Women�s march on Versailles

(Cinematic)

Élodie is in her bed, SLEEPING. Océane Bedeau OPENS the bedroom door, RUNS towards Élodie, WAKES her up and SHOUTS:

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (EXCITED)

They are on their way to Versailles! Something about “bringing the baker, the baker woman and the little baker boy” to Paris. I think they mean King Louis, his Queen and the crown prince. Come on, we must join them!

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (NEWLY AWAKENED)

Who? Why?

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (IMPATIENTLY)

No time! Just hurry up!

 

Élodie quickly PUTS ON a dress and FOLLOWS Océane.

(Gameplay)

Player-controlled Actions and Effects are CAPITALIZED. Your PC is Élodie Bauchet.

The player must FOLLOW Océane and USE Élodie’s acrobatic skills to GET PAST obstacles in her way. Barrels, people, trolleys, everything that can be USED as a hindrance shall be USED. If the player FAILS to FOLLOW Océane, Élodie will FAIL her mission. The CHASE begins at Place Vendôme, CONTINUES on Rue Saint Honoré, a street FILLED with lots of carriages and excited women who all RUN TOWARD Louis XV's Square. Storm bells begin to RING. A young lady BANGS on a drum. The crowd is FILLED with women: maids, madams and Mademoiselles.

When Élodie finally CATCHES UP with Océane, she SEES her JOINING the march. The women are excited, ARMED with rifles, lances and swords, and SING songs:

WOMEN IN CROWD: (DETERMINED)

We are bringing the baker, the baker woman and the little baker boy back to Paris!

 

Some of them CHANT:

WOMEN IN CROWD: (ACCUSINGLY)

Bread! They run a hunger conspiracy against us! (They plot to starve us!) We demand bread!

 

Élodie has no other choice than to FOLLOW Océane, and while doing so, she BUMPS into a woman.

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (NEUTRAL)

Pardon me…

MAN DISGUISED AS A WOMAN: (AGGRAVATED)

Look where you’re going!

 

He GIVES her a grumpy look and TURNS AWAY from her. Océane EMERGES from the crowd. They SEE a woman DRESSED as an Amazon who RIDES on a horse and DRAGS a canon BESIDE a woman DRESSED as a man, ARMED with a sable. Océane SAYS:

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (ADMIRINGLY)

I think that was Théroigne de Méricourt on that horse and the one dressed as a man is her friend Rose Lacombe.

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (SHOCKED)

I saw a man, in women’s clothing, here amongst all women.

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (CURIOUS)

No! Where?

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (THOUGHTFULLY)

We must do something about it. I have a bad feeling about him. Wonder if there are any more…?

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (GLAD)

I hope you know what you are doing… (But) This’ll be fun!

 

Océane and Élodie SPLIT up. While they are LOOKING for the disguised man, the crowd STARTS MOVING TOWARDS Versailles.

They have a LIMITED TIME to FIND and UNMASK the man. The TROUBLE is that there are many men DISGUISED as women in the mass. When Élodie SPOTS a man DRESSED as a woman, she must UNMASK him without REVEALING herself. She can PUSH other people AGAINST him which will UNMASK him and EXPOSE him to the crowd. Élodie may also SNEAK up towards him and PULL OFF his bonnet. Women around him will then THROW him out of the crowd and CONTINUE without him. When Élodie has UNMASKED five men, a CRY FOR HELP from Océane will make her PUSH THROUGH the crowd, which has STOPPED DEAD. The man they were LOOKING FOR STANDS in a WIDENING circle in the MIDDLE of the crowd. He HOLDS a knife against Océanes throat and she SOBS quietly.

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (DEMANDING)

Release her!

OCÉANE BEDEAU: (AFRAID)

Élodie, don’t upset him!

MAN: (DISTRESSED)

You heard her, don’t upset me or I’ll give her another smile.

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (CALMLY)

Just let her go. Take me instead.

MAN: (SCORNFULLY)

Why? You ain’t nearly as pretty as she is, and I don’t think she’ll put up a fight. I think I’ll keep her. Now, keep on going! We have somewhere to be tonight.

 

The crowd reluctantly STARTS MOVING. The SONG and SLOGANS have QUIETED and all women GLARE angrily at the man and his hostage. If Élodie TRIES to get CLOSER to the man, he will BACK AWAY and PRESS the knife harder on Océanes throat until a drop of blood FALLS DOWN on her dress. If Élodie TRIES to DISAPPEAR into the mass, the man will THREATEN her.

MAN: (STRESSED)

Oh no. Stay where I can see you or your little friend will get hurt.

Stay!

I am warning you!

Dumb woman, stay there!

 

The player has to SPEAK with any of the women AROUND Élodie. Élodie has a plan, she will make the man BACK UP and one woman BEHIND him will make him TRIP and FALL, another TAKES his knife and the third will HELP Océane. She WHISPERS her plan to one of the women, anyone will do, and then her plan will be SET IN MOTION.

(Cinematic)

Élodie STARTS MOVING TOWARDS the man, who will BACK AWAY from her. Océane CRIES and teardrops MIX with drops of blood from her throat. The man SCREAMS something at Élodie, but she is so concentrated that she is NOT ABLE to make out the words.

MAN: (SCARED)

Stand back! I said, stand back!

 

She SEES him STUMBLE and then FALL, Océane SCREAMS with FEAR and suddenly, it’s over. Océane BREAKS AWAY from him and FALLS into Élodies arms, heavily SOBBING. Élodie WHISPERS soft words to her and finally CALMS her.

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (SOOTHINGLY)

There, there. It’s over. Océane, he can’t harm you anymore.

 

The man LIES DEAD on the street as his head HIT a large rock when he FELL.

[Quick note: Depending on whether the player thought it might be (A) Rebels or (B) Noblemen at the banquette, the signature on the message changes. If the player chooses (A) Rebels, the signature shall be G.D as in Guillaume Douay. If the player choose (B) Noblemen, the signature shall be M.L as in Marceau Laroque.]

Élodie SEARCHES through his clothes and FINDS a message:

ÉLODIE BAUCHET: (CONCENTRATED)

“Join the march as a woman. You must follow the one I spoke of. Don’t get caught!

ML. “

The MARCH CONTINUES, first silently but then someone STARTS SINGING, first a bit hesitant, but as more and more women JOIN in, the song RAISES to the sky. It is a more confident crowd that CONTINUES MARCHING towards Versailles, LEAVING the dead man on the road to the crows.

(Gameplay)

Player-controlled Actions and Effects are CAPITALIZED. Your PC is Élodie Bauchet.

[Quick note: This is a gameplay area, which means that various scenarios are triggered when Élodie reaches different locations. I choose to write this part as a coherent text.]

They finally ARRIVE at the gates of Versailles. Everyone is WET, EXHAUSTED and COVERED in mud. Some of the women GATHER at one gate and SHOUT for bread.

WOMEN IN CROWD: (ACCUSINGLY)

Bread! They run a hunger conspiracy against us! (They plot to starve us!) We demand bread!

 

Élodie FOLLOWS Océane, who TOGETHER with about 100 other women MANAGES to GET TO the National Assembly. The women TAKE PLACE on the galleries, TAKE OFF parts of their clothes and GIVE their point of view on the debates and the debaters. LAUGHTER and MURMURS are HEARD. Mirabeau TRIES with his plangent voice to MAKE them DISAPPEAR, but they IGNORE him and more ARRIVE.

MIRABEAU: (BOOMING AND WITH A HINT OF ANGER)

Get out! This is no place for women!

 

Océane RUSHES past Élodie and THROWS herself into Mirabeau’s lap, who LOOKS surprised at first but then enamored. Élodie LEAVES her there. As soon as she EXITS the National Assembly, she is PUSHED into the Versailles amongst eleven other women. Everyone is excited and nervous, they WHISPER about the king and some of them GIGGLE. Louison Chabry, a 17 year–old girl, LEAD the delegation but FAINTS when she sees Louis XVI. The king HOLDS her in his arms and SPEAKS to her.

LOUIS XVI: (CARING)

Wake up. There, there, wake up now.

 

When she COMES TO HER SENSES, all she can remember is to TALK to the king about bread and Louis XVI PROMISES them that he personally will make sure Paris will get both grain and bread.

LOUISON CHABRY: (PLEADING)

Paris needs bread! You must help us your majesty or your subjects will starve to death!

LOUIS XVI: (AUTHORITARIAN)

I promise I personally will ensure that Paris will get both bread and grain.

 

They forget to demand that the king shall move to Paris and the twelve women LEAVE the castle. They are MET by disappointed comrades.

DISAPPOINTED COMRADES: (IRRITATED)

Haven’t you even a paper on the king’s promises?

 

They GO BACK in and the king REPEATS his promises in WRITING. Élodie SEES Louison Chabry and Maillard LEAVE for Paris with the glad tidings in one of the king’s own carriage. Before she is ABLE to RETURN to the National Assembly and LOOK for Océane, a rumor is HEARD.

SOMEONE IN THE CROWD: (EXCITED)

More people on their way, national guards and several thousand Parisians! La Fayette is their leader!

 

Élodie SEES Théroigne de Méricourt and a number of females RUN TOWARD the road and FOLLOW them. They BLOCK the road so that none of the carriages can PASS them.

The king GIVES UP and stops TRYING to ESCAPE from Versailles. La Fayette and his troops ARRIVE at midnight and the women START SHOUTING for bread yet again.

WOMEN IN CROWD: (ACCUSINGLY)

Bread! They run a hunger conspiracy against us! (They plot to starve us!) We demand bread!

 

Once again, the women SCURRY into the National Assembly. Élodie FOLLOWS La Fayette and the delegation from Paris and WITNESS the king’s PROMISES. Louis XVI APPROVES The Declaration of Human Rights. When he hears La Fayette DEMANDING him to MOVE to Paris, he HESITATES.

LA FAYETTE: (DEMANDING)

We insist that you move back to Paris!

LOUIS XVI: (EXHAUSTED)

It’s late at night and everyone is tired. Why don’t we discuss this in the morning?

LA FAYETTE: (ALOOF)

Fine. Let’s postpone the decision for tomorrow morning then.

 

Océane FINDS Élodie and they JOIN a crowd OUTSIDE the castle gates. A bonfire is LIT, wine is DRUNK and revolutionary songs are SUNG.

[ÇA IRA]

At five in the morning, the people OUTSIDE the gates DISCOVER that a castle door is OPEN. Many of them, including an intoxicated Élodie and Océane, RUN UP the stairs TOWARDS the queen’s floor. The bodyguard OPENS FIRE and a seventeen–year–old worker is SHOT. He FALLS THROUGH a window and is KILLED immediately. The furious crowd KILLS two of the bodyguards. They MANAGE to ENTER Marie–Antoinette’s room and DESTROY her empty bed with swords and axes.

La Fayette and the National Guard MANAGE to get most of the crowd OUT OF the castle. The crowd STANDS on the palace yard with the two killed bodyguards’ heads POSTED on two lances, FIRING off their muskets and YELLS:

CROWD: (WOUND UP)

The king to Paris! The king to Paris!

 

The king APPEARS on the balcony, WHISTLES and HOORAYS are HEARD. The crowd:

CROWD: (WOUND UP)

The queen! The queen!

 

The queen APPEARS on the balcony with the crown prince and her eleven–year–old daughter BESIDE her.

WOMEN: (WOUND UP)

No children! No children!

 

The queen LEAVES with her children and COMES OUT again without her daughter and the crown prince. The SHOUTS increase in strength: 

CROWD: (WOUND UP)

The king to Paris! The king to Paris!

(Cinematic)

A long cortege MOVES TOWARDS Paris, with the National Guard first with bread SPIKED on their bayonets, then about fifty wagons, DECORATED with sticks and leafs, full of bread and grain, a regiment grenadier, an unarmed regiment, the king’s carriage with La Fayette on his horse BESIDE it, then many carriages with noblemen and members of the National Assembly, another regiment from the National Guard and lastly women and Parisians DECORATED with branches and leafs.

WOMEN AND PARISIANS IN CROWD: (JOYFUL)

Here we come with the baker, the baker’s wife and the little baker boy!

 

When they ENTER Paris THROUGH the town gate, mayor Bailly GREETS them. Élodie and Océane LEAVE the crowd and Océane FOLLOWS Élodie home. At Élodie’s house, they SAY good bye. Élodie COLLAPSES on her bed and FALLS immediately