Abigail Lines - Gilded Throne

FRANCIS: I wonder… who will pay the price on his?

ACT 1 SCENE 2

(BLACKOUT. SPOTLIGHT on ABIGAIL.)

Dear diary…I dreamt that the king was dead. And the king has no heir?

ARABELLA: Abigail! Are you dressed?

Yes, mother! Come in!

ARABELLA: Goose, you really must clean this room up…That’s much better. Now, we’ve a big day ahead of us. Are you packed for your departure tomorrow?

Yes, mother.

ARABELLA: You made sure to pack for inclement weather?

Yes, mother.

ARABELLA: And you’ve all your books?

Yes, mother.

ARABELLA:…He will not be met with ingratitude.

I am sorry, mother. It is just that I feel so anxious. I am wracked by it. What if I am not ready? What if I have no talent?

ARABELLA: …You have a knack for these sorts of things, Abigail. More than I ever did and look where I am now.

Do you really believe I will make a good loremaster?

ARABELLA: …we must be ready to receive him at the gates.

Yes, mother.

ACT 1, SCENE 4

FARRAH: Maybe you’re right. I hate when you’re right.

(Beatrice laughs.)

Sorry I’m late. I hope you weren’t waiting too long.

(FARRAH begins crying.)

Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong?

BEATRICE: …Why is your mother making you go?

It’s my responsibility as future Loremaster to the King to travel to Mirrenhall and further my studies under the magisters: to study the lost histories and the forbidden magicks in order to better serve the realm with my wisdom.

FARRAH: You almost make it sound like you want to leave.

I…I kind of do want to. I want to serve the realm as best I can. It is tradition in my family line. But I hate to leave you all. Perhaps you both can come along?

FARRAH: Abigail, not all of us are destined for greatness. It’s okay.

You’re right, it was a stupid thing to say. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

BEATRICE: …we’ll be here waiting on you to get back.

How could I forget you? Either of you. You’re my best friends. My sisters.

(FARRAH clears her throat. They part each other’s grasps, embarrassed.)

There’s something I need to tell you both… You’re the only ones who can know. The only ones I can trust. It’s plagued me for years, but it’s never been this bad.

BEATRICE: You can tell us anything.

I’ve been dreaming.

I’ve been… seeing thrings, through eyes that are not my own. I have seen something terrible coming. Something none of us can stop. Something that might change our lives forever.

(A resounding bell toll plays.)

The King is dead.

(The bells continue to toll.)

And I believe I know who did it.

DELRYAS: Abigail!

Spymaster Delryas? What’s happening?

ACT 1, SCENE 6

DELRYAS: I believe we are safe for now.

We need to go back for my mother. We can’t leave without her.

MAGISTER ROUSSO: I’m afraid that’s not possible, my lady.

And who are you?

DELRYAS: …It is your mother’s plan, not mine.

And what of Beatrice?

BEATRICE: I mean, thank you.

Couldn’t I just stay with Beatrice’s family? I don’t understand why we must flee the city entirely.

DELRYAS: …There could be revolt in the streets come the morrow.

But still, why must we leave my mother?

DELRYAS: It is complex.

Simplify it for me.

DELRYAS: I cannot, my lady. We haven’t the time, we must away.

(Beat.)

Did my mother kill the king?

DELRYAS: That’s preposterous.

Yes or no?

DELRYAS: …I will return to you at Mirrenhall in two months time.

But-

DELRYAS: Not another word!

(There is a moment of silence.)

(ABIGAIL runs forward and hugs DELRYAS.)

I’m going to miss you.

ACT 1, SCENE 10.

ABIGAIL is sitting at a desk STAGE RIGHT reading a large book, nodding along. She is struggling to understand it. ABIGAIL stands up and recites the text to herself:

Bring your hands from inverted cross into the receiving bird position, then whip the wrists into giving hands, exhaling with the giving.

Okay, I’ve got it,

(She tries the maneuver, slowly.)

MAGISTER ROUSSO: And how goes the studying, Abigail?

Poorly! I do not understand the precise handshapes dictated by the school of elemental magick. Must we begin with this?

MAGISTER ROUSSO: …Other schools demand precision of the mind, a much more difficult task.

Restraint of the hands is difficult. I have never been athletically inclined, nor had some great coordination. That was always Beatrice’s realm of expertise. It is so hard to focus, being away from my mother.

MAGISTER: …What has interested you if not Elementics? Arcanics? Runics? Animatics?

ANIMATICS.

MAGISTER: …Perhaps, given recent events, it is not wise.

Please, magister!

MAGISTER: …why don’t you rest now, and we can begin again after you wake?

Yes, magister Rousso! Gladly.

BEATRICE: …Were you dreaming?

Y-y-yes… only… I was awake. I could feel you the entire time. It’s the only thing that brought me back. I was so lost in it this time. I fear I return to sleep. I saw so much. All of it terrible. I believe that DELRYAS is traitor to us. And… my mother…

BEATRICE: Just breathe. Everything will be alright, love.

BLACKOUT.

We will make them pay… all of them.

ACT 1, SCENE 12.

MAGISTER: Abigail, we’ve just received word from the capital… your mother… she’s…

Dead, yes. She was found guilty of regicide.

MAGISTER: But how could you…

I have seen it. Through eyes not my own. I have been dreaming, magister Rousso.

MAGISTER: A gealdora… Delryas mentioned it but I did not believe him…

I have seen a great many thing in my dreams as of late, magister. My mind has so much to show me that I have begun to dream even through my waking eyes. I have seen your betrayal. I have seen where your fealty lies. Lord Tybalt Fureau has claim to your servitude.

MAGISTER: D-don’t be ridiculous.

DO NOT DOUBT ME!

(The MAGISTER recoils.)

Do you know what else I have seen, magister? I have seen the ultimate reward for your fealty. A knife in the back, by the hand of our own Spymaster, Delryas.

MAGISTER: That’s not possible.

My dreams have taught me much, magister.

MAGISTER: You know too much.

(FIGHT SCENE.)

I have dreamed this interaction a hundred times, magister, there is not a single thing you can do that would be unexpected.

(FIGHTING.)

For some futures, fate is uncertain, but you… you are a simple man. You act only out of fear.

(FIGHTING.)

Which is why I can easily foresee… your every move.

(FIGHTING. ENTER BEATRICE STAGE LEFT.)

And counter it.

(BEATRICE, having snuck up behind the MAGISTER, holds her sword against his back.)

Your life is forfeit. Unless you may prove yourself useful to me.

MAGISTER: Is what you said about Tybalt true? Will he betray me?

My mother was honest and so am I.

MAGISTER ROUSSO: My liege, I am yours.

(The MAGISTER drops his sword and slowly kneels.)

I will not rest until my mother is avenged. I will not rest until the world is shaped to my image. I will not rest until I have taken the gilded throne for myself, so that justice may be served to all who deserve it.

You will serve me. Loyally. For I am the only one who may provide you safety from the Lord Fureau. You will lend your best mages to my cause, and they will do as I command. I will be Queen.

ACT 2, SCENE 1

DELRYAS: …I do not know where I find myself now, but perhaps this is my own special hell.

Pick up your sword, Kingslayer…

DELRYAS: My own shadow has risen against me! Sister save me from this cruel fate!

I am no shadow, but justice incarnate come to collect a debt. Only death will pay for death, spymaster.

I have dreamt your death a thousand different times and a thousand different ways. I have only yet to decide which is most suited for the man who killed my mother.

DELRYAS: Wait, A-Abigail?? I thought you were… I did not kill Arabella.

Even in your final moments you spout lies.

DELRYAS: It was not my hand.

But it was your lie. You framed her!

(She strikes at him and shouts)

KINGSLAYER!

DELRYAS: Your mother was too stupid to survive, how is that my burden?

She was not granted last words and neither will you. SHUT UP!

DELRYAS: How… how could you know that?

There is much I know, Kingslayer.

DELRYAS: So it’s true… a gealdora. Tell me, have you seen my fate?

I have only seen your death.

DELRYAS: Forgive me…

Forgiveness is for the living…

ACT 2, SCENE 2

BEATRICE: It’s the dead of night, where have you been? Is everything alright?

It’s done.

BEATRICE: You found him?

I killed him.

BEATRICE: …I was shaking like nothing. Like you are now.

Is that supposed to make me feel better?

BEATRICE: It’s supposed to make you feel less alone. I’m sorry if it didn’t.

(Beat.)

No, it did. I’m sorry.

(Beat.)

I feel so cold.

(ABIGAIL shivers and goes to sit on the bed, wraps herself in a blanket.)

It felt good. To be an agent of justice.

(Beat.)

I must away to discuss plans of war with the Magister. Will you join me?

ACT 2, SCENE 3

MAGISTER ROUSSO: But where are we to strike? They outnumber us 10 to 1.

It would be 10 to 1, Magister, but it will not be.

MAGISTER: My liege, I did not hear you enter.

The church has spread themselves thin over the Kingdom to make clear a message of strength to the Lords of the realm. To ensure they do not muster. However, they have made an oversight. If all the church’s peacekeepers and templars are spread out over Ifris, where are they not?

MAGISTER: So we march on Lorrelain?

With the mountains on either side, Lorrelain is the most defensible city in all the realm. If we take it, we will keep it. On its walls, one archer may fell 10 cavalry before falling. Who is to say how many men a mage may fell from within its walls?

MAGISTER: Lorrelain has not seen siege for an age. Will the old rocks hold back cannon fire?

It has been longer since magick was seen on the battlefield. The element of surprise cannot be understated, magister. I have seen their fear. No one else will dare strike at us… Besides… I have seen something else. Something grim, though it may turn in our favor. I am to call for a kingsmoot. It will force the church’s hand.

MAGISTER: They killed the last man who called for a kingsmoot.

Yes, he was stabbed in the back. It was his mistake for turning his back to them. I will make no such error. They will hold it in the High Sanctum. The very seat of the church. And then… with everyone who wants the crown in one place…

MAGISTER: Surely not.

I have seen it.

MAGISTER ROUSSO: You have seen wrong.

Do not doubt me. I speak only truth. May my tongue never bend to be so false as yours once was. My mother trusted you.

MAGISTER: I am sorry, my Queen.

The First Sister will await the explosion in the throne room. And afterward, with no one to oppose her, she will rule as both church and crown in violent tyranny. The armies of the church, the crown, and House Fureau will all march in her name. We must prevent it at all costs. The woman must die. Justice must be served.

MAGISTER ROUSSO: You mustn’t call for a Kingsmoot then. To avoid this eventuality.

(Beat.)

You think too small, Magister. We cannot win on the open field. And so this eventuality is one we must pursue. All who might oppose us will lie dead.

MAGISTER: But what of Lord Dorrington and her armies? Surely they will march on us before we arrive in the capital.

I will send an assassin to deal with Lord Dorrington in the hours before our arrival. The only one in this world that I trust. The most skilled swordsman I know, since Delryas fell to my blade.

MAGISTER: Beatrice? You would have blood on her hands?

I WOULD HAVE JUSTICE FOR MY MOTHER.

MAGISTER ROUSSO: …Think of the cost.

It is the only way forward that I have seen. Every other path leads to failure. I will sneak into the city with Beatrice, we have done so many times. She will make her way to Lord Dorrington’s keep, and I to the throne room.

As the sanctum falls, Beatrice will be occupied with Lord Dorrington and I will face the First Sister in the throne room, and I will kill her myself. I have dreamt her death many times. It is regretful that I may not be the one to kill Lord Dorrington as well, but this is the only way.

MAGISTER: Beatrice will never allow it.

Beatrice isn’t to know.

(Beat.)

Not a word we have spoken leaves this room.

(Beat.)

Have faith, Magister Rousso. The crown will yet be ours.

MAGISTER: I am beginning to believe that…

(ENTER BEATRICE STAGE LEFT.)

Beatrice!

BEATRICE: I suppose you’ve sent out marching orders already.

Only just. Magister, leave us.

(Beat.)

I have something terrible to ask of you…

BEATRICE: Whatever it is, consider it done.

(Beat.)

Hold me.

(BEATRICE hugs ABIGAIL to her shoulder and comforts her.)

I don’t want to risk you. But my plans require it.

BEATRICE: …Whatever you need from me, I’ll do it.

I know. That’s the hardest part of all this. I’ve seen so much. I’ve seen you in so many futures, and in each of them you are my only solace from the pain. My only true ally.

(Beat.)

I know your heart beats softest for me.

BEATRICE: …I wonder, do we marry? Do you ever look at me as I look at you?

I have always looked at you.

BEATRICE: …I am yours. I have only ever been yours.

I know.

ACT 2, SCENE 10

FIRST SISTER: You should be dead.

You will be.

FIRST SISTER: I have heard tell of your power, but I did not recognize its strength.

(ABIGAIL perfectly dodges a thrust and OTIS falls to his brother’s blade. She holds her sword to FRANCIS’S neck.)

Drop your sword.

(End of First Sister fight. I’ve gotten her on the ground at this point.)

I HATE YOU. I HATE YOU. I HATE YOUUUU!

ACT 2, SCENE 11

(BEATRICE draws her sword and holds it out against ABIGAIL.)

What-What’s wrong?

BEATRICE: I am here for an audience with the Queen.

It is granted. What are you-

BEATRICE: …I seek trial, your highness. I seek judgment.

This is ridiculous.

(Beat.)

Very well. The Queen’s Court is now in session.

BEATRICE: …The only way to pull the veil over my eyes for long enough.

There was only one path forward that allowed us both to live and also succeed.

BEATRICE: …Farrah is dead.

I know.

(Beat.)

There was no way to save her.

BEATRICE: No way to save her? Or no other way to the throne? No other way to vengeance?

Have you lost faith in me? Am I not the destined Queen?

BEATRICE: …I am loyal to a woman whose blood runs cold.

It had to be done. All of it. There was no other way. No other way to justice.

(THE DANCE OF THE CORPSES IN THE COURT OF THE QUEEN. The dancers leave the stage as the dance ends. ABIGAIL sits on the throne. A long silence.)

The blood will dry.