Outlander Page #10

Season #1 Episode #1 - 'Sassenach'

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EXT. COTTAGE - NIGHT

A few minutes later, the men are outside the cottage and

climbing onto waiting HORSES. Claire comes out with the

white-faced and weak Jamie -- now we can see he’s quite tall.

Claire gapes at the view from the hilltop -- the STARS and

the MOON are out and provide a glorious display, but Claire

is looking toward the distant horizon with shock.

CLAIRE:

Where is it? Where’s the city? We

should be able to see it from here.

JAMIE:

Inverness? Yer looking straight at

it.

He points with his good hand. But now, instead of the

sparkling, twinkling lights that Claire saw earlier, the city

is nothing but a bunch of inky smudges just below the

horizon.

CLAIRE (V.O.)

The lights of the city should’ve

been visible for miles. The

electric lights, that is. But

there were no electric lights as

far as the eye could see. In fact,

I hadn’t seen a single electric

bulb or a power cord, or a socket

all night.

(beat)

The implications of that

observation chilled me to the bone.

(CONTINUED)

46.

CONTINUED:

Dougal seizes her by the arm and propels her toward a horse.

One of the men is holding the bridle and whispering Gaelic

reassurances into the animal’s ear.

DOUGAL:

Jamie, get yourself up.

As Jamie painfully swings up into the saddle, Dougal pulls

Claire closer to him.

DOUGAL (cont’d)

If Jamie canna manage one-handed

you can hold the reins. But do ye

take care to stay close wi’ the

rest of us. Should ye try anythin’

else, I shall cut your throat.

D’ye understand me?

Chilled, Claire nods, then he releases her. He bends down.

She stares at him, uncomprehending.

DOUGAL (cont’d)

Gimme yer foot.

She takes a beat, realizes that by getting on this horse,

she’s committing herself to -- something. But there’s little

choice and at last, she steps into his hand and he hauls her

up into the saddle in front of Jamie. She can’t help

jostling him around in the process.

CLAIRE:

You all right?

JAMIE:

So far. But ‘tis a young night

still.

He gives her an easy grin and helps her settle into place

with his one good arm.

CLAIRE (V.O.)

Dozens of wounded soldiers had

tried to smile through their pain

for my benefit. But this was

different. The young man they

called “Jamie” wasn’t putting on an

act. And I instantly knew he had

endured terrible pain in his short

life and wasn’t afraid of the

prospect of more to come.

(CONTINUED)

47.

CONTINUED:
(2)

Up ahead Dougal gives a nod and the entire party of

Highlanders spur their horses as one and they trot down the

road into the darkness.

EXT. WOODS/OPEN TERRAIN - RIDING - VARIOUS SHOTS - NIGHT

They ride quickly and silently through the woods, ducking in

and out of groves of trees and then bolting across open

ground. Through it all, Claire bounces along, held firmly to

her saddle by Jamie’s strong legs and one good arm.

EXT. ROADSIDE - NIGHT

Later. The party has paused for a moment in the shadows at

the side of the road, while Dougal confers with Rupert.

Claire shivers, her thin cotton dress providing virtually no

protection from the cold night air. Jamie drops the reins,

letting the horse wander about and eat some grass, and begins

to twist and turn in his saddle.

CLAIRE:

Careful! Don’t twist like that, or

your dressing will come off! What

are you trying to do?

JAMIE:

Get my plaid loose to cover you.

You’re shivering.

CLAIRE:

Oh. Well. Thank you, but I’m

fine, really.

JAMIE:

You’re shaking so hard it’s making

my teeth rattle.

Claire almost smiles at that, softens slightly.

CLAIRE:

I wasn’t expecting a nighttime ride

when I dressed today.

JAMIE:

The plaid will keep us both warm,

but I canna do it one-handed. Can

ye reach the clasp of my brooch?

Claire awkwardly reaches around and with a bit of a struggle

they manage to loosen the wide plaid cloth from Jamie’s

shoulder.

(CONTINUED)

48.

CONTINUED:

JAMIE (cont’d)

We dinna want ye to freeze before

we get there.

He gives it a smooth, practiced twirl and then has it wrapped

around the two of them like a great woolen blanket. The

effect is immediate and Claire gratefully snuggles against

him, soaking up the delicious warmth to ward off the chill.

CLAIRE:

Where are we going?

JAMIE:

Tell ye the truth, lassie, I don’t

know. Reckon we’ll both find out

when we get there, eh?

He grins at her, and again, she’s disarmed enough by his

manner that she almost returns the grin -- almost. They head

out once more.

EXT. HIGHLANDS - NIGHT

Later. Dougal leads his men through an open area of terrain,

hugging the rocks and cliffs, as Claire begins to recognize

the rock formations up ahead.

CLAIRE:

I know this place...

JAMIE:

Been through here before have ye?

CLAIRE:

Yes... I recognize that rock... the

one that looks like a rooster

tail... it has a name...

JAMIE:

Cocknammon Rock.

-- FLASHBACK

Claire and Frank riding in their open car.

FRANK:

Cocknammon Rock. During the 17th

and 18th centuries, you’d have

often found a British army patrol

lying there in wait for Scottish

brigands or rebels.

(CONTINUED)

49.

CONTINUED:

RESUME:

CLAIRE:

The English use it for ambushes!

They could be lying in wait right

now.

Jamie peers up at the rocks looming ahead.

JAMIE:

It’s a bonnie place for an ambush,

all right.

He spurs the horse and it leaps forward, covering the

distance between them and Dougal in a matter of seconds.

Once they’re closer, Jamie speaks to the leader in low,

urgent tones.

JAMIE (cont’d)

(in Gaelic)

The lass thinks the redcoats might

use Cocknammon Rock as cover for an

ambush.

DOUGAL:

(Gaelic)

The lass thinks?

JAMIE:

(Gaelic)

Aye -- and I must say it makes

sense to me.

Dougal thinks for a beat, then holds up a hand and reins his

horse to a STOP. The rest of the men follow suit. Dougal

turns to Claire with a hard look.

DOUGAL:

Now you’ll be telling exactly how

and why you come to know there be

an ambush up ahead.

CLAIRE:

I don’t know, but I’ve heard that

the redcoats use Cocknammon -

DOUGAL:

Where did you hear this?

CLAIRE:

In... the village.

(CONTINUED)

50.

CONTINUED:
(2)

DOUGAL:

From who did you -

But then there are FLASHES OF LIGHT and THE POPPING OF

MUSKETS from the rocks around Cocknammon Rock and the sound

of BULLETS whizzing through the air around them. One man’s

HORSE is hit and goes down.

Dougal reacts instantly, gives a GAELIC SHOUT to his men and

they immediately SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS: Dougal, Rupert and

Neddie spur their horses to the gallop and charge directly

toward the rocks, while Jamie, Murtagh and two others wheel

their mounts and circle around to the right.

Claire has to hold on for her life at the horse’s sudden

motion, but before she can get her wits about her, Jamie

grabs her around the torso with his good arm and TOSSES HER

FROM THE HORSE into a BUSH, where she lands hard, but safe.

THE REDCOATS:

Hidden among the rocks. Captain Randall suddenly stands up.

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