(We open back onstage. This time, we begin in a small room that looks like an old-fashioned bar, with a long bar along one side, wooden tables all around, and Butch playing a piano towards the end. Louie wipes down the bar. He wears what looks like his Innkeeper's costume from "Loose In London." Marsha and Jane tend to the few customers.)

*Slip and Whitey walk on stage into the "bar."*

Louie: (He runs over to them) Oh, Lord Whitmore and Lord Terrance, what a pleasant surprise! We don't usually see you in this part of the kingdom!

Marsha: They know where to get the best gossip.

Louie: How has the search for poor Lady Violette gone?

Slip: *Sighs* Not well.

Louie: That poor girl! Who knows what that awful Sorceress and her minions have done to her?

Marsha: You searched the whole Forbidden Forest?

Whitey: And looked under every rock.

Louie: You're not the only one who has lost a young woman, Your Lordship. (He leans over Slip) Beggin' pardon for sayin' so, but other young women have gone missing over the past few days. A milk maid and a farmer's daughter have both vanished into thin air. One was going through the forest to town to sell her milk. The other was chasing after a prize cow who broke out of her pen. The cow returned and the maid's pail was found, spilled on the ground, but the ladies had disappeared without a trace.

Butch: (As he ends his song) Who is this sorceress, anyway? I just returned from the wars, and I haven't been here in a long time.

Louie: She's an evil creature who lives in the heart of the Forbidden Forest. They say she can take on any shape, but she usually is seen as a beautiful woman who lures men into her clutches. She hexes men and strips them of their energy, souls, and minds.

Slip: *Mutters* An' dignity...

Butch: Why hasn't someone tried to stop her?

Louie: For one thing, it's hard to find her. And even when someone does find her, she'll turn her evil spells on them!

Butch: What if we found a way to counteract her spells? There must be some sort of white magic that could reverse them.

Louie: We've tried! Even Lord Whitmore's powers aren't strong enough!

Butch: Perhaps you haven't found the right kind of magic yet.

Louie: Don't mind him, your Lordships. He's just a boy. Just came back from the wars. I know we've tried all magic.

Slip: But maybe it isn't magic that we need. What if set up something else? *to Butch* You love yer music, right?

Butch: More than anything. (Smiles at Jane) Except for a lovely lady.

Slip: Wouldn't love work as good as magic?

Louie: But who could love a witch and a warlock?

Butch: Warlock?

Louie: (Nods) They think it was a man who stole those women. They were carried off. Even the Sorceress couldn't do that.

Marsha: (Looks at Slip) It was your brother who carried off Lady Violette, right, Lord Terrence?

Butch: (Eyes widen) Your brother...not Lord Charles! I thought he was one of the kindest, gentlest men in the kingdom!

Louie: That Sorceress got to him, did something to his head!

Butch: Is this true, Lord Terrence?

Slip: *Sighs, nodding* Yeah.

Butch: Then a great deal has changed since I was last here.

Marsha: I heard King Horace has sent his bravest knights into the Forbidden Forest to find Lady Violette.

Butch: They won't succeed. They don't have the right kind of magic.

Louie: But they have weapons!

Slip: Her magic can overcome their weapons.

Marsha: I hope they stop 'em anyway!

*The camera pans over from the group directly on stage to the side, supposedly not in the bar. We see Chuck there, a young woman in his arms. He chuckles and turns away, leaving.*

(Cut to downstairs. Sheila is there again, setting up the chair.)

Sheila: What do we have here?

Chuck: Another plaything.

Sheila: Very nice. One of the extras?

(The young woman wears a peasant gown in orange and brown. Her long, straight dark gold hair is pulled back into a low ponytail with a brown ribbon. Her eyes flutter and open.)

Chuck: *Nods* Yes.

Girl: Huh...where am I?

Sheila: Put her on the chair. We'll need to make her comfortable.

Girl: Comfortable?

(Chuck sets the young woman on the chair. He pulls up a chair next to her.)

Girl: What's going on?

Chuck: We're going to play a game.

Girl: A game? What kind of a game?

Chuck: A game of magic.

Girl: (Frowns) What do you mean? We aren't still doing the play, are we?

Chuck: Of course we are!

Girl: Well...all right, but...

Sheila: (She rubs the girl's shoulders) Now, my boy.

*Chuck pulls out the same pendant and swings it in front of the girl's eyes.*

Girl: Oh, that's pretty...

Sheila: Yes, it is. Watch the pretty pendant...

Girl: (Her eyes cloud) Oh...oh my....

Sheila: (Smirks at Chuck) This one is going to be much easier to work with than your brother's ladyfriend.

Chuck: Obviously.

(The girl finally lays back in the chair, her eyes glazed.)

Sheila: (Strokes her) We can have more fun with this one... (sighs) but you must remember that there are people in the building. Too much damage will be noticeable. (Runs her fingers through her ponytail) But some is good enough. (Hands him the scissors) Perhaps we could give her a trim?

Chuck: Yes. *takes her ponytail in his other hand and cuts it off.*

Sheila: Very good. (She pulls out a box of chocolates) Perhaps we could see if she's hungry? (Hands him a black silk scarf and several silk ropes) Tie her to the chair and make sure she can't see, then tell her she is to remain silent.

Chuck: *Begins to tie her to the chair as he speaks* You are to remain silent. You cannot speak unless we say you can. You must behave.

(The girl nods as Sheila blindfolds her. She hands Chuck the candies.)

Sheila: We can have a lot of fun with these. (Holds one to her nose) How'd you like to have one of these rich dainties? (When the girl reaches for them, she pulls it away) But not for you. You must watch your figure. (She pops it in her mouth) Why don't you try it, Child of Darkness?

*Chuck does the same thing, holds it under the girl's nose, and then pulls it away when she reaches for it.*

Sheila: (As the girl tries to whimper) Perhaps we will give her just one. (She lets her eat a chocolate, then turns to Chuck) You have to go back onstage in a while. Perhaps we'll take her back? I know you have some scenes coming up.

Chuck: *Nods* Yes, I do.

Sheila: You get back onstage. I'll handle her.

Chuck: Okay, milady. *heads out*

(Sheila smirks and throws another sheet over the girl. Once again, when she removes the sheet, the girl is gone. We fade out on Sheila leaving the room.)