CHAPTER II: THOSE WHO USE, THOSE WHO GET USED

[Ovelia kneels in a dungeon cell somewhere in Lionel, an untouched plate of food nearby. Delita stands near.]

DELITA: Aren't you eating? You can't go on without food.

OVELIA: ...

DELITA: No one will mourn your death. In fact, it should make most people happy. You won't die. Just eat the food.

[Ovelia looks up at him.]

OVELIA: I knew you were in with the Cardinal. If you aren't turning me over to Larg, what's your plan??

DELITA: Taking you somewhere you belong...that's all.

OVELIA: So, you're using me, too. But you can't make me do whatever you want.

[She turns away from him.]

DELITA: You have no other choice if you want to live.

[She looks back.]

OVELIA: What's that mean?

DELITA: It means....

[Both turn as Draclau and another man enter the room. The latter is the same knight who paid off the assassins that accosted Ramza's party in Dorter.]

A KNIGHT: So, she is Ovelia...?

[Draclau steps forward.]

DRACLAU: How are you, Princess? If you'd behaved, you wouldn't be here now.

KNIGHT: Hmmm, she's almost too good a substitute for a Princess.

[Ovelia lurches forward, shocked. Delita and Draclau turn to the knight.]

DRACLAU: Heh, heh...Mr. Vormav, she doesn't know yet.

VORMAV: I see....poor girl.

OVELIA: What are you talking about?

[Vormav approaches her.]

VORMAV: Listen carefully. You're not Ovelia.

OVELIA: What.....?

VORMAV: The real princess died long ago. You're a substitute.

[She recoils.]

OVELIA: No, that's a lie!!

[Ovelia crumples as Vormav speaks to her.]

VORMAV: It's not a lie. You are not Ovelia. Old Senators who didn't care for Princess Luveria, made you.... So someday you'd succeed the throne, ousting the Princess. They killed 2 older Princes making it look like illness, and adopted you as Princess. They all thought Omdolia was too weak to make another son so you took the throne. However, Orinas was born. Even now, no one's sure if the Prince is really his son. Larg may have had "seeds" planted to make his sister the King's mother... In any case, the old men's plan was ruined.

[Ovelia turns to him sharply.]

OVELIA: Liar! I don't believe it!

VORMAV: Think what you will. Whether you're a Princess or not doesn't matter to us. What matters is that we have an ace up our sleeve called a 'Princess'...

[She shifts where she sits.]

OVELIA: What are you going to do to me? What do you want?

VORMAV: Nothing. Just be a 'Princess' as you are now.

OVELIA: My ancestors were Atkaschas! No one can control me!

VORMAV: So what? If Larg catches you, he'll kill you...right? We just want to help you take the throne...

OVELIA: Who are you?

VORMAV: We're neither allies of Larg nor supporters of Goltana. Just 'collaborators'.

DRACLAU: Vormav, let her calm down. Once she comes to her senses, she won't refuse our help.

VORMAV: Yes.....you're right.

[Draclau and Vormav begin to leave while Delita lingers, looking at Ovelia.]

VORMAV: Let's go, Delita!

[Delita follows.]