Act 2 - The Queen
Part 1- The Father
The curtain rises on the forest. The campsite is gone. The forest is still there. Jason and Jay are walking across the scene, with their bags on their backs. They stop about one-quarter of the way across the stage, stop, and turn back.
JASON- Daryn. Pick up the pace.
Daryn jogs up to them, panting. He leans against Jay, who steps back. He slips and hits the ground.
DARYN, out of breath- It’s not my fault that I don’t have as much endurance as you two.
JAY- You wouldn’t survive a day with Conrad and Aletha.
JASON- He’s a prince. He’s soft.
Daryn shoots up.
DARYN- I’m not soft! I’m strong! Watch me!
He pulls Jason’s sword off Jason’s belt and swings it at a tree with no effect.
JASON- You’re strong-willed. That’s… good enough.
DARYN- Yeah. I’m strong.
He puffs out his chest and parades around Jay and Jason.
JAY, sarcastic- Ha, ha. Hilarious. C’mon. We need to get to her lair before sundown, or else fighting her will be impossible.
They start to walk. They make it halfway across the stage when Jason stops them.
JASON- You hear that?
Jay looks around. Daryn looks scared, curling in on himself.
JAY- I can hear someone. It may be one of her goons, or it may be a real issue.
DARYN, whispering- It’s the queen of spiders, it has to be… I’ve only heard tales of this.
JASON- No, no. It can’t be her.
JAY- What makes you so sure, mister?
JASON- Well, she only attacks intruders when their hearts are full of hate and remorse, without a bit of joy and love. I know for a fact that there is a bit of love and happiness in your heart, Jay. And in mine. And Daryn’s.
DARYN- I love Mom. I miss her.
JAY- I… (she looks at Jason and nods.) Well then. Who could it be?
JASON- No clue. Want me to go and scout?
JAY- That would work.
Jason nods and runs back, going off-stage.
DARYN- You love him.
JAY, dismissing him with a little wave- That’s not what’s important right now.
DARYN- What is?
JAY- Figuring out who’s following us. It could be a fox or a bear, but those are easy to take care of. If it’s a Spider Scout, that troubles things. But I can get rid of them. If it’s a bounty hunter or an assassin, then we have a problem.
There is a long silence. Daryn looks uncomfortable. He knows who’s after them.
JAY- Now, only if I could figure out what- or who- it is…
Daryn whips around as Michael enters the same way the whole group entered. He goes to warn Jay, but Michael grabs her before he can say anything. He pushes her hard, and she stumbles 6 or so feet before falling on her stomach. She rolls over, ready to stand up, but Michael plants his foot on her chest.
MICHAEL- I’ve had enough of you.
JAY- Michael. Huh.
MICHAEL- You’re a snake, Jeannine.
JAY, confused- Care to explain that, big man?
MICHAEL- Of course. (He pulls Jason’s sword from his own belt and points it at her.) You poison minds and leave the bodies behind. You killed my son, and now you are slowly killing Daryn, the prince of the kingdom. Give him up, and I may spare your life.
JAY- Jason is alive, Michael.
MICHAEL- No, he’s not.
JAY, unbelieving- Did you just kill him?
MICHAEL- What? No. You killed him… six years ago.
JAY, struggling- He’s alive! That’s his sword!
MICHAEL- This is Finnian’s sword.
JAY, screaming- Finnian is Jason! He’s been hiding as him for four years!
Michael tilts his head, then laughs.
MICHAEL- No, he’s not.
JAY- He is… I swear… on my life…
MICHAEL- Your life that you’re about to lose, mind you.
DARYN, sobbing- Mister Michael! Please don’t!
Michael whips towards Daryn.
MICHAEL, emotionless- My prince… it is my duty to return you to your father… come, he is worried…
DARYN- I don’t want to go back! I don’t! Lady Jay and Mister Jason are closer family to me now than Dad ever was! Jay is like my sister, she gives me advice and she helps me! She steers me the right way and helps me sleep! Jason and her- (he stops, realizing what he was about to say.)
MICHAEL- Jason and her, what?
JAY- Get off of me, Michael.
MICHAEL, to Daryn- Not until you tell me what she has to do with my son.
JAY, to Daryn- Go ahead, Daryn. Tell him the truth.
DARYN- I can’t. It’s too personal.
JASON’S VOICE- I can.
Jason returns onto the scene. He now has bruises and dirt smeared over his arms, legs, and face. Everyone looks at him in shock.
JASON, coldly- Hi, Dad.
MICHAEL- Are you really my son?
JASON- Yes. Yes, I am. When the reports came out that Jay had killed me, I decided to take initiative. I dyed my hair blonde and hid. Then I returned as Finnian, The Blond One. No one has suspected anything… except for Jay. (He nods towards her) She recognized me immediately. I only needed to speak and she knew. She knew.
MICHAEL, weakening- My son…
JASON- You never raised me like your son. Funny thing is, the day you started caring was the day you learned I was dead. A little late, isn’t it?
MICHAEL- I still don’t believe you.
JASON- I remember. When I was 9, I was terrified of wolves. One afternoon, a wolf broke into the plain of grass I was playing in. You were there. I screamed and sobbed, but you didn’t come. (He rolls up his sleeve and shows Michael a scar on his arm) He gave me this. A miracle that I didn’t get sick. But then he clung to me, and I got over my fear of wolves. We cuddled until night fell, and then he ran off with me. Took me to Conrad and Aletha. And there, I met a beautiful, starry-eyed 8-year-old girl, with bob-cut hazelnut hair… Jay.
Jay and Michael are both crying now, and Michael gets off of Jay, who sits up.
MICHAEL- You really are my son…
JAY- I remember when I met you. I was so impressed, that another child had escaped their life, and on wolf-back no less. And you were so handsome, with your brown hair all wind-whipped and falling in your wide eyes.
Jason helps Jay up, and they look at each other for a while, and silence falls over the group. Then the duo turns to Michael.
JASON- You see, father, she didn’t kill me. I had pushed her into a canyon to protect her, and I hid so well that not even the spy agency could find me.
JAY- I’ve taken responsibility for six years. I’ve had enough.
MICHAEL- Jeannine… I’m so sorry…
JAY- I have no clue how to respond to that. But I’ll leave you for now. (she lifts her own sword and points it at him, then copies his words) Give them up, and I may spare your life.
MICHAEL- Jason is yours. You two… there’s something between you two.
JAY- And Daryn?
MICHAEL- Daryn… I’ll have to talk to Daniel.
DARYN- Tell him I’m long gone.
MICHAEL- Yes my prince. We will await your return.
He leaves, his head hanging in shame.
Jay and Jason look at each other in silence. Daryn lets them. Jason clears his throat.
JASON- The Queen is here, by the way.
JAY- She is?
JASON, nodding- Yeah, I saw her.
DARYN- Is she scary? Is she coming to kill us?
JASON- No. (pause) At least, it didn’t look like she was.
JAY- Then let’s go find the queen.
Part 1- The Father
The curtain rises on the forest. The campsite is gone. The forest is still there. Jason and Jay are walking across the scene, with their bags on their backs. They stop about one-quarter of the way across the stage, stop, and turn back.
JASON- Daryn. Pick up the pace.
Daryn jogs up to them, panting. He leans against Jay, who steps back. He slips and hits the ground.
DARYN, out of breath- It’s not my fault that I don’t have as much endurance as you two.
JAY- You wouldn’t survive a day with Conrad and Aletha.
JASON- He’s a prince. He’s soft.
Daryn shoots up.
DARYN- I’m not soft! I’m strong! Watch me!
He pulls Jason’s sword off Jason’s belt and swings it at a tree with no effect.
JASON- You’re strong-willed. That’s… good enough.
DARYN- Yeah. I’m strong.
He puffs out his chest and parades around Jay and Jason.
JAY, sarcastic- Ha, ha. Hilarious. C’mon. We need to get to her lair before sundown, or else fighting her will be impossible.
They start to walk. They make it halfway across the stage when Jason stops them.
JASON- You hear that?
Jay looks around. Daryn looks scared, curling in on himself.
JAY- I can hear someone. It may be one of her goons, or it may be a real issue.
DARYN, whispering- It’s the queen of spiders, it has to be… I’ve only heard tales of this.
JASON- No, no. It can’t be her.
JAY- What makes you so sure, mister?
JASON- Well, she only attacks intruders when their hearts are full of hate and remorse, without a bit of joy and love. I know for a fact that there is a bit of love and happiness in your heart, Jay. And in mine. And Daryn’s.
DARYN- I love Mom. I miss her.
JAY- I… (she looks at Jason and nods.) Well then. Who could it be?
JASON- No clue. Want me to go and scout?
JAY- That would work.
Jason nods and runs back, going off-stage.
DARYN- You love him.
JAY, dismissing him with a little wave- That’s not what’s important right now.
DARYN- What is?
JAY- Figuring out who’s following us. It could be a fox or a bear, but those are easy to take care of. If it’s a Spider Scout, that troubles things. But I can get rid of them. If it’s a bounty hunter or an assassin, then we have a problem.
There is a long silence. Daryn looks uncomfortable. He knows who’s after them.
JAY- Now, only if I could figure out what- or who- it is…
Daryn whips around as Michael enters the same way the whole group entered. He goes to warn Jay, but Michael grabs her before he can say anything. He pushes her hard, and she stumbles 6 or so feet before falling on her stomach. She rolls over, ready to stand up, but Michael plants his foot on her chest.
MICHAEL- I’ve had enough of you.
JAY- Michael. Huh.
MICHAEL- You’re a snake, Jeannine.
JAY, confused- Care to explain that, big man?
MICHAEL- Of course. (He pulls Jason’s sword from his own belt and points it at her.) You poison minds and leave the bodies behind. You killed my son, and now you are slowly killing Daryn, the prince of the kingdom. Give him up, and I may spare your life.
JAY- Jason is alive, Michael.
MICHAEL- No, he’s not.
JAY, unbelieving- Did you just kill him?
MICHAEL- What? No. You killed him… six years ago.
JAY, struggling- He’s alive! That’s his sword!
MICHAEL- This is Finnian’s sword.
JAY, screaming- Finnian is Jason! He’s been hiding as him for four years!
Michael tilts his head, then laughs.
MICHAEL- No, he’s not.
JAY- He is… I swear… on my life…
MICHAEL- Your life that you’re about to lose, mind you.
DARYN, sobbing- Mister Michael! Please don’t!
Michael whips towards Daryn.
MICHAEL, emotionless- My prince… it is my duty to return you to your father… come, he is worried…
DARYN- I don’t want to go back! I don’t! Lady Jay and Mister Jason are closer family to me now than Dad ever was! Jay is like my sister, she gives me advice and she helps me! She steers me the right way and helps me sleep! Jason and her- (he stops, realizing what he was about to say.)
MICHAEL- Jason and her, what?
JAY- Get off of me, Michael.
MICHAEL, to Daryn- Not until you tell me what she has to do with my son.
JAY, to Daryn- Go ahead, Daryn. Tell him the truth.
DARYN- I can’t. It’s too personal.
JASON’S VOICE- I can.
Jason returns onto the scene. He now has bruises and dirt smeared over his arms, legs, and face. Everyone looks at him in shock.
JASON, coldly- Hi, Dad.
MICHAEL- Are you really my son?
JASON- Yes. Yes, I am. When the reports came out that Jay had killed me, I decided to take initiative. I dyed my hair blonde and hid. Then I returned as Finnian, The Blond One. No one has suspected anything… except for Jay. (He nods towards her) She recognized me immediately. I only needed to speak and she knew. She knew.
MICHAEL, weakening- My son…
JASON- You never raised me like your son. Funny thing is, the day you started caring was the day you learned I was dead. A little late, isn’t it?
MICHAEL- I still don’t believe you.
JASON- I remember. When I was 9, I was terrified of wolves. One afternoon, a wolf broke into the plain of grass I was playing in. You were there. I screamed and sobbed, but you didn’t come. (He rolls up his sleeve and shows Michael a scar on his arm) He gave me this. A miracle that I didn’t get sick. But then he clung to me, and I got over my fear of wolves. We cuddled until night fell, and then he ran off with me. Took me to Conrad and Aletha. And there, I met a beautiful, starry-eyed 8-year-old girl, with bob-cut hazelnut hair… Jay.
Jay and Michael are both crying now, and Michael gets off of Jay, who sits up.
MICHAEL- You really are my son…
JAY- I remember when I met you. I was so impressed, that another child had escaped their life, and on wolf-back no less. And you were so handsome, with your brown hair all wind-whipped and falling in your wide eyes.
Jason helps Jay up, and they look at each other for a while, and silence falls over the group. Then the duo turns to Michael.
JASON- You see, father, she didn’t kill me. I had pushed her into a canyon to protect her, and I hid so well that not even the spy agency could find me.
JAY- I’ve taken responsibility for six years. I’ve had enough.
MICHAEL- Jeannine… I’m so sorry…
JAY- I have no clue how to respond to that. But I’ll leave you for now. (she lifts her own sword and points it at him, then copies his words) Give them up, and I may spare your life.
MICHAEL- Jason is yours. You two… there’s something between you two.
JAY- And Daryn?
MICHAEL- Daryn… I’ll have to talk to Daniel.
DARYN- Tell him I’m long gone.
MICHAEL- Yes my prince. We will await your return.
He leaves, his head hanging in shame.
Jay and Jason look at each other in silence. Daryn lets them. Jason clears his throat.
JASON- The Queen is here, by the way.
JAY- She is?
JASON, nodding- Yeah, I saw her.
DARYN- Is she scary? Is she coming to kill us?
JASON- No. (pause) At least, it didn’t look like she was.
JAY- Then let’s go find the queen.
End of Part 1.
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