[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter]

Chapter 2/3: King Stefan and King Hubert toast the future

[Stefan castle. He's standing at the window, looking outside. Hubert is with him, eating]
Stefan:
[sighs] No sign of her yet, Hubert.
Hubert:
'course not. Good half hour 'till sunset. [takes a bite] Ah, excellent bird! [looks at Stefan] Oh now, come on, wake up, battle's over, girl's as good as here.
Stefan:
I'm sorry, Hubert, but after sixteen years of worrying, never knowing ...
Hubert:
The past, all in the past. [claps his hands. The Lackey [See Note #1] arrives with a bottle of wine] Tonight, we toast to future with something i've been saving for sixteen years. [fills two glasses] Here, to the future!
Stefan:
Right, Hubert, to the future!
Hubert:
Skumps!
Stefan:
Skumps
Hubert:
A toast to this knight
Stefan:
The outlook is rosy
Hubert:
The future is bright
Both:
Our children will marry
Our kingdoms unite
Skumps, Skumps, Skumps!
Hubert:
Ah, excellent vintage. And now, to the new home, ey?
Stefan:
New home?
Hubert:
Children need a nest of their own, what? Place to raise their little brood, ey?
Stefan:
Well, I suppose in time ...
Hubert:
Of course. To the home! Skumps!
Stefan:
Skumps!
Hubert:
A toast to the home
Stefan:
One grander by far than
a palace in Rome
Hubert:
Let me fill up your glass, That glass was all foam.
Both:
Skumps, Skumps, Skumps!
Hubert:
[claps his hands] The plans! [servant holds a castle's plan in front of Stefan face] Well, what do you think? Nothing elaborate, of course. Forty bedrooms, Dining hall, Honeymoon cottage, really.
Stefan:
You mean, you're building it already?
Hubert:
Built man! Finished. The love-birds can move in tomorrow.
Stefan:
Tomorrow? But Hubert, they're not even married yet.
Hubert:
Take care of that tonight. To the wedding!
Stefan:
Now hold on, Hubert. I haven't even seen my daughter yet, and you're taking her away from me.
Hubert:
Getting my Phillip aren't you?
Stefan:
Yes, but ...
Hubert:
Want to see our grandchildren, don't we?
Stefan:
Of course, but ...
Hubert:
There's no time to lose! Getting on in years. To the wedding!
Stefan:
Now be reasonable, Hubert. After all, Aurora knows nothing about this.
Hubert:
Well?
Stefan:
Well, it may come as quite a shock ...
Hubert:
Shock? My Phillip a shock? [angry] What's wrong with my Phillip?
Stefan:
Nothing, Hubert. I only meant ...
Hubert:
Why, doesn't your daughter like my son
Stefan:
Now, now ... I'm not so sure my son likes your daughter!
Stefan:
Now, see here ...
Hubert:
I'm not so sure my grandchildren want You for a grandfather
Stefan:
Why, you unreasonable, pompous, blustering, old windbag!
Hubert:
Unreasonable, pompous ... [grabs a fish and holds it like a sword] En garde, sir!
Stefan:
I warn you, Hubert, this means war. [uses a plate as a shield]
[they start to fight, fish against plate. then abruptly break into laughter]
Hubert:
What's this all about anyway?
Stefan:
Nothing Hubert, absolutely nothing.
Hubert:
The children are bound to fall in love with each other.
Stefan:
Precisely. And as for grandchildren, I'll have the royal woodcarvers start work on the cradle tomorrow.
Hubert:
Splendid! King size, of course.
Stefan:
Certainly. To the woodcarver's guild!
[we hear an announcement outside]
Announcer:
His royal highness, Prince Phillip
Hubert:
Phillip? [runs downward to meet him]
[Before the castle. Phillip arrives on his horse]
Hubert:
Phillip! Phillip! Phillip, hold, Phillip! [Phillip holds, Hubert runs to him] Hurry, boy, hurry, and change in something suitable. Can't meet your future bride looking like that.
Phillip:
Well, I have met her, father.
Hubert:
You have? where?
Phillip:
Once upon a dream. [starts to sing, lifts his father and starts to dance with him]
Hubert:
Oh Phillip, stop it, stop that, why, Phillip, Put me down! [Phillip puts him down] Now, what's all this dream nonsense?
Phillip:
It wasn't a dream, father. I really did meet her!
Hubert:
Princess Aurora? Good heavens, we must tell Stefan! Why this is the most ...
Phillip:
I didn't say it was Aurora.
Hubert:
You most certainly did, you said ...
Phillip:
I said I met the girl I was going to marry. I don't know who she was, a peasant girl I suppose.
Hubert:
A peasant g-g-girl? You're going to marry a ... Why Phillip, you're joking! [to Samson] isn't he? [Samson shakes his head] You can't do this to me! Give up the throne, the kingdom, for some, some nobody? By Harry, I won't have it. You're a prince, and you're going to marry a princess!
Phillip:
Now father, you're living in the past. This is the fourteenth century. Nowadays ...
Hubert:
Nowadays I'm still the king, and I command you to come to your senses.
Phillip:
... and marry the girl I love.
Hubert:
Exactly!
Phillip:
Goodbye, father! [rides off]
Hubert:
Goodbye, father! Marry the girl you ... No, no, Phillip, stop, come back, hold Phillip! Phillip! Oh, how will I ever tell Stefan?
[In the woods. The fairies and Aurora, with her head down, walk cautiously towards the castle. They get inside unnoticed into some room]
Flora:
All right, in here, dear.
Merryweather:
[closes the door and sighs]
Flora:
Lock the door, Merryweather! Fauna, pull the drapes! And now, dear, if you'll just sit here.
This one last gift, dear child for thee, the symbol of thy royalty. A crown to wear in grace and beauty, as is thy right, and royal duty.
[The fairies set the crown on her head. Aurora again breaks into tears]
Fauna:
Now, dear.
Flora:
Come, let her have a few moments alone. [they leave the room]
Merryweather:
It's that boy she met.
Fauna:
Whatever are we going to do?

[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter]


Frank Pilhofer <fp -AT- fpx.de> Back to the Homepage
Last modified: Fri Sep 22 12:31:55 1995