THE PRIEST kneels at The Bishop’s feet. Head bowed down, he creates a perfect picture of humility. Meanwhile, The Bishop stands behind his desk, head held high, but seemingly out of breath.
THE PRIEST
Forgive me father for I have sinned-
The Bishop cuts THE PRIEST off abruptly. His eyes darting towards the still open door of his office before issuing THE PRIEST a warning.
THE BISHOP
That is how the Catholics prayed my boy, we are supposed to be Christian
Glancing at the door with a grimace, THE PRIEST quickly rises and races to shut it before returning to his place.
THE PRIEST
My apologies father, but I am desperate for salvation and seek a new path to obtain it. After what THE WITCH has done, any prayer that promises to gain God’s affection is one I no longer have the privilege to keep ignoring.
With the door “safely shut”, The Bishop drops all pretenses. Collapsing into his chair with a sigh, his removes his now broken glasses before fixing himself and THE PRIEST a drink with the contraband liquor he keeps hidden beneath the stones he deems sweet.
THE BISHOP
But at what cost? You speak as though it’s easy to shift between gods while forgetting the toll it’s taken us to get here. If the people learn how easily our devotion can change, they will not hesitate to remove you from your place. And I alone cannot maintain grace if you lose our people’s faith.
Holding his glass while still kneeling at The Bishop’s feet, THE PRIEST throws back his drink before rising to pace the room anxiously.
THE PRIEST
What is left to maintain?! She’s already exposed the lies that make up Eden, and now she’s got THE NUN aiding every other goal she’s been pursuing.
The Bishop watches THE PRIEST carefully while slowly sipping his drink. The bloody knife he recently used remains within reach, but he still hesitates to use it against THE PRIEST.
THE BISHOP
There is always another way to shift the story and rewrite our shame, provided you continue to play our game. THE WITCH and NUN are merely a nuisance we must manage and contain. Two annoying women who simply need to be forced into place.
We are the heroes and leaders of Eden, we decide their fates. So long as you don’t give the people any reason to eat your face-we should have nothing to fear in this race.
THE PRIEST
I pursued her just as Eve did the apple, and I fell victim to her sinful ways. She lured me in with her lies and magic knowing I was too foolish a man to resist her deception...
THE PRIEST rambles as he paces before THE BISHOP’s seat, slowly forming lies he’s far too eager to believe...
THE PRIEST
Perhaps there is a way to redeem and spin this to the public. I can keep her safely chained in my basement, release a statement to the public claiming it’s in their best interest that I interrogate. And once I’m truly satiated with her taste, I can sit back and enjoy watching them tie her to the stake.
THE BISHOP
This is a dangerous road you’re walking, and I alone cannot keep you safe. You’ve let the creature win too much already thanks to your foolish and vain belief that she’s yours to claim and keep. If THE NUN actually finds a way to succeed in following THE WITCH’s path, then everything we’ve worked for will be ruined. Eden as we know it will cease to exist and the Heathen laws that make up their world will force us to atone for our sins.
Setting down his glass The Bishop approaches THE PRIEST. Gently stopping his anxious pacing by grasping his hands tightly, The Bishop look at THE PRIEST seriously.
THE BISHOP
You should have killed her the moment she laid eyes on your bed, now it seems you’re doomed to kill her when the mob inevitably comes for your head and I will not stand for it. You are my brother in more ways than one and I will not see you lose yourself to THE WITCH’s magic. You are to put an end to this nonsense at once. Free yourself from THE WITCH’s sinful temptations by stripping her of every part you’ve ever lusted over or hated, and then we shall burn whatever’s left of her on the alter like Jesus, while claiming she died to absolve all of our souls like every other demon we call Heathens.
THE PRIEST
Can’t I have more time with her? The public can be managed and contained, for I still know how to play the presses game, I just need a little more time to satisfy myself with her taste. Once I’m satiated and over her embrace, it’ll feel far too easy for me to burn her at the stake, and I’ll be happily content for the rest of our days.
Dropping THE PRIEST’s hands, The Bishop sighs as he returns to his desk. Grabbing the bottle from where it rests, The Bishop sips directly from it before turning to face THE PRIEST again.
THE BISHOP
That WITCH’s place is at the stake where she can pay for the sins of her existence and THE NUN will easily be contained and fall into place once THE WITCH has been eliminated. If you’re truly set on risking everything we’ve built just to satisfy your own selfish pleasures, then I shall allow you two more days to play this foolish game. But should our deception be discovered, I shall have no choice but to remove you from my grace and will be forced to let the mob decide THE WITCH’s and your fate.
THE PRIEST
It’s a risk I have no choice but to make, for THE WITCH has lodged herself too firmly into my brain and I must free myself of her grip lest she uses her power over me to sink our entire ship.
THE BISHOP
Then go forth with your plan, but remember this- a witch can easily keep a man in thrall when he loses himself in the pleasures of her flesh-and you are still just a man who hasn’t learned the power to resist.
THE PRIEST kneels once more at The Bishop’s feet, thanking him with another act of humble humility. He’s gotten his victory, more time with his sweet WITCH and all those secrets she keeps locked in her grin...
END SCENE
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