The Tale of Brother Cadiz Scene 1: Reme, Vodacce, 1622. Summer. [Exterior City, day. The streets are mobbed with people, carts, and horses. Various vendors are hawking their wares, and various buildings are bedecked with banners--there seems to be some festival going on. As we pan across, we see a small group of Castillian sailors, including MIGUEL and ESTEBAN making their way through the city, and laughing with each other.] Miguel: You can't just *keep* the money, Esteban! There's no safe place on board for it but the Admiral's quarters, and he'll want to know where you got it, and there'll be questions... [he waves his hand dramatically] No. You must *spend* it. [impulsively] Here! In this market! Come now, what shall you buy? Esteban [indignantly]: *I* did not cheat, Miguel, if you remember. Had I known... Miguel [interrupting]: Oh ho! And who would believe such a tale? A group of rash Castillian sailors, pitted against a Vendel merchant, and the one man that cheats not wins the pile? No, you are with us, for good or ill, now. Come, spend your money. You must have enough for the entire week. Shall we start with a keg of ale? A sumptuous repast? Some time with a lady of considerable talent? Esteban: Now, really, I... [he pauses. A Vodacce lady at a booth behind him makes a subtle motion with her left hand, and he turns to face her.] All right. [impuslively] I shall [he glances at the sign above her] have my portrait painted. [The sailors all hoot and laugh.] Miguel [to the others]: Ha! A little wealth, and he believes himself a nobleman! [to Esteban] What need has a sailor of a portrait? The needs of a sailor are much more... basic. Esteban: No, I have decided. You have none to blame but yourself, Miguel, for prodding me so. Here, take this [he hands Miguel a few coins from a bulging purse] and come back to pick me up tonight. [The sailors all try to convince him otherwise, but only half-heartedly. It is clear they have tried unsuccessfully to talk him out of things before. Satisfied with their coins, they finally leave.] Esteban [to the Vodacce lady]: I apologize for my friends for bad- mouthing your trade, Miss... Isolade: You may call me Isolade. Esteban: Miss Isolade. I confess, I have never sat for a portrait before, so I'm a little... Isolade: No need to fear. I have instructed nobles with less sense than you, and have managed to even flatter them on the canvas--no mean feat, I can tell you. [She smiles ironically.] Stand, if you will, over there. [Esteban turns and strides to the indicated spot, as Isolade sits in front of her canvas. As she does, she winces, as in pain.] Esteban [turning just in time to see the wince]: Are you injured? I can certainly come another time if now is not the best... Isolade [forced]: It is nothing. Please. Stand there. Now turn your head slightly... there. Right foot forward? Perfect. The sketch won't take but a turn, and then you can sit while I fill in the details of your face. I'm afraid you might have to come back again tomorrow, and even the next day... Esteban: That should not be a problem--I'll have an excuse to avoid my friends' next escapade. [Isolade smiles, takes a grease pencil, and her hands being to fly over the canvas, sketching Esteban in a dashing stance in front of a busy street. The camera pulls in on the drawing, until it fills the frame, and we do a SLOW DISSOLVE to the same painting, but finished. Esteban is standing in the foreground, in the same pose we saw him before, and behind him is the busy street filled with various figures. We PULL BACK to reveal that the portrait is being carried by a young woman (KATYA ANNADOCHE), a strong woman with a fair complexion and piercing green eyes, who places the portrait on a mantle.] Katya (to Esteban, in the next room): I don't know why you had this in storage for so long, dear. You look quite dashing. [She arranges it on the mantle, and begins to study it more carefully.] Esteban (offstage): Oh, the guys gave me such a hard time about it I put it away, and, frankly, forgot about it. I'm sure I overpaid for it, too, and... [He is interrupted by a gasp from Katya.] What? Is something wrong? [She does not answer. She is staring at the painting, in shock. Esteban enters. He wears a cross around his neck, symbolic of those who have entered the priesthood.] Katya: That woman, behind you in the painting. The one turning to examine the oranges. It's... it's me. Esteban [examining the painting]: What? You weren't in Reme that day, were you? Surely it's someone that merely happens to look... Katya [firmly]: No, it's me. Look at the embroidery on the blouse. My mother created that pattern the day I was born and noone else has ever worn it. The hair, the profile, the hands, even the shoes--this is definitely me. Esteban: So we *were* in Reme that same day. What a coinciden-- Katya: I've never been to Reme. I've never even been to Vodacce. I hadn't even been out of Ussura when you were that age. [The words hang between them. Eventually, Esteban gives a low whistle.] Esteban: It was a Fate Witch, then. I suppose I should be lucky all she was after was my gold. Katya: I hope so. I'd hate to think that our relationship was nothing more than a Fate Witch's whim. Esteban [taking her into his arms]: I love you, darling, Fate Witch or no. Come what may, that shall never change. [They embrace. We see Kayta's face over Esteban's shoulder, her green eyes tightened and lips pressed in worry. We PAN LEFT to the portrait again, and zoom in on the woman in the background, who does indeed look remarkably like Katya, at her present age. She is at an orange cart, holding an orange. This close up, we notice a white and orange cat entwined at her feet. From this we CUT TO:] [Exterior city, Castille, day. We hear a loud 'Reowr!' and see an orange and white cat run down a street, to be soon followed by a pack of mangy-looking dogs, all barking. We PAN RIGHT and see Katya again, holding the hand of a small boy, FRANCESCO CADIZ, as they walk through a market area. As they pass by a vendor selling marionettes, Francesco tugs at Katya's leg.] Francesco: Mom! I want to look at the toys! Can I look at the toys? Katya [absently]: 'May I.' Francesco: *May* I look at the toys? Please? Katya [sighing]: All right, Francesco, you may look at the toys. But mommy has to buy some cloth--will you stay there until I come back for you? Francesco: Yeah! [He bolts for the marionette stall. Katya sighs, and moves off. Francesco wanders around a bit, fascinated. He touches the marionette's noses, bends their legs, and hums a bit as he moves the arms of another to make it dance. The shot widens so that we see an ORANGE VENDOR across the way--a woman with somewhat foreign features. Is she an older Isolade? It is hard to tell. An orange drops from the cart and the vendor sighs.] Vendor [picking up the fallen orange]: Boy! [Francesco turns, startled.] Would you like this orange? It fell, and I can't sell it, but it's still good. Here. [Francesco takes a couple steps forward, hesitantly.] Vendor: It's fine, really. Here, I'll peel it for you. [She pulls out an ornamental knife, and proceeds to expertly peel the orange. She pulls it apart into two halves.] You want half of it? I'll eat the other. Pick one, go ahead. [Francesco steps forward more, reaches forward, and takes one of the halves.] Francesco [hesitantly]: Thank you, m'lady. Vendor [casually pulling off a section and eating it]: Mmmm, these are good oranges. [loudly] See, even this young boy likes them. You, miss, do you have a son? He's bound to love these, sweeter than candy. See how this one eats it up [she looks expectantly at Francesco, who pulls off and eats a slice. A look of wonder crosses his face, and he pulls off and eats another. The vendor smiles broadly.] There we go, see? He loves them! [The woman she has addressed relents and buys a bag. Francesco stands there, continuing to eat his half.] Anyone else? Who else wants some oranges? [Other passers-by, seeing Francesco standing in the middle of the street entranced by the fruit, turn and take notice. Soon, the vendor is doing some brisk business. She winks conspiratorially at Francesco.] There you go, go on back. Thanks. [Francesco turns to return to the marionette stall, but at that moment, a horse and cart charge down the street, people scattering in its path. Francesco runs to avoid it, turns, and freezes. A group of people block his view of the marionette stand and of the orange vendor, and he is lost.] Francesco: Mom? Mom!? [Panicked, he takes off running. The camera follows as we see him dart from street to street, calling for his mother, avoiding anyone who stops to talk to him. We CUT again to Katya, returned to the marionette stall, looking around with a concerned and cross look on her face. Katya: Francesco? [CUT again to Francesco, running down gradually less populated streets, then back again to Katya. She is talking to the orange vendor.] Vendor: Yes, I did. He was startled by a passing cart, and I think he got disoriented, and ran off that way [she points]. I called to him, but... Katya: Thank you. [she runs off in the direction the vendor pointed. The vendor, looking genuinely concerned, sighs, and looks upward, questioningly.] [CUT again to Francesco, who turns a corner and finds himself in a blind alley. He stops. An orange and white cat darts by him and runs down the alley. Francesco starts, then takes a step towards the cat. Then he hears the barking of the dogs and begins to run. He reaches the end of the alley--a wooden fence--just as the dogs turn the corner. The cat has scampered up the fence and is perched on top, ready to jump down on the other side. Francesco turns and faces the dogs, panting. They stop, snarl, and begin advancing menacingly.] Francesco: N--n--nice doggies. Nice doggies. Sit! [Suddenly, a blast of cold air swirls up from nowhere and fills the alley with dust and what look like snowflakes--odd, in the middle of summer. Francesco shivers, and the dogs stop advancing for a moment. The cat turns back around and leaps down next to Francesco.] Cat: Mrowr? [Francesco turns, bends down, and pets the cat, acting as if in a trance. The wind swirls more insistently.] Cat: Mrowr! [The cat arches her back as Francesco pets it once more, and it looks almost as if a handful of hair is coming off in Francesco's hand. It is a large diaphonous orange and white mass [CGI] that seems to take on a life of its own as Francesco's pet separates it from the cat. He looks at it in wonder as it seems to swirl in his hand of its own volition. The wind gusts again. Slowly, deliberately, he puts his second hand into it and stretches it like taffy between them. He holds his hands above his head, stretches wide, and the mass engulfs his body. For a moment, the boy is surrounded by the haze of white and orange--and then a second cat, identical to the first, stands where he once stood, startled. The last wedge of orange falls to the ground with a soft thunk. The wind stops. The dogs begin to growl again, and advance down the alley. Quickly, the first cat dashes up a fallen branch and onto the top of the fence, where it meows again at the second. Paralyzed at first, the second finally dashes up the branch and onto the fence just before the dogs get there. They bark and growl and jump viciously, but are much too large to climb the branch themselves, and howl in frustration. The first cat jumps down the other side of the fence and disappears, but the second remains, cowering, atop the fence. At once, Katya appears at the other end of the alley.] Katya [crossly]: Shoo! Get away! Stop terrorizing that poor animal! [The dogs run away, and Katya is about to turn, when:] Cat: [Peeking its head up and seeing Katya] Mroooooowwwwww! [Subtitle: 'Mom!'] [Katya turn back around in astonishment, and the cat runs down the alley at full tilt, leaping into her arms. Katya gathers the cat in her arms and holds him tightly, shaking her head, and making soothing sounds that sound suspiciously like purring. SLOW DISSOLVE to: Interior house, night. The same cat is seen in an EXTREME CLOSEUP shot, huddled in a corner, tail wrapped around its body. SHADOWS of KATYA and ESTEBAN cross the scene as they pace and argue. Voices filter in and we can make out certain phrases:] "have told you before, but..." "entered the Vaticine for a *reason*" "no official position" "Everyone *knows*" "My own son--Your own son!" "thought you left this Matushka fanaticism back in Vladistan" "At least Matushka *cares* about us, unlike..." [finally:] Esteban (voice): No good can come of this. None. [SFX: Door slam.] [Katya's arms enter the frame and scoop up the cat. She is weeping.] Katya: I am so sorry to have put you through this. You will change back at dawn. Stay in your room [she is carrying him into another room as she speaks, opening a small dresser and pulling out some boy's clothes as she speaks.] and put these on then. Tell your father I still love him, and that I'm sorry it had to end like this. It's been so hard over the years not to say anything... [She sets him on the bed.] Be good to your father--he does the best he knows how. I love you, my Francescya. Remember me. [The cat meows sadly as Katya exits and shuts the door behind her.]