The Unnamed Saga: Sisters and Song Script, Chapter Fifteen: "Rising Unrest"

Chapter Fifteen: Rising Unrest

 

Open on the Fionan airship anchored to the ground.  Workers are attending to it, loading supplies and checking sails.  Mages are gathered around the base of the ship talking.

Show soldiers waiting in a line around the ship.

Show Sir Fredrick among them.  He has a chest at his feet and is talking to a group of soldiers.

The soldiers grab the chest and Sir Fredrick points toward the airship.

The soldiers leave, and Sir Fredrick meets with General Niko.  General Niko salutes.

Sir Fredrick nods.

 

Fredrick: “General Niko, it is good to see you again.  It has been a long time since we last met.”

 

Niko: “Too long, sir, too long.  You look well.”

 

Fredrick: “A busy life keeps one young, does it not?”

 

Niko: “Perhaps it’s kept you young, but not me.”

 

Sir Fredrick looks up at the airship. 

Show Sir Fredrick from behind and below in the foreground, and show the airship in the background.

 

Fredrick: “It is quite impressive, don’t you think? A masterpiece in the art of warfare.”

 

Niko: “It’s changed everything.”

 

Fredrick: “No, Niko, not the airship.  King Metis is the one who brought that change, and I still think there will be more change to come.”

 

Niko: “I agree.  So, you’ll be crossing with us, Sir?”

 

Sir Fredrick nods.

 

Fredrick: “I have a task given by the king.”

 

Niko: “I see.  Well, that makes me feel better to have you there.  Whatever happens, I know you will see it through.”

 

Fredrick: “I fear you put too much faith in me.”

 

Niko: “Nonsense.  If the King trusts you, then I think it’s safe to do the same.”

 

Fredrick: “Trust? An odd concept, I think.  I doubt that he trusts me, so much as he needs me.  However, in this circumstance, perhaps it is only semantics to draw distinctions between the two.”

 

Niko: “Ah—Perhaps.”

 

Fredrick: “Ah, well, I should be getting my things.  We shall launch within a few hours, no?”

 

Niko: “Sir.”

 

Fredrick: “Then I take my leave of you.  Be well, Niko.  A man of your age often doesn’t see the end of the war.”

 

Niko: “I mean to be the exception, Sir.”

 

Fredrick: “That is good to hear.”

 

Cut to the Anthem prison cells.  It is a large, mostly empty hallway.  The cells face blank walls.  The stones are nondescript.

Show Elsea sitting out in the hall in front of Zara’s cell.  Zara is inside of the cell hugging her knees and staring out at Elsea.

 

Zara: “So, Glenn found him?”

Elsea nods.

Zara: “And Dawn?”

 

Elsea: “No, m’lady, I am sorry.”

 

Zara: “Oh.”

 

Elsea: “But we haven’t found a body, either.”

 

Zara: “That’s good news, I suppose.”

Zara sighs.

Zara: “No, it’s definitely good news.  No body means she’s still alive.”

 

Elsea: “I had thought the same, m’lady.”

 

Zara: “And Zelos.  How is he?”

 

Elsea: “So far, he’s been unconscious.”

 

Zara: “Unconscious? What’s wrong with him?”

 

Elsea: “It is unclear, m’lady, but his symptoms are familiar.  He’s running a fever, and his eyes are shining with magic.”

 

Zara: “Oh.  It’s that thing.”

 

Elsea nods.

 

Elsea: “I believe so, m’lady.  He has yet to wake or speak since Glenn found him days ago, but he is breathing.  Perhaps even more strange is the scar across his neck.”

 

Zara: “That is strange.”

 

They fall into silence.  Show an image holding on them, Elsea staring.  Zara staring back.

Elsea yawns.

 

Elsea: “I apologize, m’lady.  I have been tending to the prince through the night and…”

 

Zara: “No, no, you should rest.”

 

Elsea shakes her head.

 

Elsea: “The prince requires care, and I am a healer.”

 

Zara: “Please, Elsea, don’t wear yourself down.”

 

Elsea: “While I do appreciate your concern, m’lady, the prince needs me.  He came to me when I was…”

Elsea wrings her hands.

Elsea: “I feel obligated.”

 

Zara: “Yes, that’s how he gets people.”

Zara smiles.

Zara: “I understand completely, but do try to take care of yourself, too.”

 

Elsea: “Yes, m’lady.”

Elsea stands.

Elsea: “I should return.  Miss Mary is watching him for now, but…”

 

Zara: “But as much as she cares about him, she’s no healer.”

Elsea nods.

Zara: “Elsea!”

Elsea pauses.

Zara: “I just wanted to say, I’m so sorry for what I did, and for causing all of you trouble.”

 

Elsea: “I thank you for your apology, princess, but I also want you to know how unnecessary it is.  I am not at all upset with you.  In fact, I am proud of you, m’lady.  You had the strength and courage to do what is right even in such compromising circumstances.”

 

Zara smiles and wipes her eyes.

Elsea returns to the cage and reaches through the bars.

They hug.

 

Zara: “Still, I’m sorry for the trouble.”

 

Elsea: “Don’t be.  Whatever happens, princess, and wherever you go, I’ll be with you.  I promise.”

 

Zara: “Thank you, Elsea.”

 

Elsea: “You’re welcome, m’lady.”

 

Zara sniffles.

 

Zara: “Now, go to that chore of a boy.  He needs you.”

 

Elsea nods and stands.

Elsea leaves.

Focus on Zara sitting alone in the cell, staring through the bars.

Fade to black.

 

Cut to the Anthem mansion sitting room interior.  Glenn is in the room with President Thaddeus.  They are standing across the room from each other.  Glenn has his arms crossed.  President Thaddeus is drawing from his pipe.

 

Thaddeus: “I am sorry, Sir Glenn, but that is the situation we are in.  Sooner or later, Fiona is going to come to take the fugitives back.  When we welcomed you into our borders, it was with the promise of a quick recovery and exit.  After the incident with the boat, however, I fear the time for you to leave has come and gone.”

 

Glenn: “But I’ve only just returned.”

 

Thaddeus: “Yes and did you find anything?”

Glenn goes quiet.

Thaddeus: “You should cut your losses.  Anyone left in Silvara has been captured or killed by now.  I know that may be hard to accept, but…”

President Thaddeus looks out the window while gnawing on his pipe.

Show a view of Anthem from the mansion.

Thaddeus: “My duty is to my people, sir, not to dead alliances.  I must put Anthem first.”

 

Glenn: “What exactly are you saying?”

 

Thaddeus: “I’m saying your time is up.  Fiona is coming, and I must have something to appease their appetites.  Metis is hungry for war, but I have something else he may delight in.”

 

Glenn scowls.

 

Glenn: “You’re handing us over.”

 

Thaddeus: “Not exactly.”

President Thaddeus turns to face Glenn in a haze of smoke.

Thaddeus: “I am going to extend you an offer.  Take those women and go, but leave the princess with us.”

 

Glenn: “What?”

 

Thaddeus: “My men have heard disturbing things.  Fiona is mobilizing near the channel.  They are coming for us in full force.  If I don’t have something to give them then my city will burn as sure as Silvara has.”

 

Glenn: “Then let us all run.”

 

Thaddeus: “And how will that save us?”

 

Glenn: “Is that all you care about?  How to bow to your new master?”

 

Thaddeus: “I simply want to live long enough to bow.  I want to keep from dying, and to spare my people the indignity of it.”

President Thaddeus sighs a plume of smoke.

Thaddeus: “I understand your frustration, I really do.”

 

Glenn: “You don’t.”

 

Thaddeus: “That airship of theirs changed warfare.  We need the princess, but I am no fool.  To capture all of you would be asking for a small war in itself.  So, what do you say?  Leave peacefully, and leave the girl?”

 

Glenn: “No.”

 

President Thaddeus shakes his head.

He turns his back on Glenn and puffs his pipe.

 

Thaddeus: “You’re making this difficult on me.  I know how stubborn you can be, and how dangerous you are when pushed.”

 

Glenn: “Then why push?”

 

Thaddeus: “Because, I also know your weaknesses.  Tell me, just how secure is the prince, even with those two mages by his bed?”

 

Glenn pauses.

 

Glenn: “What?”

 

Thaddeus: “Do you really think you can hide anything from me in my city, let alone my own home, sir?  Now then, I extend to you a new offer.  If I hand over the princess, I earn only safety.  If I hand over the handmaiden and the Red Witch, however…”

Glenn glares.

President Thaddeus turns with a smile.  Smoke rolls from his teeth.

Thaddeus: “Leave the women, all of them, and take your prince.”

 

Glenn: “You…”

 

Thaddeus: “Clearly, you need time to think.”

President Thaddeus gestures toward the door.

Thaddeus: “Leave. I’ll call on you later, and by then I expect the right answer from you.  And remember, I own this town and everyone in it.  Even you and your magician friends aren’t enough to stop an entire army.  Good day.”

 

Glenn leaves.

Show Glenn’s face as he stomps down the halls.

Show President Thaddeus staring out the window at Anthem with his pipe burning in his hand.  He wears a smug smile.

 

Cut to the airship by night.  Show Fionan soldiers standing around the camp.

Show soldiers walking between tents.  They are talking and working.

Show General Niko in his tent.  He is wearing a night robe and looking over a map of the mainland coast.

He turns toward the front and looks out at the camp.

Show the camp from his view.  The fore is lit.  In the back is the black silhouette of the forest.

Show the darkened forest just outside of camp.  Large trees cast enormous shadows.  The camp glows just at the edge.

Show Dawn standing among the trees.  She has her bow strung and an arrow ready.  Behind her, Silvaran soldiers can be seen waiting.

Dawn whistles.

Show the resistance marching forward through the forest, moving around trees, with Dawn leading them.

Show Diando and Remi moving among the troops.

Show Niva near the back.

Cut to the edge of the Fionan encampment.  Two guards are standing watch with swords and shields equipped.

One soldier takes an arrow to the throat and falls back with a spray of blood.

The other raises his shield.

 

Fionan Soldier9: “Attack!  We’re under attack!”

White light surrounds Fionan Soldier9 and lifts him from the ground.

Blood runs down his legs in the next scene.

Show an overhead shot of the resistance flooding the camp.  Silvaran soldiers impale Fionans when they find them.  Magical bursts illuminate the area.

Show Diando in the midst of attack.  Fionan soldiers are rent limb from limb in a dark blue flourish.

Show Remi protecting a group of soldiers from a side attack.  Arrows are locked, suspended in a white shield.

Show a Fionan soldier being cut down by a Silvaran soldier.

Show a Fionan soldier shooting a Silvaran with a long bow.

Show an arrow hit the same Fionan who just fired.

Dawn steps over him and plants a second arrow into him on the way.

She pulls both arrows out while surveying the battle.

She run to the wounded Silvaran.

 

Dawn: “Are you okay?”

 

Silvaran Soldier6: “I’m fine, princess.  Don’t worry about me!  You just keep going.”

 

Dawn: “Are you sure? Can you stand?”

 

Silvaran Soldier6: “Go.  We’ve got a battle to win.”

 

Dawn nods.

 

Dawn: “If you see Remi, have him bandage the wound.”

 

Silvaran Soldier6: “Yes, m’lady.”

 

Dawn stands and looks out at the battlefield.

Show the battle waging around her.

Dawn: “Now, where is Niva at? Or Remi and Diando for that matter.”

Show Niko moving through the battlefield with a sword in hand.

He parries an incoming attack and cuts the aggressing Silvaran down.

Dawn scowls.

Dawn: “General Niko!”

Dawn dips down and approaches.

A Fionan soldier comes up on her.

Dawn draws an arrow and stabs it into the soldier’s throat.

He falls to the side.

Show General Niko working his way toward the airship with a group of Fionans surrounding him.

Dawn charges and fires an arrow.

Show a guarding Fiona be hit and taken down.

Dawn: “You! Stop!  General Niko!”

The group stops.  General Niko looks to face her.  His armor and sword gleam with blood.

Dawn: “You’re him, aren’t you?”

 

Niko: “And why should I answer you?”

 

Dawn: “Because I need to know.”

 

Niko: “What does it matter? To you, aren’t I just another Fionan?”

 

Dawn: “My people are restless in shallow graves, General, and it may have been your soldiers who committed the sin, but they did it on your command!”

 

Niko: “I’m sorry, miss, but this is war.”

His soldiers form around him.

Niko: “And I don’t have time for your drama.”

Niko turns to leave.

 

Dawn: “Come back here!”

The Fionans charge.

Show Dawn fire two arrows rapidly.

Show two Fionans falls as they approach. 

Another steps in and swipes for her head.  Dawn ducks under and angles an arrow up at him.

Show a back view of the arrow sticking out from the back of his helm.

Show Dawn firing an arrow at a soldier on her rear and hitting him in the left eye.

Show her from a close view with a shadow over her.  Her eyes are wide.

Show General Niko standing over her with his broadsword raised.

Dawn evades as the broadsword falls.

Dawn sidesteps another swing but it catches her bow and cuts it in two.

Dawn ducks under a horizontal swipe while drawing two arrows.

Dawn twirls around a lunge and impales General Niko in the left eye with one.

General Niko staggers back and screams as blood spurts from his eye. 

Dawn closes in with the second arrow.

Dawn drives the second arrow into the area just below his collar bone and just above his plate.

They fall together with Dawn on top of him. She is reaching back for a third arrow.

Show a view of her looking down at him with an arrow pressed against his throat.  The arrow gleams and everything has dark shadows.

Dawn: “I won’t ask again.  You’re General Niko, aren’t you?”

 

General Niko coughs up blood and grits his teeth.

 

Niko: “Even if I die, girl, it means nothing.  I am just a soldier, like anyone else.  The airship is ready, and it will take off, with or without me.  Your little stunt has only accelerated events, and it will just get you killed.  You will die here, your sister will die, and your nation is already dead.  Just as it should be!  Artists and artisans have no place in a world of war!  So, yes, I am him, I am the General, and I ordered the slaughter of your people!”

 

Dawn glares.

She twists and drives the arrow into his throat.  Blood sprays up her arm and across her face.

Show General Niko’s face as his eye bulge and blood bubbles out of his wound.  He grimaces and gurgles before dying.

Dawn stands.  She is covered in blood and dirt.

She stomps on his head once.

She looks off screen, at the audience.  Behind her the battle wages on.  Tents burn as soldiers meet.  Flares of magic paint the background.

 

Dawn: “Now, for the hard part.”

 

Show Dawn from the back with her half-empty quiver.  Before her is the enormous airship with green light filling its sails.