The Rise of King Kessler Act I: Draft Submission

The Rise of King Kessler: A Short Play by Nicholas Feinberg

ACT I

SCENE I

Setting: In a small garden.

Cast: KESSLER

(KESSLER is sitting down, reading. Suddenly, he lifts his head and talks to camera.)

KESSLER: (Exasperated.) The Ratte-Kinge oppresses the good citizens of the Isse-Lande region at every opportunity. We cannot simply sit idly by and allow his tyranny to persevere. We must rise up and declare independence. Isse-Lande shall become its own country, and it must be now!

(Stands up.)

KESSLER: What am I to do? We are small, weak, helpless. There must be some way to fortify our defenses...


SCENE II

Setting: In a tavern. Crowd mumblings can be heard in the background.

Cast: KESSLER, WOOD-ELF

(KESSLER and WOOD-ELF sit at a table, with mugs, they face each other and converse while drinking.)

WOOD-ELF: (Slyly.) We are here to discuss a "business proposition", are we not?

(KESSLER looks around cautiously.)

KESSLER: (Nervously.) Yea, I do consult you for I have heard you are well-versed in the ways of love. Come show me why you do deserve your good name!

WOOD-ELF: Very well then, come with me, and I shall show you a world of delight.

(They go up the the bedchambre.)


SCENE III

Setting: In the bedchambre. Clothing strewn about.

Cast: KESSLER, WOOD-ELF

(KESSLER and WOOD-ELF lie in bed together, unclothed, but covered by bed-sheets.)

KESSLER: (Satisfied.) Yea, verily, I can see now why you are renowned throughout these parts as the greatest of your ilk. You have performed well, and now I offer you this sixpence in gratitude.

(Throws a coin to WOOD-ELF.)

WOOD-ELF: Why that is quite generous!

KESSLER: I assure you, you deserve it richly.

WOOD-ELF: Well, especially in these troubled times, as you know how the Ratte-Kinge keeps our economy in such a poor state.

KESSLER: (Excited.) Indeed. That is quite the subject which I had hoped to discuss. The Ratte-Kinge is indeed evil in his tyrannies over the region of Isse-Lande. But perhaps I have a plan to finally end all of this injustice. You of course, being a creature of the wood, have surely heard of the "bear-weasel" and its exploits?

WOOD-ELF: Of course, the bear-weasel is well knows to us, but what could you possibly want to know of its habits and exploits?

KESSLER: The bear weasel is indeed the most powerful of beasts. It is instrumental in my grand endeavours to liberate Isse-Lande. The bear-weasel, in the right hands, could indeed wreak great havoc on the Ratte-Kingdom, and in the fury and panic, our small rebel armies could easily take Isse-Lande, and we shall be free!

WOOD-ELF: (Skeptically.) If you truly desire to know about the bear-weasel, then I can point you in the direction of an expert in the field. I myself do not posses significant knowledge of its ways.

(Writes some information down on a piece of parchment, and gives it to KESSLER.)

KESSLER: That is sufficiently marvelous. I shall contact him at once! You...you're not like other wood-elves I have consorted with in the past...no, you have an air of distinction, of nobility that I cannot place...

WOOD-ELF: (Nervously.) Oh! It is nothing. A trick of the mind, most certainly. I am but a humble wood-elf worker. And you as well, you are, well different from all my other clients...you seem to respect me so...and you are especially intelligent, well, for a human at least...

(Flips the coin back to KESSLER.)

WOOD-ELF: Here, this one is complementary! Until the next time!

(Darts off too quick to follow.)

KESSLER: How interesting...


TO BE CONTINUED...