After returning Princess Valonia to her father, Daker of Syperragg, the brothers were each offered her hand in marriage. When they both refused, and Syndri made a scene, they were both sentenced to severe punishment. Now, Magnar and Syndri sit in a dungeon cell late at night, drearily awaiting their execution scheduled for noon the following day...
MAGNAR: (annoyed) Why’d you have to go on and on with all that blatant babbling? Look at what you’ve gotten us into.
SYNDRI: (yanks his wrists in an exaggerated upward motion
as he speaks, shackles pulling against the ball and
chain that anchors him, grunts) If it wasn’t for your
little …proposition… I would have kept my mouth shut.
MAGNAR
(huffs) Brother, I honestly fail to comprehend why
YOU couldn’t simply take Princess Valonia’s hand, I
mean, evidently, you’ve got her smitten.
SYNDRI
Why didn’t YOU take her? You aren’t actually betrothed. You saw a woman, most likely a sprite, in the forest once or twice.
MAGNAR
(matter-of-factly) It was THRICE.
SYNDRI
(rolls eyes, exhales) Well, thrice, but you never can tell if and when she’ll appear again.
MAGNAR
(braggadocio) Brother, you know nothing about girls. This is love. True love. And True love is undeniable.
SYNDRI
(scoffs) TRUE LOVE, eh? (clicks tongue, HA!) Hardly! You two only exchanged a few words, and you haven’t even learned each other’s names. I may not be an expert, but, for all we know, she could possibly not even have feelings for you in that manner.
MAGNAR
(exhales, looks down, solemnly murmurs) I suppose you’re right. . . . . (brief silence, breathing, looks over at Syndri in shame) I- I’m sorry brother.
SYNDRI
(sighs, looks over) I apologize as well. (laughs bashfully) I always seem to get carried away at the wrong moment, don’t I?
MAGNAR
(chuckles) Indeed. That is why, though you claim to be much weaker than me, YOU are attached to a ball and chain, and I am not. (holds up shackled wrists, gesturing at the fact no ball and chain is attached.)
Syndri breathes out a laugh, smirks,
looks to barred window near the top of the chamber.
Brief awkward silence.
Quiet breathing.
SYNDRI
(breathes, sighs). . . . .so, brother,
I conclude these must be our final moments.
MAGNAR
I suppose so.
SYNDRI
How do you imagine they’ll end us? Guillotine? Scythe? Axe? (shudders, groans)
MAGNAR
(gallantly) Well, however it shall be done, insist they execute me first.
SYNDRI
Nonsense, brother! As you have said before, if it weren’t for my smart mouth, we wouldn’t b efacing this grave predicament at all.
MAGNAR
No, no. Even so, I shall die first. After all, I am the one who swore upon my own life to protect you.
SYNDRI
(confused) Hmm? I’m afraid I don’t follow.
MAGNAR
(politely, explanatory) You see, if I am dead, it is impossible for me to protect you any longer.
SYNDRI
(scrunches nose, raises eyebrow) What bizarre reasoning. . .
MAGNAR
I simply could not stand helplessly gazing on as you die. After breaking my vow, I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
SYNDRI
(smirks cynically) Of course you wouldn’t. (shakes head) Because you would die next.
MAGNAR
(shrugs, murmurs)…true…
Suddenly, the sound of clinking chains and sliding bars resound through the prison.
A dark, cloaked figure holding a lantern in one hand and a large scythe in the other glides into the room.
As the brothers watch on silently, curiously,
the cloaked figure unlocks their cell’s gate.
Eerily, it beckons on to them, not uttering a word.
MAGNAR
(gulps, worried) I’m sorry, sir… (stutters) y-you must be terribly mistaken, sir. We are to be killed tomorrow just before noon.
The cloaked figure steps into the cell,
Magnar steps back.
Syndri budges not.
CLOAKED FIGURE
(deep, manly, scruffy, exaggerated, bellowing)
Come with me, Syndri. (eerie, intimidating) We will do something… different… for you…
MAGNAR
(quickly steps forward, panics) No! Not him! Please, I beg of thee! Take me instead! Is it a midnight execution? I shall endure it!
The cloaked figure shakes its head, points scythe at Syndri.
Syndri’s wide eyes fall solemnly as he nods, steps forward.
MAGNAR
(gasps, advances) Brother, no! They shall not take you this night!
SYNDRI
(holds out hand to stop Magnar, takes deep breath, sadly) I’ve done enough resisting today. Opposing this shan’t make things any better, that’s evident. (follows cloaked figure)
The cloaked figure nods,
locks Magnar back into the cell.
MAGNAR
(grasps bars, crestfallen, cries) But, Syndri!
Brother, please! I swore upon my own life! (clenches bars of cage, tears well, sniffs)
SYNDRI
(solemnly, quietly) Worry not, brother, for this is not goodbye. In a matter of hours, Magnar, we shall
surely meet once again upon the golden streets of The
Other Side, in the presence of The Shining Lord.
The cloaked figure has had enough of the sappy talk.
It yanks Syndri away, pushing him down the hall.
Syndri sulks, guided by the cloaked figure,
dragging the ball and chain along on the ground behind him.
--SCENE SKIPS TO OUTSIDE THE PRISON--
Once outside, Syndri and the cloaked figure climb into a horse-drawn carriage.
The horses canter the two away.
Syndri looks back at the prison entrance,
notices that every one of the guards on and around the building are asleep.
SYNDRI
(glances back at cloaked figure, skeptical,
accusingly) Who are you? (slightly edgy) The devil himself taking me directly to hell? If so, that’s
definitely not where I believe I belong--
CLOAKED FIGURE
(whispers, slightly less deep, slightly less manly, abruptly) Shut! ….SHUT UP! (clears throat, growls in anger, mumbles) egads! it’s wearing off…
The horses gallop farther into the wood.
After some time, Syndri tries again for an answer…
SYNDRI
(louder, suspicious) I said, WHO ARE---?
Syndri is interrupted as the cloaked figure covers his mouth with its hands.
Just then, the carriage stops.
They have arrived at a little cottage in the middle of the wood.
Syndri can see the person’s eyes in the moonlight.
It is a woman. It is Princess Valonia!
SYNDRI
(whispers) Princess Valonia?
PRINCESS VALONIA
(slowly removes hood, voice cracks) Yes. (coughs,
voice normalizes) Yes, Syndri. It is I.
SYNDRI
(breathes, smiles, still confused) But, Your
Highness… How?? And why?
PRINCESS VALONIA
During the night, I snuck out of my father’s castle.
I’d prepared special drinks for the guards…
--FLASHBACK BEGINS--
PRINCESS VALONIA
(approaches the prison in carriage, calls out sweetly) Yoohoo! Merry men! Father has sent me to reward you brave and kindly fellows with a well deserved …elixir…
The knights arise and cheer with glee.
Leaving their posts, they gather around Valonia’s carriage
and consume of the beverages she provided unto them.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(narrates, slickly) Only, father hadn’t sent me, really. I took it upon myself to make the drinks… To POISON the drinks… with Slumaberry sap. As they began to drink and become merry, they soon also grew drowsy. (knights yawn, doze) I waited, watching (giggles) and smiling all the while. (gasps) And, then, when the guards were all fast asleep? I pulled on my cloak and glided into the prison.
--FLASHBACK ENDS, RETURN TO PRESENT--
Valonia jumps out of the carriage,
leads Syndri into the cottage where she fully removes her black cloak.
The cloak drops to the ground,
revealing a busty dress with a slimming figure.
SYNDRI
(epiphany) Oh! Now I understand! We saved you,
you save us! I appreciate you returning the favor,
milady. (smiles, bows)
PRINCESS VALONIA
(smirks, slyly) Oh, I am returning no favor.
I am only getting what I want. And then, I’ll return you back to the cell so my father can get what he wants.
Syndri’s eyes widen.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(inches up to Syndri, low, sultry, seductively)
Don’t you desire that final evening with a… (sigh,
emphasize) beautiful maiden… before you are put to
death? (fingers Syndri’s hair, runs hand down his
chest)
SYNDRI
(stutters) Well… …your highness… to be honest, I
do not. (clears throat, inhales, straightens spine,
confidently) I’d much rather spend my final night in
that dungeon cell with my brother.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(gasp in shock, disgusted) Absurd! (disbelief)
You’d give up one final encounter of love to be in
a dusty dungeon with a musty brute?
SYNDRI
But, my brother is no brute. And he actually cares for me. I cannot be sure that you do. After all, you’ve only known me for less than a fortnight. My brother has known me all my life.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(appalled) What?! That isn’t at all what I
mean. I can love you like the girls you’ve
courted--
SYNDRI
(shakes head) Your highness, I’m afraid fatherly love and brotherly love is all I’ve ever known…
PRINCESS VALONIA
(gasps in disbelief) Are you implying that you’ve never been loved by a woman?
SYNDRI
(sentimentally) To tell the truth, I often
experience fond but distant memories of motherly love.
(gazes off, sighs) She was only around when I was but
a child, even still I can sense her very presence
around me as I--
Princess Valonia interrupts.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(annoyed) Not FAMILY LOVE! (calms, moans) What I
am talking about… it’s SOMETHING ELSE entirely.
(breathes) Don’t worry. I’ll show you…
Princess Valonia pokes her hand underneath
the fabric of Syndri’s shirt, tickles his chest.
Syndri flinches in severe discomfort.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(murmurs softly) You mustn’t have ever… done anything like this before… (eyes, breathes) Don’t be shy… It’s alright...
SYNDRI
(severely uncomfortable) I--
I am not shy. (breathes) I-I simply don’t--
PRINCESS VALONIA
(growls, angrily) Just kiss me, fool! (slaps Syndri’s face, immediately kisses his cheeks and neck)
SYNDRI
(uncomfortably turns head, pulls away, strains)
Princes, please! I don’t care to--
PRINCESS VALONIA
(angrily) Hold me! (shakes Syndri’s shoulders)
SYNDRI
(super uncomfortably, tinge of anger) I--well--I can’t!
PRINCESS VALONIA
(demands) Yes you can! Just do it!
SYNDRI
(insistant) I’m afraid I simply can’t--
PRINCESS VALONIA
(angry, annoyed, huffs quickly) Just because
you’ve never done something before doesn’t mean
you can’t do it now!!!
SYNDRI
(fussing, loudly, quickly) I mean I can’t because I
am shackled!
PRINCESS VALONIA
(gasps, realizes) OHHHHHHH! (epiphany) You aren’t shy… you’re shackled! That’s what you were trying to say. (smiles, kindly) I’m sorry. I understand. Hold on a moment. (digs into her bosom, pulls out key, unlocks Syndri’s chains)
As the chains fall to the floor,
Princess Valonia pulls Syndri by the shirt
rising up on her tiptoes to his face.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(dramatic, longingly) Oh, just take me. Take me now!
(breathes, kisses)
Syndri has had quite enough,
pushes Princess Valonia to the ground.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(grunts, cries out) ugh! (gasps, glances up at Syndri, surprised countenance)
Syndri quickly kneels down beside her on the floor.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(breathes, desire) Oh, yes, Syndri… you’re ever so
strong… (gazes lustfully into Syndri’s eyes)
SYNDRI
(grasps Princess Valonia’s wrists, pulls them over her
head, leans in towards her ear, whispers,) Your Highness… I’m sorry…
Syndri suddenly leaps up and dashes away.
PRINCESS VALONIA
(shocked, yells) Wait! NO! You were doing so well! Where are you going! (tries to start after him, is yanked back by chains.
SYNDRI HAS SLICKLY SHACKLED THE PRINCESS WITHOUT HER NOTICING!
PRINCESS VALONIA
(yanks, strains, growls) YOU nettlesome little milquetoast! (shouts, screams,) SYNDRI! I ORDER YOU BACK HERE AT ONCE! (squeals) I AM A PRINCESS! (scowls) YOU SHALL OBEY MY WORD! (growls) MY FATHER WILL KILL YOU!!!!!!! (shrieks)
Syndri ignores her babbling,
finds the horse and carriage outside,
rides off back in the direction of the prison to fetch his brother.
