Afternoon in the tavern. Demetria is lounging out over one of the tables holding her head with one hand and a mug of Marzipan Beer in the other. The bartender is wiping down the bar.

DEMETRIA

Ugh.

(Beat.)

Bartender, can I have another?

HELENE

(Enters.)

There you are!!! Have you been here all night?

DEMETRIA

Yes. You abandoned me.

HELENE

No, you ran away from me! I couldn’t find you!

DEMETRIA

For good reason! You scare me!

HELENE

I didn’t mean to scare you! I just want to help you.

DEMETRIA

Well, you’re not going to help anyone by forcing them to open up to you. You have to earn their trust first.

HELENE

Yeah, I realize that now. And I’m sorry for doing that to you.

DEMETRIA

Hmm…I’m not sure you are. I think you just wanted to find me so you can keep learning about me and my past.

HELENE

Well, yes, but I’m just trying to be here for you to take your burdens away, but I can’t do that unless you open up to me.

DEMETRIA

So, you force people to open up to you?

HELENE

If that’s what it takes. Would you have opened up to me otherwise?

DEMETRIA

Probably not.

HELENE

Exactly. You’re afraid. Afraid that the life you receive will be worse than the fake life you have now. Afraid of being used like you were with your stepmother. Afraid of letting down your walls. And that’s okay. But you should know that there are people looking out for you. You know?

DEMETRIA

(Long pause.)

You’re really deep, you know that? You should have gone into faerie therapy.

HELENE

That’s what I’ve been told, but I chose not to because most people end up hating their therapists and I wanted to help people find their happy endings.

DEMETRIA

And you’re soooo great at that.

HELENE

It’s my first time. Cut me a little slack, won’t you?

DEMETRIA

Mmmmmmmmm…no.

HELENE

You’re being childish, you know that, right?

DEMETRIA

Says the faerie who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

HELENE

If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to help you, and you would have ended up completely alone.

(Pause, sighs.)

But I guess that might have been better than facing your fear.

(Beat.)

That is…unless you’re afraid of being alone.

DEMETRIA

Yes.

HELENE

Yes what?

DEMETRIA

Yes, I have a fear of being alone. I also have a fear of commitment and all the other things you listed. Why do you think I settled for him? Don’t you think I could have gotten anybody I wanted if I had really tried?

HELENE

Uh…yeah…totally… So why did you get engaged with him?

DEMETRIA

Convenience and safety. He’s the prince. No one can touch me, and I don’t have to be afraid of the unknown because our relationship is entirely predictable.

(Beat.)

But…

HELENE

But things are changing and you’re afraid you can never find that again.

(Sighs.)

So, you haven’t put yourself out there because you’re afraid of people’s unpredictability?

DEMETRIA

Yes, but isn’t everyone?

HELENE

Not everyone, but most people, yes. The truth is that you can’t avoid the unknown forever. It’s a part of life. Especially in this world. You can’t predict when or where the next curse will be coming. Unless you’re a divination witch, that is.

DEMETRIA

Well, if you’ve lived your whole life here, and you’re related to witches, you’d be used to it enough to predict what’s coming next.

HELENE

Oh? Is that why you chose him? Because you wanted to prove that witches, or those with witch blood, are just as good as everyone else?

DEMETRIA

No, I wanted to prove that those with witch blood are better than everyone else.

HELENE

But is complete misery worth the point you’re attempting to make?

DEMETRIA

I’m not in complete misery!!!

HELENE

No, but that may be where it ends up. Perhaps not now, but a few years from now you will realize that the two of you are heading in completely separate directions and that neither of you are happy. It will be complete misery on both ends. Is that what you want for you? For Hermes?

DEMETRIA

I don’t know…All I want is the best for me and for the Moon kingdom. Marrying another royal will unite our two kingdoms and make us strong.

HELENE

But at the price of your happiness? If you’re unhappy you won’t rule well. You will end up being called a ‘tyrant.’

DEMETRIA

While that is true, I have a duty to my people and my kingdom.

HELENE

And what makes you think that the person you want to marry won’t be strong enough as a ruler?

DEMETRIA

(Low.)

The fact that I can’t find that person.

HELENE

What?

DEMETRIA

The fact that I can’t find her!!!

(Beat, Helene raises an eyebrow.)

Them!!! I meant the fact that I can’t find them!!!

HELENE

Is this the person you said you were extremely close to in childhood? The one that you had to separate yourself from because of your stepmother?

(Demetria nods.)

Do you think that this is the only person you will ever love?

(Demetria nods again.)

Why do you think that?

DEMETRIA

They’re the only person I felt a strong enough connection to to really love.

HELENE

I see. Well, you realize that relationships take time and for both participants to put in the same amount of effort, right? Real relationships require you to be open to putting yourself out there.

DEMETRIA

Yes, but I’m afraid of giving my heart to the wrong person. What if I dedicate my time to building my relationship with Hermes but he can never love me back?

HELENE

(Aside.)

Well, he can’t.

DEMETRIA

What was that?

HELENE

I was just saying that the ship has pretty much sailed with him. He’s probably found someone already. No. The right person for you is usually the one hiding in plain sight.

DEMETRIA

(Pause.)

Are you saying you think it should be you?

HELENE

What!?! No!!! Who said anything about me?!?

DEMETRIA

Nobody. It just seemed like you were trying to infer it.

HELENE

Oh. I’m sorry. I may have inferred it without meaning to, but I can’t get involved with a client. However, I can still be your friend and you can still open up to me.

DEMETRIA

I guess that works.

HELENE

And who knows? With some faerie luck and teamwork, we might even manage to find that girl—

(Demetria glares at Helene.)

That person. We might even find that person you were in love with.

DEMETRIA

You think?

HELENE

Quite possibly. I’m the type of person who believes nothing is impossible because the word itself says “I’m possible.” And whatever happens, you are never getting rid of me.

DEMETRIA

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you.

HELENE

Of course! Just doing my job!!!

(They hug. Hippolyta enters.)

HIPPOLYTA

Oh. I am so sorry. Am I interrupting something?

HELENE

Yes.

DEMETRIA

(At the same time, pushing Helene away.)

No!!!

HIPPOLYTA

I was just looking for someone to point me in the direction of the castle.

HELENE

It’s the towering, white sandstone building at the end of the street. You can’t miss it.

HIPPOLYTA

Right! Of course!

(Low.)

You’d think that with all my battle training I might be more well-versed in directions and knowing my way around outside of navigating the battlefield, but NO! It seems that when the gods gave me the gift for combat and battle strategy, they had to give me a -2 to Navigation to balance out my stats.

(Exits.)

HELENE

What was that about?

DEMETRIA

That looked like Joan, a Knight of the North.

(Pause.)

One of the knights of the Snow Queen?

HELENE

Oh…right...

(Beat.)

We should probably be getting back to the castle. Especially if they’re expecting guests.

DEMETRIA

Do I have to??? I’m sure that Theseus and Hermes can handle it.

HELENE

(Aside.)

I don’t think that Hermes is really paying attention to anything at this point.

(To Demetria.)

You may not be marrying Hermes, but you still have duties to take care of, and I have lots of work to do so let’s go.

DEMETRIA

No!!! Stay!!! I told you about me, so you should tell me about you. It’s only fair.

HELENE

Fine. Because I guess it’s only fair.

DEMETRIA

Yay!!!

HELENE

But don’t think I’ve forgotten my main goal. I will still find you a suitable partner for your happily ever after.

DEMETRIA

Ugh! Fine!

HELENE

All right. So, what do you want to know about me?

(Scene fades out.)