(Scene fades to the forest near the river ten years later one morning. A young man of twenty-one is seen riding a horse through the forest before he slows his horse to a walk)
Prince Gallus: Ah, another day in the kingdom. It's good to get out once in a while. (strokes the horse's mane, then turns his head and spots the mill by the river. He stops his horse before he sees a few farmers driving horse-drawn carts approaching the house. They get off their carts and walk up to the house just as someone comes out of the house. It's Ida, now nineteen years old. She's seen walking out of the house, waving hello to the farmers, and going to the nearby garden to fetch a few vegetables. His eyes brighten at the sight of her) Who's that?
(While humming to herself, Ida kneels down in the garden, starts picking a few carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, and puts them in her basket. She stops for a moment looks up to see a few birds flying through the trees and she smiles)
Ida (singing): Like a bird that flies in the morning light
Or a butterfly in the spring
When your spirit rides on the winds of hope
You'll find your wings
For you're always free to begin again
And you're always free to believe
When you find the place that your heart belongs
Khloe: Ida, please!
(Ida jumps in surprise and turns around to see her grandmother, Khloe, sticking her head out the window near the garden)
Khloe: I know you love to sing, but not in front of guests. You can do it all you want later. And please get back to work.
Ida: Sorry, grandma. (sighs as her grandmother goes back into the house. She continues to dig through the dirt) If I lived on my own, I'd make my own rules. (finishes gathering vegetables and gets up. She walks towards the house, then turns her head towards the river to see the young man on his horse looking at her. Her eyes widen as he smiles and waves at her. She smiles and blushes as she gives him a shy wave back)
(Scene cuts to inside the house. Khloe is seen washing some clothes in a basin of water while her son, Cameo, is talking with the pair of farmers who had just arrived)
Cameo: If the tax collectors come around here again, I don't know what I'd do.
Farmer #1: I feel your pain, Cameo. Those glorified bullies come around twice every three weeks nowadays. Since when did the King become so greedy?
Farmer #2: I wish I knew. We all used to have money, but now we have to use other things to pay for what we need, like our prized livestock or whatever food we have left. How shameful.
Cameo: Shameful? Ha! Outrageous is what it is! If I was ever called to the castle, I tell you I'd march right up to the King, look him straight in the eye, and give him a big old piece of my mind!
Khloe: Stop that, Cameo! You know as well as I do that commoners like us will NEVER meet the King.
Cameo: Don't be so sure, Ma. With my daughter's great beauty, she would surely marry a prince!
Khloe: Oh please. Speaking of which, where is that girl? Ida?
Ida: (enters the house) Here I am. Sorry, grandma. Hi, dad. (sets her basket down on the table)
(The Farmers turn to see Ida and their eyes widen, taken aback by her beauty)
Cameo: (smiles proudly) Yes, my little Ida is a real treasure. Not only is she as beautiful as a goddess, but she's also very talented and clever.
Ida: Ugh, dad. You're bragging again. (blushes in embarrassment as she goes to another corner of the room to do something else)
Cameo: But it's true! My daughter can sing like a bird and dance like sunlight on water. She also knows all the stars and the constellations. Taught by her mother, bless her soul. And she can spin so fine, she could even spin straw to gold.
Farmers: Straw to gold?!
Khloe: (scoffs) Straw to gold.
Ida (nervously): Straw to gold?
Cameo: Is there an echo in here or something? Yes! I said straw to gold!
(The farmers pause, but then they burst out laughing. Khloe inches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head while Ida grimaces and facepalms)
Farmer #2 (through his laughter): Oh please! That's impossible!
Farmer #1 (through his laughter): No one can spin straw into gold!
(The neighing of horses is heard and everyone falls silent. Cameo and the other farmers walk out of the house to see a man with white hair and wearing red on a black horse. Two guards are with him with a wagon filled with various goods)
Soranus: Tax collectors.
Cameo: Again? But Lord Soranus, this grain is all I have left. If you take it, then my family and I will starve.
Soranus: So sorry, but that's not my problem. It's the King's orders.
Farmer #1: If it's money the King wants, why doesn't Cameo's daughter spin some gold for you out of straw? (laughs mockingly. Cameo nudges him hard in the ribs with his elbow) Ow.
Soranus: Gold out of straw? (laughs) Poppycock! (snaps his fingers)
(The guards dismount their horses and start loading sacks of grain and flour onto the cart)
Prince Gallus: Hey!
(Cameo and the farmers turn to see the young man ride towards them on his horse. He stops next to the trio of men and glares at Soranus)
Prince Gallus: What do you think you're doing, Soranus?
Soranus: Collecting taxes for His Majesty, the King. What does it look like?
Prince Gallus: (turns to Cameo) Sir, how many times have you paid taxes this year?
Cameo: Um… about six.
Prince Gallus: I see. (to Soranus) Put the sacks back.
Soranus: What? But—
Prince Gallus: I said put. Them. Back. (glares at Soranus)
Soranus: (glares at Gallus before he relents and groans in defeat) Fine. (to the guards) Do as he says.
Guards: Yes, sir. (place the sacks of grain and flour back on the ground and climb back onto their horses)
Soranus: This isn't over. (turns his horse around and leave with the guards following close behind)
Prince Gallus: (chuckles) Yeah, you'd better run. (dismounts his horse and strokes its neck)
Cameo: Oh my Gods! Thank you, young man! Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?
Prince Gallus: There's no need to. I'm happy to help. Although, I certainly wouldn't mind meeting your daughter, if that's okay with you.
Cameo: Oh, yes! Yes, by all means! Ida! Ida, come here. There's someone who wants to meet you.
(Ida nervously walks out of the house and meets the eyes of Gallus. He smiles warmly at her and she blushes while giving a shy smile)
Ida: Uh… hello.
Prince Gallus: Hello. Your name is Ida, right? (she nods before he takes her hand) Call me Gallus. Nice to meet you.
Ida: It's nice to meet you too, Gallus.
Prince Gallus: (lets go of Ida's hand) I heard your singing earlier. You have a beautiful voice.
Ida: Thank you. And I really appreciate what you did for my family.
Prince Gallus: Thank you. I do what I can to help others.
Khloe: (walks out of the house) Would you like to come inside, young man? We were about to have lunch soon and you're more than welcome to join us.
Prince Gallus: Oh, no. That's okay, but thank you for the offer. I'd better get back home. My father is probably wondering where I am. (climbs back onto his horse)
Cameo: Well, okay. But I want you to know that you're welcome to come back anytime you like.
Khloe: And thank you again.
Prince Gallus: Of course. (to Ida) I hope to see you again, Ida.
Ida: And I you, Gallus. (blushes)
(Gallus smiles and nods at her before whipping the reins and riding off in another direction. Ida waves goodbye to him as she leans on the wall behind her)
Ida: Wow…
(Scene cuts to on the country road. Soranus and his guards are seen riding down the path with Soranus in a bad mood)
Guard #1: Did you hear what that farmer said? Can the Miller's daughter really spin straw into gold?
Guard #2: I don't know. But it sounds incredible, doesn't it?
Soranus: What? Oh don't tell me you idiots actually believe that nonsense! I'm sure the Miller and his friends were just telling tales to make themselves look important. (rolls his eyes. He then pauses as he gets an idea) But it is an interesting tale to tell. I wonder how the King himself would react to such news. (rides past a set of thorny bushes as a pair of orange eyes stares at the group)
(The moment the horses are gone, a dark figure covered in shadows emerges from the bushes and walks away from the path further into the forest. The figure stumbles and nearly trips on a rock; he aggressively kicks it out of his way and continues walking)
Little man: Straw into gold? (bends down, grabs a small snake, and lifts it up before casually dropping it into his mouth and swallowing it whole. He licks his lips and chuckles wickedly to himself) This is going to be fun. (disappears into the forest)