Silver Dagger
Scene 2
[In the Great Hall of the Asyntine palace. Diana, Dean, and Marigold sit at a table. Citizens of Asyntine come and go, giving praise to the princess and asking for solutions to the problems.]
Citizen.
Princess Diana, it is an honor to speak to you once more. But I must ask; will our problems be solved soon? Will the war end?
Marigold.
We are trying. Since the princess is now back, I feel that this will end soon and Asyntine will no longer be plagued by war. The Vell will be defeated soon, I assure you.
Diana.
You have my word; I will try my hardest. I am sorry to say that I do not remember most of this world, but it is still my home and I will do everything I can to save it.
Dean.
Dear citizens, the visiting hours are over. We must now work on solving the problems with the war. Thank you.
[Exit Citizens.]
Diana.
So what is the problem? How did the Vell get through our forces, anyway? Why are they even attacking us?
Marigold.
They want you, obviously. Your magic is desirable to all people, as you know it is extremely powerful. However, I don’t know how they got in, because your magic was used to defend us.
Dean.
We feel the answer is somewhere in the past, with something gone wrong. But without your memory, there is little we can do. At this point, our goal is to try and get you to remember things that may lead us to key points in solving this. Sending you away for two years has weakened them, for some reason. We feel that it may be because they had no motive to fight then.
Diana.
So they will only get stronger from here.
Marigold.
Possibly. Oh! Do you hear that bell? There is something I must attend to. I fear there has been another attack on the cities.
[Exit Marigold.]
Diana.
So what is there for us to do now?
Dean.
I’m here because I can help you remember.
Diana.
Why you, specifically? I know you are royalty along with myself, but I’m still confused as to who you are to me.
Dean.
Well… we were in love, Diana. Do you remember? We would spend many days together. Everything was fine, and one day, everything went wrong and the Vell attacked us. They are a group of people who want power and nothing more.
Diana.
I see.
Dean.
After the first attack, I was scanned completely after you were sent away. There’s a spell on me, one that locked away part of my memory. I feel the same has been done to you. And we need each other to fix it.
Diana.
I’m sorry. This is all so weird to me. I don’t know where to start.
Dean.
It’s fine; I can only imagine what it must be like.
Diana.
I guess. I feel so alone now, even with all these people around me.
Dean.
I’m here.
Diana.
You don’t have magic of your own to use. I know you want to help, but it’s just not the same.
Dean.
I know. I wish I could be of more help.
Diana.
I’d give some of my magic to you if I could. Just so I wouldn’t be so alone in this. Besides, I have more than I need now that I’ve returned.
Dean.
Diana. That’s it! I remember it now. You did give me some of your magic, two years ago. You gave me a necklace. It let me use your magic for myself, for whatever I needed.
Diana.
Then… where is it now?
Dean.
I fear that is the problem.
[Enter Marigold.]
Marigold.
I've stabilized the situation in the cities. What’s wrong? Your faces are ghastly white.
Dean.
We've figured it out. Diana gave me her magic two years ago, in the form of a necklace.
Marigold.
And where is it now?
Dean.
That’s the thing. The Vell must have it. They must have attacked me and erased my memory of the thing. And they must have done Diana’s, too.
Marigold.
But you know that process is forbidden.
Diana.
That wouldn’t have stopped me from doing it.
Marigold.
Then there is only one way to save this. The Vell now have access to your magic. They can tap into it, stealing away your power. To stop them, you will have to stop your magic force.
Dean.
No. You don’t mean it.
Marigold.
I’m afraid I do. Diana must die, and she must do it herself to ensure the magic is gone.
Diana.
No… I can’t. I’ve come all this way for nothing. I can’t.
Marigold.
I wish things were different. But Asyntine is depending on you. We have to end this. If it doesn't end soon, Asyntine will soon become barren and lifeless. It must end now.
Diana.
No. I can’t do it. I’m sorry.
[Diana exits, running out of the Great Hall and leaving Dean and Marigold with looks of fear on their faces.]
Citizen.
Princess Diana, it is an honor to speak to you once more. But I must ask; will our problems be solved soon? Will the war end?
Marigold.
We are trying. Since the princess is now back, I feel that this will end soon and Asyntine will no longer be plagued by war. The Vell will be defeated soon, I assure you.
Diana.
You have my word; I will try my hardest. I am sorry to say that I do not remember most of this world, but it is still my home and I will do everything I can to save it.
Dean.
Dear citizens, the visiting hours are over. We must now work on solving the problems with the war. Thank you.
[Exit Citizens.]
Diana.
So what is the problem? How did the Vell get through our forces, anyway? Why are they even attacking us?
Marigold.
They want you, obviously. Your magic is desirable to all people, as you know it is extremely powerful. However, I don’t know how they got in, because your magic was used to defend us.
Dean.
We feel the answer is somewhere in the past, with something gone wrong. But without your memory, there is little we can do. At this point, our goal is to try and get you to remember things that may lead us to key points in solving this. Sending you away for two years has weakened them, for some reason. We feel that it may be because they had no motive to fight then.
Diana.
So they will only get stronger from here.
Marigold.
Possibly. Oh! Do you hear that bell? There is something I must attend to. I fear there has been another attack on the cities.
[Exit Marigold.]
Diana.
So what is there for us to do now?
Dean.
I’m here because I can help you remember.
Diana.
Why you, specifically? I know you are royalty along with myself, but I’m still confused as to who you are to me.
Dean.
Well… we were in love, Diana. Do you remember? We would spend many days together. Everything was fine, and one day, everything went wrong and the Vell attacked us. They are a group of people who want power and nothing more.
Diana.
I see.
Dean.
After the first attack, I was scanned completely after you were sent away. There’s a spell on me, one that locked away part of my memory. I feel the same has been done to you. And we need each other to fix it.
Diana.
I’m sorry. This is all so weird to me. I don’t know where to start.
Dean.
It’s fine; I can only imagine what it must be like.
Diana.
I guess. I feel so alone now, even with all these people around me.
Dean.
I’m here.
Diana.
You don’t have magic of your own to use. I know you want to help, but it’s just not the same.
Dean.
I know. I wish I could be of more help.
Diana.
I’d give some of my magic to you if I could. Just so I wouldn’t be so alone in this. Besides, I have more than I need now that I’ve returned.
Dean.
Diana. That’s it! I remember it now. You did give me some of your magic, two years ago. You gave me a necklace. It let me use your magic for myself, for whatever I needed.
Diana.
Then… where is it now?
Dean.
I fear that is the problem.
[Enter Marigold.]
Marigold.
I've stabilized the situation in the cities. What’s wrong? Your faces are ghastly white.
Dean.
We've figured it out. Diana gave me her magic two years ago, in the form of a necklace.
Marigold.
And where is it now?
Dean.
That’s the thing. The Vell must have it. They must have attacked me and erased my memory of the thing. And they must have done Diana’s, too.
Marigold.
But you know that process is forbidden.
Diana.
That wouldn’t have stopped me from doing it.
Marigold.
Then there is only one way to save this. The Vell now have access to your magic. They can tap into it, stealing away your power. To stop them, you will have to stop your magic force.
Dean.
No. You don’t mean it.
Marigold.
I’m afraid I do. Diana must die, and she must do it herself to ensure the magic is gone.
Diana.
No… I can’t. I’ve come all this way for nothing. I can’t.
Marigold.
I wish things were different. But Asyntine is depending on you. We have to end this. If it doesn't end soon, Asyntine will soon become barren and lifeless. It must end now.
Diana.
No. I can’t do it. I’m sorry.
[Diana exits, running out of the Great Hall and leaving Dean and Marigold with looks of fear on their faces.]