Guinevere

Guinevere is a movie script based upon the legend of King Arthur, but told from a different perspective. A sample of the opening scenes is provided. Further details are available upon request. It's 61 A.D. The Roman Empire has waged a bloody campaign against the Celtic tribes of Britannia. The final symbol of Celtic resistance is the druid stronghold of the Isle of Mon (modern day Anglesey). General Paulinus - Rome's Supreme Commander - waits on the shores of the Menai Straits with a huge army with but a single purpose - to eliminate the druidic stronghold. Amongst Paulinus's number is a Sumerian knight - a man who will come to be known as King Arthur - together with a loyal band of followers. Paulinus is a ruthless man and his approach does not sit easily with Arthur, but Arthur knows that neither he or his knights will ever be able to cross the vast expanse of the Roman Empire and return to their homes unless they do their duty. The Romans cross the scared waters of the Menai Straits. Waiting on the Isle of Mons are thousands of Celts, with an unlikely commander. Guinevere is a bandrui (female druid) and daughter of the Archdruid. A skilled warrior, she does not follow some of her father’s more peaceful teachings. She launches a devastating attack against the Romans as they make their crossing. She is ably advised by Lancelot - a Gaelic noblewoman who has sought sanctuary on the Isle of Mon. Many of the Romans fall to Guinevere’s tactics, but the army numbers thousands and as they make landfall and form a shield wall, Guinevere knows that it is now only a matter of time. In the distance, she sees a small band of cavalry crossing the Menai Straits far to the South; she knows her father is the target of Arthur and his knights. Guinevere races through the forest to the glade where her father and the druid high council are at prayer. Despite the evil which commands Arthur, he himself is a good man. The Druid high council are unarmed and despite his orders to bring Paulinus the Archdruid’s head, he will not strike down a man in cold blood. The Praetorian Guards accompanying Arthur have no such qualms. A fight ensues between the Roman forces and a delay in the completion of their mission - a delay which gives Guinevere and her followers time to reach the glade. Guinevere launches herself at Arthur. Despite her skill and fury she is over powered, but as Arthur looks into Guinevere’s eyes he hesitates. It is all the time Guinevere needs, as she sinks a blade into Arthur’s chest. Guinevere and Arthur both survive the battle, but their lives are in tatters. The druid stronghold has been completely overrun and most of Guinevere’s kith and kin have been slaughtered. Arthur has been branded a traitor for his failure to follow orders and has been sold into slavery to the Grey King. The Roman Garrison left on the Isle of Mon is too large for Guinevere to attack with her depleted numbers. She needs skilled warriors and, more importantly, she needs somebody who understands the tactics of the Roman invaders. An uneasy alliance forms between Guinevere and Arthur’s abandoned knights as they embark upon a quest to free Arthur. The story blends fact and legend. The attack on the Isle of Mon by the Roman Empire is well documented. There is also a strong body of opinion that Arthur was a real man and that he may have come to the shores of Britannia with the Romans and stayed when the empire withdrew from the Island. This story is set much earlier and provides an answer to the question as to why – having decimated the druid stronghold of the Isle of Mon in 61 A.D. - the Roman Empire then had to recapture the Isle again some 16 years later. Whilst a number of the more commonly known settings of the Arthurian legend are based in the West of England, there are also a number of legends which are set in and around Snowdonia, which neighbours the Isle of Mon. There has also long been a connection between King Arthur and the Druids of Britannia (Merlin being a prime example). The specific legends in question, which are woven into the story are: Llyn Dinas – a battle with a giant Cadair Idris – a haunted mountain and the domain of the Grey King Llyn Barfog – a battle with a dragon In this retelling of the Arthurian legend, Arthur continues to play an important role, but he is the one who requires saving by a reluctant Guinevere. However, as the story unfolds, Guinevere comes to understand more of the man behind the sword and the role he will play in her future.