The Assassins.Fdx
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ASSASSINS by Marshall S. Ferrin (c) Marshall Ferrin 2006 FADE IN: ON SCREEN: One Thousand Years after the Birth of Christ a mass migration of Seljuk Turks spilled into Anatolia, conquering cities and towns throughout the Roman Empire. Christian Pilgrims no longer traveled freely. Jerusalem fell to their onslaught. A call by the Pope for a great Crusade to regain control succeeded and held the Holy Land for almost 100 years until... ON SCREEN: HATTIN, SYRIA, JULY 4TH, 1187 EXT. HATTIN BATTLEFIELD - LATE AFTERNOON Hundreds of ISLAMIC WARRIORS shout in victorious celebration over the Christian army. Bodies of dead knights litter the ground. The PRIOR OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER, killed by an EMIR, falls across the TRUE CROSS - the cross upon which Jesus died. FOUR ISLAMIC WARRIORS remove his body, raise up the TRUE CROSS and cast it into the dust. They cheer. CONRAD OF MONTFERRAT, 40s and SEVERAL KNIGHTS observe this action from a hill. CONRAD A battle lost by an idiot King and a bowl of water. He and his knights spur their horses and cut through a group of MUSLIM WARRIORS waiting for them at the bottom of the hill and escape. INT. SALADIN’S TENT, SHORELINE, SEA OF GALILEE - SAME DAY SALADIN, 50s, Sultan of Egypt and Syria, sits on a raised divan. GUY of LUSIGNAN, King of Jerusalem, 30s and REGINALD of CHATILLON, 40s, Lord of the fortress of El Kerak, collapse at his feet. Saladin picks up a BOWL OF ROSE WATER and gives it to King Guy. He drinks and passes it to Reginald. 2. SALADIN King Guy, you failed to ask my permission. Reginald finishes the bowl. SALADIN I do not now have to grant him mercy. Reginald wipes his mouth with his hand. REGINALD If you were kneeling here, I would cut off your head. SALADIN Pig. Why did you imprison my sister? KING GUY It is the habit of lords to do what they want. Saladin waves to his guards to remove Reginald. TWO GUARDS grab him from either side and hustle him out of the tent. Saladin and King Guy hear the sound of a sword slash, a cry of pain, the fall of a body to the ground. SALADIN He was no lord. INT. VATICAN, PRIVATE CHAMBER OF POPE GREGORY VIII - MORNING POPE GREGORY VIII writes at an ornate table. The heavy door to the chamber opens. An ATTENDENT approaches and bows before him. ATTENDENT Your Holiness, the Archbishop of Tyre is --- JOSIAS, the ARCHBISHOP OF TYRE, pushes past him. GREGORY VIII Here to see me. JOSIAS Your Holiness, the sins of the faithful have brought us to this. 3. Gregory rises and comes around to the front of the table. GREGORY VIII Yes, they strayed. JOSIAS Jerusalem, almost 100 years in our hands. GREGORY VIII Now in the hands of the barbarians who thirst for Christian blood, Jerusalem --- JOSIAS Must be freed. By those who expect indulgence for their sins. GREGORY VIII By those who will stop fighting each other. EXT. TOURNAMENT, SALISBURY, ENGLAND - MORNING A ROYAL HERALD rides to the center of the JOUSTING FIELD, takes out a proclamation from a saddlebag and addresses the crowd. ROYAL HERALD Hear ye, what says our great King Richard of England. The battle today is for bravest of the brave. Herald rides to one end of the tournament field. ROYAL HERALD Those who fight best will join the king at his side in the Holy Land. He turns and rides to the other end, away from the coming contest. The trumpets sound, as a KNIGHT IN BLACK ARMOR emerges from the nearby forest, to face the FIRST KNIGHT in the lists. They charge, with long lances, the black knight unhorsing the first knight. MEN AT ARMS from the side rush out to inspect his body. MAN AT ARMS He’s dead, my lord. 4. The black knight wheels and returns to the forest. Several TOURNAMENT ATTENDANTS rush out with a litter and carry the first knight off the field. A KNIGHT IN RED ARMOR gallops from the forest, to face the SECOND KNIGHT in the lists. They draw SWORDS, charge and fight. A slash to the body of the red knight by the second knight nearly unhorses him . turns and rides back into the forest. The red knight The crowd cheers. Tournament attendants lead the second knight to a preferred seat in the stands. A KNIGHT IN WHITE ARMOR races from the forest, to face HENRY OF CHAMPAGNE, one of the foremost knights of Europe. The crowd cheers. They each pull a BALL AND CHAIN from their belts, charge and fight. A heavy blow from Henry lands on the armored head of the white knight causing him to reel in the saddle. Henry rides over, catches the white knight just before he falls. MEN AT ARMS surround the two and tournament attendants rush forward. The white knight seems to recover, but slips through Henry’s hands and falls to the ground, his impact cushioned by FOUR ATTENDANTS. Henry dismounts and leaps to his side. Men at Arms move to surround the fallen knight. The white knight raises the visor of his helmet. The CROWD of Men at Arms and tournament attendants gasp at the sight of RICHARD THE LIONHEART early 30s, King of England. KING RICHARD You and your friend will join me in Jerusalem. EXT. A FIELD AT VEZELAY, BEFORE THE ALPS, FRANCE - NOON King Richard and PHILLIP, KING of FRANCE, kneel before Josias, to take the Crusader oath..