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CREDITS FADE IN AND OUT AS THE MUSIC BUILDS Backgrounds are rolling hills varying from desert to grassland and woods. Bassoons, Timpani, glockenspiel and tubular bells. The theme of bad guys yet to be revealed. After the titles a rolling curser. THE TIME OF NOWN IN MIDDLE EARTH WAS A TIME OF TROUBLE A TIME WHEN HUMBLE AGRARIANS WERE THE PREY OF BRIGANDS AND OTHER WAYFARERS. ABOUT THE TIME OF THE FEY REVOLUTION THERE WERE CIVIL WARS IN MEDITERREANIA. AND THE GNOMES WERE BEING crushed by the brigands AND THE BRIGANDS WERE TROLLS...FOR THE MOST PART. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 1. EXT: PLAINS DAY. Long High shot into a grassy plain, and PULL back across to the horizon with the dawn sky above. Trolls ride and appear on the horizon and ride across toward camera. PAN OVER: As they pass. Their horses seem to goosestep contrary to their nature. CUT TO: Medium Shot On one of the trolls galloping past, camera panning left with him. He is short and stocky with a blotchy face. He wears leather armor and carries a crossbow. His knee pads are of leather with steel spikes. Hold as the others pass after him. CUT TO: Long shot of the Trolls galloping across frame, silhouetted against the sky. PAN left, And then hold as they pass. CUT TO: Very long shot of the Trolls galloping up the slope against the sky. QUICK DISSOLVE TO: Medium shot looking along a path. The trolls ride up in the foreground and turn going away up into the path. They are of similar build and dress as their leader and all carry crossbows. Slung across the haunches of their animals, swing battle axes. CUT TO: Medium shot Another part of the countryside with grass and trees in the foreground. The Trolls gallop passed in the background. In soft silhouette. PAN LEFT: As they gallop in the background. Up an incline. DISSOLVE TO: A HIGH ANGLE MEDIUM shot of the Trolls, seen from behind. They stop their horses at the top of the hill, looking down into a valley where the roofs of houses can be seen. As they RIDE past. Their horses goosestep contrary to their wild nature. They move forward, slightly, to get a better look. PAN OVER: MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF THE TROLL CHIEF AND HIS CAPTAIN, SALATICUS. SALATICUS We'll take this place next! HIGH ANGLE SHOT LOOKING DOWN OVER THE VILLAGE. IT IS PEACEFUL AND QUIET. SMOKE DRIFTS UP FROM ONE OR TWO CHIMNEYS. A WELL KEPT VILLAGE WIDE SHOT TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE TROLLS The Trolls agree noisily, wheel to the left and gallop off. CUT T0: EXTREME LOW ANGLE MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF THE CHIEF AND HIS HORSE, WITH THE HORSES HEAD NEAREST THE CAMERA. CHIEF We took it last autumn. They haven't got Anything left. Yet! Let us wait. (As he speaks, he has trouble controlling his horse that keeps turning in circles...) DISSOLVE TO: Low angle medium close up of the CAPTAIN SALATICUS on his horse. SALATICUS Ok! We'll come back after the Barley harvest. Closer on the Salaticus as he turns his horse. CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT OF THREE TROLLS WHEELING THEIR HORSES ROUND AND GALLOPING PAST THE CAMERA. DISSOLVE TO: MEDIUM LOW ANGLE SHOT LOOKING UP THE SLOPE, THE TROLLS GALLOP UP FROM THE FOREGROUND TO THE TOP OF THE HILL. The CHIEF follows with a loud sound of galloping hooves. CUT TO: HIGH ANGLE SHOT FROM THE RIDGE, OF THE VILLAGE BELOW… WITH ROUGH HEDGE OF BRUSHWOOD IN THE FOREGROUND. Trolls, Humans, a scattering of Dwarves they are a grimy, sweaty lot, ragged and unkempt, with bolt-belts Xed across their chests, crossbows slanted across their backs and axes flopping at their waists. THE MEN'S FACES ARE STEELY, BLEAK AND SULLEN. THEIR CHIEF'S FACE IS SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN. His name is MALVERA and he is a BIG Troll wearing a broad smile. Cheerful, almost innocent, it is the smile that is an irresistible force and knows it and knows you know it, too. His size and bulk testify to his strength. That he has survived to the age of forty is evidence of his shrewdness, ruthlessness and cunning. The weapon he carries and the men he leads bear witness to his power. His self- assurance, therefore, is overwhelming and from it derives certain bravura in manner and dress: expansive gestures, slightly exaggerated facial expressions, broadly striped pants, enormous rowels to his spurs. Salaticus the CAPTAIN, his second-in-command, plucks an ear of corn from a stalk as he rides past and, spurring to Malvera's side, hands it to him. Malvera examines it with interest as he rides, pinching it, stripping it and nibbling experimentally at a kernel. CUT TO: The hoof beats, gradually fade away into the distance. Music follows along. CUT TO: Title page: BACK TO: SILENCE! ONE SCENE 3. EXT. RIDGE - DAY. CLOSER. The hedge begins to part and rise. Shadows of the leaves play in the dieing sunlight. It is the faggots of wood carried on the back of a GNOME peasant, as he lay hidden over the ridge listening to the Trolls… WIPE TO: LOW ANGLE CLOSE UP: His face appears, frightened and scared from behind the pile. A bird fly's off, singing. The GNOME turns and looking back at the camera for a second, flees down the hill, scattering his load as he runs. CUT TO: Long shot as the GNOME runs down the hill and reaches his village. WIPE TO: SCENE 4. EXT: VILLAGE PLAZA - DAY. A VERY LONG HIGH ANGLE SHOT OF THE VILLAGE. The gnomes are gathered in the center of town, chattering. DISSOLVE TO: Follow shot of the bird that sings and flies off. PAN OVER: HIGH ANGLE SHOT OF THE GNOMES CROUCHED IN A CIRCLE MOTIONLESS CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT OF SOME OF THE GNOMES' THEY ARE A PUDGY SHORT PEOPLE WITH PREMATURE WHITING HAIR AND LARGE NOSES. THEY DRESS BRIGHTLY IN PRIMARY COLORS AND CHATTER MORE THAN THEY TALK. DISSOLVE TO: Women and children sitting aback of them in support. They are smaller versions of their menfolk. The men chatter and the women wail and moan, both with equal solemnity. UNKNOWN WOMAN (V.O.) Wailing and moaning. PAN OVER: MEDIUM SHOT, ANOTHER ANGLE ON THE GROUP OF GNOMES. Closer. We see that they are Gnomes and humans. A tiny people of good nature. Non more than five feet high but all hard working, worried and defenseless. CUT TO: Medium shot of another group all crouched forward in despair. CUT TO: Another angle. Closer on a WOMAN. WOMAN(SOBBING) There are no gods here anymore.... forced labor, war, drought - and now the Trolls! PAN OVER: CAMERA TILTS UP SLIGHTLY TO MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF TWO OF THE GNOMES, WHO LOOK AT THE WOMAN WITH ANXIETY. CLOSER MEDIUM SHOT OF THE GNOMES IN THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE. THE WOMAN CAN JUST BE SEEN NEAR THEM, WEEPING IN DESPAIR. Gnomes are chubby, bearded caring people who dress loudly! The bird sings again, off. TILT UP AS ONE OF THE GNOMES ON THE LEFT FINALLY STANDS UP. IT IS HAMLIN. A YOUNG GNOME THOUGH STRONG AND ENERGETIC AND AT LEAST TWO INCHES TALLER THAN THE REST. HE IS A HAFLING, HALF GNOME AND HALF MAN. AN ANGRY YOUNG HAFLING! PULL BACK: BIG CLOSE-UP OF HAMLIN, STANDING, AGITATED. HAMLIN: (PASSIONATELY.) Let's kill them - kill them all! So they will never, never come here again! PAN OVER: CLOSE-UP ON YONEI, AN, OLDER GNOME, PARTLY OBSCURED BY HAMLIN'S HAND, WHICH IS VISIBLE IN THE FOREGROUND. THREE OTHER GNOMES CAN BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND. THE SUN GLARES SLOWLY THROWING THEM INTO SILHOUETTE. YONEI: (FRIGHTENED) You can't do that! Medium close-up ON YONEI, shorter that the others and with others behind. HAMILIN'S hand is in the foreground, his fist tightly clenched. CUT TO: Medium close-up of another Gnome, MANZOO, the tubby, with other gnomes gathering, mincing behind him. MANZOO It is impossible. Close-up ON HAMLIN, looking down at the gnomes, out of shot. DISSOLVE TO: Medium shot ON HAMLIN standing, surrounded by all the seated Gnomes, only their heads in shot. PAN SLIGHTLY RIGHT: As HAMLIN makes A threatening movement towards MANZOO, Who sits back to camera. Another GNOME, ALDWIN restrains him. A pantomime of squabbling, like children, is in view. Hilario stands by, quietly, listening. PAN OVER: MANZOO gets up and walks up to HAMLIN, who is being held back by ALDWIN. HAMLIN: You kill the deer in the forest, all right, but you can't kill Trolls! CUT TO: CLOSER. ON ALDWIN. ALDWIN IS AN OLDER, PORTLY BEARDED, A GNOME WITH PRESENCE. ALDWIN Stop this! This is no time for quarreling. CUT TO: Close-up ON MANZOO as he sits down. HAMLIN, held by ALDWIN, is visible in the background. CUT TO: MANZOO But we haven't a chance. What if we lost? They'd kill us all! They'd kill the women, even. And the babies! Even the dogs. CUT TO: Close up on Hamlin struggling to free himself. HAMLIN: I've had enough. I would rather take that chance than go on like this. Let's either kill them or be killed by them. PAN OVER: ON ALDWIN, FURIOUS! ALDWIN HAMLIN! PAN BACK: ON HAMLIN BREAKS AWAY FROM ALDWIN; WHO LETS HIM GO WITH RESIGNATION. CUT TO: MANZOO We were born to suffer. It is our lot in life. CUT TO: Close-up ON HAMLIN as he sits down beside MANZOO and buries his head in his arms. HAMLIN does not look at MANZOO. CUT TO: HAMLIN When they come, let us not fight. Let us give them the harvest... CUT TO: A WOMAN next to him sinks down at these words and some gnomes begin to weep quietly, off.... ALDWIN We could ask for just enough so we don't starve. We'll beg, we'll go down on our knees. He begins to sob as well. DISSOLVE TO: High-angle medium long shot of the circle of gnomes, all bowed down, some of their backs heaving with sobs. Continuing his movement, HAMLIN stands up in the center and turns towards MANZOO CUT TO: ALDWIN rushes up and motions him back as he begins to harangue MANZOO. PAN OVER: ON HAMLIN AS WE SEE THE GROWING BRAVADO OF ONE AND THE SUBMISSION OF THE OTHERS. HAMLIN: And you think they'll listen? Have you forgotten what we had to go through to keep the little corn that we have now? CUT TO: WIDE SHOT ON ALL OF THE ASSEMBLED GNOMES MANY OF THEM LOOK UP ON HEARING THESE WORDS. TILT UP SLIGHTLY AS HAMLIN STRIDES OUT OF THE CIRCLE AND STANDS ALONE, HIS SHOULDERS BOWED, BACK TO CAMERA. CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT OF HAMLIN FACING CAMERA IN THE FOREGROUND, WITH THE GNOMES SITTING CROUCHED BEHIND HIM, ALDWIN STANDING IN THEIR MIDST. HAMLIN drops down on to his haunches and buries his head in his arms. ALDWIN comes to the edge of the circle, looks worriedly towards HAMLIN and then turns back to the motionless gnomes. ALDWIN Let's go and see The OLD MAN and let him decide. CUT TO: ALDWIN COMES UP TO HAMLIN And sympathetically lays a hand on his shoulder as some of the gnomes stand up slowly and turn to follow him. Gradually all the gnomes stand up. DISSOLVE TO: MEDIUM LONG SHOT OF A WATER-MILL, THE WHEEL TURNING. AND DROPLETS OF WATER DRIPPING ON TO LILY PADS, BOUNCING AND SPLASHING A FROG. CLOSER ON THE FROG WITH TRANQUILLITY IN THE BACKGROUND. The frog leaps off. . DOLLY IN: LOW ANGLE MEDIUM SHOT OF A GREAT MILL-WHEEL TURNING, WITH THE SOUND OF RUSHING WATER. THE STREAM RUNS PAST IT INTO THE FOREGROUND. CLOSER: A CLOSER MEDIUM SHOT OF THE MILL WHEEL TURNING IN THE BOULDER- STREWN STREAM. CUT TO: SCENE 5. EXT. WINDMILL - DAY. CLOSE-UP OF THE FACE OF AN OLD MAN, A VERY OLD MAN, WHO IS THE VILLAGE PATRIARCH. HIS EYES ARE SHUT, HIS MOUTH TIGHTLY CLOSED: THE REGULAR SOUND OF THE TURNING MILL WHEEL CAN BE HEARD OFF CAMERA. Behind THE OLD MAN, in soft focus, are a young GIRL and a MAN. CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT HAMLIN IS STILL COMPLAINING. HAMLIN: (O.S.) Bargain with them? You give the wolf your leg and he'll take your arms too. You cannot bargain with trolls. You reason with them now, give them something, and they will be here in the autumn just the same. BACK ON: CLOSE UP. ON THE OLD MAN. MANZOO (O.S.) If they do come and we lose, what then? HAMLIN: (FURIOUSLY OFF) So we lose. Without the barley and corn we'll die anyway. THE OLD MAN suddenly opens his eyes and looks straight into camera. A PAUSE.) THE OLD MAN (Deliberately) We'll fight. CUT TO: Close-up ON HAMLIN, his eyes shining with surprise and joy. CUT TO: Close-up ON THE OLD MAN, nearest camera in profile, with MANZOO in the background, looking terrified. MANZOO We can't. We're Gnomes, not soldiers. CUT TO: THE OLD MAN Then we'll hire Elf. CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT ON THE OLD MAN SURROUNDED BY THE GROUP OF GNOMES. CLOSER ON MANZOO MANZOO What? Hire Elf? Who ever heard of such a thing? PAN OVER TO: WIDE SHOT TO INCLUDE THE OLD MAN; THE OLD MAN I did. CUT TO: BIG CLOSE-UP ON THE OLD MAN, FACING CAMERA. THE OLD MAN Years ago, when all of you were still babies, all of the villages were burned out by the Trolls. When I was running away I saw something. There was one village left unburned. It had hired Elf. The Old Man draws on a strand of leather around his neck. From under his shirt he brings forth a soft leather pouch, inside the pouch is a fine gold watch. He looks at it for the last time, hands it to HILARIO who is quietly standing by. CUT TO: Medium close-up of MANZOO and THE OLD MAN. MANZOO There are all kinds of villages, all kinds of Gnomes. We're too poor. We can only afford to eat barley. CUT TO: REVERSE-ANGLE MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF MANZOO STANDING UP, FACING HAMLIN, WHOSE HEAD IS VISIBLE IN THE FOREGROUND, THE OLD MAN'S HEAD IS BETWEEN THEM. MANZOO IS COMING AROUND TO ??? MANZOO But would they fight for us - only for food? TILT DOWN AS MANZOO SITS DOWN, HOLDING ON MEDIUM CLOSE-UP WITH THE OLD MAN AND HAMLIN IN THE FOREGROUND. MANZOO Elves are very proud. CUT TO: Close-up ON THE OLD MAN. THE OLD MAN You must find hungry Elf... even bears come out of the forest when they are hungry. Choose three and go and find: Cheap Elf! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 6. EXT: COUNTRY DAY LONG FOLLOW SHOT THREE village committee-men on their way to the border town. Hilario, Miguel and Tomas. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 7. EXT: CAMARGUE - DAY CAMARGUE IS A BORDER TOWN. ALTHOUGH IT LIES ON THE NORTH BANK OF THE TRIOS GOLDIE RIVER, THE PROXIMITY OF HAFLAND IS IN EVIDENCE. MOST OF THE BUILDINGS - FEW OF THEM MORE THAN A SINGLE STORY HIGH - ARE OF MUD, MOSS AND SHINGLE. BUT HERE AND THERE THE PRIMARY WHITE PAINTED STRUCTURES CAN BE SEEN. ALSO, AMONG THE HUMAN SIGNS - CAMARGUE BANK, CAMARGUE HOTEL - ARE A FEW THAT SAY PISSDA, ABBROUTE, CARNICERIA, FAMILIAR TO ALL. ON THE MAIN STREET ARE HUMANS AND TROLLS, DWARVES AND GNOMES, ELVES AND DRAYS. FAIRIES AND OTHERS. THE TRAFFIC INCLUDES A FEW CARTS BUT MOSTLY CONSISTS OF TIRED OLD MULES AND A FEW HORSES AND A CAMEL. DISSOLVE TO: DOWN THE MAIN STREET, ON THEIR SMALL, BONY MULES, COME HILARIO, MIGUEL AND TOMAS. TOTAL STRANGERS TO THIS LAND, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE OR HOW TO PROCEED WITH THEIR QUEST. Anxiously, timidly, they swivel their heads from side to side. Everywhere are men and elves with Bows. IF WE COULD READ THEIR MINDS, THE THREE GNOMES ARE THINKING, DOES WEARING A BOW MAKE A MAN A BOWMAN? IF SO, HOW DOES ONE MAKE A CHOICE? WHAT QUESTIONS DOES ONE ASK? ARE THEY A DANGEROUS BREED, EASILY OFFENDED? THEY CHATTER ENDLESSLY 'SOTRE VOTE.' SLOW DISSOLVE: They nudge one another and point, shoot covert glances, growing-more uncertain and apprehensive by the moment. They continue on. ANGLE ON HILARIO. HILARIO's response is a gesture of blank, open handed, perplexity. CUT TO: SCENE 8. EXT: CAMARGUE - DAY. A curious crowd closes in to watch an incident. HILARIO, MIGUEL and TOMAS dismount from their mules. From a safe distance they, too, watch the proceedings. DISSOLVE TO: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF A TALL ELF IN PROFILE, WALKING ALONG THE STREET. Hero Music in. Camera pans slightly left as he walks; hold as he walks off, revealing another Elf in medium shot, walking in the opposite direction. Both command through their presence our gnomes interest. PAN RIGHT: WITH HIM AS THEY COME INTO THE FOREGROUND LOOK AT EACH OTHER IN AMAZEMENT AND THE SECOND ELF TURNS AWAY. BACK TO: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF THE FIRST ELF, BACK TO CAMERA, As he approaches the crowd which melts away before him. SLOW PAN OVER: The Gnomes and other town people, all turn to watch him as he goes to look back through an archway. Many of the crowd are carrying clubs and pitchforks. The elf turns and comes back again. CUT TO: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF THE TOWN LEADER. A MAYORAL LOOKING GNOME! The elf strides over and joins him. CUT TO: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF ANOTHER GROUP OF ONLOOKERS JOSTLING ONE ANOTHER TO GET A BETTER VIEW. CUT TO: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF OTHERS IN THE CROWD, CARRYING PITCH FORKS AND SCYTHES. CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE THREE GNOMES AND ANOTHER MAN AND A WOMAN. They are all watching intently TOMAS leans forward, and then turns to the WOMAN next to him. TOMAS What's happening? WOMAN There's a thief in that barn. At that moment the first Elf, LIVEN TELL, appears behind them, LIVEN TELL is the tall Elf. In a bright suit of good cloth cut well but going threadbare, boots with the trousers outside. CLOSER He watches and listens, silently, his enlarged ears turning. He is tall and wears a gorgeous old black Kosruth hat with a floppy brim and a high, pointed-topped, crumpled crown. He wears Xed belts across his chest carrying an assortment of knives and mysterious, shiny rings. Across his shoulder is a golden colored bow with a quiver of arrows. He has been around and, in that course, has developed a considerable manner best described as panache. WOMAN They found him and he ran in there. TOMAS rushes out of shot, followed by the other Gnomes. The tall elf stands watching with a slight frown then follows them, calmly. CUT TO: MEDIUM LONG SHOT OF A BARN WITH ITS THATCHED ROOF. THE WIND BLOWS THE DUST UP IN THE YARD. DISSOLVE TO: Long shot of the barn through the gateway, with two gnomes standing looking towards it in medium long shot. The three Gnomes, followed by LIVEN TELL, pass through the gateway from the foreground, back to camera. Medium shot from the side of the two gnomes standing at the gateway. LIVEN TELL comes up and stands by them, furthest from camera, and the Gnomes gather behind. They all stare forward. LIVEN TELL How many are there? ANOTHER ANGLE ON: GNOME: Just one. WIDEN: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP OF THE GNOME AND LIVEN TELL, WITH HILARO, MIGUEL AND TOMAS VISIBLE BEHIND THEM. ANOTHER ANGLE. CLOSER ON LIVEN TELL LIVEN TELL: (INCREDULOUSLY) One! But there are so many of you. Widen to include. GNOME: We can't do anything. He took a child in with him. If we try to get him he says he'll kill it. A child is heard crying. GNOME There, hear that? CUT TO: MEDIUM LONG SHOT OF THE BARN. The child can be heard screaming above the noise of the wind Medium shot of the three Gnomes with the gnomes and LIVEN TELL at the gateway, listening. 2ND GNOME (GRIMLY.) Oh, the poor thing. And he's only seven. CUT TO: Medium shot of the group at the gateway from behind. The 2ND GNOME turns towards camera. PAN SLIGHTLY RIGHT: As Liven Tell walks towards camera and the gnomes surround him sympathetically. MIGUEL But who is that Elf? 2ND GNOME: Nobody knows. We asked him to save the child and he agreed. Then he asked for two rice balls. And a bottle of Purin as payment. She goes off. CUT TO: Wide shot on 1st Gnome approaching the camera. IST GNOME: I don't know what he intends to do. WIDER AS THE 1ST. GNOME FINISHES SPEAKING, THEY ALL WALK PAST CAMERA GOING OFF IN THE FOREGROUND, LEAVING LIVEN TELL LOOKING BACK AT THE BARN. THEN HE FOLLOWS THEM OFF, LEAVING THE DESERTED YARD IN VIEW. A woman runs out of the house by the barn in long shot, carrying a dish. She pauses for a moment as the child screams again, and then turns and runs towards camera, which tracks back through the archway. PAN RIGHT: WITH HER AS SHE COMES UNDER THE GATEWAY, HOLDING AS SHE PUSHES HER WAY THROUGH THE CROWD AND DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW. LIVEN TELL and the Gnomes move past camera. PAN OVER: MEDIUM SHOT OF LIVEN TELL AND THE FOUR GNOMES COMING ROUND BEHIND THE CROWD TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF LIVEN TELL ON THE RIVER BANK PAN RIGHT: WITH THEM AND HOLD AS THEY STAND, BACK TO CAMERA, IN THE FOREGROUND. Kneeling on the ground in front of them is the 2nd. Elf, MONVEN. He looks up at LIVEN TELL, who is just behind him, and stands up, giving them all a dirty look. The Gnomes back off slightly, and MONVEN settles down again to watch LIVEN TELL. CUT TO: Medium shot ON LIVEN TELL, back to camera, his head completely shaved. WIDEN. On the other side of the stream, MONVEN can be seen crouching down watching, LIVEN TELL and the Gnomes directly behind him and the group of gnomes looking on. CUT TO: Close-up Low angle ON LIVEN TELL looking across the stream. PAN OVER TO: Close-up ON MONVEN staring back. Low-angle close-up on LIVEN TELL. He turns away, and then looks up again. Close-up on MONVEN. He scratches his neck. Low-angle close-up on LIVEN TELL, staring towards MONVEN. He lowers his eyes and turns his back as LIVEN TELL stares across the stream again. Close-up on MONVEN looking up, a puzzled frown on his face. Low-angle close-up on LIVEN TELL, looking across impassively; he turns away. PAN LEFT: With him as he takes a few paces forward to where the woman is holding out her dish with two rice balls on it. He takes it and walks past her. FOLLOW SHOT: Camera panning further left and tilting up slightly as he starts to go through to the gateway. Long shot, looking along the stream to the bridge. The crowd hurry through the gateway, disappearing from view as they follow LIVEN TELL. Long shot of the gateway from the other side, with LIVEN TELL coming through and the crowd following. CUT TO: Medium shot on LIVEN TELL. He crowd pressing up behind. MONVEN pushes his way between them. Medium shot of the owner with his wife and the other MAN standing watching. MONVEN pushes his way past them and comes into the foreground, standing in low-angle medium close-up. Medium shot ON LIVEN TELL From behind, approaching the barn. MONVEN comes into shot in the foreground, only the lower half of his body in shot. He stops in low-angle medium close-up, kicks over a barrel and sits down on it. The child can be heard screaming from inside the barn, and the THIEF begins yelling hysterically, off, as LIVEN TELL comes up to the barn door. Medium shot on LIVEN TELL outside the barn door. He places the dish of rice balls on a stone outside the barn. THIEF: (OFF) So you've come. Well don't come any nearer or I'll kill the boy. You hear me. Closer. LIVEN TELL: I'm a priest. I have brought you food. CUT TO: Medium shot of MONVEN sitting on the barrel, watching., MONVEN Fool! The thief aims his crossbow. WHOOF POWf The thief's arm and forehead are hit with a steel ring and his hand gets a knife through it. He stares at LIVEN TELL, wide-eyed at his virtuosity. LIVEN TELL, leaning back casually, a large knife in his left hand, studies him with professional objectivity. A second ticks by and then another while he estimates the fight left in the stunned thief. Meanwhile, TOMAS and the crowd have run up to the hill, have crouched behind an adobe wall and are peering at LIVEN TELL. Liven Tell moves swiftly, snatching the child and drops the thief to the ground. LIVEN TELL turns around, looks at the crowd. LIVEN TELL Will the child's mother come and get him soon. While we are STILL young. PAN OVER: Left to right and tilt up as MONVEN passes, coming into low- angle medium shot. Pan further left to right with the Elves as they go out of shot in very low-angle medium close-up. Slight high-angle medium close-up of the thief bowing down on the ground, only his back visible. His shoulders are shaking with silent sobs. LIVEN TELL Leave while you still can! A choir begins a monotonous and mournful "Sergio Leone" style humming, over. Big close-up ON MIGUEL. Standing over HILARIO. MIGUEL (MUTTERING) I told you so. CUT TO: BIG CLOSE-UP ON HILARIO. HE LOOKS IN THE DIRECTION ON MONVEN WHO IS OUT OF SHOT. HE FROWNS AND THEN LOOKS DOWN. LOW-ANGLE MEDIUM SHOT ON HILARIO HEAD BOWED, WITH TOMAS AND MIGUEL STANDING BEHIND HIM AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN WATCHING IN THE BACKGROUND. MIGUEL goes up to HILARIO and bends over him, brushing the dust off his clothes as HILARIO slowly lifts his head. People begin to walk past in front of them again, with only the lower part of their bodies in frame as HILARIO slowly gets to his feet. LIVEN TELL, bottle to his mouth, gestures back over his shoulder. Hands the bottle to MONVEN. LIVEN TELL smiles and nods. LIVEN TELL Thanks for the back up. MONVEN grins. MONVEN You're more than welcome. MONVEN returns the bottle to LIVEN TELL who takes a swig. There are two drinks left in the bottle. LIVEN TELL hands the bottle to MONVEN. MONVEN Where are you headed? LIVEN TELL South, more or lESS. You? MONVEN Just drifting. Finishes the bottle, tosses it aside. LIVEN TELL Any action here? MONVEN Grocery clerk. Bouncer in one of those bars across the street — if that's your taste. LIVEN TELL's grunt, accompanied by a sidelong look is answer enough. LIVEN TELL Well, see you! MONVEN Yeah. MONVEN crosses over to his horse and mounts. LIVEN TELL takes his saddle bags off his horse and starts off. He takes a few steps, stops and turns. LIVEN TELL What's your name? MONVEN Make it. MONVEN. What's yours? LIVEN TELL LIVEN TELL He flips a salute and walks on. CUT T0: SCENE 8. EXT. STREET - DAY LIVEN TELL starts across the street toward the Belabier Hotel as MONVEN rides his horse out of the corral and on away up the street. ANGLE ON LIVEN TELL LIVEN TELL reaches the front of an Hotel, he notices Hamlin, who has been standing there noticing LIVEN TELL. He seems to wish to speak to LIVEN TELL or, at least, have LIVEN TELL take notice of HIM FOLLOW SHOT. LIVEN TELL Crosses up on hotel porch. Sizes it up Looks a little expensive. He turns around and stares at Hamlin, who is still staring at him. Hamlin turns away and moves down the street. LIVEN TELL crosses to edge of porch, looks off, across the street. Sees a sign - ROOMS - and an arrow pointing CUT TO: SCENE 9. INT: HOTEL ROOM DAY. There is a KNOCK at the door. Liven Tell considers this briefly, lifts the saddle-bag to the cot, flips open the flap and poises his hand near the protruding Bowie KNIFE-butt. Close up on the hand! On Liven Tell. LIVEN TELL Yes! CUT TO: Tight reveal shot. The door swings open, revealing Hilario, Miguel and Tomas. TRUCK BACK AND THEN FORWARD. They enter with great dignity, hats in hand. HILARIO We think you are an Elf that we can trust. LIVEN TELL (A little startled) Thank you very much, but.. TOMAS We wish you to help us. HILARIO There is this Troll, Malvera.... MIGUEL A thief and a murderer..... TOMAS He And his band, they steal our food And they leave us to starve, not only that but our Women. They — LIVEN TELL Wait, wait, Just a moment. If you need protection, why not go to the Rurales? HILARIO We did. Twice. But they can't station men in a small village for who knows how long. So they left TOMAS And when they left, he came again, Malvera. And every year since. And he will do so until he's stopped. CLOSER ON LIVEN TELL LIVEN TELL Sit down. MIGUEL We need help! HILARIO We must hire Elves! But we know nothing about them. Will you hire Elves for us? LIVEN TELL Bows are very expensive, and hard to get. Why don't you hire men? HILARIO Men? We need Elves, such as yourself. LIVEN TELL Now-a-days Bowmen are cheaper than Elves. TOMAS Will you come? HILARIO It would be a blessing if you helped us. LIVEN TELL I'm sorry - I'm not in the blessing business. HILARIO No, no! We offer more than that. We could feed you every day. TOMAS And we have this....... Close up on TOMAS's hands. Out of a bandanna, Tomas lays on the bed, we see, as he spreads It open——everything of value from the village; inexpensive Jewelry, medallions, the Old Man's watch etc. It's everything we own, everything of value in the village. LIVEN TELL I've been offered a lot for my work, but never everything. TOMAS Would it be enough? HILARIO You see, if we could drive the Trolls away - life could be very good in our village. But as it is. We could stand it a little longer. But the children. They cry because they're hungry. MIGUEL We will fight too. Every one of us. TOMAS When Malvera comes, the church bell will ring the alarm. HIIARIO We'll fight with Bows if we have them. If we don't, with machetes, axes, clubs, anything. There is a pause. LIVEN TELL looks at the determined faces. LIVEN TELL Do you understand what it means to start something like this? Once you begin, you have to be prepared for killing and more killing and still more killing until the reason for it is gone. HILARIO We've considered that. LIVEN TELL Now, does every man in the village feel the same? TOMAS Every Gnome! LIVEN TELL CONSIDERS LIVEN TELL I'll see what I can do for you. HILARIO Thank you, thank you. LIVEN TELL raises a hand to stave off their gratitude. LIVEN TELL Now - wait. I didn't say I would go. I'll Just pass the word you're looking for Elves. HIIARIO It won't be hard to find men here. Everyone carries a Bow. LIVEN TELL Sure - as they do their pants. Because it's expected. But good, that's something else again. MIGUEL How can you tell if they're good. LIVEN TELL There Are Ways. DISSOLVE TO! SCENE 10. INT. CANTINA - NIGHT The Cantina is a small bar., a quiet place in the quarter for the not very well-to-do. A hooded lamp casts a glow over the center of the bar and soft shadows elsewhere. Half- a-dozen Gnomes, men and haflings are seated and standing here and there, quietly talking. The occasional a Dray wanders in, drinks and leaves. Speaking to no one. A formidable man named PAPPY enters. He is tall and wide and very old. A veteran of the second Elvin Wars. He carries an unusual weapon. Along tube of steel with a wooden handle. He looks around and then goes to the BARTENDER. PAPPY Who's looking for men here? The BARTENDER indicates over to the far corner. BARTENDER Back room - down the hall. WIDER AS CAMERA FOLLOWS AS: PAPPY strides slowly, deliberately, down the hall toward a back room. CUT TO: SCENE INT: BACK ROOM - NIGHT The three gnomes sit at a table facing the door. LIVEN TELL leans against the wall nearby. There is a KNOCK on the door. Nodding to Hilario, LIVEN TELL moves so that he will be standing behind the door as it opens. PAPPY enters and as he crosses the threshold, LIVEN TELL reaches forward and, snatching PAPPY's tubular weapon and holds it on him. In one smooth, blinding-fast series of linked movements, like a well-rehearsed pas de deux in a ballet, PAPPY whirls, knocking the tube aside, "shoots his cuff" with his other arm and a long thin knife pops into his hand as he turns on LIVEN TELL. LIVEN TELL slaps the knife aside, aside and out of his hand. PAPPY whips a knife from his boot with his other hand as he leaps back into a knife-fighter's crouch, ready to defend himself. LIVEN TELL (to the Gnomes) Good, isn't he? PAPPY What's going on here? LIVEN TELL Just trying to find out what kind of a Elf you are. CLOSER ON AN ANGRY PAPPY. PAPPY (STEAMED) Get a knife and let's see what kind of a elf you are. Another angle on Liven Tell. LIVEN TELL Now, take it easy. I'm offering, (picking up and returning the tube) Food and lodging for four to six- weeks. Twenty bath in gold. Against forty Bows, mainly Trolls. PAPPY (cutting in) Me and you against forty? LIVEN TELL returns PAPPY's tube. LIVEN TELL No, we'll have more. (Indicates Hilario and the others ) These people and all the men in their village. PAPPY slings his tube over his shoulder as he looks the three Gnomes over, then turns to LIVEN TELL. PAPPY I like your style. And if I knew your name, I'd vote for you next election. But your deal stinks. HE STARTS OUT THE DOOR. LIVEN TELL No hard feelings? PAPPY No hard feelings. He opens the door and exits. Another knock on door. LIVEN TELL Come in — HAMLIN (ENTERS) The word's out you're looking for good men. LIVEN TELL That's right I (Indicating HAMLIN's Bow) Men who are good with that. HAMLIN I'm good with it. LIVEN TELL Fast? HAMLIN Try me. LIVEN TELL I aim to. HAMLIN watches LIVEN TELL warily, as he holds his hands about twenty Inches apart at shoulder height and quickly claps them, together. LIVEN TELL (continues) Stand up closer - hold your hands like that. Clap them! (Puzzled, Hamlin obeys) LIVEN TELL Faster. HAMLIN claps again. LIVEN TELL Now as fast as you can. Hamlin tenses, preparing himself, then claps his hands with all the speed at his command. And finds between his palms the business end of the very large knife LIVEN TELL has drawn and inserted. LIVEN TELL holsters his knife and spreads his hands. LIVEN TELL Now you do it! Hamlin looks at the three gnomes out of the corner of his eye and licks his lips, terribly afraid of failing. His hand tenses above the haft of his Bow, relaxes, tenses once more. He seems about to draw. And then, abruptly, he spins around and rushes out of the room. The three Gnomes are ashamed. Miguel pulls the brim of his hat down over his eyes. Hilario finds LIVEN TELL studying them, sensing their dejection. HILARIO (apologetically) He IS very young and very proud. LIVEN TELL Yeah - graveyards are full of boys who were very young and very proud. There is a KNOCK at the door. Without a sound, LIVEN TELL steps to the wall so that he will be behind the door when it opens and motions to Hilario to let the visitor in. The door opens, but nobody comes in. Hilario looks to LIVEN TELL and shrugs. LIVEN TELL looks out into the hall and finds no one there. Puzzled, he leans forward for a glance to the right down toward the bar. The hall is empty. Turning, be sees TALON LUCK beside him, stocky, past forty, deceptively bland. TALON (warning finger high) No tricks now, LIVEN TELL. LIVEN TELL crosses out into hall. LIVEN TELL Talon luck Good to see you again. TALON LIVEN TELL. (shaking hands) What are you doing in this dump?.... LIVEN TELL It wouldn't interest a high-stepper like you. It's just eating-money, Talon. One gold eagle, room and board, six weeks CLEAN UP for some gnomes. TALON Ah, you old Cajun - you don't talk so good but you always know what's go on! (TO GNOMES) ) CON PERMISO — (closes door) All right, that's on top. What's underneath? LIVEN TELL Only what I told you. TALON Gold? Cattle? Payroll? LIVEN TELL Only what I told you! TALON Oh sure, sure. Never mind. Just tell me when you can. LIVEN TELL Talon, please don't understand me so fast. TALON I said never mind. I'm in. (pokes his ribs) You dirty dog. SCENE 12. EXT. STREET AND SALOON - NIGHT CAMERA IS PLACED INSIDE THE SALOON, IN DARKNESS AND SEES, FRAMED IN THE DOORWAY: MONVEN strides across the street at b.g. - strides to front of the Saloon and enters. The waiter comes up to LIVEN TELL. WAITER Yes? LIVEN TELL (looking over to MONVEN at gaming table) The Elf who Just came in! I'd like to buy him a drink. WAITER Yes, sir. The waiter crosses over to MONVEN at gaming table. MIGUEL There's one. Just look at his face. MIGUEL refers to a PLUG-UGLY Dwarf who Just entered the saloon -his nose has been flattened and his face is scarred. HILARIO The man for us is the one who gave him that face. LIVEN TELL You learn fast. MONVEN puts down the two dollars. Rolls dice , MONVEN blinks a couple of times, puzzled by the suddenness with which he has been rendered cold, stone broke. The waiter taps him on the shoulder, points off. WAITER Gent over there wants to buy you a drink. MONVEN walks over to the booth occupied by LIVEN TELL and the Gnomes. MONVEN Howdy. LIVEN TELL Like to buy you a drink. (To the waiter) Purin. Got something lined up? MONVEN Yup. I'm gonna take a Job. In a grocery store. Fellow who runs it thinks I'd make a crackerjack clerk Crackerjack. LIVEN TELL Well, if that's your taste... MONVEN I did hear of a job. Shooing flies away from some village. Can't find out what it pays. LIVEN TELL Twenty dollars! MONVEN A week? LIVEN TELL Six weeks. The whole Job. MONVEN That's ridiculous. You heard of anything? LIVEN TELL Below the border. Shooing flies away from some village. (Indicating the gnomes) Their village, MONVEN Pays twenty whole dollars? LIVEN TELL I'm looking for men right now. MONVEN turns to Hilario, Miguel and Tomas. MONVEN(APOLOGETIC) That wouldn't even pay for arrows. CLOSER ON GRUNT FROM MONVEN. MIGUEL We understand. You would get much more in a grocery store. And it's good, steady work. I'm sorry. Ours is not a rich, village. MONVEN (TO LIVEN TELL) How many you got signed up? LIVEN TELL holds up one finger. MONVEN shakes his head, holds up two fingers. He tosses off a drink. CUT TO: SCENE 13. EXT: HOUSE ON A PLAIN - DAY LIVEN TELL and MONVEN ride toward the gnome's hut. They ride into the front yard. The plain is vast and empty except for the: sod hut with a rickety corral alongside and a well in front. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN dismount, hitch their horses to a rail and approach the front door. The door opens - a gnome sticks his head out. LIVEN TELL. I'm looking for a man named Alaric. GNOME Don't know his name. But there's a feller in back chopping WOOD for his breakfast. LIVEN TELL nods his thanks and, with MONVEN, walks around the but to the rear. ALARIC, a very hard-looking Elf, half -human, half Elf, this side of thirty with an habitual mad-at-the world scowl. He is splitting wood with an axe. His jacket and hat are on a stack. His bolt-belt and six bolt crossbow are on the ground at his feet between him and the hut. He straightens and stands motionless when he sees LIVEN TELL and MONVEN, eyeing them impassively as they come to a halt half-a-dozen feet away. LIVEN TELL Morning. ALARIC thinks of a for a moment, then toes his Bow and holster across the ground to a spot on his other side, away from them. That done, he goes back to chopping wood noticeably with more force; splitting twelve inch diameter logs with a single blow. LIVEN TELL I'm a friend of Talon Luck's. Tells me you're broke, ALARIC Nah. I'm doing this 'cause I'm an eccentric millionaire. LIVEN TELL There's a job for six men to watch over a village south of the river. ALARIC (CHOPPING AWAY) How big's the odds? LIVEN TELL Thirty, maybe more. At this, Alaric misses the log completely and almost falls down. Recovering, he stares at LIVEN TELL. ALARIC I've got to admire your notion of. odds. LIVEN TELL Talon Luck tells me you faced odds in the Middle Terran war. ALARIC (Nods) They paid six hundred for that one! MONVEN He also said you wrapped up Modrin single-handed in less than a month. ALARIC (NODS) They paid me eight hundred for that one. MONVEN You cost a lot. ALARIC Yeah, that's right - I cost a lot. LIVEN TELL The offer is twenty dollars. Alaric looks at the logs he has split and at the pile left to go. ALARIC Twenty dollars — Right now that's a lot. LIVEN TELL Where can I reach you? ALARIC Right here. He splits another log, with a force that sends splinters in all directions. Some into the camera lens. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 14. EXT: LINE CAMP - DAY The camp has been set up across the tracks from a loading dock. Lounging about a remuda and a food-wagon are the SCORE OF MEN, GNOMES, Drays AND ASSORTED Others. A human, BALANCE, is having a difference of opinion with two other men. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN have ridden up during this and stand near their horses, watching. BALANCE I still say she can't. PINOCET I tell you she can. BALANCE If she claims that, she's a liar! PINOCET (Looks around quickly) Come on - not so loud, she might hear you. BALANCE I don't give a damn if she hears me or not. I got two months wages coming and I'll bet it an it ain't so. STRANGER Well, you ain't betting with me. PINOCET Me either. I'm Just telling you what she said. And I believe her. BALANCE Well, one of us is a fathead. STRANGER You can get odds on which. Balance turns on him in anger. SOMEONE (O.S.) (laughs) Haw haw haw! Another angle. As Pinocet turns away in dismissal, Balance looks at the men around. None seems the least impressed with what he is saying and this makes him even angrier. He goes over to an Elf sitting hear the food-wagon, a tall, tall Elf stretched out on the ground dozing with her back against a fence post and her huge floppy, hat pulled down over her face. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN walk in. BALANCE STARES DOWN AT THE ELF. BALANCE El Tan. El Tan. Wake up. El Tan - look at me. I'm talking to you. For a moment, EL TAN seems not to have heard him. Then a thumb slowly pushes the hat up and she is gazing calmly at Balance. EL TAN is a female Elf, tall, elegant and apparently lithe. Her red hair glistens in the sunlight. BALANCE (continues; pointing to Pinocet) Pinocet told me what you said. I Say you're wrong. What do you say? No one moves while waiting to hear what El Tan says. Then she pinches her hat-brim between a thumb and forefinger and slowly pulls the hat back down over her face. SOMEONE (laughs again) Haw haw haw. And stops suddenly as Balance glares at him. BALANCE What's the matter? Another angle. Looking down at El Tan BALANCE Afraid to say I'm wrong? Again the thumb slowly moves the hat up off her face and El Tan's calm, piercing green eyes hold Balance's. Then, in one smooth, flowing motion, El Tan is on her feet and moving toward a fence-post twenty feet away. She puts her coffee can on top of the post about 3" from his shoulder then turns to face BALANCE. She motions with her hand and Balance, glancing behind him, finds a similar post nearby. One step and he is standing next to it. But this isn't close enough to suit El Tan who motions again. BALANCE sidesteps until the post is at his shoulder. El Tan nods, satisfied, and then looks to Pinocet. Nervously, Pinocet steps forward, about half-way between the two and out of the line-of-fire. He winks at Balance who crouches, ready to draw his bow, his eyes on EL TAN. He looks at El Tan, who stands easily, casually tugging at a long ear-lobe. BALANCE (to Pinocet)) Call it! Pinocet fires an arrow into the air. El Tan's hand streaks down from her ear, as though throwing a ball, and a knife quivers in the post at Balance's side. At the same moment, Balance has fired HIS hand crossbow and the coffee can is knocked down. El Tan crosses over to Balance - gets knife out of the post. BALANCE (triumphant to Pinocet) Well, you see? I won. Well, how about It? Pinocet, how about it? El Tan crosses away over to the food-wagon. PINOCET I don't know. Mighty close, wasn't it, boys? BALANCE Close? Close? What do you mean close? He hurries over to Pinocet and a knot of others gathers around them. BALANCE You all-got eyes, ain't you? You saw the whole thing, didn't you? I won. With a growl, Balance hurries over to El Tan who is just taking a drink of coffee. BALANCE You tell them. I won, didn't I? EL TAN (BARELY Perceptible head shake) You lost. El Tan crosses over to the fence, lies down. And the hat is down over her face. Balance is beside himself with rage. Crosses to El Tan. BALANCE You're a liar. No response. BALANCE I said you're a liar. No response. BALANCE You 're a coward and a liar. No response. BALANCE Get up and let's do it for real. (fires 2 bolts at El Tan's feet) Get up, I said - get up — or I swear I'll bolt you right where you — are. A long moment passes and then EL TAN'S thumb slowly pushes the hat up. EL TAN'S calmness has gone and her eyes are now like ice. She gets to her feet and moves deliberately back toward the fence-post. Balance crosses over to his post. EL tan turns and finds Balance ready BALANCE (Eyes on El Tan -to Pinocet) Call it. PINOCET (Crosses to Balance on line) I don't want nothing to do with it. BALANCE Call it! Pinocet moves to stop him. PINOCET Come on, Balance — forget it! BALANCE Get away from me! CUT TO: The buzz of the onlookers' excited conversation stops abruptly as they realize the game has ended and that they are watching a contest that could end in death. CUT TO: Medium shot on Liven Tell. LIVEN TELL (TO MONVEN) It' s ridiculous — and so obvious. Balance is immediately aware of the meaning of this sudden silence. Almost wishes he could withdraw, but a glance around at the men who ridiculed him rekindles his rage. Tensing, he glances at the post beside him, takes his stand directly in front of it, his eyes on El Tan. EL TAN (To Pinocet) Call it. Pinocet, hating to do it, pulls a hand Bow out and fires up into air. CLOSE UP. Balance crumples, slowly, to the earth with-El Tan's knife in his throat. SILENCE DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 15. INT: SALOON - NIGHT It's late. The cantina is nearly empty. The bartender is reading a newspaper. At a table are Hilario, Miguel and Tomas, waiting with stoic patience. Nearby ere Alaric and Talon Luck. Talon is playing solitaire, handling the cards with loving dexterity. Alaric watches him without expression. Each of the two is nursing a beer. All heads turn to the door as LIVEN TELL and MONVEN enter. MONVEN stops at the bar. LIVEN TELL sits with the Gnomes. MONVEN (To bartender) Wine. The three Gnomes exchange anxious looks. TALON and Alaric wait. Miguel clears his throat. Hesitantly..... MIGUEL Did you have luck? LIVEN TELL I found an Elf who would have been perfect. Bow or knife, they don't come any better. (A pause) Wasn't interested. The gnomes deflate. They sense that Liven Tell is dis- couraged, too. HILARIO The money? It was not enough? LIVEN TELL Doesn't give a damn! About money. HILARIO (As delicately as possible) An elf in this line of work who doesn't care about money? LIVEN TELL(POLITELY) Elves in this line of work are not all alike. Some care about nothing but money. Others, for their own reasons, enjoy the danger. MONVEN And the competition. HILARO If he's the best with the Bow or the knife, with whom does he compete? LIVEN TELL Himself. (A beat) Herself! WHAM! Their heads swivel and they see Hamlin. He has come banging through the double doors. He needs a shave. His eyes are inflamed. He peers around, focuses on LIVEN TELL. Lurches toward Liven tell. HAMLIN (WAVING A FINGER) You. I've been looking for you. Now we know. He -is carrying quite a load of bottled courage, He staggers slightly, grips hold of a chair to support himself and his self-esteem. Hilario, Miguel and Tomas immediately recognize the menace. MONVEN, however, has never seen Hamlin before. Therefore, he's amused by the little Hafling's noisy appearance and erratic progress across the floor. MONVEN Oh, oh. What have we here? HAMLIN Never mind. Never mind. He knows. Clap hands, he says. Clap your hands. Let's see how fast you are. (With drunken dignity)) Man comes to him 'cause he respects him, 'cause he'd be proud to work with him. (sudden rage) And he tries to make him look like two cents with some damned kid's game! He stops, just a few feet away from LIVEN TELL, his hand threateningly near his Bow. MONVEN doesn't think it's funny now. He has grown tense. So have Alaric and Talon. BARTENDER Hey, you. Kid. That's enough of that. From below the bar he hoists the familiar bartender's peacemaker, a short heavy skull-cracker. He starts around the bar. HAMLIN (To bartender) You stay away from me. yille yon? (to LIVEN TELL) Now, yon. Come on. Let's see how fast yon are. No games. No clarrisini? Hands. None of that. Come on. Come on! MIGUEL (PLEADING) No No! HAMLIN What did you say Compesino? Get out of the way, you dirt fucker! Another angle on: Hamlin's head is momentarily turned. Alaric and Talon, seated to one side, start to rise. HAMLIN's cross bow is Instantly in his hand. They freeze. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN haven't moved. HAMLIN You don't think I mean it? Think I'm just talking? He SHOOTS, deliberately missing LIVEN TELL by an inch. SHOOTS AGAIN and AGAIN, smashing both "beer glasses on LIVEN TELL's table. HAMLIN Get up! Get up and face me! Do you hear me? Get up - do you hear! He loses his equilibrium, and falls back to the bar. Drops Bow on bar - tries to reach it. HAMLIN (to Bartender) You - give me my zur. Beck! His head slides off the bar and he falls to the floor passes out. LIVEN TELL crosses to the Bartender. LIVEN TELL Sorry this happened, friend. Let him sleep it off. And when he wakes up - (Slides Bow along the bar)) let him have his Bow back. Puts down a coin. LIVEN TELL And give him a drink. Liven Tell turns back, stops short at the sight of El Tan looming in the doorway. Tall, gorgeous and dangerous. EL TAN I've changed my mind. FADE OUT: FADE IN: ACT II. SCENE 16.INT: OFFICE OF LIVEN TELL'S ROOMING HOUSE - NIGHT The clerk is behind the lobby desk as LIVEN TELL and MONVEN enter at door. LIVEN TELL holds out his hand for his key. CLERK There's a man waiting in your room. He said he was a friend of yours. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN walk out of the office. PAN OVER: Sidewalk to door of LIVEN TELL's room. MONVEN stays behind as LIVEN TELL opens the door and steps back. The door opens, revealing a youthful face in which there is no trace of expression. Not the kind of face you'd care to meet in the dark. Nor in the daylight for that matter. The face of a Elf utterly devoid of feeling. His name is KOMBEI. He is sitting on the bed. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN enter room. KOMBEI dresses well, with here and there a touch of elegance - his fine boots and hat, a pair of gloves looped in his belt. His manner has more than a touch of arrogance. His voice strangely soft, is further slurred. He looks like Robin hood. KOMBEI You need men for a job in the Low- lands. LIVEN TELL That's right! KOMBEI How long? LIVEN TELL Six weeks. KOMBEI That ought to do it. HOW much does the Job pay? LIVEN TELL I thought you were looking for the Mondrin. KOMBEI I FOUND THEM. (A significant pause) How much does the job pay? LIVEN TELL Twenty. We leave tomorrow. KOMBEI I'll have the money before I leave - It will Just take care of my last two days rent. MONVEN Has been studying KOMBEI, not especially liking his acid condescension. MONVEN Twenty dollars - you must be living in style. KOMBEI Yes, I have the most stylish corner of the filthy storeroom out back, that and one plate of beans, ten dollars a day. Monven catches on. MONVEN Yeah, things do get kind of high when they find out you're on the run. PAN OVER: KOMBEI stares at him coldly. Then turns to LIVEN TELL KOMBEI Here's a spring south of town. (Rises from the bed) KOMBEI Pick me up there. KOMBEI goes out. MONVEN reacts as to a chill wind passing through. He whistles softly. LIVEN TELL Uh huh. But he's handy with a Bow. And we're not heading for a church social. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 17. EXT: OPEN COUNTRY - DAY The sun flames just above the horizon. In single file, the Gnomes and the Motley crew ride slowly across the plain. LIVEN TELL leads, Hilario behind him, or perhaps beside him? Followed by the others. The way they ride tells us quite a bit about the them: LIVEN TELL, erect and calm, a man born to authority, therefore, with no need to assert it. MONVEN with that slouch of his, taking things as they come. EL TAN, hat pulled down, red hair shining beneath, silent, anonymous, complete in herself. Talon, with his simple, happy-go-lucky expectation of good things to come. Hard enough to make it so. Alaric, the sour, hard elf with a Bow, disenchanted with everything, himself in particular. KOMBEI, reins held delicately in his gloved hand, an air of being along merely for the ride, disdainful of this whole ridiculous enterprise. PAPPY old enough to know better, continually slots racks of quarrels into the tube and unloads them. Adding grease as he prepares. PAN OVER: Low angle camera follows. As they make a sharp turn to the left and start up a rise, MONVEN notices something far off on the back-TRAIL. Silhouetted in the sunrise. MONVEN Liven! LIVEN TELL glances off a half mile away; a mounted figure is following them. LIVEN TELL (nods) Yeah. He picked us up at dawn. CUT TO: SCENE 18. INT: SALOON - NIGHT MONVEN enters, the saloon - looks around - he crosses over to a dice table. He watches the play for a moment, lips pursed in concentration. The SHOOTER is having a winning streak. A lot of whooping from those backing his play. MONVEN'S hand drifts to his hat - extracts two coins. This is no casual fling, but a studied, calculated Investment. LIVEN TELL is in one of the booths lining the wall opposite the bar with Hilario, Miguel and Tomas. They have been there awhile scrutinizing and evaluating likely prospects. MIGUEL Indicates the BOWMEN who has Just entered. TOMAS That's Hamlin from our village! LIVEN TELL No! TOMAS Why not? He has notches on his Bow. LIVEN TELL Yes, I noticed. TOMAS Well? LIVEN TELL Would you care to work with a man who keeps score? TALON Any idea who it is? LIVEN TELL That kid in the saloon. Won't take no for an answer. MONVEN (Looking off) Doesn't show much sense, does he? DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 19. EXT: FOOTHILLS - DAY The group is profiled against a tall butte, picking its way over rocky ground. Still far behind, Hamlin follows at their pace. TALON (Rubbing his neck) I'm getting a stiff neck keeping track of him. ALARIC If you can't forget him why don't you ride side-saddle? TALON (Ignoring this) Ah, well, he won't last much longer. ALARIC Think so? CUT T0: ANOTHER ANGLE ON MONVEN. Monven is also watching Hamlin. MONVEN Riding out there in all that dust and heat — what a chuckle-head. LIVEN TELL Yeah, not smart like us? Another angle on. MONVEN (NOT GETTING IT) DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 20. EXT: ENCAMPMENT DAY A fire is burning low, a coffee-pot heating. The Gnomes and the Elvin fighters, some of them dry-washing tin- plates and knives, are grouped around Hilario who has made a mock-up of the village and its terrain with pebbles and twigs. MONVEN and Talon are listening with half an ear, their eyes on a small fire far away and Hamlin's figure near it. MONVEN Suppose our friend over there has anything to eat for himself? TALON (Disturbed;)) to LIVEN TELL) How about I go over there and bring him some. LIVEN TELL It's not food he's hungry for. MONVEN Then let me tie a can to his tail. Right now he's like an itch I can't scratch. LIVEN TELL Let him alone. It's a free country. ALARIC And it's his. CUT TO: SCENE 21. EXT: MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY The file is climbing, following a narrow, winding trail which makes it impossible to see if Hamlin is still following. MOUNTAIN STREAM HAMLIN LAYS IN THE STREAM, CROUCHED MOTIONLESS, HIS HAND IN THE WATER. A swift motion and he has a fish in his hand. He admires it, then tosses it out on the bank. Hamlin crouches again, his hand snaking slowly into the water -catches a second fish -throws fish to bank - DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 22. EXT: HIGH RIDGE DAY The file moves slowly toward us, still climbing. Reaching the top, everyone looks back. Behind them, the empty trail, the open country stretching to the horizon. No sign of Hamlin. TALON (rubbing his neck) Funny. Now that he's gone - I kind'a miss him. The trail leads sharply down to... LAP DISSOLVE: SCENE 23. EXT: THE MOUNTAIN STREAM -DAY Attached to a tree,, in plain sight, is a fine string of fish, an eloquent invitation to dinner. LIVEN TELL and the others react as to a mirage. They look off. Upstream, not far away, is Hamlin, seated on the ground, cooking fish, all innocence. LIVEN TELL looks at the fish, then off at Hamlin. LIVEN TELL can hardly keep from laughing. With a broad scoop of his arm he waves to Hamlin to come join them. SCENE 24. EXT: THE MOUNTAIN STREAM -DAY Hamlin's not looking at LIVEN TELL, but he sees the gesture, all right, out of the corner of his eye. He gets up, not hurrying, his face wearing a faintly disdainful expression, as if to say, "Maybe I will, and maybe T won't." DISSOLVE TO: SCENE 25.EXT MOUNTAIN COUNTRY - DAY The riders coming around the bend in single file. PAPPY AND LIVEN TELL in front. Then MONVEN, El Tan, Talon, Alaric and KOMBEI. With them now, near the end of the file, is HAMLIN. CUT T0: SCENE 26. EXT. TRAIL - DAY JAIME, an eight-year old boy, hides at foreground. In a ditch. The Bow fighters and Gnomes ride in on trail at background They ride past the boy. As they go by - the boy rises and crosses out on the trail - he takes off his hat and waves to another village boy far up on a mountain, b.g. The boy on the mountain waves his hat towards o.s. boy RICO at river. CUT TO: SCENE 27. EXT: VILLAGE DAY High angle long shot. The village boy Rico sits against a tree by the river. He is throwing rocks to b.g. river with a slingshot. Suddenly he looks towards O.S. mountain and reacts to O.S. boy waving hat. He rises and runs to b.g. Across the river. He crosses the river and runs up on a rock wall - takes his hat off and waves it to O.S. boy on rock mountain above the village. CUT TO: SCENE 28. EXT: VILLAGE - DAY A little boy sits above mountain at village. Looks 0.S., reacts to O.S. boy at river - rises - turns to village and hollers, waving his hat. BOY They're coming - they're coming! SCENE 29. EXT. RIVER - DAY Low angle. The three Gnomes and Bow fighters ride thru. The three Gnomes and the Bow fighters ride past the burial- ground and through the fields toward the village. Hilario, Miguel and Tomas are puzzled when the .Gnomes working in the fields completely ignore there arrival. LIVEN TELL and the others glance at each other. They enter the village. SCENE 30. EXT: VILLAGE - DAY Coming between the two houses flanking the entrance to the plaza. Hilario slows his pace, visibly upset by what he sees. Or, rather, what he does not see. For the village is empty, with not a soul in sight. HILARIO (CALLS) Where is everybody? Where are they, Tomas! TOMAS (shouts)) Attention! Demetrius! MIGUEL Eusebio!- Sandro!- what kind of a reception is this? HILARIO Come out. Come out and make them welcome before we die of shame* OLD MAN (calls) HILARIO THE OLD MAN STANDS IN THE DOORWAY OF SANDRO'S. OLD MAN Stop your shouting. Hilario turns toward LIVEN TELL, who nods and dismounts. The other Bow fighters follow him to SANDRO's. HILARIO (To the Old Man) Do they call this a welcome? What are they thinking of? OLD MAN (Ignores Hilario; to the Bow fighters) Come in. You must be thirsty. MIGUEL Sandro. CUT TO: SCENE INT: SANDRO'S THE TOWN MEETING PLACE SANDRO, apprehensive behind the counter, starts pouring drinks. The Old Man scans the faces of the Bowmen, one by one, measuring them. Inevitably, his eyes return to LIVEN TELL, recognizing him as the leader. Abruptly, waspishly... OLD MAN You must excuse them. They're gnomes here. They're afraid of everyone and everything. They're afraid of rain and no rain. The summer may be too hot, the winter too cold. The sow has no pigs, the gnome's afraid he may starve. She has too many pigs, he's afraid she may starve. LIVEN TELL There's no need to apologize. (For Hilario's benefit. LIVEN TELL We didn't expect flowers and speeches. OLD MAN Good. Tomorrow It's the anniversary of the founding of the village - they will be celebrating - then you will see them in a better light. Till then — Eat drink and sleep over there at Lara's house. SLOW DISSOLVE: Suddenly, the church bell starts to CLANG deafeningly, and - a voice screams. (screams) Malvera is coming, Malvera is coming! Sandro hurries out. The others follow. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA The plaza is now full of confused, noisy panicked, chattering gnomes. ARTURO Where is he, where is he? FLACO Which way is he coming? SANDRO Who sound the alarm? (At the top of his voice) Who sound the alarm? HAMLIN (V.O.) (Just as loud) I did. PAN ROUND AND UP: On Hamlin he stands at the top of the church tower sneering at the gnomes. He is sore - doubly so because he is a Gnomish, half Gnome, half human and so are they. He winds down to the village square. Comes out HAMLIN (Withering contempt) Thank you, araigos, for coming out to greet us. Thank you for letting us see your beautiful faces. Thank you, thank you. (utter disgust) You chickens! You come running out like chickens! He marches down the steps and across the plaza, shouldering people aside. HAMLIN We ride for days to get to this - this nothing in the middle of nowhere. We 're ready to risk our lives to help you. And you - you hide from us — - hide from us Hamlin climbs up on rim of fountain. CUT TO: On the old man. The Old Man cackles. OLD MAN He's enjoying this. The Bowmen exchange looks. HAMLIN Ah, but it's a different story when you're in danger, hah? And you might lose your precious crops? Oh, yes. And you flock to us. Well, we're here, my compares and I, are here and here we we stay - and you - you prove to us that you're worth fighting for — alright now, get back to your houses! Back to work! We'll let you know when to fight and how to fight. Go back; Go back, all of you - go back! The Gnomes, awed and humbled, drift away. LIVEN TELL is tickled by Hamlin's impudent assumption of authority. Impressed also by his scathing oratory. He grins! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA -DAY. THE GNOMES CONGREGATE TO ACT OUT AN ANNUAL RITUAL, CELEBRATING THE FOUNDING OF MEDI TERRAN. The 1st stuffed deer is ignited. Crowd fights it. FLUTES squeal, DRUMS rattle and crash; crude figures of Elves and Gnomes, monstrous in size and fierce of face, wildly bob and weave against the sky, depicting in mimic battle the legendary origin of Terra Meridian. They are part of a dancing, chanting procession working itself up to a frenzy as it circles the plaza, now pro- fusely decorated with flowers, new corn and paper lanterns.— About a-third of the gnomes actively participate in this ritual. The remaining inhabitants, in holiday dress, are watching it and sharing the emotion, many in front of their houses, some grouped at the fountain and others at Sandro's. CUT TO: SCENE INT: SANDRO'S - DAY Hilario and LIVEN TELL are among those drinking there. MONVEN and Talon are sitting at a table. They watch the procession. MONVEN You know, I've been in towns where the girls weren't very pretty, in fact I've been in some towns where they were downright ugly. But this is the first town where there's no girls at all. Except small ones. I can see we're going to have a very active social life. ANOTHER ANGLE ON TALON TALON Oh, it's not so bad. I fell in with a fast crowd yesterday that hangs out near the fountain. We got to predict the weather for today and didn't break up till twilight. SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY The procession is now passing and the clamor is deafening. The man leading the procession stops it and orders that the second Florito be ignited.( A florito is a pinata on one eel. It chases the crowd. Flaming Pamplona bulls chasing the crowd. MAN (In Elf, to crowd) Paren la musica - slga el otro Florito The crowd screams and hollers as it fights the second florito. The scowling ALARIC has been leaning against a post watching the proceedings. With his knife he has been making a whistle out of a stick of bamboo. As the procession breaks up, a family with three small girls stands at front of him as they watch the crowd fight the florito. Alaric's attention goes to the small girls. He shows the whistle to the children. He blows it. The girls turn to look at him. He blows it again. This time he offers it to the child nearest him. She takes it. The boy Rico comes hurrying into the plaza from the fields. He stops by a tree in the plaza. HAMLIN is sitting up in the tree. The boy, RICO, searching for someone, sees Hilario with LIVEN TELL at their table and hurries over to him. RICO reaches Hilario's table and tugs at HILARIO's shirt for attention. He whispers something to Hilario that makes him stiffen with alarm. While the others are engrossed in the procession, he turns to LIVEN TELL and drops a bombshell. HILARIO Three of Malvera's men Just rode into the woods. Another angle on. LIVENTELL. LIVEN TELL (To Rico) What are they doing? RICO I don't know They left their horses in the woods. HILARIO Should I sound the alarm? LIVEN TELL No. They'd know we spotted them. Come on. LIVEN TELL, Hilario and Rico cross through the crowd, fighting the second florito and make their way towards Lara's house. HAMLIN up in the tree reacts to this. He gets down from tree and follows through crowd. LIVEN TELL, Hilario and Rico go past Alaric and Lara's house. Hamlin exits into the house next to it. CLOSER TRUCK SHOT ENDING IN A CLOSE UP. El Tan is stretched out on the ground, hat over her face. KOMBEI sits back on a porch chair. As LIVEN TELL, Hilario and Rico enter, the hat is raised with the familiar thumb-and-finger motion. Those piercing eyes are instantly alert. LIVEN TELL El Tan, the boy saw three of Malvera's men. Horses are in the woods. In a smooth, flowing motion, El Tan la on her feet. El Tan looks off towards KOMBEI. She knows she needs another Bow to back her up. EL TAN (Calls to KOMBEI) KOMBEI. LIVEN TELL Get one alive. RICO I'll show you where. El Tan picks up her saddle & gear from ground and crosses over to the back yard gate. Rico is instantly there, opens gate for El Tan. El Tan steps out. Hilario crosses over to Rico and stops him from going with along. HILARIO (to Rico) RICO, he knows where the woods are. With this he leads Rico back towards LIVEN TELL and the three of them exit towards front door of Lara's as KOMBEI comes off the porch and follows towards O.S. Hamlin has been overhearing the above in the yard next to Lara's. He shoulders his bow, ready for action and follows in the direction of El Tan & KOMBEI. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. PLAZA - DAY Alaric is standing by a pole watching the proceedings as LIVEN TELL, Hilario and Rico come out of b.g. Lara's house. LIVEN TELL comes over to Alaric, whispers to him. Alaric nods and walks toward the church. LIVEN TELL glances across the plaza. A kind of telepathy has alerted MONVEN and Talon. MONVEN lifts a questioning eyebrow. LIVEN TELL shakes his head and gestures to them to stay where they are. Now LIVEN TELL turns to the festivity with an appearance of interest. But after a moment, his glance goes to the surrounding mountains and then about the plaza, estimating possible defense positions. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EDGE OF FOREST - DAY El Tan and KOMBEI walk up trail at mountain side. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: OF FOREST - DAY Three horses are tethered among the trees. One of them stamps and softly snickers. At the sound, El Tan and KOMBEI, entering through the trees, stop short. Veering to the right, they go to their hands and knees at the bottom of a mound and crawl to the top. El Tan comes up at top and, finding a tree to rest against, seats herself on the ground, stretching her legs and makes herself comfortable. KOMBEI fades behind a tree to cover her. Prone behind a bush a few yards away, Hamlin cautiously lifts his head to see what they're doing. He marvels at the sight of El Tan casually plucking a wild flower and dreamily sniffing it as she twirls it between her fingers. CLOCK DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY In the village, the Deer Dance is going on. CUT TO: BACK TO HAMLIN At a sound behind him. Hamlin whirls, leaping to his feet and going for his Bow. Malvera's THREE MEN are as startled as he is. As they reach for swords and crossbows, Hamlin fires. One of them lurches back and falls heavily. Another, his blade about to split Hamlin's head, drops as El Tan shoots. The third man immediately darts for one of the plunging horses, mounts and is off through the trees. Impossible to hit him. El Tan rises, quickly estimates the terrain, starts walking, deliberately, Bow in hand, to a position several yards away. HAMLIN (O.S.) I'm sorry, El Tan - I didn't mean to spoil it. EL TAN Shut up. Arriving at her chosen vantage-point, El Tan waits, her eyes on the man escaping through the dense, screening growth. The only gap lies between two trees at the top of a rise. El Tan fires in the split-second the rider fills it and tumbles him from the saddle. HAMLIN That was the greatest shot I've ever seen. EL TAN The worst. I meant to get the horse. (Cutting Hamlin short) I wanted to get one alive. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. PLAZA - DAY The Deer Dance has frozen in its tracks and the plaza is silent. LIVEN TELL - looks up to O.S. belfry -crosses towards fountain - Hilario follows. The men wearing the huge masks of fierce trolls raise them to reveal their own contrastingly apprehensive faces — among them MIGUEL and Tomas. WIDEN TO INCLUDE. LIVEN TELL's eyes are on the belfry. Alaric Is there, sur- veying the woods across the open fields. He glances down at LIVEN TELL and shakes his head; he sees nothing yet. LIVEN TELL (Turning to the gnomes) Three men were sent by Malvera to spy. It's almost certain they saw us. His attention is drawn by movement in the belfry. Alaric is looking out in the distance. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: BELFRY- DAY Alaric looks down at the plaza, nods reassuringly. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY LIVEN TELL turns back to the Gnomes. LIVEN TELL Whatever they learned, it will be buried with them. CONSTANCE Vftlgame DioDs, if he comes now. Hastily, he TAPS himself at the thought. LIVEN TELL But he'd never send men ahead if he's close enough to see for himself. So we have time. And we have something Else. Surprise. And I promise you, if he rides in with no idea of the reception we can prepare for him, I promise you we'll" all teach him something about the price of the corn. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT. RIVER - DAY MONVEN and El Tan are instructing Eusebio, Constance and Demetrio in aiming and firing Bows. El Tan is monotonously repeating the routine. EL TAN Aim RELEASE, Nock. The Gnomes are slow in catching on. MONVEN takes the Bow from EUSEBIO. MONVEN (TO EUSEBIO) Thumb - with the thumb. The routine continues, with El Tan again repeating the practice count several times. EL TAN Aim, RELEASE, NOCK. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. RIVER -DAY LIVEN TELL, ALARIC AND TALON ARE INSTRUCTING HILARIO, TOMAS, AND MIGUEL IN TARGET PRACTICE. ALARIC ((to Miguel) Settle. Down, if you miss the first time, you may not get a second time. LIVEN TELL (to Hilario) Keep the flight tight in your shoulder. If you don't, two things happen. First, you waste an arrow, second you break your arm. TALON (To Tomas) Now close one eye. (Indicating the end of the arrow) Aim from here to the target. TOMAS That melon? LIVEN TELL That man you're going to kill. MIGUEL If only we had more Bows, what we could do! ALARIC You'll get more Bows. TOMAS If Malvera doesn't come after all this, what a waste. TALON Pretty foxy fellow, this Malvera, eh? MIGUEL Senor, not fox. A dog- TALON lights a cigarillo. In a nice, chatty way... TALON How did he ever find out about the gold mine? TOMAS Gold mine? Everybody stops work. This is an interesting question. TALON You know. The one in the mountains. PLACO In our mountains? TOMAS We never had a gold mine around here. TALON Come to think of it, maybe it was a silver mine. Whatever happened to it? PLACO We have no silver mine either. TALON I mean in the old days. MIGUEL Not at any time. PLACO Where did you hear of this gold and silver? Another angle on TALON. Talon, about to reply, sees LIVEN TELL a short distance off Isn't sure whether LIVEN TELL has heard him or not. TALON (briskly) All right, come on, boys and less talk, huh? THEY ALL GO BACK TO WORK. LIVEN TELL SMILES TO HIMSELF AND WALKS OFF. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: HILLSIDE -DAY Hamlin and his squad of three boys have finished cutting saplings. The mules ere loaded. The party is making its way down to the village in single file, Hamlin at the rear, leading his horse. HIGH CAMERA ANGLE. The laden mules come down out of the woods to a level, grassy area. HIGHER ANGLE. HAMLIN leans down from his horse at the side of the brook to take a drink. He twists around, hearing the soft pad of an animal approaching. A lone, long-horned cow is staring at him. HAMLIN dismounts swiftly, whips off his jacket, adopts the proud, haughty air of the torero. Brandishing the Jacket, he moves in on the beast. HAMLIN Sntrsle Forrito! I Otro! Haj! Closer and closer, recklessly exposing himself to the cruel horns. Finally he's on one knee, staring directly into the animal's sad, liquid eyes, Hamlin sighs, reaches out, pats the cow on the head and scratches her ears. HAMLIN Good cow! Abruptly the play-acting is over. Hamlin hears something. He whirls around. Bow in hand. A slight movement in the bushes, He rises, mounts horse - rides away. He rides in- to trees by river - dismounts and hides by the trees. PETRA runs from b.g. as she passes CAMERA - Hamlin steps out from behind the tree. Stops her. PETRA You do anything to me and I'll kill you. I'll kill you. While you're doing it. ANGLE ON PETRA AS SHE STRIKES OUT AT HAMLIN. HAMLIN You little chicken bruiiri, you almost took my eye out. PETRA Let me go! Let me go . HAMLIN (as she tries it) You bite me - I'll bite you so help me. I got a good mind to throw you in the water. PETRA Smash you with a rock. Cut your head off. HAMLIN Stop it. Shut up - shut up - shut up! Where are the others? PETRA I'll never tell you. HAMLIN Oh! for God's sake. Bending and pulling, he manages to get her over his shoulders. Holding her tight, as she kicks and screams, he starts toward his horse. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: NEAR VILLAGE - DAY LIVEN TELL is helping with the ditch being dug by Hilario and his crew. It has now assumed considerable proportions. All work stops at the SOUND of an approaching horse. HAMLIN jogs in, Petra slung over his lap like a sack of meal. The bandanna is off. Very clearly it's a girl, a matter of keen interest to MONVEN. HAMLIN Look what! LIVEN TELL Who is she? LIVEN TELL looks at Hilario. An embarrassed moment. The other Bowmen drift into the scene. HILARIO From our village. LIVEN TELL So there's where they were. You hid them. LIVEN TELL comes out of ditch and over to Hamlin - MONVEN b.g. follows. Monven leans down to get a better look at Petra. Hamlin pushes her off, onto her feet. HAMLIN Sure- they hid them and she won't tell where. They're afraid. She's afraid of me. And you. (pointing to LIVEN TELL) And him. All -of us. Gnomes. Their families told them we'd rape them. THERE IS A LONG SILENCE. LIVEN TELL Well, we might. (at their surprise) In my opinion, though, you might have given us the benefit of the doubt. But - just as you please. MONVEN As long as you were out .there - whyn'.T..,..you bring 'em all in? HAMLIN What for? Leave 'em out there. Let Malvera find them. He'll take good care of them. LIVEN TELL Bring them in Hamlin. Show him where to hide. MONVEN (Helps Petra up on horse) Ua'amJ HAMLIN Come along, little angel. He snatches Petra up onto his lap In front of him. Monven. Winces. Hamlin turns the horse - rides away to B.g. MONVEN Almost in audibly) Gently boy, gently. There's an awkward moment. LIVEN TELL appears to have forgotten the whole thing. He's inspecting the ditch. LIVEN TELL Vtell, we are getting there. Ifou had a good idea, Hilario, It's going to work. HILARIO If I'd known it was going to be so much trouble, I'd have kept my mouth shut. TALON (Swinging a pick) Amen. They all go back to work. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE INT: LARA'S HOUSE - NIGHT Most of the Bowmen are here, sitting at the table. Lupe, the widow.Of Hafael, is doing the cooking over the brazier.The Bowmen are being served by PETRA. Petra now wears a dress. MONVEN very much admires the change. Hamlin seeks to give the impression he is totally unaware of her existence. She approaches, glaring at him. He turns his head to one side, holding out his plate. She ladles out a big spoonful, moves around so that he can see how much she hates him. Another spoonful. HAMLIN turns his head disdainfully in the other direction. She ladles out a third spoonful* Hamlin lowers his head and starts eating. Burning with frustration, Petra walks on to MONVEN. He gives her a big, beaming smile. MONVEN I can't tell you how nice it was of you senoritas to fix this very nice dinner for us. Petra slaps one spoonful on his plate and walks on. MONVEN gazes at his meager helping, then at Hamlin's overflowing plate. MONVEN gives him a look which says, "How do you like that?" LIVEN TELL responds with one of those shrugs, to wit, "That's life." Alaric walks in, looks around. ALARIC How's the food? PAPPY Great! ALARIC Came osada, chicken salada and rice? PAPPY Yeah, these people sure know how to cook. There's plenty of it. Dig in. ALARIC You know what - these people have been eating since we got here? Tortillas and a few beans. We got the rest! DISSOLVE TO: Everybody stops eating. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: OUTSIDE LARA'S -NIGHT Most of the small boys of the village are lined up. Each one has a clay bowl. Talon holds the pot. MONVEN distributes the food. Gracias, senor. For nada! Gracias, senor. For nada. Gracias, senor. He's a handsome boy with a flashing smile. MONVEN studies his. MONVEN You don't happen to have a grateful older sister? 3RD BOY No, sentor, gralas, Sentor. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: RIVER DAY. BOW PRACTICE IS GOING ON AGAIN. THE GNOMES ARE PRONE ON THE GROUND, FIRING AT A TARGET. ALARIC IS STANDING OVER MIGUEL, WHO GRITS HIS TEETH, CLOSES HIS EVES, PULLS THE STRING. POVUU! ALARIC Miguel, how many times do I have to tell you? You're not milking a goat. ALARIC GRABS THE BOW, NOCKS IN ANOTHER ARROW, MIGUEL IS DISGUSTED WITH HIMSELF. MIGUEL It's Just I get excited. ALARIC Well, don't get excited - slowly. Try it again. Slow now. Slow. Pull it. Squeeze it. Slow. Whooof! Alaric takes the Bow! In a split second he releases a dozen arrows all into a marker on the tree no larger than a shoe. ALARIC Tell you what. Don't shoot the Bow. Take the Bow like this and use it like a club. LIVEN TELL (Calls to O.S. PLACO enters to take Miguel's place. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. CORNFIELD AT CORN SHED - DAY Hilario, Tomas and Miguel, with the assistance of MONVEN are working on a net. Across road at b.g. They stop. HILARIO Water, Tomas. TOMAS Sicomte. They cross over to their water gourds under a corn shed. MONVEN follows. as the three Gnomes drink, MONVEN practices a few fast draws with his Bow. Tomas is impressed by the speed with which MONVEN draws. As MONVEN shoulders Bow, he catches Tomas watching him. PAPPY And! Doh! PAPPY unslings the tube from his shoulder and without ceremony, points and shoots. Wish! Wish! Wish! Wish! Wish! Five bolts whistle into the distance. All nailing a gourd upon a tree. PAPPY bristles. MONVEN Oh ——playing around. TOMAS MONVEN, would you show me something? MONVEN( TURNS TO HIM) Another angle on Monven. MONVEN What? TOMAS SHOW ME HOW YOU DRAW? MONVEN' s answer is a fast draw of his boomerangs and a couple of hurls at some other water gourds hanging inside corn shed. MONVEN catches them as they return. Turns to Tomas. MONVEN I wonder if I could have some of that water? Tomas offers him water. MONVEN takes it. MONVEN Thank you! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT RIVER - DAY MONVEN and El Tan are holding Bow practice again -with Constance and Demetrio. The Gnomes 'progress is better than in previous practice scene. El Tan iS off routine much faster than before. EL TAN Aim, squeeze, nock. (repeats line several times) MONVEN is not watching the practice, and is looking off away from the men. P.O.V. FROM MONVEN Petra and the Village girls are washing clothes on river rocks. Their scrubbing seems to be in tempo with El Tan's counting. BACK TO Monven EL TAN AND GNOMES MONVEN ONE, TWO, THREE FOUR — (repeats count MONVEN joins in) One, two, three, four, - one, two, three, four. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. RIVER - DAM - DAY A dam is being finished by some of the gnomes. Hamlin walks along the river, measuring the depth of water held back by dam. H« walks past Gnomes. HAMLIN Bien — bien — muy bien. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. ROAD PASS INTO VILLAGE - DAY El Tan, with the help of Alaric is showing gnomes how to raise and drop a net across the road at pass. (TO MEN) Pull it up — tighter — pull it up — tighter — all right, drop it. THE MEN DROP THE NET. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: OLD MAN'S HOUSE - DAY The Old Man is seated on porch. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN ride up trail into yard - dismount. OLD MAN Buenas tardes. MONVEN Howdy! LIVEN TELL Well, we came to move you into the village. OLD MAN Move into the Village? Me? LIVEN TELL Not. Just you. Everybody who lives outside. OLD MAN Oh no, not me! LIVEN TELL We can't protect you if you stay here. A fellow narawd Rojas is making room for you in his home. OLD MAN. 'Rojas"-. His conversation would bore me to death* MONVEN Yeah, well - (Sits) Maybe somebody else. OLD MAN They're all gnomes. Gnomes talk of nothing but fertilizer and women. I have never shared their enthusiasm for fertilizer. As for women I became indifferent when I was eighty-three. I'm staying here. MONVEN What are you gonna DO When Malvera comes! OLD MAN At my age a little excitement is welcome. (and then) Don't worry. Why would he kill me? Bullets cost money. LIVEN TELL All right. Have it your way. OLD MAN You worry about yourself. Are you ready for him? What if he comes now? Hah?" Hah? The Old Man cackles. And it echoes on and on! DISSOLVE TO: FADE UP: SCENE EXT: HILLS - DAY JAIME, a village boy, sits by rocks - looking off camera. Racketing birds take to the air abandoning some carrion on which they have been feeding at the bottom of the hill. They have been disturbed by Widen. LONG LOW SHOT BACK LIT. Cue music. Malvera jogging down toward the village followed by some forty men in ragged column formation, much as when we first saw them. Jaime rises and steps up closer to trail. Seeing Jaime, Malvera looks at him, and Jaime, taking off his hat, waves a bit more broadly and at greater length than might be thought necessary. Jaime, In fact, waves his hat to everyone in the column. Several respond. Another boy up on B.g. Mountain rises and waves his hat. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. RIVER - DAY Rico, resting against a tree, sees boy on mountain waving in the distance and, turning toward the village, jumps up on the rock wall and waves his own hat. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. VILLAGE - DAY Another boy sits up on a rock on hill above the village. He stands, watches' for a moment, then calls, waving his hat down to village. BOY (POINTING.) Hilario. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY Predetermined All around the plaza, people stop in their tracks to look at the boy. Then they Rather at a vantage point in a group around LIVEN TELL. From here they can see the tiny figure of Rico signaling in the distance-No one says a word as they steel themselves for what is to come. Then each man, elf and GNOME starts for his -determined position. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: FOREST - RIVER - DAY Malvera and his men pour down a slope and jog into the forest. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: FIELD - DAY Three gnomes stand in the field looking toward the forest. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: EDGE OF FOREST - DAY. Malvera and his men emerge, ride past the burial-ground and then through the field toward the village. Approaching the three gnomes in the field, Malvera waves. One of them creases himself. And then, when the last of the column has gone by, the three move quickly along the trench to its end near the river. Here, a reinforced embankment is all that keeps the water flowing in its normal channel. Picking up mattocks and a spade concealed in the undergrowth, the gnomes start hacking at the embankment. The water spurts into the ditch. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: FIELD - DAY Malvera and his men ride at a jog through the harvested fields into the village. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY Malvera leads his men into the plaza and halfway across before he realizes something is amiss. He reins in sharply and SALATICUS and the riders behind him bunch as they come to a halt. MALVERA'S POV. LIVEN TELL, armed and poised, stands facing him. In front of Sandro's. El Tan and MONVEN are on his flanks. Malvera's eyes dart about the otherwise empty plaza and then return to LIVEN TELL. In silence, they study each other. Malvera nods. MALVERA I should have guessed When they didn't come back, I should have guessed. He looks around at the roofs, the doorways and the side- yards behind their walls. MALVERA How many of you did they hire? LIVEN TELL Enough. Malvera stands in his stirrups and points. MALVERA New wall. He spurs forward a few feet for a more comprehensive survey. LIVEN TELL Lots of new walls. All around. Malvera returns to his column and faces LIVEN TELL again. MALVERA They won't keep me out* LIVEN TELL They were built to keep you in. Some of Malvera's men ride to the front of Sandro's. MALVERA (turns to his men) Hear that? We're trapped. All forty of us. By these three. (to LIVEN TELL) Or is it four? They couldn't afford to hire much more than that. TALON We come cheaper by the bunch. During this Talon and Hamlin appear across from each other on the perimeter of the plaza. Malvera spots them. His men shift restlessly. MALVERA FIVE EVEN FIVE WON'T GIVE US TOO- Much trouble. LIVEN TELL There won't be any trouble. If you ride on. MALVERA And what kind of trouble are you? LIVEN TELL Just trouble! Another angle on MONVEN. MONVEN Maybe even work for it. MALVERA Seven! Somehow, I don't think you've solved my problem. LIVEN TELL Solving your problems isn't in our line. MONVEN (Flipping a bolt) We deal in lead, friend. MALVERA So do I We're in the same business, eh? MONVEN Only as competitors. MALVERA (TO LIVEN TELL) Why not as partners? Suppose I offer you equal shares? LIVEN TELL In what? MALVERA (embracing the village) Everything. To the last grain. HAMLIN And the people in the village — what about them?" MALVERA I leave it to you. Come men of our profession worry about that? If God didn't want them to be sheared, he wouldn't have made them sheep. What do you say? LIVEN TELL Ride on. Malvera stands in his stirrups, raising his voice, addresses the unseen gnomes. MALVERA Did you hear that, Sandro? Did you hear what he said? Ride on. To me. Tell him to ride on before I get angry. Him and the others. Because if I leave here with empty hands, everybody in the village will answer to me when I come back. Do. You hear me, all of you? LIVEN TELL You won't come back. MALVERA Why not? LIVEN TELL You won't have any Bows. Take them off right now and drop them. Malvera turns in his saddle to address Ctrillo for the benefit of the others. MALVERA Generosity. That was my mistake. I left them a little extra and they used it to hire these men to make trouble. It shows you - sooner or later we have to pay for every good deed. He sits motionless in his saddle for a moment, then abruptly explodes into action. With a yell that galvanizes his men, he draws his crossbow and, spurring his mount, gallops at LIVEN TELL, shooting. Around the plaza, MONVEN, El Tan, KOMBEI, Talon, Alaric and Hamlin duck for cover and open a rapid cross-fire of bolts and arrows. Malvera's men, racing after their leader, spray bolts in all directions. Bow blazing, LIVEN TELL leaps back, takes cover behind wall, as Malvera, Ctrillo and two others try to ride him down. From the church tower PAPPY raises his tube and lets loose bolts, from the blue. One, two, three, four, MALVERA's men die. Malvera and his men ride around plaza fountain and towards b.G. down the street towards entrance into village. AS they near village, Gnomes raise net across road. The Trolls stumble into the Net. EUSEBIO and a few other Gnomes fire at Trolls. Two Trolls fall from horses. Malvera and his men turn their horses. Some of the Trolls ride away down the main street. Malvera and Sentos ride Into a side street. LIVEN TELL, behind a rock wall, fires at Trolls riding through towards the cornfields. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: VILLAGE - DAY. CLOSE UP ON. A TROLL HURLS AN AXE. SLO-MO INTO THE CAMERA. NAILS PAPPY IN GRAPHIC DETAIL. PAPPY Roars! CUT TO: Alaric up on roof fires same. Talon, taking cover at side of Lara's house, fires same. KOMBEI, petrified with fear, crouches by doorway of house next to Lara's as Trolls ride through. El Tan, taking cover behind table under Sandro's porch fires at O.S. Trolls riding through towards cornfields. Monven inside Sandro's, fires same* Malvera and Santes ride through back yards of houses, jumping horses over yard walls. As they ride past the back of Sandro's, SALATICUS and group of Trolls join them. They ride away through cornfield and escape to b.g. MONVEN runs out of Sandro's and mounts his horse at the back of the building. He gives chase into the cornfields, firing at the escaping Trolls. HAMLIN comes out from behind the church and fires towards the cornfields at the escaping Trolls. Some of the Trolls are trapped in the mud of the flooded area of cornfield. Tomas yanks a bandit off his horse and kills him with his machete. Hilario, Miguel, Placo, Arturo and other Gnomes under the corn shed in cornfield, fire at the escaping Trolls. Arrows and bolts are flying in all directions and we see this confusion. Malvera and the rest- of his men gallop off in disarray toward the hills, encouraged with a few parting shots. Silence, except for the dwindling sound of galloping hooves. Buseblo and Gnomes at net road block come out from behind rocks. React to escaping Trolls. Buseblo reacts to bandit he killed. ALARIC and El Tan react to fight being over. KOMBEI, covered with sweat, breathing hard, is utterly spent. He rises, walks into the street. Reacts to the end of battle and the Trolls defeat. ALARIC swings down from the roof, looks towards the corn- fields at escaping Trolls. LIVEN TELL, rises from behind the rock wall, crosses out into the street, looks after the escaping Trolls, reacts to the end of battle. MONVEN, riding in the cornfield, stops his horse, dismounts, reacts to the escaping Trolls. Looks back towards O.S. village. Hilario, Miguel and others under corn shed in field, react to the escaping Trolls. Look at each other, almost disbelief, as it comes to then that they have actually defeated the Trolls. Tomas, in a trance and shoulder wounded, walks in the corn field. He stops - looking off at the escaping Trolls. Hamlin, in the church graveyard, reacts to the triumph, of the Gnomes and Malvera's defeat. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT. ROCK WALL BY BLACKSMITH SHOP - SUNSET Talon, Pedro and Arturo are on watch at wall. In the b.g. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN, returning from a reconnaissance, cross through on their way to the plaza. TALON (Calls to b.g. LIVEN TELL) Any sign of them? MIGUEL No! LIVEN TELL (Points to three Bows) The same way we got those. From Malvera's men* The ones HILARIO Came to spy on us. TOMAS Like Three Kings bearing gifts. ALARIC All right, Miguel - squeeze slowly - slowly! He puts it tight against his shoulder, squinting coldly along the arrow. Practicing like a pro. EXT. PLAZA - EVENING LIVEN TELL, Monven and Hilario rebuilding a rock wall. Constance, Chapo, Pedro and Arturo carry rocks from b.g, dump them at f.g. and exit out b.g. HILARIO How long do you think it will take to be ready? - I mean, really ready? LIVEN TELL If we work straight through, maybe two days — three days. HILARIO And our next ten years of good luck, hah? MONVEN Make it twenty! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE PLAZA - LATER THAT NIGHT Around the perimeter of the village, most of the gaps between the houses have been filled with waist-high walls. The workmen, Talon included, are pretty well tuckered. Tomas stops to massage his back. PLACO Where did you hear of this gold and silver? LIVEN TELL (Moving on) None. PEDRO THAT IS BAD LUCK- Talon regards the Gnome curiously. ARTURO Imagine. I knew him when he was a mouse. INT: SANDRO'S - . SUNSET Sandro's is crowded. The gnomes are still in high spirits. Everyone is talking at once. Most are armed for their turn on guard-stint. The largest group is at the counter drinking, bulling qr.D speculating. El Tan is seated inside. TOMAS You were safe by your house. I was out in the field, face to face with them. They came at me, ten of them, screaming like devils... MIGUEL Last time you told it. It was only HTIARIO He has them multiplying like rabbits. TOMAS Ten! Ten! HILARIO Make it eight, hah? Leave two for the rest of us to fight! BUSEBIO Eight, ten, a hundred, what's the difference? They got a good kick in the behind. MIGUEL If they try it again, they'll get another! This gets a general roar of approval. CONSTANCE We'll tear them to pieces. THIS GETS A LOUDER ROAR. PLACO We'll bury them all. Malvera too. In the rear counter, Sandro, Constance and Demetrio are in a huddle. SANDRO I was never so frightened. My knees were like jelly. CONSTANCE I would never have guessed it. SANDRO (brightening) Well, he'll leave us alone from now on. DEMETRIO You think so? SANDRO Of course, he'll go away. There are other villages. Villages that don't sting the way we do. " He looks off as LIVEN TELL, and MONVEN enter from the fields. They cross over to the porch. SANDRO Sandro crosses out to the porch to LIVEN TELL. The other Gnomes follow. Tomas pours a drink for the new arrivals. (to the Gnomes) Neighbors, I drink to our friends. They armed us, fought at our sides and will forever live in our hearts. He touches his mug to LIVEN TELL's and MONVEN's With a yell the gnomes lift their drinks in a toast. A blazing cross-bow bolt crashes through the window and smashes into the mug. Sandro looks incredulously at the shattered mug. For a second there is a silence. Then another shot rings out, and ricochets off with a whine. They take cover. LIVEN TELL dashes out through the back door of SANDRO's followed by MONVEN, El Tan and Hilario. A dozen or more flaming bolts slam into the building setting it a blaze. SANDRO's is afire. SANDRO (Taking cover at door) They haven't gone, then! CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA AND PERIMETER - SUNSET LIVEN TELL, El Tan, MONVEN and Hilario have moved like lightning to a rock wall from which they can observe the first Live shots. Silence. From their various positions, the Bowmen study the terrain from which the unseen snipers are shooting. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: ROCK WALL - SUNSET MONVEN See the Bow? LIVEN TELL Hell No. But I make it two of them. EL TAN Three. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - SUNSET ALARIC and Hamlin run from plaza and take cover at cemetery wails. A alienee! HAMLIN appears with his bow in hand and crosses from one building to another, deliberately offering himself as a target! He passes Petra's house. She is horrified. Hamlin runs across road opening towards next wall, exposing himself. Weesh weesh weesh! HAMLIN's hat flies off. Cross bow bolts pock the wall at his side, as he throws himself behind it. "Raising his bow, he attempts to find a target. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: ROCK WALL SUNSET LIVEN TELL sees this and simultaneously studies the source ruined. Of fire. After a moment, Hamlin retrieves his hat and cuts a finger in the hole, grinning. The hat is pretty well ok! MONVEN Crazy kid's going to get his head blown off! LIVENTELL Hamlin — stay put! EL TAN (studying the woods) Three? LIVEN TELL (Nods agreement) Three. CUT TO: SCENE EXT PLAZA - SUNSET LIVEN TELL See anything? Negative headshakes. MONVEN Naw, they're too far back in the trees. HAMLIN PUTS HIS HAT ON, READY TO DRAW FIRE AGAIN. LIVEN TELL Fin going to try to make it to those rocks -- Yeah — I'll cover you. THEY RUN OVER TO HAMLIN AND ALARIC. MONVEN AND HILARIO RUN OUT B.G. PAST CHURCH. LIVEN TELL STOPS BY HAMLIN. LIVEN TELL (to Hamlin) Cover the back door. Hamlin exits. LIVEN TELL notions to El Tan. They snake around the corner of the wall, in the direction of the cemetery. ALARIC covers LIVEN TELL and El Tan as the latter two exit through cemetery and disappear uphill behind rocks. Alaric following, stands by tree in cemetery. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: OUTCROP - TWILIGHT Alaric watches the dark woods. Hearing a scuffling, he whirls, his bow at the ready. Rico, JAIME and Julio are sneaking towards him from the village. He motions for them to get out of sight. ALARIC Get back. Get back. The kids ignore this. Eyes wide with excitement, they crouch for a moment, then scuttle to join him, flopping down breathless at his side. ALARIC Didn't you hear so good?- get down - now stay down! You might have been hurt. RICO So might you. ALARIC It's not the same thing. This is my work! JAIME It's our work! too. He and the others settle down beside ALARIC and fix their eyes on the woods. RICO Everyone tells us hide, get back, stay out of sight. But we're not afraid. JAIME He's very brave. It's the truth. RICO So is he. We all are. Every boy in the village. We had a meeting and drew straws and we got you* ALARIC You got me? What do you mean me? JAIME If you get killed, we take the bow and avenge you! RICO And we see to it that there are always fresh flowers on your grave. ALARIC That's a mighty big comfort. RICO (TO JAIME) I told you he'd appreciate that. ALARIC Please don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out as you planned JAIME We won't. If you stay alive we'll be Just as happy. RICO Maybe even happier. JAIME (Judiciously) Maybe! CUT TO: SCENE EXT: -YARD - TWILIGHT Bow at the ready, Hamlin is kneeling behind a wall, eyes on the forest. At a rustling behind him, he turns his head and finds Petra approaching. HAMLIN What are you doing here? Grabbing her wrist, he pulls her down beside him to the protection of the wall. PETRA You shouldn't do things like you did. HAMLIN Go back! PETRA You mustn't take foolish chances I HAMLIN All right, I won't. Now, go back. PETRA (TOUCHES HIS CHEEK) DOES IT HURT? HAMLIN What? No. PETRA It-? N sorry I did it, but I thought... (A shrug) You know That I thought. HAMLIN Yes, I know. I know. PETRA T wasn't afraid of you. It's my father. He says stay away from those BOWMEN they're cruel - they're brutes. HAMLIN He's right. ! Fow, so back home. PETRA HE'S WRONG! HAMLIN Well, go home anyway. Before he finds out you're here. PBTRA He already knows. He said he'd punish me for being so shameless! But I don't care! Hamlin has been listening with half an ear but, at the urgency in her voice, he looks at her and finds her level gaze upon him. There is the whistle of a distant shot. Then, after a moment, two more rapid successions. Silence! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE INT. SANDRO'S - NIGHT As Monven and Hilario enter, all eves are on them, some with fear. Before Monven can answer their unspoken Question, LIVEN TELL and El Tan appear. LIVEN TELL is carrying three bows which he drops on the table. They did it - they did it! LIVEN TELL (To Hilario) Pass these out. El Tan has two quivers, a knife belt and a six-Bow over hER arm. IN hER hand She carries an ornamented sombrero. There are exclamations of relief and amazement. CUT TO: SCENE INT: SANDRO'S WINDOW - NIGHT. RICO, JAIME and Juan peek Into the room through the window. JULIO Maybe we should have drawn them. The others glare at him for this disloyalty. SANDRO Think they'll try that again? LIVEN TELL I doubt it. For all they know, we're still up there ready to Jump them. SANDRO (Almost accusingly) He didn't go? Malvera didn't go? HILARIO (testily) Do you think it would be that easy? (To LIVEN TELL)) What do we do now? What would you say? LIVEN TELL We work for you, you know. Hilario has never thought of It this way. He visibly grows. HIIARIO What else Is there to do but wait? It's Malvera's move. LIVEN TELL Right. You better relieve them - they must be tired. CONCEPCTON If you were Malvera? LIVEN TELL Yes? CONSTANCE You'd go away, wouldn't you? If you pay the price we make him pay, you'd go? LIVEN TELL Yes, I would! Only.... CONSTANCE Only what? LIVEN TELL I'M NOT MALVERA HILARIO (TO GNOMES) Take the bows and the quivers and pass them out! Now, let's get out there on duty. Hilario follows LIVEN TELL and the Bow fighters out. Sandro looks after them. SANDRO (To his wife) Food, woman, they'll be hungry. CUT TO: SCENE INT: LARA'S HOUSE - NIGHT LIVEN TELL, MONVEN and El Tan enter. LIVEN TELL and El Tan cross over to the table. MONVEN crosses out into the porch. Hamlin enters. His eyes are bright with admiration. HAMLIN (to LIVEN TELL) That was the greatest, the —— EL TAN- (O.S.) A new hat for you, sonny! I she sails him the bandit sombrero. HAMLIN puts it on. HAMLIN How do I look? Hah? MONVEN Bier im-oro vement! Hamlin goes to the mirror to admire himself. HAMLIN You know what? They'll make up a song about you and this hat. Gnomes like this, they make up a song about every big thing that happens. Sing them for years. LIVEN TELL You think it's worth all that? HAMLIN Don't you? LIVEN TELL It's only a matter of being able to shoot a bow. Nothing very big about that. HAMLIN How can you talk like this? Your Bow has got you everything you have. (To the others) Isn't that true? Isn't it true? The Bowmen exchange looks. MONVEN speaks for them all MONVEN Yeah, sure. Everything. After a while, bartenders and faro dealers you call by their first names* Maybe two hundred. Rented rooms you've lived in: five hundred. Meals you eat in hash-houses: a thousand. Home? None, Wife? None. Kids? None. Prospects? Zero! (To LIVEN TELL) Suppose I left anything out? LIVEN TELL Yes! KOMBEI ENTERS. Has a drink in his hand, several under his belt. He holds himself with drunken dignity. KOMBEI Places you're tied down to: None. People with a hold on you: None. Men you step aside for: None. (With cold, aristocratic disdain, almost a sneer) Insults swallowed: None. Enemies: None. LIVEN TELL has been eyeing him closely. LIVEN TELL No enemies? None Alive. He walks on into the next room* HAMLIN This la the kind of arithmetic I like. LIVEN TELL So did I at your age. He hands HAMLIN the captured QUIVERS and six-Bow. LIVEN TELL Now take these things and give them to someone who can use it. MONVEN And while you're at it, why don't you go ask Malvera what he's got in mind for tonight. LIVEN TELL Do that and I'll write a sonnet about you, myself. Hamlin exits, still wearing the bandit sombrero. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: LEDGE AND ROCKS - NIGHT Two of Malvera's men, RUTZ and SANTOS, in sombreros «md serapes, wearing crossed quivers and carrying cross bows, sit huddled side by side in the dark. HAMLIN Now take beef, red peppers, onions, salt, pepper - a little lard and a large frying pan. After the beef has been dried, you cut it into strips. You put the strips in a pan with a little lard. Then you put in the red peppers and let them simmer. Wait ten minutes. Then the onions chopped fine. Then - A third figure, similarly dressed and equipped, comes wandering toward them. Santos spots him and motions him down. SANTOS Hey, stupid - get out of there - stay out of sight* The figure complies and, crouching, comes to their side* RUIZ - then you put in the salt, pepper and let it simmer - then you, eat. The new figure grunts and takes out his cigarettes. The eyes of the two sentries fasten hungrily upon this, The new figure hands them the cigarettes. FAMILIAR VOICE Per nada* Ruiz strikes A match, lights Santo's cigarette. Then his own -then offers Hamlin a light, Hamlin, striking a match, lights his own. HAMLIN (Refuses Ruiz's light) Gracins. RUIZ De Nada. By the light of the match we see the new figure is Hamlin wearing the sombrero, Bow and quiver taken from the snipers. HAMLIN (blows out the match) Well, I'll see you later. HE RISES, AND EXITS. RUIZ My MOTHER USED TO MAKE A SOUP. SANTOS Shut up! You never had a mother! CUT TO: SCENE EXT. MALVERA CAMP - NIGHT Hamlin moves warily along the trail and stops when he hears a horse blowing. Following the sound, he comes across the entire remuda picketed for the night. He moves along the line of horses till he hears men talking in low voices nearby* SALATICUS Andres, Lorenzo and Fellpe never came back. LEON That 's three. Armando was killed in the plaza, That's four. SALATICUS Then Memo and Jorge - they got it up there In the pass by that cursed net! As the voice drones on, Hamlin takes a deep breath and, as casually as he can, moves toward the group. SALATICUS Gregorio near the fountain. A few heads turn toward Hamlin, HAMLIN That's nine. SALATICUS Nine - then Fortune by the water ditch - Rico in the fields where- they slashed him to pieces. HAMLIN (Aware of their scrutiny) That's tan and eleven. Go on* The voices stop* All heads turn towards Hamlin. He tenses, becomes aware of someone at his shoulder. Malvera is standing beside him* MALVERA Talk'—talk talk - they're all dead. Forget about them. There are still enough of us here to make them pay, our friends down below — They'll pay - they'll pay! He takes out a cigarrillo and Hamlin lights it. CUT TO: SCENE INT. LARA'S - BACK ROOM - Kombei Is sprawled out on the bed, his last drink spilled on the floor beside him. He is sweating, twisting, moaning. He gives an inarticulate cry. Rises from bed -crosses room and falls to b.g. TOMAS and Eusebio enter. They look at him for a moment, startled by the writhing terror of the fallen man. KOMBEI's eyes open. With a cry he goes for his Bow. BUSEBIO It's all right. You're all right. You had a bad dream. Just a bad dream. Slowly KOMBEI gains control of himself. They wait. He doesn't look at them. Stares off into space, still groggy, his voice thick with sleep and drink. TOMAS Have no fear, Senor! KOMBEI is struck by the irony of this remark. He speaks as though to himself, with quiet bitterness. KOMBEI Have no fear. My very words. Ten thousand times a day. EUSEBIO Senor, don't punish yourself. TOMAS A man who has fought so many times. You must have great courage. KOMBEI Oh, yes. (rises goes to table) Till the day you lose your nerve. You feel it. And you wait. For the arrow in the Bow faster -- (SITS) THAN YOURS. TOMAS Senor.Don't No enemies. The lies you tell. To fool yourself* No enemies left alive. KOMBEI (A twisted smile) I've lost count of my enemies. EUSEBIO But NOW you are with friends. KOMBEI And the final, supreme idiocy - coming? Here to hide. TOMAS We know what fear is. We live with it all our lives. EUSEBIO Only the dead are without fear. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. PLAZA - NIGHT WOMAN (O.S.) RICO. Rico. RICO. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. LARA'S BACKWARD AND PORCH - NIGHT RICO (O.S.) In a moment, mama. Jaime, Rico, Juan and Alaric emerge from a doorway near which LIVEN TELL stands unobserved. RICO (whispering) Ten minutes to pretend we're as KOMBEI. Then we'll be back on duty. All right, Senor Bernardo? ALARIC Not you, Juan. JAIME (to Juan)) You're too young They scurry away. Alaric becomes aware of LIVEN TELL. His grin vanishes. LIVEN TELL Bernardo Alaric - you've been adopted. ALARIC (After a pause.) It's my real name. Elf on oneside, Irish on the other. Safe in the middle. CUT TO: SCENE INT. SANDRO'S - NIGHT Talon stands at the bar with Miguel, TOMAS, PLACO, Chapo, Sandro and a few others. Before him on the counter there are three identical mugs in a row, bottoms up. He turns the middle one rightside up. TALON Here we go Simultaneously he reverses mugs 1 and 2 - 1 is now right-side up and 2 and 3 are upside down. Simultaneously he reverses mug 1 and 3-1 and 2 are now upside down and 3 is right side up* Simultaneously he reverses mugs 1 and 2 - all three are now right side up. (Continuing) See? All three rightside up. (To Miguel) Think you can do it? He turns the middle mug upside down. OF COURSE. THAT'S VERY EASY. MIGUEL REACHES FOR THE MUGS* TALON STOPS BIN. AFFABLY— TALON Would you care to make a friendly wager? A little bet? Talon brings out some money. MIGUEL Senor, you know we have no money. TALON (CASUALLY) Doesn't have to be money. Whatever you have hidden away - buried out where Malvera can't find it. Like - I don't know - jewels? Miguel is preoccupied, studying the rugs. TALON Jewels? They tell me a lot of precious stones have been dug out of the mountains. You know, opals,_ sapphires, emeralds... MIGUEL Oh, yes. Yes. That's very true PLACO There's no denying it. TALON Really Well, then... Miguel repeats the three moves with the mugs. TALON No, no, you've got them wrong. When you're finished, they should be rightside up. Like this. He turns the middle mug rightside up and repeats the three moves. When he's done, all the mugs are rightside up - as they always are if you start with the middle one that way. TALON See? PLACO Let me see it! Another angle. LIVEN TELL ENTERS. TALON Just a minute. About those precious stones, where are they found. PLACO AS you say, senor, in the mountains. All right, but where in the mountains? That I couldn't tell you, senor. He repeats the three moves. (Gets it right) PLACO THERE! TALON Never mind that! Why can't you tell me? FLACO Because I have never found any precious stones. Talon smiles through clenched teeth. MIGUEL Wait. You mean Dray treasure, buried in the hills? TALON (BRIGHTENING) That's exactly what I mean. Aztec Treasure. You found some around here? MIGUEL Wish to God I had. I wouldn't be standing here. I'd be in the big City living in a palace. Talon seethes with frustration. KARHY Then, tell ne this. Hew come Malvera keeps hanging around here? TOMAS Malvera? We've seen the last of him* He'11 be gone in the morning. HAMLIN (O.S.) No he won't. He isn't going anywhere. Everyone turns. Hamlin enters. CONSTANCE Why do you say that? HAMLIN Malvera isn't worried about food in the winter. He's worried about the food his men haven't eaten for the last three days. Price of corn is going up. They're starving. SANDRO How do YOU know? HAMLIN Starving and broke. SANDRO How do YOU! With studied, casualness. HAMLIN tosses the arrow and knife belts on the counter and pours himself a drink. HAMLIN (Throws hat to El Tan's table) Oh, I was up there. El Tan pushes back her hat, looks at Hamlin as though she had never seen him before. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN are also staring at him. HAMLIN We'd better be ready for them. They got to win or die. PLACO Valgame, Dioa — If they do winj HILARIO They won't win! SANDRO Are you God that you know for sure? CONSTANCE We're surrounded Out-numbered; What are we to do? LIVEN TELL Keep on fighting. SANDRO You want to see us killed off one by one? This is not what we hired you for. TOMAS Once you start, there's no stopping. HILARIO (to Sandro and others) You understood that. And I told him. SANDRO (to LIVEN TELL) MIGUEL Let Malvera have the food. give him what he wants. At least we'll be alive. HILARIO Quiet Listen to me SANDRO No J It's easy for them to say fight. . They have no sons, no daughters, no wives. (to LIVEN TELL) LIVEN TELL raises his voice, facing them all with mounting fury. LIVEN TELL Is that what you want? Answer me! Answer me! Who's for going on? Who's for giving up? I want to know! HILARIO, Miguel, Tomas, Busebio and a handful of Others gather at LIVEN TELL's side. An equal number bunch in behind Sandro The rest are undecided. LIVEN TELL I'll tell you what I can do. T can kill the next men who so much as whispers a word about giving up. The very next man, so help me, I'll blow his head off! LIVEN TELL flares at Sandro and his supporters, turns and strides out, followed by MONVEN, Talon and El Tan. HILARIO (to Sandro) We started this fight and we're going to finish it with our without you! Follows the others. SCENE INT: LARA'S LIVEN TELL enters and sits down. Pours a drink. His hand is trembling with fury and the effort to control it. During which, MONVEN enters, followed by Talon, El Tan and Alaric. MONVEN I don't say we bit off more than we can swallow. I do say we ought a have a serious talk along the lines of what do we do now. TALON We start acting like we had good sense. I figured to raise the ante Just enough to make Malvera play someplace else. I've figured wrong. MONVEN We didn't figure on being the only game In town. EL TAN Even an Elf can't call them all. MONVEN I didn't say you could. I'm only saying, sometimes you bend with the breeze or you break. EL TAN You want to go? MONVEN Well, there comes a time when you turn mother's picture to the wall and get out. The village will be no worse off than it was before we came. LIVEN TELL You forget one thing. We took a contract. MONVEN Not the kind any court would enforce. LIVEN TELL That's the kind you have to keep. MONVEN That's a noble thought, but the way things are right now The odds are too high. LIVEN TELL Much too high. TALON Then we go? LIVEN TELL No. We lower the odds! DISSOLVE TO: SCENE INT. SANDRO'S DAY Hilario and a few others are there, r.ilario is deeply depressed. HILARIO If they decide to go away, I wouldn't blame them* If I were them, I'd do the same* He looks up to see LIVEN TELL in the doorway* LIVEN TELL We were just talking about that. HILARIO I don't wonder. I was proud of my village. Now I'm ashamed. LIVEN TELL You don't Judge a whole village by a few frightened men. HILARIO We promised you every man would fight. It's the very least we owe you. LIVEN TELL I owe you much more. I can't remember how many times I've been hired to fight. This is the first time I've felt I was fighting for some thing more than money. IN THE FACES OF THE GNOMES WE SEE WHAT A LIFT THIS GIVES THEIR MORALE. LIVEN TELL We're going up and hit Malvera. MONVEN Maybe we can run off his horses. Then if he attacks, he'll be on foot. HILARIO Let me go with you. I know every rock. LIVEN TELL No. You're in charge here. HILARIO You can count on me. LIVEN TELL I know I can! He grips Hilario's hand, then walks out* SCENE EXT. SIDE YARD LARA'S - DAY. HAMLIN IS TALKING TO PETRA. SHE LISTENS WITH HALF AN EAR, INTENT ON SOMETHING MUCH MORE BASIC, HER EYES ON HIS CHEEKS, HIS HAIR, HIS MOUTH. HAMLIN --will ? Et you nothing but this. They kiss again - long kiss. SCENE EXT. RIVER - NIGHT THE BOWMEN ARE RIDING TOWARD MALVERA'S CAMP. HAMLIN, HAVING BEEN UP HERE BEFORE, RIDES IN FRONT WITH LIVEN TELL, POINTING THE WAY, Hamlin motions to LIVEN TELL that they are near. LIVEN TELL signals a halt. MONVEN, El Tan, Talon and KOMBEI ride in. The men discount and tie their horses. THIS, IS HE SAME TRAIL FOLLOWED BY HAMLIN DURING HIS PREVIOUS JAUNT. HE AND LIVEN TELL ARE LEADING THE WAY. SLOWLY, CAUTIOUSLY, THEY CRAWL UP A MOUND OVERLOOKING MALVERA'S CAMP. ALARIC COVERS AT 3.O CLOCK.. MALVERA'S CAMP Horses and men are gone. The camp is deserted. HAMLIN They've left to hit the village No, we'd have heard! Their reactions to what they see. Puzzled, startled, suspicious, etc* DISSOLVE TO: EXT: PASS LEADING INTO VILLAGE - NIGBT LIVEN TELL LEADS THE WAY INTO THE VILLAGE, WHICH IS SUSPICIOUSLY SILENT. THE BOWMEN DISMOUNT, SPREAD OUT, TAKING COVER IN THE SHADOWS AS THEY ENTER — HAMLIN Right up into the hills... past the men on guard... right into their camp. I sat there, I smoked a cigarette with them. I talked to them. All of a sudden there was Malvera himself, right beside me. When I brought the news back, you should have seen the look I got from El Tan. And LIVEN TELL. They've seen a thing or t-m in their time, and done them, too. They're not men you can impress easily, no. But when they looked at me, I knew I was one of them at last. PETRA MOVES AGAINST HIM. HAMLIN (CONTINUING) You'd better take a look at me, too* A good- look. Am I the kind of man who would live in a place like this? Digging his life away out in the fields? Me a gnome? A peasant? He gives a snort of derision. (continuing) You understand what I'm saying? Wherever they go - LIVEN TELL, El Tan, MONVEN, the others - I go with them. HER ARMS GO AROUND HIM. HAMLIN (continuing) And if you think you or anything you do can make me change my mind, forget it. She Is clinging to him, her mouth close to his* HAMLIN I want you to UNDERSTAND THAT - THIS — Her silence tells him. He takes her in his arms and kisses her. HAMLIN --will ? Et you nothing but this. They kiss again - long kiss. EXT. RIVER - NIGHT The Bowmen are riding toward Malvera's camp. Hamlin, having been up here before, rides in front with LIVEN TELL, pointing the way, Hamlin motions to LIVEN TELL that they are near. LIVEN TELL signals a halt. MONVEN, El Tan, Talon and KOMBEI ride in. The men discount and tie their horses. TRAIL THIS, IS THE SAME TRAIL FOLLOWED BY HAMLIN DURING HIS PREVIOUS JAUNT. HE AND LIVEN TELL ARE LEADING THE WAY. SLOWLY, CAUTIOUSLY, THEY CRAWL UP A MOUND OVERLOOKING MALVERA'S CAMP. ALARIC COVERS AT B.G. MALVERA'S CAMP HORSES AND MEN ARE GONE. THE CAMP IS DESERTED. HAMLIN They've left to hit the village LIVEN TELL No, we'd have heard shots 1 THEIR REACTIONS TO WHAT THEY SEE. PUZZLED, STARTLED, SUSPICIOUS, ETC. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: PASS LEADING INTO VILLAGE - NIGHT LIVEN TELL LEADS THE WAY INTO THE VILLAGE, WHICH IS SUSPICIOUSLY SILENT. THE BOWMEN DISMOUNT, SPREAD OUT, TAKING COVER IN THE SHADOWS AS THEY ENTER — LIVEN TELL looks off, stops short. The plaza is empty. LIVEN TELL, Hamlin and KOMBEI dismount end exit to porch. The doors of the store are open - Malvera comes out. MALVERA Buenos noches! The store windows open - Trolls level rifles at the Bow- fighters. The Bowmen look around. On rooftops, from behind walls appear Malvera's men, Bows leveled. MALVERA You`ll be dead like that! - If that's what you want. LIVEN TELL We have a choice? MALVERA Of. Course. - sit down - let's talk about it. ThinG s are turned around now - hah - you wondering how? Your friends don't like you anymore, hah? You forced them to make too many decisions. With me, only one decision -do as I Say. So you should not be surprised that my good friend Sandro, he arranged to let me in! INT: SANDRO'S -NIGHT Sandro and his wife are standing motionless and apprehensive. Nearby are several of the Gnomes - Hilario, Miguel, Tomas, HAMLIN, PLACO, BUSEBIO. All are tied up. Some are rounded. They are guarded by MALVERA's men. MALVERA Well, anyway to business — I could kill you all. you agree? (LIVEN TELL is silent) Well, you don't disagree - anyway, I don't want to kill you. LIVEN TELL Why so generous? MALVERA Practical! They hear about it up north, maybe friends of yours. Cause trouble for me, a man who never wants trouble. You have saying here - a thief who steals from a thief, he is pardoned for one hundred years. All right, what does that leave? Only one thing. LIVEN TELL (snaps his fingers) - Just like that? Malvera snaps his fingers to indicate "just like that." MALVERA Yes - just like —— I make it easy for you. You want food? (To one of his men) Serve them food. (to LIVEN TELL) Drink? All right, drink. Horses? (Points to plaza) They're saddled and waiting. (HIS VOICE ALTERS) Take the reigns Fucker, take off now and -- run He taps on the table. LIVEN TELL What about these people? MALVERA What happens to those people will happen. Whether I kill you first or not. LIVEN TELL TAKES OFF HIS BOW BELT AND LOOKS TOWARDS THE OTHER BOWMEN AT THEIR HORSES. THEY START TOWARDS MALVERA - TAKING OFF THEIR BOWS AND DROPPING SAME ON THE TABLE DURING FOLLOWING He rises - sits on top of table next to LIVEN TELL. MALVERA It's only a little gesture, hah? To shore the-se people who is the boss. (continuing) You go — then I give Bows back. I know you won't use those Bows against me — only a crazy man makes the same mistake twice. LIVEN TELL takes off his Bow belt and looks towards the other Bowmen at their horses. They start towards Malvera - taking off their Bows and dropping same on the table during following What I don't understand is why an elf like you took the Job in the first place. Why? Hah? LIVEN TELL I wonder myself. MALVERA No, no, come on, tell me why. (As he enters to Malvera) LIVEN TELL It seemed like a good idea at the time. Drops his Bow a top table and walks b.g. to other Bowmen. ALARIC follows, with resignation, and does same. Hamlin has been seething. LIVEN TELL looks at him and realizing what Hamlin is about to do, immediately crosses over to him, grabs Hamlin by the wrist as he is about to drop his Bow . Hamlin fights back. LIVEN TELL backhands him across the face, Hamlin throws the Bow to the table. MALVERA Good! Go get your clothes, your saddlebags. Whatever else you want, take it. Your "friends" here owe you that much. (Turns to SANDRO and SALATICUS ) DISSOLVE: SCENE INT. LARA'S HOUSE LIVEN TELL and MONVEN enter. They cross to dining room table. MONVEN First time I took a Job as a hired Bow, fella told me you can't afford to care. It gets in your way. There's your problem.... LIVEN TELL One thing I don't need is somebody to tell me my problems. MONVEN (imperturbably) TROUBLE IS, YOU LET YOURSELF FALL- For this place and these people No sense denying it. You're about as hard to read as a reward poster. LIVEN TELL Do you ever get tired hearing yourself talk? MONVEN (without a pause) Reason I understand your problem so well, it's because I walked into the same bear trap myself. (a beat) Day we arrived here, I began thinking - here's my chance to get rid of 'this'. (Taps his bow) MONVEN Maybe find a piece of land, settle down, where all they know about me is to my credit, even make up songs in my honor. LIVEN TELL stares at him. MONVEN shrugs. MONVEN You needn't think you're the only sucker in the world. CUT TO: SCENE INT: LARA'S BACK ROOM - NIGHT Rico, Jaime and Julio enter. ALARIC ia stuffing clothes into his saddle-bag. The boys go to him at the bed. RICO Can we go with you, Bernardo? ALARIC (BRUSQUE) No. JAIME You like us, don't you? RICO You're one of us, aren't you? ALARIC Yes, I'm one of us, all right. RICO Take us with you. Please. JAIME We're ashamed to live here. Our fathers are cowards. Alaric reaches out and slaps him. Jaime recoils. ALARIC Don't you ever say that Again - Your fathers are not cowards. You think I'm. brave because I shoot a Bow -well your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility. For you, your sisters and brothers, your mothers. It weighs a ton, it's got sharp edges and there's no rule that says they have to use It. They do it because they want to. I was never brave enough to face up to anything like that. And running q farm, working like a mule every day with no guarantee anything will come of it - I've always been afraid of even starting something like that. It's why I never have.' And never will. He exits. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: SANDRO'S - DAY. Four of Malvera's men, already mounted, hold the reins of seven horses. One of them is handed the serape with the Bowmen's weapons. The Bowmen are tying on their saddle bags. Malvera is chewing another tortilla. MALVERA to LIVEN TELL LIVEN TELL You'll do better on the other aide of the border. You can steal cattle, hold up trains, all you have to face is a sheriff or a marshal. I robbed a bank in Texas once and your government _ got after me with a whole army. A whole army: One little bank. The meaning is clear. Malvera flips LIVEN TELL a salute. The Bowmen and their escorts start away. SCENE EXT: PLAZA - NIGHT The seven Bowmen and their escort ride slowly across the,. Plaza and out of the village. SCENE INT: SANDRO'S - NIGHT MALVERA WATCHES THE BOWMEN RIDE AWAY. ABRUPTLY SANDRO IS IMMEDIATELY AT HIS SIDE. MALVERA There is no sauce like hunger - while we were up there in the hills, every time my stomach rumbled - I hated you -now I almost love you. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT: STREAM - NIGHT The Bowmen and their escort ride slowly toward a broad, shallow stream. Three of the escort rein in. The fourth, carrying the food, drink and Bows, follows the group. The Bowmen pull up on the far bank. Contemptuously Salaticus and Santos drop the bundles on the ground. Then -they wheel their horses, ride to b.g., other Trolls follow, Hamlin's fury explodes. HAMLIN (discounts) I could have told you they'd sell us out! Gnomes. Gnomes! No honor. No loyalty. All they care about is their crecious crors, and the miserable dirt they piss in. I hate them. I hate them all! LIVEN TELL Sure you hate them, because you come from a village just like that one. You are a gnome yourself* HAMLIN Yes. Yes! I'm one of them. And who made us the way we are? Men with Bows. Killers. Men like Malvera. Elves like you! And now me! (Wretchedly)) So what do you expect us to be? LIVEN TELL has been polishing his arrows. El Tan has picked up her knife and wiped it, gently, off. Closing it and opening it yet again. LIVEN TELL looks at her questioningly! EL TAN Nobody throws me my own knife and says run. Nobody! LIVEN TELL looks at MONVEN. MONVEN It took me a long time to learn my elbow from a hot rock - right now I belong in that border town. Sleeping between white sheets — I'm going back to that village. KOMBEI You're crazy, all of you . They won't lift a finger to help; Think of the odds. ALARIC Kombei! nobody's asking you to go back. LIVEN TELL You ride on, Talon. It's all right. TALON You bet your sweet life I will. Come on, KOMBEI. If they want to get killed, let them. LIVEN TELL Go ahead, KOMBEI. You don't owe anything to anybody. KOMBEI Except to myself. KOMBEI fiddles, expertly with his six bow. The six of them mount and start back. Talon mounts. TALON You're crazy, all of you! He digs in with his spurs, rides off in the opposite direction. DISSOLVE TO: SCENE EXT. VILLAGE - DAY DRAMATIC ANGLE LIVEN TELL enters b.g. uphill on rocks. He comes down rocks and into the back yard of one of the village houses. MONVEN enters into the yard of another house. CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL MONVEN. As he cautiously crosses through yard, one of Malvera's Trolls spots him. Before the bandit can draw, MONVEN quickly draws his bow and shoots him. The bandit falls, MONVEN runs through the yard. FOLLOW SHOT WITH A BLANK REVEAL. Face to face with two Trolls. MONVEN kills swiftly and easily with his sword and runs out of the yard. A troll runs out of a house across the street. LIVENTELL reacts to O.S. MONVEN quarrel whistles. He runs to the door leading to main street. He flings the door open end from the doorway fires two arrows out into the street. He runs out Into street. CUT TO: SCENE EXT: PLAZA - DAY LIVEN TELL taking cover behind a tree on the plaza. He shoots a troll and then another who comes out of b.g?. ALARIC runs down from the rocks into the back yard of a house. He reacts to O.S. MONVEN Bowshots and jumps up, with a roll onto the roof of the house. He starts to make his way across roof tops. Hamlin comes down mountain side into back yard of a house. Hearing the O.S. shots he jumps fence and runs into the house through back door. HAMLIN running out of the house. He fires at O.S. Trolls, jumps over a wall into path of another horse. KOMBEI stops for a moment and goes into the house through patio door and comes out through another door, and jumps head first over another rock wall. DISSOLVE TO: A troll comes out B.G. He Hurtles an axe towards Hamlin. Hamlin runs to b.g. - winds up at corner of church. The axe crashes into the church door splitting the wood. El Tan on horse back comes from b.g. and crosses through blacksmith shop yard. As she nears the yard wall, she reacts to O.S. MONVEN Bowshots. SLICE OF LIFE SHOT AS SHE JUMPS FROM HORSE BACK TO GROUND. She reacts to eight O.S. Trolls run out into the street, fires at trolls. PAN OVER: As each troll takes an arrow in the chest. MONVEN comes running through the back yards of houses. He stops and kicks open a back door of one of the houses and fire's three arrows to inside of house. His Bow nocked, he jumps over the back fence into Lara's house back yard. Two Trolls run out on Lara's back porch. MONVEN shoots them. A bandit inside of Lara's breaks window of door and shoots MONVEN in the leg. MONVEN turns and kills him as MONVEN falls to the ground. MONVEN rises, grabs his bow and begins to unleash a Torrent of arrows. KOMBEI runs into Lara's house through back porch door. CLOSE UP AS A TROLL RUSHES WITH DETERMINATION, SWINGING HIS AXE. MALVERA, Santos, Salaticus and other Trolls come out of a house across the street from Lara's. They react to O.S. LIVEN TELL by tree. They fire at him. They react to O.S. ALARIC firing up on top of roof-tops and to O.S. El Tan also firing at them. LIVEN TELL runs across the plaza, gets pinned in doorway. Crossbow bolts flying from all directions. Malvera and the mob of Trolls start for LIVEN TELL. Talon rides in at the pass Into the village. He is firing his Bow from horse back at the O.S. Trolls on street. Malvera and the Trolls with him flatten on the street. They fire as O.S. reveals KOMBEI whirling un sure as to which weapon to use next. Sword, bow or knife. TALON rides towards Lara's, he and his horse are hit. The horse- falls and Talon spills onto the street. HAMLIN runs out from behind church to plaza fountain. Fires at O.S. Trolls Inside of Lara's, MONVEN ties a bandage around his leg. He reacts to the O.S. fight. He crosses over to the front door. LIVEN TELL runs from the doorway of the house where he was pinned, helps Talon end starts with him to Lara's as MONVEN opens door from inside. MONVEN helps LIVEN TELL with Talon. They exit into Lara's Malvera and the Trolls with him rise from the street. They run to Lara's front door. They start pounding the door down. ALARIC up on the roof tops has been covering LIVEN TELL and others. As he slides down the roof firing arrows in all directions, then jumps to another rooftop he is wounded. He hangs from one of the eves and then falls to the ground. SCENE INT. LARA'S - DAWN Talon lies on the floor. LIVEN TELL is kneeling next to him. MONVEN in b.g. by the door, reloading his Bow. The pounding on the door continues. TALON LIVEN TELL? LIVEN TELL Yes, Talon. TALON LIVEN TELL, I'd hate to die a sucker. We didn't come here Just to keep an eye on a lot of corn and gnomes. did we? There was really something else, all the time? Wasn't there? LIVEN TELL Yes, Talon. You had it pegged right all the time. Gold. SACKS OF IT TALON Oh, that sounds beautiful. How much? LIVEN TELL Over half a million. TALON My cut would have been what? LIVEN TELL Seventy eight thousand. TALON I'll be damned.. Dies LIVEN TELL (After a moment) Maybe you won't be. The shooting outside and pounding increases. Trolls look in through window - break glass - fire to inside. LIVEN TELL rises and takes cover by MONVEN at the door. SCENE EXT. PLAZA - DAY KOMBEI comes out from b.g. doorway of the house. He runs to F.g. leans against wall of another house. He reacts to O.S. Trolls pounding door of Lara's house. He reacts to O.S. Gnomes being held prisoners in house. He kicks open the door of house and rushes inside. SCENE INT. HOUSE - DAY Three Trolls hold Hilario, Miguel, TOMAS and other Gnomes cowering as prisoners. KOMBEI rushes in. A troll holds PETRA, a knife at her throat. TRUCK IN. ON PETRA. KOMBEI's sword flows through the air and reaches it's target, releasing PETRA. Slo-mo crane spin around shot as KOMBEI Kills the other trolls with flourishing sword and foot play. The Gnomes rush out into the street TOSSING AXES TO ANY AVAILABLE Target, mainly into the screen. KOMBEI follows. MALVERA and the Trolls are still pounding the door of house. MALVERA (to his men) Cover, cover behind. Malvera leaves his men and makes his way around to the back of Lara's house. HILARIO, Tomas, Miguel and other Gnomes rush across the plaza and start clobbering the Malvera men at door of Lara's. Most of the Trolls here are killed by the Gnomes. One of the Trolls runs away. Petra and Lupe, run after him. They both attack him and knock the troll down, with their fists. KOMBEI comes out of the house across the street. He reacts to the O.S. Gnomes beating up the Trolls. He gets shot a bolt in the center of his chest. He slumps against the wall, and slowly falls to his knees, dead. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. BACK PORCH OP LARA'S HOUSE DAY Malvera sneaks up on the back porch, CrossBow in hand. Some of Malvera's men are riding out on horseback. El Tan shoots three of them, with rapid bow shots. She is about to throw her knife at another when she gets shot. She falls down dead as She throws her knife. The knife sinks into an mud wall near. SCENE EXT. BACK PORCH OP LARA'S - DAY Malvera spots LIVEN TELL and MONVEN inside Lara's. He fires at them, with a loaded crossbow, through the back glass doors. LIVEN TELL whirls around and drops three arrows in rapid succession into MALVERA. CRANE DOWN ON MALVERA. MALVERA stumbles back and falls down into a corner of the back porch. His body bristles with arrows. PAN OVER: Two Gnomes attack two of MALVERA's men in the back yard of house next to Lara's. Two Trolls are killed by O.S. MONVEN. LIVEN TELL crosses out into the porch towards the dying Malvera. MALVERA (TO LIVEN TELL) You came back. For a place like this. Why? An Elf like you. Why? Malvera dies. LIVEN TELL watches. He shoulders his Bow with aplomb and walks AWAY.. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. PLAZA - DAY. The remaining Malvera men try to escape by horseback. Are pulled down by Hamlin and Gnomes. Hamlin rides out into the fields after fleeing Trolls. SCENE EXT. BACK YARD OF HOUSE - DAY The wounded Alaric watches this and fires at O.S. Trolls. The three village boys, Rico, Jaime and Julio run in to him.. RICO Bernardo, Bernardo. ALARIC Get back, get back. He pushes them away to cover at behind the church. He crosses back to continue firing. He gets shot. He falls to his knees. The boys rush over to him. JAIME We didn't mean to do it. We didn't mean to do it! ALARIC (Looking at O.S. (Gnomes) You see. You see your fathers. (To the boys) What's my name. JAIME Bernardo RICO Bernardo CUT TO: SCENE EXT. LARA'S HOUSE - DAY. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN come out of Lara's. They find the Gnomes standing over the bodies of Malvera's men. LIVEN TELL crosses out into the plaza. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. FIELDS - DAY Hamlin pulls up his horse. He reacts to O.S. freaking band!' Looks off towards the village. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. PLAZA -DAY LIVEN TELL walks towards the village blacksmith shop. He sees the dead El Tan. He pulls El Tan's knife out of the adobe wall. He turns and looks back towards the villa. DISSOLVE: SCENE EXT. CORN FIELD - DAY THE GNOMES PREPARING THE FIELD FOR A NEW CROP. CUT TO: SCENE EXT. THE SMOKING RUIN OF SANDRO'S - DAY LIVEN TELL, MONVEN AND HAMLIN AND THE OLD MAN. LIVEN TELL STANDS BY OLD MAN - HAMLIN AND MONVEN ON HORSES. HILARIO, MIGUEL AND TOMAS ARE THERE, PLUS ONE OR TWO OTHERS IN THE BACKGROUND. OTHERWISE NOT A GNOME IS VISIBLE. EVEN THESE FEW ARE A LITTLE IMPATIENT, ANXIOUS TO GET TO WORK IN THE FIELDS. OLD MAN You could stay, you know. They wouldn't be sorry to have you stay. LIVEN TELL They won't be sorry to have us go, either. The Old Man nods* There is DO denying it. OLD MAN The fighting is over. Your work is done. For them, each season has its tasks. If there were a season for gratitude, they would show it more MONVEN We didn't get gray more than we expected, Old Man. Again the Old Man nods, recognizing the wisdom of this. OLD MAN Only the Gnomes have Won. They- Remain forever. They Are like the land itself. You helped "rid them of Malvera the way a strong wind helps rid them of locusts. You Are like the Wind, blowing over the land. Itself And passing on. Pause. OLD MAN Veios A dios. LIVEN TELL Ah dios. SCENE EXT. FRONT YARD OF HOUSE - DAY Petra and other village women are sorting corn in the yard. Petra looks to street as LIVEN TELL, Monven and Hamlin ride through. Hamlin and Petra exchange looks. LIVEN TELL, MONVEN and Hamlin reach the pass leading out of town. They stop. They turn back to look at the village. Hamlin looks at LIVEN TELL and MONVEN. LIVEN TELL understands. LIVEN TELL Hadios. HAMLIN Ah dios! HAMLIN rides back down the street towards the yard where Petra is working. He dismounts and crosses into yard. PETRA looks up at him. HAMLIN looks down to her. PETRA resumes her work. Hamlin takes off his quiver. And prepares to help her. LIVEN TELL and MONVEN are still at the pass. LIVEN TELL (not bitterly, but resignedly) The Old Man was right. Only the gnomes have won. We lost, we always lose. LIVEN TELL looks off and reacts. SCENE EXT. FIELDS AND BURIAL GROUND - DAY LIVEN TELL AND MONVEN RIDE FROM B.G. FIELDS. MALVERA FANS THEN AS THEY RIDE PAST CEMETERY. They pause for a moment and look towards four freshly covered graves. A bird flies up into the camera. FOLLOW: They continue on. The village boys, Rico, Jaime and Julio walk up to cemetery. They kneel at one of the graves and put fresh-flowers on it. They look off towards O.S, LIVEN TELL and MONVEN. PAN BACK: ANGLE ON. LIVEN TELL AND MONVEN They continue on without pausing or looking back. CAMERA HOLDS AS THE END TITLE MUSIC BUILDS..SLOWLY PULLING BACK AS THEY MOVE INTO THE SCENERY. They follow the road, which leads into a clump of trees, and are lost from sight. Camera holds as the credits roll. An end title song completes the work until: FADE OUT: End credits.
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