Ep 205 Script (Patreon)

ree wakes up from nightmare gasping. look around campfire on ocean perch, small group of crows and cereea off to side. scra and farrah sleeping to side. Ky propped against pillar watching her.

K: is that happening often?

R: (laughs shakily, running hand over face) every night at this point. (glances at Farrah. |Ky sees)

K: …i know you said youre not ready to talk about it -

R: im not. not yet. ive gotta…not yet. you’re not sleeping again?

K: (tight smile) seems not.

R: you’re anxious about being back there.

K: and you know why.

R: we wont let anything happen to you. you might have to lie low for a bit, but -

K: i can only hide for so long, ree.

R: but -

K: im going to stretch my wings. ill be back by sunrise. (flies off)

R: you’re gonna break if you carry on like this, though. (laughs humorlessly) we all might.

(scra was awake listening with his back to them.)

morning, all flying.

R: there’s a sight id hoped to never see again.

S: what IS that?

K: the statue of the Faceless Hero. he’s guarded the port town of Beek-by-Sea for millenia.

F: you’re really taking us straight into the busiest port city?

C: no, we will keep to the outskirts and hand you to Redguard there.

k pales. ree looks at him worriedly.

R: surely you dont trust Redguard to transport us to The Council? we’ll never see the outside of a jail cell again.

C: the redguard have a duty to -

R: no, they don’t. you know how corrupt they are. theyll lock us away, and if anyone comes looking for us the High Crow will be accused of breaking the law and not turning over captives to The Council for fair trial. you wouldnt want the High Crow to think you were insubordinate and lazy on the mission he gave you specifically, would you?

C: (grits teeth) this will turn this into a multi-week venture.

R: i just wanna make sure you’re doing your job properly, you know?

(other crows look a c, uncertain)

C: (snarls) we will get rooms on the outskirts, keep a low profile, and continue to Sky City from there. this isnt a landing place for refugees escaping Kooup so security is not as tight, but if anyone stops us we will say you visited Purtch to discuss private matters and we have been sent to escort you home. As long as you are with us there will not be many questions asked, if there are, leave them to me. (turns to ky) you will need to land quickly, with your back turned so as to not show those feathers to anyone watching.

K nods.

C: come.

early morning. all land near trees, k with back turned. approach harbor, looks like dubrovnik, people setting up for morning market, redguard patrolling. people in street watch them, but dont approach the crows. all look lower-class, even raptors.

S: there are…eagles out here working on the streets?

F: there is hierarchy here, but not species-based.

S: so ive come to a place where discrimination is still a thing.

R: discrimination will always exist where people want to feel like they belong to something exclusive. here, at least, it’s not centred on something that can’t be changed.

F: but the ones at the bottom still have the farthest to climb, and everything thrown against them on their way up.

scra looks at ground, troubled.

Shop keeper: stop! Thief!

everyone looks up to nightjar running towards them. cereea and other crows ahead talking to a stall owner. thief bumps into ky whos wings flare out for balance

SK: redguard! help! stop him!

ky moves automatically, taking the thief down. pins him to ground, then realises what hes done and backs away in shock, letting him get away.

SK: are you serious?! do your job - who am i kidding, youre probably working together, you damn swine -

actual redguard rounding corner

R: uh, we gotta go. now.

all running

C: i cannot believe - we were here for 5 minutes! 5 minutes! the inn is to the left - everyone in. keep quiet. you, get us rooms. (to crow) you, find breakfast. (pinches nose) i am already regretting agreeing to any of this. (turns to ky) here. enough’s enough. sort yourselves out, im going to bathe.

k looks down at jar.

S: what’s that?

K: (lips tight) feather dye.