Three: Venom & Vicissitude

Int. Dark Chamber - Night

Three WOMEN dance slowly in a circle, their long flowing robes floating seductively above a man, YOUNG HOB, who sits Indian style on a large cushion on the cold marble floor.

The women, sister spirits sent to seduce brave warriors speak in turns from the eldest a thick pleasant woman with large pillowy bosoms, to the middle one a slick toned dark haired seductress, to the youngest a fair and gentle girl.


ELDEST:
So brave...

MIDDLE:
So strong...

YOUNGEST:
So handsome...

ALL:
Won't you stay and play with us awhile?

YOUNG HOB:
Why are there always three of you? Wouldn't two have done the trick?

ALL:
Two is better than one, and three is better than two. Three times the eyes, three times the nose, three times the tongue...

ELDEST:
All the better to see you with...

MIDDLE:

All the better to smell you with...

YOUNGEST:
All the better to...

YOUNG HOB:
Taste me with, yeah, I've read that one too.

ELDEST:
Why so hard child?

MIDDLE:
Do we frighten you?

YOUNGEST:
Or excite you?

YOUNG HOB:
None of the above.

ELDEST:
Come and stay with us awhile.

MIDDLE:
We promise you won't regret it.

YOUNGEST:
We promise you won't regret anything ever again.

YOUNG HOB:
I'm sure.

The MIDDLE and YOUNGEST sisters fall away, clinging to each other tightly, as the ELDEST sister falls upon YOUNG HOB.

ELDEST:
Why are you here handsome young warrior? Why aren't you home basking in the spoils of your victory? Why aren't you home ravaging all the beautiful young women of your land?

YOUNG HOB:
I...

ELDEST:
If I were your woman I would never let you leave. I would teach you things you could not ever imagine and keep you satisfied in ways you would not think possible. If I was your woman you would own me, and I would do whatever it was you wished simply to please you.

YOUNG HOB:
Keep your illusions and hold your vile tongue. My name is Hob of the Vippari, I am the bravest warrior the world has ever known, and I will not fall pray to some foul bitch of a temptress. Be gone whore!

And with a hiss and a flash the ELDEST vanished into the darkness, rebuke and defeated. The MIDDLE sister approached while the YOUNGEST sister watches.

MIDDLE:
So good to be rid of sister, she was such a bother. Wasn't she?

YOUNG HOB:
Yes...

MIDDLE:
Mmmm...and now I have you all to myself.

YOUNG HOB eyes the YOUNGEST sister quizzically.

YOUNG HOB:
But...

MIDDLE:
Forget her. She is just a girl. And you are a man. And a man needs a real woman, like me. My sister could have taught you things, but together we can discover pleasure even she knew nothing of. So old, so used. I would be yours and yours alone. Your toy to be played with, your slave to be commanded. You could lead me, like you lead your men on the battlefield. With total and absolute control.

YOUNG HOB:
SILENCE WITCH! Speak not of my men or their sacrifices, I am Hob of the Vippari, under my command the greatest force known to man formed, fought, and conquered. You will not sully their memories with your venomous words and spiteful tongue! Be gone whore!

The MIDDLE sister howls in failure and disappears back into the darkness. Slowly and softly the YOUNGEST sister approaches, carefully wrapping her arms around YOUNG HOB.

YOUNGEST:
I am sorry for them.

YOUNG HOB:
What?

YOUNGEST:
They are old and jaded. They were good once, but the slow grind of time has worn away at them till what you see is all that was left. Husks. Fragments of the great women they once were, now only whores.

YOUNG HOB:
And you?

YOUNGEST:
Is that what you see when you look at me?

YOUNG HOB:
I...

YOUNGEST:
It is time for you to rest my love, time for your reward. Relax and let me take care of you, let me see to your needs, let me heal your wounds.

She strokes one long thin finger down his bare side over a ghastly and mortal wound. YOUNG HOB sees the wound as if for the first time.

YOUNG HOB:
What?

The YOUNGEST stifles his cry with her lips. He collapses speechless and she cradles his head against her tiny bosom.

YOUNGEST:
It is time my love, time for you to give yourself to me, time for you accept your destiny. I will take good care of you, and you will take good care of me. It is fate.

YOUNG HOB:
No...I can't be...

YOUNGEST:
You are.

YOUNG HOB:
But...we won, we were victorious!

YOUNGEST:
True victory is built on the sacrifice of the victors, you made the greatest sacrifice of all, and were victorious because of it.

YOUNG HOB:
No. No. It's not true.

YOUNG HOB slips from YOUNGEST's grip and struggles to his feet, dark blood beginning to leak from his wound.

YOUNG HOB:
No more of your lies, no more of your fantasy, I deny you. I am Hob of the Viparri, greatest warrior this world has ever known. I am Hob of the Viparri, general of the greatest army man has ever seen, I am Hob of the Viparri...

YOUNGEST shakes her head and quietly disappears into the darkness, with her goes the remaining light. YOUNG HOB's voice quietly echoes in the darkness.

YOUNG HOB:
...and I am alone.

SILENCE