Synopsis/Details
Queen Betrys, pregnant with King Aric's child, escapes with the help of Taliesin, a Chief Bard and wizard, through cae castle's secret passage. In an act of betrayal, Visson kills the Queen's lady-in-waiting during this escape. Taliesin guides the Queen to the safety of a local farm seeking assistance from the farmers, Shona, her husband Bodin, his huntress-sister Brigid, and the old woman, Donia. The Queen dies giving birth to a baby girl, Ula, and Shona and Bodin agree to raise her in secret.
For fans of Celtic legend and coming of age stories, this proof of concept "The Queen's Escape" is a gripping tale told through the lens of the little known Welsh legendary figure, Taliesin, believed by historians to be the actual cousin or brother to Merlin.
Look for the full feature of this story also by the same author on this site, entitled "Alustranna", which is Ula's true name. Taliesin's drive, dry humour, shape-shifting abilities, and wisdom will enthrall, and move the audience to believe in a plucky, intelligent teenage girl to save her kingdom from the evil power-hungry wizard.
All Accolades & Coverage
Note: A 5 page section of the unfinished full feature was chosen to be read out loud in the CineVic Victoria's Cold Read, Victoria, BC, Canada in 2018. It was hailed by the University of Victoria's judges as "the right way to write a script" and with the author's permission, copies of the 5 page section were passed out to the audience.
Story & Logistics
Story Type:
Hero's Journey
Story Situation:
Daring enterprise
Story Conclusion:
Bitter-sweet
Cast Size:
Several
Special Effects:
Minor cgi
Characters
Lead Role Ages:
Female Young Adult, Female over 45, Male Young Adult
Hero Type:
Legendary
Advanced
Life Topics:
Coming of Age, Pregnancy
Time Period:
Ancient history, Early Middle Ages
