WRATH (working title) Copyright (c) 2019 (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 0. EXT. TIRISFAL FOREST - NIGHT. We see a dark forest. Wind whistles through the trees, mimicking the sound of a long, slow whisper. Ahhh...thesss....Ar...thas...Arthas. DISSOLVE TO: 1. INT. LORDAERON CASTLE - NIGHT. We can hear a woman crying, and the shouts of many people. CUT TO: INT. LORDAERON ROYAL CHAMBERS - NIGHT. QUEEN LIANNE MENETHIL lies on a large BED. She is sweating profusely, and is clearly in great pain. Clutching her hand is KING TERENAS MENETHIL, ruler of Lordaeron. A physician, a midwife and several maids surround the bed, all fraught with anticipation. MIDWIFE Any moment now, your highness. With a great cry and a final convulsive push from LIANNE, we hear a baby start to cry. Those surrounding the bed spring into immediate action, some fetching blankets to sheathe the baby, others toweling the Queen's forehead. The midwife clutches a crying baby boy, who is quickly wrapped up. He is handed to TERENAS and quickly stops crying, staring up at his father. A sudden gust of wind blows, rattling the windows and billowing the sheets on the bed. With it, a sound, like that of a whispered name, snakes its way through the room. PHYSICIAN Shut that window! The prince will catch his death. TERENAS Prince? MIDWIFE A boy, your highness. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) TERENAS and LIANNA look at each other. TERENAS hands the child to LIANNE, who cradles him. CUT TO: 2. INT. CALIA'S CHAMBER - NIGHT. CALIA MENETHIL, nine-year-old firstborn daughter of TERENAS and LIANNE, is sitting on her bed. She is a ball of pure excitement and nerves, and seems unable to do anything but bite her nails and stare anxiously at the door. There is a light knock on the door. CALIA Enter! An elderly page opens the door and steps in. PAGE Princess Calia. His highness asks for- CALIA Oh, forget all that, Marwyn! Come on! CALIA leaps off the bed and runs from the room. MARWYN, the old page, smiles happily and follows her out. CUT TO: 3. INT. ROYAL CHAMBERS - NIGHT. CALIA hurries into the room, startling the assembled crowd. Her father laughs and pulls her up into his arms. TERENAS Come, Calia. Meet your new brother. TERENAS lowers her to the ground, next to the bed. She stares wondrously at the child. LIANNE smiles and ruffles her hair. CALIA What's his name, mother? LIANNE Arthas. FADE TO BLACK 2. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) FADE IN: 4. EXT. SPARRING YARD - MORNING. A young boy of about thirteen, with long blonde hair and blue eyes, is swinging wildly at a wicker training dummy affixed to a wooden pole in the yard, equipped with only a wooden sword. He is wearing clothing that, while certainly of fine make, is not overtly regal. Behind him stands a dwarf, with long hair and beard, both flaming red. When he speaks, it is in a thick Dwarven accent. MURADIN No, no, lad, yer going about it all wrong. Ye cannae just swing wildly an' 'ope that somethin' sticks. Yer hav' to be precise. Besides, ye'll waste all yer energy in a coupl'a seconds if ye try swingin' a real sword around like that. The boy stops swinging as MURADIN speaks. Muradin gives the boy a concerned look. MURADIN (cont'd) Is somethin' wrong Arthas? 'Sfar as I was aware ye've been getting better, not worse. What's happened, lad? ARTHAS sighs and lowers the wooden sword. ARTHAS Sorry, Muradin. I know I shouldn't, I just... it's this banquet tonight. I hate having to just sit still and listen to grown-ups talk about things I don't even understand. MURADIN Ah. I see, laddie. Ye must suffer from the same curse as I. I cannae stand all the talk o' th' nobles and bureaucrats. I'm glad it's me brother Magni that rules Ironforge, and not I. 3. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) ARTHAS But why do I have to go? These things happen all the time, and father's never made me attend before. MURADIN Did ye forget, lad? Ye have special guests today. All the lords o' th' seven kingdoms'll be there, and their heirs. ARTHAS Calia's already going, and she's much better at that stuff than me. Why do I have to go too? MURADIN Because Calia will nae be king someday. That's your destiny. And as fer her bein' better? That just comes with age, lad, and time. Remember, she is nine years yer elder. Don't ye worry, ye'll get used to it one day. ARTHAS does not respond, but continues to sulk slightly. MURADIN (cont'd) Come on now, Arthas. Ye have all afternoon to sulk about yer royal position. Fer now, run along to the chapel. Ye don't want to keep ol' Uther waiting. ARTHAS tries to continue sulking, but suddenly smiles despite himself. ARTHAS He doesn't like it when you call him old, you know. MURADIN Who, Uther? But he is old! ARTHAS He's younger than you are. MURADIN Bah, we dwarves have much sturdier constitutions. Besides, there's not a grey hair on me head, or my chin. That cleric's mane is all one shade o', well... old. 4. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) ARTHAS laughs. MURADIN laughs with him, before shooing him away. ARTHAS tosses him the wooden sword and runs off. MURADIN catches the weapon and smiles after the boy. CUT TO: 5. INT. CHAPEL LIBRARY - MORNING. UTHER, the cleric, sits beside a desk in a small room, reading from a leatherbound tome. Though he is certainly not young, the frail picture Muradin painted is false in every other aspect. Uther is well-built, and possessing of a strength that belies his true age. He carries the air of a man of tremendous power, perhaps without realising it. The room he occupies is adorned with several banners depicting the holy symbol of the Light, the chief religion of Lordaeron. A vertical line, overlaid at its top by a broken circle, with a gap at 90 and 270 degrees. Besides this, the room is neatly kept, with several bookshelves and a few lamps. A fireplace sits cold on one wall. There is a light knock on the door. UTHER Enter. ARTHAS pushes the door open slowly and steps into the room. Uther doesn't look up from his book. UTHER (cont'd) How was the dwarf? ARTHAS Old and daft. UTHER shuts the book, stares at ARTHAS for a few moments, then breaks into a grin. UTHER Good to hear, my boy! ARTHAS grins and closes the door behind him. He walks to the desk and sits himself at the seat behind it. UTHER looks at him. UTHER (cont'd) How are you feeling, Arthas? 5. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) ARTHAS looks with slight trepidation at Uther for a few moments, then sighs. ARTHAS I'm nervous, Uther. I'm never any good at talking to important people. UTHER Mm. Should I take that as an insult? ARTHAS You know what I mean. UTHER Yes, I do. And, I understand how you're feeling. Fortunately, we won't be needing any of these today. UTHER sets the book he was reading down atop the desk and shuts it. He pushes it away and turns his his body to face ARTHAS. ARTHAS watches him to do this, and an excited expression springs across his face. UTHER (cont'd) Instead, I thought I might tell you a story, of a visionary cleric. ARTHAS warily ( ) You're not going to talk about Mereldar again, are you? UTHER I believe having heard the Prophet's story three times can be deemed sufficient instruction. No: today, I will tell you the tale of someone still living today, in the abbey at Northshire, near the great kingdom of Stormwind. A bishop in the Church of the Holy Light, named Alonsus Faol. ARTHAS Who is he? UTHER First: you know of the First Great War? Fought between the Orcs and the combined kingdoms of men? ARTHAS Only a little. Why do you-? 6. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) UTHER Simply to ensure you know the context of this tale. As UTHER speaks now, visions of the events he describes appear. During the First War, Faol and his fellow clerics at Northshire were struck a particularly tragic blow. In a brutish, unwarranted attack, many of the clerics were slain, and the abbey itself was lost. It has since been reclaimed, but the scene Faol witnessed there scarred him very deeply. We clerics study the Light, Arthas, and we have always used the gifts it grants us only to aid others, never to cause harm. As a result, however, the clerics at Northshire were left defenseless in the face of the Orcish armada, and Faol could no longer reconcile the peace our order had historically practiced. Not in the face of such abject brutality. And so, a vision visited Faol. Of warriors, wielding the power of the light, not in peace, but in retribution. Of armoured saints, striking down all manner of dark and evil things, be they orc or otherwise. Faol called these holy knights paladins. As UTHER'S story reaches its climax, we return to the small library. ARTHAS watches UTHER with rapt attention, all other concerns thrown aside. ARTHAS Where are these knights, Uther? Do they exist? UTHER They do indeed. Faol has created an order, named the Knights of the Silver Hand. ARTHAS Can I join them? UTHER chuckles, then places his arm on ARTHAS' shoulder. 7. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) UTHER No, my boy, you can not. Not yet, at least. You are still young, and still the heir to Lordaeron's throne. Your fate is for your father to decide. Besides, I am sure Muradin would lament the loss of his fiercest student. ARTHAS downcast ( ) I suppose you're right. All I have to look forward to is boring banquets and speeches. UTHER smiles at ARTHAS, whose gaze has dropped to the empty fireplace. A slightly pained look crosses the old teacher's face before he speaks again. UTHER Ah... there is another reason I told you that tale, Arthas. ARTHAS' eyes refocus and he looks up at UTHER. UTHER (cont'd) I am... leaving. Leaving the city. I am journeying to Northshire, to join this new Order. Faol was my own teacher, and he has asked me to join him in seeing this vision to fruition. ARTHAS What? You can't leave, you... UTHER I'm sorry, my boy. Truly. I do so love teaching you, and have felt immensely privileged to watch you grow up all these years. I have no doubt that you will become a fine young Prince, and a good man. But, I feel this is a destiny that I have long avoided, and it is high time that I heed its call. ARTHAS looks away. UTHER (cont'd) Don't fret, Arthas. This will the last time we see each other. (MORE) 8. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) When my training is completed in UTHER (cont'd) Northshire, I promise to return to Lordaeron. ARTHAS seems to be searching for something to say, but cannot find the right words. After a few moments, he simply reaches out and hugs UTHER, tears rolling down his cheeks. UTHER smiles weakly and hugs the boy back. They stay like this for a few moments, before UTHER slowly releases him. ARTHAS When do you leave? UTHER Immediately, I'm afraid. Alonsus does not wish to waste any time. ARTHAS Great. You'll be out of the city, and Muradin refuses to come tonight. I shan't have anyone to talk to. UTHER Now, now, Arthas. I'm sure you'll find some way to entertain yourself. ARTHAS slowly stands up and pushes his chair under the desk. ARTHAS I suppose I should return to the castle. UTHER Indeed. ARTHAS I'll miss you, Uther. UTHER And I you, Arthas. But, as I say: we will see each other again. Think no more on it, my boy. CUT TO: 6. INT. ARTHAS' CHAMBERS - EVENING. ARTHAS is standing in front of a cupboard, dressed in the gaudy attire so often seen on young nobles. There is a knock on his door, and TERENAS enters. 9. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) TERENAS Arthas? Ready to go? ARTHAS looks round at his father. ARTHAS I suppose it's too late for me to fall suddenly ill. TERENAS chuckles lightly. TERENAS Come now, Arthas. I know you're not looking forward to this, but it is necessary. And it is something to which you must become accustomed, if you are to be king one day. ARTHAS looks at his father, unconvinced. TERENAS (cont'd) I didn't care for them at your age either, Arthas. But, if you enter with an open mind, you will have a far better chance of enjoying yourself than you might think. ARTHAS shrugs and walks towards the door, past his father. TERENAS (cont'd) And, I suppose... if you make it through successfully, I may allow you to have your first ride on Courageous tomorrow. ARTHAS spins around and stares at his father. TERENAS smiles and shrugs slightly. ARTHAS runs to his father and wraps him in a tight hug. TERENAS laughs and ruffles his hair. TERENAS (cont'd) Come now, Arthas. I haven't allowed you a ride yet. The banquet comes first. ARTHAS lets go of his father, nods, then straightens his clothes. He turns around and composes himself in an exaggerated regal manner, then walks swiftly to the door. TERENAS chuckles and follows him, shutting the door behind him. CUT TO: 10. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 7. INT. CASTLE DINING HALL - NIGHT. TERENAS, LEANNE, ARTHAS and CALIA stand together at the entrance of the dining hall, waiting to greet the royal guests. CALIA is no longer a girl of nine, but a young woman, nearing twenty in age. All are dressed in their finest royal attire. Several other people are lined up behind the royal family - nobles and bureaucrats of the kingdom, and the royal families of four of the other human kingdoms. ARTHAS nudges his sister lightly and whispers to her. ARTHAS How many more to go? CALIA Don't be so impatient, Arthas. Just Stormwind and Kul Tiras now. A page enters the hall. PAGE Your royal highnesses, lords and ladies: Regent-Lord Anduin Lothar, her highness Queen Taria Wrynn and his highness Prince Varian Wrynn, of Stormwind. LOTHAR, TARIA and VARIAN enter the hall. Varian is a young boy, of about ARTHAS' age. Both boys' faces light up slightly when they see other. TERENAS Lord Lothar, an honour as always. LOTHAR King Terenas, a privilege. The two men shake hands warmly and smile. Lothar then moves on to greet Leanne, while Terenas greets Taria. Then, Lothar moves in front of Arthas. LOTHAR (cont'd) Prince Arthas, it is an honour to meet you. You have grown into a fine young man. ARTHAS forces a smile. 11. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) ARTHAS Thank you, Lord Lothar. It is nice to meet you. Lothar extends his hand, which Arthas shakes. Lothar smiles, then moves to Calia. LOTHAR Princess Calia. You are as lovely as you were the last time you were in Stormwind. I trust you are well? CALIA Very well, thank you Lord Lothar. LOTHAR Excellent. ARTHAS, meanwhile, has very much the same interaction with queen Taria as he did with Lothar. Finally, Varian steps in front of Arthas. The two boys stare at each other, seemingly unsure of what to say. VARIAN awkwardly ( ) I am Varian, son of Llane. ARTHAS Uh... I am Arthas, son of Terenas. TERENAS notices the boys. He whispers into LEANNE'S ear, and both look down at them. They both smile cheekily, before resuming their composure. We return to ARTHAS, now alone once more, Varian having followed his mother and Lothar into the banquet hall. As the family stand waiting once more, TERENAS speaks quietly to his wife. TERENAS Just Daelin, now. LEANNE I do hope he doesn't cause another scene. He nearly broke Antonidas' nose last time. TERENAS But you have to sympathise with the man. I'm not sure how I'd react if the old wizard asked to whisk Calia off to Dalaran. 12. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) LEANNE But you're much closer to Calia than Daelin ever seemed to Jaina. I'm surprised he didn't cart her off straight away when she first showed signs of magic. TERENAS Perhaps he thinks his Tidesages can do better than the teachers at Dalaran. The same PAGE from earlier enters the room once more, cutting short their conversation. PAGE Your royal highnesses, lords and ladies: his highness Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, her highness Lady Katherine Proudmoore, his highness Commander Derek Proudmoore, his highness Commander Tandred Proudmoore, and her highness Lady Jaina Proudmoore. DAELIN, KATHERINE, DEREK, TANDRED and JAINA enter the hall. Daelin and Katherine are similar in age to Terenas and Leanne. Derek is a young man in his early twenties, and Tandred a teenager, closer in age to Calia. Jaina is a small girl, around Arthas' age. Arthas notces her first, and his mouth falls open slightly. TERENAS Lord Admiral! An honour, as always. DAELIN King Terenas. Your city is as beautiful as ever. The two shake hands, not as warmly as the embrace between Terenas and Llane. The same pleasantries are exchanged along the line, but Arthas seems to barely notice. He only tunes back in when Jaina stops in front of him. JAINA Hi. ARTHAS Hello. This time, it is CALIA who watches ARTHAS. She smiles, then greets Jaina when she steps in front of her. 13. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) CALIA Miss Proudmoore. A pleasure to meet you. ARTHAS watches the exchange between his sister and Jaina, though his eyes are focused on only the latter. As Jaina moves on, CALIA glances at ARTHAS, then bends over to speak to him. CALIA (cont'd) I see the Daughter of the Sea has ensnared your affection, young prince. ARTHAS blushes and looks at his sister. ARTHAS Shut up. CALIA laughs and straightens up. CUT TO: 8. INT. ROYAL DINING HALL - LATER. ARTHAS is sitting at a table, staring absently ahead. Around him, various nobles chatter away, their words lost to him. We can see VARIAN standing dutifully next to Lothar, seemingly trying to listen with the same attentiveness as the Regent-Lord. JAINA'S face suddenly appears next to ARTHAS' head, causing him to jump slightly and pull away. JAINA Hi. ARTHAS Uh... hi. JAINA My dad told me you're probably going to be a knight. ARTHAS Uh... oh, yeah... JAINA Do you want to be a knight? 14. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) ARTHAS Um... yeah. Do you? JAINA A knight? No. I don't really like fighting. ARTHAS Oh I don't fight anybody. I just practice with a dummy in the yard. JAINA Oh. I suppose that's okay. I don't think there's going to be any dummies at my school. ARTHAS Where are you going? JAINA wonderment ( ) Dalaran. It's a city full of wizards. Mr Antonidas is the Archmage, and he says I'm good enough to go. ARTHAS Dalaran? Isn't that far away from Kul Tiras? JAINA I suppose so. But I don't really like Kul Tiras that much. It's all boats and seagulls. I'd like to live someplace else for a change. ARTHAS But... aren't you a princess? Don't you have to stay in Kul Tiras? JAINA No. ARTHAS Oh. JAINA My daddy's not a king, so I'm not a princess. ARTHAS Oh. 15. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) JAINA Besides, my brother Derek is going to be Lord Admiral after my dad, not me. I'm going to be a sorcerer. JAINA beams proudly. ARTHAS looks at her and smiles weakly. JAINA (cont'd) But, anyway. That's not what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you know anything about Varian? ARTHAS Wha... who? JAINA Varian Wrynn. The Prince from Stormwind. I think I might like him, but I don't know enough about him to be sure. ARTHAS blushes at her words, and looks over to where Varian stands with his father. ARTHAS Uh... no. I only just met him today. JAINA Oh. That's okay. Like, I said, I'm not even sure I like him yet. I've only spoken to him once. As ARTHAS is looking, he notices CALIA standing, involved in a conversation with TERENAS and an unseen nobleman. While ARTHAS watches, she does a small curtsy and excuses herself from the conversation. CALIA wipes her face on her sleeve and quickly pulls open and door in the nearby wall, hurrying through and shutting it behind her. ARTHAS stands suddenly. ARTHAS Sorry, I have to... ARTHAS does not finish his sentence, but walks quickly off in the direction of his sister. JAINA watches him leave, puzzled. CUT TO: 16. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) 9. INT. CASTLE HALLWAY - NIGHT. ARTHAS closes the door to the hallway quietly behind him, and begins to walk slowly along it. He is following a faint sound, that of a woman crying. Soon, he sees CALIA, sitting on an outcropping of wall and holding her face in her hands. ARTHAS walks slowly up to her, and the sounds of his footsteps alerts her to his presence. Her head shoots up, surprised, and then she spots him. CALIA Oh, Arthas. It's just you. ARTHAS Calia, what's wrong? CALIA Oh, it's nothing, Arthas. Really, I'm fine. ARTHAS continues to look worriedly at her, unconvinced. CALIA sighs, then continues. CALIA (cont'd) It's... father plans to marry me off. It seems he'd made the arrangements some time ago. I thought he might have, of course. It's customary for a king to promise his daughter to another, even from the moment she is born. ARTHAS unsure ( ) I'm... sorry. CALIA laughs softly. CALIA Oh, don't be, Arthas. Really. Like I said, I expected this to happen. It's just... I wish I could marry for the love, not for the sake of a convenient relationship for father. Silence falls over the scene for several seconds as CALIA seems to collect herself. 17. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) CALIA (cont'd) Promise me, Arthas: when you marry, and when your children marry; do it for love, not power. There are some royal customs that should have been abandoned long ago. ARTHAS simply nods. CALIA collects herself, wipes her eyes a final time, and straightens the sleeves of her dress. She stands up, then grabs ARTHAS' hand. CALIA (cont'd) Come on. We cannot be away for too long. The two walk in silence for a few moments towards the door. ARTHAS So... who are you marrying? CALIA Lord Daval Prestor. He's a noble, in Stormwind. ARTHAS Just a noble? CALIA surprised ( ) Yes, just a noble. ARTHAS But, you're a princess! Shouldn't you at least marry a king, or a prince or something? CALIA Hah! I'm afraid all the kings and princes were snapped up before father had a chance to auction me off. Besides; Lord Prestor seems amiable enough. He certainly seemed very closely connected to Lothar. I'm sure he will give me a good home, Arthas, don't you worry. CUT TO: INT. ROYAL DINING HALL - NIGHT. We watch CALIA and ARTHAS re-emerge into the dining hall, CALIA still holding ARTHAS' hand. 18. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In) JAINA watches them from a distance. She smiles, perhaps without realising it, and blushes slightly. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BALNIR FARMSTEAD - EARLY MORNING. The farmstead consists of a small homestead and an attached barn. ARTHAS is sitting atop a small pony, alongside two armoured guards on powerful-looking stallions; and his father, whose steed outstrips even the guard mounts in size and apparent power. We follow the four as the horses walk slowly away from the farmstead. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. A FOREST PATH - EARLY MORNING The four continue to ride slowly. TERENAS So, Arthas! Excited for your first ride? ARTHAS does not look at his father, but merely shrugs. TERENAS (cont'd) Arthas? What's the matter? You've wanted to ride Courageous for months. ARTHAS shrugs again. TERENAS (cont'd) I shan't let you ride Courageous until you tell me what is bothering you. Now, ARTHAS looks up at his father. ARTHAS Why are you making Calia marry someone she doesn't want to? TERENAS is sufficiently thrown by the question, and stares at ARTHAS for a few seconds before replying. 19. (Printed with the demonstration version of Fade In)