INT. The Tower – Zella’s Room – Day

ZELLA is staring at the landscape through the window, daydreaming, with her elbows on the windowsill. Curtains are moved by the wind. ZELLA’s attention turns to the vines that grow out from the edge of the island. The peace is disturbed by her MOTHER entering the room.

MOTHER

                Zella! We need to go to the market before dawn…why are you still standing there?

ZELLA stands up and turns to her MOTHER.

ZELLA

Of course, I’ll be downstairs in a minute

MOTHER

Now!

ZELLA

                Yes, Mother…

ZELLA follows MOTHER to the staircase, on her way picking up her gloves from the bed.

 

INT. The Tower – Ground Level – Day

Camera behind Zella, follows her to the exit. Zella moves the big chunk of animal skin that serves as ‘the door’. Camera follows outside, then zooms out on the whole village, while MOTHER prepares the mounts for a journey and ZELLA looks around.

MOTHER

                We don’t have much time, you know…

Camera on the MOTHER getting on her mount. ZELLA joins her and both ride away.

 

EXT. The Village – Day

MOTHER and ZELLA ride through the village to the center and pass many neighbours. Kids running around, hunters skinning the animals, others sitting in front of their houses or talking to each other. Some recognise the MOTHER as the master archerer and greet her happily.

HUNTER

Well, well, if it isn’t our greatest archer! Mira! My dear friend!

A man with an axe on his shoulder and a toothpick in his mouth turns to MOTHER

           MOTHER

We are not friends, dear. You’re a fool and you drink too much for my taste

MOTHER smirks without stopping, to which HUNTER laughs heavily.

HUNTER

In a great mood as always! I love your witty humour!

ZELLA seems unimpressed and bored by the social interactions. DRAMATIC CUT with a sound of a knife hitting a wood board.

 

Ext. The Village – Market – Day

Camera on a fish with a knife in its body. MOTHER and the MERCHANT are bargaining.

MERCHANT

                Twenty coppers! That is my last offer!

MOTHER

Ten!

MERCHANT

                Eighteen!

MOTHER

Twelve!

MERCHANT

This is madness! You know me and my business very well! I won’t earn anything at such price!

MOTHER

I know your business and I know they’re not even worth half of that! (Changes to whisper) because you steal those fish from Growl. And you also know me very well, so that is the price you will feel very satisfied with – Fourteen coppers.

She says as she throws coins on the surface. MERCHANT seems very troubled, but accepts the offer, collecting all the coins.

MERCHANT

You’re one hell of a customer, you know that?

Adds with a bit of sadness and shame in his voice. Meanwhile ZELLA looks around the market, noticing a mysterious, caped figure. She looks hastily at her mother, but seeing she’s occupied, decides to follow the stranger into a hidden alley between houses.

ZELLA

Hey! Stop! Who are you?! What are you doing here?!

The stranger pauses for a few seconds, then turns around.

AZAAN

I’m…not…exactly from here…

ZELLA

You’re a spy! From another village!? Are you planning another attack? Tell me! We’ll make sure you get some nice bruises just like the last time!

She says, reaching for her knife.

AZAAN

No no no…not a different village. I’m from a much more…distant place…

AZAAN takes off the hood and reveals his face. Zella looks surprised as she puts her weapon down.

ZELLA

You’re not even from this island…You don’t look like a Palasian.

 

AZAAN

My name is Azaan and I’m from Manolia. The island of flowers, you could call it.

ZELLA

What?! How did you get here? It’s a long way from the southern vines.

AZAAN

Southern? No way! I travelled through the northern vines.

ZELLA

How are you still alive!? Northern vines are dangerous! You can’t travel through them!

AZAAN

Somehow I did

ZELLA

But…what about the giant beasts…and the deadly storms? My mother told me all about it…there’s only death on the other side of those vines. Some people even say there isn’t anything at all. Just…the edge of the world.

AZAAN

What!? No, that’s…not true. Where I come from, it is such a beautiful place. Honestly, the most incredible place in this whole world…and trust me, I’ve been to a lot of different islands. But Manolia is so full of life, so many plants and flowers, the size of trees or even bigger, and amazing creatures living in the wilderness. I don’t think you can see so many different colours at once on any different island. It’s simply…breath-taking

ZELLA looked at AZAAN with wide eyes, charmed by the description of Manolia, but at the same time she was so confused and surprised.

ZELLA

But…that doesn’t make sense…

AZAAN

I can take you there! You can see for yourself!

ZELLA hesitated for a moment with her response.

ZELLA

I-

The discussion is interrupted by villagers

VILLAGER

Hey! Who are you!? We have a spy in our village! Here!

A group of people started chasing AZAAN. ZELLA was left alone, just looking at her new friend running away. She looks around and decides to go back to her mother.

Ext. The Village – Market – Day

The same stand that MOTHER and ZELLA were at earlier.

MOTHER

There you are! Where were you? We need to go back soon.

ZELLA

Just…looking around

MOTHER continues to attach all of the bought goods to her mount. ZELLA turns to the MERCHANT.

ZELLA

Hey? What do you know about the northern vines?

 

 

MERCHANT

Well, girl…I know what everybody knows. It’s not something you wanna mess with. Bad things happen to those that try to go north. We, Palasians like to stick to our own lands.

ZELLA

But what if…I wanted to go?

MERCHANT

Hahahahaha, girl, you are a very funny creature HAHAHA! If only your Mother heard you right now…HA!…But I’m serious. Don’t bother yourself thinking about it. No one ever returned, after going through the northern vines.

The MERCHANT looked genuinely concerned and so did ZELLA.

CUT.

 

Int. The Tower – Dining Room – Late Evening

ZELLA and MOTHER are eating dinner. MOTHER smashes her fist on the table. The plates bounce.

MOTHER

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Forget about it!

ZELLA

But Mother-

MOTHER

YOU! Are not leaving this tower and definitely not the island! I will not hear any more of this! Did you hear me!?

ZELLA seemed disappointed. She looked at the food and murmured a response.

ZELLA

Yes, Mother

INT. The Tower – Zella’s Room – Night

ZELLA lying in her bed. She wakes up and decides to run away.

 

EXT. The Tower – Night

ZELLA gets out, takes a mount and rides away. Unfortunately MOTHER woke up as well and runs out of the tower.

                       MOTHER
Zella NO!! Come back! You cannot leave!

Mother gets on a mount as well and starts chasing her daughter.

The Chase sequence. ZELLA and MOTHER are almost by the vines. Both end up on the ground with MOTHER holding ZELLA by the braid.

ZELLA

LET ME GO!

ZELLA reaches for her knife, raises her hand and cuts her braid off, setting herself free. She gets up immediately and approaches the vines, looking back at MOTHER still lying down with the braid in her hand. ZELLA kneels before the vines and touches them with her hands. Glowing stripes appear on the vines and ZELLA’s hands, then the girl teleports, leaving MOTHER alone, on her knees, still holding the braid.