(Bel): Scenes 7-11

Scene 7

A laboratory in Milton Keynes – Fred, a young assistant, is working at a console – enter Janis

Janis
What is it Fred

Fred
You were right

Janis
What

Fred
There’s some faerie activity flagg’d up in Scotland

Janis
I knew it – Mayday is a magical day, it falls half-way between the spring equinox & the summer solstice – combine that with a series of shooting stars & all sorts of wonders can happen – it was on such a night in Latvia, in the Pokainu forest, under the exact same conditions, that I saw the world of fairies myself

Fred
So, you’ve said… many times

Janis
Ah – like a cloud, like a bright nimbus, I saw a fairy host jerking etherically – drinking deep in aeriel vitality it seem’d exalted with intoxicating energy -swans turnd to maidens dancing in the moonlight – & the moonlights flicker’d with fairy tricks & charms – I saw the fairy wind start with a sudden gust, then an eddying whirlwind of fairies whipp’d up as they danc’d & I found myself in a whirl of fairies dancing in a cocoon of light – loose-jointed as a scarecrow – it had such a hypnotic effect, I was unable to resist – or tear myself away – a whole year pass’d in a single night – I woke up a year older – everyone thought I had gone missing – but I hadn’t – I’d just seen a Fairy Host, & ever since I’ve been determin’d to once more taste the pleasures of the faeries – yes, my whole life has been illuminated by that single moment

Fred
Yes, I know

Janis
So, what do we have?

Fred
It appears that near the city of Edinburgh, in a village call’d Gifford in the county of East Lothian, about 20 miles, there has been contact between humans & some member of the faerie world – your satellite is going crazy

Janis
Hah – I knew it would work – we must set off at once

Fred
What, go to Scotland

Janis
Of course

Fred
But it’s freezing up there

Janis
Well, pack a big coat

Fred
So, its 338 miles from Milton Keynes to Gifford – that’s 5 hours 46 minutes, plus a stop over – so, if we set off in an hour, we will be there about… 4pm

Janis
We can book a hotel in Edinburgh – ever been

Fred
Why would I want to go to Scotland

Janis
Ah – it’s a bonnie country & its capital is spectacular

Fred
Do they have internet up there

Janis
I’m sure they do

Fred
I had a date tonight – he’s from Milan

Janis
Fred ! you’re not being paid to have dates with Italian stallons, you’re being paid to help me prove to the world that fairies exist – oh, how they have laughed at me in the academic community – I told them that the fairies exist, but they just laugh’d at me – well, as the Latvians say, laugh & laugh & laugh, my friend, but he laughs best who laughs til the end
{he laughs}

Fred
You’re crazy

Janis
That’s what everybody thinks, but after today, everyone will know that a whole new dimension exists behind a veil of enchantment – so, get the equipment ready – we shall be taking off in an hour

Exit Janis – Fred a little upset, goes on his phone to cancel his date – then starts packing things up

Scene 8

The Fairy Island -The Faerie Queen is holding court – the wrinkl’d face of Harry the Hamadryad peers out from the trunk of an oak tree – Puck plays the pipes, a Centaur is watching proceedings, Puss-in-Boots looks cool

FAIRY WONDERLAND

There is a siren humming song at her ease
& the flowers are shining like phantasies
& bigtop ballerinas on trapeze
It’s a fairy wonderland

For we are the fay
& we like to play
this is the land of Pan
Come find us if you can

There is a delight tickle sprite giggling flutes
& the pink elves feed themselves on fair fruits
Even the trees are feeling it to their roots
Even Puss-in-Boots

Fairy, fairy wonderland…
Every heart and every hand
Welcomes thee to Fairyland
Today

For we are the fay
& we like to play
this is the land of pan
Come find us if you can

Tripping hither, tripping thither,
Nobody knows why or whither,
We must dance and we must sing
Fairies in a fairy ring.

Peril or perplexitee,
Call us, and we’ll come to thee —
Love & laughter you’ll command
From our Fairy Wonderland

Fairy, Fairy Wonderland…
Every heart and every hand
Welcomes thee to Fairyland
Today

Every shoot has nature sylphs
Blossom spirits on the hills
We are the children of the Fay

Enter Bimbletongue, Puddlefoot & Bella – the court freezes in silence

Puddlefoot
Your majesty

Fairy Queen
Bimbletongue, Puddlefoot, you are very welcome – I see you have brought a guest with you

Bimbletongue
We have, your majesty, she is one of the big people

Fairy Queen
I can see that – she must be very special to have gained your trust

Bimbletongue
She is your majesty

Fairy Queen
So, what is your name, little big girl

Bella
I am Bella

Fairy Queen
& to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit

Puddlefoot
Her mother is being held in a dreamstate by Madelynn the witch

Fairy Queen
Madelaine?

Puddlefoot
Yes, in my old house

Fairy Queen
Oh dear, this is not good

Bimbletongue
We have come to ask for your advice

Fairy Queen
About what

Bimbletongue
Rescue her to do we want

Fairy Queen
Hmm, well, I am afraid your mother can only be awaken’d by a kiss from a loved one – do you love your mother

Bella
Of course I do, & I love her even more now because I miss her so much

Fairy Queen
Well then. if you somehow can enter the house of Madelaine Bennet, & there kiss your mother, then you shall release her from the spell

Puck
& live happily ever after, of course

Fairy Queen
But you cannot tell any of the Big People about what you are doing

Bella
What, not even my daddy

Fairy Queen
No, not at all – the Big People will not believe you & such a lack of faith will weaken the magic of the counter-spell – you must keep this meeting & the knowledge I am imparting completely to yourself

Bella
But… how do we get in the witch’s house

Fairy Queen
That is where your Brownie friends shall assist you, I am sure – but you will also need something – Puck, pluck me those flowers there, the red ones
{she clicks her fingers, a fairy brings a mushroom}
Before you enter Madelynn’s house, eat a mouthful of this; she was a fairy, once, & will be able to read your intentions, however the magical effects of this mushroom will block her evil eye

Bella
OK

Puddlefoot
Oh, thank you great queen, noble queen, with your help we will now be able to we help this little big girl see her dear mother again

Fairy Queen
Yes, yes, yes, eh, is that all – I really do need to be communing with the vegetable consciousness right now, the realms of leaf & stream also need my help, to grow

Bimbletongue
Of course, your majesty – & it will be Dawn soon, also, we must get Bella back to her bedroom

Fairy Queen
Yes, you do that & good luck

Exit Bella & the Brownies

Fairy Queen
What do you think Puck

Puck
I sense trouble

Harry the Hamadryad
Me also

Fairy Queen
It was always going to happen, we should have dealt with her properly when she first embraced the Darkness

Centaur
Puss-in-Boots
The little big girl was nice, wasn’t she

Fairy Queen
She was, yes… I remember when the humans were few & small & shy & nervous – but the more of them that were born, the more confident they became & more destructive too – but it is reassuring the see there are still some nice souls among the big people of the human race – it is a shame not everyone is is as decent as this Bella – we shall help her

Scene 9

Bella’s bedroom – Enter Bella, Bimbletongue & Puddlefoot

Bella
Gosh, it’s nearly 7 o’clock, my dad will soon be waking me up for school

Bimbletongue
So, when your father comes in, you will tell him the plan, yes, but without telling him the actual plan

Bella
Yes, I think I’ve got it

Bimbletongue
Good, good,

Puddlefoot
{holding up a rag doll}
Oh! This looks a little bit like you, Bimbletongue

Bimbletongue
This is not a time for playing with dolls, Puddlefoot

Puddlefoot
Alright, alright – look, Bella, you’d better get into bed

Bella
I’m on it
{getting into bed}
Hey, guys, why do I not feel tired – I’ve been up all night

Bimbletongue
Ah – that would be the magic of the faerie realm, I expect

There is a knock on the door / the Brownies get fluster’d & hide under the bed

Enter James

James
Good morning babes, rise & shine its school at nine

Bella
Good morning, daddy

James
Oh – you look bright-eyed & bushy-tail’d – sleep well

Bella
Eh, I guess

James
I’ve done scrambl’d eggs on toast this morning, with orange juice, happy with that

Bella
Yeah, sure

Puddlefoot slips out of the bedroom

James
So, what have you got on today

Bella
Oh, the usual, but I am doing something after school

James
& that would be

Bella
Brownies

James
But it’s not Monday

Bella
I know, but there’s a special meeting, or something, Aimee’s mum is going to be pick me afterwards & drop me off home

James
Is she – fair enough – I’ll just give her a call & make sure that’s fine

Bella
Eh – you’re going to do what

James
Of course – I’m your father, it’s my duty to know where you are & if you’re safe – breakfast in ten

Exit James

Bella
He’s going to call Sally’s mum, what are we going to do

Bimbletongue
Worry not, this problem expected us, fixing it Puddlefoot is

Bella
What do you mean

Bimbletongue
Your phone pass me

Bella
My phone

Bimbletongue
Yes
{the phone goes off / Bimbletongue answers it with on a woman’s voice}
Hello… yes, this is Sally’s mother… I’m fine, & you… good… yes, there is a special meeting of the Brownies this evening… I will pick them up from school… can she stay for her tea, you know how they like to play… excellent, well, I’ll drop her off about seven-thirty, eight… perfect, goodbye

Bella
How did you do that

Bimbletongue
Puddlefoot has just gone into your father’s speaking-box & chang’d the numbers around

Bella
Ah, very clever

Bimbletongue
Yes, we are the most remarkable creatures, aren’t we

Bella
You certainly are – anyway, right, best get chang’d for school

Bimbletongue
& after your school we will meet at the place we told you to, right

Bella
Yes

Bimbletongue
Wonderful – until later

Bella
Laters

Exit Bimbletongue / Bella starts getting dress’d

Scene 10

Yester School playground, Gifford – Aimee is chatting to a couple of friends – enter Bella

Bella
Hello girls

Aimee
Bella – what you up to

Bella
I’m good – Aimee, could I talk to you on your own a minute

Annie
Why – what do you want to say to her

Bella
Its private

Lucy
You’d better not be stirring trouble, Bella

Bella
I’m not stirring

Lucy
Well, what is then

Bella
It’s about homework

Annie
Doing your homework will never make you cleverer, Bella – born stupid, stay stupid

Bella
Aimee
Leave her alone, girls – I’ll meet you both at the tuck shop in five minutes

Annie
Well don’t stay too long, you might catch her nits

Bella
Bog off Annie

Aimee
Look – I’ll be with you soon

Bella
Why are you their mates

Aimee
They’re alright really, they just don’t seem to like you – I do, tho’, I think you’re great

Bella
Thanks

Aimee
So, what do you want

Bella
I need your help

Annie
Yeah

Aimee
We need to pretend to do Brownies to get into a house in Haddington

Aimee
What ! You want me to do what

Bella
We need to get into a house

Aimee
Whose house

Bella
It’s this woman’s – I think my mum’s there

Aimee
Your mum

Bella
Yep

Aimee
I thought she’d ran off with a rock star & left the country

Bella
You shouldn’t believe any of the rubbish that comes out of the mouths of Brenda & that – no she’s in Haddington

Aimee
I don’t get it – she’s been missing, what, a year, & she’s been in Haddington all this time

Bella
That’s I was told, yep

Aimee
Who by

Bella
I’ll explain later

Aimee
So, how we gonna get there

Bella
We’ll have to catch the bus – there’s one just after school – we’ll have to run, but we should make it

Aimee
So, how are we going to get inside

Bella
Find my mum – I’ve had an idea how to do it as well – if we pretend we’re Brownies helping people clean their houses to earn a badge – we’ll get in

Aimee
Oh, you’re mental you are

Bella
Are you gonna help me do it, Aimee, or what

Aimee
Of course I am – I’ll have to go & get my Brownie uniform – have you got yours

Bella
Yeah, it’s in all my bag

Aimee
Well, it’ll be an adventure

Bella
Have you got any money

Aimee
Not really, just my dinner money

Bella
I’ve got some spare – I’ll meet you after school at the gates

Aimee
See you at the gates

Bella
You’re a really good friend, thank you

Aimee
Like my grandma says – a friend in need is a friend indeed

Bella
Right, in a bit

Exit Bella & Aimee

Scene 11

Madelynn’s house / Bella’s mum is led on a bed, asleep – there are tubes coming out of her with liquid in / enter Madelynn stroking a black cat / she goes to a mirror

Madelynn
Tell me mirror, tell me true
Of all the witches in the land
Who is the finest looking, who?

Mirror
You are Madelynn, of course

Madelynn
Good, good, so, to my sleeping angel, you really are quite bubblingly abundant with elixir-juice aren’t you, that’s another demijohn of bottl’d beauty fill’d this week – I would love to tell you how much my models appreciate sharing your, quintessence, with them, but of course, you cannot hear me, can you

Mirror
She has all the gifts of the fairies

Madelynn
She certainly does – the gorgeousness of a goddess, the wit of an angel, the voice of a nightingale, she is the best one we’ve had yet – it will be shame when we have extracted all her beauty & will have to be…

Mirror
Bump’d off

Madelynn
Precisely – well the demijohn needs bottling up –just look how pure that juice is – remarkable

NEVER GONNA WAKE AGAIN

Sweet pleasant dreams
Cos you’re never gonna wake again
These evil schemes
Of the amazing Madelaine
Your beauty’s mine
You’re lost in an endless dream
To reassign
Thro the looks of my model team
You’ve lost your smile
It’s the look of a lonely child
I’ve caught your style
& you’re never gonna wake up
Never gonna wake again

Enjoy your dream
Cos, you’re never gonna wake again
So tir’d you seem
When frozen like a cryogen
You’ll need a kiss
To counter my evil spell
The thing is this
No-one knows where the witches dwell
Devil’s delight
As we’re hidden in the plainest sight
Let’s say goodnight
Cos, you’re never gonna wake up
Never gonna wake again

No, you’re never gonna wake again…

Intercom goes off

Madelynn
Yes

Mikaela
Madelaine, there are a couple of young girls at the door

Madelaine
So, get rid of them

Mikaela
I’ve tried, but they are very persistent in their insistence on seeing you

Madelynn
Just tell them I’m busy

Mikaela
I’ve tried, but they are refusing to leave until they help you – something about badges & becoming Girl Guides, or something

Madelynn
Girl Guides ! What do I pay you for Mikaela – look I’ll be there in a minute

Madelynn looks in the mirror

Madelynn
What do you think – is that the start of a wrinkle

Mirror
Perhaps a little one