- Ester: [gasps] I love the colour! Don’t you love the colour?
- Tubarina: I love the colour.
- Ester: Some of these would be perfect for my gemstone collection.
- [gemstones shimmering]
- Polvina: Oh…
- Tubarina: [in Ester’s voice – error] Polvina?
- Ester: You don’t love the colour?
- Polvina: I do love the colour, but this cave isn’t safe. [points to crack]
- Ester: When have I asked you to do anything that isn’t safe?
- Tubarina: [thinking] Oh, hmm…
- Ester: Okay, don’t answer that.
- Polvina: [uneasy] And this really isn’t safe!
- Ester: We go in quickly, grab the stones, then leave even quicker. We’ll be out of there in no time. What do you say?
- Polvina: We do it quickly and carefully?
- Ester: Quick and careful, I promise.
- Tubarina: Okay, I’ll do it.
- Polvina: I guess I don’t have much choice then.
- Ester: Correct. Let’s go. [the girls go in] Try and get the ones that are the deepest purple.
- Tubarina: Oh, like that one?
- Ester: Wow, that’s unbelievable! [goes to pull it down, but can’t] It’s stuck. Give me a hand. And pull!
- [girls grunting as they pull, cave cracks even more and is about to collapse]
- Ester: Swim for it!
- Ester: Don’t say it, Polvina, I know you were right. The cave wasn’t safe.
- Tubarina: Polvina?
- Ester: Polvina?
- Ester and Tubarina: Polvina!
- Polvina: [groaning]
- Ester: Are you alright?
- Polvina: Oh, it’s my leg. It’s hurt!
- Ester: I’m so sorry, Polvina.
- Tubarina: It’s too late to be sorry, we have to find a doctor. Fast!
- Ester: Look at the good side, it could be worse.
- Tubarina: It couldn’t be much worse. Polvina will have to rest her leg for days.
- Ester: Which means she can’t go anywhere. Which means no school!
- Polvina: But you know I like school, Ester.
- Ester: [sigh] I’m trying to find a good side to this.
- Polvina: Don’t worry Ester, it’s not your fault.
- Tubarina: It’s all her fault.
- Ester: Tubarina’s right. I made you go into the cave when you knew it wasn’t safe, so I’m going to take care of you until you’re better. [gives Polvina a blanket] Comfortable?
- Polvina: Very. Thank you, Ester.
- Ester: Would you like some lunch?
- Polvina: That’d be great.
- Ester: I’ll get it right now. Don’t worry about a thing, I’m here for you.
- Ester: [puts books on table] That’s all the homework. Miss Marla says to take as long as you like to do it. And I have a get-well card from everyone in class.
- Polvina: Aw, that’s nice. I should put it up somewhere.
- Ester: I’ll do it. [puts it on another table] How’s that?
- Polvina: Great.
- Ester: I have to get home, but I’ll be right back after dinner.
- Polvina: I don’t know what I’d do without you.
- Ester: It’s nothing. I’ll see you tonight.
- Polvina: See you then. [Ester leaves, Tentie comes in] Ah, I’m getting to like all this attention.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: Oh no, Tentie, I’m not doing that.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: I’m not taking advantage of Ester. She offered to help while my leg was hurt and all I’m doing is letting her.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: There’s nothing wrong with that at all. Don’t be such a grouch.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Ester: So they lived together happily ever after.
- Polvina: That was a nice story, wasn’t it, Tentie? Thanks for reading it to us, Ester.
- Ester: Anything I else I can do for you before I go?
- Polvina: Um, another hot drink would be great.
- Ester: Another drink it is. [leaves]
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: Tentie, we’ve already talked about this. It’s not true.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: It isn’t!
- Ester: [comes back in with drink] Here we are. Careful, it’s hot. Anything else?
- Polvina: That’s more than enough, Ester.
- Ester: I’ll see you tomorrow before I go to school. Good night!
- Polvina: Good night!
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: [sighs] Sometimes I wish this will never end.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: But it will end, Tentie. I’ll be better soon.
- Tentie: [gurgling, takes off Polvina’s bandages]
- Polvina: But I’m not better yet. I need Ester to keep helping me.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: It’s true, Tentie, and I don’t understand why you won’t believe me. [Tentie leaves, Polvina takes a sip and sighs] Lovely.
- Tubarina: A cake? You’ve made a cake for Polvina?
- Ester: It’s her favorite cake too, pink seaweed sponge.
- Tubarina: How long are you going to keep baking cakes for her?
- Ester: Until she’s better.
- Tubarina: It’s been nearly a week now.
- [Polvina and Tentie yawning]
- Ester: Good morning!
- Tubarina: Hi!
- Polvina: Good morning.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Ester: What would you like for breakfast? You can have anything you want, even cake.
- Polvina: I’ll have the cake later. Just kelp porridge will do.
- Tubarina: I wouldn’t mind some cake.
- Ester: None for you, that’s Polvina’s.
- Tubarina: So what, I’ve gotta hurt my leg to get some cake around here?
- Ester: Just don’t touch it.
- Tubarina: So, how is your leg?
- Polvina: Oh, it’s good. I mean, well, it’s better than it was.
- Tubarina: Oh, so you still need Ester to help you?
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: Yes, I do.
- Tubarina: Well, I’ll go tell Ester that she has to keep making those cakes then. [leaves]
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: No way would I take advantage of Ester. I’m not like that.
- Ester: Could you bring that over, Tubarina?
- Tubarina: No problem. [brings a bowl over] You know what I think?
- Ester: About what?
- Tubarina: About Polvina. I think she’s fine and doesn’t need any more of your help.
- Ester: Polvina would tell me if she didn’t need me to help her and since she hasn’t, she does.
- Polvina: Ester? I need the other pillow to sit up. Ester? Tentie, could you get it for me?
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Polvina: Alright, I’ll get it myself. You’re not being very nice, Tentie. You know I’m nice. Everyone knows I’m nice. [crash] Oh, uh, Ester. [laughing]
- Ester: You are better. But you didn’t tell me.
- Polvina: [fakes injury] Oh, my leg.
- Ester: Oh, Polvina!
- Polvina: Ester, come back!
- Tubarina: Oh, this is terrible, Tentie.
- Tentie: [gurgling]
- Tubarina: We should go after them. [sees cake] Oh, we should have some cake first. No no no, friends first, then cake.
- Polvina: I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. It’s not like me at all, you know that. I liked you looking after me. I didn’t want it to stop. [pause] I got better quickly because of your help. You’re a good friend, Ester. Please say something.
- Ester: I understand, Your Highness. You don’t have to explain.
- Polvina: Your Highness? Don’t call me that, Ester.
- Ester: You are a princess, Your Highness.
- Polvina: Call me by my name.
- Ester: I can’t call you Polvina. I’d only call you that if we were friends and we’re not. Goodbye, Your Highness. [goes in and closes door]
- Tubarina: [comes in] What happened?
- Polvina: Ester won’t talk to me.
- Tubarina: Oh, she’s just angry, but you know Ester. She won’t stay angry forever.
- Polvina: What if it is forever?
- Tubarina: It won’t be. It’ll be fine. Ester and you will be friends again, just wait.
- [school bell rings, students chattering]
- Polvina: Three days, three days and Ester still hasn’t talked to me.
- Tubarina: I said give it time.
- Polvina: I’ve given it time. I’ve tried to say sorry but she won’t listen.
- Tubarina: She will. You’re supposed to be friends.
- Ester: See you tomorrow, Tubarina. [humph] Good evening, Princess.
- Polvina: Did you hear that?
- Tubarina: Don’t worry about it.
- Polvina: I do worry. I’ve got to show her that I’m sorry.
- Tubarina: [sighs] All this trouble over some silly purple rocks.
- Polvina: [gasps] The purple rocks! Ester loved those rocks. I’ll get that big purple rock for her!
- Tubarina: Polvina? [to herself] This is why I called those rocks silly.
- Ester: She what?
- Tubarina: She’s going back to get the big gemstone for you.
- Ester: Why are you telling me?
- Tubarina: That cave is unsafe.
- Ester: So? I’m not making her go into it again.
- Tubarina: She’s doing it because of you, to show you she’s sorry because she can’t stand the thought of you not being her friend.
- Ester: She can’t?
- Tubarina: Don’t you think you’ve punished her enough already?
- Ester: Well…
- Tubarina: I mean, what if she has another accident?
- Ester: You’re right. Let’s go stop her.
- Polvina: There it is! Ester will love it. Oh, make this easy for me. [pulls gemstone] Come on. Let go! [continues pulling]
- Ester: Polvina?
- Polvina: Ester?
- Ester: Leave it alone, I don’t want it.
- Tubarina: It’s too dangerous in here.
- Polvina: But I’ve almost got it for you, Ester. [struggling] It’s coming loose. [pulls gemstone out] I got it!
- [cave cracks even more and is about to collapse]
- Ester: Drop it and get out!
- [Polvina does]
- Ester: Why did you do that, Polvina? You knew it was dangerous the first time, now it was even more dangerous.
- Polvina: I’m so happy!
- Ester: What?
- Polvina: You called me Polvina and not Your Highness or Princess. Does that mean we’re friends again?
- Ester: We’ll always be friends.
- Polvina: And you forgive me?
- Ester: I forgive you. You know I couldn’t be angry with you forever.
- Polvina: That’s what Tubarina said.
- Ester: Where is Tubarina?
- Tubarina: [groaning]
- Polvina and Ester: Tubarina!
- Polvina: Hold still!
- Ester: We’ll get you out!
- Tubarina: Whatever you do, don’t say it could have been worse.
- Ester: We won’t say it then.
- Tubarina: This is all thanks to you two.
- Polvina: We know, and we’re sorry.
- Tubarina: You owe me big-time.
- Ester: We’re going to help.
- Tubarina: I’m talking breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Polvina: Yes, Tubarina.
- Tubarina: Homework supplied, drinks on demand, both hot and cold.
- Ester: Yes, Tubarina.
- Tubarina: And cake, don’t forget the cake. Lots of cake.
- Polvina and Ester: Yes, Tubarina.