Author's note: War, revolutions and a whole lot of bloodshed. Well not very much but you get the idea. Should I continue this? Or is this just ludicrous?

(Sounds of cannon balls being fired and hitting a fortification)

Lord Milori. What's the status Commandant, have our artilleries arrived yet?

Commandant. No my Lord, not yet. The Duke was supposed to escort our cannons, but he hasn't arrived yet.

Lord Milori. Confound it all, if he doesn't get here, we'll all be made short work of. What about the men?

Commandant. Adequate my Lord. Although, company Winston is holding the enemy's advance with bows and arrows, our projectiles is depleting by the second. Shall I order them to stop?

Lord Milori. Yes Commandant, execute that order, immediately.

Commandant. You, Captain. Tell your men to save their arrows.

Captain. I'm on it, sir. Company Winston, hold your fire.

Lord Milori. And what of company Karl?

Commandant. Heavy casualties my lord, we lost 200 of our 500 sparrow men-at-arms, and another 100 wounded-

Private 1. Agh my god, I'm burning! Medic! Medic!

Commandant. Yo doc, get over here and help this poor soldier.

Medic. Move over, shoot, it's the poison. Give me a piece of clothing my Lord. Commandant, get me some snow.

(Sound of cloth being ripped)

Lord Milori. Will this do?

Commandant. And this.

Medic. Yes, put the snow on the burnt part and patch him up with the cloth.

(Sound of snow cooling off the burnt part and yells of the man)

Private 1. Tell my wife I love her, tell her that! Tell her!

Medic. Calm down private, you're in good hands. (To the Lord and Commandant) I've got to go now, surgery time. Nurses! Bring this gentleman inside and take care of him, now!

Nurse 1 & 2. Yes doctor.

(Footstep on the snow and screams of agony from the man)

Lord Milori. Commandant, I want to know what on earth was that?

Commandant. We have no idea, my Lord. Our medics are doing their best to find a cure.

Lord Milori. Any success?

Commandant. None so far...

(Sounds of cannon fire and men screaming becomes clearer and than less)

Commandant. My Lord, this is the last fortification of the Monarchs, if this were to fall-

Lord Milori. No Commandant, it will not fall-

Commandant. And what if it does, my Lord? Our future Queen will be tortured, guillotined and her head shall be put on a pike and paraded around the four seasons. You need to put your ego aside and plan for the Countess' escape.

Lord Milori. Fine, I'll formulate something but now-

(Sound of a horn being blown)

Lookout 1. The rebels are charging towards us with-(a cannon ball hits him and he is squished).

Lookout 2. Freddie, no!

(Milori and the Commandant flies over to the fort wall)

Lord Milori. How many rebels? Talk Corporal!

Lookout 2. A...a thousand, sir.

Commandant. No! Nature help us all.

(Lookout 2 sobs)

Lookout 2. And there are hundreds more following.

Commandant. My Lord, I shall lead the troops and hold the enemy long enough for you and the others to escape.

Lord Milori. No, I'm not leaving you.

Commandant. That's not an option My Lord, get the Countess and the others out, and I'll meet you on the other side.

Lord Milori. Alright, I'll be waiting for you there. Oh, and Commandant.

Commandant. What?

Lord Milori. Good luck my friend.

Commandant. Thank you...

(Sound of a sparrow man flying out)

Commandant. I'm gonna need all the luck I can get.

(The sound of cannon fire and the war cries are muffed as Milori enters the safe room.)

Lord Milori. Your majesties, we need to evacuate now before...what? Where is everybody?...hello...anybody in here.

(Floor creaks, Milori draws sword )

Lord Milori. Who goes there?

Dewey. Put ya weapon down isa me, Milori.

Lord Milori. Dewey, where is everybody? Weren't they suppose to be here?

Dewey. Yes they were here but then they go somewhere else.

Lord Milori. Where?

Dewey. I don't know, Ia though YOU knew.

Lord Milori. No I wasn't aware of any of this at all.

Dewey. Oh boy, this isa big problem.

Lord Milori. Never mind that, you need to get yourself to the flight deck and wait for me there.

Dewey. What about you, partner?

Lord Milori. I'm just going to check the whole place to make sure no one important is left behind, now go, go.

Dewey. OK, I'ma going.

(Heavy footsteps become louder, and louder until a door creaks open)

Lord Milori. There you are Countess, what are you doing here? Don't you know that they are bombarding the fort.

Countess. Yes, I am fully aware of our predicament and I am simply observing our men being exploded and burned by poison and squashed by cannon balls.

Lord Milori. Fine then, where are the others?

Countess. Who?

Lord Milori. The loyalists to the Queen, of course.

Countess. Oh those traitors cowardly scattered to safety by making deals with the rebels, they abandon our cause but not I, I'm still here.

Lord Milori. Oh great, and there's only you?

Countess. Yes, that is correct.

Lord Milori. Fine, but you must leave now. There are more than a thousand men charging our fort and they're getting closer by the second.

Countess. What are we going to do now, my Lord. Run?

Lord Milori. Yes for the sake of our very lives.

Countess. Life is an illusion and only death shall liberate us from its dream. Maybe our deaths, shall result in something prosperous.

Lord Milori. You have been reading way too many Philosophy books from Dewey, now let's go.

Countess. If you insist, but man can only procrastinate the inevitable fate which Nature has ordered the Spider to spindle for him

Lord Milori. Countess, just move and be quiet. You won't be able to quote anything if you lose your head.

Countess. (sigh) As you wish.

(At the flight deck, there is strong cold wind rustling the leaves)

Sergeant. Lord Milori.

(Sergeant solutes)

Lord Milori. At ease soldier. We need some wings to get out of here, what have you got?

Sergeant. Well sir, we got two heavy cat transport but they are ordered to get the wounded to Fox Hill. Other than that are those two owls for emergency.

Lord Milori. This IS an emergency and we'll take those.

Sergeant. They're at hanger 2, sir.

Lord Milori. Thank you sergeant.

Sergeant. Yes sir.

(Footsteps on snow)

Lord Milori. Hey Dewey over here.

Dewey. Ah there you are, and I see you found yourself the Countess.

Lord Milori. Yes I did.

Dewey. Howdy do

Countess.

Countess. How do you do, Dewey. Thank you for letting me borrow your books.

Dewey. Anytime Countess, anytime.

Countess. Now, our transport.

Lord Milori. There they are, the snowy owls, one of the most magnificent beasts ever lived. Dewey can you ride one?

Dewey. Of course I can, but you better ask the warm season one. She looks like death warmed up.

Lord Milori. Take my coat, feeling better?

Countess. Marginally.

Lord Milori. Dewey you go on that one and I'll take the Countess on this one.

Dewey. OK but can you manage her, you know if you are to fall, she might break her wings.

Lord Milori. Don't worry about it, I'm not gonna drop her.

Dewey. Another thing, Milori can I speak to you alone?

Lord Milori. Sure, I don't see why not.

(Lord Milori and Dewey walk away from the Countess)

Dewey. Where are the others? Have they left already?

Lord Milori. Yes, apparently they made a deal with the rebels and scattered to safety.

Dewey. This isa big problem Milori. And you only found the Countess?

Lord Milori. Yes she was the only one I could find.

Dewey. And speaking of her, what's wrong with the Countess? Is she not well?

Lord Milori. She's just upset and moody, she'll be fine.

Dewey. You have to buck her up, we can't go to Fox Hill like this. The men will be devastated.

Lord Milori. Great, not only do I have to get this kid to safety while abandoning my men, I also have to make her happy.

Dewey. Lord Milori, you know better than anyone that the morale of the ruler is as important as the weapon and the men.

Lord Milori. Did Sun Tzu say that.

Dewey. No, I did, now buck her up. She doesn't have her teachers or parents to do that, therefore YOU have to do it.

Lord Milori. Why can't you do it? You're the one who gave her the idea.

Dewey. Me?

Lord Milori. The books.

Dewey. She asked for it and besides I'm old, you're young. She can take it from you much better.

Lord Milori. Fine, I'll think of something.

(The two owls fly out of the hangar and into the forest)

Lord Milori. Be on your guard, rebels have their own wings in the sky.

Dewey. Copy that, partner.

(Pause)

Lord Milori. So...hmm, do you often ride these birds?

Countess. No, do you?

Lord Milori. No not a lot. But sometimes I wish I could ride them all the time.

Countess. But you have wings. Wouldn't it be EASIER to just flutter around yourself?

Lord Milori. Not if you enjoy the scenery.

Dewey. (whispering) Make it work Milori.

(Pause)

Lord Milori. Countess.

Countess. Yes.

Lord Milori. I wish to apologise for my lack of empathy.

Countess. Apology accepted, however, why? You were just doing your job.

Lord Milori. Yes I was. But I didn't think about how you were feeling.

Countess. And what was I feeling?

Lord Milori. Fear, anxiety and a bit of hatred towards politics.

Countess. How do you know that, or did my father tell you.

Lord Milori. I figured it out myself, and is this true?

Countess. ...Yes, I hate politics and everything about it... Do you hate it?

Lord Milori. Frankly I do, extremely. It's nearly as bad as war.

Countess. Then why do you do it, or more precisely, why do you do both? Don't you just want to give other people the responsibility.

Lord Milori. Because I wish to help my people and protect them.

Countess. You aren't afraid of it.

Lord Milori. I am, actually.

Countess. Well...how do you hide your fear? You seem perfectly calm and relaxed to me.

Lord Milori. If I do not remain calm, my soldiers will not.

Countess. But how do you do it? Do you think about killing the rebels or something.

Lord Milori. No, of course not...let us just say that I do it for the people I care for, soldiers and civilians alike.

Countess. Well that hasn't exactly been my escape route.

Lord Milori. Listen Countess, I'll be honest with you, I know you are under a lot of expectation and pressure but-

Countess. But what? Now I have to hide my feelings and lie to my citizens like you and say that everything is alright when it's not. Is that what you want me to do, Lord? To trick my subjects into thinking they even have a chance of winning, is that it?

Lord Milori. On the CONTRARY, we do have a chance, and you are minimising it by being so vain and depressed, people look up to you.

Countess. Tommyrot, they are looking up at a girl for God's sake. I don't wanna rule, I don't wanna lead a country. I don't know the first thing about it. I wasn't even supposed to begin my training until 4 years later, and that's for a Countess not a blooming Queen-

Dewey. Hey is everything OK? Sounds like a riot over there.

Lord Milori. We're fine Dewey, just jolly good.

Dewey. OK then.

Lord Milori. Listen now, you don't have to rule. All you need to do right now is stay calm and let me and our generals fend off the rebels then we will worry about governing, alright?

Countess. You say that like that's a simple thing.

Lord Milori. And it is.

Countess. How?

Lord Milori. With faith, trust and Pixie dust.

Countess. Hmm, you know my father used to say that.

Lord Milori. And he's right. Your highness, you need to have faith in yourself, you're more influential than you think. Plus, you need to trust me and calm down.

Countess. Yes I guess I haven't had a lot of happy thoughts.

Lord Milori. No you haven't, but that doesn't matter, what matters is the choices we make now.

Countess. I suppose you're right. But you are sure we can handle this revolt, yes?

Lord Milori. Yes, Countess. With all my heart.

Countess. Than I will do as you request, if you promise me that we'll survive this.

Lord Milori. I promise you, my Countess that we will survive this and...do you hear that?

Countess. What?

Dewey. I hear it too and it's a coming closer.

Lord Milori. Bats.

(Screeching bats)

Lord Milori. How many are there?

Dewey. 5 or less Milori.

Lord Milori. OK Dewey it's time for some manoeuvring.

Dewey. I only write about these things, I haven't actually done it.

Lord Milori. Well it's time you got some experience and you can write about that when we get out of here alive.

Dewey. OK, OK, I'll try.

Lord Milori. Countess, hang on tight.

Countess. You don't have to tell me twice.

(The trio tried to evade the bats but failed, and the owls are exhausted)

Countess. We have to try a different tactic Milori, we are heavily outnumbered.

Lord Milori. What do you propose.

Countess. Bats are virtually blind, so they rely heavily on sonar echoes-

Lord Milori. So we need to drive them into each other in the trees-

Countess. To both blind them and beat them.

Lord Milori. Dewey! Go above the forest and dive down.

Dewey. You're sure about this.

Lord Milori. Positively, now come on, I'll meet you there.

Dewey. Got it.

(Leaves rustling and icicles breaking)

Countess. Hope this works.

(Collision between two bats)

Dewey. That's a two down and three to go.

Countess. Let's try that one more time.

Lord Milori. Alright.

(Leaves rustling and icicles breaking)

Dewey. It's not a working Lord Milori.

Lord Milori. They changed their tactics as well.

Countess. You can use me as bait so you can pummel those rascals.

Lord Milori. What? Are you mental!

Countess. Trust me I can do this, pretend you drop me and hide then ambush them, simple.

Lord Milori. What if they just carry you away.

Countess. They're extremely egotistic and proud, they can't resist the urge of taunting and humiliating their opponents.

Lord Milori. Well what about your wings, this is winter.

Countess. I already broke my wings so breaking them twice shouldn't hurt.

Lord Milori. What...when did this happen? How did this happen?

Countess. I had a few slip ups and I broke them OK. But if we wanna get out of here alive, we've got to take those bats down.

Lord Milori. Fine, but we have to talk afterwards.

Countess. Remember, make my fall look real.

Dewey. Why is she talking about falling.

Lord Milori. Just follow my lead.

Dewey. Roger that.

(Bird crashing into a tree and then flap his wings and fly again)

Countess. (Scream)!

(Countess falling on snow)

Dewey. You're sure about this Milori.

Lord Milori. Positively.

(Bats landing on the snow)

Rebel 1. Lookie here boys. We got or selves the princess.

Rebel 2. Tat ain't no princy, ya looking at the Queen.

Countess. When will you rebels ever learn nobility rank, it's-

Rebel 2. Zut ya pie hole, ya poil gal.

Rebel 1. Keep your head matey. We don't wanna scare the princess, now do we.

Countess. It's actually Countess, if you don't mind.

(Rebels laughing)

Rebel 2. Gal, tat ain't gonna madder wen ya dead.

(Rebel 2 draws his sword)

Countess. (to herself) any time now.

Lord Milori. Now, Dewey!

(Two owls crushing two bats)

Rebel 2. Who tat gonna of a-

(Countess kicks rebel 2 in the face)

Rebel 1. It's a trap.

Lord Milori. Indeed it is.

(The third pilot retreats with his bat)

Rebel 1. Horatio, get back here and help me.

Lord Milori. It looks like your, how do you say it, comrade has fled.

Rebel 1. Ah, Lord Milori of Winter, such a great honour of having you here.

Lord Milori. I wish I can say the same, but we're on a very tight schedule, so lose the sword.

Rebel 1. And miss a chance of duelling with you, The Lord of Winter himself. Ha, in your wildest dreams.

Lord Milori. Fine as you wish.

(Milori punches rebel 1, before he can even attempt to draw)

Countess. Impeccable punching.

Lord Milori. As always.

Countess. That bloke's probably the chattiest soldier ever!

Lord Milori. I believe you're right, he was so focused on taunting that he didn't even see it coming.

Countess. See, what did I tell you.

Lord Milori. Which reminds me, you broke your wings!?

Dewey. That should explain why she was so moody.

Countess. Yes I did. I was kind of hoping you wouldn't mention it.

Lord Milori. Do you (Inaudible grumbling)...Countess! Why have you not inform us of your current state!

Countess. You have enough on your plate already so I didn't want to worry you.

Lord Milori. Worry me? Do I look worried?

Dewey. Slightly frustrated if you ask me.

Lord Milori. Thank you Dewey.

Dewey. Now don't be angry with the girl Lord Milori, she's had enough pressure already.

Lord Milori. I know, I know. (sigh) No wonder you were so depressed back there.

Countess. Yeah, I know. Is there any chance a fairy can become the Queen without wings?

Dewey. According to our history, that has never happened, a Queen's power and authority is shown through the glow of her wings, therefore, if you have no wings you just can't, they won't accept it.

Countess. So what do we do now?

(Pause)

Lord Milori. Firstly, we have to get to Fox Hill and regroup with our men before more arrives. Secondly, news of the Countess' wings shall be kept in secrecy and no one is to know about it.

Dewey. Right.

Countess. I understand.

Lord Milori. Now, let us be off, Huzzah.

(The owls take off)

Dewey. This is a bad day for all of us.

Lord Milori. And possibly our last.