratches a sideburn lightly, looks at the other three with a puzzled expression
on his face. Where did she get
a unicorn?
LAURAL: And why?
EILLAINE: looking
slightly frightened. Rhiannon’s
symbol is a horse, or a white rabbit—and, of course, her birds.
Why a uni…
The door flies open
and Rhiannon enters, dressed in “mortal clothes,” and starts speaks as
though she’s out of breath from running, there is also a slightly panicked
tone to her voice.
RHIANNON:
Have any of you seen Decker?
EILLAINE:
Isn’t he still in your bedroom?
RHIANNON: glaring
at Eillaine, Lady Wisdom, please don’t play games with me.
I know you’ve coveted him since he was your student.
Have you got him? I just
want to know if he’s safe.
LAURAL:
Sit down, Lady Rhiannon, you’re serious aren’t you?
RHIANNON:
Deadly. I woke up this
morning, some sound startled me…No, we weren’t still in the “motel”
I shifted us back to my lodgings. I
looked through the window, I turned and he was gone—as though he’d never
been there. Eillaine, do you know
where he…
EILLAINE: Me?
What are you suggesting?
RHIANNON:
You’ve get the immortal hots for him every time he …
EILLAINE:
He was mine first!
RHIANNON: He’s
mine, he was mine before your Father’s name was ever uttered !
LAURAL: Hey!
EILLAINE &
RHIANNON: exasperated anger WHAT?
LAURAL: Haven’t you
two noticed something—or excuse me, Lady Rhiannon—Eillaine, haven’t you
noticed—you’re remembering everything again, so am I.
EILLAINE: I’m
remembering all right, I’m remembering that I had a lovely student once who
became so confused that…
LAURAL: Eillaine
please be careful of what you say? Do
you remember where we are?
RHIANNON: Lady Wisdom,
do you recall where that lovely student came from?
EILLAINE: My Lady, my
sister advises us correctly. I’m
afraid this setting may indeed affect our memories and attitudes as much as
Earth herself does.
JACK PATCH: I am,
after all the Prince of Lies, am I not, or is that Prince of Truths?
I can’t change the rules of this kingdom any more than I can change the
rules outside the door or in heaven itself.
But, please, no more anger for a few minutes.
Rhiannon, your young man hasn’t been here, and Eillaine hasn’t left
since we left you last night—with your Dr Powell and your unicorn.
RHIANNON: Unicorn?
Decker said something about a unicorn, but I’m afraid we were too busy
for me to focus on what he…
EILLAINE: To busy
indeed, filling your horny….
RHIANNON:
Look you heavenly bitch…
LAURAL:
Both of you, stop it, now.
JACK PATCH:
I enjoy a good cat fight as much as any other demon, but not tonight
please. For some reason I feel an
urge to help your Decker too. Odd,
I’ve been helping you three all along, every since you set foot in my kingdom.
You are in deed strangers in this strange land, sojourners as it…
EILLAINE: Can it Jack.
I appreciate you help, but I’m also sure you’ve got your own motives.
RHIANNON: Lady Wisdom
doesn’t know everything?
EILLAINE: starts to
reply angrily, but then her tone changes suddenly to a humble one. I know
enough to….I’m sorry. Lady High
Queen, I know you love him dearly,
And have for as long
as I have, and if the truth be told; you’ve treated him far better than I ever
have. Lady Wisdom may know
everything, but as another very lovely lady once said
“The hardest voyage in a human’s travel is the journey from the mind
to the heart.” I’m afraid
it’s true even for “Wisdom,” for Wisdom dwells only in the mind, where as
you, My lady, dwell in the heart.
The room is still,
Eillaine and Rhiannon embrace each other and weep briefly.
JACK PATCH: Truth will
come out here after all.
Ladies, I have an idea.
RHIANNON: Yes, Jack?
JACK PATCH:
Rhiannon, first; are you sure he didn’t just step out for fresh air or
something?
RHIANNON: Jack, no, I
was next to him. He was there, then
he was gone.
JACK PATCH: If you
remember what time he vanished, you should be able to exit the rear door and
return to Earth at what ever time you like, perhaps 15 minutes before the event?
Or earlier?
LAURAL: The unicorn?
RHIANNON: The unicorn?
LAURAL: It wasn’t
yours, who’s was it? Why did it
appear? Didn’t your birds warn
you something was wrong? It bothers
me that some unicorns are fond of dining on human flesh.
RHIANNON:
Only that of virgins, and I assure you that Decker is no…O, I’m sorry
Eillaine…I didn’t mean to rub it…
EILLAINE:
No, it’s okay, I understand.
RHIANNON: I’ll try
it Jack, My ladies, could I prevail on you to aid me?
SISTERS: Of course,
let’s go now.
JACK PATCH:
At the door, Rhiannon, contemplate the time you need it to be on the
other side, and where you need to be—then turn the handle and exit.
You’ll be right where you need to be to begin to solve the mystery
anyway.
RHIANNON:
Thank you, jack, what ever your motives, you’re being a good friend for
now. Smiles and nods slightly in
deference, Jack stands and returns the gesture.
The three ladies exit off stage to the left.
There is a moment of silence, then a flash of light, and the sound of a
very heavy door being closed.
JACK PATCH: sitting
and speaking to Host, What an
opportunity I had just then. I must
be getting soft. Think of the
promises I could have extracted from…
HOST:
Be serious boss, you know who Rhiannon really is, even if she doesn’t..
I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side when she really wakes up.
JACK PATCH:
The unicorn thing bothers me.
HOST: Jack, hasn’t
it struck you that something else is very weird?
JACK PATCH: Beyond the
normal weirdness, you mean?
HOST:
Jack, look. We’re figures
out of a Christian’s nightmare, though you bear a striking resemblance to the
way they portrayed you in “Job.” But look, Rhiannon?
She’s straight out
of the old myths, the pre Celtic times. Wisdom
and Reason? As two figures?
Their names? What mythos
birthed them? And the judge, “No
Name? Who’s that?
What’s that all about? Is
he the “Croucher?” or is straight out of Egypt with those scales, and now we
have a unicorn?
JACK PATCH:
I see your point. Hmmm, no, the Croucher is one of mine and it only goes after
the souls of the ultra self-righteous anyway, well them and psychiatrists, not
lawyers though.
HOST: Not another
lawyer joke?
JACK PATCH:
Nah, they got it way ahead of us anyway. Jerks a thumb toward the
audience.
HOST: So, any ideas?
JACK PATCH: A unicorn?
Who the heck uses or manifests as a unicorn?
No one that I can think of, but then…
The light slowly
dims, the curtain falls, then rises again quickly
The three ladies
are standing outside the apartment building where Rhiannon lives, the back is to
a group of trees. It is just about
day break. As they stand they hear
the sound of muffled, slowly moving horse’s hooves. They duck behind the trees.
The unicorn appears stage left, crosses to a window where light is
shining out. The unicorn looks in
for a moment, then turns and slowly walks back the way it came.
The ladies start to walk toward the window, but Eillaine holds back.
EILLAINE:
I really don’t feel like watching this part, if it’s okay with you…
Rhiannon
looks back at her, nods in understanding.
As she moves further forward Laural also stops.
Rhiannon moves to the window and starts to look in.
She turns to the other two with a puzzled look on her face, as she starts
to turn back there is a blinding flash of light and a loud explosive noise, like
thunder. She staggers and falls to
her knees. The other two rush
forward and hold her, they try to help her to her feet but she collapses
totally. While Laural kneels beside
her trying to help her Eillaine is slowly drawn toward the window she looks in
screams, and faints. Laural stands,
a look of sick fear crosses her face as she too walks toward the window.
She looks in and simply stands there staring.
A light sobbing sound is heard, then her weeping becomes louder and
louder until in turns into a keening wail. As the curtain falls slowly the
unicorn begins to enter the stage. Just
before the curtain drops the unicorn is seen lowering its head toward
Eillaine’s prostrate form..
