The Kingdom of Heaven Page #5

In his rude hall in his rude castle (as KNIGHTS drink to

GODFREY), he laughs and toasts, and murmurs to his SON

(Godfrey’s nephew, who leans towards him):

GODFREY’S BROTHER (CONT’D)

(sotto voce)

With no heir it comes to me and

thus to you.

GODFREY’S NEPHEW

(a sadistic fop, a raper

of goose-girls)

Then I thank my stars for my uncle.

(CONTINUED)

11.

CONTINUED:
(3)

GODFREY’S POV

We see the lights of the village. Perhaps even at this

distance we can see the glow of the forge. SNOW is falling.

SNOW blows into the room. Godfrey, cold, reflective, coughing

slightly, drops the drapery.

INT. THE SLEEPING LOFT. DAWN

BALIAN sits up in his wifeless bed in the darkened loft.

Breaks ice in a stone bowl. Throws water into his face. Goes

on into the main living area. A rope still hangs from a

rafter. Balian cuts it down. A CRADLE, finely made, stands in

the middle of the room. Balian puts it in the fire. A boy

(Balian’s APPRENTICE) stares at his master.

BALIAN:

We shall go to work.

EXT/INT. BALIAN’S FORGE. LATER THAT MORNING

Smoke rises. An ANGLE-IRON plunged to cool in a barrel of

water. Then thrown with a clang with others on a heap.

BALIAN emerges from the forge, and throws ironwork (angle

irons, simple braces, presumably for building the church)

into a cart. He looks up (startled) and sees: GODFREY’S

SQUIRE, sitting a palfrey.

SQUIRE:

YOu are the blacksmith?

(BALIAN nods)

Balian the eldest son of the Balian

that was?

BALIAN nods.

SQUIRE (CONT’D)

(as he turns his horse)

Remain.

The SQUIRE, after another strange, direct look at Balian,

rides off.

INT. BALIAN’S FORGE. LATER

BALIAN is eating coarse brown bread, and staring at the

APPRENTICE. The two eat together silently. On SOUND we hear

horses.

12.

EXT. THE YARD. CONTINUOUS

BALIAN walks out into the light. The entire party stares at

him. The Knights, the English Sergeant, FIRUZ, the two

Crossbowmen, and Godfrey.

PRIEST:

(pointing)

That is the man.

ODO, riding, ducking low in the saddle, peers into the forge

as if (characteristically) looking for stealables.

ODO:

You are an armorer. An artificer.

According to your lord, and this

priest. Have you a woman here?

The PRIEST kicks at his small donkey, riding around the yard.

PRIEST:

There is no wife. Yet the matter of

women does dangle about the place.

HOSPITALER:

(dismounting)

You have my sympathy and blessing

and your wife’s soul is today the

object of my prayers.

BALIAN bows his head. GODFREY watches through the snow.

HOSPITALER (CONT’D)

We need the horses shod. All. And

by asking about a woman he means

that we need food and will pay.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote