Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Summary: Your eyes drift open to see a panicked Rowan standing over you. They’re relieved you’re alright, but they quickly demand an explanation: how are you still alive!? And what was with that golden light that engulfed your wound, healing you!?

AUTHOR’S NOTE: All characters are written as gender-neutral. Wherever there is a pronoun in bolded brackets [like this], the VAs can insert the pronouns suitable to their rendition of the script. For example, if Rowan is played by a male, you can insert “him” instead of “them” where appropriate; if the queen is played by a female, you can substitute "queen" and "her" where appropriate, etc.

CW: mild cursing, mention of stabbing, mention of wounds/injuries

Characters:

• Rowan (any gender): A hunter and a former member of a thieves’ guild. Sassy, sarcastic, devil-may-care, yet with a heart of gold. As they grow closer to the Listener, they’re starting to fall for them.
• Monarch (any gender): The equivalent of the evil queen. Proud, cunning, manipulative, and cruel. Wants power—made the Listener, their stepchild, into a servant, in an effort to keep the throne for themselves. Consults their magic mirror, in order to get its reassurance that they are the greatest in the land.
• Magic Mirror (any gender): An ethereal being imprisoned in a mirror by the Evil Monarch. Speaks in rhyme. Is compelled by magic to always tell the truth, even if it proves dangerous for someone else.

Usage:

• OK to record & monetize, as long as you give me credit in the video/audio description as the scriptwriter! I would also love to listen to the recording when it’s done–please send me the link on Reddit! Paywalling is okay; however, if you paywall, you must make it possible for me to listen to the finished product.
• Gender-flipping and small tweaks are okay (e.g., changing pronouns, leaving out/changing curse words), but no large edits are permitted. You may not adapt my scripts.
• Feel free to use music or insert sound effects if you’d like. Any sound effects given are suggestions–use at your discretion. *Sound effects in bold, set apart by asterisks\*
• Any dialogue or reactions given by the Listener are purely for the benefit of the VA, to help them feel like they have something to respond to while they’re acting. Listener reactions in italics.
• Please let me know if you have any questions!

—————————————————————

SETTING: The forest. Rowan returns to where they left the Listener with the Laundry, only to find the Listener unconscious, the evil monarch's dagger sticking out of them.

\footsteps\**

\horrified gasp** What the—? NO! Oh, gods, no! No, no, NO—!

\running footsteps\**

(distraught) Snow! SNOW! Can you hear me!? Oh, gods! Come on! Come on; please! Listen--just hang on! It’s gonna be okay! You hear me!? It’s gonna be okay; I promi—!

Suddenly, the Listener's wound begins to glow with a brilliant light.

\magic/glowing sounds\**

Whoa, whoa, wait—what the hell!? What’s going on!? The wound—what's happening!?

As Rowan watches, the wound seals shut, the dagger crumbling away into ash. The Listener suddenly groans, their eyes opening.

\gasp** Snow!? Is that you? Are you okay!?

The Listener nods shakily.

(intense relief) Damn it—you almost scared me to death! Can you move at all? Here—grab my hand.

Rowan gently helps the Listener to sit up.

So...care to explain what the hell all that was about? I come back and find you with a dagger sticking out of you, and then, out of nowhere, your wound somehow heals itself???

[...]

(sarcasm) I mean, yeah, I kind of figured it was magic. Wounds don't usually glow. And the weapons stuck in them don't usually turn to ash and crumble away, either. Are you some kind of sorcerer, or something!?

The Listener explains.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Your mother!? You mean, she had magic!?

[...]

Oh. So, she didn’t actually cast the spell—she just bargained with the fairy who did. Damn…but why? Everyone knows fairy bargains are bound to come back to bite you.

The Listener explains--back when they were a baby, they got sick during the Great Plague. Their mother was terrified that they might die...so she bargained with a fairy to make them well again.

(quiet; serious) …Oh. I guess I can’t blame her. I remember when the plague was sweeping through the land. Everyone was desperate for a cure...I guess she just took it a step further. Still…what was the price? You can’t get something for nothing.

[...]

She…traded her life for yours? (shocked; realizes) Oh, gods. So, you got better, and she...?

The Listener nods.

Gods. I, I can’t even—I’m so sorry.

The Listener explains further—them being cured wasn't the only effect of the enchantment.

Wait—am I hearing this right? Not only were you cured, but the way the deal was worded, you would be...protected from death? Does that mean what I think it means!?

[...]

Seriously? You can’t die!? I mean, you can be injured, obviously, but whatever happens, you won't die from it??? How long is this supposed to last?

[...]

Until you ascend the throne? (pause) ...Wow. Congratulations—I’m officially speechless. (realizes) Hang on—then, back in the forest, I wouldn’t have been able to kill you, even if I’d tried! Dammit—why didn’t you tell me!?

[...]

Fair enough. I guess there are a lot of people who’d want to use you, when you have that kind of gift. Not a bad idea to be cautious. Wait—your [stepmother/stepfather/stepparent]—do [they] know!?

[...]

Good point. If [they] did, [they] probably wouldn’t have tried this kind of stunt. So [they're] the one that did this?

The Listener nods.

Dammit…how’d [they] find us!? Did [they] say anything!?

[...]

No, no—it’s okay. You’ve been through a lot—it's not surprising that your memory would be a little foggy. Come on—let’s get back to the tavern. We need to tell the others. If we start packing right away, we should be able to be out of here by nightfall.

[...]

Well, yeah. The [king/queen/monarch] knows we’re here now. We’re not safe anymore. We’ve gotta move; go somewhere else. Quickly.

[...]

Wha—? No! Like hell you’ll go alone! Are you crazy?

[...]

No, listen! You really think we’d just let you wander off on your own? Even with your powers, you'd be like a sitting duck! We're going together, or not at all. End of story!

[...]

(gentle) Stop. You’re not making me “give up” my home. Sure, it’ll be hard to leave the Lucky Draw, but as long as I have the others with me, that’s what really matters. Home is wherever they are. And now you, too. You’re part of the family now. Wherever you go, we're coming with you.

[...]

Of course. If anything were to happen to you, I…I don’t know what I’d do. I’m sure the rest of the gang would say the same. We may not have magic, at least not like the [king/queen/monarch] has, but we’ll protect you with everything we’ve got. If [they] want you, [they’ll] have to go through us.

\hugging sounds\**

Ooomph! Wow. Damn, you hug tightly. It’s okay—I’ve got you. (quiet anger) That monster…[they’re] gonna pay for this someday. I swear.

Pause. Rowan hesitates, on the brink of a love confession.

Snow? I, um—there's—there’s something I wanted to—actually, no. Never mind. Come on—we’ve got to get back to the others. Can you walk?

[...]

Here—let me carry you, just in case.

\scoops the Listener up\**

Eh, don’t worry about it. At least you’re lighter than that laundry basket.

[...]

Forget about the clothes. We can send Gunther back for them, if we need ‘em. For now, just hold on tight. Don’t worry—I won’t let you fall.

----------------The Castle----------------

The king/queen/monarch (Q) sees the Listener in their Magic Mirror (M), alive and well.

Q: No…it can’t be! IMPOSSIBLE! What sort of wretched spell is this!?

​

M: Alas, my [king/queen/liege], my words are true.

The one who is greater far than you

Is shielded by this special charm,

which keeps them safe from fatal harm.

This magic, born from desperate love

does thus surround them, as a glove

protects a hand from winter’s chill.

And it will yet surround them still,

Until the day that they alone

Are seated on their rightful throne.

​

Q: \screams in rage** NO! I refuse! I will NOT lose my throne to that pathetic little brat! There’s got to be some way to break the enchantment.

​

M: Alas, my [king/queen/leige], it can’t be done.

This ancient spell, so deftly spun

from threads of fate, by ancient fae,

cannot be broken. There is no way.

​

Q: No! No, no, NO! There has to be! Tell me! Tell me, or I swear, I’ll shatter you where you stand!

​

M: My [king/queen/liege], that would be ill-advised.

To do so would be your demise.

You sold your soul to me for power;

our bargain stands unto this hour.

I gave you the magic that you sought,

and then you hatched your traitorous plot

to trap me in this silver glass.

And should it ever come to pass

that from my cage I am set free,

I will take what's due to me.

​

Q: Shut your mouth! Do you think I have time to stand around listening to you blathering on!? You’re supposed to help me! If they can’t die, then what am I supposed to do!? Kill them, without actually killing them!? That’s absurd! How could I possibly—!? (stops, remembering a certain spell from one of their books) Wait. Wait…yes! That’s it! Where's that spellbook!?

\flipping pages\**

—There! (reads through the spell) Mmm...yes. Perfect! \evil chuckle** You think you’re invincible, do you, my pet? Not for long. Soon, I’ll have you in my grasp…for all eternity.