Firebrand: The Movie: a sample

Chapter 8 of Firebrand, condensed to screenplay format. Any critiques?

*****
Lin is alone, lying on the stone floor.

LIN 12

(whispers)

I'm sorry, Dafydd. Please come back. Don't leave me alone.

The door to the hut opens and closes. Muffled footsteps are heard crossing the room.

MODRED 17

So. Your precious brother has left you to suffer alone. About time the lazy idler returned to his duties. I should have him at the post too, for wasting so much time.

(pause)

How dare you look at me? have you no manners? Do you not know who i am?

He jabs Lin in the side with the toe of his boot.

LIN 12

I know you, prince.

MODRED 17

Why do you not address me properly? Are you not afraid of me?

LIN 12

Should I be?

MODRED 17

I am your master. I can have you beaten for your insolence. I can have you flogged simply because i desire to see you bleed.

LIN 12

Am I so special, that a prince desires to see my blood?

MODRED 17

Silence.

(pause)

You gave quite a show today. Much better than I expected.

He paces around Lin, still half-lying on the floor. He stops when he comes full circle. He stoops and hooks his fingers around Lin'd collar. He lifts her up, holding her a little off the floor briefly. Lin struggles to keep her torn gown on her shoulders.

Modred chuckles.

MODRED 17

You are mine now, did you know? Mother gave you to me as a gift. Just this morning.

Lin glares at him.

MODRED 17

You're still to proud.

Modred strikes Lin across her cheek.

MODRED 17

The overseer did not beat you hard enough today. I should have handled the whip myself. nest time, I think I shall. It's the only thing slaves understand. You're too stupid for anything else.

(pause)

I can do whatever I like with you now. Do you realize that?

Lin doesn't answer.

MODRED 17

Answer me.

(pause)

Answer me, cumal.

LIN 12

(through clenched teeth)

Yes.

Modred hits her face again.

MODRED 17

Yes, what?

LIN 12

Yes, prince.

MODRED 17

Still so very proud. No matter. i shall break you of that soon enough. You shall learn to address me properly.

(pause)

I wanted your dear brother as well, you know.

LIN 12

Leave Dafydd alone.

MODRED 17

I can do as I please with him. And you. Never forget that. The next time you dare command me, i might not be as easily amused.

(pause)

Put your arms down.

She struggles to keep the torn gown up.

He gives her collar a twist.

MODRED 17

Are you deaf as well as stupid? I gave an order, slave.

Lin lowers her arms. Modred, still holding her by the collar, jerks her garment down.

MODRED 17

I can do whatever I please with you. I think I'll use you as my whore. Now.

He shoves her to the stone floor, and kneels over her. Lin struggles beneath him, looking for a weapon. The sheath for the prince's meatknife is empty. She uses the only weapon she has, her hands. She rakes her nails down Modred's cheek.

He recoils, and Lin is able to wriggle free. She creeps backward, but before she can get far, Modred grabs her ankle and pulls her towards him. He locks both of her wrists with one of his and flips her over. He sits on her and uses her gown to tie her hands. He flips her onto her back again and shoves a cloth into her mouth.

MODRED 17

Lest you get the notion to bite.

(pause)

Much better. Shall we start again?

He unties the laces of his trews and thrusts himself between her legs. He finishes. There is blood streaked on her legs and on him.

MODRED 17

You were still virgin. n How absolutely delicious.

(pause)

Well, now you're a whore, just like your mother. I could sell you this very moment.

He tucks his tunic back into his trews and relaces them.

MODRED 17

But I won't. Not yet, anyway, because I want the pleasure of seeing your pride finally broken to be mine. Be assured, I will do it, and Iwill enjoy it. i want your brother to be there when you call me "master". For that, slave, I am. You will not have a moment to forget it.

He jerks the cloth out of her mouth. She gasps for air. He walks from the hut, wiping his hands on his trews.

LIN 12

(whispers hoarsely)

Bastard.

She struggles out of her bonds and cleans herself up as best as she can before falling into exhausted sleep.

fade out:

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

Settled on the brown ink for this one.

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 18, 1992

It is after 1 am and I'm still wide awake. Nothing new to write. Had a small bit for the story "Visions of Avalon", continuing with events happening the day after. Introduced two new characters. Who are they? They will be interesting to get to know. Tighan and Elen. Plus mentioned two others. Lots to do. People to meet and learn about. Become friends with. And me as shy as I am!

Nowhere near being tired. Maybe I'll watch Arthur's soliloquy in "CAMELOT". Good idea!

****

Fun, both Tighan and Elen wound up in FIREBRAND. Elen as Dafydd's mother and Tighan as a slave. Lin and Dafydd meet her in the slave's camp after being transported from Orkney to Britain's mainland. Dafydd and Tighan become instant friends. Lin, as usual, isn't so sure. She resists making friends with anyone because she's afraid she will lose that friend because of their slavery.

Writing FIREBRAND Year One

K I Sawyer AFB, MI
(Marquette, MI)
January 14, 1992

Helin's fosterage -- Morgause offers to do it, "to atone for Modred" but instead of raising her according to her station . . . About 12 - 13 years later Morgause goes to Camelot and presents her brother Arthur with some "servants": Lin and Dafyd, a few others for good measure. Then Lin and Dafyd work on Camelot for about a year before anyone realizes who Lin really is. Let's try to avoid that royal birthmark cliche to identify Lin.

God! They were all related to each other. No wonder they were all mad. Such twisted geneologies.

****

Interesting peek at my brainstorming process here. Again with Helin instead of Lin. And Dafydd with only one "d" at the end. And like Morgause would really repent anything! So funny. But I was really thinking along the lines of Lin working in Camelot alongside Gareth (using his kitchen-knight story-line) and them becoming friends and all and Lin hidden in plain sight! Had some interesting scenes going on in my head that never made it to the page. But it was all driving me to Lin being a slave in Orkney! This is so much fun, looking back like this.