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Dark Hope
by Lendren Starfall
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Cast (in order of appearance)

Maura ............................. a dark-skinned, haunted young woman
Ling ............................................ an athletic young man
Lisha ............................................. a savvy young woman
Leopold ..................... an aristocratic fae of the Court of Night
Marielle .................................. a troubled young changeling
Tildeman ....................................... a punctilious guardian
The Faceless Man ..................... a mysterious, threatening figure

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Produced in association with the Seeds of Change Repertory Company.

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Act I: A Greater Calling
Scene 1: Why Us?
Scene 2: Finding The Scent
Act II: Children Are The Future
Scene 1: Innocence of Youth
Scene 2: But What Will It Cost?
Act III: Sinking Into Darkness
Scene 1: Sight Without Seeing
Scene 2: Forgetting And Remembering

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Act III: Sinking Into Darkness
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Scene 1: Sight Without Seeing
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SCENE MariellesRoom

Marielle: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT A3S1Q1 (6): The curtains lower, concealing the scurrying of stagehands,
then rise to reveal the cramped bedroom of Marielle. The girl again sits on her
bed, while the three teens mill about the room anxiously.

Ling: I say we don't have to stick around anymore. You paid for Tildeman to do
the job, let's let him do it.

Maura: But we don't know that that'll be enough.

Ling: So why'd you take that bargain if it's not enough?

Maura: It might be, and if it's not, we're going to need Tildeman's help. But
we can't leave until the two days are passed that the old man said the threat
would take.

Marielle: sits on her bed disinterestedly playing with a wooden doll.

Lisha: I suppose so, but you've already paid so much.

Maura: (uncertainly) Maybe, but I doubt it. The resources of one student at
finding an answer to a question. All our professors have that already!

Lisha: You won't always be a student.

Maura: I doubt I'll be anyone whose research abilities are worth that much.

Ling: Well, if we have to stay, what should we do?

Lisha: I suppose I should try to help Marielle with her dreams like I promised.

Maura: I don't think Tildeman cares anymore, and I'm sure Marielle doesn't.

Lisha: I suppose, but it's something to do.

EFFECT A3S1Q2 (0): Somewhere nearby, there is a forlorn howl, like, yet
strangely unlike, a wolf.

Ling: (quickly pulling a makeshift spear from behind the bed) Told you I was
going to need this.

Lisha: (summoning up a glowing crystal) Yes, you're very clever. Watch the
door.

Maura: moves nervously to Marielle, who is beginning to look nervously around,
and draws out a dagger.

EFFECT A3S1Q3 (0): A few of the hound-beasts burst through the doorway and
window, snarling.

Ling: moves to engage one of the hounds with his spear, the two circling one
another warily.

Lisha: focuses a swirl of crystals around another hound, who barks and snaps
them out of the air.

EFFECT A3S1Q4 (0): A third hound prowls towards Maura and Marielle, froth
flecking on its fangs.

Maura, to Marielle: (stepping towards the beast nervously) Stay back.

Marielle: hops up onto the bed, watching the beasts in growing terror.

ROLE Faceless (M): The Faceless Man

COSTUME FacelessCostume (Faceless): At a casual glance this man seems like a
menacing figure of authority, perhaps reminding one of a feared teacher, an
abusive father, or a corrupt politician. He wears a simple pin-striped suit,
devoid of creases and perfectly pressed, and a fedora tilted rakishly. There is
nothing about his outfit that suggests the slightest hint of individuality, no
personal flourish, no adornment, and on closer examination, nothing about the
man himself does either: he has no features at all, his face an entirely blank
mask of seamless flesh. Despite having no eyes and no mouth, there is something
about his movements and posture that suggests he can stare at you with the kind
of piercing gaze that sees through all secrets and all lies, and grin in
satisfaction at your helplessness and fear.

Faceless: ENTER steps silently into the room, at first unnoticed by everyone
else, too engaged in their battles.

Ling: charges forward as the hound before him fades back, yielding ground.

Lisha: tosses a cluster of crystals at one of the hounds, causing a flash of
light that makes the beast smolder and dissolve slightly.

Faceless: walks calmly towards Marielle.

Marielle: sees the faceless figure approach and screams at the top of her lungs.

Maura: turns away from her hound to stare at the faceless man, terrified by the
sight.

EFFECT A3S1Q5 (0): Suddenly all three hounds charge forward, acting on the
distraction, sinking their teeth into the three teens.

Ling: beats away his hound and then sinks his spear through it, causing it to
yelp in pain.

Faceless, to Marielle: They cannot save you from what you are. You must
remember what you were to be free of the fear. Give me your wings and you will
be free.

Maura: (over her shoulder as she wrestles with the hound atop her) Don't listen
to him, Marielle!

Marielle: (shaking in terror but also oddly curious) Free of what?

Faceless: The terrible burden of your legacy. I sense what you are, though you
do not yet. The hounds told me of the scent, I dared not believe.

Ling, to Lisha: (trying to pull his spear loose from the still-struggling hound)
You need to use the light crystals.

Maura, to Marielle: He only wants to hurt you, ignore him.

Faceless, to Marielle: (seeming to stare at her, even without eyes) Give me your
wings, girl. You've never known you had them, you won't miss them.

Marielle: glances over her shoulder at the evanescent inky wings that are
appearing behind her, insubstantial.

Lisha: I can't, they hurt me too much, I'll be helpless!

EFFECT A3S1Q6 (0): One of the hounds, noting Maura focusing her attention on
Marielle, leaps on the older girl and knocks her over, slavering maw snapping at
her throat.

Marielle: What am I? Who are you? Why are you here?

Faceless, to Marielle: (stepping inexorably closer to her, almost within arm's
reach) I am a friend of your father, a king of the fae. Come with me, and be
free of this prison.

Ling, to Lisha: You have to, or we're all done for.

Lisha: grits her teeth and murmurs, calling forth a glowing white crystal which
grows, casting light like the sun.

EFFECT A3S1Q7 (0): All three hounds yelp and start to steam and melt, while
everyone else present draws back from the painfully bright light, smoke rising
from clothes and skin.

Ling: struggles through the obvious pain of the burning light to pull his spear
out of the deliquescing hound.

Faceless: (seeming unconcerned about the light, though drawing back slightly) It
is too late. We know you, and you know yourself.

Marielle: (her wings now substantial) I am a princess of the fae?

Maura: (squirming in agony) Don't listen to him, he only wants to hurt you!

Lisha: turns towards the faceless man and projects her crystals toward him,
causing him to wince slightly.

Faceless, to Marielle: Yes, and these three cannot imprison you. Give me your
wings and we can be free of them.

Ling, to Lisha: Cage.

Lisha: shoots Ling a weary, pained glare, then nods and draws the painful light
into lines between pairs of crystals, moving them to surround the faceless man.

Faceless, to Marielle: (holding out a hand to her, his voice seeming slightly
desperate) Take my hand now, give me your wings, and be free!

Marielle: (reaching up to touch her wings) No, I want to keep them! You are a
bad man!

Ling: nods to Lisha, then lunges forward with his spear at the faceless man,
driving it through his chest.

Lisha: at the same moment, causes the cage of light to collapse in on him and
burst in a flash so bright it temporarily blinds everyone.

Faceless: EXIT SILENT

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Scene 2: Forgetting And Remembering
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SCENE MariellesRoom

EFFECT A3S2Q1 (6): When the blinding light fades and eyes gradually recover, the
room is as before, save that there is no trace of the hounds or the faceless
man, apart from a few smoking spots of grease on the floor. Maura, Ling, and
Lisha are bloodied and burned, their clothes giving off wisps of smoke, staring
around dazed, while Marielle runs a hand over her wings, slowly transitioning
from stunned to excited.

Marielle: That's why I never fit in, I'm not even human, I'm a fae, a
changeling, I'm a princess!

Maura: (turning slowly towards her, wincing in pain at the movement) Marielle,
you need to keep this a secret.

Marielle: (oblivious to Maura) I will leave this awful place and go where I
belong, where they'll welcome me!

Maura: No, they won't welcome you, they'll kill you. That man, he wanted to
hurt you.

Marielle: (briefly contrite and subdued) He was a bad man, scary, but if I learn
more about who I am I can defend myself against men like him.

Lisha: glances at Marielle, then at Maura, then back at Marielle.

Ling: Where the Nil was Tildeman? Wasn't he supposed to be protecting us from
that?

Tildeman: ENTER steps into the room with a brisk, businesslike stride and
surveys the room.

Lisha, to Tildeman: Ling makes a good point, where were your wards?

Tildeman: (calmly) Partially penetrated. A fae with that much strength can
press through them, a little. Were it not for the wards, he could have flung
you all aside like gnats, and brought a legion of fae to help him.

Maura: Well, we dealt with him, I think. Didn't we?

Ling: I don't know. I felt the spear go in, but the light hurt too much, I
didn't see.

Tildeman: Let's hope you did, or he'll have gotten word to his allies and
they'll be back. She'll need to be moved, just in case.

Marielle: I'm not moving anywhere, I'm leaving to go find my family.

Tildeman: (frowning) Oh, dear, we have a larger problem.

Lisha: Can we keep her from leaving?

Tildeman: If my wards couldn't keep that man out, they certainly can't keep her
in.

Maura: There's nothing for it. We need the Rite of Grey Mists.

Lisha, to Maura: Don't you think we're in enough debt already?

Maura, to Lisha: (directing a cold gaze) If you have a better idea now would be
the time to share it.

Lisha: withers and slowly nods, acquiescing.

Tildeman, to Maura: The Rite is far more potent a thing than questions or a few
days of warding. The price is thus twofold. First, you will agree that neither
you nor any of your employees, vassals, subjects, assigns, or inheritors will
hold me or my court responsible for any consequence arising from this action.

Maura: Fair enough. I don't expect to have vassals or any of those other things
anyway.

Lisha: Maura, be careful.

Marielle: tentatively gives a few flaps with her wings, hovering above the bed a
moment before tumbling back down as she tries to get the hang of flight.

Tildeman: Second, in exchange for this favor, you will owe me one favor of
anything I ask that is within your power to grant, and within your ethical
standards, to be given at my request at a time not less than twenty years hence.

Ling: Ethical standards?

Tildeman: It means I cannot request she do something that violates her
principles, but that such consent cannot be unduly withheld if my request is
something she would otherwise do for the sake of herself or others.

Maura: Done.

Tildeman: Very well. First, you'll need her wings. Then the three of you must
join in a circle around her.

Marielle: No, I don't want to give up my wings!

Maura: (turning to stare deeply into the girl's eyes) You must give them up, but
it's not forever. Your family will not welcome you, they will kill you, as you
threaten them. The day will come when you can rise to claim your birthright,
but this is not that day.

Marielle: But I don't want to be stuck here, where I don't belong!

Lisha: We're all orphans. None of us ever felt like we belonged. But you are
strong, you will survive until it is your time.

Marielle: (looking at Maura hesitantly) But I'm scared that that bad man will
come again and I won't be able to fly away.

Ling: You don't have to be scared. You will be watched over, protected.

Marielle: You promise?

Maura: We promise.

Marielle: Well... all right. How do I do it?

Maura: You just reach up and pull them off.

Lisha, to Maura: (looking at her befuddled) How do you know that.

Maura: I remember. I dreamed it.

Marielle: tears off her wings, wincing in momentary pain, then hands them to
Maura.

Tildeman, to Ling: Join hands, Protector.

Ling: glances curiously at Tildeman, then takes Maura's and Lisha's hands in
his.

Tildeman, to Lisha: Join hands, Advisor.

Lisha: takes Maura's and Ling's hands, encircling Marielle.

Tildeman: raises his hands, causing a flood of grey mist to sweep in, concealing
everyone.

Tildeman: EXIT SILENT

Maura: EXIT SILENT

Ling: EXIT SILENT

Lisha: EXIT SILENT

EFFECT A3S2Q2 (6): In the mist, a light falls on Marielle, seemingly floating
freely amongst the cloud, making her alone visible.

Marielle: looks around curiously as images flash through the clouds around her,
of an older woman tucking her under a bed, of the faceless man menacing her, of
hounds sniffing her scent, and each vision melts away into the mists and
vanishes.

EFFECT A3S2Q3 (6): The glamour surrounding Marielle fades, revealing her true
appearance, dark-haired and swarthy, looking very much like Maura must have when
younger; then the mists swallow her. The light shifts to reveal Maura, gazing
around at the mists.

Marielle: EXIT SILENT

Maura: ENTER SILENT

Maura: stares as the same visions appear in the mists, looming towards her, the
older woman hiding her under a bed, the faceless man, the hounds, and an older
woman -- now obviously Maura herself -- watching over her, keeping her safe,
helping her give up her wings.

Maura: watches other visions in the mists, being moved from Shelton to
Rincemark, there meeting a young man and woman, Ling and Lisha.

Maura: You will be watched over, protected. We promise. I understand now.

EFFECT A3S2Q4 (6): The light shifts again, revealing Ling and Lisha, as visions
swirl in the mists around them.

Maura: EXIT SILENT

Ling: ENTER SILENT

Lisha: ENTER SILENT

Ling: sees a young fae boy, excelling in athletics, being reared by his parents,
mighty fae warriors, and stares raptly as they send him off for his first
mission, protecting a fae princess, telling him how proud of him they are.

Lisha: watches a younger version of herself peering over her fae mother's
shoulder at a hefty tome, as the woman prepares advise for the royal court, then
turns to tell the young fae girl of her job to stand by she would one day be
queen.

EFFECT A3S2Q5 (6): In the visions, the young fae boy and girl are brought
together and give up their wings, are surrounded in mists, and then emerge in
Rincemark where they meet Marielle.

Maura: ENTER SILENT

Tildeman: ENTER SILENT

Marielle: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT A3S2Q6 (6): The mists slowly subside, leaving everyone dazed.

Tildeman, to Marielle: Poor dear, you bumped your head, you must be tired.

Marielle: I don't remember.

Tildeman: (putting the girl to bed) Don't worry, in the morning you'll be going
to a lovely new home where the weather is cool, where I feel sure you'll be
meeting some new friends who will stay with you forever.

Maura: (glancing at Ling and Lisha) My protector and my advisor.

Ling: But... if Marielle is Maura in her youth, how can we be here?

Lisha: The old man told us they had allies amongst the crystal city, who can
shift time.

Ling: So we changed our own pasts?

Maura: No... this is what always happened. I remember it now. I thought it was
my mother who saved me, but it was me, us.

Tildeman: (turning from the now-sleeping young girl) Now you can know the truth,
because now, you know how urgent it is that you keep that truth secret. You can
finally have your wings back.

Maura: (glancing at the wings in her hand) Is it my day to rise up now?

Tildeman: Not yet, no. Irium still holds sway. But soon it shall come to pass.
And then, your debts to me will be worth rather a lot more than you accounted.

Lisha: I told you.

Maura: Even so, without them, I would have died. She would have died. So it
was worth it.

Ling: Then you couldn't've come back to save yourself if you were dead... my
head hurts.

Lisha: But you did, so that you could. It all works.

Ling: (scratching his head) If you say so.

Tildeman: And now, you return to your own time. Ling and Lisha, keep your duty,
watch over the princess, and in time, you shall be at her side in positions of
power and honor when she is queen.

Ling: Of course. I would stay with Maura no matter if she be queen or pauper.

Lisha: That is the place made for us.

Tildeman, to Maura: Your mother made many sacrifices that you could make your
Court stronger. Honor her legacy.

Maura: (fitting the wings onto her back) I shall. When my day comes. That will
be... a very interesting day.

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