The Magical Cure

SYNOPSIS

This story has been set back during the Elizabethan period, when King Elutheryn Hanlon ruled the land of present day Spain. It was during his period that a sudden change in the events had taken place between the present and the past due to an apocalyptic asteroid blast. The pandemic coronavirus, which was set to happen now in the year 2020 had taken place in the year 1560 instead. Apparently, the asteroid which was believed to be a ‘demônio estrela’ or a ‘star demon’ had crashed into the Earth’s outer layer of intricate PPF zones (well PPF stands for present, past and future. The time machine emits signals which reach up this layer. Now it all depends upon which chord the signals transmitted fuse with and then they are taken to the respective era. It’s just like a wormhole present in the space, responsible for time travel, however a little more complex. This one can also change events) causing a switch of the events. After the bubonic plague, this is the worst disaster that has ever occurred.

Driven by the superstitions and propaganda, the people believed coronavirus to be a mighty king who had devised cloaks of invisibility to kill the people and destroy the kingdom of the Hanlon’s. The only so called solution seemed to form a kind of allegiance with the ‘king’. So get ready to dive into the world of the Hanlon’s and see how well they deal with the virus.

 

CHARACTERS

    1. King Elutheryn

    2. Princess Elaine

    3. Prioress of Hanlon (Elaine’s aunt, greatly detests her for she

    wants her own daughter to become the heiress)      

    4. Asher Langford (Elaine’s best friend)

     5. Wizard Cedric

SCENE 1

(At the king’s court in Hanlon)

The king sits on his throne gripping on tightly at his sides. He wears a hard, impassive face as he sets his lips in a thin straight line while listening to the prioress before him. Dismissing everyone from the room, the two of them remain alone as the air between them grows thicker with uncertainty every passing second.

Prioress of Hanlon – Thy Grace! You must understand. We all stand in a precarious situation of life and death. How can you be so cruel! It is thy duty to keep thy subjects safe.

Prioress of Hanlon – Your Honor! We just require thy command and then everything will be fine. It is the only possible solution to oust this problem and I can assure you that the princess too would lead a happy life. She too would…

(Princess Elaine enters the court)

Princess Elaine - ( interrupts I between) Querida tía!( Dear aunt!) I believe it is I who determines what will be the best for me.

.Princess Elaine – Good evening Father

.King Elutheryn – Good evening my love.

Prioress of Hanlon – Tía! (a look of disgust passes over her face)I’m not your aunt but the prioress. Have you forgotten your manners? Do you not know better than to interrupt between the elders? 

Princess Elaine – Sorry Tía! But I believe I have a say in every matter that involves me.

Prioress of Hanlon – (ignoring Elaine) Thy Grace! We must plan the betrothal as soon as possible. We are running out of time

.Princess Elaine – Betrothal! Oh wait! Tía! I simply cannot fathom how you could be so fanatical! This is but a deadly disease such as the plague. It is no king! Do you seriously expect me to be married to an illness?

Prioress of Hanlon - Querida sobrina!( My dear niece!) Do you think you know better than I? These white hair of mine haven’t simply bleached under the sun. I am the prioress and I certainly know better. You shall be wedded to the king

.Princess Elaine – Father! You must make her understand (she looks pleadingly towards the king)

King Elutheryn – (With a deep sigh) I’m sorry dear but I fear this is what must take place now Elaine

.Princess Elaine – Father!(On the verge of breaking down, Elaine composes herself and with a challenging gaze asks her aunt)

Princess Elaine – So dear Tía, would you please favor me by telling how are you so sure that it is a king but not an illness? With almost half our population being wiped out how in the world did you get a chance to see him? Meet him? Or yet have known him? Huh?

Prioress of Hanlon – I..I… (She falters for a minute and then says)He revealed himself to me…on the night of full moon. He is the one who told me about his cloak of invisibility and his plan to destroy the kingdom. He also told me that until he does not wed the princess of the kingdom, he will not retreat.

Princess Elaine – Oh really! So was he the plague’s brother? Are you trying to imply that the Bubonic plague too wasn’t an illness but the attack of an invisible freak ?King Elutheryn – (With a surprised look) Prioress??

Prioress of Hanlon – Oh Yes I do. And now if we don’t want to suffer the same fate twice, we must proceed with this alliance

.Princess Elaine –Tía! This is all farce! How could you say that?

Prioress of Hanlon – Well it was a secret revealed to us by Father Francis, not meant to be disclosed before the mere mortals and Thy grace! This was information known by your father, the late king as well.(The king stands there bewildered. Regaining his composure, he manages to find his voice. However, before he could say anything, the prioress continues)

 Prioress of Hanlon –( in a soft tone) Your father too would have done the same thing as you are about to now, however he wasn’t blessed with a daughter as thy which led to his fate. You must not lose the chance

.King Elutheryn – (with a heavy sigh) I require some time alone. Good night princess, prioress(The king exits)

Prioress of Hanlon – Well then mi querida sobrina, prepare to be wed! (gives a mocking laugh) Good night!(Exits) 

                                      Scene 2(In the princess’s room)

Princess Elaine – (to herself) Oh no no no! This can’t be happening! I must do something.(The princess sobs quietly. Suddenly, she feels someone’s presence in her room. She quickly spins behind and squints her eyes to adjust the darkness.

Princess Elaine – Who’s there? Reveal yourself.

Asher Langford – Elaine… It’s me, Asher.

Princess Elaine – Oh! it’s you. (She lets out a sigh of relief and then says) When in the world will you stop sneaking up on me like that? You freaked me out!

Asher Langford – Oops! Sorry! But I thought since you were so sad, you could use a friend.(The princess smiles up at him)

Asher Langford – So…were you able to convince the prioress, your…Tía?

Princess Elaine –( with a sigh) Oh no! That old woman will not rest until she gets her own daughter on the throne. We have to prove her wrong else she would wed me to the illness for sure.(To herself) I don't even know how in the word will she wed me to an an illness.. she'll probably send me away to some dark faraway cave.

.Asher Langford – Hmmm… You’re right.

Princess Elaine – What right? You’re supposed to come up with some idea. So rack your brains.(Both of them sit down by the bed and get lost in a deep thought)

Asher Langford – (suddenly gets up, eyes twinkling with excitement) I think I have an idea!

Princess Elaine – So spill!

 Asher Langford –I … (He opens his mouth to speak but then quickly closes it. An uncertain expression passes over his face)

Princess Elaine – What happened? Speak up (she urges him).

Asher Langford – (he scratches his head and says) Well see… You might not really like it.

Princess Elaine – (growing restless) Does it really matter? As long as it works its fine.

Asher Langford – Okay see… in order to prove the prioress wrong we need to find a cure for the illness. We’ve been already working on that with no success. So I guess it wouldn’t really hurt to take help of some magic now?

Princess Elaine – (with a glare) Don’t tell me that you’re talking about Wizard Cedric.

Asher Langford – Yeah! (He exclaims excitedly) You’ve hit the nail!

Princess Elaine – No! (She exclaims) Not him! That man with a wild mess over his head, crooked yellowish teeth and a tattoo all over his body simply gives me creeps (she shudders inwardly at the thought of him) I’ve been forbidden to see him and father has already banished him from the land.

.Asher Langford – (gives a shrug) I know but it’s not like we’ve got a choice. We must give it a try.(After giving it a hard thought, she reluctantly agrees)

Princess Elaine – Okay, anything to prove Tía wrong. But do you know of his location?

Asher Langford – Yes I do. Meet me tomorrow at the courtyard at midnight. I shall bring him there.

Princess Elaine – Fine. But be careful(He nods his head and then exits) 

                                       Scene 3 (At midnight in the courtyard)

 The princess drapes a huge shawl around herself and covers her head as she travels in the dark through the corridors into the courtyard

Princess Elaine – psst… Ash.. Where are you? (She hears a slight shuffle behind her) 

Asher Langford – Here… look behind(As she turns behind Asher comes out of his hiding place with another person standing heavily draped beside him)

Asher Langford – Reveal yourself wizard Cedric.(The man slowly removes his shawl and smiles crookedly at the princess. Elaine tries her very best to not cringe away at the sight)

Wizard Cedric – I may be the luckiest man on this world for I have been graced with the presence of the royal princess’s herself.

Princess Elaine – Good to see you too Cedric. Now let’s get to the business. Ash, have you explained everything to him?

Asher Langford – Yes I have and he seems to have the cure for the disease as well.(The princess clasps her hands together in delight and asks)

Princess Elaine – So Cedric, care to tell us about it?

Wizard Cedric – (gives a mocking bow) yes my lady. The only way to cure this disease is by obtaining the blood nectar of the Armeillian flower which only grows in the Blackwood forest of Azuria amidst the deadliest of creatures and reptiles.(The princess gasps as Cedric curls his lips into a cold smile)

Princess Elaine - Oh my God! What do we do now?

Wizard Cedric – Fear not my princess. I’ve got some business with the underworld and would get it easily. A single drop of the Armeillian blood is more than enough to cure the deadly disease and you know what (he lowers his voice to a whisper) it is said to be the elixir of life as well

.Elaine and Asher together – Elixir!

Wizard Cedric – Yes indeed! Immortality would then belong to the kingdom of the Hanlon’s. But, in return…

Asher Langford – (Waves his hand nonchalantly) Yes a hundred drachmas decided.

Wizard Cedric – (scratches his beard thoughtfully) Eh well that’s fine but it’s too less in front of what I offer ya, you know?(Elaine and Asher both look at each other thoughtfully)

Princess Elaine – Very well Cedric … You know how to get your job done. So if your remedy “Armeillian blood” works indeed then you will be allowed to freely roam in the land of the Hanlon’s and be established as the Royal wizard of the kingdom as well.(Asher gives her an astonished look while Cedric beams with delight)

Wizard Cedric – Very well… then meet me at the same place on the next full moon and your job will be done. Just a single drop mixed with a little water would be enough

.Princess Elaine – well indeed (Exit)

                                                          Scene 4

On the next full moon, once Elaine and Asher receive the Armeillian blood they immediately go to every single sick person and give them the potion. To their surprise, they are immediately cured. They then go to each and every house in their kingdom and give them the “elixir of life “The prioress grows furious at her failure to eliminate Elaine and vows to take a revenge

.Princess Elaine - Querida tía! Are you satisfied now or shall I still call him in, your so called “king”?

(She stretches her hands outwards and sings)

 “Oh Thou! The brethren of Bubonic plague

Your information to us still remains so vague

Since we have heard so great about your virtuous essence

Do come and grace us all with your presence”

 (Elaine laughs at her aunt)

Prioress of Hanlon – (flushes at her embarrassment) I will take my revenge Elandria! (Storms out of her room)                 

 -The end-

 Well, the Hanlon’s indeed had a happy ending, and let me tell you a secret… shh… without Wizard Cedric’s magical Armeillian blood, our entire human race would have been swiped away. Unfortunately, the wizard and the flower have disappeared now. So let’s hope we too find a magical wizard and a magical cure to help us get rid of this pandemic!!