The thread of history, running its course like a stream cutting into a mighty river, may be strained or even snapped by the slightest of change. A butterfly flapping its wings in the Americas may very well have cause the fall of The Roman Empire, and the changes in history contained within these pages are innumerable; all from one rotating group of humans. An entity that wielded untold power and influence over the entirety of Europe that ruled as:

The Patrician’s Circle

Tea and Conversation

• A chill breeze blowing over the grass on a hill

• The black sea on both sides of a man, who’s currently standing on said hill

• The deserts of the before lands never felt so far away, and he is dressed for THAT occasion

  • Dressed in clothing for hot weather, and cold as shit

• He seems to be shivering against his will, he’s determined to get somewhere

• Scanning the landscape and…THERE it is, a squat farmhouse, rickety and in the middle of nowhere

  • Fields overgrown with weeds and in disrepair

• The distant sounds of galloping from behind him, ripping up packs of dirt and grass

• The man grinds to a halt and hurriedly hops off his horse

• “Edward, most highest, the pope has passed. There’s due to be a new election at the college of cardinals.”

• A beat, Edward looking thoughtfully back and forth between the farmhouse and this fella.

• “Edward…” Another beat. ”…Who will be the next Bishop of Rome?”

• Edward now looking hard at the farmhouse. “I entrust you with this responsibility. You can make them a dog for all I care.”

• Man taken aback, but nods dutifully and rides off, the gallops fading out under the sound of the sea

• Arrives down at the farmhouse, up close the fields are clearly dead and the air stinks of silence

• The distant city of Sinop sat sprawled out in the distance, any semblance of civilisation drowned out by the roar of the sea and the crusty smell of sea spray

• Enough looking around, time to journey down the hill, apprehensiveness being exhaled

• CHAPTER BREAK

• A bald man, sitting on a chair, staring out at the sea

• To his back the dilapidated farmhouse(!), seems too small to contain this man, garden seems to have sucked away all of the life that the fields around him are missing

• Also beside a conspicuously empty chair, tea ready to go but he hasn’t drunk it yet, two cups

• Guy (different guy from the one talking to Edward) goes to the bald man, confirms that they’re all gone

• Patrician nods and thanks the assistant for the heads up, but as the assistant leaves he asks if “he” has arrived

• Assistant makes a lame attempt to feign ignorance, but baldy persists that, even in his state of ruination he knows what the assistant did

• The assistant relents, says he should be here any second

• Patrician nods for a beat, and pulls a dagger out from under his frock in a wide arc, is he going to stab the assistant?

• Nope, he flips it around and hands it to the assistant, handle-first, both of these people know what’s happening but the audience doesn’t

• “I’ll permit you to pray in the farmhouse before you do it, but don’t take all day.”

• The assistant nods and disappears into the farmhouse, right as Edward appears around the corner

• Wordlessly, Edward plops down on the chair, exhausted but determined

• “Tea?” “No.” “Have you come to kill me?” “Also no. I do not need to be here for that.”

• Staring out at the ocean, the push and pull of it all, a constant battle against waves that build up and end up crashing into each other and cancelling out

• “That makes a change. Wasn’t the whole point of this never-ending campaign to kill me? Hasn’t that always been the reason?”

• END: “Once. ” The calm, unstirred water of the Black Sea stretches off…

John and Edward

• Beside the waters of the Thames, on a windy, depressing day, Edward cuts the purse of a man while a girl watches, but a visiting fancily dressed man accompanies by a more soberly dressed woman shouts him out

  • “Merde! Un pickpocket.”

• Edward bolts, wider description of London as he runs

  • “Sorry, buddy. Maybe put it under your tunic next time.”

• Edward splits from Eda, saying he’ll see her later to divvy up the reward, she insists on being paid as they run so he begrudgingly does it

• Arriving at the spice workshop, waiting for John to finish serving as Edward stands with arms behind back.

• John immediately clocks him and demands the coin purse, he hints at what he REALLY does

  • “Hand it over, Edward.” “What…how?” “Nevermind that. Edward, my boy. You have such potential, yet you waste it on such petty acts like this.”
  • “I’m just trying to make my own way in the world. I don’t want what you have. I want what the monarchs have.” “Funny, I don’t remember any monarch starting out as a cutpurse.” He kneels down, “Edward, there’s a lot about me and my life you don’t know. But this thrill seeking for thrill seeking’s sake will get you hurt. Direct your energy away from ventures that carry such risk for no reward.” “So, what, straighten up and never push the boundaries?” “Ah, did I ever say that? I simply said that if you’re going to break the law,” He bends down, “Go big with it,” he smiles and yanks the purse out of Edward’s hands.

• Edward stares out the teeny window at the River Thames, the winds are starting to pick up and the waters are choppy

• Opening of the door, Edward still facing John, “Ah, perfect timing, come right in.”

• Edward flips around, oh fuck, it’s the fancy guy from outside accompanied by Judas

• John asks, after a pause and awkward silence, if they’ve met, but the duke, in reverence of John, says no

  • Pause, awkward silence, “Edward, this is Duke Charles of Orléans,” more awkward silence but with Edward’s eyes wider in horror, “Have you two met?”
  • “That depends. Is this your son?” “Yes.” “Then no, we have not.”

• “Shall we?” John says, “Yes, sir,” Judas says, “I’ve got the perfect place sorted out on London Bridge”

• “Great, Edward, can you hold down the castle?” John says, gesturing to the shabby spice store, Edward nods still confused

• Just before they leave, Edward leaps forward and grabs John’s arm, asking what the fuck he’s doing talking to a French duke

  • “Wait, father, what is going on? Why are you having a meeting with a duke? HOW are you having a meeting with a duke? What does this have to do with selling spices?” “My boy, there’s more to my life than putting cinnamon in a jar. Far more. I will tell you more when you are ready.”

• Just as they leave, a man walks in who is suspiciously looking around, Edward, still grappling with what he was told, barely notices

• The guy grabs some pepper, plops it down, and just as John rings it up, “Your father is in danger”

  • Plops coins on counter, “Your father and the duke are in danger, boy,” “Wait, what?” “You need to warn them now, or they will die”

• Edward chases after the guy after he leaves, “What are you talking about?” “Maybe I’m not the one you should be worrying about,” he nods back at the store

• CRASH, the door splinters open and leather-bound guards rush in shouting about “Finding John”

• Edward’s stomach drops, his survival instinct kicks in and he runs to a nearby alley, the guy is gone and Edward needs to run

• Runs to London Bridge, just caught his father before entering, runs a bit further and grabs John, informing him of everything

• The guards start marching and Edward grabs John, bowling the others over and running, “Sorry!” he shouts

• A bald man pokes his head out of the door to see the commotion

• John and Edward jump into the Thames, the icy sharp water almost shocks Edward out of consciousness, but John grabs him and swims him downriver

  • “I’m so sorry, father,” “No, you did the right thing, thank you”

• END: The wind and gloom cover their escape, “Father, what have you gotten yourself into, they said that you’ve committed treason” “We need to hide, I know a place…”

Escape

• Guards swarming outside, asking around the town for John

• The two are sitting, clothes resting by a fire, describe the scene before describing the two

  • A sword sitting in the corner
  • An open fire
  • Clothes, covered in water and silt
  • The men, covered in the same water and silt

• “You know, when you talked about a secret hideout, I was more expecting an underground catacomb, frankly” “Shhh,” John says, as he sees something through the slits of the boarded up window

• The duke being led in manacles through the town, being harassed and having food thrown at him, led to the gallows

• The charges against him are read, explaining vaguely why this deal was so illegal, confusing John as none of that shit is close to true

  • “DUKE CHARLES OF ORLÉANS, you are charged with treason against the Crown of England and conspiracy to harm the stability of the realm. Your social status has been taken into account and you have been spared, through the grace of his highness the king of England, hanging, drawing, and quartering. You are instead to be simply hanged from the neck until dead.”
  • Last words: “You fil a putain may hang me, but I have powerful friends. You can take my neck today, but I shall have all yours in retu—”

• John looks away, not out of disgust but out of deep contemplation, “Father, what have you done?”

• John assures Edward that he committed no crimes in the course of what he did, and that there’s some hole in his plan he didn’t consider

  • “I can assure you, my boy, I did nothing illegal in the course of my deal. It was a simple transaction to start selling goods to the duke. That’s all.”

• Suddenly the door downstairs opens, John picks up a sword and goes downstairs

• It’s Judas! She’s so cool, Judas explains that she’s come alone and would rather John come by himself

• John, confused, what the hell? “It’s you”

• Judas ignores this and continues, it’s a matter of honour, he could never last on the run from the entire kingdom

• A carriage rides up the back of the alley, hidden out of sight

• John raises his sword again, it’s time for her to fuck off, the driver comes out with a few thieves to accompany and he herds Edward into a secret compartment between some barrels

• From his hiding spot, Edward can hear but not see John and Judas talking, John asks why but Judas says nothing

• A scuffle breaks out and Judas shouts, “I’ve got him, lads! I’ve got John Bartum, he’s over here!” John shouts “GABRIEL, LEAVE, I’VE GOT THIS”

• Gabriel barely gets going before Edward jumps out and sees what happened, but this distracts Judas enough for John to tussle for the sword, the thieves are completely bewildered

• John takes the sword and in one slash Judas’ right arm goes flying, screams abound

• John drops the sword and hides with his son, still covered in blood, they race to leave London, Gabriel, hiding around the corner, whistles and the thieves come out in full force

• Edward only hears the chaos of it all and glimpses through a crack in the carriage the guards clomping after the thieves

• The carriage rolls up, and rolls out before anybody can chase after them

• Truncated explanation of the journey, days and nights spent in the carriage, inspections and tolls, occasional food and water

• Finally make it to a stop, Edward falls out and is shakily walking around trying to get his bearings, but John strides out as if it’s nothing

• Has a hidden conversation with Gabriel and Gabriel nods, John kneels down and talks to Edward

  • “Edward, I need you to stay strong. There are parts of my life that I have not even given you glimpses of. I need to sort out some business and it’s not safe for you to come along. Please, stay here, just for a while. I’ll be back for you. Be strong for me, I will always be proud of you.”

• Edward, fighting back stinging tears, nods and accepts this

• END: John hops atop a horse and rides down the hill, through the forest clearing and towards the rolling hills in the distance