Episode Knotes

Present Day = White

Past = Yellow

(Original Knotes)

VANESSA

You’ve been quiet for awhile Freya

FREYA

I am absolutely disturbed by your ordeal, how were you able to escape?

VANESSA

It was long after, and I don’t think either of us were certain that we would. The moment we saw the ship approaching, we knew escape was impossible. Amanda took this first blow hard, it was what happened below deck that changed her

(narration continues over events. Past events will have a memory based sound added to them Labeled in italics. 

Time lapse sequence, to show passage of around a month, perhaps slightly more.

With each time point, see Amanda becoming less and less hopeful

Time points to be a series showing in sensible order:

-Pirates interacting abusively to Amanda

-Pirates interacting abusively to both girls

-Pirate captain telling one of his men to work the girl’s hard, especially Amanda, and the subordinate acknowledging his captain so the audience knows who’s talking

-Deterioration of Amanda’s hope and courage:

Amanda trying to instill confidence in Vanessa after they are recaptured

Amanda telling Vanessa to keep hope after Amanda is mistreated after manual labor

(Have a pirate criticize her work and threaten to beat her, and Amanda turning to Vanessa saying something that tries to show her that she isn’t really afraid of them)

Amanda trying to lash out at a pirate who is putting her back in her cell after more manual labor only to be tossed down like a rag doll (while lashing out saying things to the effect of ‘let us go’ ‘we’ve been here long enough’ ‘you can’t keep us here’ ‘don’t touch me’)

Amanda whispering hopelessly to Vanessa ‘we’ll never get out’ (end this sequence on that line)

VANESSA

At first, you could tell she had not fully given up.

AMANDA

Don’t worry, I just need time to think this through. 

VANESSA

I couldn’t find the words to warn her. 

GUARD 

(slap sounds/pain sounds) Get her up. Up!

VANESSA

They were going to break her down. 

GUARD1

You Sylvi are supposed to be strong right? Come on then, you can fight back. I want you at your best. (Punching sounds with chains rattling.) 

GUARD2

See how she glares at you, like she’s going to break those chains and hit you back?

VANESSA

(listening thoughts in head) Keep quiet please keep quiet

AMANDA

Again! (taunting, immediate sounds of beating.)

VANESSA 

But she wouldn’t let them. No matter what they did to her.

Commotion forcing her back in the cell with vanessa)

GUARD 

Get her in! 

AMANDA

No! Don’t touch me! (Fighting back but getting overpowered) 

VANESSA

(Whispering to herself her voice getting slightly frantic ). Don’t fight them. Don’t fight them 

Cell door opens and Amanda is tossed in. the door slams shut. 

VANESSA

No (disbelief) What have they done to you?

AMANDA

(struggling to talk. Gasping between each word.) Hey. I’m, wearing them out (struggling laugh)

VANESSA

I couldn’t fathom how she was able to withstand their torture. They even began ignoring me more and more as they were constantly trying to wear her down. Months went by or at least it felt like months. It took all of their efforts but soon she began to waiver.     

VANESSA:

(Whispering) Did they have you clean this morning? Amanda…

VANESSA

Look, I can’t watch you torture yourself anymore. Will you at least stop fighting them back? Can you hear me? 

AMANDA

(long pause, whispering, defeated) We’ll never get out. 

FREYA

She gave up?

VANESSA

Hard to believe (small laugh)

FREYA

She is human. What happened next?

VANESSA

Well as we sailed on...

(seagull sounds as we are now on the main deck)

After the time lapse, about a month has passed. The Captain is talking to his highest ranking men, maybe three pirates in total. He explains that <this> amount of time has gone by, and he still can’t believe that that man was a knight. He goes on to say who knows who he (the knight) was able to tell about us and our dealings.

The highest ranking of those three pirates speaks out saying that he and his men never trusted the knight (the other two in unison mutter affirmatively) and that they tried to tell him not to trust him either.

The Captain responds very angrily at that rebuke. He explains that it doesn’t matter now, and that they always defeat their enemy in the end, and this time was no different. “We threw that traitor’s body overboard and that scum is no longer sullying our ship any more than he already has.”

Perhaps add a line here at the end: one of the pirates with humorous amazement recalling the fact that the captain killed that bird with his bare hands, and the captain, recovering from his anger and putting on a humorous tone himself saying something like “yes, and a fine dinner it made” with the pirates laughing at that.

PIRATE:

Your tea Captain. (scurries off)

CAPTAIN

After all this time, We had a knight of Gadanin right under our noses.

COMMANDER

With respect Captain, we never did trust him. ...We tried to warn you as well..

CAPTAIN

(angrily) It doesn’t matter now! He's in pieces at the bottom of the ocean

COMMANDER:

I will say Captain, it was a humorous watching you snap that bird in two. 

CAPTAIN:

(laughs) And a fine dinner it made. Walk with me. 

Sound of slow steps and sea air.

CAPTAIN

He wants the girl

COMMANDER

Captain?

CAPTAIN

He isn’t prone to explaining himself

COMMANDER

...yes of course. I will plot our course. Which map should I retrieve?”

CAPTAIN

There is no map for where we’re going. I was given this new heading. We will be met along it.

COMMANDER

Why are we following orders from him?

CAPTAIN

Enough. You have your course.

COMMANDER

Aye sir.

Back in the cell

That night, Amanda and Vanessa have just finished up their meager dinner and a pirate took their plates away, taking the opportunity to berate them as he is leaving. Vanessa asks Amanda to tell her about her time as a knight. Amanda reminds her that she is still a squire. After an annoyed retort by Vanessa, Amanda thinks for a second and then begins to share a story of a successful mission she and her mother were once on. She explains the feeling of intense excitement she felt, even in the face of danger. She goes on to explain how she was so excited about growing up, about becoming a heroic knight, about living. She then starts to say to Vanessa how she even continued to dream when she was first caught and brought to this ship. 

Began to dream of freeing her, of bringing her to the Twist Islands and seeing that she be trained as a knight and joining her (Amanda) on missions. Towards the end of that she starts sounding sad, as if she has now accepted the idea that she will not live out those dreams she made for herself before this mess. Vanessa says something to the effect of “I’ve not allowed myself to dream for a very long time. If I still could, though, that would be the dream I’d want to have come true. To become a knight and to be a part of your team.”  ---(don’t use the words duty or serve anywhere here)

VANESSA

What’s on the menu tonight?

AMANDA

Food.

VANESSA

If you can call it that.

AMANDA

It helps, keep it down.

VANESSA

(longing for the old Amanda) Hey, why not tell me about your first time as a Knight?

AMANDA

I was a squire

VANESSA

Are you no longer a squire?(sarcastically) You know what I meant. 

AMANDA

(Sigh) I was on a mission with my Mother once. It was my first time out in the field so to speak. The excitement was unreal. Every moment, even in the face of danger. I couldn’t wait to learn more and be Knighted. I was determined to do it ahead of our class. I knew I had the skill and the lineage to do great things. That’s why I was so certain I could get us out when I was brought on board. I dreamed of freeing us and bringing you home, to the islands. (laughs) I even thought we could finish our training together. We are the same year if your think about.

VANESSA

We are? 

AMANDA

I noticed when we were up top in the light. We have the same color tunic. 

VANESSA

Look at that! I guess we may have bumped into each other at some point had things been different. We may have even been fighting together on some dangerous mission. Like you and your Mother.

AMANDA

(sad) Yeah…

VANESSA

You know, I haven't allowed myself to dream for a long time. But if I did, that would be a nice dream to have. You and I Taking on the other realms together. Showing why you never want to get in the way of a Twist Isle Knight.

AMANDA

a Twist Isle Knight…

AMANDA & VANESSA

Three times the fight! (laughing)

VANESSA

(Laughing) I remember that one! I always felt so foolish repeating it aloud. 

AMANDA

Who would come up with something so ridiculous?

(laughter calms down to the realization that they are still prisoners) 

(muffled commotion on the top deck a battle is taking place)

VANESSA

(jumps up alert listening intently) In all my time here… mutiny maybe?

AMANDA

No. There are two groups up there. 

VANESSA

...Your Mother? Could it be her?

AMANDA

After all this time? No. its someone but not her. (walks away from her. We hear the chains rattle.) She’s not coming.

~~~~

Top Deck

a muffled commotion is heard (muffled because they are so far down in the ship). A couple of pirates are seen running to the stairs to ascend the ship. Then the sounds of swords being drawn and fighting are heard. Vanessa turns confused and alarmed to Amanda and asks what she thinks is going on. If they are under attack. If maybe it is Amanda’s mother coming to save them after all? To this Amanda replies: “I can’t believe she hasn’t come after all this time. It isn’t her.”

Cut to a battle scene taking place on the top three decks of the ships. Sword fights and hand to hand combat is taking place between the pirates and a well-organized group that has boarded the ship somehow seemingly undetected. Then, in the commotion, one of the fighters yells out from a medium distance: “Lady Miranda, the captain has holed himself up in his chambers. He is very well guarded.” She replies “We will take care of him. Take three others and go find my daughter.” “Yes Lady Sylvi.” He and a few others break off and fight their way into the ship. (Before we follow them into the ship, Amanda’s mom yells a few battle orders and we understand that they are succeeding in making their way to the Captains chambers.)

PIRATE 1

Yaaaaaa! (Battle sounds)

(Pirate 1 is stabbed and grabbed close)

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

 I ask again. Where is she?

PIRATE 2

Let him go we have you surrounded.  

(Lady Miranda yells and we hear her sword swiping and cutting through everyone around her. We distinctly hear 3(**yeah that’s right :-)**) bodies and swords groan and drop.)

PIRATE 1

(whimpering and crawling away from Miranda)

LADY MIRANDA

No no. (casually)

PIRATE 1

(grunts in pain as he’s being lifted by Miranda.)

LADY MIRANDA

My daughter!(sinister) Looks like me. 

PIRATE 1

Shivers in fear

LADY MIRANDA

Very well.

(pirate 1 is thrown overboard. We hear him yell and splash) 

TWIST ISLE KNIGHT 1: 

Lady Miranda, the Captain has holed himself up in his chambers. He is well guarded. 

LADY MIRANDA

We will take care of him. Take three others and go find my daughter. 

TWIST ISLE KNIGHT 1

Yes Lady Sylvi.

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

Secure the deck! We move towards the Captain's quarters. ONE STEP AT A TIME! (Morale boost)

TWIST ISLE KNIGHTS

THREE STEPS AHEAD!

Then we pick back up with that group of four knights sent to rescue Amanda. They meet decent resistance at the beginning, but being well trained knights, they take care of most of them. One of them should be the pirate high ranking officer, and the main knight fairly easily take care of him. The knight notices keys on the fallen pirate’s belt. He takes them. They continue on, wondering how far down they are keeping Amanda, one knight retorting if she is still alive. All of a sudden, a group of pirates jump out of a hidden passageway. The surprise causes the death of one of the knights (not the main one), but the remaining three take care of that sneak attack. They note out loud that the ship has hidden passageways. Soon after they find the cell with Amanda and Vanessa.

The main knight exclaims “Amanda! We’ve found you. Your mother is here; we’ve come to rescue you.” Amanda reacts with shock, disbelief, and finally with relief. She explains that they must take Vanessa with them, and that she is not leaving without her. They of course agree. The knight takes out the keys they claimed earlier “Let’s see if one of these opens this cell.” Eventually they get the cell open, and they begin going back up the ship, with only occasional interference.

LEAD TiKNIGHT 

Quickly now, she must be at the lowest level if this is like the other ships.                           

TIKNIGHT

If she’s even alive

LEAD TiKNIGHT

None of that! 

Lead Pirate Guard (jumps out screaming. He kills one knight and is quickly killed. We hear all the sounds)

Pirate ambushes a group of twist Island knights and jumps out unexpectedly

{Special Guest Voices Anthony Heys of  Me Myself and I Radio Podcast & Scott Doucet of  Podcastbay Productions }

PIRATE

(Yells as he jumps out ready to kill.)  

TWIST ISLE KNIGHT

(yelling) Look out! 

PIRATE

(Grunts as he is swinging his sword at the knight)!  

TWIST ISLE KNIGHT

(grunts as he is blocking the sword strikes. Yells to the other knights) Get to the lower level! 

PIRATE

(Chuckles impressed with himself) 

You don’t live up to the reputation. (Grunt as if you are going for a final swing with your sword.)

PIRATE

(Death sound.)

TWIST ISLE KNIGHT

(Death sound.) 

TIKNIGHT

Worthless…(distraught)

LEAD TIKNIGHT

Keep your heads, we mourn him later.

TIKNIGHT

Look, keys (grabs them) 

LEAD KNIGHT

Hurry.

In the cell 

VANESSA

They are coming closer, something is definitely not right on this ship.

(cell door unlocks both girls gasp)

TIKNIGHT

It is pitch black in here.

AMANDA

Who is there?  

LEAD KNIGHT

Thank heavens, it’s her.  Quickly, we’ve come with your mother. We must leave at once.

AMANDA 

(shock, disbelief, and finally with relief) I...I am not alone. Vanessa is of the islands her path lies with us. 

LEAD KNIGHT

Yes, of course.  Are there others?

VANESSA

...Not anymore

Captains Quarters

Miranda is confronting the captain (one of only few survivors as the knights cut through the ship pretty well). When she confronts the captain, he first puts up a small fight saying he’s not afraid of her and there’s nothing she can do to bend him to her will. Then, she finally convinces him to talk (probably by painting a bleak vision of his future, then appealing to a pirate’s greed and offering him handsome rewards for information), and just as he begins to utter the first word, he begins to convulse, and falls over dead. Miranda and the knights around her dumbfounded.

After a few shocked and confused retorts are made, the three knights with Amanda and Vanessa enter the chamber. Instead of a heartfelt reunion, Amanda confronts her mom telling her how she can’t believe she didn’t rescue her sooner, how she almost died, how awfully she was treated, how she lost all hope of ever being free again. To this Miranda explains that it took her a while because they were on a mission. Amanda retorts saying “how couldn’t you come save your daughter right away?” and Amanda’s mom says: “yes I know you’re my daughter, but we are knights, and we must always do our duty.” (This sets up Amanda saying this to Erica).

CAPTAIN

That is your pathetic daughter? (Small laugh to himself) Well, I’ve kept her well for you, and even made sure to keep her in our darkest cell.

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

You wretch. You dare to steal my daughter from me and keep her locked in darkness. Tell me how this came to be and you’ll come with me alive.

CAPTAIN

(arrogant scoff) She was stubborn at first, but before long she became a useful servant.

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

Hear this, -pirate-. I will have you taken from this sullen miserable ship, locked in chains, and tossed away to learn the true meaning of darkness. However, I am not made of stone. Perhaps a lighter sentence can be arranged were you to provide me with some useful information.

(Not having any time to respond, the Captain begins to convulse, gasping for air, and finally falls dead)

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI: 

What just happened? (Annoyed tone more than shocked)

TIKNIGHT

I think you gave him a heart attack.

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

I did no such thing.

AMANDA

...Mother

(Miranda turns around) 

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

(Sigh of relief) Wonderful, (Looks at the lead knight) Casualties?

LEAD KNIGHT

I...my lady (implying Amanda should come first)...one

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

Well then, gather the knights and clear the ship of supplies and treasure. Report to me in an hour and set fire to the ship as we leave. Come Amanda. (Walks away Amanda follows)

AMANDA

Mother!

LADY MIRANDA SYLVI

Your cellmate will be joining us I assume. This will be a nice change of scenery for her by the looks of it.

AMANDA

You won't even look at me. How could you not come for me sooner? Do you have any idea what I've been through?

LADY MIRANDA

You did what I expected you would. You survived. If you wanted an easy life you could have been a clock maker like your father

AMANDA

How can you be so callous? I’m your flesh and blood, and your heir. I thought I would spend the rest of my life in darkness. I expected my own mother to be concerned enough to try and rescue me right away.

LADY MIRANDA

You are well aware that I was on an important mission, assigned by our king himself.

AMANDA

(Snapping) You have always been like this. Never able to switch it off. 

LADY MIRANDA

(grabs her arm very stern) (Amanda Grunts) Yes, you are my heir, and you’d best learn what that means. We are Sylvi, we don’t have the luxury of ‘switching it off.’ I pray you won't have to rescue your own child from a torture ship. But, no matter what, duty comes first. Always.

(Hard break in sound)

VANESSA

It’s alright Freya, we were rescued.

FREYA

I don’t know what to say

VANESSA

You asked why I follow Amanda so blindly, even on this mission that seems to have no path to success. Because I was in hell, and I followed her blindly, and I got out. And I don’t simply mean from that ship, but from my willingness to die. I follow her because she is the only person I have ever known to be completely broken and still able to regain control of their life. She makes me feel that I can one day do the same.

FREYA

I have much to learn.

VANESSA

I’m glad you’ve noticed.

(sounds of the wolves from the end of episode 2 Lost in eastwood) 

VANESSA

Wolves!