CRIMSON CROWN: A STORMERE TALE
Episode 7: "Fate"
FADE IN
EXT. VALENRITH – LOWER DISTRICTS – MORNING
The city is quiet. Not peaceful. Exhausted.
Charred wood. Boarded windows. Soldiers posted at every intersection.
INT. SCARLETT’S CHAMBERS – MORNING
Scarlett sits before the mirror.
She hasn’t slept. A maid approaches with her crown.
Scarlett gently takes it from her.
SCARLETT: I’ll do it. Thank you.
The maid leaves.
Scarlett places the crown on her own head.
INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER – DAY
Everything sounds orderly again.
GENERAL ROG: At last, the riots have been contained.
LORD THESIN: Trade should stabilize within the month.
KING ALDRIC: Good. Let's hope this is the last crisis we have to deal with this year.
Scarlett studies them.
They sound like nothing happened. And sound like everything is fine now.
SCARLETT: So we don't change anything? The riots stopped because people are tired. They will return to this eventually. We do nothing for their cause?
A pause.
LORD THESIN: Their cause?
SCARLETT: The hunger. The taxes. We were fixing everything but once again, you started to cut costs and raising taxes. (beat) Are we addressing any of that?
No one answers cleanly.
GENERAL ROG: Order comes first. We need to punish the riots before thinking of anything else.
Scarlett nods once.
She understands now.
They don’t want change.
INT. LONG HALLWAY – DAY
Scarlett walks alone.
She passes the room where Aleric lived.
Tears run down her face.
INT. ABANDONED SOLARIUM – EVENING
The Stranger waits.
SCARLETT: We're going back... nothing is working.
THE STRANGER: I thought pressure would force something. Guess we need to move tactics.
SCARLETT: So Aleric paid the price for a pointless cause?
THE STRANGER: The court needed a sacrifice. They got calmer after he left.
She holds his gaze.
SCARLETT: You’re very peaceful about that. It's not like you destroyed the life of a man I cared for.
THE STRANGER: You’re very angry.
SCARLETT: OF COURSE I AM ANGRY! I LOST THE BEST PERSON IN MY LIFE AND FOR WHAT? NOTHING!
Silence.
INT. KING’S STUDY – NIGHT
SCARLETT: You exiled the only honest man in this court. I'll never be able to forgive you, Father. I begged you.
KING ALDRIC: I prevented a civil war, Scarlett. As much as I care for Aleric, there's nothing I could've done. Someone had to pay for what happened,
SCARLETT: If you had accepted my council reform... none of this would have happened.
KING ALDRIC: Maybe but... that's in the past.
She watches him carefully.
SCARLETT: Is that all this is to you? The past? Don't you feel remorse for exiling him?
KING ALDRIC: You know I do. (beat) But you’ll understand one day why I did what I did.
She leaves.
INT. SCARLETT’S CHAMBERS – NIGHT
Scarlett opens a hidden drawer.
Inside she keeps a token: Aleric’s token.
She holds it. Longer than she should.
Then she places it back and closes the drawer.
INT. ABANDONED SOLARIUM – NIGHT
Scarlett stands different now.
SCARLETT: If I move forward with this… there’s no undoing it.
THE STRANGER: No. There is not.
SCARLETT: And you won’t hesitate?
THE STRANGER: Never.
A beat.
SCARLETT: Good. Does that mean that... the next time I see you, I'll finally be able to learn your name?
THE STRANGER: Indeed. I'll finally be able to share my identity.
She nods.
MONTAGE
- Scarlett quietly intercepts council proposals.
- She brokers deals between rival lords.
- She exposes minor scandals, strategically, removing players from the council.
- She rewards loyalty. Publicly.
- Petitioners begin requesting audiences with her first.
- “The Red Queen” spreads in whispers.
The King notices.
Too late.
INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER – NIGHT
Scarlett sits at the head of the table.
No announcement. No ceremony. It just… happens. She's the Queen now.
The King speaks, but people look at her when they answer.
He lost the power. She took it.
INT. ABANDONED SOLARIUM – NIGHT
Scarlett and the Stranger overlook the city.
SCARLETT: Will this fix it?
THE STRANGER: No. (beat) But it's a start.
She absorbs that.
SCARLETT: Then we start anew. (a long beat) Pleasure to meet you. I'm Scarlett, queen of the Crimson Court of Valenrith...
The Stranger studies her. He smiles
THE STRANGER: Pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. My name is... Kael.
She shakes his hand. They smile.
INT. SCARLETT’S CHAMBERS – NIGHT
Scarlett stands alone.
Crown steady. Face unreadable.
The girl who wanted reform is gone. The woman who has control remains.
CUT TO BLACK
END OF EPISODE 7