Scene1


The Enemy is after the Secret of Wealth and Happiness in a magic chest that the Byzantine Prince has had for generations. He has been good and trusting all his life- but his astrologer and most trusted knight Epithrates have conspired to take it for themselves. The Battle is raging. The Byzantine Prince and his entourage appear-while swords clash on the other side of the wall and cannon balls fall.

Prince (wiping brow as he sits on ) Thank goodness they haven’t made it here yet! The Orb is still safe, isn’t it?
Astrologer (looking in the tree!) Yes, O prince it’s still here where we hid it when we were ambushed! (The Astrologer takes it down and hands it to the Prince who take it out of the box. Epithrates and Astrologer look greedily on).
Prince As long as we have the Orb of Power, we have hope! For centuries my family, born in the purple have ruled in peace and prosperity and normalcy thanks to its power, given us by the Archangel… if it were to ever fall into the wrong hands, if the Arch enemy of humanity ever found out that it was entrusted to us, it would be the end of the world… (Behind him we get a glimpse of the Imp, putting hand to ear and grinning fiendishly as he climbs the tree, watching)..
Knight But oh prince I don’t know for how much longer…Just now I overheard the enemies! They know we were taking it to your daughter’s castle.
Prince: Oh no! We must have been betrayed. Astrologer, what say you?
Astrologer I shall cast the magic Scrabbala, O Prince, and commune with the font of all wisdom… (The astrologer shakes out the letters – BEWARE, RUN and BETRAYAL) Look! (Exchanges significant glance with Knight, as both are part of the plot to get the Orb)
Prince Alas! It’s true! Let’s run for it…
Knight (looking over the wall, cannon ball just missing him): But O prince we’ll never get through now! We’re surrounded! And they’ll recognize you- I’m fleet of foot and my sword is strong! There’s a chance, a small chance I could get through to your daughter’s castle-decide now!
Prince O Epithrates, you’ve been right hand man all these years.. yes, take the Orb to my daughter and tell her to keep it in a safe place . The family’s destiny-the world’s destiny depends on it!!
Epithrates I hear and obey! Farewell O prince!
Prince Make haste and good luck Epithrates! (Epithrates runs off- with the imp hot on his tail- the next moment a cannon ball hits the prince in the head and he falls down dead…)
Astrologer Ah!! The very moment he lost control of the orb, too.. (The astrologer is killed from behind at that moment, and the soldiers picks up the scrabble bag and pockets it with a nasty laugh