Sc. 22 EXT - THE GREEN CHAPEL - FORESTED HILLSIDE - DAY
The rushing water subsides and Brigid finds herself kneeling in the tiny Green Chapel pool. Brigid whimpers, frustrated and climbs out.
She wipes the rain from her eyes then, blinks and wipes them again. The trees of the woods below and around her have a slightly translucent, sparkling double image as in her grandfather's painting.
BRIGID: The Shadow Realm?
As they sway in the wind, the Shadow image of every branch and leaf moves slightly before the solid image, as though anticipating the wind.
A RAVEN is sitting on one of the branches of the tree nearby. It, too, has a double image which moves slightly before its solid body moves. The bird twitches its head from side to side so that each eye gets a good look at her.
Brigid reaches for her pendant for comfort and, finding it missing, turns back to the pool and gasps. Brigid's body is still kneeling in the tiny pool. Hesitant with fear, she approaches her limp, wet body.
BRIGID: H-Hello?
Her physical body gives no response. She leans in closer - the chest is expanding and contracting. Slowly, gingerly, she reaches out to the body. Her fingers dip into her shoulder as though it were not there at all. She yanks her hand back, terrified.
She holds her hands out before her and sees that the body she now inhabits, though definitely her own, is also slightly translucent and glittering. She reaches out again and quickly sweeps her hand first one way, then the other through her body.
Brigid is startled as the double-imaged Raven lands on a rock above the pool then hops across the rocks and onto her body's head. She flaps her ethereal hands at it.
BRIGID: Hey! Get off!
RAVEN: Why? You're not doing anything with it.
The Raven's voice is as much a double image as its form:
human words come from its Shadow-image as bird-song comes from its solid body.
BRIGID: Wh- what do you want to do with it?
RAVEN: Whoa ho ho! Didn't even look around for a human. Not even a 'did you just speak?'?
A BLACKBIRD, similarly double-imaged and double-voiced, swoops from a Rowan tree growing by the pool. It has a large, wriggling spider in its talons.
BLACKBIRD: All right! All right! I should know better than to play these games with you.
Brigid winces as the smaller bird releases the spider to the Raven still sitting on her body's head.
RAVEN: I do hope you're not suggesting I'd cheat.
Brigid grimaces as the Raven catches the spider in its beak and slurps and crunches it down. The Blackbird lands on the rocks above the pool and settles its wings into place.
BLACKBIRD: So? Who are you, then?
BRIGID: Um, Brigid Taylor.
The birds stare at her.
BLACKBIRD: And?
BRIGID: 'And' what?
The Blackbird twitters annoyed.
BLACKBIRD: You must be SOMEONE - only royalty or a great Champion would have the cheek to piggy-back through on the Shadowkeeper like that.
BRIGID: Um... I didn't ... I mean... I'm not anyone special.
BLACKBIRD: Then what are you doing here, girl?
Brigid is startled and tears well. The Raven flutters to a branch hanging low by Brigid's ear.
RAVEN: Don't mind him, he's just upset because you got through the gateway without his help.
BRIGID: W-what gateway? I'm exactly where I was.
RAVEN: Not EXACTLY where you were. Not exactly WHAT you were either.
Brigid looks again at her body slumped in the pool.
DEIRDRE (Off Screen): Bridge?! Bridgie are you up here?!
BRIGID: Auntie Dee!
Deirdre enters the tiny glade (double-imaged like the birds) and she gasps
BRIGID: Auntie Dee, I don't know what happened, one minute I was-
Deirdre runs straight to the body in the pool and gently shakes the limp little girl.
DEIRDRE: Bridgie? Bridgie!
BRIGID: Auntie Dee?
DEIRDRE: Oh no. No!
RAVEN: You're a Shadow, she can't see you or hear you.
BRIGID: But you can.
RAVEN: We're more sensitive to these things.
Deirdre sees the pendant lying in the mud and picks it up.
DEIRDRE: What were you doing? What is going on?!
Brigid watches helplessly as Deirdre hoists the body from the pool and carries it from the glade.
BLACKBIRD: Now, can we do this properly, please?
BRIGID: No! I don't know what you want! I don't know how I got here! The Shadowkeeper took my brother and I... just... wanted ...to get him... back!
Brigid dissolves into tears.
The Blackbird watches her display with distaste. The Raven gives an expressive shrug of his wings.
RAVEN: Not the best I've ever heard...
BLACKBIRD: You call THAT a Champion's Declaration!?
RAVEN: Well, she's no bard but you've got her enemy and her task -and you've accepted worse from muscle-heads with lesser intentions.
Brigid gains control of her tears and she sniffs as she watches the birds bickering.
BLACKBIRD: She doesn't have any intentions! She doesn't know what she's doing!
RAVEN: She's trying to save her brother - what more does a Champion need to know?
BRIGID: Yes... Yes! I want to save my brother.
The Blackbird fluffs up his plumage and looks down at her with a pompous air.
BLACKBIRD: The rules require a certain standard of intellect in the absence of strength - not to mention pedigree.
BRIGID: Hey!
RAVEN: The RULES require all this to be done on the OTHER side of the gateway, when you SCREEN who comes through.
BRIGID: Stop talking like I'm not here! If you tell me how to save Lachie, I'll do it.
The Blackbird gives Brigid a good long look with one eye.
BRIGID: At least let me try!
RAVEN: Come on - she's already here.
BLACKBIRD: Oh alright!
Brigid is taken aback as the Blackbird hops from the rock and flutters up into the branches of the Rowan tree growing by the pool.
Brigid looks up into the tree anxiously.
The Blackbird returns holding a small sprig of two white berries in his beak which he drops to Brigid. Brigid catches the twig and examines it.
BLACKBIRD: Eating one of these will return a Shadow to its body and to the living world as you know it.
Brigid frowns at the Blackbird.
BRIGID: That's it? I just have to get Lachie to eat a berry?
BLACKBIRD: Indeed.
Brigid beams.
BRIGID: But that's easy!
BLACKBIRD: It would be cruel to put you through all that and make it difficult.
BRIGID: Through all what?
The Blackbird looks at her as though she is stupid.
BLACKBIRD: Finding him.
Brigid's face falls.
BRIGID: Don't you know where he is?
BLACKBIRD: No! I am bound to the gateway and know little of what lies beyond.
Brigid turns to the Raven which shrugs its wings.
RAVEN: Don't look at me.
BRIGID: Well - what do I do? How will I find him?
BLACKBIRD: Seek an audience with the Lord of the Hunt, if your brother is anywhere within his forests, he will know where.
BRIGID: How do I find him?!
BLACKBIRD: Oh for goodness' sake. Go to the fortress at the top of the hill and join the Champion's Hunt. If you impress The Lord of the Hunt, he will grant you an audience.
With that, the Blackbird hops from his perch and disappears into the leaves above.
BRIGID: What fortress at the top of the hill?
RAVEN: Sorry. I can only bend the rules so far. Good luck, though.
The Raven flaps away. Brigid sighs and heads out of the glade, uphill.