[Opening — Spoken Female Narration, Dry and Theatrical] “The royal kitchen was a place for preparing meals, preserving traditions, and, on particularly unfortunate mornings, serving old family grievances. The Main Princess stood beside the counter. Her sister stood three feet away. And between them stood a daughter who had done absolutely nothing to deserve this.”
[Movement I — Playful Piano, Finger Snaps, Syncopated Bass]
MAIN PRINCESS—Female Solo: Tell your aunt I said the kitchen's mine, I've run this house for a mighty long time. She takes my things, then acts surprised,
Like I don't recognize a thief in disguise!
SISTER — Female Solo: Tell your mother I have news:
This kitchen ain't a throne she gets to use!
She counts the silver, she counts the plates,
But can't count the times she's slammed those gates!
*DAUGHTER — Spoken, Exhausted*: “You do know she's standing right there?”
MAIN PRINCESS: Tell her I heard that!
SISTER: Tell her I don't care!
[Movement II — Jazz Piano Flourishes, Two Contrasting Female Rhythms]
MAIN PRINCESS: Tell her when our mother died,
It’s me
SISTER: Tell her she can keep her crown,
I'm not the one who's burning this family down!
MAIN PRINCESS: Tell her I remember everything!
SISTER: Tell her memory ain't a wedding ring!
*DAUGHTER — Sung, Trying to Keep the Peace*:
She says you said, and you say she said,
I'm passing words from head to head.
I'm standing here, I'm losing my mind,
While both of you pretend you're deaf and blind!
[Chorus — Full Soulful Alt-R&B Groove, Layered Female Harmonies]
Tell her I said! Tell her I meant!
Tell her exactly what I represent!
Tell her I'm right! Tell her she's wrong!
Tell her this feud has gone on too long!
Tell her, tell her, pass it along!
Two royal sisters and one tired song!
You're in the same room, so why must I
Be the little bridge where your words go to die?
[Movement III — Music Drops to Sparse Piano and Cello]
SISTER — Quieter, But Still Defiant: Tell her I loved her before all this gold. Before we grew bitter, before we grew old.
MAIN PRINCESS — After a Pause: Tell her she hurt me. She knows what she did. She was my sister before she was this.
[The daughter looks from one woman to the other. For a moment, she hopes they might finally speak. Neither turns toward the other.]
MAIN PRINCESS: Tell her—
SISTER: Tell her—
DAUGHTER — Exploding
“WHY DON'T YOU TELL HER YOURSELF?”!
[Final Movement — Driving Drums, Descending Piano, Rising Strings]