Major Charactres: Sinbad, Doubar, Dermott, Maeve, Rongar, Firouz, Sariya, Vatek, Shadbush, Gaia, Malicut
Minor Charactres: Cudgelmen, Villagers, Raven
(The Nomad is sailing towards a beautiful island)
Maeve: The Lake Isle of Leopold. Dim-Dim talked about it so much that it feels as if I’ve already been there. An emerald isle with sky-blue waters. That’s how he described it.
Sinbad: And he never told you why he wanted you to come back here?
Maeve: Only that I was to attend Princess Gaia’s eighteenth birthday.
Firouz: The Princess’s birthday gift is completed. (he rides up to them on what closely resembles our bicycle) I call it my bipeddler.
(Everyone laughs at Firouz riding on the weird invention)
Firouz: It will make camels and horses mobile methods of the past.
(He rides towards the side of the ship)
Firouz: Rongar!
(He almost falls over, but Rongar catches him)
Firouz: Modifications may be required to the steering mechanism.
(Rongar suddenly points towards the island)
Doubar: Now, what could be causing that?
Sinbad: (looks over the side of the ship) Hey. Take a look at the water here.
(They all look)
Doubar: It’s turned dark as pitch.
Maeve: Vatek the Ghoul.
Doubar: Who the what?
Maeve: Vatek the Ghoul. Master Dim-Dim told me he was the source of evil on the island. Greedy as only a ghoul can be.
(Firouz is looking through his magniscope)
Sinbad: What do you see burning on the island, Firouz?
Firouz: My word.
Doubar: And what word would that be, Firouz?
Firouz: Astonishing.
Sinbad: I don’t think that’s the word we’re looking for. Mind if I take a look?
(Firouz hands Sinbad the magniscope, and Sinbad looks)
Sinbad: (opens his eyes wide) It passes belief!
Doubar: How about you just pass me the magniscope?
(Doubar looks)
Sinbad: We have to make for open seas! (he swings on a rope to the other side of the ship)
Maeve: What is it?
Doubar: It couldn’t be!
Maeve: Doubar, what’s on fire?!
Doubar: The water. And it’s charging toward the boat! If it reaches us, we’ll be smoke!
Sinbad: Let’s keep those thoughts on hold, big brother! Right now, we need both sails to catch all the wind we can! Catch the wind, men! Full speed ahead!
(Opening Credits)
Doubar: At this rate, we’ll never outrun it!
Sinbad: (at the tiller) Happy thoughts, big brother. Think happy thoughts. Firouz, we could use a good dose of science, right now.
Firouz: Unfortunately, science can’t address every emergency situation.
Sinbad: Maeve! How about a little magic? You can do it, Maeve. I know you can. (he gives her a killer look)
Maeve: Vader, victry, vin. Let the hurricane inside me spin. (she starts turning around in circles)
Sinbad: How far, Doubar?
Doubar: Any minute now, the boat’s going to turn into a wood stove.
Sinbad: Maeve! I know you can be windier than that!
Doubar: Where’s Rumina when you need her?
Maeve: I HEARD THAT! I’d advise everyone to grab a hold of something! Vader, victry, vin. Let the hurricane inside me spin! (she starts spinning around faster and creates wind to get them away from the fire)
Sinbad: You’re doing it, Maeve! We’re outrunning it! We’re going to make it! Just a bit further! (Sinbad sees a rope about to break) Maeve! The halyard! Maeve!
(The halyard breaks, and Maeve stops; she is very dizzy from spinning around)
Sinbad: Rumina would be proud.
(Maeve whacks Sinbad in the chest)
Sinbad: Ooh!
Sinbad: Well. We’ll need to go roundabout to find a safe harbour. Hopefully this fire on the water was just some freak of nature.
Firouz: Hopefully.
(King Shadbush is in his palace; Malicut, his trusted advisor, enters the room)
Malicut: Your highness. Let me give you some cheering news. The Princess has returned.
Shadbush: No. She mustn’t. She was to remain in hiding until tomorrow. Only then can she return. I told you not to send for her until tomorrow! The curse is only broken when she turns eighteen, and not a minute before!
Malicut: She couldn’t wait. The impetuousness of youth. She just doesn’t understand.
Shadbush: No. No. Vatek is unforgiving and merciless. He mustn’t know her whereabouts.
(Gaia enters the room)
Gaia: Father! (she runs to him)
Shadbush: Gaia! My Gaia. You look so like your mother did at your age. If only she could share my enjoying seeing you home once again.
Gaia: I’m sure she does, Father.
Shadbush: I’m sure she does.
Gaia: Oh, Father, how I’ve missed you. We saw each other so seldom!
Malicut: That secrecy is over. Come tomorrow, the court of King Shadbush and Princess Gaia will reign openly without fear.
(Vatek appears in his stronghold)
Vatek: (opens wall to reveal a pathway) Come, my mute pets, from the land of the caves. Stay here and await my word. And at long last, that word will come soon.
(It is the palace)
Gaia: I missed you so much, Father.
(Malicut enters the room)
Malicut: A woman calling herself Maeve, and several others wishing to audience with you.
Shadbush: Yes, yes. Show them in.
Malicut: Do you think allowing strangers’ admittance is wise, Sire?
Shadbush: These are Master Dim-Dim’s deciples. They will serve as valuable comrades and arms to protect the Princess.
Malicut: Yes, my Liege.
(Malicut leaves and returns with the Nomad crew)
Gaia: Welcome, friends.
Maeve: Your majesties. (she curtsies, and the men bow) I’m Maeve. This is Dermott, Captain Sinbad. Doubar, Rongar, and Firouz. (she gestures to all the others when she says their names)
Shadbush: Welcome. You’re the honoured guests of King Shadbush and Princess Gaia.
Sinbad: I guess that means you’re the birthday girl.
Gaia: It’s so good of you all to come. I wanted so long to have company.
Doubar: Well, never let it be said that we turn down a party.
Firouz: Or a chance to craft a birthday present.
Gaia: You’ve made me a present? What is it? Tell me now, do.
Firouz: Not now. It must remain a surprise. I only hope you’ll like it.
Gaia: I’m sure I will.
Maeve: Eighteen. You’ll be a young woman.
Gaia: Yes. My whole life begins tomorrow. How will I ever be able to wait?
(Suddenly a group of Cudgelmen come running through the door)
Sinbad: Something tells me you fellows aren’t on the guest list.
(They crew fights the Cudgelmen)
(One of the Cudgelmen hits Shadbush)
Gaia: Oh, father!
(One of the Cudgelmen steals the talisman around Gaia’s neck, and throws it to another, who whistles; the Cudgelmen then leave; Gaia collapses)
Gaia: Father!
(The crew runs over to her)
Sinbad: They stormed the palace for a necklace?
Shadbush: They wanted more than that.
Sinbad: (looks at Gaia) How badly is she injured?
Shadbush: I fear immortal. The necklace safeguarded her life.
(Gaia is in her chamber, lying in bed; Sinbad, Shadbush, Malicut, Firouz, and Maeve are with her)
Gaia: Don’t worry, Father. I think I’m feeling better.
Shadbush: Of course you are.
Malicut: (hands Gaia some medicine) Take this, and swallow it with this.
Firouz: What are you giving her?
Malicut: A black pearl and sour camel’s milk.
Firouz: Those are your medicines?
Malicut: I would prefer administrating to the Princess privately.
Shadbush: I’ll be right back. Let us go, then.
(They leave; Firouz looks back, and sees Malicut blowing a candle flame in Gaia’s face)
(They left Gaia’s room and are walking down the hall)
Firouz: Surely your medicines are more advanced than what he’s administrating.
Shadbush: Medicines won’t help.
Sinbad: Why is that?
Shadbush: She suffers under Vatek’s curse.
Sinbad: What curse?
Shadbush: Long ago, Vatek and I vied for everything on this island, including Gaia’s mother. I succeeded in winning her heart, and she became my beloved Queen. And then she died tragically, giving birth to Gaia. Since then, Vatek has risen to become the wealthiest man in the land, and I made him a fool’s promise.
Firouz: Which was?
Shadbush: I…I pledged Gaia to become his bride. It was my misguided hope to wed her to his wealth. As my only heir, I wanted her to be taken care of. And then I learned of Vatek’s sorcery of his subhuman nature, and I broke off the agreement. So, Vatek vowed revenge. He cursed her to death even before she reached womanhood.
Maeve: Her eighteenth birthday. That was Dim-Dim’s talisman around her neck, wasn’t it?
Shadbush: A guardian necklace that protected her. I knew that Vatek would try to get it from her, so I kept her safely in hiding all these past years. But now, without the protection of the talisman—
Maeve: She’s at Vatek’s mercy.
Shadbush: Yes. (sighs) And he has none.
Sinbad: We need to get that talisman back. Where would he take it?
Shadbush: To that fuming eyesore he calls home. Travel West. When you get to a small village, it’s just beyond there.
Sinbad: Let’s get the others and start at once.
Firouz: I prefer to stay here. I don’t believe in curses. I believe in cures.
Sinbad: Do what you can, Firouz. If we can make it back before midnight, there might be a birthday celebration after all.
(They leave)
(The crew except for Firouz is walking through a field; Dermott flies off)
Sinbad: Where’s he going?
Maeve: Up ahead to scout around.
Sinbad: Well, let’s pick up the pace. We’re losing time.
(The crew arrives in a small village; everyone is afraid of them)
Doubar: What’s happened to these people?
Maeve: Poverty. Another of Vatek’s curses.
Doubar: I say we move on.
Sinbad: No. We need drinking water. And, if one of them would serve as our guide, we’d reach Vatek’s stronghold all the quicker.
(They walk towards the villagers)
Sinbad: Greetings. We mean you no harm. We’re on a mission from King Shadbush. We ask nothing of you, except some drinking water. And quick passage to Vatek’s stronghold. We’ll pay you for the water! And if one of you would act as our guide, they would also be rewarded.
Maeve: They’re terrified.
Sinbad: Will no one here find their courage and aid us?
(A gypsy, Sariya, comes out from the crowd)
Sariya: So, you want water, guidance, and courage. Your wish list rose.
Sinbad: I’m Sinbad. And these are my crew.
Sariya: I’m Sariya. And these, these are my cowards!
Sinbad: I hear a touch of the revolutionary in you.
Sariya: What, you’re going to add revolutionary to your list now, too?
Maeve: You enjoy Vatek’s ruled you?
Sariya: Why, I thought King Shadbush rules.
Maeve: Power rules. And Vatek has the power.
Sariya: Right. And if even the King is vesseled to Vatek, what makes you think that we could rise up against him?
Maeve: Because this misery is not a life. Now, is that a falsehood…or the truth? We must make haste. Help us…or leave us.
(Sariya turns and walks away)
Sariya: Very well. (turns to face them) If that’s your first request. A drink of water? Follow me.
Sinbad: Nice motivation move, Maeve.
Doubar: I’d call it goading.
Maeve: Just take care with her. There’s something in her eyes. Total darkness.
(They walk to the village well)
Sariya: The village well. Help yourself.
Doubar: Looks like a long rope.
Sariya: Scarce water runs deep.
Doubar: Come on, Rongar, let’s get cranking.
(Rongar and Doubar start to crank)
Sinbad: Have you found your courage yet?
Sariya: I never lost it.
Sinbad: Meaning you’ll take us to Vatek?
Sariya: You’ll have to prove your mental first.
Maeve: And how are we to manage that?
Sariya: Oh, I think the opportunity will arise.
(Doubar and Rongar lose their grip)
Doubar: Sinbad, I think I’ve lost my grip.
Sinbad: Not to mention your headband. What’s in there?
Sariya: Oh, water.
Sinbad: (rolls his eyes) What else is in there?!
Sariya: One of Vatek’s minions. Water is precious after all.
Maeve: What kind of minion?
Sariya: Oh, she’ll be right up.
(A water ogress comes up from the well)
Sinbad: What is it?
Maeve: It’s an ogress!
Sinbad: A what?
Maeve: You’ve heard of an ogre? She’s a female of the species!
Sariya: She controls the well. Vatek controls the water throughout the kingdom. His rations are so meager that some of my village have died of thirst.
Sinbad: Can this thing speak?
Sariya: She doesn’t have to. You attempt to use the well and she just appears. If you get too close, she sucks you up into a maelstrom. Oh, you’ll get your fill of water, if you like to fill your lungs.
Sinbad: Well, I think it’s time we put an end to this water witch!
Maeve: She’s an ogress.
Sinbad: Whatever! To me, she’s exposed. If we were to cave in the top of the well—
Doubar: Splash! She’d have nowhere to go.
Sariya: If she pulls you in, there’s no one to pull you out.
Sinbad: That’s why we’ll have to act quickly!
Sariya: Well, be my guest!
Sinbad: Feeling sprightly, crew? Let’s start pushing, before she starts pulling!
(They begin to push on the blocks of the well; the ogress pulls on Maeve)
Maeve: Sinbad! Help me!
Sinbad: Rongar! Maeve! Maeve! Rongar!
(Rongar goes and pulls Maeve from the ogress’ grasp and they fall to the ground; they finally push the blocks into the well, and the ogress is gone; the crew laughs as the water rains down on them)
Sinbad: Looks like the drinks are on us!