The Fair Maiden Calina, Part 4

EXT. ORCHARD. AFTERNOON.

 

Calina sits under the cherry tree to cry. After a moment, Prince Liam finds her.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I’m so sorry if I was too

 

forward! Wait, are you

 

bleeding?

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

That was nothing. I hit

 

my head on a shelf. It

 

was stupid.

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

We all do stupid things. For

 

instance, I snuck up on my

 

horse once, and you can

 

still see the scar from

 

where she kicked me!

 

 

 

Prince Liam lifts up his shirt to show the bruise, and his nicely sculpted stomach makes her blush.

 

CALINA:

 

So, your parents must’ve

 

yelled at you for that!

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

No. They were just glad

 

that I didn’t die. Everyone

 

makes you a bad person.

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

Well, my stepfather always

 

says I’m going to make a

 

terrible wife because I’m

 

so stupid.

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

You don’t seem stupid to me.

 

In fact, you seem more

 

intelligent than most girls

 

I talk to.

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

Why are you being so nice

 

to me?

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I’m nice to everyone in

 

King Braham’s kingdom. My

 

father is friends with him.

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

I heard the king is a very

 

mean, arrogant man.

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Quite the opposite! He’s

 

nicer to his subjects than

 

father is to his.

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

If your father has subjects,

 

that means you are…

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

How rude of me not to

 

introduce myself. Prince

 

Liam, at your service!

 

 

 

He gives her a half bow. Calina is shocked. She does not know how to react.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Can I have your name?

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

I’m not supposed to talk

 

to anyone!

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Why not? Where are you from?

 

 

 

Calina starts to leave.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Perhaps you are from Heaven,

 

being such a sweet angel.

 

 

 

Calina starts to laugh.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

You have a beautiful smile.

 

You should show it more often.

 

 

 

Calina is silent as she leaves.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. UNDERWORLD HALL.

 

As Calina is walking, she runs into Patricia.

 

PATRICIA:

 

Look at you glow!

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

Pardon?

 

 

 

PATRICIA:

 

You have that soon-to-

 

be-bride glow.

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

Oh, right.

 

 

 

Until now, she had forgotten about that, and her face falls at the prospect.

 

PATRICIA:

 

You ungrateful little wench!

 

The wealthiest man of the

 

Underworld is going to

 

take you as his wife, and

 

you have the nerve to

 

complain! You’re lucky to

 

even be alive, you know!

 

Guthran rescued you from

 

parents that didn’t want

 

you at all!

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

I know! Look, I made a

 

mistake, but that doesn’t

 

mean I’m a bad person!

 

 

 

PATRICIA:

 

Whatever.

 

 

 

Patricia leaves. Calina is surprised she stood up for herself. She looks towards the door as if she sees the Prince there. She weakly smiles and goes on her way.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. SITTING ROOM. NIGHT.

 

King Braham (aged eighteen years from earlier) sits with KING BAUDRIC (who looks like an older and plumper version of Prince Liam). Princ Liam enters the room with a silly grin on his face. As he goes through his satchel, King Braham nudges King Baudric, who smiles and laughs in agreement. Prince Liam brings out a pen and some parchment. He notices them laughing.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

What?

 

 

 

KING BAUDRIC:

 

Don’t be coy! We know that

 

look!

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I have a look?

 

 

 

KING BRAHAM:

 

You met a woman, didn’t you?

 

 

 

Prince Liam just laughs, embarrassedly. The two kings slap hands.

 

KING BAUDRIC:

 

It’s about time, son! What’s

 

her name?

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I don’t know. It was

 

hard to get any information

 

from her. She didn’t even

 

want to take off her

 

white hood when I-

 

 

 

KING BRAHAM:

 

Wait, is that the Orphan of

 

the Underworld?

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Who?

 

 

 

KING BRAHAM:

 

I hear my men tell of a

 

woman who only surfaces

 

to run errands for Guthran,

 

who is governor of the

 

Underworld. The Underworld

 

is a society of monsters

 

and misfits who choose not

 

to live among the “normal.”

 

Apparently, she has only

 

talked to the tailor, who

 

knows Guthran is her

 

stepfather and that she

 

loves books.

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I know we didn’t say much,

 

but she intrigues me. She is

 

so different! And it amazes

 

me she doesn’t think she’s

 

beautiful.

 

 

 

KING BAUDRIC:

 

Well, it sounds like this could

 

be a case of parental abuse.

 

If you wish to pursue her,

 

you may stay with Braham.

 

If that’s alright?

 

 

 

KING BRAHAM:

 

I always welcome guests in

 

my home! I will warn you,

 

everyone says it is hard

 

to gain the trust of

 

abused people.

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

I want to help her! Does

 

that make me crazy?

 

 

 

KING BAUDRIC:

 

Son, we all do crazy things

 

for women. I sailed all the

 

way to the Viking country

 

to get my wife!

 

 

 

They all laugh.

The Fair Maiden Calina, Part 3

INT. UNDERWORLD HALL.

 

The same freaks that teased her as a child now (though aged ten years) tease her again now. Calina says nothing.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. GUTHRAN’S LIVING ROOM.

 

Guthran (who has also aged ten years) comes limping out of his bedroom upon Calina’s entrance. Calina takes a pair of socks out of her cloak pockets and hands it to him.

 

CALINA:

 

Here you go, Sir.

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

What took you so long?

 

Are you so stupid you

 

forgot the place you’ve

 

been going for the past

 

ten years?

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

The tailor was behind

 

on his orders.

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Behind on his orders? Did

 

you forget to tell him how

 

important I am, or am I

 

not important to you?

 

 

 

He gets mad and throws his shoe at her.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Don’t forget, you come of

 

age in a couple of months!

 

I will not tolerate this

 

nonsense when you are my

 

wife! Now, get to work!

 

 

 

Calina hastily starts to dust his furniture. Roland, Patricia, and Tenton enter.

 

TENTON:

 

Yelling at your ugly

 

hag again?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

I will not tolerate dis-

 

respect from someone I

 

love!

 

 

 

PATRICIA:

 

So, right now, she cooks for

 

you, cleans for you…what

 

will change once you get

 

married?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

After we wed, we will

 

make love and she will

 

bear my children.

 

 

 

Calina, who was dusting a shelf, is so shocked by the sting of that answer that she gets up, forgetting that she has another shelf above her and hits her head really hard.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

You clumsy oaf!

 

 

 

Calina feels blood on her head.

 

ROLAND:

 

She looks hurt pretty bad.

 

You had better send her to

 

the doctor’s office.

 

 

 

Calina grabs her cloak. Guthran throws some coins at her.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

That’s for the doctor!

 

 

 

He throws more coins at her.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

And that’s for the blood

 

you’re going to get on

 

that cloak.

 

 

 

Calina scrambles to collect the rest of the money.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

See how much your clumsy

 

ways has cost me! Buy

 

another cloak so no one

 

sees your ugly face. Go!

 

 

 

Calina leaves.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. VILLAGE ROAD. AFTERNOON.

 

Calina (with bandage on her head) walks down the street full of guilt. She is so wrapt up in thought that she walks right into a white horse. She falls to the ground. The person on the horse, PRINCE LIAM (a man Calina’s age with sandy brown hair, dark green eyes, and medium toned skin) gets down to tend to her.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Are you alright?

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

I’m so sorry I walked

 

into your horse! I’m

 

just so stupid and clumsy!

 

I…

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Woah, stop apologizing! I

 

walked through without looking.

 

It’s my fault. Let me help

 

you up.

 

 

 

He extends his hand, and Calina cautiously takes it. She does not realize that her hood comes off.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Wow!

 

 

 

Calina notices her hood is off.

 

CALINA:

 

Oh no! My hood! I’m

 

sorry you had to see

 

my ugly face!

 

 

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Ugly? You’re one of the

 

fairest maidens I’ve ever

 

seen!

 

 

 

CALINA:

 

Don’t mock me!

 

 

 

She runs away.

 

PRINCE LIAM:

 

Wait!

The Fair Maiden Calina, Part Two

 

 

INT. UNDERWORLD CLASSROOM.

 

The room looks like an ordinary classroom, but it is small and has no windows. The walls are made of dirt. MS. CORCS (a woman with skin features like that of an octopus) teaches a group of five mutant children. YOUNG CALINA (who has long curly, dark brown hair, golden brown eyes, and pale skin) stands in the back with a broom, sweeping. She wipes some dust off her white dress.

 

MS. CORCS:

 

Calina! Did I say you can

 

stop cleaning?

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

No, Ms. Corcs, I wanted to

 

get the dust off my clothes!

 

 

 

MS. CORCS:

 

It’s just going to keep

 

getting dirty, so keep going

 

or I will tell your step-

 

father you can’t clean here

 

anymore!

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

Yes, Ms. Corcs!

 

 

 

MS. CORCS:

 

Now, I need to step out for a

 

minute. I want you to take your

 

books and a piece of parchment.

 

Write down any instance you see a

 

character use a metaphor or simile.

 

 

 

She leaves. The class begrudgingly gets their books out.

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

I’ll do it!

 

 

 

STUDENT 1:

 

Do what?

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

Your assignment.

 

 

 

STUDENT 2:

 

You can read?

 

 

 

Calina nods.

 

STUDENT 3:

 

Here, go for it, you

 

freak!

 

 

 

The other students laugh. Young Calina looks hurt but opens up the book excitedly and starts working happily.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. GUTHRAN’S LIVING ROOM.

 

Young Calina enters the residence, tired. Guthran comes out of his room to see her lying on the couch.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

You lazy orphan!

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

I’m sorry, sir! I had to

 

stay extra because Ms.

 

Corcs said I didn’t

 

clean very well.

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

You didn’t clean very well?

 

What kind of wife will you

 

be to me if you can’t even

 

clean properly?

 

 

 

Young Calina starts to cry. Guthran loses his temper and throws a shoe at her.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Stop acting like a baby!

 

Now, I have a special, big

 

girl job for you. I want you

 

to you to go the tailor and

 

pick up my cloak. Just go

 

past the orchard and once

 

you get to the road, turn

 

right. It’s got a big plant

 

by the window. What are you

 

waiting for? Go now! Oh,

 

wear your hooded cloak. I

 

don’t want anyone to see

 

your ugly face.

 

 

 

Young Calina puts on her hood and despondently heads out.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. UNDERWORLD HALL.

 

Young Calina walks down the hall while various underworld mutants stare at her and call her names. She says nothing.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. UNDERWORLD ENTRANCE. AFTERNOON.

 

Young Calina steps out into the sun, and her eyes need to adjust. When gets used to it, she is amazed at all of the colors and the nice smell. She knows she has a task to od, so she does not linger.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. VILLAGE ROAD. AFTERNOON.

 

Young Calina avoids eye contact with all of the passerbys.

 

VILLAGER:

 

Good morning, Miss!

 

 

 

Young Calina flinches and keeps moving. The villager shrugs and walks in the other direction.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. TAILOR SHOP. AFTERNOON.

 

Young Calina sees the plant. She looks at the sign above the door, which reads “Stephano’s Tailor Shop.” She enters.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. TAILOR SHOP. AFTERNOON.

 

Young Calina walks in and nervously walks past the chairs set up for a make shift lobby and goes up to the counter. STEPHANO (a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a crooked smile) comes out from a back room.

 

STEPHANO:

 

May I help you, Miss?

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

(shyly)

 

I’m here for Guthran’s cloak.

 

 

 

STEPHANO:

 

Can you speak up?

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

I’m here for Guthran’s cloak.

 

 

 

Young Calina blushes furiously.

 

 

 

STEPHANO:

 

One moment.

 

 

 

Stephano goes back to his back room. On the floor, Young Calina notices a book and picks it up. She does not notice Stephano when he comes back.

 

STEPHANO:

 

Oh, that’s where she put it!

 

 

 

Young Calina jumps, startled.

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-

 

 

 

STEPHANO:

 

It’s okay! My daughter loses

 

her books on purpose. You

 

can borrow it if you want.

 

 

 

YOUNG CALINA:

 

Okay.

 

 

 

Stephano hands her the cloak.

 

STEPHANO:

 

What’s your name?

 

 

 

Young Calina leaves without a word. Stephano’s expression is both confused and pitiful.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. ORCHARD. AFTERNOON.

 

Young Calina sits under a cherry tree and takes her hood off. She sees that she has a book of fairy tales. She reads through a story and then buries her head to cry.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. ORCHARD AFTERNOON.

 

The adult CALINA (wearing a very similar outfit to young Calina) has her head burried to cry. She raises her head, revealing her face. Her features have not changed much except she is about ten years older than Young Calina and she has a woman’s body. She hides her book in her cloak and gloomily walks towards the Underworld.

The Fair Maiden, Calina (Part 1)

 

EXT. CASTLE BALCONY. MORNING.

 

A crowd of various medieval class structures gather eagerly, waiting for someone to come and speak. Anticipation grows higher and higher. Suddenly, the purple curtains that line the door connecting the balcony to the inner castle rustle, and the crowd becomes attentively quiet, wanting to catch this very important news. KING BRAHM (a tall man with slightly long black hair, a short goatee, olive skin, and a king’s robe) emerges from the castle and walks up to the balcony with pride.

 

KING BRAHM:

 

As you know, Queen Erycina

 

have been told that we could

 

not create a child. Nine months

 

ago, a miracle happened and she

 

became pregnant. Physicians

 

worried that the baby would

 

not make it through birth.

 

I am pleased to report that my

 

kingdom has their new heir

 

alive and well!

 

 

 

The crowd cries out in jubilee. After they have their moment, they pay attention to the king again.

 

KING BRAHM:

 

Yes, we might have had to

 

concede the throne to Duke

 

Ferren, but one day, our

 

little princess will be your

 

queen! And, if all goes well,

 

she will marry Prince Liam

 

from Halcyon, and our

 

kingdoms will unite!

 

 

 

The crowd goes out to celebrate this good news. King Brahm smiles proudly and goes back inside. GUTHRAN (a large, ugly man with a disfigured face and merchant clothes) stands alone, glaring.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. NURSERY. MORNING.

 

BG-the walls are made of the same light gray block that composes the entire castle, but it has furniture for the new baby and the nurse. QUEEN ERYCINE (a young woman with long, curly, dark hair, fair skin, and golden brown eyes) gazes fondly on her sleeping infant. The NURSE (who is a little older than the queen) looks over her shoulder.

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

Isn’t she beautiful?

 

 

 

NURSE:

 

She has your eyes.

 

 

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

Yes, but she has her father’s

 

nose.

 

 

 

NURSE:

 

Do you have a name for

 

her yet?

 

 

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

I have a list. I want to

 

see which fits her best.

 

 

 

NURSE:

 

Very good! Do you mind if

 

I take a ten minute break?

 

 

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

Take your time!

 

 

 

The nurse leaves the room. Queen Erycine gently puts her baby in the bassinet. She smiles fondly at her.

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

I don’t want to leave your side!

 

But I must go find your father!

 

It took a long time for you to

 

come into my life, so don’t

 

ever leave me! My beautiful…

 

Calina!

 

 

 

She gives her daughter a kiss and leaves the room. From a nearby tree, Guthran climbs into the window. He goes up to the bassinet with a hatchet raised, but when gazes at her, his heart melts. He scoops up the infant.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

(whispers)

 

I wanted to get rid of you

 

because with Duke Ferren in

 

charge, my underworld

 

kingdom would be allowed to

 

flourish, but I can’t hurt

 

you; you are too fair!

 

Instead, I’m going to take

 

you and, when you come of

 

age, I’m going to marry

 

you! Besides, everyone will

 

assume you’re dead anyways,

 

so Duke Ferren will be king!

 

 

 

He hides the baby in his cloak and climbs back down the tree. A minute later, the nurse enters.

 

NURSE:

 

Your highness?

 

 

 

She notices the bassinet is empty.

 

NURSE:

 

The queen must have

 

taken you to your father.

 

 

 

The nurse leaves.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. SITTING ROOM. MORNING.

 

Queen Erycine sits with King Brahm and a bunch of other nobles. The nurse enters and looks at the queen, puzzled.

 

KING BRAHM:

 

Is there something wrong?

 

 

 

NURSE:

 

Who has the baby?

 

 

 

The queen sits up in alarm.

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

She’s gone?

 

 

 

She dashes out of the room. The king follows.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. NURSERY. MORNING.

 

Queen Erycine rushes into the room and reaches the bassinet. She lets out a piercing scream. King Brahm rushes in, and Queen Erycine collapses into his arms, sobbing.

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

She’s gone, Brahm! Our miracle

 

baby!

 

 

 

The people from the other room join them.

 

KING BRAHM:

 

They must have climbed in

 

through this window! How did

 

we not see that?

 

 

 

King Brahm notices the others.

 

 

 

KING BRAHM:

 

They can’t have gone far!

 

Search the grounds! If you

 

don’t find them, search the

 

kingdom! And the sea ports!

 

Let no one rest until my

 

child is found!

 

They obey and leave. King Brahm comforts Queen Erycine, who is hysterical.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. CASTLE GROUNDS. MORNING.

 

Knights search the premises for the baby.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. VILLAGE ROAD. NOON.

 

Knights go from house to house looking for her. They also question people on the street.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. SEA PORT. AFTERNOON.

 

The knights halt all exporting ships and question everyone around them.

 

　

 

　

 

EXT. UNDERWORLD ENTRANCE. EVENING.

 

In a hilltop next to an orchard, a dilapidated door is embedded into the ground. A few knights uneasily knock on the door. Beat. Guthran opens the door, already mad.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

What the hell do you want?

 

 

 

KNIGHT 1:

 

We are searching for the

 

missing princess. Have you

 

seen a baby in your, um,

 

neck of the woods?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Of course, every time some-

 

thing important goes missing,

 

you blame one of us!

 

 

 

KNIGHT 2:

 

That’s because most of the

 

time it is you.

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Well, we certainly wouldn’t

 

raise a normal human in

 

this enviroment!

 

 

 

KNIGHT 3:

 

Did someone murder her?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

How dare you! We would

 

never do anything of the

 

sort! Now, quit wasting

 

my time and leave!

 

 

 

Guthran storms back inside. The knights shrug and continue their search.

 

　

 

　

 

INT. THRONE ROOM. NIGHT.

 

Queen Erycine is draped on her throne, sobbing. King Brahm paces back and forth. A bunch of knights enter, and the king and queen stop what they are doing and pay attention.

 

HEAD KNIGHT:

 

Your highnesses, we searched

 

all over the kingdom, even

 

looked for disturbed dirt, and

 

no one has seen her.

 

 

 

Queen Erycine starts crying again.

 

KING BRAHM:

 

Did you search the waters?

 

 

 

HEAD KNIGHT:

 

The surface only.

 

 

 

KING BRAHM:

 

Swim anywhere they

 

could have dropped her.

 

 

 

HEAD KNIGHT:

 

Yes, your majesty.

 

 

 

The knights leave. King Brahm slumps down.

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

Why are you treating this

 

like a body search?

 

 

 

KING BRAHM:

 

Well…

 

 

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

If they killed her, they’d want

 

us to know she was dead and

 

they’d let us find the body.

 

 

 

KING BRAHM:

 

If she was kidnapped, they’d

 

ask for a ransom.

 

 

 

QUEEN ERYCINE:

 

Unless they wanted to raise

 

her as their own! It’s happened,

 

Brahm! My daughter is alive!

 

We will find her one day!

 

I’m never going to stop

 

looking!

 

 

 

KING BRAHM:

 

I will assign a group

 

of knights to find her.

 

Whoever took her will pay!

 

 

 

Queen Erycine sobs harder. King Brahm goes to her throne and hugs her. She continues to sob.

 

　

 

INT. GUTHRAN’S LIVING ROOM.

 

It is completely dark. Guthran runs out of the room and sees the infant, who is lying in a bureau drawer, crying.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Why do you keep crying,

 

you ungrateful little

 

wench!

 

 

 

He tries to give her a bottle, but the baby does not want it.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Fine! I don’t care if

 

you cry then!

 

 

 

There is a knock on the door, so he answers it. PATRICIA (an ugly, witchy woman with blue skin), TENTON (an extremely pale man with jet black hair and red eyes), and ROLAND (a humpback with three eyes) come inside.

 

PATRICIA:

 

Aha! I thought I heard a

 

baby crying! Told you!

 

 

 

TENTON:

 

Is this the king and queen’s

 

baby?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

With all that loud whining,

 

can’t you tell it’s Erycine’s

 

child? And that big nose, that

 

arrogant Brahm always has it

 

in the air.

 

 

 

ROLAND:

 

Excellent! How much are you

 

asking them to give you?

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

I’m not! I’m going to raise

 

her and make her my bride!

 

 

 

They all give him a look.

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Look at her! She’s beautiful!

 

Don’t I deserve something

 

this nice?

 

 

 

PATRICIA:

 

Yeah, but Guthran! She’s a

 

Normal! Why whould you want

 

to keep that thing around?

 

She’s just going to grow up

 

and judge us like everyone

 

else!

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

I will make sure she is as

 

quiet as a mouse.

 

 

 

TENTON:

 

Well, okay, but when you

 

go to the surface, make

 

sure no one sees her face

 

or they’ll figure out

 

the truth!

 

 

 

GUTHRAN:

 

Obviously!

 

 

 

ROLAND:

 

Alright, let’s leave

 

Guthran alone with his

 

ugly little bride!

 

They leave. Guthran gazes down at the baby with a greedy victory in his eyes.