INT. SEWER - NIGHT
The night before, an old female pig cries alone below a single dim light bulb, clutching the limp, dead body of a younger pig wearing a straw hat.
[MOTHER WOLF] :
O my son! The pain that thy passing holds!
The heartbreak, suffering it delivers upon me
Shall warm my old age as a cold cellar
Heats the autumn harvest!
Enter Styx, the middle child of the house of Boarsby, and Attendants.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Whose voice shrieks here?
Surely, a weeping voice upon midnight
Must serve a dark omen to those who hear.
Take care, men of mine! Spirits haunt this place.
Styx walks towards the tragedy.
Lo! 'Tis no ghoul. Mother, why must you weep?
Whose body gently rests upon thy thighs?
What harm hath come to thee below these stars?
[MOTHER WOLF] :
No weapon hath pierced mine flesh, no bullet shot.
Only grief for my child hath slashed my heart,
Broken me here, below the City of Love.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Child? What infant could hurt thee so?
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Moron!
Thousands of minds of thine could not hope to
Match wits with a single fool, nor draw near.
Might there be dust in thy eyes? Art thou blind?
Thou hath stood before the corpse of thy blood
For many moments, yet your brother sits
Still unacknowledged by thou and thy fools!
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Brother? Do mine ears deceive me?
Styx kneels to lay a hand upon his brother.
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Nay. This brother of thine lay dead.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Do mine eyes, mine hands betray me?
Attendants surround the body. As Styx begins to weep, so do they.
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Nay. This brother of thine lay dead.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
For what did he lay down his life? What cost
Was paid for with his soul, his flesh and bones?
Why must he make us weep tonight?
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Pennies.
Mere pennies he died for in a failed deal.
Thy sin, thy crime, thy foul reputation
Pushed thy brother upon a wicked path,
A path leading to doom. To thou, blame falls!
His men: Donatello, Leonardo,
Michaelangelo, Raphael, have died
As well. Their blood is on your hands also.
On thou and mine eldest child, my curses
Shall fall, the fortune of thine will dwindle.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Mother! The blame mustn't fall upon us!
My elder brother, in the least, shouldn't!
He hath worked for thee, for thine fortune too!
If his fortune were to diminish…
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Yes.
So too would I. I'd die, no regrets held,
Knowing my children's crimes would be paid.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Mother! The blame mustn't fall upon us!
The many people we've slain for ourselves,
The ones who, for us, have died, and others;
Those lives will be meaningless if we die
Having accomplished nothing of our own.
If our fortune were to diminish…
[MOTHER WOLF] :
Yes.
So too would we. If you had truly cared
For the lives of those around you, those souls,
You would not have taken them or lost them.
Leave me now, else my wrath shall engulf thee.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
It shall be as thou hast spoken. Goodbye.
[ATTENDANTS] :
Goodbye, fair mother.
Styx and Attendants leave, once again leaving Mother Wolf in the dim light of the sewer.
EXT. STREETS - DAWN
Styx and his Attendants (The Shaggy One, Tow of Mater, Man Who Bombs, and Jon Snow) walk down a busy street.
[THE SHAGGY ONE] :
Like, misfortune follows us. Zoinks.
[TOW OF MATER] :
Seems so.
From yesterday's quarrel to tragic death,
It seems a dark fog of failure clouds us.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Returning to Mother would be foolish,
But the worst manner of son would leave her.
Jon Snow, prove me not a villain and stay.
Despite thy promise, protect my mother.
[JON SNOW] :
My Queen shall remain my priority.
Nevertheless, in this task, I honour thee.
I shall protect her.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Many thanks, Jon Snow.
We others shall reject my mother's curse,
But how? I admit, I believe no curse
Nor fate is true, but we are not wealthy.
Not near as wealthy as my family…
Not near as rich as my elder brother.
[MAN WHO BOMBS] :
Might I have a word?
Man Who Bombs steps forward.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Permission granted.
[MAN WHO BOMBS] :
The maiden flower who insulted thee
Before the tavern brawl yesternight,
If you, my brothers, and your eyes recall,
Is the lone daughter of the Flower house.
Lady Damask, the powerful and rich,
Would surely not abandon her daughter
If she were to be taken as hostage.
[MIDDLE CHILD:
Wouldst thou have me stoop to kidnapping?
[JON SNOW] :
Ransom?
[MAN WHO BOMBS] :
Have we not done worse under the eyes of Heav'n?
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Thou spoke true, we have, but only to men.
Wouldst thou have me tear kids from mothers,
Even after my young brother's passing?
'Tis an ancient, vile, bewiltchering crime;
I would be lucky to be only damned!
[THE SHAGGY ONE] :
Gathering around Styx.
Like, thou hast threatened the woman before.
I have known thee to keep to thine whole word.
[TOW OF MATER] :
Gathering around Styx.
We are all human, and women are strong.
T'would be sexist to abandon this job,
This opportunity most valuable.
[JON SNOW] :
Gathering around Styx, looks at Tow of Mater confused for a moment.
Argue not of equality, Mater;
The moment is most dire, 'tis a weak point.
'Tis a sharp sword for an different fight,
But not this one. Jest not, Tow of Mater.
Returns attention to Styx.
Still though, Lady Damask could not complain
Were her daughter to be safely treated.
Unknowing victims can have ransom paid.
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
What suggestion dost thou give?
[JON SNOW] :
I will not plan this.
That responsibility lies with you.
I have my duty, thou must now find thine.
[MIDDLE CHILD:
As stoic and just as morning flurry
Is he, fitting for the bastard name Snow.
One day, I must drain thee for thine wisdom.
I spare thee now, though.
[JON SNOW] :
(He jests? I do hope…)
[MIDDLE CHILD] :
Ay, I agree to this. I send you forth!
Like a dandelion seeding, go forth!
Tow of Mater and The Shaggy One, find her.
I send you to gently bring the lass here!
You two are too foolish to stay by me
And I'd be a moron to waste your strength.
Man Who Bombs, be my guide, my great wisdom.
Thou art cunning, deceptive. Prepare me!
And, as discussed, Jon Snow watches Mother.
Watch from afar as a raven watches
Yet stay gentle and quick as a wild doe.
Now, begone!
The group splits, leaving only Jon Snow looking towards the sky.
[JON SNOW] :
Cursèd we shall be. Danaerys, my love…
I shall find thee before my heart freezes,
Before my honour loses all meaning.
His stomach rumbles.
Seven gods, I'm hungry though!
Jon Snow walks away.