"Royal and the Reader" script

Written by Abigail Elina Handojo

Available for listen on https://open.spotify.com/show/1MFuIQbGEoFWFGRS9e2fxW?si=868ee3145e734133

Cast List:

Princess Celestine --------- Abigail Handojo

Astoria ------------------------ Abby

Harold ------------------------ George Silverman

Lady-in-Waiting Claire ---- Annabelle Yanik

Queen Rosaceae ----------- Mrs. Melissa Colombo

Private tutor ------------------ Mr. Isaiah Magpali-Isaac

Townsfolk 1 ------------------- Penny

Townsfolk 2 ------------------- Kinsley Thralls

Townsfolk 3 ------------------- Fayana

Townsfolk 4 ------------------- Alissar Nahhas

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor -- Elle

Townsfolk 5 ------------------- Lauren Cruz DeArmas

Introduction

“Hello my lovely listeners,

Long time no listen! I’m delighted to present “Royal and the Reader” a short story written by Abigail Handojo and voiced by a marvelous cast of 12.

The story takes place in a kingdom ruled by Queen and King Rosaceae (ruh-zay-see-ai). Their second child, Princess Celestine, has been free to do as she pleases since her older brother has been set to inherit the crown. 

Astoria, a young scholar who studies at the royal library, is her town’s “Belle”. She hopes to travel the world someday, but until then, reading is her means of escape.

What happens when these two distinctly different personalities collide? Will they be able to overcome their internal prejudice and become unlikely friends? 

Stay tuned to find out.”

Episode One

humming “The Rose”

clears throat 

Ahem, Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen sends for you.

Is it urgent? I was hoping to see the sun set.

She entreats you come. If not to speak, then to dine. 

sigh If I must.

walking sounds

door opening sounds

Celestine.

Mother. 

chair drag

Celestine sits down

Did Harold catch you conversing with the local townsfolk again?

No, I was enjoying my time in the rose garden. 

As a royal, you must maintain a noble image-

Since when have you cared about my image?

awkward sound of cutlery clattering on a plate

Where’s Pa?

With your brother. 

More lessons on leadership, I presume?

Some days I wonder who rules who(m). mutters The same could be said about you.

Oh please, I don’t turn every ball into a battle. Richard, ever the diplomat. Methinks he’d make a better Commander than King.

silence

Actually, Celestine, your father and I agree. 

Pardon.

Numerous tutors have conveyed their concerns about Richard’s… lack of sympathy when matters of famine, disease, and depression come about in conversation. They have observed his… enthusiasm for more… authoritative leadership styles-

You think him a tyrant? pause How could this happen? He’s been trained to be king his whole life! The- the meetings, the tests, and the-

-Charity work he refuses to do. Celestine, we failed. All our efforts were concentrated on raising a monarch that could not raise a man. He spends more time on a throne than in the streets; he lacks care for his subjects and doesn’t understand the people’s needs.

How does this pertain to me? I turn eighteen in a week, do you intend to marry me off? Choose my suitors like potential candidates?!

Good heavens, no! Since you are so sociable with the citizens, your father suggested we train you in his place. 

PARDON?!

Time skip

I’m the spare, not the heir. Oh, just throw Richard’s responsibilities at me? This isn’t fair. 

It’s too late to train the next ruler, right, Claire?

For someone who rhymes more than she curtsies, it’s a shame you’ve never set foot in the castle’s library.

You know very well that I’d rather make history than read about it. The real shame is that I’ll be spending five hours indoors every day. 

My mother said, and I quote: “This is a temporary solution to a problem the people, nor your brother, need not know about.” Perhaps if I underperform, she will reconsider.

Unlikely. Besides, would you rather her marry you off? 

Ah, here comes your tutor.

Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Royal Highness. Today’s lesson will be on the origins of monarchy and the roots of the Rosaceae (ruh-zay-see-ai) family lineage. Here are your textbooks. Heavy plop of textbooks 50 pages a day means you’ll finish within a month or so. 

Celestine laughs shakily

I’ll tidy up your chambers and join you for afternoon tea. Best wishes, my lady. 

Whispered Nooooo, don’t leaveeee

Some historians believe the earliest form of governing monarchy dates back to ancient Greece, Egypt, or even imperial Japan when, in truth, the… blah blah blah fades out

Time skip

humming

Princess? Princess. Might I ask what page you are on?

It doesn’t say. Oh, the author’s introduction. Shall I skip to the first chapter? Right. Hah. 

Words are funny, don’t you think so? How they dance on the page and intermingle like guests at a ball. I can’t concentrate on the content when the topic is so, forgive me, tedious. Reading is an unnecessary step in my education since no book is entertaining enough to engage its reader. 

book closes harshly False. under breath

whisper-hisses Are we not alone in the library? I thought Mother reserved the room. 

confused silence

hollers Who do you think you are?

Who do you think you are?

Princess Celestine.

Never heard of her. Are you the Prince’s cousin?

grits out Sister.

Who speaks? Reveal yourself.

step sound

Astoria? You are allowed on castle grounds to access the royal library under special request, would you rather have it revoked because you spoke out of turn? Apologize at once.

I refuse. This princess doesn’t understand how privileged she is to have knowledge at her fingertips.

Then I have no choice but to escort you outside and forbid you from entering ever again. Come, at once. sound of forced shuffling

Halt. Astoria is your name? 

In defense of your study, you raised voice to a royal–risking your removal… intriguing. I permit you stay under one condition: make me fall in love with reading.

Episode Two

Townsfolk 2: I heard the Princess never learned how to read.

Townsfolk 3: Oo, really? I heard that the engineer’s daughter two houses down has spoken to her. 

Townsfolk 2: By letter, you mean? I heard they exchange letters.

Townsfolk 3: How could they if the princess-

-cannot read?

Of course I can read, Astoria. 

How else could I read the lyrics on sheet music? 

What do you take me for?

So you know Tchaikovsky but not Jane Austen. 

That changes today, starting with Emma.

Come to think of it, you remind me of her.

What? Is she as charming as moi?

scoffs Read it and you’ll find out-

Townsfolk 4: -That the princess has a friend named Astoria?

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor: My neighbor Astoria? So that explains her absences. She’s been spending more time out of the house than in.

Townsfolk 4: I heard she’s memorized the complete works of William Shakespeare.

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor: Apparently, she reads a different book-

-each day?

You made me lose my page.

You make me lose my mind. 

It takes days to read my assigned chapters, yet you read entire books in mere hours?

Maybe if we read it aloud, time will pass faster.

I’m starting to think you’re an auditory learner.

Well, I wonder why. 

Said the musician to the scholar.

Townsfolk 5: Rumor has it, the Princess takes history lessons from her.

Townsfolk 1: Can’t be. How is it that a towns girl her age knows more about the kingdom than she does?

Townsfolk 5: She’s a royal. If her education was anything like Richard’s, historical text is-

-all I’ve read.

Really? All academic, none for enjoyment?

Hm, that’s not entirely true, we were encouraged to read Shakespeare’s histories. 

Five pages into Richard the Third and back onto the shelf it went.

Bring a copy of Midsummer Night's Dream and meet me at the town theater tomorrow night.

I’m introducing you to a world of magic like never before-

Townsfolk 1: -Have I heard of such a person!

Townsfolk 3: Right?

Townsfolk 4: Why would Princess Celestine consider a commoner her companion?

Townsfolk 2: Let alone someone as strange and stubborn as Astoria.

Cut to next scene

Quite the predicament you’ve found yourself in.

If I go home now, I risk my books getting wet-

-But if you remain here any longer, the rain may worsen.

silence 

Do you like the rain?

Only when I’m inside. I can outlast any weather with a book and a warm cup of cider. Last Autumn, I spent stormy nights drafting essays and collecting reference letters for my request. Anything that could get me into a library since the town doesn’t have one.  

Hm. Something for me to consider if I ever inherit the power to change that. Why do you enjoy reading so much anyways?

For one, it’s how I learn about the world beyond this town. I hope to travel to different kingdoms and countries one day to see it for myself. Fiction novels help me escape the bore of day-to-day living. 

Usually after unbearably long lessons, I take a stroll in the rose garden, but what with the rain, the petals bleed and the sky sours. It reminds me of that story you mentioned–the one with the dreadful proposal. 

Pride and Prejudice? Celestine, it wasn’t raining in the book.

Yes, yes I know, but I feel like it should have. It would suit the mood, Elizabeth was hurt and confused, Darcy was hurt and misunderstood-

Darcy wouldn’t be so misunderstood if he acted kinder.

Darcy would’ve acted kinder had he not been so misunderstood. Elizabeth formed assumptions too quickly. 

Can you blame her? Darcy said all the wrong things.

And still you prefer him over Knightley. At least his proposal was successful.

Well, at least Darcy’s not courting a younger woman in his late thirties. 

Astoria! exasperated exhale Since you cannot walk home, will you join Claire and me for afternoon tea? It’s no cider but it’ll offer warmth just the same. 

I suppose I could… just until the rain clears. 

Episode Three

Celestine plays chords of “The Rose” on the piano while Astoria reads 

“The petal fell as he took his final breath 

Brave Belle wept on his bleeding chest, 

Too late had she confessed

But none could predict what would come next-”

prolonged silence

Why did you stop?

Why? …Do you care? confirming silence YOU DO! You care for reading now. You’ve fallen in love, I can tell.

With reading? Something like that.

I’ve done it, I’ve accomplished the impossible-

Hush now, let me play. That’s why you stopped in the first place, hm.

Celestine plays “The Rose”

“Some say love, it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a razor

That leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love, it is a hunger

An endless aching need

I say love, it is a flower

And you, its only seed”

Silence

If you weren’t a royal, would you have been a musician?

Hmm, that depends if playing at balls prevents me from dancing at them. does fancy piano thing to show off

claps sarcastically Show off. I can’t imagine how this ballroom would look like full of people. 

Silence

I wonder how the King and Queen’s meeting with your brother is going.

Pity it’s held in the library otherwise you could be reading there and I could suffer through another history lesson. If you had known it was occupied, would you still have come? tentative

Nah, I’m just here to fulfill your challenge, remember? teasing

And now that you’ve won, will you leave? serious

…Do you want me to? hesitant

Really long silence

I understand.

No, no-

I’ll be going now. closes the book footsteps

Let me finish-

Astoria! shouts Your princess commands you to-

whips back around Is that all we are to you? Servants until we’re dismissed, playthings until you lose interest?

And what am I if not your key to the library? If I did not propose the condition, you wouldn’t have tolerated my company. Unless it was my status that forced your will-

Oh, shove off your high horse. When have I let authority stop me? I earned my place in the library for my efforts. Not money nor blue blood, some of us aren’t born lucky. 

I’m not lucky. I envy your freedom to do as you please. I never asked to be Queen! But if you leave right now without hearing me out, I will order a messenger to retrieve you at once. 

Misuse of power you don’t have yet? You’re starting to sound like your brother. Badly done, Princess. 

footsteps storm away door slams shut

Time skip

Townsfolk 4: The engineer’s daughter hasn’t left her house in a while.

Townsfolk 5: I heard her access to the library was revoked because she spoke ill of the royal family.

Gasp

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor: Every day at suppertime, I see her climb the hill near the castle as if in search of something.

Townsfolk 2: A peak at Prince Richard, perhaps? laugh

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor: No, melancholy washes over her face when she does. 

Townsfolk 4: Her father is in good health, it cannot be loss.

Townsfolk 3: Such sorrow over a library? Lady must really like her books.

Townsfolk 2: What a peculiar lady. 

Townsfolk 1: Opp- here the lady comes. 

To herself: Perhaps I was too harsh on her. Without her interjection, I would have been kicked out of the castle. Then again, without her insult, I wouldn’t have raised my voice in the first place. Should I be grateful for the opportunity or bitter because it ended too soon? 

I’m more upset at what she didn’t say than what she did. Now I’ll never know what she meant. I should’ve let her finish instead of jumping to conclusions. 

No, I did not choose a humble upbringing, but neither did she choose a wealthy one. Too quick to judge, I’m the one pointing out our differences.

It’s been a week, why hasn’t she sent for me? 

silence

I must apologize.

Besides, I need to return the book we left unfinished. 

Cut to next scene

“Badly done,” she said. She made a reference to the classic Emma and then stormed off just to spite me! Can you fathom the nerve? Ow!

The tea has just been steeped. Patience, princess. 

blowing noises

Has she entered the library since?

Not for a week, the stubborn girl. If she returns on her own, it would mean she cares more for her books than her honor. If I order her back, I’ll be proving her right by misusing my power. We are both insufferably stubborn!

silence

…We never finished the book she was reading. Unanswered questions plague my mind like a song cut short. How did it end? I must know! But how?!

If she cannot come to you and you cannot order her back, what prevents you from seeking her out instead? 

silence

Time skip

Townsfolk 1: Wait… is that?

Townsfolk 4: Could it be?

Astoria's Crazy Neighbor: Princess Celestine?

Townsfolk 5: Running to meet… the engineer’s daughter?!

running noises

out of breath Celestine-?

out of breath No. No, I did not want you to leave. I wanted to know if you only spend time with me because of the condition I made when we first met.

Yes, at first, but then I got to know you, or at least I thought I did. You don’t make sense to me, I can’t- I don’t understand why you keep a commoner around. You could’ve just let me get kicked out of the castle, why did you interject?

I’ve never had anyone talk to me the way you did. Blunt and impolite and… honest. People in the town treat me differently than you do. They choke out compliments and courtesies like I’ll have their head if they don’t. They’ve never gotten to know me personally, comfortably enough to disagree.

People can disagree with you without knowing you personally. I misjudged you as someone who doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities you’re given. If you do become Queen, you’ll have to get used to that sort of thing. It’s easy to hate something you don’t understand.

Like reading. Tch. I know that I’m lucky, but being Queen doesn’t feel like luck, it’s more akin to a burden. I was never supposed to be next in line for the crown, stuck in stuffy throne rooms and formal meetings. No music or rose gardens, just handshakes and treaties. 

Astoria, I don’t want to make history behind closed doors.

Then don’t. Isn’t the whole point of the training so you can rule differently than Richard? Celestine, this is your life, pick up the pen and choose how to spend it.

You’re right. Now that we’ve reconciled, will you continue to visit the library?

Yes, if you’ll still have me over for tea.

Of course, I care for your company, Astoria. Were you heading up this hill to the castle?

I- I wanted to- We never finished the book. 

Ah, so that’s why. No other reason, I see… sarcastically

walking in silence, pause before Astoria opens the book and continues reading

Last page.

“Frozen dead, or so she thought

Until through the air, brilliant light shot

At last, the curse was broken,

And with it, the beastly facade

Curtains close with roles restored

Music & laughter bouncing off the walls once more

As Belle danced in the arms of her Prince

A tale as old as time. The End.”

Take my hand.

What are you- Where are we headed, princess?

To the rose garden, just in time to catch the sunset.

pause

Celestine resumes playing “The Rose”

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed that with the sun's love

In the spring becomes the rose."