Damsel Page #17

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down.

Elise grabs the sword from the bone-hands of Gilbert’s second

felled foe.

GILBERT (CONT’D)

Go!

He fumbles to a run, pushing her before him.

Elise swings through another of the dark enemies, splitting

its skull, saving Gilbert from its swing.

Gilbert barely misses a stab from another nearby creature.

They barrel through a gathering of the monsters, fighting

their way through.

All at once, it seems they’ve made it to a clearing.

Moments pass before Gilberts face is overcome by deathly

shock.

He takes several weakened steps forward. Elise notices his

slowed pace.

ELISE:

Gilbert?

99.

His eyes, confused. He reaches for the shooting pain in his

back.

ELISE (CONT’D)

What’s wrong?

He turns, revealing an arrow, lodged deep between his

shoulder blades.

Shock comes over Elise. Her eyes wide with fear.

Another arrow cuts through the air near her face.

Gilbert stumbles. She catches him on her shoulder, tries to

bear his weight, but can’t. He falls to his knees.

The monsters approach. Her eyes grow teary. His are full

with fear.

Gilbert’s breath grows thin.

GILBERT:

This is where you’ll leave me.

Elise is overcome with sadness.

ELISE:

I won’t.

He falls to his shoulder, laying on the forest floor. The

light grows dim.

GILBERT:

Avenge my brother.

ELISE:

I cannot leave you.

She’s dizzy with uncertainty. Another arrow, a near miss.

He struggles through his dying breath to make her leave.

GILBERT:

You have to. You have to go. Now!

ELISE:

I cannot leave you! I cannot!

GILBERT:

It is me or both of us.

He holds his hand on her face.

100.

GILBERT (CONT’D)

You must. Elise, you must.

The monsters quickly encroach. Ten more.

GILBERT (CONT’D)

I will wait for you. Meet me on

the other side.

His eyes close. The first time he’s ever said it, and the

last-

GILBERT (CONT’D)

I love you.

His breath ends.

ELISE:

Gilbert? Gilbert, no!

She holds him in her arms. Her teary face on his.

The creatures are near. She cries out a mournful roar and

stands, wielding the sword.

She swings through several of the undead army. Severing

limbs.

The creature that bears the bow and arrow readies yet another

shot. She spins out of its trajectory and races to confront

the monster, smashing through its shoulder with her blunt

weapon. Slashing at it until it lays lifeless.

Elise finds herself alone among many foes.

Ahead, she finds a way through. A steep hill.

CUT TO:

INT. CASTLE THESSIA - KING’S CHAMBER - DAY

King Edward watches through his window as his kingdom burns.

EXT. CASTLE THESSIA - CONTINUOUS

The soldiers of darkness attack men who defend the castle.

EXT. THESSIA - CONTINUOUS

Clouds of smoke billow from all around. In the distance,

South Shire burns.

101.

Civilians fight, only to fall victim to the swords of their

foes.

CUT BACK TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN PASS - LATER

Elise comes to a plateau in the terrain.

She continues onward, fighting tears, looking over her

shoulder for the dark creatures that may follow her.

A blood-red cardinal watches her.

She hears a horse’s bellow. From 40 feet, Luke, the prince’s

horse, trots toward her.

A friendly face. Elise recognizes the animal.

ELISE:

Luke!

It’s a sign. Cavill is near.

She mounts the steed and races onward.

Dead doves hang from the trees, bound by their feet with

twine. They sway.

The horse huffs nervously, his breath becomes vapor in the

chill air.

Ahead, the grand staircase of white marble, leading to

Rapunzel’s castle.

Elise dismounts and cautiously approaches the grand

staircase.

CUT TO:

EXT. THESSIA WILDERNESS - CONTINUOUS

King Edward is in chains. He’s escorted through the pines by

the army of dead.

CUT TO:

EXT. IVORY FORTRESS - STAIRS - CONTINUOUS

The magnificent entryway to Rapunzel’s fortress of white

stone.

102.

She begins, up the grand staircase. Afraid, she repeats her

prayer.

ELISE:

What is far, will soon be near. I

will not fear what I am bound to

face.

She shivers. Weary.

ELISE (CONT’D)

I will not want for what I soon,

will have. Though, I am blind in

darkness and the paths are many, my

guide is true.

Each step, another beat in her growing resolution.

ELISE (CONT’D)

Though the weight is heavy, I do

not bear it alone.

Elise wipes tears from her eyes, mourning Gilbert’s death,

she presses on.

Her determination grows.

ELISE (CONT’D)

Though my heart shys from the

struggle, I will fight through the

current.

Elise comes to the final step of the marble staircase and

finds herself at the entrance of Rapunzel’s throne room.

ELISE (CONT’D)

Against the adversary, I will stand

strong, for I do not stand alone.

INT. IVORY FORTRESS - THRONE ROOM

Elise enters the large circular space of white stone and ivy.

Silence but for the wind that whispers through the vast

throne room of forest and stone.

Her eyes come straight to Cavill, who rests under Rapunzel’s

spell.

His arms, stretched outward, held in the vines. His body,

tight against the stone wall.

103.

He looks peaceful. Unaware of the war that has fallen over

his land.

He is the very same as she last saw him, when they shared a

night in the wilderness.

Elise gazes at the prince, again, noting the gentle curve of

his nose and soft lips, intrigued by his shape and remembers

his kindness.

Even after everything she’s gone through to get here, this is

too easy and she knows it.

Then it comes.

Backed to the walls surrounding the room, the 8 rotting

skeletons of men in royal gear. Elise shifts, knowing.

The familiar sound. The eerie crackle.

THE ROYAL DEAD, awake.

She drops her bag, near Cavill. Scans her opponents.

Each dark prince is dressed in clothing of their prospective

lands. Different colors and fashions. Some have heavy

metallic helmets, others simple cloth.

Four of them carry one-handed swords and shields.

One wields a bow and quiver of arrows. One, a great, two-

handed axe. One, a two-handed sword.

The final, wields two maces.

They rise.

Elise moves away from Cavill. The undead prince with a bow,

draws an arrow.

Elise slides behind Rapunzel’s throne. The arrow ricochets.

As soon as Elise hears the clink of the miss-placed shot,

she’s up and over the throne, running at the undead archer.

It pulls another arrow from its quiver and slides the arrow

into the nocking point.

The creature isn’t able to get a full draw before Elise has a

grip, one hand on the upper and lower limbs of the bow.

She spins around its side, pulling the bow forward.

The string snaps forward and the arrow fumbles.

104.

Elise spins the bow counter clockwise. The undead prince’s

wrist shatters, its hand falls to the floor.

She bashes its skull with the bow’s grip. It fumbles

backward into its throne of bramble, slides to the floor, but

persists.

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