EXT. PALACE YARD – DAY
A girl of six is play acting for another girl and boy around five. Older girl wears a cloth as a cape and holds a stick to make her more dramatic. OG tries to play all the parts of the various characters as she goes.
OLDER GIRL
Then the old, ugly, powerful man tried to stab the beautiful princess, but the bad prince ran in between them. The old man stabbed the prince instead.
(does a little scream)
The beautiful princess fainted-
YOUNGER GIRL
I don't think she fainted.
BOY
I heard she did.
OLDER GIRL
Shhh! First, I'm telling the story, and then we're going to act it out. If we want to change something, we'll do it when we get to the acting bit.
The two children nod in agreement, wanting to get to the acting part.
OLDER GIRL (CONT'D)
The beautiful princess fainted. The bad prince had been stabbed, but he bit the old, ugly man who died instantly.
(falls to the ground, then jumps back up)
Remember that after, when his body is being burned, he comes back to life again for a minute and screams and cries but then dies again, okay?
BOY
That's not true, he didn't come back to life! My dad was there and he says the old man was dead all along.
OLDER GIRL
It doesn't matter. It makes for a better play to have that part.
BOY
(sullenly)
Okay...
OLDER GIRL
Anyway, the bad prince saw the beautiful princess on the floor and ran to her. When he ran to her, he turned into a golden prince, because he wasn't bad anymore, he was good now. The beautiful princess woke up and saw the golden prince but just then he disappeared.
The princess cried for seven days and seven nights. She didn't eat or drink. But the prince didn't come back to her. It's because he has a lot of tasks to do. He has to find and fight a three-headed tiger before he can come back to the princess- but we'll do the prince's part later. There are lots of parts to it. Are you ready to act out the first part?
YOUNGER GIRL
I want to be the princess!
OLDER GIRL
You can't be the princess; you don't know how to faint. I'll be the princess and you can be the prince. We'll make up your lines as we go.
(pointing to the boy)
You are the old man. Can you die?
The boy stands and pretends to be bitten, making lots of noises and eventually falling, but very happy to be the one dying, bursts into giggles when he finishes.
OLDER GIRL
Okay, let's do it-
The children hear someone passing and run behind some crates. HR comes around a corner.
OLDER GIRL
It's the princess.
BOY
We call her the queen.
YOUNGER GIRL
Isn't she beautiful? My mum says she's the most beautiful woman in the whole world.
Boy in excitement runs out and bows to HR.
BOY
Hello, Your Majesty!
HR first glances around, thinking he might mean Gwi, then crouches down and smiles.
HYE-RYUNG
Your Majesty? I'm not a 'Your Majesty'.
BOY
I have to call you queen. My dad says so.
HYE-RYUNG
Well done then, keep listening to your father.
(noticing the girls peaking over the crates)
Oh, you have some friends I see.
The girls come running out, the younger one gushing as she comes.
YOUNGER GIRL
We were just about to do a play about you, Princess.
HYE-RYUNG
(laughs)
I'm not a princess either. What sort of play is this then?
YOUNGER GIRL
It's about when the old, evil man was killed and when the bad prince became a golden prince. And there's a second part about all the things he has to do to come back.
HYE-RYUNG
What does he have to do to come back?
BOY
He has to fight a three-headed bear!
OLDER GIRL
Tiger! It's a tiger!
BOY
Oh right. There are some other things too...
HYE-RYUNG
That sounds wonderful. Can I see it?
OLDER GIRL
It's not ready yet, but when it's ready we can tell you.
HYE-RYUNG
Please do. If you need any props or costumes, just ask Kim Mi-sook. I will tell her to get you whatever you want.
All the children's eyes widen with delight, envisioning dresses, knives, jewellery, etc.
OLDER GIRL
Really, princess? Can we?
HYE-RYUNG
Yes, of course.
The three clap, cheer, bow with happiness.
HYE-RYUNG
I'll be off now so you can continue your practice.
HR walks off and around a corner.
YOUNGER GIRL
Isn't she the most wonderful princess ever?
BOY
I thought she was always sad. She didn't look sad. She's nice.
OLDER GIRL
Of course, she's nice. She's only sad at night. Let's practice the first part. When we finish, we can go ask Kim Mi-sook for costumes!
HR still standing against the wall around the corner.
HYE-RYUNG
My golden prince.
(smiles bittersweetly)
Why, when I asked them what you had to do to come back, was I actually hoping for an answer?
