An Archaic Modern Play: Play On, Act 2, Scene 5

CHARACTERS IN SCENE:

WILSON: An Independent Investigator from France, investigating allegations made by the people of Albion against the kingdom of Medi.

ARMENIA/ARTHUR: Princess of Medi, pretending to be servant from Albion in order to aid the Independent in his investigation (and ultimately bring down her father and brother).

LIA: Princess of Albion who lied her way into coming with Wilson to Medi.

Medi’s Palace

Enter Armenia and Wilson

Wilson:                               You were gone for quite long Arthur. I hope thine Princess is well.

Armenia:                            Well enough to hide far distances, m’lord. It took much time to seek her skin.

Wilson:                               She seems to you not harmed?

Armenia:                            Merely happy, sir.

Wilson:                               Eh Bien. That is good to hear. You worried me for some time Arthur.

Armenia:                            I am sorry sir. Shall’t not happen again.

Wilson:                               See to it. Now, we must remember to meet the Attendant ‘gain tomorrow. He hath something to utter and we shall be there to hear the utterance with keen senses. Good, Arthur?

Armenia:                            It shall be done, sir. I have sent letter from your hand to Albion, sir.

Wilson:                               Then they shall soon know that hard work hath been done already. Updates are necessary for trust to confide, and yet nothing of importance is exclaimed. We have found that much yet.

Armenia:                            I am sure more will come. The glass is only half full.

Wilson:                               You spend too much time with Lia. Your speech begins to flounder.

Armenia:                            Yes sir, I am afraid it does.

Wilson:                               Do not be afraid. The ailment may go soon. Even I feel I have caught the twinkle tongue.

Armenia:                            Indeed, Monsieur Wilson. Indeed.

                                                                                                                        [Enter Lia]

Wilson:                               Fair Princess Servant. You have arrived. Welcome.

Lia:                                       Monsieur Wilson. I am not Princess.

Wilson:                               You shall always be Princess when in company of only me and Arthur. You cannot deny me that.

Lia:                                       I suppose if it is a comfort to you.

Wilson:                               It is. It is.

Lia:                                       Comfort is hard to find in places of new, though you must be well used to not being of comfort seeing as your job is to move ‘round. Tell me Moiseur, do you ever turn full circle?

Wilson:                               Occasionally I may. Yet hardly ever do I see the same people on my travels. They move in straight line so I shall’t never run into them ‘gain.

Lia:                                       That is good if you have an enemy. Bad if you make a friend. Please sir, is Medi your friend or enemy since you have been in Kingdom afore?

Wilson:                               I am impartial to Medi. This is my first journey to Palace.

Lia:                                       And what do you make of the Palace thus far?

Wilson:                               As the King professes, it is filled with fools.

Lia:                                       Yes. Fools are good people.

Wilson:                               Indeed. With fools there is a love for life; at least that can be taken as positive.

Lia:                                       And the King. Is he a fool sir?

Wilson:                               The King is a King.

Lia:                                       I have not had pleasure of running into him. My Father speaks highly of their friendship together.

Wilson:                               Your Father is King too.

Lia:                                       My Father once upon my life was a fool. Only in later years did he become a King. I sigh when he catches my eye; the crown hath weighed him down sorely. His eyes see only what he is told, rather than what he spots with his pupils.

Wilson:                               Hence the need for Enquiry to go well.

Lia:                                       Yes. My Father is desperate for it to go well. As King he needs it to pay off.

Wilson:                               And as Father?

Lia:                                       As Father he desires to hide away from daughter until she hath wed.

Armenia:                            And does daughter not wish to wed, my Princess?

Lia:                                       I do not wish to wed under King’s rule.

Wilson:                               But you do wish to wed? My how you have changed your tone since we first met down in kitchens.

Lia:                                       Time changes opinions, does it not?

Wilson:                               Time does not change opinions in so short of a week stroke half. A situation or person is what changes the minds. You have met somebody you like dearly. Ah. Love is something you must hold onto close or you shall’t lose it.

Lia:                                       Tell me Wilson, with your Calais heart, what of your love? There must be something you know of love.

Wilson:                               I know that you have Orion glittering in your iris, and Venus penetrating your lips. Even roses blooming upon cheeks are a sign of great care.

Lia:                                       I asked not of my looks but your own love Moiseur.

Wilson:                               I do not wish to bore you with detailed account of tragedies, Princess.

Lia:                                       Princess may not want to listen, but Lia’s ears are wide open for you to begin your account. Do speak, do speak.

Wilson:                               Very well, Lia. Now?

Lia:                                       Yes now, afore Arthur and I fall victim to old age.

Wilson:                               I loved, much the same as many.  There was wed, much the same as any. And heart crumbled; the same can be said of plenty.

Lia:                                       Why! Such a short account, the tail falls stumpy from behind its Master. Tell more. Please tell more.

Wilson:                               I do not wish for trust to fall.

Lia:                                       I shall’t always trust you.

Wilson:                               I have no doubt of you or Arthur’s loyalty—my own trust is what I desire to keep close to chest.

Lia:                                       Oh please Wilson, it shall be most good to hear of what you can say. Arthur, help persuade him.

Armenia:                            Desperation of a Princess doesn’t always get what it wants—but should do. Master perhaps it would be good for you to release your demons; nobody shall tell Medi. We have desire to help, not to destroy.

Wilson:                               I already know—believe—that you should never utter a word ‘bout it. Very well, you wish to know the ribs between the backbones?

Lia:                                       Yes sir, I do, I do.

Wilson:                               Such colour came from her irises; not the usual eyes from a land-walker. A siren-smile that radiantly shone through the darkness and drear of my childhood; my guiding light in times of bleak solitude.  Mane fell softly behind her back, golden radiance of the sun. There was not a doubt—she was my Venus- my love.

Lia:                                       And when did you know that she was yours?

Wilson:                               Not at first, it took years growing. She and I were of much different situation. She, the niece of King and I, the son of servant.

Lia:                                       You were a servant once upon a time?

Wilson:                               I still am; merely of higher standing. No, I did not think of our love; it would not be done, I thought. Until one day. The stars shone brightly in the night when a star beam fell from the sky. I awoke, restless—Father asleep in the hay where the horses slept, branded many years afore. I stumbled out into the bleakness and followed treasured shining stars up to a large hill. And there she stood, her angel wings unfolded; her halo erect on top her silver gown. She smiled at me, her eyes peering into mine. That Lia is when I knew. The eyes as they say are the windows to the soul. It is true that eyes are a glimpse to the future—whether bleak or beautiful.

Lia:                                       And your future was?

Wilson:                               Beautiful. Indeed it was. Mind, we did not fall immediately and tell our parents. We sneaked behind backs and met in the starlight together when they were asleep. It would hurt our families to see us as one—not two—only one.  Being young we believed it was something new, yet it had been done for many generations. Love is as love plays its arrows.

Lia:                                       Were you not afraid of being found?

Wilson:                               Qui, we were. But that fear did not hold for long. Courage swept over and I found my knees buckling to the floor, begging her to be mine forever. She—She—

Lia:                                       And?

Wilson:                               And that is when things changed. She was the only woman in the King’s household—and when peace was needed ‘twas her that needed to answer the call. She wed another for the safety of her brothers; e’en though our own nuptials had been planned for months. The only gift she managed to leave me was the position in the palace of a higher standing—she persuaded her Uncle that I was deserving of a good position.

Lia:                                       You were torn apart? That is most upsetting Wilson. Did you ne’er go to find her?

Wilson:                               I could not; she had her own life to live. Let us say that Medi is impartial to me for a reason, and there is good standing for my not coming here until after the King was to rule alone. It would have been unfair for my being here, however much my love would have wanted it to be so.

Armenia:                            Please sir, how long ‘go was this injustice? If it is okay that I pry.

Wilson:                               Two and twenty years to this day.

Lia:                                       Why Arthur, you were barely born yourself then.

Armenia:                            I was not born my Princess, ‘til a few months later. Six or seven to be precise.

Lia:                                       Putting ‘or’ in between is not being precise—it is floundering your speech. Why Wilson sir, what a life to lead. And you never mentioned it afore.

Wilson:                               It did not seem fit.

Lia:                                       One last thing sir, what was her name?

Wilson:                               To others or to me?

Lia:                                       Both.

Wilson:                               To me she shall always be my Evangelical—to others she falls as Evangeline. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Though no longer.

Lia:                                       Queen Evangeline! Of course. But what is this about staying impartial when you have interest in the Medi crown?

Wilson:                               I have no interest anymore Lia. It is my love that keeps me impartial—I wish only to help my King, which is what she would have wanted.

Armenia:                            She would have wanted you to report the truth to Albion? You are certain?

Wilson:                               My heart shall always be sure, Arthur.

Lia:                                       Love is a tricky business. Maybe one should just give up on it.

Wilson:                               Your words say many things, but your eyes say the opposite, young Lia. I did not get to keep my Evangeline, but when you find yours—Lia, this shall be the only order I ever give—you must hold onto them and do everything in your power to keep them there.  Promise.

Lia:                                       Promise.

Wilson:                               Do not break this one Lia, for me, please do not tear.

Lia:                                       I promise I shall try to keep my heart. I promise absolutely.

Armenia:                            And I shall find truth for you sir. The Venus shall always rule o’er this Palace. Be sure.

Wilson:                               That is kind, Arthur. Thank you, young boy.

Lia:                                       I must go.

Wilson:                               To where?

Lia:                                       To discover my Evangeline of course. Maybe they’re growing in the parlour.

                                                                                                                                       [Exit Lia]

Wilson:                               She jokes. Yet she knows… I know that she knows. My dear Evangeline.

                                                                                                                                       [Exeunt]