TC Ep 277 Script

277

Scra, Ky and the girls stand at the entrance to a ballroom as the announcer calls:

“Announcing - the Crow King”

Everyone turns to watch them, Ky and Farrah annoyed, Scra mortified and Ree striking a pose. 

S: it was too much to hope for a subtle entrance, wasn’t it.

f: please, you’re the reason half these people are even here.

r: I was roped into planning this damn ball, at least thanks to you they got their headliner. 

K: c’mon, we’re expected to mingle, probably. You two remember the plan?

R: we came up with the plan, don’t insult us. just get yourselves to the meeting point right before midnight. amateurs. (girls walk off. philo joins the boys)

P: fancy seeing you four out the house

S: your scheming is playing out just as you wanted, it seems.

P: all good schemes are beneficial to both parties - but the best are the ones that are secretly better for yourself. Come, I have some aristocrats that are dying to suck up to you.

S: Philo I don’t -

P: this is in your best interests, I promise. Just grin and bear it as they say - (steers scra off, Ky goes to go with but scra’s dad appears, holding him back. he doesn’t take his eye off scra though. Lassak and Lord E are in the bg)

D: You’ve done it now, announcing your affections to the world i see.

K: a declaration that also benefits you, I’ll never leave his side now. You have your devoted bodyguard after all.

D: I have already had multiple Crow nobles offering their daughters as surrogates to continue the royal bloodline, so I have to thank you for that too it seems. I am sure the Council expected us Ravens to be shunned at such an event as this, but due to new prospects we instead have these upstarts fawning over us, as Gera predicted. Of course one  will be chosen in the end, but the favors in the meantime will be notable. That offspring will then choose a Raven mate, and it will alternate for the rest of time.

K: that’s it, then? Your whole plan is to just worm your way back into society, and dilute the royal line until you have your Raven King? 

D: Never more than half-Crow, Half-Raven. The royal line dates back to Icarus, we would never rid the world of that. But the Raven blood ensures our place in this society. Scra doesn’t want the title, he’s said so himself. It will rid him of the burden. 

K: perhaps you should ask him what he wants, instead of telling him.

D: This helps you too, does it not? Freeing you from your mother’s talons to do as you wish. She won’t let you go if you have power she can exploit, you know that.

K: (looks at his mother) it’s Scra’s life. It’s his decision. I’ll be by his side whatever he chooses. So you can call off Erias from shadowing him, too. Between the Ashguard and I we have his safety covered.

D: Erias? There were no orders for him to do that outside of Harafen. He must have taken the task upon himself. (walks away. Ky spots erias also watching Scra, leaning against a pillar. Ky’s eyebrows furrow).

Ky gets back to Scra

S: Where’ve you been? Philo’s gone to get drinks, but I’m worried he’ll come back with more people who want to suck up to me, how long do we have?

K: Chatting with your dad. We only have to stick this out for another 20 mins.

S: he say anything interesting?

K: nothing you’d want to hear. (taking two drinks off a waiter and handing one to scra). Meeting your subjects hasn’t inspired you to rule, then?

S: ha, they’re all so snobby and self-serving, they wouldn’t know real problems if they bit them in the ass. There are villages of Avians out there starving, and the privileged are here worrying over shipping disruptions for artisanal fabrics or whatever the hell. I should make them sell some of those ridiculous hats and buy the poor bread or something.

K: King Scra’s first order of office

S: don’t tempt me. Seriously, what the hell have The Council even been doing all these years? 

K: (darkly) speaking of

(his mother approaches, a fake smile on her face that sets ky’s teeth on edge)

KM: Your Highness, and my son. a suitable match if there ever was one. 

K: the rumors of which were surely not exacerbated by you I’m certain, Mother.

KM: why should I not be proud of my son’s achievements?

K: You never have been before. And Scra is not a thing to be achieved.

KM: Of course not, and do not talk to me in that tone -

S: Do not talk to my partner in that tone, Cardinal. (ky looks at scra, shocked)

KM: (fuming) Your Highness, I will -

(Aunt Teer appears behind KM) T: Sissy! It’s been so long!

(KM whips around): Teer?! What are you - how -

K: I took the liberty of sending Aunt Teer an invitation after we received ours, as she lives so far and those public postal routes can be so unreliable. Isn’t it such a nice surprise to see your sister after so long, Mother?

KM: You -

T: Oh! Is that Lord Whatshisface? I haven’t seen him since I had that affair with his wife! I must go and say hello -

(starts wandering off, KM panics and follows)

KM: Teer! Get back here and -

S (to K): that was good planning, on your part.

K; I knew mother would be showing us off to everyone and we wouldn’t be able to escape, otherwise. Now she has something to occupy herself with.

S: Shame you had to use your aunt in that way though.

K: nah, i told her everything. She was more than happy to help. (looks at timepiece) We’ve got fifteen minutes. 

S: any more big plans on how to sneak away and be left alone?

K: ah, see this is where having our relationship public actually does come in handy…if you’re willing? (offers hand)

S: (smirks) oh, I’m more than willing. (takes hand and lets ky lead him off between pillars, past the food tables and into the dark)

Farrah at punch bowl, ladling drink. her parents appear behind her and she stiffens.

farrahdad: daughter. Is everything in place? We did not receive confirmation, but presumed you knew it was in your best interest to follow the instructions sent.

f: yes, Father, the devices were completed as per your orders. 

FD: excellent. Where shall we position ourselves so as to not be…affected?

F: …By the stage. Two minutes to midnight.

FD: very well. 

(they walk away, ree approaches)

R: But -

F: don’t. did you get it set up?

R: yeah. luckily the staff still remembered me from the planning committee, no one looked twice. The Council are still scheduled to do their big speech at midnight, so we’ve got about ten minutes until -

(ree and farrah freeze as Lyr enters the ballroom with the girls, and they lock eyes)

R:...fuck.

it's gonna be so messy man