Black Death

Bel:
[Approaching Mold from another table] Are you shy?

Mold:
[Grasps Bel by her hair] I'm ugly and I am Christian. And that is not a good combination in here, hm? Piss off!

Osmund:
Bring her back, I beg you bring her back!

Langiva:
No, I can't. Pray to your god, see what he can do.

Ulric:
[Osmund tears open Ulric's shirt to reveal buboes under his armpits] I am Death. Vengeance is mine! God's fury rains down on you!

Hob:
[said slowly] There is no God.

Ulric:
Yes, this village is without the pestilence... but it is also without God. For this, they will suffer.

Langiva:
[Pointing at the crusaders' weapons] These are God's gifts to us. These are his words and these fine men his ambassadors.

[first lines]

Wolfstan:
The fumes of the dead are in the air like poison. The plague, more cruel and more pitiless than war, descended upon us. A pestilence, that would leave half of our kingdom dead. Where did it come from? What carried its germ. The priests told us it was God's punishment. For what sin? What commandment must we break that could earn this? No, we knew the truth. This was not God's work, but devilry. Or witchcraft. But our task, to hunt down a demon, was God's cure.

Langiva:
Oy, we're not a bad as ya think. We're worse.

Ulric:
The woman was already dead, but I freed her. The mob would have held her again and burned her. I spared her suffering. Sometimes that is all you can do.

Osmund:
May I ask, how did your husband die?

Langiva:
Men like you killed him.

Osmund:
Men like me?

Langiva:
Men of God.

[last lines]

Wolfstan:
[voiceover] I like to think that he found peace. That he continued seeing beauty in the world. Goodness.

Langiva:
You're in mourning.

Osmund:
Is it so obvious?

Langiva:
Was it a woman?

[Osmund is silent and looks away]

Langiva:
It's no sin to love a woman.

Osmund:
I am sworn to God.

Langiva:
A man needs more than divine love to sustain him. And he shouldn't be punished for wanting it.

[Wolfstan has brought Osmund back to the monastery]

Wolfstan:
Look after him.

The Abbot:
There's no need. He's back with God.

Ulric:
We have the tools, we have the will; we travel into Hell, but God travels with us.

Griff:
Where does the Church believe this pestilence has come from?

Osmund:
I don't believe God is punishing us, like many do.

Swire:
I say from France, where all foul things emerge.

Swire:
[referring to the village] If this is Hell, I can't wait for Heaven.

Wolfstan:
Believe me, Swire, you're not bound for Heaven.

Langiva:
[Cutting off Osmund as he is about to speak] You are going to tell me these men mean us harm, me in particular. [Smiles wryly] I knew the moment I looked into Ulric's eyes. What I did not know was whose side you were on.

Hob:
[Ulric and his men realize they've been drugged, and attempt to draw their weapons. Hob relieves Wolfstan of his dagger and holds it to Ulric's throat] As a Christian, you'll appreciate the concept of betrayal.

Langiva:
[to Ulric and his men, being held in a partially submerged pen] I will offer you all the chance to live. Renounce your vengeful god and you will be free. Keep him and you will die.

Ulric:
Not one man here will bow down to you. I will die first.

Langiva:
Who wants to live? [Points at Mold] You?

Mold:
I will fight Ulric for the right to die first.

Langiva:
[to Hob] Choose one.

Osmund:
Do you truly believe this village can raise their dead?

Ulric:
I would not be here otherwise. You doubt?

Osmund:
I believe hunting necromancers and demons serves men more than it serves God.

Ulric:
You have learned much nestled inside a monastery. Demons and necromancers are among us... as you will find out... soon enough.