Crimson Crown: A Stormere Tale, Episode 1 - A Kingdom in Red (Series Premiere)

CRIMSON CROWN: A STORMERE TALE

Episode 1: "A Kingdom in Red" (Series Premiere)

FADE IN

EXT. THE CRIMSON CAPITAL – DAWN

A vast, breathtaking city built of red stone and white marble rises from a valley of vineyards and rivers. Towers crowned with crimson banners. Bridges packed with people. Bells ringing.

A beautiful and peaceful kingdom.

THE KINGDOM OF VALENRITH: REGION OF THE CRIMSON CROWN

EXT. GRAND AVENUE – CONTINUOUS

The streets are filled with CELEBRATION. Banners. Musicians. Flowers raining from balconies.

At the center of it all: a massive ROYAL PROCESSION.

Knights in red and gold. Nobles in silk. Priests. Standard-bearers.

And at the heart of it…

PRINCESS SCARLETT (20)

Radiant. Elegant. A woman with a perfect smile, practiced a thousand times in front of a mirror.

Beside her walks…

KING ALDRIC (50s)

Proud, stern, authoritative.

Behind them, mounted and armored:

ALERIC (early 20s)

A young knight, sharp-eyed, disciplined.

His focus isn’t on the crowd that surronds the royal procession… but, on Scarlett.

She feels it. Briefly glances back. Their eyes meet.

A small smirk. Dangerous. An inside joke.

EXT. PALACE BALCONY – MOMENTS LATER

The procession stops before a massive square filled with thousands of locals. From children to elders, every single soul in the region together for this particular moment.

King Aldric steps forward.

KING ALDRIC: People of Valenrith! Today we celebrate not only peace… but continuity. The Crimson Crown endures. Our bloodline endures. Our kingdom endures!

Cheers.

Scarlett steps forward. Perfect posture. Perfect smile.

KING ALDRIC (CONT’D): My daughter. My heir. Your future queen.

More cheers.

Scarlett raises a hand. The crowd quiets.

SCARLETT: Thank you, everyone. Valenrith has given me everything. And one day… I will give everything back to you. Thank you for believing in us. Life to Valenrith!

Applause. Thunderous.

Aleric notices how Scarlett was born to be a leader. He feels proud of her.

INT. PALACE – HALL OF SILK – LATER

The celebrations continues inside. Nobles laugh. Wine flows. Music echoes.

The court in full display.

We meet:

LORD MAERON (40s) – representative of the old blood families. A cold man, always has something brewing beneath his eyes…
LADY VELARA (50s) – controls trade and grain. She’s a charming woman, with a dangerous smile.
LORD THESIN (60s) – controls the military. A rough old man, can’t let the past go.
HIGH PRIEST CAELUM (40s) – representative of the High Church. Serene, unreadable

They represent the higher powers of Valenrith… powers that control everything… and everyone.

INT. SIDE GALLERY – SAME TIME

Scarlett finally escapes the crowd. Drops the smile instantly.

She breathes.

Aleric steps in.

ALERIC (smirking): Your Highness.

SCARLETT (smirks): Ugh, I hate when you call me that. No one is around us. (laughs)

ALERIC: I’ll think about it, Your Highness.

She laughs. Quiet. Real.

SCARLETT: You didn’t enjoy today’s festivities?

ALERIC: I liked your speech in front of the entire kingdom. You’ll make a great queen to this place onw day.

She rolls her eyes.

SCARLETT: They’re already talking about marriage. To some random prince from the Krystal Sands region…

Aleric stiffens.

ALERIC: Already?

SCARLETT: Yup. My dad wants to ship me as far away as possible as soon as possible. He says I’ll never be ready to rule this kingdom until I get a husband.

She looks at him. Aleric doesn’t speak.

SCARLETT (CONT’D): You know I don’t want this… right?

Something “pops up” in Aleric’s head.

ALERIC: Run away with me.

She laughs. Then sees he’s not joking.

The laughter dies.

SCARLETT: Don’t. Please.

A beat.

SCARLETT (softly): You know I love you, Aleric. But… you also know that, as long as I’m the heir to the Crimson Crown, we can never be together.

Aleric nods. He doesn’t agree with her but he doesn’t say anything.

Footsteps approach. Scarlett rushes back to the celebration.

Aleric stands there. Thoughtful.

INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER – NIGHT

The celebration is over. It’s time for the real work to begin again.

The King sits with the court.

Tension in the air.

LORD MAERON: Our borders are unstable. The east province is… restless. They’re not happy with the current situation.

LADY VELARA: Trade is stalling as well. We’re expecting to get, approximately, 25% less crops for this coming fall than in previous years.

Eyes shift. Nobody says the obvious.

KING ALDRIC: We can’t let the people know… If people know we’re in crisis, they’ll revolt. And the Crown will fall…

LORD THESIN: I can rally a few more troops to the east province. To try and… contain the situation.

Silence.

HIGH PRIEST CAELUM: I’ve already ordered for the High Church of the East to start “redirecting” everyone to the northern province. I will not let my church fall to this… chaos.

LORD MAERON (smiling): Well done, Caelum. For the first time, you’re the first of us to act on something…

The King stands.

KING ALDRIC: Enough. Valenrith has endured so many wars and crisis. This will be just another one. Thesin, send the troops to the east. Maeron, set up a meeting with the old blood families for us to discuss the upcoming crisis with them. Velara, send a messenger to the capital of Verita asking for an emergency meeting for us to ask for a couple relief packages for the coming fall season.

A beat.

KING ALDRIC (CONT’D): Meeting adjourned.

But when he turns away…

His face shows fear.

INT. PALACE CORRIDOR – NIGHT

Aleric walks Scarlett back to her chambers. Guards at a distance.

SCARLETT: My father looked worried tonight. Something’s happening.

ALERIC: Yeah, I overheard something at the barracks.

SCARLETT: And?

ALERIC: I think it’s something about a shortage of food for the upcoming seasons.

She stops walking. Looks at him.

SCARLETT: I knew it. I told my father last year that he shouldn’t have sold half of our crops to Krystal Sands. But he said “We have to charm their court if you want to have a husband.”.

He steps closer.

SCARLETT (sad): Now, our people will not have enough food next year.

ALERIC: Calm down, Scar. We’ll manage. We always do.

They look at each other… They almost… Almost…

She steps back.

SCARLETT: Goodnight, Aleric.

She goes inside.

He stays there, frozen in place.

INT. UNKNOWN ROOM – UNKNOWN LOCATION – SAME NIGHT

A candle burns.

A figure sits in shadow. We DO NOT SEE HIS FACE.

On the table: