Episode 22- Introductions
int. hovel night
The inside of the Hermit’s hovel. The party- the Devil, the Hanged Woman, the Knight of Cups, Alice and The Pale Horse, all listening in anticipation of the Queen of Sword’s continued explanation on the nature of “Fallen Cards”. The Devil nervously scratches at a scar on his hand. The Hanged Woman’s head remains entirely inside her giant witch’s hat. The Knight of Cups thoughtfully smokes his pipe. Alice is on the edge of her seat, still in odd of this strangely regal- yet dangerous- Queen. And of course the Pale Horse remains withdrawn near the room’s exit.
However, before the Queen can break into yet another monologue, the shuffling of slippers can be heard on the dirt floor and sure enough, the Hermit enters, a lantern in his right hand. The lantern, which glows a soft gold, fluctuates in color as it passes each of the party members- a dull gray for the Pale Horse, then purple as it passes Alice, an alternating blue and red light- which causes a lingering pause as it passes the Knight, who can only sputter at this strange display. It passes before the Devil, shifting to a brilliant copper flame before transitioning to a cool aqua blue as it passes the Hanged Woman. An unmistakable emerald green is the final color of transition as it is set on the table nearest to the Queen of Swords, the color strong and unwavering, casting its hue on everything in the room.
The Hermit sets himself down on a cushion near the Queen of Swords, his back to the room’s exit and the Pale Horse, who remains cross-armed as he observes this display of scrying.
PALE HORSE
Did you get lost on your way from the front door? Or has this deeply relevant conversation been of great entertainment to you?
The Hermit disregards this, his implacable smile warding the ill vibes of the Horse.
HERMIT
It seems everyone is who they say they are. The lantern never lies.
DEVIL
(sighing, relaxing at this)
Good, then we can skip introductions.
HERMIT
Oh, I didn’t say that.
DEVIL
You said it just now. Your memory is getting terrible in your old age.
HERMIT
(unamused)
Child of the Tower, I am not so far gone as to forget what I just said. Now hush. Introductions? Yes. You all know the Hermit, er, me, but perhaps you do not know each other.
The Devil quickly rises, taking a drag of his cigarette- he exhales the smoke upwards like a volcano and then bows, exaggeratedly. It is clear in his behavior that he is both familiar with the Hermit and does not fear him.
DEVIL
I am the Devil, at your service, for what it’s wroth- and that aint worth much. And this fellow nobody-
He motions to the Hanged Woman, who still has not come out from her hat-
DEVIL
Is the Hanged Woman. She isn’t much for words so please excuse her.
The Hanged Woman lifts a hand up in greeting but her head remains within the cap.
PALE HORSE
(grimly)
You should both be in the Tower.
QUEEN OF SWORDS
The Pale Horse makes a good point. Hermit, does the Magician know they are here?
HERMIT
The Devil and the Hanged Woman go as they please. The Tower’s bureaucracy is hardly any of my business anymore.
DEVIL
(protest)
Have you ever known me to be anything less than discreet?
KNIGHT OF CUPS
I would ask the Hanged Woman answer for herself.
At this, the Hanged Woman pulls her cap even further down and draws on the strings of her hoodie in an effort to close herself off entirely.
HERMIT
Hrm, yes. Well, as it were, it seems the Hanged Woman is opting to speak in her own time. As moderator, I’m electing to move us forward so, if you please-
KNIGHT OF CUPS
(Bumbling, but smiling)
O-of course. Ahem. And I am the Knight of Cups. A pleasure. May your chalices runneth over-
The Devil makes a mocked yawn. The Queen clears her throat and the Devil abruptly stops his yawn. The Knight of Cups has also stammered to a stop in this introduction, but not deterred, he takes his pipe, inhales heavily and then exhales the drag, the smoke taking the shape of a chalice which floats to Alice, dissipating just before her face.
The Queen takes a final pull of the bottle she has been nursing and then passes it to Alice, who holds it up to the light, noting its empty quality as the Queen speaks.
QUEEN OF SWORDS
Her majesty, so called, the Queen of Swords. Also called the Blade Queen. Also called the With of Broadblade. Also called the Ice Cold Death. Also and so on and so forth.
ALICE
That’s a lot of names…
QUEEN OF SWORDS
Men like to come up with a dozen different ways to avoid simply saying a woman is stronger than they.
HERMIT
(turning to Alice)
Er, yes. And now, I believe it’s time you introduced yourself…
All eyes on Alice, who feels quite small in this moment. When faced with a warrior queen, a knight in shining armor, the actual Devil, a witch and a skeletal shapeshifter one starts to feel quite ordinary and small. Alice, by nature, was always small. Never quite tall enough. Never quite heavy enough or gainly enough. She always felt a little bit less than her peers, so much so that she often suspected her date of birth must be wrong, or that her parents lied to skip her ahead a grade. At work she would read blogs and see pictures of people her age- athletes, celebrities, influences and such- people allegedly her age- and they would all seem impossibly…much. They held a fullness in body and mind that always seemed just out of grasp to her, and as such, she couldn’t help but nurse a certain inferiority any time she was tasked with an introduction. Alice, in her own mind, was not much, as such, her introduction followed this same lacking of muchness, though, in true fealty to Alice’s own character, this imagined shortfall was yet one more little lie Alice cultivated in defense of her own jealously guarded spiritual depths.
ALICE
I’m Alice.
