CRIMSON CROWN: A STORMERE TALE
Episode 8: "A Kingdom in Ruins" (Series Finale)
FADE IN
EXT. VALENRITH – DAWN
The city wakes. But it doesn’t feel like morning.
Soldiers on every street. Crimson banners hang stiff and heavy.
No one speaks. People speak in whispers.
INT. THRONE ROOM – MORNING
Scarlett sits in the throne.
The "King" stands behind her.
LORD THESIN: The people are uneasy. What should we do?
GENERAL ROG: They’ll settle. They always do.
SCARLETT: They won’t. Not again.
Silence.
GENERAL RYKEN: We’ve... (he corrects himself) You've restored order.
SCARLETT: Yes, I did. Now, we need to rebuild. And regain control.
INT. KING’S PRIVATE CHAMBERS – DAY
King Aldric looks smaller somehow. He watches smoke in the distance.
Scarlett enters.
KING ALDRIC: You’ve tightened your grip too fast. You're becoming a tyrant.
SCARLETT: None of this would've happened if you listened to me
KING ALDRIC: Time will prove you wrong.
SCARLETT: No. (beat) I don't think it will.
He studies her.
KING ALDRIC: I wanted you to be better than me. Where did I fail you?
SCARLETT: You know where.
She leaves.
INT. ABANDONED SOLARIUM – DAY
KAEL: They’re afraid of you now.
SCARLETT: Good. If being nice, didn't work... maybe I need to be a bit more rough.
KAEL: Careful, fear spreads fast. Don't turn the world against you.
SCARLETT: They won't fear me. At last, I'll be respected.
He watches her carefully.
KAEL: You understand what happens next?
SCARLETT: Yes. I do.
No hesitation.
EXT. LOWER DISTRICTS – NIGHT
A protest forms. Angry.
Soldiers hold formation.
A shove. A blade. A scream.
Then...
Fire spreads.
It began.
MONTAGE – THE FALL
- Clashes in narrow streets. People dying, blood everywhere.
- Noble estates ransacked.
- Council members fleeing from Valenrith towards other regions.
- Crimson banners ripped down.
- Smoke swallowing the skyline.
This isn’t a revolution. It’s the fall of Valenrith and of the Crimson Crown.
INT. WAR ROOM – NIGHT
GENERAL ROG: We can still try and hold the inner districts.
SCARLETT: No.
They turn toward her.
LORD THESIN: What do you mean, no?
SCARLETT: You heard me. No. (beat) Let it burn. We'll rebuild from the ashes.
The room fills with a chilling silence. They all look at her. Terrified.
INT. KING’S CHAMBERS – NIGHT
The King is not packing. He doesn't want to leave.
He’s sitting.
KING ALDRIC: You could still stop this.
SCARLETT: I could... but I don't want to.
KING ALDRIC: You’re willing to lose everything? For what?
She looks at him.
SCARLETT: We lost everything a long time ago.
He knows.
EXT. PALACE GATES – NIGHT
The gates fall. The crowd floods in. Guards retreat.
The King is escorted away quietly.
Scarlett doesn’t move. She just watches her kingdom fall.
INT. THRONE ROOM – LATER
The hall is ruined. Scarlett walks to the throne.
Studies it. Runs her hand along the armrest.
Then...
She steps back and leaves it there.
INT. ABANDONED SOLARIUM – NIGHT
KAEL: It’s finished. You did it.
SCARLETT: Yes.
KAEL: And you don't feel anything?
She thinks.
SCARLETT: For once, I feel free.
EXT. RUINS VALENRITH – DAWN
Smoke blankets the skyline.
The Crimson Crown lies cracked in the rubble.
INT. SCARLETT’S OLD CHAMBERS – MORNING
Scarlett opens the drawer.
Aleric’s token.
She holds it. Long.
Then sets it down again. Closes the drawer. Leaving it there. Forever.
INT. SECRET PASSAGE – MORNING
Kael waits.
KAEL: There’s nothing left here. It's finished.
SCARLETT: There never was. Now, what do we do?
She doesn’t look back.
KAEL: I have an idea. And all I need... is a wish.
They walk into shadow.
EXT. RUINS OF VALENRITH – FINAL SHOT
The city burns.
The end of the Crimson Crown. The end of Valenrith.
CUT TO BLACK.
POST-CREDITS SCENE - EXT. FAR NORTHERN COAST – DUSK
A land nothing like Valenrith. Red cliffs. Violent sea. Wind that never stops.
ALERIC stands on a high ridge overlooking crashing waves. Older. Changed.
He trains alone. Not for war. For discipline.
A small coastal settlement flickers in the distance.
Footsteps approach.
A TRAVELER, weathered, foreign accent, carrying salt-stained packs.
TRAVELER: You’re not from here, are you?
Aleric doesn’t stop sharpening his blade.
ALERIC: Neither are you. I can tell by the accent.
The traveler chuckles.
TRAVELER: Fair. (beat) You heard what happened up in the South?
That makes Aleric pause. just slightly.
ALERIC: No. What happened?
The traveler studies him.
TRAVELER: At Valenrith. It burned. It's gone.
Aleric’s hand shakes.
TRAVELER (CONT’D): Crown shattered. Nobles dead or scattered. Apparently, it's just ruins now.
A long silence.
ALERIC: The entire court fell?
The traveler tilts his head.
TRAVELER: Depends on what you mean. The former princess went wild. Apparently, she's the reason Valenrith fell. They now call her The Blood Queen. How the hell haven't you heard about this?
He's speechless.
ALERIC: …What? That's not possible.
TRAVELER: That’s what they’re calling her now. Says she let it fall. Some say she burned it herself. (beat) She vanished after. No body. No throne. Nothing. No one knows what happened.
The sea crashes below. Aleric stares at the horizon.
ALERIC: That’s not who she was.
TRAVELER: Maybe not. But how would you know? (beat) You knew her?
ALERIC: I thought I did.
TRAVELER: Oh, well. Just wanted to come bring you some salted fish. Saw you were here all day so I thought you'd be hungry.
The traveler drops the fish and moves on.
Leaves Aleric alone with the wind.
He looks down at the old token hanging from his neck. He’s been carrying it all this time.
Footsteps again.
This time, lighter.
A young woman stands at the edge of the ridge.
Sharp eyes. White hair. Observant. She studies him without fear.
YOUNG WOMAN: You alright? I was walking by and saw you standing here. You didn't look so good.
Aleric doesn’t turn immediately.
ALERIC: I’m alright, thank you.
YOUNG WOMAN: No problem. (beat) You don't want to share. That's fine..
That makes him look at her.
There’s something different about her.
YOUNG WOMAN (CONT’D): You’re not from here. That sigil is from a kingdom up south, right? Not sure which but yeah...
ALERIC: Yeah, I'm from the South. You're not from here either. You going somewhere?
She extends a hand.
ARIADNE: Ariadne.
Aleric hesitates.
Then shakes it.
ALERIC: Aleric.
ARIADNE: I’m heading east at first light. Trying to go grab some books from the capital, Verita. (beat) You want to come?
Aleric glances once more toward the endless sea. Then back toward land.
ALERIC: East, then.
Ariadne nods.
They walk down the ridge together.
Far from Valenrith.
But not far from destiny.
END OF SERIES