TC Ep 282 Script

[scra and co camping in some ruins, surrounded by sparse forest on a hill. it’s cloudy. camp fire going, Kieera stirring something in a pot. They have makeshift bags and have repurposed their ball clothes. ]

Kieera: y’know, after days of eating nothing but stringy-ass rabbit stew, I can officially say that I hate it and never want to have to choke it down ever again.

Kerwik: Only a bit longer until the coast. I just hope the Admiral is still waiting around after no word from us. 

Farrah: There’s another way across if we need it, it’ll just take longer and we’re running out of time if this anniversary event is still happening.

Kieera: I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. 

Lyr: It only took us a few days to get to the Capitol when we did it.

R: yeah but you didn’t have to stealth it last time.

Erka: no but like how do we even get there without being caught? We’re literally just basically sitting out in the open here.

Ree: don’t look at us - we always get caught. 

Ky: There’s little cover, but it’s better than risking the Vermillion Planes and getting caught by Ree’s brothers.

R: they wouldnt even be there, they’ve wanted to infiltrate the Capitol for years, they’re never leaving now. My parents will have the guards out on the lookout for us, though. 

Farrah: please, they’d love to harbor the Crow King 

Ree: yeah, and I’m not gonna subject Scra to that. 

F: (chuckles) fair. (to everyone) we leave once we’ve eaten?

Kerwik looking up at clouds: better eat quickly.

[Ree eating, looks up as farrah approaches] 

F: let me sort your hair, it looks like a rat’s nest.

R: sorry I didn’t think to bring a hairbrush on the run with me.

[ky and scra watch the interaction, smirking. erka sidles up to ky]

Erka: so like…you two are together now, right?

Both: we are

Erka: cool. I just want you to know that you’ve crushed my dreams, so you better be happy forever.

Ky: we’ll…try? 

Erka: good (walks away) 

S: well, I’m not gonna argue with that. How’re the swords coming along?

K: (has a sword on his lap that he’s honing) they’re rusty, and blunt as they can be, but they’ll work as blungeons if it comes to it. 

S: better than nothing

K: something’s always better than nothing. Here (hands him one) keep it close. Sitting here has me on edge.

S: when arent you on edge

K: (leans forwards) I can think of a way that relaxes me some. 

S: who am i to deny you that, then (kiss).

[Lyr sitting near dove. Dove watches ky and scra. erias leaning on a tree looking away.)

Eurippe: I would never have thought I would be travelling so closely with Crows at any point of my life. …or see one kissing an osprey.

Lyr: yeah, well, you have to leave the cult some time, and those two have always had something going on, apparently. But that one’s not a Crow. 

Eur: what is -

Lyr: He’s a Raven.

[the blood rushes from eur’s face. she pulls her wings in tighter and stands. everyone turns to watch]

eur: I’m - uh - 

erka: are you going to pee? I’ll come too.

[erka drags eurippe off into the shrubs. ree and farrah watch them go. Lyr catches ree’s eye. Ree swallows nervously, Farrah braiding her hair.]

Ree: hey, uh, I need to, um, tell you something.

F: there, done. [tucks loose strand behind ree’s ear] tell me what?

R: back when…you were gone…I got really drunk at a house party. Lyr was there. We ended up hooking up. I was drunk, I thought she was you - I dreamt about you so often I thought it was just another dream - it wasn’t until she yelled at me after about it that I even realized. I’m so -

F: So that’s why she’s been giving you those looks this whole time. She’s what - blackmailing you? Threatening to tell me?

R: I don’t care what she wants - I had honestly forgotten about it until she showed. I just…thought you should hear it from me first. it wasn’t anything, I swear.

F: [stands] it’s fine. I believe you. I need to go clean up the food.

[f walks away. ree watches her. lyr watches them. 

Kieera looks up at the clouds: it’s getting darker. we should make a break for it and try to cover as much ground as possible before we’re forced to walk -

[the clouds part briefly to show a squad of Redguard in formation overhead.]

kerwik: shit -

[everyone rolls to the sides of the ruin, crouching against crumbling walls. ky passes rusty weapons out. 

farrah: what do we -

Ky: shh. keep quiet. they havent spotted us yet.

ker: i knew that fire was a terrible idea -

erias: we needed to eat to keep our strength up 

ree: not gonna do much good if we’re caught before we even make it there.

scra: there behind that cloud - looks like theyre moving on. 

ky: we’ll give it 20 then we will too. they’re travelling in a different direction, at least. 

scra: we weren’t wrong about them coming after us, unfortunately. 

erias: it’ll be worse when we hit the ports. more crowds, too

ker: might give us a better chance at blending in, at least. 

K: we need to get there first. 

[dove and erka sneak up]

erka: …what’d we miss?

ker:...pack up. the longer we take, the more time for forces to gather at our destination.

[traveling montage]

[arrive, port town in distance.]

Kieera: i dont see the ship

ker: the admiral will have it anchored far enough to not be spotted, wouldnt want to alert the Avarians to a warship. Come, we arranged a meeting spot in case we returned under these circumstances. Keep to the shade and try to blend in. It shouldn’t be far.

(group goes through town, hoods up, life continues around them, beggars, a group of people yell at a redguard. enter an inn called The Wonky Wing)

ker: [whispers] to the back room

(all weave around people to a dark corner, where a tavern wench obscures the person sitting down. she leaves the drink and moves out of the way, revealing the admiral. she looks up as the group gets closer)

ker: Admiral. We -

(Ky’s mom appears from behind the group, trapping them in.)

KM: you weren’t wrong, Admiral. They did indeed make it here eventually.

Ky [goes to step forwards]: Mother -

[Admiral whispers to Ky]: she has asked after the Hybrids we rescued. An Osprey-Eagle, in particular. 

KM: I’m disappointed, I’ll admit. There are better places in this land to hide from us, some you could have lasted years at. But as there are also Ravens after you now, there really is only one place where you’d be safe. I see you came to the same conclusion.

Ky: don’t take us back to them, Mother. Not until I have made sure Keelee is safe. 

KM: you think i do not want her returned? I am her mother -

Ky: And you stood by when she was taken. I went with her. Let me go back, let us all go back, so I can find her. I know you can’t do it, it would be seen as a declaration of war if you go. I am nothing. Let me go. 

KM: you are my son. 

Ky: Let me go and find my sister. Let me go and stop the atrocities that are about to take place there. Let me go and save the futures of my friends and the love of my life. 

KM [sneers at scra]: your Love’s future is here -

Ky: perhaps. but i want him to have the choice of it.

KM:  Do not misunderstand me - Avarie does not need a Kingling, and I will never agree with the Council on that. But my Redguard cannot look weak by allowing you to slip through our fingers, not now. 

scra: I’ll come back. I promise you, when we find Keelee, and Kooup is stable, I will return here and help with your unrest, in whatever way I can.

Ky: scra you don’t have -

scra: i want to help your home too.

Ky: my home is wherever you are. 

KM:. Go. All of you. Do what I am unable to. Then come back. But if you are smart, you will never return at all.