- 11 hours ago
Queen Of Masks
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Short filmTranscript
00:03my half-sister couldn't get pregnant so she asked me to sleep with her husband instead
00:07no i can't i am an unmarried girl and i am very afraid of him the first time he'd come
00:14to stay
00:15at our estate half the maids in the house had found excuses to walk past his door
00:20he's stunning and at his age with that kind of power if a girl could land him as a kept
00:26woman
00:26she'd have made it clara you're pretty enough why not try your luck tonight clara actually did it
00:37it didn't go the way she planned he didn't touch her come someone beat her heart by morning the
00:44blood had soaked through her clothes her screaming had carried through the entire house i thought
00:50about that no i i can't she didn't get angry she just smiled and reached out to stroke my hair
00:57vera i remember your mother's been unwell for a long time she needs those medications every day
01:02just to stay stable what do you think would happen if i asked mother to cut her off you've always
01:06been
01:06such a good girl just help me with this one thing your mother will be taken care of i promise
01:12she brought me to callaway manor my sister introduced me smoothly this is my younger sister vera she's
01:19been missing me so i had her come stay for a while once you've given me a child i'll find
01:26you a good
01:26match you remember my cousin david he's been married twice but he's comfortable you're not exactly a prize
01:32vera marrying him would be a step up over the next two days she had me study her mimicking her
01:39mannerisms was manageable her voice was harder i practiced for hours and still didn't quite have it
01:45one evening she slapped me across the face and screamed at me to pitch my voice higher more like
01:51hers when i still didn't get it right she had me kneel outside vera think hard out there if you
01:59can't get it right by morning i'm stopping your mother's medication
02:06it was the first time i'd been close enough to really see his face
02:09he was exactly as beautiful as everyone said in a way that felt almost unfair
02:20he was wearing almost nothing under his coat i pulled out my handkerchief and started blotting
02:25at his chest why were you kneeling out here did she punish you for something i made a mistake
02:32she wanted me to think it over you don't need to explain what happened just go inside if she asks
02:38tell her it was my idea put that on don't get sick i'll have it cleaned and returned to you
02:48don't bother keep it or throw it out either's fine
02:55she gave me a book that afternoon it's a book that teaches people how to make love she sat across
03:00from me looking completely unbothered don't be shy study it you'll need it when he came back
03:08she set a proper dinner they ate together the two of them while i was stressed to look like her
03:13and taken quietly upstairs to wait in his room she told me she'd put something in his drink
03:21i put something in his drink he wouldn't be able to resist
03:27what happened after that was up to you i gripped the edge of the covers and waited
03:32after about half an hour the door finally opened
03:37i could smell the alcohol before he crossed the threshold he wasn't walking straight i stood and
03:42moved to steady him i'd check the mirror beforehand in this situation even i couldn't tell the
03:48difference between myself and my sisters why are you in my room i pitched my voice high and thin
03:56the way she drilled me i missed you he didn't respond just kept watching i gathered every nerve i had
04:06reached out and touched his belt he inhaled sharply when i pressed my palms to his back
04:13i pressed closer buried my face in his chest i rose up on my toes and tried to reach his
04:18mouth
04:19i had it turned out no idea what i was doing the book had been theoretical the reality of it
04:25was
04:43he picked me up like i weighed nothing and put me down on the bed
04:49who are you my heart stopped i ran through everything i'd done the room was dark there was
04:55no way he should know who else would i be it's me it's rachel he released my jaw he let
05:03me kiss him
05:12his voice had gone soft did i hurt you i stared back at him and my mind drifted strangely to
05:19the
05:19first time i had seen him it had been a formal occasion and all of us girls had been lined
05:25up to
05:25greet him he'd gone past without stopping beautiful and remote the kind of man our stepmother had made
05:31very clear it was not for the likes of me or my other half sisters i didn't sleep that night
05:37when
05:37the birds finally started outside that was my sister's signal i got out as fast as i could
05:42she looked me over that's a strong dose wouldn't have worked on him otherwise she told me to stay on
05:48my back for an hour pillow under my hips this will help me get pregnant faster
05:59it was strange i knew but my neck was covered in marks he'd left the night before
06:04you see how he doesn't even look at you now he only touched you because he thought you were me
06:09don't forget that i slipped away to one of the unused sitting rooms to apply some ointment to my
06:15shoulder i'd taken off half my dress when the door swung open he hadn't expected anyone to be there
06:21i watched him go still for just a moment i'm sorry
06:27that evening my sister sent me back to his room
06:31i arrived and he looked at me for a moment then said very quietly
06:37you should go get some rest i have paperwork it'll go late
06:44i should have left but his room was warm my room had nothing it was cold he wasn't here
06:50i just sit at the small table for a few minutes get some warmth back into my hands
07:04sleeping at a table aren't you cold
07:12sleep you're exhausted but i didn't sleep i remembered what i was here for
07:20if you're not tired we don't have to sleep yet after that i stayed every night
07:42it had been about a week and a half you can go vera i'll take it from here
07:50my sister and i looked at each other if he saw us together every lie would collapse at once
07:55don't make a sound the door had barely shut when he walked in the latch didn't catch all the way
08:02i could just make out the room
08:06i closed my eyes then i heard his voice i'm tired go to bed
08:14rachel go to your room
08:20figure it out yourself
08:23i waited for him to fall asleep he didn't he turned over twice and gave up
08:27then he stood crossed to the wardrobe and started opening doors
08:39i waited for him to haul me out by arm
08:43instead he lifted me out of the wardrobe and into his arms
08:48i told you to go to bed why'd you come back he thought i was my sister
08:54i thought you were tired not anymore
09:06my sister didn't know what had happened that night every year around the holidays
09:09they hosted a gathering in the garden this year my sister managed the whole event
09:15invitations had gone out to everyone in the county
09:22my sister for her part was performing and called me her most obedient little sister
09:27and said she'd do her best to find me an equally excellent match someday
09:31i drifted away from the gathering and found a quiet bench near the water
09:35a neighbor's son found me there
09:37we'd studied with the same tutor as children
09:39he was chatty and warm and didn't stop for 20 minutes
09:42the whole time i had the strange and persistent sensation of being watched
09:46not gently something hot about it and a little impatient
09:53nick recognized him and greeted him
09:55ethan gave a small nod
09:56then he reached across and took the cloth parcel out of nick's hands
10:00good of you to bring these for me i'll take them
10:02thank you
10:05i've been meaning to speak to you
10:07i'll be back early tonight
10:08i didn't know what he was signaling presumably a message for my sister
10:13that night i arrived an hour early
10:26i was crying before i knew it i asked him to stop
10:29he wiped my cheek with his thumb
10:32look at you
10:34so sad
10:36do you love me
10:40yes
10:42he touched my mouth carefully
10:45i've been assigned to a six week oversight trip
10:48i leave next week
10:50wait for me
10:52when i come back we do this the right way
10:55out in the open
10:56i was half asleep
10:57he was warm
10:58i nodded without quite registering what i was agreeing to
11:05my period arrived the next morning
11:07my sister yanked open my collar
11:09she looked at everything visible below it
11:13what exactly are you doing there vera
11:16six weeks and nothing
11:18the doctor who'd examined me before any of this began
11:21had said i was healthy
11:22capable of conceiving
11:24he gave her a tonic regimen
11:26and said two months of consistent treatment
11:28should produce the desired result
11:32in the meantime
11:33she started treating me well
11:34my room was heated properly
11:36i had a decent coat
11:38my meals included actual meat
11:42then a letter arrived at our home
11:44she read it
11:45looked at me for a long moment
11:48you lucky thing
11:52congratulations
11:53you're getting married
11:54his name is nick
11:59i was sent home to prepare
12:01the whole situation was absurd
12:03nick's grandmother had fallen seriously ill
12:06doctors had done everything they could
12:08and run out of options
12:09the family had consulted a specialist
12:12in folk remedies and old traditions
12:14and he told them the only thing that might help
12:16was a wedding
12:17nick was the only eligible bachelor left in the family
12:20he had one condition
12:22he'd pick the girl himself
12:23he picked me up
12:24my father was thrilled to consent
12:26my mother who knew about my sister's arrangement
12:29had no real power to object
12:30the date was set for one month out
12:33the dowry that had been assembled for me
12:35which had been embarrassing
12:36was suddenly multiplied
12:38my mother's health supplies
12:39which had been precarious
12:41arrived in abundance
12:42at night lying alone in my old bed
12:45i close my eyes and find myself
12:47back in a room with real warmth
12:59the callaway air was back
13:00the overnight trip finished early
13:02so ethan was here
13:04i sat there thinking about what i'd call him
13:06the next time i saw him
13:07he was still my half-sister's husband
13:09and nick's distant uncle
13:14in the narrow frame of my veil
13:15i didn't see his face
13:16the hall noise fell behind me
13:18the bridal room was quiet
13:20i sat at the edge of the bed
13:21and waited for nick to come in
13:23and lift my veil
13:24one hour passed
13:25a maid appeared
13:26and said there had been
13:27a mix-up about which room
13:29and would i please follow her
13:30to a different one
13:31i could tell something was moving
13:33under the bed in the new room
13:34i couldn't look down to check
13:36i was still wearing the veil
13:44my mind went blank
13:45i blinked
13:45he was still there
13:46i didn't move
13:47and this was my wedding day
13:48you promised you'd wait for me
13:50i came back
13:51and you'd already married someone else
13:53i hadn't promised him anything
13:55every word i'd said in that room
13:57had been said in my sister's voice
13:59playing my sister's role
14:01i'd never spoken to him as myself
14:03you knew
14:06since when
14:08the first night
14:10i always knew
14:19where's nick
14:22in the room
14:35are you out of your mind
14:36you tied me up in my own house
14:39on my wedding night
14:40and now you're going to sleep
14:41with my wife
14:44he's not a good match
14:45he has four women on the side
14:47and a reputation
14:54that was before
14:55i ended all of it
14:57when i decided to marry vera
15:01i meant it
15:02it was a strange scene
15:03nick was the groom
15:04he was also zip tied on the floor
15:06ethan was sitting beside me
15:08with one hand settled on my waist
15:09like it belonged there
15:10i actually like her
15:12i know i wasn't perfect before
15:14but i wanted to do this right
15:19reformed
15:19sure
15:20at least i can marry her properly
15:23you're already married
15:25to her sister
15:27you're her brother-in-law
15:32i'm filing for divorce
15:34you can't
15:36you can't just undo a favor you asked for
15:39i was assigned to that oversight trip
15:41i volunteered for it specifically
15:44so i could use the outcome as leverage
15:46i asked for one thing in return
15:49permission to divorce and remarry
15:55why go through any of it
15:58a few nights together
15:59and you decided to blow up your entire life
16:02it wasn't a few nights
16:04it was the moment before that
16:06you were kneeling in the snow
16:07holding bowl of ice water
16:08and you looked up at me
16:09and i couldn't stop thinking about it
16:12he told me the rest of it
16:16when my sister had first approached him
16:18he'd been about to be matched with a judge's daughter
16:21powerful family
16:22the daughter herself was difficult
16:24spoiled
16:25the kind of person who treated every room like it existed for her benefit
16:28my sister had offered him a clean arrangement
16:30she'd stay out of his life
16:31he'd give her the title and the stability she needed
16:36she was a reasonable option
16:38so i agreed
16:39that explained why my sister had been so desperate for a child
16:42without one
16:43the arrangement had no long-term security for her
16:47so why me
16:49that first night i wanted to stop it
16:51but you kept holding on to me
16:53and i couldn't
16:54the second time i sent you away
16:56i went to the study
16:57came back and found you asleep at my table
16:59and something in me just stopped working correctly
17:05i didn't expose you because i didn't want you to leave
17:07and eventually i could see that you felt something
17:09the way you looked at me when you thought i wasn't watching
17:10the way you'd look away the second i took
17:12you'd kiss me when i was asleep
17:14you cut a piece of my hair and kept it in your pocket
17:20you mended my shoe in the middle of the night
17:23vera
17:24you're not subtle
17:25he had pulled me into his lap at some point without me noticing
17:28his chin was resting on my shoulder
17:30i went south so i could come back and do this correctly
17:33i didn't expect you to be someone else's wife by the time i landed
17:37you were supposed to wait
17:44i'm not as simple as i look
17:47my sister had tried to break me
17:49a long time ago
17:51one winter she'd heard from a servant
17:53that soaking a girl in ice water during her cycle
17:55could make her permanently infertible
17:56this girl is very beautiful
17:57she'd decided to test it on me
17:59because a guest had said i was pretty
18:02i'd been in that water for close to an hour
18:05before our grandmother found me
18:07i spent a year adding something to my sister's tea
18:12by the time she asked me to take her place in her husband's bed
18:16she'd already lost the ability to carry a child
18:19i hadn't planned for her to use me as a solution
18:21to a problem i'd already created
18:24my mother's illness was manageable
18:25she'd been performing fragility for years
18:27the same way i performed compliance
18:29it was protective coloring
18:30but my marriage was something my sister's mother actually controlled
18:34the night i kneel in the snow
18:36i made sure i fell in the right direction
18:40testing whether he'd catch me
18:42whether his hands would linger
18:47i never intended to actually pass like my sister in the dark
18:50i intended for him to figure it out
18:58i made sure he saw the birthmark at my waist
19:01my sister doesn't have one
19:06i went to the side room i knew he passed through every afternoon
19:09and i made sure he saw the marks on my shoulders
19:13i calculated everything
19:18i hadn't calculated nick
19:24nick couldn't give me what i needed
19:27it wasn't about his history
19:28it was about trajectory
19:36he had two older brothers
19:38no real foothold in his own family
19:40i had spent my entire life studying
19:42planning
19:42building a mind sharp enough to do something with
19:45in a world that gave women one door
19:46the door of marriage
19:49i wasn't going to walk through it carelessly
19:52i needed someone who could give me room
19:54position
19:55actual leverage in the world
20:06nick could give me a family
20:07perfection
20:09ethan could give me everything else
20:11so when ethan stood in my bridal room with his hand on my waist and told me to divorce
20:15nick and marry him instead
20:16i cried
20:18the divorces went through
20:22i still don't know exactly what ethan offered nick's family
20:25whatever it was
20:26it worked
20:27nick's grandmother recovered
20:29which apparently validated the whole exercise
20:31his family tried to find him a new partner immediately
20:34but he refused
20:35he went back to his old life
20:37the parties
20:37the company
20:38the lack of commitment
20:40he told anyone who asked that he'd tried love once
20:43it had guttered him
20:43and he saw no reason to repeat the experiment
20:45that wasn't my fault
20:49the blame landed where it landed
20:51and it landed on him
20:53as for me
20:54i was the victim in every version of the story that circulated
20:57a young woman caught in the middle of something powerful men had decided
21:00no agency
21:01no choice
21:03very sad
21:08which suited me perfectly
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