Gwi Owns the Night, Part I

19

INT. THRONE ROOM – NIGHT

Four guests arrive, three men and one woman. One guest leads a man who is tied for Gwi to eat/kill. Pushes the man in front of Gwi.

GENERAL
An offering, my lord, before our festivities begin. I hope you find him to your taste.

They usually bring prisoners, criminals, people they want rid of that no one would miss. The man seems poor, destitute.

MAN FOOD
(sobs, falls on his knees)
Please, Your Highness. Let me serve you any way you need. I am strong. I will do anything.

The four guests heckle him, laugh, jeer, command him to be silent. HR stands silently, still, sad, watching.

GWI
Stand and serve me then.

Man food is relieved and thankful. He stands to feet.

GWI (CONT'D)
I am hungry, feeding me is your act of service.

Gwi kills him quickly in front of the party, looking all the while at HR who never stops looking at Gwi. She has sadness but not fear in her eyes.

GWI (CONT'D)
You may serve dinner now.
(wipes blood from his face)

Two male servants carefully remove the body. Two female servants begin laying the table with food. The party sits down around the table.

GENERAL
(raises his glass)
To his Majesty, the most devilish creature eye ever beheld, worthy of far more than our humble sacrifices. May your evil rule know no bounds, may you see your enemies dead at your feet, may you drink eternally to your heart's content.

Gwi smiles, mildly amused. The others lift their glasses and cheer. HR does not move, looking at Gwi all the while, as they sit opposite sides of the six-person table. Her sadness is now mingled with anger. The neighbour to her right MAN 2 awkwardly tries to toast with her, but he quickly apologises seeing that HR is not participating. Gwi can see she is starting to lose control.

MAN 1
May we ask who your beautiful counterpart is tonight, sire?

GWI
She is my accomplice at present. More than that you need not know.

MAN 1
May all your schemes succeed, my lady.

HR continues to sit silently.

GWI
It seems she has no appetite tonight. My dear, would you prefer to eat alone?
(threat behind the question)

HYE-RYUNG
(shakes her head to snap herself out of it)
No, Your Majesty, please accept my apologies. I only felt unwell for a moment. I am sure it will pass.
(puts on her best smile, to MAN 1)
Thank you, my lord, for your warm wishes.

The conversation is mostly directed to Gwi from his guests, freeing HR from participating. Government, plans against Gwi, ratting out people, laughing at the weak/poor/simple, full of bitterness, animosity, greed, gluttony, drunkenness. The woman laughs about the stupidity of her husband and spends the evening all over Gwi with growing advances and euphemisms. HR increasingly loses her façade again as the guests become drunker.

GENERAL
That man I brought in tonight. Now there's a story. Clearly destined to meet his end here.

WOMAN
Oh yes, do tell him. This is delightful, Gwi. You will love it.