Vampire Charming (18 page)

“
Fine
.” 
He bit off, unable to look at her.  “Settle for your small and ordinary life,
if that’s all you dream of for yourself.  Squander our only chance for
greatness. 
I
have far bigger plans.”

“You
always have big plans, Slade.  That doesn’t mean they’re going to work.”

“At
least I
try
.  You take no risks and will have no tales to tell, because
you are afraid.”

“That
isn’t true!”  She vehemently shook her head, like she was trying to convince
herself.  “It just
isn’t
.  I’m not afraid.  I’m
pragmatic
. 
There’s a difference.”

“Call
it whatever you wish.  It still means you base all your decisions on fear and on
what you believe is impossible.  I make my mine based on
hope
.  On what
I wish to create with you beside me.  Hope that there are heroes in this world
and that I can be one.”  No matter the doubts that plagued him, Slade wouldn’t
believe that he was a failure.  He
wouldn’t.

“You
make your decisions based on
fantasy
.”  She retorted.  “Any random
thought that enters your head, you believe.  You know what happens to people
who think they can be heroes?  They
die
, Slade.  You would’ve been
killed fifty times over, if it wasn’t for me!”

“And
you would stagnate in your boxed-in world if it wasn’t for me!”

“I
liked
stagnating in my boxed-in world.  I was
safe
there.”

“You
were
wasted
there.  There is so much
life
in you, yet you refuse
to live it. Given a choice, you will do
nothing
, rather than chance
disappointment.  How is that a worthy existence?”

“It’s
better than the alternative!  When I take a chance, I’m
always
disappointed.  You should understand that.  Your wife cheated on you…  Your
people fired you…  Your grandmother turned against you…  Everyone you know has
let you down.”

“You
haven’t.  Not even once.”

She
stared at him, not having an answer for that.

Slade
kept going.  “You have taken a chance and followed me, thus far.  It frightened
you, but you did it.  Have I disappointed you?  Have I let you down?”

“No.” 
She admitted.  “Not yet.  But…”

He
cut her off.  “Not
ever
.  I wish to remain with
you
, Jane.  Having
you beside me has been…”  He trailed off, shaking his head.  How could she want
someone else?  Couldn’t she feel what was between them?  How special it was?  “You
and I
belong
here.  Side-by-side.  I know it and so do you.”

“No.”
 She whispered.  “I won’t stay with you, Slade.  I
can’t.
”

Slade’s
jaw tightened, stifling a flinch at her refusal.  “
Fine
.”  He snapped
again and headed for the door.  He wasn’t giving up.  He would
never
give up on Jane.  But she was in no mood to see reason and he was too hurt to
find the right words.  “Ignore your destiny, if it makes you feel safer.  Embrace
a hollow future.  Plan your return to that uninspiring human
prince
.” 
He looked back at her, wounded pride talking.  “I will stay here and be
king
.”

EXT- EDGE OF THE ENDLESS WOODS- NIGHT

FANG’S Goblin forces have surrounded the
vast forest.  They should look all slimy and gross, kind of like the
lizard-guys from
V
.  FANG stands at the top of a hill, talking with
DALLYN, the last Mages.  DALLYN is a tall, beautiful woman, wearing a tight
leather outfit.  She has the body of a Victoria’s Secret model, a cool
kind-of-Russian accent, and she’s a ninja.  Is she good?  Is she evil?  It
depends on the recommendations of the focus group, but either way she’ll make
one hell of an action figure.

DALLYN

(In a kind-of-Russian
accent)

Fear not,
King Fang.  My magicks will make it possible to safely enter the forest’s maze.

FANG

(Irritated)

If magicks
could unlock the mysteries of the Endless Woods,

why didn’t
some other supernatural being solve them long ago?

DALLYN

(After a
long pause)

…I have no
idea.  But, I’m sure it all makes sense.

FANG

(More
irritated)

I doubt
it.  I swear to the gods, something weird is happening lately.

DALLYN

(Ignoring
his complaints)

You wait
here, King Fang.  I know Slade and he is far too crafty to be caught in just any
trap.

I have
planned this very carefully.

FANG

(Super
irritated)

I’m sick
of planning.

It seems
like all I ever do is
talk
about my evil schemes and hire evil henchmen.

I want to
actually
do
something evil.

DALLYN

I don’t
think that happens until the finale.

Redrafted Film Script- “From Here to Infinia”

Slade
stared at the campfire, trying to make sense of his life.

Everything
should’ve
been perfect.  Infinia was a beautiful land, just as he’d
hoped.  He was making inroads with the rebels and already gaining a loyal
following of loyal followers.  Once he got the Silver Sword and defeated Fang,
his epic destiny would be assured.  He’d finally have his destined crown and
all would be as it should be.

So,
why did it all feel so futile?

It
was Jane’s fault.  How could he focus on anything when she was sitting in her
borrowed hut, plotting to leave him?  Every step he took towards the throne was
actually a step away from Jane.  She would go back to her pathetic prince and
her drab little world, never thinking of Slade, again.  How was he supposed to
enjoy his success knowing that?

With
Jane at his side, he felt as if he’d already won some glorious battle.  Like
things finally made sense.  Like he could do anything.  Like he was
home
. 
Meanwhile, she couldn’t wait to go back to her life without him.

The
woman was obviously under some kind of spell.

His
eyes narrowed in sudden thought.  Actually, a spell
would
explain much
about her stubborn refusal to stay in Infinia.  Perhaps, this so-called “Charming”
used some enchantment to enthrall Jane.  Perhaps her inexplicable attachment to
the bastard was the result of magicks.

Slade’s
mood improved as he pondered those implications.  Jane would be displeased if
he killed the man she loved without good reason.  But, if that asshole prince had
somehow hypnotized her --which he
obviously
had-- then Slade had a
viable reason for the slaughter.  Afterwards, Jane would see that he’d had no
choice but to rip out Charming’s heart and feed it to him.  She would probably
even
thank
him for saving her.

“Slade,”
she would whisper, her luminous gray eyes glistening with tears, “you’ve
rescued me from that stupid, hideous, small human.  How could I have ever
imagined abandoning you for such a poorly-endowed fraud?  Please forgive my
inexplicable lunacy and let me stay with you forever.”

Then,
Slade would take Jane into his arms and he’d breathe in the citrusy fragrance
of her hair.  His hands caressing her warm curves, as she pressed against his
body.  She’d look up at him with caring and mischief, and everything would be
perfect.  When Jane smiled like that, Slade felt like they were the only two
people in the world.  Like he was finally the hero he’d always dreamed of being. 
He’d tell her things that he’d never told anyone and she’d tell him things,
too.  Because, she trusted him.  Because, they were partners in everything.  She’d
slowly sink to her knees and her mouth would…

“King
Slade?  Don’t you think that is a wise plan?”

Slade
jolted at the sound of his name.  He looked around, surprised to see the rebels
all looking at him expectantly.  Shit.  Had they been talking this whole time? 
What had they been discussing?

He
didn’t want to seem inattentive to their concerns.  Over the past few days,
Slade had changed his views on what being a king really meant.  He’d made
mistakes on the Vampire Isle and he wasn’t going to repeat them here.  Ruling
wasn’t just having a castle and waving at commoners.  It meant being a part of
something.  Jane taught him that.  Since he’d started listening to her advice
and engaging with the rebels, they’d become more and more vocal.  It was almost
as if they were coming into
focus
somehow.  They even had names, now.  Slade
didn’t completely understand how it happened, but he liked the changes and he
knew Jane was responsible.  How could she want another man?  Didn’t she see how
much Slade needed her?

It
was obviously Charming’s fault.  The prince needed to die.

“Uh…
I was contemplating very important stratagems and missed that last part.”  He
told the waiting rebels.  It was strange for Slade to converse with peasants,
but he wasn’t finding it nearly as horrible as he’d feared.  Some of the beings
had reasonable suggestions, when you gave them a chance.  “What were you
saying?”

Konrad,
an Ogre with a shedding problem, was more than happy to repeat it.  “I said
that now is the time for us to attempt the Corpse Road.  It’s the only chance
we have to get out of here.”

The
other rebels looked concerned about that idea.  They must have been bickering
over Konrad’s plan for some time.  Slade had no idea why and he didn’t
particularly care.  “There is another way out of the forest?”  He surmised.

Konrad
nodded.  “Yes, your majesty.  I’m sure of it.”

Everyone
else glowered at him.

That
was wonderful news!  Jane had been right.  Listening to the villagers was
really
paying off.  Flying to freedom would only take moments and Slade clearly needed
longer than that to get through to Jane.  It would be better to walk.  Ideally,
she would have to remain by his side for days.  Delaying his inevitable victory
meant more time with her, so Slade had to stall.

“What
is the Corpse Road?”  Granted, it didn’t sound like a street Jane would enjoy traveling
upon, but she
was
eager to escape the Endless Woods.  If he could find a
way out, she would surely be impressed.  …And if that way out meant Jane was
stuck with him, so much the better.  Given time, she would see that he was the
best possible monarch a girl could have.

The
best
partner
.

“If
the Corpse Road was a viable escape, none of us would still be here, Konrad.” 
An older guy named Neville snapped.  He had horns and a face like a seahorse.  “Do
not speak such foolishness.”

There
was a general murmur of agreement.

Konrad
wasn’t giving up.  “The path is cursed, it’s true.  But, now we have King Slade
to lead us.  He will see our way through the danger, Neville.”

“And
risk his own grand life in the process!”  Neville shot back.  “Your ideas are
not the stuff dreams are made of, Konrad.  It’s folly to even mention them. 
There
is no way out of this forest
.  Attempting to traverse the Corpse Road will
kill…”

Slade
cut him off.  “What is the Corpse Road?”  He demanded, again.  He did not
recall that name in the script.

The
rebels exchanged more troubled glances.

“It’s
a trail that leads to death.”  Neville finally said.  “It’s hidden, with none
but the dead knowing where it starts.”  He lowered his voice as if something
sinister might be listening from the trees and he didn’t want it to overhead. 
“You don’t want to attempt that path, your majesty.  No one has ever survived the
trip.  Better to stay hidden here in the forest.”

“Kings
do not hide.”  Slade scoffed.  “At least, not for long.”  The very idea was
ludicrous.  “We will never defeat Fang unless we face him.  And to face him, we
must
leave these woods and find the Silver Sword.”

“Each
soul that falls dead upon the Corpse Road rises again as a Shadowman.”  A Pixie
named Andra whispered.  …Although it didn’t seem possible for her to know such
a thing if no one had ever come back from the road to tell the tale.  “They
haunt the ground and attack trespassers, making ever more of their deadly kind.”

“I
do not fear ghosts.”

“These
are not just ghosts, majesty.  They are
Shadowmen
.  They steal the souls
of everyone who crosses them.”

The
other rebels made signs of prayer.

Perhaps
Slade should read the
From Here to Infinia
script again, because he had
never heard of beings called Shadowmen, either.  Jane was forever telling him that
the pages were changing and he should pay more attention to the “film” unfolding
around them.  Slade just didn’t see the point.  He’d skimmed the tome and seen
that events had been altered, but the shifting story was only to be expected. 
Whatever had been written before was obsolete now that he was here.  Once he
had the Silver Sword and escaped these woods, he would…