And I once thought I would finish this in thirty-one days. I wish I could travel back in time and pinch my adorable, stupid little cheeks.
INT. CASTLE - CORRIDORS - NIGHT
Mira and Erzsebet walk hand in hand - no confusing maze of hallways and dead ends anymore.
MIRA
Where are we going, Beta?
No answer - the girl just walks on, serene. Mira stops, kneels in front of Erzsebet, who looks back expectantly. Mira lifts up the AMULET from around her neck. Waits.
Erzsebet looks at the amulet, waiting herself. She finally reaches out to touch it, then looks back to Mira.
MIRA (CONT’D)
It doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?
ERZSEBET
It’s pretty.
MIRA
Yes. It is.Mira seems to be figuring some things out. She tucks the amulet back under her bodice, tying the laces together as best she can.
MIRA (CONT’D)
We should hurry to the stables, and leave
before Janos realizes we’ve gone.
Erzsebet looks up at her curiously.
MIRA (CONT’D)
You’re coming with me, of course. I couldn’t
leave you here.
Erzsebet smiles, but more as though she knows a secret. Mira doesn’t notice, just picks up their pace. They turn the corner--
Janos stands in the center of the corridor ten feet away, waiting for them. Calm, warm and amiable. Mira FREEZES.
JANOS
I know you’ve had quite a shock, but
please, just listen.
Mira tries to pull back, but Erzsebet doesn’t let her go.
JANOS (CONT’D)
Thank you for bring her to me, Beta.
Erzsebet grins at him. Mira moans.
MIRA
What can you possibly want from me?
JANOS
Nothing, my child.
He turns to look into a room beside him, smiling at someone Mira cannot see. Whoever it is walks out and joins Janos - SAMUEL.
Mira cannot speak, cannot blink. Samuel beams at her - healthy and pink, no sign anything had ever happened to him.
SAMUEL
Mira!
MIRA
No.
SAMUEL
Come here and give me a kiss.
MIRA
You were hurt. There was blood. I...I saw you die.
SAMUEL
Am I not standing right here in front of you?
Mira looks a little unsure. Erzsebet releases her, runs over to Janos. She and Samuel smile at each other as they pass. Samuel approaches Mira, slow, putting his hands to the side of her face.
SAMUEL (CONT’D)
See?
MIRA
Your hands are cold.
SAMUEL
Then warm them up.
(beat)
Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how!
Samuel moves his hands down to her side, tucking them up under her arms. [Bill and Ted this into first act as a thing they do.] Mira blinks back tears - she lets herself begin to HOPE.
MIRA
Samuel?
Watching Samuel and Mira, Janos hugs Erzsebet close.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHENS - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
A much smaller and cozier affair than the large dining hall. A rough wooden table, no artistically arranged food. A roaring FIRE in the hearth.
Samuel eats with a huge appetite. Mira watches him as though he might vanish if she blinks.
JANOS
I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, Mira. You
know what agony, what torture it is to see your family in
danger. Little Beta is my cousin, and to see her
chained up, to know Bathory’s plans for her...
MIRA
But you did nothing.
JANOS
Just as I used the bodies of Bathory’s sons to
keep him out of the chapel, he used my blood to
keep me away from him. When I told you I could not
harm him, I meant it quite literally.
Mira takes a drink of water.
MIRA
So you did kill his sons?
JANOS
Certainly not. It is very difficult for our kind to reproduce. There
are so few of us that we nearly all take human
mates, but that introduces great weaknesses
into the blood. Most children do not survive, as was
the case with Bathory’s sons.
Mira reaches a hand out, pulls aside Samuel’s collar. His throat is UNMARKED.
MIRA
What did he do to him?
JANOS
Drained most of his blood, replaced it with his own.
Mira winces. Samuel stops eating, takes her hand.
SAMUEL
I barely remember any of it. What I do remember is
more like a bad dream than anything that actually
happened to me.
Mira looks to Janos, still not completely convinced.
MIRA
I don’t understand. I saw him die.
JANOS
You saw the last of Bathory’s evil leave him.
Usually when that happens the servant dies, but...
(spreads hands)
It’s a miracle.
MIRA
From God?Janos only smiles, inscrutable.
MIRA (CONT’D)
So what happens now?
She picks up her glass, but instead of water it is filled with RED WINE. She looks at it, then sets it back down, keeping her face as blank as possible.
JANOS
We rebuild. This castle has fallen into appalling disrepair.
The duties and responsibilities a Count holds
to his land, his people, have gone unfulfilled for far too long.
MIRA
And what do you want from me?
ERZSEBET
Stay!
Mira looks to her. A candelabra - plain, brass - stands on the table in front of her. Two of the candles have flames that are a little too tall. The third, closest to the girl, is unlit.
JANOS
My life has been quite lonely, and you have been a good
friend, Mira. Stay, and help us.
MIRA
(nods to Samuel)
We have a life together, down in the village.
SAMUEL
A miserable life! Cold and wet and hungry. Think how
much more comfortable our lives could be here -
we could have a whole wing to ourselves!
Janos smiles at her. Samuel smiles at her. Erzsebet smiles at her.
Mira looks down at her plate. Simple, hearty fare, but it still looks scrumptious. Except for the single FLY circling over the plate.
JANOS
Mira?
MIRA
I’ll have to think about it.
JANOS
Of course! Take all the time you need. And if you should
choose to leave us, know you will always be able to
call on me for assistance. I will never be able to repay
the debt I owe you.
Mira looks back up. A strained smile. She sees the hearth behind Janos has gone cold, the fire dead.
INT. CASTLE - CORRIDORS - NIGHT
Mira and Erzsebet walk hand in hand - no confusing maze of hallways and dead ends anymore.
MIRA
Where are we going, Beta?
Erzsebet looks at the amulet, waiting herself. She finally reaches out to touch it, then looks back to Mira.
MIRA (CONT’D)
It doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?
ERZSEBET
It’s pretty.
MIRA
Yes. It is.
MIRA (CONT’D)
We should hurry to the stables, and leave
before Janos realizes we’ve gone.
MIRA (CONT’D)
You’re coming with me, of course. I couldn’t
leave you here.
Janos stands in the center of the corridor ten feet away, waiting for them. Calm, warm and amiable. Mira FREEZES.
JANOS
I know you’ve had quite a shock, but
please, just listen.
JANOS (CONT’D)
Thank you for bring her to me, Beta.
MIRA
What can you possibly want from me?
JANOS
Nothing, my child.
Mira cannot speak, cannot blink. Samuel beams at her - healthy and pink, no sign anything had ever happened to him.
SAMUEL
Mira!
MIRA
No.
SAMUEL
Come here and give me a kiss.
MIRA
You were hurt. There was blood. I...I saw you die.
SAMUEL
Am I not standing right here in front of you?
SAMUEL (CONT’D)
See?
MIRA
Your hands are cold.
SAMUEL
Then warm them up.
(beat)
Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how!
MIRA
Samuel?
CUT TO:
A much smaller and cozier affair than the large dining hall. A rough wooden table, no artistically arranged food. A roaring FIRE in the hearth.
Samuel eats with a huge appetite. Mira watches him as though he might vanish if she blinks.
JANOS
I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, Mira. You
know what agony, what torture it is to see your family in
danger. Little Beta is my cousin, and to see her
chained up, to know Bathory’s plans for her...
MIRA
But you did nothing.
JANOS
Just as I used the bodies of Bathory’s sons to
keep him out of the chapel, he used my blood to
keep me away from him. When I told you I could not
harm him, I meant it quite literally.
MIRA
So you did kill his sons?
JANOS
Certainly not. It is very difficult for our kind to reproduce. There
are so few of us that we nearly all take human
mates, but that introduces great weaknesses
into the blood. Most children do not survive, as was
the case with Bathory’s sons.
MIRA
What did he do to him?
JANOS
Drained most of his blood, replaced it with his own.
SAMUEL
I barely remember any of it. What I do remember is
more like a bad dream than anything that actually
happened to me.
MIRA
I don’t understand. I saw him die.
JANOS
You saw the last of Bathory’s evil leave him.
Usually when that happens the servant dies, but...
(spreads hands)
It’s a miracle.
MIRA
From God?
MIRA (CONT’D)
So what happens now?
JANOS
We rebuild. This castle has fallen into appalling disrepair.
The duties and responsibilities a Count holds
to his land, his people, have gone unfulfilled for far too long.
MIRA
And what do you want from me?
ERZSEBET
Stay!
JANOS
My life has been quite lonely, and you have been a good
friend, Mira. Stay, and help us.
MIRA
(nods to Samuel)
We have a life together, down in the village.
SAMUEL
A miserable life! Cold and wet and hungry. Think how
much more comfortable our lives could be here -
we could have a whole wing to ourselves!
Mira looks down at her plate. Simple, hearty fare, but it still looks scrumptious. Except for the single FLY circling over the plate.
JANOS
Mira?
MIRA
I’ll have to think about it.
JANOS
Of course! Take all the time you need. And if you should
choose to leave us, know you will always be able to
call on me for assistance. I will never be able to repay
the debt I owe you.
3 comments | Leave a comment
