The Manor

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[suspenseful music playing]

[man] The kingdom, Niklaus,

the kingdom.

You must defend the kingdom.

[grunting, sobbing]

[sobbing]

[suspenseful music continues]

[man] These pieces,

these soldiers,

they're your only defense

of the kingdom.

The kingdom. [echoes]

[screaming voices]

[indistinct shouting]

[woman panting]

The kingdom.

- Welcome, Jane.

- It's good to be here.

Well, this time around.

[chuckles] I completely understand,

Jane, and it's good to see you too.

Amy is very excited

to be going home.

So, tell me, are you still

at the same address?

I am.

And that's

the same address where...

Well, we're not going

straight home, Doctor.

We're actually

visiting relatives

at a really nice

bed-and-breakfast, Anders Manor.

I thought...

neutral territory,

familiar faces, her cousins.

She was really close with them

when she was little.

Jane...

I'm worried about her

flashing back to the...

accident.

Well, we're going.

[opera music playing]

What is this, Father?

This... it's a game, Niklaus.

Like checkers?

[laughs] No, checkers

is for the simpletons.

For the babies,

like tic-tac-toe.

This, this is chess.

The game of kings.

[music fades out]

The game of kings.

So, happy birthday.

Are you excited

to see the family?

A little bit.

I remember

Uncle Ethan was funny.

Aunt Eva was weird, but caring.

Trevor was always nice.

I don't know. It seems like

such a long time ago.

Everything's kind of a blur.

I just can't believe you're 18.

I can't either.

It's like I woke up with tits all of a sudden

and they let me out of the loony bin for it.

[laughs] Hey.

Well...

[Jane] Are you sure you're ready

for this?

Because you and I can go

to a hotel by ourselves.

I want this.

We both deserve a vacation

at this point.

Well...

let's go have some fun.

[doorbell rings]

Ladies.

A gracious new day to you both.

- Come in, come in. Please.

- Thank you.

Welcome to Anders Manor.

- I am Niklaus Anders.

- I am Jane.

- And this is my daughter, Amy.

- Amy, nice to meet you.

We're Jane and Amy Hunter. My sister, Eva

Clark, made the reservations for us.

- Is she here yet?

- She's not here at the moment.

They're on an outing,

but they'll be back

and they've instructed me

to remind you...

- Let me take your bags, please.

- Thank you.

And let's get you all...

nestled in snugly here.

[Jane] Thank you.

[Jane] This place is lovely.

How long have you been here?

[scoffs]

Sometimes it seems like forever.

This was my father's place.

His father built it by hand

over a hundred years ago...

Am I a king, Father?

[chuckles] Well...

you may be a prince.

And I the king.

The king of Anders Manor.

[echoes]

[Niklaus] So, we've set aside

a particularly lovely room

that I think will be perfectly

suitable to the young lady.

It's just down here.

Your first door on the left.

So, if you would.

You know what, I'll take

mine as well. -Sure.

[eerie music playing]

[gasps]

[gasps, sobbing]

[Amy grunts]

- Amy.

- No.

Um... I think someone's

already staying in there.

No, not possible.

It's a room I rarely rent out.

It belonged

to a dear cousin of mine.

Amy, see? There's nobody

in that room, sweetie.

No. No, it's fine. It's fine. There's

nothing in there, right, Mom?

- Right. There's nothing in that room.

- Nothing there.

Okay. She's fine.

So, your daughter...

She has a mental illness,

I'm afraid.

Well, I am so sorry.

She's such a lovely girl.

She is a very sweet girl.

It's just, sometimes she sees

things that aren't actually there.

Well, I can assure you that, for as

long as she's here at the manor,

she'll have all the peace

and tranquility that she needs.

Thank you so much.

That's why we're here, you know,

we just want a fresh start.

Well, toward that point,

we will be having additional guests

here this evening, some hunters.

They'll be joining us for dinner

at 4:
00 p.m.,

after which, we'll be having

a cotton candy social,

and a bonfire on the grounds.

I think I'll catch up with my

sister tonight, but thank you.

As you wish.

[Young Niklaus]

Teach me to play, Father.

Well...

This is the king.

The most powerful piece

on the board.

And yet, the weakest,

the most vulnerable.

The outcome of the game

depends on his survival.

Like a father,

he leads and loves.

He loves and leads.

And when he dies...

that's it.

The game is over.

[doorbell rings]

[woman exhales] Jane.

[laughs]

Oh. Christ, Jane,

it's been so long.

I know.

You look great.

Please, I've been driving all day.

You look great, as always.

[chuckles]

Hello, Janie. Who doesn't lie

about things of beauty?

You look just like you did

at the wedding.

That was 20 years ago, Ethan.

- Hi, guys.

- [both] Hi.

- [Jane] Let's go catch up.

- [woman] Okay.

[pop music playing]

Sweetie, it's time for dinner.

- I'll be down in a minute.

- Okay.

Oh, happy birthday, Amy.

Thanks.

You remember

your Uncle Ethan, right?

We haven't seen you since you were

ass-high to a grasshopper, but...

you used to play with Trevor

and Blair in the backyard.

I remember.

Well, it's good

to see you again, honey.

Hi, Aunt Eva.

Hi, sweetie.

Hi, Blair. Hi, Trevor.

Hi, Amy. It's nice to see you

again, too, and you look great.

Well, it has been awhile.

So, how were things

at the funny farm, coz?

Damn it, Blair, come on.

Highly inappropriate,

young lady.

And Blair, is your ass jealous from all the

sh*t that just came out of your mouth?

Damn it, Trevor.

You know, Trevor,

I really would like to see things

from your point of view, but...

I can't get my head

that far up my own ass.

Wow, your children really have

grown up so much, haven't they?

Blair and Trevor,

I love you both very much,

but if you don't stop,

- you won't believe what happens next.

- [giggles]

Excuse me, please.

I'm not hungry.

Welcome to the fun.

[knock on door]

If you'll excuse me.

[door squeaks]

The huntsmen have arrived!

Gentlemen, welcome, welcome.

Come in, come in, come in.

- Welcome to Anders Manor.

- Thank you, sir.

I trust that your travels were without

undue difficulty? -All good, sir.

You would be Brett, I presume,

and these your compatriots.

Yes, sir.

My brother, Darsaw.

- Very nice to meet you.

- Much obliged, Mr. Anders.

And I cannot thank you enough for

opening up your fine grounds to us,

so we may kill and eat

some indigenous wildlife.

Yes. And this would be?

- And Ole.

- Ole, pleasure to meet you, sir.

Pleasure, sir. My name's Ole.

Outstanding, Ole.

[Brett] And may I say,

you have a lovely looking

establishment here.

[Niklaus] Well,

thank you very much.

Dinner's being served presently.

Put your bags down, please, relax.

The Reverend Thomas

will be joining us presently.

He's on his way.

He'll be presiding later this evening

over a cotton candy social and bonfire.

Thank you, sir. In reference

to our arrangement for our rate,

my brother Darsaw here, will be

willing to cut your firewood up.

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