Something to Somewhere

Fields

Act 1 - Scene 2
Oldenburg - 1661

Nine years pass after the assassinations of King Rupert and Prince Hanns.  Seraphine has inherited the crown from attaining the will and she rules Oldenburg coldly.  Her servant, Helmine visits her nephew who has to harvest crops to feed the kingdom. 

Oda: Tante, you came over!
Oh joy, what a joy,
To help me with this demanding task,
Of picking thy fruit,
That satisfies hunger and insecurities,
By the people, for the people,
I will work to a days end. 

Helmine: Guten Tag, Oda!
I am well while working for the queen,
Running, delivering messages of events,
To ones of common or royal,
Within the words of script.
A message is sent you for,
An invitation that is never missed,
The Oldenburg ball is arriving quickly,
A night of happiness and cheer,
If your hard work is clear,
You will be able to be here.

Oda:  I want to go,
But I feel weary,
My hands bleed warmth,
And my heart is queasy.
I slacked off gestern,
To recover for a day,
But with my crudeness with laziness,
I will pay. 
Please help me trim the weeds,
My Vater is not pleased,
With him bedridden,
I hold the farm in my hands. 

Helmine: Worry not today,
I will help you till,
Guidance helps the workers,
So they can pay the bills. 

Oda: Danke Tante,
I will start with the squash.
Let's hope it be a bright yellow,
And that the fruit sings in the minds of the people,
If it's darker and rotten instead,
Orange is dry but red is dead. 

They get to work and pick the crops clean.  Oda packs the squash on a horse but one fruit falls to the ground and breaks.  He picks it up and examines it.

Oda: Well, I can't sell this one. 
Look at it's color,
A bright glowing orange, how magnificent!

Helmine: Remember, even if it looks quality,
Once you break it, you can never fix it,
It's hard throwing it away,
But no despair,
New ones grow every day. 

Oda: I'll keep it,
This blessing can be tonight's dinner. 
I heard that the way plants grow,
Predicts the events,
Of the past present and future,
How obscure!
So if predicts,
The changing of time,
I will soon know,
If Oldenburg is dry.  

They exit the farm and travel to the castle.  The plants transition from being lively to grey remains.  Even the grass is deceased looking with a crumbling road that leads to the door.  Oda can tell that the place has not been maintained for awhile. 

Oda: I can see that the Queen is not an expert gardener.
The presence is saddening,
But quite peaceful.

Helmine: Be careful what you say,
Always make a good impression,
And never stray away. 

Oda:  Yes, Tante.
I never met her before,
Open my eyes,
I will try.

Helmine knocks on the door in a specific pattern and they immediately hear rushed footsteps.  Queen Seraphine looks through a keyhole briefly before answering the door.  Oda is surprised at her uncommon dress with hair to her ankles and wearing a slashed doublet with paned sleeves, breeches, and tall boots (this is typical of what Hanns or Rupert used to dress like, for her to wear this outfit is extremely strange and controversial).