"Starlight Theater: No One Truly Knows"

#script #originalcharacters #transcharacters #itskatrina #andbedivere #willcontinue #nobeta #wedielikeknights

Character List

LADY KATRINA – Head of the Royal Knights, righteous and pure hearted

KING MATHEUS – A tyrannical ruler

SIR BEDIVERE – A loyal knight and a loyal friend

NARRATOR- THE NARRATOR

SCENE 1

SETTING : A table is set as a work desk in the middle of the stage. Documents and plans are haphazardly scattered on top of the table. Two chairs are placed on the right side of the stage, slightly spaced apart.

AT RISE : KATRINA is standing, hunched over the plans.

NARRATOR (VO)

Justice. It is what society dictates to be right based on their moral compass. But how true is society’s compass? Who is to be judge of what is truly just?

(LADY KATRINA fusses over the plans)

SIR BEDIVERE

(knocks on door)

Your Ladyship, may I enter?

LADY KATRINA

Yes, yes come in BEDIVERE

(still hunched over the plans)

What’s the current status?

SIR BEDIVERE

The soldiers are prepped and ready for battle, Your Ladyship.

LADY KATRINA

(frustratingly)

Prepped and ready? What about weapons? Armor? Main and back-up provisions?

(Increasingly loud)

Do we have enough soldiers for the vanguards, the body, and the rear-guards? How many archers do we have? Give me DETAILS BEDIVERE!

SIR BEDIVERE

(stands to attention)

All our weapons, armor, and provisions are sufficient enough for double the vanguards, main body, and the rear guards that we currently have. We are 5,000 soldiers strong, 600 bowmen, 700 in the cavalry.

LADY KATRINA

(Slams table)

GAH! That’s not enough. Knowing him, he must’ve rounded up thousands more than us.

SIR BEDIVERE

(At ease)

With all due respect, Your Ladyship. Our soldiers are the best in all the Three Holy Kingdoms. His Majesty, can’t possibly defeat trained knights.

LADY KATRINA

(Cynically laughs)

You’d be surprise what numbers and greed would do against experience.

(LADY KATRINA walks to a chair and sits. Hands to her temples as she slouches)

LADY KATRINA

Bedivere, be honest with me, are we really doing the right thing here?

(Looks up to BEDIVERE)

Is this truly wise? We are His Majesty’s Royal Knights.

(clenches chest)

I made an oath to serve the crown. Now I’m leading a coup against it!

(BEDIVERE takes a chair and sits opposite to KATRINA)

SIR BEDIVERE

(places hand on KATRINA’S shoulder)

Your Ladyship, I’ve served alongside you for years now and so have these knights. We too made an oath to the crown, but that man is not the crown. He wields it but he is far from the King we swore to serve.

LADY KATRINA

(stands up and heads to her worktable)

And what of this cause! I’m leading you all to a traitor’s death.

SIR BEDIVERE

(stands up)

Before we made an oath to the King, we swore to follow you. Wherever that path may lead us, we will follow Your Ladyship to the bitter end. You have given us no reason to doubt you.

LADY KATRINA

And yet I am doubtful myself. I don’t even know if what we’re doing is right anymore. You lot don’t deserve a hesitant leader.

SIR BEDIVERE

Your doubt is not without cause. It shows how much you’ve thought about this.

(approaches her)

Your Ladyship, we are knights, soldiers to a cause. We’ve all done things that people might think are despicable, but we believe that that cause is good. We believe in this cause and we believe in you. Your Ladyship…what do you believe in?

SCENE 2

SETTING : A throne is place on the right side of the stage, slightly facing the audience.

AT RISE : KING MATHEUS lazily sits on the thrown. LADY KATRINA kneels before him at the left side of the stage.

KING MATHEUS

(pompously)

After you’ve made sure the tax collection at the southernmost villages are sorted, move on to the southeast and so forth.

LADY KATRINA

(kneeling whilst looking at the KING)

Yes, Your Majesty.

(Hesitantly)

However?

KING MATHEUS

(irritated)

However?

LADY KATRINA

My King, the southernmost part of your rule holds some of the poorest villages. The people there have barely enough to feed their families.

KING MATHEUS

(haughtily)

And what of that, knight? Are you proposing that they should suddenly be exempted from paying their taxes? Do they deserve that privilege?!

LADY KATRINA

(bows head)

I believe that they could at least be given a lower tax rate as compared to others, due to their circumstances.

KING MATHEUS

(laughs arrogantly)

And who are you to propose such an act? Are you the king of this land? Should I just give all the knights in my disposal the right to govern this country? Better yet, the people themselves?!

LADY KATRINA

Forgive my impudence, Your Majesty. It was not my intention to propose such a displeasing act towards you. However

(looks up at MATHEUS) (tone serious)

it is certain that your decision will be met with strong opposition.

KING MATHEUS

(stands up from throne) (irritated)

And what if it is!!! Execute those who rebel against their King. That is your duty! Eradicate the opposition in front of all that they hold dear. Teach those who choose to defy me the price that they have to pay.

LADY KATRINA

(disbelief)

Your Majesty…

KING MATHEUS

(maniacally)

And while you’re at it, prepare your men for battle. The neighboring kingdom has been showing signs of hostility towards my rule.

(to himself)

This’ll teach that young king to choose his opponents wisely.

(turns to KATRINA)

Well then, get to it!

LADY KATRINA

(rises slowly)

I have slaughtered and enslaved my country men all in your name. I took an oath to protect the crown, and you’ve done nothing but treat your people like slaves! I won’t stand for this anymore MATHEUS.

KING MATHEUS

(hysterically)

Treason! High treason!!! I'll have you guillotined in front of the entire kingdom!

LADY KATRINA

That’s enough MATHEUS! We’ve known each other longer than you’ve assumed the throne. You weren’t like this before! Please stop this tyranny.

KING MATHEUS

How dare you speak to your King like this! GUARDS! GUARDS!

LADY KATRINA

(almost begging)

MATHEUS, please just stop this madness. Have you seen the Queen yet? Have you seen your wife, Luna? She’s been bed ridden, MATHEUS. She needs you now more than ever.

KING MATHEUS

(hesitates)

L-Luna? I…I don't have time for such matters. I am the King. The reformation and progression of this kingdom depends on me! This is necessary for the kingdom! And anyone who stands in my way will be treated as a threat. Be it friend or family.

LADY KATRINA

But what you’re doing isn’t just, MATHEUS. You’re sacrificing innocent lives!

KING MATHEUS

I am the king. I am what is just!

LADY KATRINA

Then it’s settled.

(turns away from MATHEUS)

The next time we meet, the battleground we’ll be our graves.

(walks away)

SCENE 3

SETTING : The throne is toppled. Bits of fabric is strewn about.

AT RISE : LADY KATRINA and KING MATHEUS faces each other, blade in hand.

KING MATHEUS

You are a knight of your words, Katrina

LADY KATRINA

(slightly labored breaths)

I keep my promises, MATHEUS.

KING MATHEUS

Oh? And your oath to protect the crown? Have you kept that promise?

LADY KATRINA

(battle stance)

Once I get that crown of your head, I will.

(battle starts)

(clashes swords)

We don’t have to do this MATHEUS

KING MATHEUS

(gritted teeth)

You have no idea what you’re talking about

LADY KATRINA

Call off your men, call off the war! We can make this right again!

KING MATHEUS

Aaargh! There is nothing left to fix Katrina! I’ve come this far, I will see this through!

LADY KATRINA

There’s still time, Matheus!

KING MATHEUS

There is not time!

(sword is forced out of hand) (Kicked by Katrina) (falls back)

LADY KATRINA

(Pants)

Surrender now, MATHEUS. You’ll be given a just sentence. We can still fix this.

KING MATHEUS

(looks away)

There’s no turning back for me, Katrina. Luna…she’s dead.

LADY KATRINA

(shocked)

W-What…

KING MATHEUS

(regretful)

I was too absorbed in my quest for power…I wasn’t there for her when she died. So I can’t turn back now. It would’ve all been a waste if I stopped now. This is the path that I’ve chosen.

(brings out dagger)

and I will conquer it!

(stabs KATRINA)

LADY KATRINA

(staggers)

M-MATHEUS…

(Katrina tightens her grip on her sword and slashes MATHEUS with a loud cry)

(MATHEUS falls)

LADY KATRINA

(Pants) (falls to the ground) (laughs dryly)

SIR BEDIVERE

(enters)

Lady KATRINA!

(rushes towards)

LADY KATRINA

(chuckles in pain)

There you are. What took you so long? You missed all the fun.

SIR BEDIVERE

(fusses over her)

Your Ladyship, you’re wounded. We must treat you immediately!

LADY KATRINA

Don’t bother. That devil’s kitchen knife was laced with poison. I don’t have much time now.

SIR BEDIVERE

(disbelief)

KATRINA…

LADY KATRINA

(groans)

Status report, BEDIVERE.

SIR BEDIVERE

I...

(solemnly)

We lost most of our men. But the people had rallied together with us and the King’s men have been defeated…

(choked up)

We did it, KATRINA.

LADY KATRINA

We did…

(looks at King’s corpse)

Bedivere…even if we, and the people believe that what we did was good, does it really justify killing all these men.

SIR BEDIVERE

KATRINA…I-I don’t know…

LADY KATRINA

(chuckles breathlessly)

Does anyone?

END