Everyone ready for a good, old-fashioned treasure hunt?

Mike: (Groans) Noooo... :p

Micky: I am!

Peter: What happened to Michael? I'm scared! :(

Davy: (Sounds of kissing heard) I'll get back to ya... ;)

(We open in the main parlor room. The kids sit by a fire. Everyone else is on soft chairs or couches. All sip hot tea and nibble on sandwiches and cookies from a tray in the middle of the room. Some look a bit worse for the wear. Emma paces, worried.)

Mary: Emma, luv, sit down! You're makin' me dizzy!

Emma: I'm worried. Mike was supposed to meet us here, and he hasn't arrived yet.

Peter: I hope (whimpers) THEY didn't get him! :o

Lance: Maybe 'e lost track of time.

John: Man, that's not like him!

Valerie: Except when he's been drinking. :p

Micky: Hm. Still seems odd to me. :P

Katie: Mama, Papa 'kay?

Emma: We don't know, Katie. We don't know WHERE he is!

Marcus: I'm sure he'll turn up, Em.

Tilly: Maybe a monster got him, or the aliens!

All: TILLY! :p

(Tilly leans against the couch and pouts. :p)

Lance: Look, why don't we go treasure 'untin'? That'll take our minds off of this!

Lauren: *nods* Yeah, and it'll give the kids something to do. :)

Kate: Twes’re (imitates Lance's accent) 'unt?

Emma: We're gonna look for some fancy gold and rich stuff, sweetie. ;)

Katie: Ooooh! :D :o

Mary: (Studies the tapestry on one of the tables) I can't believe you found this! :o

Lance: And it stayed 'idden all this time?

Emma: Apparently. (Returns to pacing)

Mary: (Frowns) I can't make out the bottom part. It's too dirty and faded there.

Katie: Go twes’re hunt? (Points at herself) Me too? :D

Emma: (Distracted) Yes, all of us. You too. I want you to stay with me.

Katie: Yay! :D

Micky: *motions to Davy and Daphne, who're still joined together* And it'll give those who can't separate themselves a chance to do something useful. *gets a pillow flung at him* :P ;)

Kimberly: Aw, lay off them.

Maxine: Yeah, they just got married! Of course they're gonna be joined at the hip and lip! ;)

Micky: Even WE *motions between himself and Lauren* weren't THAT joined! :P ;)

Lauren: *groans* Mick... :"> :P

Emma: (Grins) Oh yeah? ;)

Micky: Well, maybe close to it... ;)

Valerie: Has anyone ever tried looking for secret passages before?

Mary: No. That's ghost-story nonsense. :p

Lance: Yes, with little success. :p

Mary: Lance!

Lance: Dear, it's something to do! It DOES get rathah boring 'ere.

Micky: Then how do you explain finding the tapestry? ;)

Mary: You got very lucky.

Micky: I doubt that. I think secret passages are very legitimate in a big place like this.

Peter: Big OLD place. You've said yourself it dates from the 15th century, before even Paul was alive.

Marcus: Hey, Pete, you're the one who can (makes quotes with his fingers) "talk" to ghosts. Why don't you chat up Paul and see if he knows the location of some of these secret passages?

Peter: How? I can't make them appear at will...and I'd rather not be seeing ghosts at all! :p

Valerie: Why don't we start on the floor in the East Wing where Violetta apparently is and go on from there? You said Violetta can't leave. Maybe Paul's near her.

Marcus: Why not WITH her? He's crazy about the chick, right?

Peter: (Shakes his head) He can't go in Violetta's room. He can't be with her. They repeat the murder day after day, then Paul has to go back out in the hall and Violetta has to stay in the room. :(

Jenny: That's just WRONG.

Maxine: Someone up there (points upwards) has no sense of romance. :p

Emma: (Throws up her hands in the air) Let's get moving! I'm gonna go crazy, worrying about Mike. The hunt will take my mind off of him. :p

Valerie: Why don't we pay our "ghosts" a visit?

Peter: (Gulps) I don't know if the kids should be witnessing a murder.

John: But it might help to know what REALLY happened and how the three of them died...and who really killed them.

Jack: He has a point.

Emma: We'll just make sure the kids (side glance at Peter) and other innocents don't see anything they don't need to see.

Lance: It's settled, then. (Stands) I, for one, would like to get to the bottom of this, and 'ave a little fun in the process. ;)

Peter: I just want to help poor Paul. :(

Emma: I'd like to know where my husband is. :p

Katie: Twes're hunt! :D

*The twins jump around, cheering and saying "Treasure hunt!"* :D ;)

Lance: Well, I believe that settles it. Come on. Let's get upstairs and ask our ghosts a few questions.

John: Who's trustworthy enough to handle the map? ;)

Emma: I say Lauren should do it. If she can handle Mick and the twins, she can handle anything. ;)

*Lauren grins.* ;)

Micky: I know there was a shot in there somewhere.

Emma: Ok, ok guys. That's enough. Everyone up and out! (As she shoos everyone out of the room, she groans for a moment and puts her head in her hand)

(Emma goes to Lauren, making a face.)

Emma: Laur...there's something wrong. I don't feel well. :p

Lauren: *looks concerned* What's wrong, Em? Is it Mike? :-O

Emma: (Nods) Uh-huh. I feel woozy...heavy, like something's weighing me down...

Lauren: Oh, dear. Maybe we ought to get a move on. Do you feel up to coming with us?

Emma: Maybe I'd better. I want to keep an eye on Katie, especially if...(growls)...THEY have Mike. X(

Lauren: *nods* Okay. *puts an arm around Emma* Here we go, then. :)

Emma: Let's go catch up with the others. The kids don’t need to witness a murder...and I think Peter saw enough. :p

Lauren: Yeah. :P

(The group heads upstairs as "So Goes Love" begins. They hear noise over the music.)

Peter: Oh no! It's happening! :o

(The group run into Violetta's room. Violetta and Paul embrace passionately, not even noticing they have an audience. Emma puts her hands over Katie's eyes; Valerie puts a hand over Peter's eyes. ;) :p)

*Micky covers the twins’ eyes, but he's grinning.* ;)

Paul: (Over the music) Violetta, we must get out of here!

Violetta: Paul, what about my son? I won't leave him! And the villagers?

Paul: Darling, I stole enough money to feed the whole village for a year!

Violetta: That last raid...

Paul: It worked, darling! We went in masks and stole every last jewel from Uncle and his disguisting, overfed warlords and mistresses!

Violetta: (Puts her arms around Paul) Oh, my love, I'm so frightened. What if Donald finds out? He's already been asking questions in the Manor.

Paul: Percy and my men already know what to do. They've been spreading rumors about the outlaw being in Shrewsbury.

Violetta: That's miles from here!

Paul: That's the idea! We'll be able to get away while Uncle is searching in the wrong direction! :D

Violetta: Oh, Paul, it's so crazy. Where will we go? What will we do?

Paul: We'll go to France. I have old schoomates there. Some of my men will be able to take us across the sea.

Violetta: But Paul...

(Paul puts a finger on her lips, then kisses her deeply. Even as he holds her, however, we hear a "twang" and see something fly through the air. Violetta screams and pulls herself in front of it, and it sails into her heart.)

Paul: (Gasps as she goes limp in his arms) NO! NO! (Looks up as Sir Donald enters the room) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? :O :( :((

Donald: Violetta! Damn it, I was aiming for you, boy!

Paul: You KILLED her! :(

Donald: It was an accident. Stupid chit jumped in my way. (Pulls out his sword) Killing you, however, will NOT be an accident. X(

(Paul runs into the next room. Everyone follows them but Lauren and the three children. We see a desperate duel between Paul and Donald that ends with Donald stabbing the young man in the heart. He falls dead. Donald pulls his sword from Paul with a smirk...only to collapse seconds later with an arrow in his back.)

Danny: Look! (Points to a hand in a black cloak holding a bow behind a tapestry) There's the guy who killed Donald! :o

(As the song ends, the scene fades away, too, ghosts, blood, arrows, sword, hand, and all.)

Lance: Oh, my GOD... :o

Micky: Wow...

Mary: Poor Violetta's death was a bloody accident! :(

Marcus: Literally. :p

Kimberly: Man, that was horrible! :p

Lance: (Looks around) Where did they go?

Peter: (Turns to where Paul still lays) Paul's still in the room.

Paul: (Gets up and brushes himself off) Now you see what happened?

Peter: Oh, Paul, you poor guy... :(

Paul: (Flops on the bed) And...it was all my fault. If I hadn't had Violetta there...if I hadn't told her what I was doing with Uncle...if she hadn't been involved... :(

Peter: (Turns to the others) He blames himself for Violetta's death! :(

Micky: He couldn't have know what would happen, though! :P

Valerie: Trust us, hon, do NOT do that. There wasn't anything you could do. Your uncle just has bad aim and bad timing. :p

Mary: This is all bloody CRAZY! (Looks at Peter and Paul) Paul...if you are there...do you 'ave any idea who it was who shot your uncle?

Paul: (Shakes his head) No. I assume it was Percy. He hated my uncle, who took away his family's lands and lost his father and several brothers to Uncle's senseless wars.

Lance: 'Ey, Paul, you know anything about secret passages?

Paul: (Nods) Yes. This place is honeycombed with them. I still visit the ones Uncle doesn't know about on days when I don't feel like talking to him. :p

Lance: (Pulls a tapestry away) Would there be a secret passage behind this tapestry?

Paul: (Stands...then, his eyes widen) Yes! There is one in here! I used to use it to get in the castle without being seen after a raid! (Frowns) I don't remember where it comes out, though. :p

Peter: Paul says there's one behind the tapestry! (He starts to lift it, but it's very heavy)

Lance: Well, what are you starin' at, mates? Let's give the poor git a 'and!

Micky: Right-oh!

Jack: Come on!

(It takes Lance, Peter, Jack, Nyles, and Micky to get the heavy tapestry down and onto the bed.)

Paul: Check the wall for levers or loose wood.

Peter: He says check the wall for loose wood or a door or levers.

(Everyone in the whole group checks the walls...even the kids, though they don't really understand what's going on.)

Davy: There's gotta be... *pushes against the wall and falls right through, landing flat on the other side* Found it.

(Everyone chuckles, even Paul.)

Marcus: Yup, he found it. ;)

Micky: Good goin' Dave. ;)

Davy: *gets up and brushes himself off* Thanks, mates, I think. ;)

Paul: Here it is! (Touches it gently) I remember it so well. Percy, Edmund, Harold, and I made this passage. It took forever, but we had to have it to get in and out of the castle without being seen. (Looks at the Peter) Tell the others to come with me. I wouldn't be surprised if the secret passage was on the map.

Emma: (Looks at Lauren) Lauren, you have the tapestry.

Katie: (Plops down next to the unrolled tapestry) Big blankie! :D

Lauren: Not quite, kiddo. ;)

Emma: No, sweetie, that's a tapestry, a blankie that gets hung on the wall. You don't sleep under it. :)

Paul: Blankie? ;) /:)

Peter: She means she thinks it's a really big covering. ;) :)

Paul: Oh! (Laughs) Not quite. ;) :))

Katie: (Touches the part of the map that remains intact) Oooh, lotsa lines!

Emma: Like on one of Daddy's maps of California. :)

Maxine: Does it say anything about a secret passage?

Micky: *leans over to look; points* Yes, here it is!

Kimberly: I thought it seemed kinda strange that there are lines that aren't IN the manor and not OUT of it...

Jenny: And now we know why those lines are there. They're the secret passages.

Lance: Well, what are we waitin' for? (Rubs his hands together) Let's see where this secret passage leads!

Emma: Oh, no. I don't want the kids in some secret passage.

Katie: Wanna go secwet pass-ige! :D

Peter: It looks kind of spooky... :o

Micky: Nah, looks fine to me.

Kimberly: I vote go! I've never been in a secret passage before! :D

Marcus: Looks like fun. ;)

Tilly: Looks scary, and who knows WHAT'S down there?

Mary: Well...

Nyles: Dust. ;)

Jack: Brilliant deduction, Ny. ;)

John: Aw, we could go on all night with the vote thing, so why don't we just get movin'? :p

Danny: He has a point.

Davy: I'm all for it, mates.

Maxine: Well, what are waitin' for? ;)

Jenny: Anyone have to use the bathroom before we go?

Katie: No! Me good! ;)

Little Mick: Me, too!

Shelly: I'm fine. :)

Lance: In which case...let's go! :D

Maxine: Hey Daph, you good? ;)

Daphne: Good... for now. ;)

Maxine: Good enough. ;)

Mary: (Briefly goes out of the room; comes back in with flashlights that she hands to various group members) Thought we might need this. We don't exactly 'ave flamin' torches anymore. :p

Paul: What odd torches! (As the flashlights go on and we enter the secret passage) And they go on without a fire! Amazing! :o

Peter: They use batteries. It's kind of a long story.

Paul: (They're the last ones in) I will take your word for it, Peter.

(The secret passage is, indeed, dark. It's so dark, all we see are faces, figures, and dirt and wood wall illuminated by flashlight.)

Paul: (Half to himself) It's been so long since I was in here with a group. (sighs) I wish I knew what happened to the others. I miss them, all of my friends. They were so loyal and good to me and to Violetta. They were going to help us escape, but... (softly)...it was never meant to be. :(

Peter: Maybe not, but you never could've known what would happen. You were trying to do good, that's all.

Paul: That's all I wanted. The villagers were so poor. Uncle bled them dry for his wars against every kingdom within five kilometers of here. I couldn't stand to see them that way. I'd grown up amongst them. Some of them were my dear friends. Uncle and his knights ravished the land, not caring what they destroyed in the name of Lancastershire. :p :(

(We occasionally hear some "oofs" and "Ows" and "Who stepped on my foot?" in the background. ;) )

Peter: *shakes his head at the comments coming from in front of them, but otherwise ignores them* You did the best you could do, Paul.

Paul: Violetta knew. I had to tell her. She recognized me after Percy and I stole from one of Uncle's hunting parties. I didn't want to, but...(smiles) it almost felt good to tell SOMEBODY, and Violetta liked hearing stories of our adventures. (Smile falls) Uncle didn't let her do much else. That trip was rare. She mostly stayed in or around the manor. Uncle just thought of her as a piece of property and a way to gain and heir, but to me...she was a woman. The most beautiful and intelligent I'd ever known. You've probably heard rumors about my chasing girls (winks), and they're all true, but Violetta... (sighs) :X

Peter: You truly loved her, and still do. :)

Paul: (Nods) I would never have done anything to hurt her, or her little son. The child deserved a better father than a war lord whose only interests were drinking, carousing, chasing women, and killing hundreds of people to get land and money. X(

Peter: She knew that, Paul. She knows what happened was an accident.

(No one, including Paul and Peter, hears the sounds of someone else moving in the hallway...)

Paul: (Looks at Peter) She does? She doesn't...hate me, does she? I didn't see Uncle there.... :(

Peter: *shakes his head* Of course, she doesn't hate you!

Paul: But I held her in my arms when she died...I was there, and yet she died. (Sighs) I know, good Peter, you will say there is nothing I could do. I just wish...I wish I'd known. She didn't deserve to die that way. She was smart and pretty and had a son who needed her. :(

Peter: No she didn't deserve it, and you're right. There was nothing you could do, but you could go on and on about the "what ifs" when you should just simply be trying to right this wrong. We're going to do our best to help you.

Paul: That's all I CAN do now. (Looks at Peter) I can't go back and change the past...but I CAN help the villagers now, and my ancestor and his wife. (Nods at Lance and Mary) That's who they are, isn't it?

Peter: *nods* Yes.

Paul: (Makes a face) I didn't think the line had degraded that badly. She seems intelligent, if rather skeptical, which I can't say I blame her, but him... ;)

Peter: Well, let’s just say that he hasn't always been of his right mind. ;)

Paul: Lost a bit of the old gray matter here and there? (Grins) You'd be surprised what I hear people talking about in the parlor downstairs. ;)

Peter: *chuckles* You could say that. ;) I don't know if I'd be that surprised. I've heard quite some things from my friends that would probably be similar. ;)

Paul: (Stops) What's that?

Peter: What's what?

Paul: I thought I heard something. (Grins) Other than the rest of your friends complaining down the passage.

Peter: *slight frown* They're all I can hear. :P

Paul: I could have sworn I heard footsteps behind us. (Looks behind him) There's nothing there now.

Peter: Maybe you're just hearing things.

Paul: I guess so. (Smiles) Come on, good Peter. We must catch up with the others, before they become lost with no hope of escape. ;)

Peter: *looks worried* Really? No hope of escape? :-O

Paul: I jest, Peter. (Puts an arm around him - we only see Peter smile in the darkness) Let's go find them. ;)

(The two men head down the passage together, Peter still looking a bit worried. As they turn a corner, we see Sir Donald fade in. He smirks...which turns into evil laughter as he, too, follows the others down the passage. ;) >:) )