(no subject)
The sun is going down when Roxton, Marguerite, and Summerlee finally make it back to the Manuin’s village.
“Ready?” Roxton asks as Summerlee holds up the bag of bones. The older man nods and continues towards the entrance. Marguerite moves to follow him when Roxton catches her arm. “If you wanna sit this one out…” Marguerite rolls her eyes.
“Oh, I told you, I’m fine,” she says with a smile. Roxton gives her a little smirk, thinking she’s faking it.
“There’s nothing you have to prove.”
“Whatever we went through in there…” she shrugs, both their smiles fading. “It’s over.”
“Well, if you ever wanna…talk about it-“
“I won’t,” she cuts him off, softening the blow with a false smile. He looks at her, surprised and a little hurt. “Was there anything else?”
“No.” Marguerite leaves to follow Summerlee. “I guess there isn’t,” Roxton says to himself.
The three shove their way into the compound to find Challenger tied up spread eagled, but smiling to see them. Cassandra is considerably less pleased. “I don’t believe it.”
“The proof, my lady,” Summerlee calls out loudly, holding the bag up high, “as promised.”
“Untie him,” Roxton demands, pistol already out, though not pointed at anything.
“I’m sorry,” Cassandra smiles sweetly at him. “I’ve had a change of heart.” Marguerite glares at her.
“Bitch!” After all they just went through to get those damned bones?
“Queen,” Cassandra corrects.
“Haven’t we forgotten something?” Roxton asks, turning his head to look at Summerlee, who steps forward with Lapprand’s bones.
“Poor Alfred,” he says as he opens the bag for her, exposing the skull of her dead husband. The Manuins start to mutter at the bones. Cassandra gives Summerlee a dirty look, but picks the skull up, raising it so all can see. The Manuins kneel as the skull starts to shimmer in her hands.
Eyes appear in the sockets. “Cassandra,” says a disapproving voice that only she can hear.
“Alfred?” she gasps, dropping the skull and picking up the pistol, pointing it at empty air. “No, you’re dead! Stay away from me!” She starts backing up, the Manuins behind her looking where she’s looking, and seeing nothing. “You’re not real! No!” She starts pulling the trigger on whatever she sees, hitting some of her tribe. “Never!” The Manuins see that Cassandra has gone insane and rush her.
“That’s our cue to leave,” Roxton says quietly, running to where Challenger is tied and releasing him. Together the four explorers flee, Challenger pausing once as Cassandra’s cries become more pained. “Come on,” Roxton tells him, clasping his shoulder. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“God save the queen.” Challenger looks at him and nods, and together they escape the village.
((Dialogue from The Lost World.))
“Ready?” Roxton asks as Summerlee holds up the bag of bones. The older man nods and continues towards the entrance. Marguerite moves to follow him when Roxton catches her arm. “If you wanna sit this one out…” Marguerite rolls her eyes.
“Oh, I told you, I’m fine,” she says with a smile. Roxton gives her a little smirk, thinking she’s faking it.
“There’s nothing you have to prove.”
“Whatever we went through in there…” she shrugs, both their smiles fading. “It’s over.”
“Well, if you ever wanna…talk about it-“
“I won’t,” she cuts him off, softening the blow with a false smile. He looks at her, surprised and a little hurt. “Was there anything else?”
“No.” Marguerite leaves to follow Summerlee. “I guess there isn’t,” Roxton says to himself.
The three shove their way into the compound to find Challenger tied up spread eagled, but smiling to see them. Cassandra is considerably less pleased. “I don’t believe it.”
“The proof, my lady,” Summerlee calls out loudly, holding the bag up high, “as promised.”
“Untie him,” Roxton demands, pistol already out, though not pointed at anything.
“I’m sorry,” Cassandra smiles sweetly at him. “I’ve had a change of heart.” Marguerite glares at her.
“Bitch!” After all they just went through to get those damned bones?
“Queen,” Cassandra corrects.
“Haven’t we forgotten something?” Roxton asks, turning his head to look at Summerlee, who steps forward with Lapprand’s bones.
“Poor Alfred,” he says as he opens the bag for her, exposing the skull of her dead husband. The Manuins start to mutter at the bones. Cassandra gives Summerlee a dirty look, but picks the skull up, raising it so all can see. The Manuins kneel as the skull starts to shimmer in her hands.
Eyes appear in the sockets. “Cassandra,” says a disapproving voice that only she can hear.
“Alfred?” she gasps, dropping the skull and picking up the pistol, pointing it at empty air. “No, you’re dead! Stay away from me!” She starts backing up, the Manuins behind her looking where she’s looking, and seeing nothing. “You’re not real! No!” She starts pulling the trigger on whatever she sees, hitting some of her tribe. “Never!” The Manuins see that Cassandra has gone insane and rush her.
“That’s our cue to leave,” Roxton says quietly, running to where Challenger is tied and releasing him. Together the four explorers flee, Challenger pausing once as Cassandra’s cries become more pained. “Come on,” Roxton tells him, clasping his shoulder. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“God save the queen.” Challenger looks at him and nods, and together they escape the village.
((Dialogue from The Lost World.))