The Borgia Apocalypse: The Screenplay Read online

  MICHELETTO

  My Lord –

  A servant emerges.

  MICHELETTO (CONT’D)

  Find Cesare Borgia – now –

  INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.

  The Pope, with Catherina kneeling before him. She raises her glistening lips from his ring.

  CATHERINA

  This is me, having kissed...

  ALEXANDER

  The papal ring? Is that all those lips would grace?

  CATHERINA

  You are a seducer of legend, Holiness. But...

  ALEXANDER

  No more than you –

  EXT. CORRIDOR. NIGHT.

  Micheletto reaches Cesare.

  MICHELETTO

  Where are they My Lord – there was a poisoned salve – a lip-balm –

  INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.

  Catherina rises, brings her lips close to the pope’s.

  CATHERINA

  They have tasted Borgia lips before. But the son’s. Not the father’s.

  ALEXANDER

  Youth before age.

  CATHERINA

  But if the son’s vigour is anything to go by, the father should be –

  And the doors crash open behind them. Catherina looks round, in confusion.

  Cesare is there.

  CESARE

  Father – GET OUT – NOW –

  INT. CORRIDOR. NIGHT.

  The anguished howl of Catherina Sforza echoes through the Vatican. Micheletto listens.

  INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.

  Catherina Sforza is on the floor, straddled by Cesare Borgia. He is cutting off her lips.

  CESARE

  Those poisoned lips, father – were designed to kill you both-

  As he continues with his gruesome task.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  But, my love, I have determined you shall live. Lipless you shall live.

  INT. STAIRS. RUFIO’S QUARTERS. NIGHT.

  Micheletto, with three or four henchmen, thunder up the stairs.

  INT. ROOMS. RUFIO’S QUARTERS. NIGHT.

  Rufio, serving himself a bowl of gruel. He hears the thundering of feet outside.

  He dashes to the windows, as the doors crash in. Climbs onto a balcony, outside.

  EXT. MICHELETTO’S QUARTERS. NIGHT.

  Rufio leaps through the air and lands on the pavement. Then he finds four swords drawn, jammed into his gullet.

  He looks into the eyes of Cesare Borgia.

  CESARE

  So. I was the future, was I not?

  RUFIO

  You are still, my Lord.

  CESARE

  A harsh future.

  They lead him off.

  INT. CESARE’S QUARTERS. DAY.

  Cesare, facing Rufio. Micheletto sits watching. The young Adriana is brought in before them.

  CESARE

  You can speak freely. I guarantee you will come to no harm.

  ADRIANA

  The lady Sforza sent me to his rooms. She gave me a note for him. I know not what it said.

  CESARE

  It doesn’t matter what it said. What did he give you?

  ADRIANA

  He told me to return in the morning. He gave me a bottle of salve.

  CESARE

  Salve?

  ADRIANA

  I was told it was salve. For her lips.

  MICHELETTO

  You said a bottle. Was it this bottle?

  He holds up the bottle. Adriana nods, nervously. Cesare smiles at her.

  CESARE

  You can leave us now.

  And she does. Cesare looks from Micheletto to Rufio.

  RUFIO

  Kill me now.

  CESARE

  Not now.

  RUFIO

  Oh. The tedious business of the lash. The strappado. It just takes time, my Lord. Much simpler to kill me now.

  CESARE

  Why did you do it?

  RUFIO

  I was sworn to you, my Lord. Never to your father. And my mistress would have died the way she lived. I could not deny her that opportunity.

  CESARE

  The pity is, I had thought you were cleverer than that.

  RUFIO

  We all have our weaknesses. She was, and always will be, mine.

  CESARE

  So. You shall die in her presence then.

  RUFIO

  How?

  MICHELETTO

  Can I make a proposal, my Lord?

  CESARE

  Be my guest.

  MICHELETTO

  He is a legend. His reputation matches mine. Let us kill the legend, before he dies.

  CESARE

  And how do we do that?

  MICHELETTO

  Single combat. Between me and him. In the Castel St Angelo. Before his mistresses eyes...

  Micheletto looks to Cesare.

  MICHELETTO (CONT’D)

  She still has eyes, no?

  EXT. GATES OF ROME/ST PETER’S. DAY.

  The French King enters, in magnificent ceremony, through the gates. Trumpets sound, as the retinue passes through. And among his retinue is a cowled figure, dressed in seemingly Franciscan garb...

  INT. VATICAN PALACE. DAY.

  The French King, with his retinue, before the Pope of Rome with his, his son Cesare amongst them.

  KING LOUIS

  So your family’s ties with Naples have been severed.

  ALEXANDER

  Sadly. Our daughter’s husband turned out the worst of his Neapolitan kind. A drunkard, an ingratiate, a tavern brawler.

  KING LOUIS

  And you, your Holiness, have no

  more allegiance to that treacherous kingdom?

  Alexander looks to Cesare, who replies for him.

  CESARE

  Our hearts have long been set on the French alliance.

  KING LOUIS

  So you will at last support our legitimate claims on Naples?

  ALEXANDER

  You must tell us then, what Naples is faced with?

  KING LOUIS

  Surrender to us freely. Or suffer a conquest. The choice is theirs.

  ALEXANDER

  Which is why, we presume, you brought an army with you?

  KING LOUIS

  To bolster the forces we have already loaned your son. Yes.

  ALEXANDER

  Spain makes a similar claim to the

  Kingdom of Naples.

  KING LOUIS

  But Spain has no army in Rome. That we are aware of.

  ALEXANDER

  Who knows what armies are on their way here, Your Highness? One invading force disturbs the sleep of Italy. Two might give her nightmares...

  KING LOUIS

  We are aware of Your Holiness’ ties to his ancestral homeland...

  ALEXANDER

  So, you will appreciate our concern here. To maintain some balance...

  He holds out both hands, like weighting scales.

  ALEXANDER (CONT’D)

  Between the conflicting claims on Naples...

  KING LOUIS

  And we suspect His Holiness may in his infinite wisdom provide a solution.

  He bows, graciously.

  ALEXANDER

  Indeed. One has already been mooted, with your departing ambassador.

  KING LOUIS

  Yes, we have been so informed.

  ALEXANDER

  French arms are free to invade

  Naples if, and only if –

  KING LOUIS

  They hold it in His Holiness’ name. And they share the spoils of conquest with the Holy See and her Catholic Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella.

  ALEXANDER

  And?

  KING LOUIS

  We respectfully agree. In principle. And we shall leave any issues of discord to be resolved by our new ambassador to the Holy See.

  ALEXANDER

  You have appointed a new ambassador? Already?

  KING LOUIS

  Forgive me
Holiness. Let me now introduce him.

  He claps his hands. And a cowled figure from the French contingent steps forward.

  KING LOUIS (CONT’D)

  The new French ambassador to the Holy See.

  The cowled figure steps forwards.

  The cowled figure kneels before the Pope. And slips the cowl from his head.

  KING LOUIS (CONT’D)

  Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere.

  The Pope stares at the unblinking eyes of Della Rovere. And he finally manages to mutter.

  ALEXANDER

  Cardinal.

  DELLA ROVERE

  Holiness.

  And the Pope looks left, at the sound of a sword being drawn.

  ALEXANDER

  Cesare –

  Cesare stops his sword-hand. The French King smiles, diplomatically.

  KING LOUIS

  The ambassador will reside here under our protection, under full diplomatic immunity.

  And the pope stretches forward his hand, with the ring to be kissed.

  ALEXANDER

  You may kiss the ring of St

  Peter...

  DELLA ROVERE

  Once more. Gladly. And, humbly...

  INT. VESTIBULE. DAY.

  The vestier tries to remove the Pope’s clothes. Cesare interrupts him.

  CESARE

  Leave us –

  And he begins to remove the Pope’s ceremonial garments.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  Do you think he knows? Of your plan of succession?

  The Pope, staring at himself in the mirror, shakes his head.

  ALEXANDER

  Not unless you have shared it –

  CESARE

  Never.

  ALEXANDER

  No. But he is clever, as always. He knows every Pope’s days are numbered. Comes back to his old haunt under full public view. Has no scruples. Knows he is untouchable. With his coffers no doubt funded to buy sufficient votes.

  The Pope smiles at his reflection.

  ALEXANDER (CONT’D)

  On reflection, he would make an excellent Pope.

  CESARE

  And how do we outplay him, father?

  ALEXANDER

  We do what we have always done, my son. We survive.

  EXT. ST PETER’S. DAY.

  As Della Rovere descends the steps, surrounded by French soldiers, he comes face to face with Cesare, and a band of his forces.

  CESARE

  Cardinal.

  DELLA ROVERE

  My Lord. I would remind you I am under French protection.

  CESARE

  These men are French. So, consider yourself under my protection too.

  DELLA ROVERE

  Double the protection. I am most re- assured.

  CESARE

  May I walk with you?

  DELLA ROVERE

  To my palace? Indeed.

  CESARE

  You have a palace already?

  DELLA ROVERE

  Since my own has long been requisitioned, yes, I found myself in need of one.

  As they walk, Cesare whispers.

  CESARE

  I should have killed you a year ago.

  DELLA ROVERE

  Yes. You should have. But your words were, if I recall... “I do not intend you to be dead. For a very long time”.

  CESARE

  So we must breathe each other’s air now?

  DELLA ROVERE

  Yes. It will be most... invigorating. And if I am found poisoned, garrotted, stabbed, beheaded, there will be consequences. Of a geo-political nature.

  CESARE

  So your health is secured, then.

  DELLA ROVERE

  I have always enjoyed good health, thanks be to God.

  CESARE

  And long may it continue.

  DELLA ROVERE

  But as I told you then, when you threatened me with a most painful future, you should consider your own.

  CESARE

  My health?

  DELLA ROVERE

  And your future. Your father, even with the blessing of the Most High, cannot live forever.

  CESARE

  I think my future is secure.

  DELLA ROVERE

  With your armies? They are the gift of France. And of the church itself. With your allies? Allies can bend with the prevailing wind. As we both so well know.

  CESARE

  So I should parlay with the one who would succeed my father?

  DELLA ROVERE

  If your future is to be truly secure.

  CESARE

  I am a warrior, cardinal. I live and breathe the air of battle. I need it for a tonic, an elixir. I need it, dare I say it, to keep alive. And I have no doubt it will kill me some day.

  DELLA ROVERE

  So you will enjoy the siege of Naples, then?

  CESARE

  If it doesn’t last forever...

  INT. CASTEL ST ANGELO. DAY.

  The cavernous central vault of the Castel St Angelo.

  Rufio sits in a cell with Catherina Sforza, who looks like a death’s head now, teeth exposed, with her lips missing.

  A jangle of chains and a series of doors open, off.

  Rufio smiles at Catherina Sforza. And we see he has a razor- blade clenched, hidden between his teeth.

  Micheletto enters the central vault, stripped to the waist. Cesare behind him, a phalanx of soldiers behind him.

  Every prisoner behind bars now stands to attention.

  MICHELETTO

  Unchain him.

  Guards run to unchain Rufio. And as he is unchained, the prisoners begin baying for blood.

  Cesare raises his arms, and finds silence.

  CESARE

  The rules are simple.

  He looks around as silence descends.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  There are none.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  One blade each.

  Micheletto begins wrapping his left arm in a rag. Cesare throws a blade at his feet.

  Another blade at the feet of Rufio.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  And one winner.

  The two blades, stuck in the sand. Rufio walks forwards and grips his.

  And as Micheletto bends for his, Rufio rushes him. The crowd bays for blood.

  Micheletto, gripping his blade, pivots on his left arm. He kicks the feet from under Rufio, sending him spinning into the sand.

  Catherina gasps, through her exposed teeth. Rufio tumbles to the bars of an adjacent cage.

  And as he turns to right himself, Micheletto is on him. His blade headed straight for his jugular.

  Rufio feints, catches the blade on his forearm. He tumbles to release himself.

  But the first blood is Micheletto’s.

  And they now circle each other like cats. Blood is streaming from Rufio’s forearm.

  One jab, then another. Neither hits home.

  Micheletto bends low as he approaches, and surreptitiously sweeps a handful of dust from the floor.

  He waits for Rufio to lunge, and when he ducks to avoid his knife, throws the dust in his eyes.

  Rufio tumbles to the floor, momentarily blinded. And Micheletto comes in for the kill.

  Rufio manages to swing sideways though, and blindly stabs at Micheletto’s torso.

  His knife embeds itself to the hilt in Micheletto’s calf. But he loses grip of the hilt.

  As he clears the dust from his eyes, he raises his head to see, appalled...

  Micheletto. Standing. One knife sticking from his calf. The other in his sword-hand.

  Micheletto grimaces, and pulls the knife from his calf with his left hand.

  He now has two knives.

  And Rufio is seemingly defenceless.

  MICHELETTO

  Too simple...

  Blood is streaming from his calf, but he hardly seems to notice.

  Micheletto circles Rufio, both knives aloft. He clucks at him, like a chicken.
/>   The prisoners bay for him to finish it, go in for the kill.

  But Micheletto plays him like a cat. Draws stripes of blood across his chest.

  And finally goes for it. Leaps upon him, both knives aloft. Rufio grips his descending wrists. Stops the knives. But falls backwards towards the ground, with the effort.

  And both knives are now bearing down towards his throat. He twists his body beneath Micheletto.

  And the situation is now reversed. Micheletto, both knives pointing upwards, as Rufio presses his wrists downwards.

  Micheletto’s arms shake with the effort. Every muscle bulges.

  And Rufio finally bears the blade, hidden between his teeth.

  He slashes downwards with it at Micheletto’s neck.

  Micheletto gasps. Blood spouts from the wound in his neck. Into Rufio’s eyes.

  Who is momentarily, once more, blinded. And Micheletto frees his wrists.

  Brings both knives slamming, fatally, into Rufio’s neck. The crowd bays its approval.

  Rufio staggers to his feet. Two knife-hilts jutting from his neck, on either side.

  Micheletto staggers also to his feet. His hand holds the wound on his neck, staunching the blood.

  And Rufio falls to his knees. Then, backwards, his face to the cavernous ceiling. He dies, with the blade still clenched between his teeth.

  Micheletto bends down towards him. He removes the blade from his teeth.

  MICHELETTO (CONT’D)

  Clever.

  Cesare walks towards him.

  CESARE

  So one legend dies.

  He wraps gauze around his neck wound.

  CESARE (CONT’D)

  Another lives.

  INT. CESARE’S QUARTERS. NIGHT.

  Micheletto on some kind of trestle table. Cesare attends his wounds, cleaning them and binding them.

  CESARE

  I would attend your wounds myself, my friend.

  MICHELETTO

  Thank you.