Scene Nine: The False Prince

[INT. AVALONIA CASTLE – NOVA’S CHAMBERS – MORNING]

The first rays of dawn spill through sheer curtains. Nova stirs, a groan escaping her lips. She blinks at her reflection in the vanity mirror—
—and gasps.

Her eyes are plain brown. Her skin no longer glimmers faintly with magic. The faint pulse of power she’s always felt in her veins is gone.

NOVA (panicked whisper)
No… no, no, no.

She rushes to the window, yanking open the curtains. The gardens outside are beautiful, alive with color, but when she reaches out, the flowers don’t respond to her presence anymore. No shimmer, no hum. Just… silence.

NOVA (louder)
Cedric!

[She spins, rushing from the room.]

---

INT. CASTLE CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS

Servants bustle about, startled as the princess darts past them barefoot and wild-eyed.

SERVANT
Your Highness? Are you—

NOVA
Have you seen Cedric? Seth? Any of them?

SERVANT (confused)
No, Your Highness. They haven’t returned from their walk last night.

NOVA (under her breath)
Of course they haven’t…

She continues down the corridor until—

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INT. THRONE ROOM – MOMENTS LATER

King Ursus and Queen Rosabella stand before the throne, discussing quietly when Nova bursts in. They turn, startled.

URSUS (worried)
Nova? What’s happened?

NOVA
Have you seen Cedric? He’s not in our chambers, not anywhere in the castle—

ROSABELLA (stepping forward)
Sweetheart, slow down.

URSUS (studying her)
You look… different.

NOVA (impatiently)
I woke up and— and the magic’s gone. I can’t feel anything.

ROSABELLA (smiling softly, relief flooding her face)
Gone? Oh, my darling, that’s wonderful! The curse has finally lifted!

NOVA (shaking her head)
No, it’s not wonderful— something’s wrong!

URSUS (firmly)
Or perhaps, finally right. Magic always brought trouble to this family, Nova. Maybe it’s time you lived without it.

NOVA (hurt)
You don’t understand— Cedric—

[The doors open with a loud creak.]

A tall figure enters, cloaked, confident. When the light catches his face, Nova’s breath catches—

NOVA (relieved)
Cedric!

[It’s Gideon, wearing the enchanted ring that makes him appear as Cedric. He smiles perfectly.]

GIDEON (warmly)
Nova. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.

[He strides forward, taking her hand. Rosabella beams, Ursus looks guarded.]

ROSABELLA
Cedric, how good to see you! You must be thrilled—the curse is gone!

GIDEON (smoothly)
I’m… overjoyed, Your Majesty. Truly.

URSUS (eyeing him)
You look… different as well.

GIDEON (smiling politely)
Long night, Your Majesty. Perhaps we all could use some rest.

[Nova studies him. Something feels off— his eyes too sharp, his smile too rehearsed. But before she can question it, another voice cuts through the room.]

---

[Enter RUMPLESTILTSKIN]

The great doors swing open again, revealing Rumplestiltskin, dressed not as the cunning deal-maker but as a courtly gentleman. His hair is neat, his eyes gleam with charm, and his cane clicks softly on the marble floor.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (cheerfully)
My, my! What a sight for sore eyes. The beloved princess, free of her curse at last!

URSUS (surprised)
Rumple?

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (bowing)
Old friend of the family, here to offer my congratulations.

ROSABELLA (genuinely pleased)
You’re too kind.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (with a grin)
Oh, it’s no kindness, my dear Queen— it’s destiny! A moment like this deserves celebration!

URSUS (wary)
What sort of celebration?

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
Why, a ball, of course! A grand one, to mark the day Princess Nova’s curse was broken and she— and her prince— finally found peace.

[He glances meaningfully toward Gideon. Nova stiffens.]

NOVA (quietly)
That’s… not what happened.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (smoothly)
Details, details. History is all about presentation, my dear. And wouldn’t it be lovely to show the people that Avalonia’s brightest star shines once more?

ROSABELLA (clapping her hands softly)
A wonderful idea!

URSUS (after a pause)
Perhaps… it’s time the kingdom saw its princess truly happy.

NOVA (murmuring)
I don’t feel happy.

GIDEON (taking her hand again, smiling gently)
You will. I promise.

[Nova hesitates, her eyes flickering with doubt. Somewhere deep inside, she senses the wrongness—the faint echo of Cedric’s true voice whispering her name in the distance.]

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[CUT TO: EXTERIOR – FOREST PATH – SAME TIME]

Rain begins to fall. Cedric, Seth, Pandora, and Jasper trudge through the woods, drenched but determined.

SETH (grumbling)
We’re lost again, aren’t we?

JASPER (checking his map)
We’re not lost, just… temporarily misplaced.

CEDRIC (focused)
We’re close. I can feel her. Something’s wrong at the castle.

PANDORA (quietly)
Then we better hurry before it’s too late.

[A distant rumble of thunder rolls overhead. The camera pans up to the dark castle looming in the distance, shrouded in gold enchantment, and back down to Nova standing at her balcony, unaware of the storm closing in.]

FADE OUT.