Phillipe Florian Von Triesenberg

Act 1: The Prince's Awakening The episode begins on a sunny spring morning. Phillipe is in his luxurious room (in Benjamin's villa). He is sitting on his bed, a sheet of paper in his hand. He is writing a poem.

The window is open. The air is soft. Birds are singing.

Phillipe (reading quietly): "In spring, the flowers bloom / And my heart, it rests / Finally, far from eyes, far from laws / I can be myself, without fear…"

He sighs. He crumples the paper. He throws it away.

Phillipe (to himself): "That's terrible."

Ari enters without knocking.

Ari: "Talking to yourself?"

Phillipe: "I'm reciting poems."

Ari: "Love poems?"

Phillipe: "Poems about spring."

Ari (smiling): "That's the same thing."

Phillipe: "No. Spring is broader. It's rebirth. It's hope. It's freedom."

Ari: "You're really a romantic prince."

Phillipe: "I'm not a prince. Not here. Here, I'm just Phillipe."

Ari: "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Phillipe: "Yes. I want to see the trees in bloom."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 2: The Encounter with Cayetana Phillipe and Ari walk in the garden. They run into Cayetana, who is sitting on a bench, a book in her hand.

Ari: "I'll leave you."

She leaves. Phillipe stays alone with Cayetana.

Phillipe: "Hello, Cayetana."

Cayetana (looking up): "Hello, Your Highness."

Phillipe: "Don't call me that. Call me Phillipe."

Cayetana: "Okay, Phillipe."

Phillipe: "What are you reading?"

Cayetana: "A romance novel."

Phillipe: "Do you believe in love?"

Cayetana: "I believe in love, but not in fairy tales."

Phillipe: "I believe in fairy tales."

Cayetana (smiling): "Of course you do. You're a prince."

Phillipe: "That's exactly why I don't believe in them anymore. Princes in fairy tales are perfect. I am not."

Cayetana: "No one is perfect."

Phillipe: "You are perfect in my eyes."

Cayetana blushes. She lowers her eyes.

Cayetana: "You're very direct."

Phillipe: "Spring makes me direct."

He sits next to her. They stay there, in silence, looking at the blooming trees.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 3: The Letter to the Father In the evening, Phillipe is alone in his room. He writes a letter to his father. His hand trembles.

Phillipe (writing): "Dear Father, I do not want to be king. I do not want the crown. I do not want your throne. I want to be free. I want to love who I want. I want to live my life. I love you, but I will never be the son you expect. Sorry. Phillipe."

He rereads the letter. He hesitates. He folds it. He puts it in an envelope. He writes the palace address.

He looks at the envelope. He hesitates again.

Phillipe (to himself): "Spring is the time of renewal. If I don't send this letter now, I never will."

He goes out. He goes to the mailbox. He lets the envelope slip. It falls into the box.

He stays there, for a moment. Then he breathes deeply.

Phillipe: "It's done."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 4: The Confession to Ari A few days pass. Phillipe is anxious. He hasn't had a response from his father. He is sitting in the garden, alone. Ari joins him.

Ari: "Are you okay?"

Phillipe: "No."

Ari: "What's going on?"

Phillipe: "I wrote to my father. I told him I don't want to be king."

Ari (surprised): "Really?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Ari: "Has he replied?"

Phillipe: "Not yet."

Ari: "Are you scared?"

Phillipe: "Yes. I'm scared he'll disown me. I'm scared of losing my family. I'm scared of losing everything I've known."

Ari: "But you'll gain your freedom."

Phillipe: "Is freedom worth the price?"

Ari: "I don't know. But you're the only one who can answer that question."

Phillipe: "You're wise, Ari."

Ari: "No. I'm realistic."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 5: The Declaration to Cayetana Phillipe decides to invite Cayetana to dinner. He wants to tell her how he feels. He prepares everything: a table in the garden, candles, flowers, music.

Cayetana arrives. She is surprised.

Cayetana: "Did you do all this?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Cayetana: "Why?"

Phillipe: "Because I want to tell you something."

They sit down.

Phillipe: "Cayetana, I am in love with you."

Cayetana (silence): "Phillipe…"

Phillipe: "I know I'm not perfect. I know I have a complicated past. I know I'm a prince, and that can be scary. But I love you. Truly."

Cayetana: "You barely know me."

Phillipe: "I watch you. I observe you. You are kind, funny, intelligent. You don't want my money. You don't want my title. You just want… me."

Cayetana: "How do you know that?"

Phillipe: "Because you look at me like no one has ever looked at me."

Cayetana (crying): "Phillipe, I don't deserve this."

Phillipe: "Why?"

Cayetana: "Because I'm not who you think I am. I'm not a rich girl. I lied. I'm poor. I clean houses."

Phillipe (taking her hand): "I don't care."

Cayetana: "You should."

Phillipe: "Why? Because you're not rich? Because you lied? I lied too. I'm also ashamed of who I am."

Cayetana: "You're a prince."

Phillipe: "I'm a boy. A boy who is scared. A boy who loves you."

They look at each other. Phillipe moves closer. He kisses her. Gently. Spring is there.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 6: The Confrontation with the Past A few days later, Phillipe receives a call from his father. He trembles. He answers.

Father: "Phillipe. I received your letter."

Phillipe: "I know."

Father: "Are you serious?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Father: "You are renouncing the throne?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Long silence.

Father: "Do you know what this means?"

Phillipe: "I will be disinherited. I will no longer have a title. I will no longer be the prince."

Father: "You will have nothing."

Phillipe: "I will have my freedom."

Father: "You are naive."

Phillipe: "Maybe. But it's my choice."

Father: "I will never forgive you."

Phillipe: "I know."

He hangs up. He cries. But he also smiles. He is free.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Act 7: The Resolution Spring is at its peak. Phillipe is in the garden, surrounded by flowers. Cayetana joins him.

Cayetana: "Did you cry?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Cayetana: "Because of your father?"

Phillipe: "Yes. He disowned me."

Cayetana: "I'm sorry."

Phillipe: "Don't be. I'm free."

Cayetana: "You're sad."

Phillipe: "I'm sad and free. That's possible."

Cayetana (taking his hand): "You're not alone."

Phillipe: "I know."

They stay there, hand in hand, looking at the flowers. Spring shines around them.

Phillipe (quietly, to himself): "Let's start over."

End of episode.

Dialogue 1 – Phillipe and Cayetana (confession) Phillipe: "Cayetana, why did you lie about your life?"

Cayetana: "Because I was ashamed."

Phillipe: "Ashamed of what?"

Cayetana: "Of being poor. Of not belonging. Of not deserving to be here."

Phillipe: "I'm ashamed too."

Cayetana: "You? You're a prince."

Phillipe: "I'm a prince who doesn't want to be a prince. I'm a son who disappoints his father. I'm a boy who is scared."

Cayetana: "Scared of what?"

Phillipe: "Of you. Of what I feel. Of what it will destroy."

Cayetana: "What will it destroy?"

Phillipe: "My title. My family. My future."

Cayetana: "And you're ready to lose all that?"

Phillipe: "For you, yes."

Cayetana (crying): "You're crazy."

Phillipe: "I'm in love. It's the same thing."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Dialogue 2 – Phillipe and Ari (freedom) Ari: "Did you really send the letter?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Ari: "Aren't you scared?"

Phillipe: "Yes. I'm scared. But I'm tired of being scared."

Ari: "What will you do if your father disowns you?"

Phillipe: "I will live."

Ari: "How?"

Phillipe: "I don't know. I'll find a job. I'll be normal."

Ari: "You don't know how to be normal."

Phillipe: "I can learn."

Ari: "You're brave."

Phillipe: "No. I'm desperate. That's different."

Ari: "It's the same."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Dialogue 3 – Phillipe and his father (the phone call) Father: "Phillipe, are you serious?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Father: "You are renouncing the throne?"

Phillipe: "Yes."

Father: "For a girl?"

Phillipe: "For myself."

Father: "You are selfish."

Phillipe: "Maybe. But it's my life."

Father: "I gave you everything."

Phillipe: "You gave me a title. Not a life."

Father: "You will regret this."

Phillipe: "I already regret not having done it sooner."

Father: "I don't recognize you anymore."

Phillipe: "For the first time, I recognize myself."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Dialogue 4 – Phillipe to himself (final monologue) Phillipe (alone in his room, looking out the window): "19 years old. I'm 19, and I just did the hardest thing of my life. Not renouncing the throne. Not facing my father. Being myself."

(He smiles.)

Phillipe: "I told Cayetana I loved her. She said I was crazy. It's a start. It's not much. But it's something."

(He looks at the sky. Spring is there. Trees are blooming.)

Phillipe: "Maybe that's what spring is. Accepting that we're scared. Accepting that we're vulnerable. Accepting that we have the right to love."

(He takes his coat. He leaves.)

Phillipe: "Good night, crown. Hello, freedom."