Willow Page #4

WILLOW:

I can't do it! I haven't put my

crop in!

A COUNCILMAN:

You caused this trouble. You found

the baby...you get rid of it!

BURGLEKUTT:

I nominate Willow Ufgood!

The crowd cheers wildly. The High Aldwin steps forward

to the edge of the platform. With a flourish he waves

his arms.

HIGH ALDWIN:

I will consult the bones!

Something rattles as he shakes his cupped hands. The

crowd jumps away. The High Aldwin scatters small bones

across the floor below him. He leans down and studies

the bones. Willow looks at Kiaya, who is worried and

afraid. The High Aldwin speaks softly to him:

HIGH ALDWIN:

The bones tell me nothing.

(he eyes Willow)

But I must make a decision. Is

there love in your heart for this

child?

Willow hesitates. He looks at the baby.

WILLOW:

Yes.

The High Aldwin bolts straight up, broadcasting:

HIGH ALDWIN:

The bones have spoken! Willow?

The security of this village

depends on you!

The people shout and cheer and applaud and begin to

leave. Kiaya and Meegosh and the children push their

way toward Willow, who stands there staring at the

baby.

INT. UFGOOD HOUSE - NIGHT

Kiaya's hair hangs down her back in a long tight braid.

Near the fire she packs supplies into a travel sack.

On the other side of the fire, Willow diapers the baby.

The house is quiet.

MIMS:

Dada?

Willow sets the baby down. He goes around an opne wall

an sits on his daughter's bed, straightening her blank-

ets and toys.

MIMS:

Watch out for brownies, Dada.

WILLOW:

I will, Mims. Goodnight.

He smiles and kisses her. Then crosses over to Ranon's bed.

RANON:

Dada, what's a daikini?

WILLOW:

Daikinis are giant people who live

far far away.

RANON:

Are you scared?

Willow shrugs. Ranon sits up in bed.

RANON:

I could be you rguard! I could

carry your spear!

WILLOW:

(smiles)

What a great son you are, Ranon. I

wish I could take you with me. Now

go to sleep...

Ranon slides down under his blankets. Willow kisses

him, looks at him a moment, then quietly withdraws to-

ward the fire.

EXT. SACRED HILL - SUNRISE

The silhouette of a distant hill with druid stones on

top.

Carrying the baby, Willow climbs the hill with his fami-

ly. He wears a papoose rig, supply pack, and a dagger.

He hands the baby to Kiaya, then walks through the

towering stones. The High Aldwin solemnly looks out at

the distant forest.

HIGH ALDWIN:

Now, you know where you're going?

(Willow shakes his head)

Down there, through those trees,

follow the river. You'll know the

crossroads by a big daikini struc-

ture. Willow, this is serious

business. Don't waste any time,

the outer world is no place for a

Nelwyn. Give the baby to the first

daikini you see, then hurry home as

fast as you can.

WILLOW:

If I'm not strong enough to be your

apprentice, how can I do this?

HIGH ALDWIN:

You're strong enough. But you're

going to need courage, Willow.

WILLOW:

I don't want courage. I don't want

to be a warrior. All I've ever

wanted was to do magic, real magic,

like you!

HIGH ALDWIN:

Real magic, Willow, is simply the

art of controlling the reality of

others. You lack faith in your-

self. You must learn to trust your

intuition.

The High Aldwin picks up a rock. With intense concen-

tration he squeezes it in his outstretched hand. Then

throws it in the air. It changes into a bird and flies

away.

HIGH ALDWIN:

Go in the direction the bird is

flying.

WILLOW:

(amazed)

Oh, if I could do that I'd--I'd

turn Burglekutt into a toad!

HIGH ALDWIN:

Waste magic on revenge? You have

much to learn, Willow...

The High Aldwin touches Willow's shoulder and turns

away. The children are playing tag among the stones.

Willow hugs them. Kiaya places the baby in the papoose.

KIAYA:

Willow, we've never been apart. I

miss you already. Take this. It

will bring you luck.

Kiaya, whose head is covered with a kerchief, places a

braided necklace on her own hair around Willow's neck.

WILLOW:

You cut your hair, Kiaya?

He kisses her. The adjusts the papoose and heads off

down the hill. The others wave goodbye sadly.

KIAYA:

Willow!!

Kiaya rushes down the hill and passionately throws her

arms around Willow, tears in her eyes. At last they

break apart, and Willow begins the journey.

EXT. WOODS - DAY - MONTAGE

Willow hikes through strange and wondrous terrain,

amazed and frightened. Animals rustle in the brush and

he stumbles into a thistle patch, jumping out picking

burrs off his legs. He hides from a fierce bear. The

bear sees him and runs away. Willow hurries along,

shifting the papoose, getting used to the baby's

weight.

EXT. ROAD - EVENING

The baby is fussing hungrily. Willow impetuously digs

a bladder of goat's milk from his sack and struggles to

feed her. Then he hears something. Sensing danger, he

clutches the baby and runs down a nearby riverbank. He

hides under a bridge.

NOCKMAAR SOLDIERS on horseback thunder toward the

bridge, led by the knight SORSHA whose face is hidden

under a black helmet and visor. In the other direction

Willow sees a LIEUTENANT and two DEATH DOGS. They all

meet on the bridge. The hideous soldiers are part hu-

man, part beast.

LIEUTENANT:

We've patrolled the hills. This is

where they killed the nursemaid.

SORSHA:

She must have done something with

the child. Widen the search!

One of the Death Dogs is chewing on the Lieutenant's

stirrup.

LIEUTENANT:

Get away from there!

The dog panics and gnashes at the Lieutenant's arm,

ripping away a piece of armor with its teeth. Horses

rear. The Lieutenant draws his sword lightning-fast.

He slices and kills the Death Dog. The baby begins to

cry but the death-howl of the beast drowns her out as

it does hurtling off the bridge into the river below.

The soldiers gallop off into the woods.

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