Short screenplay for the July 2016 "Bring Me The Head" contest.

"Throne Games"

THRONE GAMES

OVER BLACK

Distant sounds of SAWING and HAMMERING.


INT. PRISON CELL - DAY

A filthy medieval hellhole.  The tiny room contains a low
cot, upon which an unshaven figure lies.

This is ROGER, a handsome nobleman, now a prisoner.  He 
stares at the ceiling while he listens to the hammering.


INT. TOWER STAIRWAY - DAY

Heavy boots clump up the stone steps, followed by a pair 
of sandal-wearing feet, flopping.  The sandals are too big
for the feet.


INT. TOWER LANDING - DAY

A hand inserts a big key into a lock and turns it.  CLICK.


INT. PRISON CELL - DAY

Roger sits up on the cot, wary.  The door CREAKS open.

A helmeted SOLDIER gives Roger a gap-toothed smile.

                      SOLDIER
          Wakey wakey, rise and shine, "my 
          lord."

Sarcasm drips when he says the title.

                      SOLDIER (CONT'D)
          You've got a visitor.

The soldier steps aside to reveal a robed MONK who is bent 
over with age and sports a wispy white beard.

                      SOLDIER
          Five minutes, no longer.

                      MONK
          Thank you, my son.

The monk steps into the cell, the soldier slams the door 
shut.  The key rattles in the lock.

                      ROGER
          You're wasting your time, Father.  
          I turned my back on God long ago.

                      MONK
          When was this, my son?

                      ROGER
          I can't remember.

The monk stands at the door, patiently waiting.  Roger 
becomes irked.

                      ROGER
          Wasn't so bad when the war began.  
          We were fighting the Blackharts on 
          the battlefield.  It was man against 
          man.  The strongest arm and the 
          keenest blade deciding who lived 
          and who died.

Roger stares at the floor.  His voice grows bitter.

                      ROGER (CONT'D)
          Then the butchering started.  Didn't 
          matter who they were.  Women, 
          children.  They were given no mercy.  
          It's a war to the finish now.  The 
          Montfalcons against the Blackharts, 
          the Larkins against the Grints, 
          the Woosters against the Flintpoles.  
          We're all going to keep playing 
          this bloody game until there's 
          only one butcher left alive to 
          claim the throne.

                      MONK
          Then let's make sure it isn't a 
          Blackhart, a Larkin, a Grint, a 
          Wooster or a Flintpole.  Let's 
          make sure a Montfalcon sits on the 
          throne.

Roger stares at the monk, bewildered.  The monk tears off 
his false beard and straightens up, he's a young man.

                      ROGER
          Henry! 

Roger leaps up and embraces the monk, who is hereafter 
known as HENRY.

                      MONK/HENRY
          I had to wait until I was sure 
          that bastid couldn't hear us. 

                      ROGER
          It is good to see you.  But you 
          have placed yourself in much peril.

                      HENRY
          I hope not!  Hear me, little
          brother, I have brought a dozen
          trusted swords with me.  They're
          holding a side gate open for us.
          Had to cut a few throats on the
          way in, but it's no more than
          the bastids deserved.  Fresh
          horses stand waiting outside the
          walls.  We ride hard for Castle
          Montfalcon!  There we shall
          gather our forces and plan our
          revenge against the Blackharts.

                      ROGER
          Sounds good to me!  But how will 
          we get out of this cell?

Henry grins and pulls the key out of his robe sleeve and 
shows it to Roger.

                      HENRY
          Come, we must be swift, your jailors 
          are already gathering below in the 
          courtyard to witness your execution.

Henry listens at the door.  He inserts the key and turns 
it.  CLICK.  He pulls the door open an inch, looks out.

                      HENRY (CONT'D)
          All clear!  Follow me!


INT. TOWER LANDING - DAY

Henry cautiously steps out onto the landing.

He starts downstairs, but realizes Roger isn't following 
him.  He turns and hurries back to the cell door.


INT. PRISON CELL - DAY

Henry stands in the doorway, looking puzzled.

Roger's sitting on his cot again, staring at the floor.

                      HENRY
          What madness is this, are you not 
          coming with me?

Roger turns his head and looks at Henry.  His expression 
betrays his sadness and regret.

                      ROGER
          I am sorry, brother, truly I am.

Heavy footsteps echo as SOLDIERS rush upstairs, swords 
drawn.  Before Henry has a chance to fight he's grabbed, 
his arms are pinned.

An OFFICER pushes through the soldiers.

                      OFFICER
          Henry Montfalcon, known as "The 
          Bloody," by the authority of Lord 
          Blackhart you are charged with 
          murder and reaving most foul.

Henry stares at Roger with disbelief.

                      HENRY
          You would betray me?  When I risked 
          all to rescue you?

                      ROGER
          I wasn't sure if you would come.

                      HENRY
          Of course I would!  You are my
          brother, damn you!

                      ROGER
          I was your brother.  Until you put 
          innocents to the sword.  Until you 
          ordered wholesale slaughter and 
          impaling.  You have stained the 
          good name of House Montfalcon.

                      HENRY
          You stupid little twerp.  A good 
          name gets you nothing.  You take 
          what you want in this world, and 
          you keep it by killing those who 
          would take it from you!  That's
          the Montfalcon way!

                      OFFICER
          Enough!  The executioner's axe 
          awaits you, Henry the Bloody.  
          Make your peace with your gods, if 
          they will listen to you.
               (to Soldiers)
          Take him away.

The soldiers bundle Henry downstairs.  Roger watches them 
go.  The Officer remains.

                      OFFICER (CONT'D)
          If it were up to me, you'd be 
          joining him on the platform.

Roger stares at the floor, not reacting. 

                      OFFICER (CONT'D)
          But my lord gave you his word, and 
          he will keep it.  A servant will 
          come for you soon and show you to 
          the stables.  You must ride from 
          this castle and never return.

The Officer exits downstairs, leaving the door open.

Roger leans back against the wall and closes his eyes. 

Loud cheers and cat-calls reach him from outside.

A long silence.  Then Henry shouts:

                      HENRY
          YOU WERE ADOPTED!

The THUNK of an executioner's axe.

A huge CHEER goes up.

Roger sighs.

                      ROGER
          Forgive me, brother.  But I promise 
          you I shall restore House Montfalcon 
          to its former glory.

WHUNK!  A crossbow bolt goes through Roger's neck!  His
eyes widen in shocked surprise.

Roger slowly keels over sideways on the cot, leaving blood
spatter on the wall.

Standing in the doorway, the ARCHER who fired the bolt 
casually leans his crossbow against his shoulder and grins.

                      ARCHER
          What, you thought you was gonna 
          get to walk away from this?  Nah, 
          that just doesn't happen, mate.

The Archer exits downstairs, whistling.

Roger's open eyes stare into eternity.

Pull back.  The ghosts of Roger and Henry stand looking down
at Roger's body.  Henry is headless, he holds his own head
under his arm.

                      HENRY
          So much for getting revenge on the
          Blackharts.

                      ROGER
          I believed he would keep his word.

                      HENRY
          As only an idiot would!

Ghost Henry puts his other arm around Ghost Roger's
shoulders.

                      HENRY (CONT'D)
          Come, brother.  Let's go haunt the
          bastids.  We'll give them cause to
          fear the Montfalcons yet!

The two ghosts turn and exit... through the wall.

FADE TO BLACK

                      ROGER (V.O.)
          Was I really adopted?

                      HENRY (V.O.)
          Yes.

Cue rousing theme tune, roll credits.

FADE OUT

                                                        Jul 2016