The Unnamed Saga, Book Two: Sisters and Song, Chapter One: "A Nation in Ruin"

The Unnamed Saga

Sisters and Song

Script

 

Three Weeks Later...

 

Open on Silverthrone castle in ruin from above.  Its insides are exposed, entire sections of it crumbling, crushed, or reduced to ash.  Blackened husks of wood and stone jut from the wreckage like old bones.  Patches of snow cling in the shadowed spots.  Melting snow produces small arteries of water, meeting and spreading.  Flowers bud and moss grows across the stonework.  Nearby trees begin to green.

Show Silverthrone city in equal disarray.  Some buildings have been utterly destroyed, their broken forms dotting the landscape.  Many more have superficial damage, small fissures and cracks, battle blackened walls.  Among the wreckage are subtle signs of reconstruction, ladders out, boards leaned against buildings, people working.

Show the streets of Silverthrone city where beggars and nobles walk as equals.  The city is crowded with people dressed in furs and cloaks.  The snow has melted and the sun is out.  The streets are wet and sticky with mud.  Steam curls before their mouths as they breathe. 

Winding through the town is a chow line where people collect free food.  At the head of the line is a make-shift awning where workers are gathered around a large steel pot.  Fionan soldiers keep watch and keep the line moving.

Show Fionan soldiers walking the streets, directing people.

Show a weathered tavern, the paint peeling from the sign.  The windows are broken out and covered with wood.  The door hangs partway from the doorway, hardly bolted to the hinges.

Show the tavern interior where people are drinking and talking animatedly.  The tavern master is busy cleaning a glass while the wenches walk the room.

Show the tavern’s backroom stacked high with barrels and crates.  At the room’s center is one crate with a map unrolled across it, knives holding it pinned to the wood.  A single lantern casts a dim light around the room as a group of people stand bent over the map.

Show the map from an overhead view to reveal it is a map of Silvara.  It has various notes scrawled across it, with lines and circles indicating Fiona’s control and lines pointing toward the sea.

Show Dawn, bent over the map and pointing toward the nearby sea.  Two men stand beside her looking at the map.

 

Dawn: “The ship will arrive in three days.  After it unloads we’re supposed to replace the cargo with our people, and it will take them to the safety of Anthem.  I want to get as many civilians on as possible.”

 

Diando: “That will only draw attention.”

 

Dawn: “Not if we keep them distracted.  I’ve already asked for volunteers and put together a group of ‘raiders.’  They hit the enemy encampment on the outskirts of the city and draw their attention.”

 

Thomas: “Wouldn’t they lock down the port?”

 

Dawn: “Not if we time it perfectly.”

She points to an outlying part of the city.

Dawn: “If we start here, at the far side of the barricade, they’ll think we’re trying to stage an escape into the forest rather than by sea.  They’ll bolster the defense there and not even consider the port until it is too late.  They might even send the ships out without checking them, for their own safety.  Wouldn’t want to start a war with Anthem while they’re still struggling with the Silvaran resistance.

 

Thomas: “Brilliant plan, princess.”

 

Dawn smiles.

Dawn: “That’s why I’m in charge, boys.”

 

Diando: “One thing: You won’t be in charge of the distraction team.”

 

Dawn: “Excuse me, but I most definitely will.”

 

Diando: “No.  You’ll be on the ship.”

 

Dawn: “What?”

 

Thomas: “What I believe Diando is meaning to say, princess, is that you and the prince should make your escape now, while we have the chance.”

 

Dawn glances around the darkened room.

She leans in to whisper.

Dawn: “I agree about Zelos.  He won’t like it, but he needs to get out of here.  Last chance at restoring any sanity to Fiona…”

She straightens up.

Dawn: “But I need to stay.  My people need me here to protect them.”

 

Thomas: “Your people need you alive, m’lady.  We’ve had reports, disturbing ones.  Metis has unleashed something unholy on his enemies.  Entire scouting parties are disappearing without a trace.  Towns and villages have fallen silent, and not just in Silvara.  It seems not even his own people are safe from his madness.”

 

Dawn: “I’ve read the reports, too, and that’s why I need to be here.  The resistance needs a leader.”

 

Diando: “Preferably one that is alive.  We can’t focus on the war when we have to keep an eye on you.”

 

Dawn: “Then don’t.  I can take care of myself.”

 

Thomas: “Princess, please, be reasonable.”

 

Diando: “Barking up the wrong tree, there.”

 

Dawn glares at Diando.

 

Thomas: “Think of your sister.”

 

Dawn: “Zara is fine.  She has Elsea.”

 

Thomas: “Yes and she has only one sister left…”

 

Dawn turns her glare on Thomas.

Dawn: “I don’t want to talk about that.”

 

Diando: “And out of respect we’ve avoided the subject, but we can’t ignore it forever. Silverthrone’s list of successors is growing rather short.”

 

Dawn leans over the map again.

She stares at it thoughtfully.

She sighs.

Dawn: “Fine.  I’ll go.”

 

Thomas: “Good, and I’ll escort you while Diando here leads the distraction party.”

 

Diando: “Now, wait a minute.  I never agreed to that…”

 

Cut to black.

Open to a bright, sunny day.  There are few clouds in the sky.

Show a bird flying through.

It lands on a greening branch and chirps loudly to another on the ground.

The bird on the ground nips at a worm.

A shadow curls around the bird, coiling around its neck.

Show a wide-angle of the forest.  There is a snap, and two red eyes are staring out from the foliage.

 

Cut to the city streets.  Remi and Diando are seated side-by-side on a stoop.  Each has a wooden bowl filled with gruel.  There are civilians all around them, eating and arguing and talking loudly.  Diando is half-finished with his meal.  Remi has hardly touched his.

 

Remi: “Nervous?”

 

Diando: “Hungry.”

 

Remi: “I can see that.”

Beat.

Remi:“We’ll be fine, you know.”

 

Diando: “I’m not worried.”

 

Remi leans into Diando and smiles at the people nearby.

Remi: “Nothing will happen to me, either, I promise.”

 

Diando looks away from his food and at Remi.

Diando: “I won’t let anything happen to you, and that’s a promise.”

 

They sit in silence. 

Diando finishes his meal and sets aside his bowl.

He looks at Remi.

Remi smiles and hands his bowl over.

Diando begins eating it.

 

Remi: “It will be strange.”

 

Diando: “What will?”

 

Remi: “Having our home to ourselves again.”

 

Diando: “It’ll be quiet, for once.  I, for one, can’t wait.”

 

Remi: “You’re so sour sometimes.”

 

Diando: “Mmm.  You’re too sweet.”

 

Remi: “Why, thank you.”

 

Diando: “Wasn’t a compliment.”

 

Cut to black.

There are shouts and flames.

Open to Dawn firing an arrow.

The arrow hits a Fionan soldier in the throat and he falls to the ground.  Civilians all around her are dispersing and running like a mad.  A golden light illuminates her from off screen.

Dawn looks up.

 

Dawn: “Damn it, they figured it out!”

 

She sprints down the street and melds into a group of trampling civilians.

She comes out of an alleyway near the port.

Stopping at the edge, she stares in horror off screen.  The light is brighter, painting everything with color.

Show a ship in the port.  Floating above it is a ball of brilliant golden light.  Whips of red, yellow, and orange flame lash out, incinerating anything they touch.

Show Thanatos in the forest.  It is staring off into the port. It growls.

Show a deckhand on the ship.  Fire surrounds him on all sides.  He is dodging the flames.

He leaps.

A tongue of flame washes over him.

Another deckhand screams.

Show the captain at the top of the ship.

 

Captain: “C’mon, men, we can’t stand around an’ watch it! Let’s get this thing out of port before the ship burns.  Remove the ropes, pull the anchor, we need to get out of here while we can!”

 

Show the boat pull away from Dawn’s vantage point.

The sphere floats higher.

There is a bright flash of light and the boat is caught in an eruption.  It sails off into the water engulfed entirely in flames.

The sphere continues gaining altitude while swelling in size.

Dawn squints.

Tongues of fire start ripping into the city.

Dawn looks at the damage.

 

Dawn: “By the gods…”

 

She knocks an arrow. Tears run down her cheeks.

She releases the arrow.

It sails off, a dark dot in the enormous sphere of light.

Show the arrow in Zelos’ throat.

The light fades, revealing Zelos within.

He hangs in the air for a moment.

The color drains from the world.

His left eye goes dark.

He falls into the water.

Dawn stands on the edge of the port and watches the burning ship sail away.

She looks at the destruction in the city.  Fire is wide-spread, and in the distance she can hear the battle on the outskirts of town.

 

Book Two

Sisters and Songs

 

Chapter One: A Nation in Ruin

 

Open on Zara lying in bed.  She is wearing a purple nightgown.  Her hair is fanned out behind her, and her eyes are closed.  Sunlight is framed against her face, but she is sleeping through it.

She rolls to her left.

She groans.

She rolls to her right.

She winces in the light.

She sits up suddenly, clutching her chest.

Pull out and show her in a large, lush bed.  The walls behind her are decorated with paintings.  Everything is richly embroidered with intricate designs, including her clothes.  There is a swan motif to the bed frame and sewed into the bed spread.

Show large glass double-doors that are open.  They lead to an expansive veranda.  A breeze leaves the sheer curtains dancing.

Zara looks out the window.

She wipes her brow.

 

Zara: “That…was quite the dream.”

 

Show Zara through the window.  The breeze is moving the curtains.  Sunlight makes the veranda shine.  The mantel is embroidered with rich detail.

Show the mansion she is staying at.  It is a large building on a hill, overlooking a large city built along the coast.  The vegetation here is lush.  The pier is enormous and filled with ships.  Waves break gently against the rocks.  The white walls of the city gleam in the sunlight.  Birds are returning from their winter migration.

Return to the room interior with an overhead view.  Show Zara stepping out of the bed.

Cut to a dining room interior.  The room is huge and well-lit.  Large windows let sunlight pour in.  The doors are closed and the curtains drawn but light shines through them.  A large, sturdy table is set at the center of the room and polished to reflection.  Elsea and Mary sit at one end of the table across from each other.

Show Elsea sipping a steaming cup of tea.  She has a small plate of bread beside her.

Show Mary watching and smiling.

 

Mary: “How ritualistic of you, good lady.”

 

Elsea: “Excuse me?”

 

Mary: “Three weeks we’ve been here, and three weeks you’ve had an unchanging routine.”

 

Elsea looks around the room.

Mary points at the cup in Elsea’s hand.

 

Mary: “The tea, darling, you have tea and bread on every morning and then retire with a book to read until the princess awakens.  Honestly, I do find the consistency comforting, if a bit dull.”

 

Elsea sets her cup down.

Elsea: “And you’ve watched me this entire time?”

 

Mary smiles.

Mary: “My, you are a clever one, are you not? Guilty as charged, I am afraid to admit, as my routine certainly does seem to revolve mostly around watching you.  Alas, what is a woman to do in a foreign nation with nary a coin to her name?  I dare to say, should they wish to accommodate us properly, they could stand to allocate at least a small allowance.”

 

Elsea: “Don’t you think that’s asking a bit too much?”

           

Mary: “Mayhap, but I fear the boredom will kill me long before Fiona has the proper chance at it.”

 

Zara, off-screen: “Life is about to get much more interesting.”

 

Elsea: “M’lady?”

 

Mary: “And here we were just talking about you, princess.  You are waking quite early this morning, and with a smile on your face, too.”

 

Zara enters the room in her nightgown, stops at the end of the table, and rubs sleep from her eyes.

She yawns and stretches.

She sits beside Elsea and picks at Elsea’s bread.

Zara: “Today is the day, isn’t it? The ship should be coming in carrying Dawn and Zelos.”

 

Mary: “Why, and here I had thought you would be enjoying your time away from the prince, what with all that bickering you two were always on about.”

 

Zara: “I have enjoyed my time away from Zelos, but I am more excited about seeing Dawn than I dread seeing him.  It doesn’t feel right with her over there while I’m here.  After all, we’re the last…”

Zara goes quiet.

She stops tearing at the bread.

 

Mary: “I apologize, princess, it seems I have forgotten myself this morning.”

 

Zara shakes her head.

Zara: “No, you’re fine.”

She stands from the table.

Zara: “I’m going to change.  Elsea, could you call on breakfast for me.”

 

Elsea: “Of course, m’lady.  It will be waiting for you when you return.”

 

Zara: “Thank you.”

 

Follow Zara out the door.

 

Cut to an Anthem Mansion interior.  Glenn is walking the hall with President Thaddeus of Anthem’s Guild of Commerce. President Thaddeus is a big man, richly dressed in a smart vest that fits tight to his belly.  He has a dark beard with white hairs in it and thick eyebrows.

Thaddeus: “So, today is the day.”

 

Glenn: “Should be.”

 

Thaddeus: “We’ve put ourselves through quite a bit of trouble with all of this.  I hope you understand that.”

 

Glenn: “I do, and we appreciate it.”

 

President Thaddeus and Glenn stop at the window.

They stare out the window.

Show them staring at the mansion’s courtyard.  Flowers and bushes are growing in.  Birds bounce from tree branches.

Thaddeus: “The late king…He was an old friend.  He would be ashamed with what his sons have done with Fiona.”

 

Glenn: “I agree.”

 

Thaddeus: “That said, we can’t ignore Metis or the danger he poses.  With that strange flying ship of his I fear no one is safe, Sir Glenn.”

 

Glenn looks at him.

Glenn: “What exactly are you saying?”

 

Thaddeus: “I…am saying that Anthem is in great danger so long as you and the princess remain here.”

 

Glenn: “Then you want us to leave?”

 

Thaddeus: “I would never say it in such a manner…”

 

Glenn: “I understand.  We’ll figure it out when the prince and princess arrive.”

 

Thaddeus: “Yes, yes, of course, one of your status must defer to the judgment of others.”

 

Glenn glares.

He turns and walks off.

Glenn: “Something like that.”

 

Cut to Dawn sleeping. She is lying in a private room, in a dusty shack.  The room is dark and has indistinct shapes.  The roof has holes which grant thin ribbons of light inside.  It is raining outside and the rain can be heard on through the walls and ceiling.

A droplet of water hits Dawn’s face.  She groans.

Another droplet hits her face.

She opens her eyes.

She winces in the light.

She sits up and looks at the ceiling.

Show droplets of water forming around a hole in the ceiling.

One droplet falls and hits her bedroll.

Dawn sighs.

Dawn: “…Just great…”

Dawn stands from the bed and throws her blankets in the process.  She is fully dressed save for boots.

She grabs the bedroll and yanks it off.

She goes to the far corner of the room to where a robe hangs from the wall.

She pulls the robe on while crossing to the doorway, where a curtain hangs as a makeshift door.

Dawn enters a larger room that is still quite cramped.  Light comes in through broken windows and a large hole in the ceiling. A pot catches rain at the center of the room.  It is nearly overflowing.  The walls in the room are ragged and decaying.  A table sits in the corner of the room with a single candle burning on its surface.

Dawn ties a knot in her robe.

A group of men are sitting around the table and gruel from wooden bowls.  Diando and Remi are among them.

Everyone at the table except for Diando stand as Dawn enters the room.

 

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “Morning, princess.”

Silvaran Royal Guard1 bows his head.

The other guards follow suit while Dawn yawns and waves.

 

Dawn: “At ease, boys.  I’m not awake enough for all of that.”

 

The Silvaran Royal Guard1 looks at his companions.

He nods bashfully.

He sits.

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “Sorry.”

 

Dawn shrugs.

Dawn: “Don’t worry about it.  How is the gruel today? Is it warm?”

 

Diando: “Nope, and by the time you get to it I imagine it’ll be a bit soupy.”

 

Dawn: “You didn’t get me any?”

 

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “I apologize, m’lady! Here, you may take mine, if it would please you.”

 

Silvaran Royal Guard2: “And mine, as well.”

 

Dawn looks at the two guards.  They are holding their bowls out in offering.

She shakes her head and waves her hand.

Dawn: “No, no, thanks, though.  I was just asking, is all.”

 

Remi: “With all due respect, princess, we hadn’t expected you up so early.”

 

Dawn: “Leak woke me up.”

 

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “We’ll fix it immediately.”

 

Dawn: “Oh, don’t worry about it.  You have all day, may as well finish your breakfast.  Anyhow, I’m hungry.”

 

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “I’ll send someone to…”

 

Dawn: “I can get it myself.  You stay and eat.”

 

Silvaran Royal Guard1: “But, m’lady…”

 

Dawn: “Listen, you can’t guard me on an empty stomach.”

She flips up the hood on her robe.

Dawn: “And, I don’t need protection as is.  I’ll be back in a bit.”

 

Diando waves.

Diando: “Have fun.”

Remi glares at Diando.

Diando looks back at him warily.

Diando: “What, she’s a big girl.”

 

Remi crosses his arms.

Remi: “You are hardly helping.”

 

Cut to Dawn walking the streets.  The streets of Silvara are bare, without even snow to cover the mud.  The sun is out, but the area is in bleak shambles.  Buildings are blackened or collapsed.  What few that are standing nearly have people spilling out of them.  Many people just sit on the streets, looking gaunt and dirty.

It is still raining, and Dawn’s cloak is growing damp around the shoulder and head. Off-screen people can be heard, some are talking animatedly.  Some are screaming and cursing and crying.

Dawn hears the shouts and perks up.

Dawn sprints down the street.  Puddles splash as she passes through them.

Dawn turns the corner to find a short-haired girl kneeling in the mud.  A bowl of gruel sits upturned in the mud.  She is crying and scrambling to pick it up as two Fionan soldiers laugh above her.

 

Fionan Soldier5: “Filthy dogs!”

Fionan Soldier5 kicks the bowl out of the girl’s reach.

Fionan Soldier5: “Eat it off the ground like the animal you are.”

 

Fionan Soldier6: “Heifer doesn’t even need food.  Fat enough already.”

 

Dawn scowls.

Dawn: “Hey!”

Dawn marches over to them and stares them in the eye.

Dawn: “What do you two think you’re doing?”

 

Fionan Soldier5: “Stay out of it, brat, it’s got nothing to do with you.”

 

Dawn: “It has everything to do with me when you have my…kinsmen…kneeling in the mud.”

 

Fionan Soldier6 steps forward.

Soldier2: “Didn’t make her kneel.  She ran into my friend here, nearly spilt that garbage right on his armor.  Could’ve stained it.”

 

Dawn: “Stained it?”

 

Fionan Soldier5: “Ha! Dumb bitch doesn’t even know.  Your low grade Silvaran muck makes iron rust.”

 

Dawn: “Know what else makes it rust?”

Dawn points up.

Dawn: “Rain.  Don’t see you trying to kick the sky, though.”

 

Fionan Soldier5: “You’ve got a smart mouth, and I don’t much care for that.”

 

Fionan Soldier6 laughs.

Soldier2: “I’d watch out if I were you, little girl.  My man here is quite the killer.  Bled plenty of your KINSMEN during the attack.”

 

Dawn squares off against Fionan Soldier5, glaring up at him despite their height difference.

Dawn: “You have until the count of three to leave.  One.”

 

The soldiers laugh.

 

Dawn: “Two.”

 

Fionan Soldier6 keeps laughing.  Fionan Soldier5 stops and looks bewildered.  He holds Dawn’s gaze.

 

Dawn: “Three.”

 

Fionan Soldier6: “Uh-oh.  We’re in trouble now.  Girly is going to attack, best watch out.  Ha!”

 

Fionan Soldier5: “L-Let’s get out of here.”

 

Fionan Soldier6: “WHAT?”

 

Fionan Soldier5: “This just isn’t worth my time.  Anyway, the brat is right, don’t want my armor to rust in the rain.”

 

Fiona Soldier6: “Er, right…”

 

The soldiers swagger off as Dawn kneels down and grabs the bowl.

She hands it back to the girl, Niva.

 

Dawn: “You okay?”

 

Niva nods and tries to wipe her eyes in the rain.

 

Dawn: “Okay, then come on, and we’ll go get you some more.”

 

Niva: “They don’t have enough for seconds…”

 

Dawn: “Then I’ll share mine with you.”

 

Niva: “N-No, I couldn’t…”

 

Dawn pulls Niva up.

Dawn: “I insist!”

 

Niva: “But…”

 

Dawn takes Niva’s hand and  drags her away.

Dawn: “No buts. I just ran off those guards for you, didn’t I?  The least you could do is have breakfast with me.”

 

Niva: “Breakfast? But, it’s nearly midday.”

 

Dawn shrugs.

Dawn: “Details!”