ARIANNA: An Original Screenplay Read online

  CUT TO.

  EXT. ROAD - WOODS - NIGHT

  Horses pull a caged carriages, dozens of masked riders following.

  We hear children cry.

  Within each carriage are groups of children, some as young as five, others in their mid teens.

  INT. PRISON CARRIAGE

  Naiyoo sits in the far corner of one the carriages, hugging her knees as she stares out.

  CRYING BOY (O.S): Mama! Where is

  mama?!

  She slowly turns her head.

  Running down the left side of her face are shapes and symbols in black ink, half her face permanently tattooed.

  The children wail and scream, reaching out through the bars.

  All of them have similar tattoos on their faces, for the boys the markings are on the right side of their faces.

  Naiyoo returns to the bars and looks up.

  A small object follows the convoy.

  A gold pyramid high up in the sky, rotating on itself every three seconds.

  Naiyoo rests her forehead against her knees and closes her eyes.

  A tear running down her right cheek.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. CAMP - WOODS - SUNSET

  The masked men cook rabbits and pigs over a row of fires.

  They tear off the meat and share it amongst the hungry children, also offering them flasks of water.

  INT. PRISON CARRIAGE

  Naiyoo nibbles on a small piece of rabbit meat.

  She jumps as the meat is snatched from her hands.

  A boy of 13 sit back down and eats her food.

  Naiyoo draws back.

  The boy watches her with cold eyes as he eats. The markings on the right side of his face identical to hers.

  A masked rider approaches sets down another piece of meat for Naiyoo.

  Naiyoo backs away and curls up in the corner.

  DISSOLVE TO.

  EXT. CAMP - WOODS - LATE NIGHT

  The riders are all asleep in their tents. The children in the carriages also asleep under fresh blankets.

  INT. PRISON CARRIAGE

  Naiyoo's eyes open.

  She looks up at the night sky.

  The strange object is still there, watching them.

  She lowers her head then stops.

  A figure stands in the distance.

  An old man with a white beard and a crooked staff.

  He smiles and points up.

  Naiyoo looks to the sky again.

  The object is about to rotate but then stops.

  She look back at the old man but he's gone.

  She sits up and hears a "creak". She looks down and pulls back the blankets. One of the floorboards is loose.

  She looks around, cautious, then slowly begins to pull at the plank.

  EXT. CAMP - WOODS

  Naiyoo crawls out from under the carriage and scrambles into the woods.

  CUT TO.

  INT. WOODS - NIGHT

  Naiyoo runs as fast as she can, constantly looking back over her shoulder.

  She trips on a branch and falls, scrambling to get back up when a hand reaches down and helps her up.

  She looks up and stops.

  It's the old man, WHITE BEARD.

  She quickly backs away, hitting a tree

  White Beard smiles.

  WHITE BEARD : Return home if you wish

  little one, but his Eyes will find you.

  Naiyoo stares at him, terrified.

  WHITE BEARD (CONT'D): But if you wish

  to keep your life.

  He slowly points aside.

  WHITE BEARD (CONT'D): Run. And do

  not look back.

  Naiyoo looks in the direction he points then looks back at him.

  He's gone.

  She shivers from the cold.

  Alone in the woods.

  FADE TO BLACK.

  FADE IN.

  EXT. CORN FIELD - DAY

  The sun shines bright.

  Field hands, young and old, work the land.

  ELLIOTT, late 30s, handsome, splashes some water over his face and shares his flask with the men.

  ELLIOTT: Finish up here and you boys can

  take the rest of the day off.

  Behind him we see a barn, stable and farmhouse.

  ELLORA, NORTHERN REALM

  THREE MONTHS LATER

  EXT. FARM HOUSE

  A swing hangs from a tree.

  ALANA, mid 30s, beautiful, finishes loading a cart with baskets of vegetables.

  She looks down the road and smiles.

  ALANA: Hello Sophie.

  INT. BARN

  KYLAN, a slender dark haired boy of 11, snaps up, his arms and hands filthy.

  KYLAN: Sophie?

  EXT. FARM HOUSE

  SOPHIE, 11, smiles as she approaches.

  SOPHIE: Good day.

  INT. BARN

  Kylan dunks in hands in water, quickly trying to clean himself.

  EXT. FARM HOUSE

  Alana finishes with the cart.

  ALANA: How's your mother?

  SOPHIE: She's well. Busy preparing for the festival.

  ALANA: (smiles) I think we all are.

  INT. BARN

  Kylan dries his wet hands on his top but only manages to make things worse.

  KYLAN: Damn it.

  EXT. FARM HOUSE

  Alana sees a scroll in Sophie's hand.

  ALANA: I'm glad to see you're still reading.

  SOPHIE: You should thank Kai, he's lucky

  to have a mother that taught him so well.

  ALANA: I only taught him to write, the

  "well" part is his own doing.

  SOPHIE: He is a truly gifted poet, worthy of

  the Royal Court. If you ever return to the

  Capitol you must take his work.

  ALANA: That's very kind of you but I left

  the Capitol a long time ago. And I don't

  ever recall being in the company of Royalty.

  The barn doors burst open, Kylan almost tripping on himself.

  KYLAN: I'm here!

  He races over, still wiping his hands on himself.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): I was just, clearing up.

  Alana smiles, stepping aside for the two.

  ALANA: (to Sophie) Send my love to your

  mother.

  SOPHIE: I shall.

  Kylan turns to Sophie, shy and awkward.

  KYLAN: (beat) You look... well today.

  SOPHIE: (teasing) As do you.

  Kylan hides his hands behind his back.

  KYLAN: Sorry.

  She hands him the scroll.

  SOPHIE: I just came to return Ellora's

  greatest wordsmith his latest masterpiece.

  KYLAN: (surprised) You read it already?

  SOPHIE: I did and I adored it, as did mother.

  KYLAN: I'm working on a new piece, it'll

  be ready by the Festival.

  Sophie smiles, drawing back.

  SOPHIE: I can't wait.

  Kylan watches her leave.

  KYLAN: Sophie.

  Sophie stops and looks back.

  Kylan slowly approaches.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): I thought, perhaps, we

  could go for a ride. By the river.

  Sophie smiles, again teasing.

  SOPHIE: Just the two of us? Would that be

  "proper"?

  KYLAN: Tuck and Ren can join us, I mean

  if you don't think we should be...

  Sophie kisses his cheek.

  SOPHIE: That was for the poem.

  She kisses her finger and touches his lips.

  SOPHIE (CONT'D): One day that will be

  from me.

  She smiles again and leaves.

  Kylan watches her go, unable to hide his own smile.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. ELLORAN RIVER - SUNSET

  TUCK and RENCE, 11 and 12, stand fishing.

  RENCE: What's the problem? The Festival's

&nbs
p; still days away.

  Kylan is sat on a nearby rock, lost in his thoughts.

  KYLAN: I spent a month on that last poem.

  It's not that easy.

  TUCK: Just change the words give it to her

  again. Sophie's not that smart, I mean she

  likes you.

  KYLAN: Funny.

  Kylan draws back, focused.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): This has to be special,

  something REALLY special. The best thing

  I've ever written.

  RENCE: Just write about her. Talk about how

  beautiful you think she is.

  KYLAN: I can't do that.

  RENCE: Then write about another girl.

  KYLAN: Why would I write about another

  girl?

  RENCE: If she thinks you may have feelings

  for someone else she might stop playing you

  for a fool.

  KYLAN: She's playing me for a fool. She's

  just being... proper.

  RENCE: (laughs) Look, we all want the same

  thing. We all what can't have, or think we

  can't have. If she thinks your heart is about to

  belong to someone else she's all yours. I

  guarantee it.

  He pulls on his stick.

  RENCE (CONT'D): Oh got a bite!

  Kylan pauses, considering.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. FARM HOUSE - NIGHT

  Lantern light flickers in the windows.

  INT. KITCHEN - FARM HOUSE

  Elliott enters, exhausted. Alana kisses his cheek and wipes some dirt from his brow.

  ALANA: Everyone gone?

  Elliott nods, taking a seat by the table

  ELLIOTT: Where's Kylan?

  Alana serves him dinner.

  ALANA: Where do you think?

  ELLIOTT: Again? What's he writing now?

  Alana smiles, pouring him a glass of water.

  ALANA: I'm not sure. But he asked me for a

  name. A girl's name.

  ELLIOTT: Is that so. What did you suggest?

  Alana smiles to herself.

  ALANA: Just a little something I've always

  liked.

  EXT. ROOF - FARM HOUSE - NIGHT

  Kylan sits against the chimney, a small lantern beside him.

  He chews on his pencil, notepad in front of him.

  He smiles and begins writing.

  CUT TO.

  INT. GROUND FLOOR - FARM HOUSE - LATE NIGHT

  The stairs creak.

  Kylan yawns, climbing down with the lantern.

  He's about to turn into the kitchen when he hears a "scuttle" and stops.

  INT. KITCHEN - FARM HOUSE

  He holds up the lantern and slowly looks in.

  No one is there.

  He creeps forward, slowly looking around.

  Nothing appears to be out of place.

  He holds a moment then turns and leaves.

  Across the kitchen the back door sways open.

  An empty jar and biscuit crumbs lying on the floor.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. FARM HOUSE - MORNING

  Chimney, the sun rises.

  INT. KITCHEN - FARM HOUSE

  Kylan enters, scratching his morning hair.

  Elliott sits by the table, Alana pouring his tea.

  KYLAN: Morning.

  He sits down and reaches for the biscuit jar.

  Elliott sits back and crosses his arms.

  ELLIOTT: (beat) Anything to say for

  yourself?

  Kylan looks across at him, not following.

  Alana touches his shoulder.

  ALANA: Let it be.

  KYLAN: Let what be?

  Kylan opens the jar and sees that it's empty.

  ALANA: If you were hungry last night you

  should have told me.

  Kylan looks across at them.

  KYLAN: Wait a minute, I didn't take these.

  ELLIOTT: Then who did?

  KYLAN: I don't know but it wasn't me.

  Elliott sighs and sips his tea.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): I DIDN'T take them.

  Alana touches his shoulder, assuring.

  ALANA

  It's all right.

  KYLAN: (beat) Wait a minute, last night, I

  heard something. Something was in here.

  ALANA: What was in here?

  KYLAN: I don't know, it disappeared as

  soon as I came in. It must have been a wild

  dog or something.

  ELLIOTT: A "wild dog"?

  KYLAN: I must have scared it off.

  ELLIOTT: A wild dog came in here and

  went for a closed jar of biscuits on the top

  shelf?

  KYLAN: I didn't take them!

  Alana raises her hands.

  ALANA: Please, they're just biscuits. We

  can always get more.

  Elliott returns to his breakfast.

  Kylan looks away, angry.

  CUT TO.

  INT. STABLE - DAY

  Kylan replaces the feed for his horse.

  KYLAN: Enjoy.

  He strokes the top of his head and looks away, still annoyed.

  He sees something on the floor and kneels down.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): (low) What have we

  here.

  He picks up a half eaten biscuit.

  KYLAN (CONT'D): (to horse) Looks like our

  little thief is still around.

  The horse grunts, more interested in his food.

  Kylan pauses, then quickly gets up.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. WOODS - DAY

  A fishing net drops from the trees.

  Rence sits a short distance away, holding the end of the line.

  RENCE: I don't know how long it'll hold him,

  some of these dogs can be pretty big.

  KYLAN: This one was quiet, it must have

  been small.

  Rence winds up the line.

  RENCE: Big ones can be quiet too. And if it

  gets cornered it might bite.

  KYLAN: (beat) You think?

  Rence smiles, taking a knife from his belt.

  RENCE: Here, take this.

  Kylan hesitates.

  RENCE (CONT'D): (laughs) Relax!

  He places the knife in his hand and slaps his arm.

  RENCE (CONT'D): This could be just what

  you need. You get this thing and you won't

  even have to write that poem. You'll be the

  talk of the festival. "Kylan Orin, slayer of the

  wild beasts of Ellora!"

  Kylan smiles, liking the sound of that.

  CUT TO.

  EXT. ROOF - FARM HOUSE - NIGHT

  Chimney, Kylan finishes writing and smiles.

  KYLAN: Perfect.

  He kisses the paper and sets down his pencil.

  ALANA (O.S): Kylan. Don't stay up too late.

  Kylan looks down the hatch.

  KYLAN: I'll be down in a few minutes.

  He hears his mother leave.

  He turns away and slowly picks up Rence's knife.