(IN THE TENT OF THE THRONE PRETENDER, AFTER THE BATTLE)
Setting: Westeros, War of Ninepenny Kings
CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE):
- Habebald: Ser Kyle (Original Character)
- Eilebeute: Silla (Original Character)
- Four Imperial Guards: Four Whitecloaks
- Kaiser: Jaehaerys II
- Elector of Saxony/High Marshal: Lord Steffon Baratheon
- Elector of Brandenburg/High Chamberlain: Ser Brynden "Blackfish" Tully
- Elector of Bohemia/High Steward: Lord Luthor Tyrell
- Elector Palatine/High Cupbearer: Lord Tywin Lannister
- Archbishop: High Septon
Here is the script for the roleplay... hope you like it!
(A throne amongst rich trappings. Habebald, a mercenary officer, and Eilebeute, a camp follower.)
Eilebeute
We’re the first ones here, I see!
Habebald
No raven flies as fast as me.
Eilebeute
O! Look at the treasure there on top! 10785
What will I grab? How shall I stop?
Habebald
The whole place is still full of loot,
I don’t know where to start, in truth!
Eilebeute
This fur-rug, this’ll go far,
Often my bed’s far too hard. 10790
Habebald
Here’s a morning star in steel,
I’ve always longed for one, I feel.
Eilebeute
This red mantle, trimmed with gold,
Is like the one my dream foretold.
Habebald (Taking a weapon.)
With this the deed is swiftly done, 10795
You strike him dead and then move on.
You’ve already packed somuch stuff,
And yet you’ve nothing good enough.
Leave your plunder in its place,
And put a casket in the space! 10800
The army’s pay is what they hold,
In their fat bellies, purest gold.
Eilebeute
What a murderous weight it is!
I can’t lift: I can’t carry it.
Habebald
Bend down: quick! You’ll have to bow! 10805
I’ll strap it to your back for now.
Eilebeute
Oh! Ah! Now it’s in front, too!
The weight’s broken my cross in two.
(The chest falls and bursts open.)
Habebald
There’s the red gold in a heap –
Quickly now, take and keep! 10810
Eilebeute (Crouching.)
Quickly then, just fill my lap!
There’ll still be enough perhaps.
Habebald
That’s enough! Now off you go!
(Eilebeute rises.)
Oh! Your apron has a hole!
Wherever you walk or stand, 10815
You’re sowing gold on every hand.
Guardsmen of the Kaiser
What are you doing here, at leisure,
Rummaging in the Imperial treasure?
Habebald
We risked our bodies in the ranks,
And take away our share of thanks. 10820
That’s the rule, in enemy tents,
And we’re soldiers too, my friends.
The Guardsmen
That won’t wash in our army:
You can’t be soldier and thief equally:
Whoever serves our Emperor, 10825
Is an honest soldier, and no more.
Habebald
That honesty, we know it, son,
It’s called: a contribution.
You’re all the same: it’s a crime,
‘Give!’ is the password every time, 10830
(To Eilebeute.)
Take what you’ve got: and leave the rest,
Here one’s hardly a welcome guest.
(They both exit.)
First Guardsman
Tell me why you didn’t land
That churl with a good right hand.
Second Guardsman
I don’t know, my strength was gone, 10835
They were a pair of ghostly ones.
Third Guardsman
There was something nasty in my eye,
I couldn’t see: they flickered by.
Fourth Guardsman
I don’t know what to say:
It was sweltering hot today, 10840
So sultry, so close as well,
One man stood, another fell:
You staggered around and struck, in one,
At every blow you killed someone,
There was a mist in front of your eyes, 10845
Then a buzz, and rustle, and hiss went by:
So it went on, and here we are, now,
I don’t know what happened, anyhow.
(The Kaiser enters, accompanied by four Electors of the Realm. The Guardsmen exit.)
Now, let him do as he may! The battle here is done,
The host is scattered in flight, across the field new won. 10850
Here is the traitor’s treasure, and his empty throne,
Where tapestries hang round, closed in a narrow zone.
Protected by our guard of honour, we’ll wait
Imperially, for the people’s delegate.
Messengers of joy arrive from every side: 10855
The Empire’s calm, and we’re mutually reconciled.
Though some wizardry was involved in our fight,
In the end we fought with only our own true might.
There were of course a few lucky accidents:
Stones from the sky, a shower of blood on their tents, 10860
Strange and mighty sounds from the rocky caves,
That lifted our hearts, and terrified their braves.
The conquered fell, beneath our relentless scorn,
Praising the kind god, our ranks cheer once more.
And all, without coercion, shout together as one: 10865
‘God be praised!’ from a million throats is wrung.
Yet in highest praise I turn my own pious glance
As I seldom do, towards my own circumstance.
A young man may well squander his early days,
But age teaches him all the error of his ways. 10870
Therefore at once without delay I bind you to me,
You noble four, to my House, Court and country.
(To the Elector of Saxony.)
Prince, yours was the army’s ordering, wisely planned,
Then, at the height of the battle, its bold command:
Now act, in time of peace, as the hour requires you to, 10875
I name you High-Marshall, and confer the sword on you.
The High-Marshall
Your loyal army, deployed, on my orders,
Internally, will now defend your borders,
Let us, too, prepare the table on feast days,
In your spacious castle’s ancestral ways. 10880
Always to be your High Majesty’s defence,
Standing beside you, or marching in advance.
Kaiser (To the Elector of Brandenburg.)
You, who show yourself as gracious as you’re brave,
Be our High-Chamberlain: the office is grave.
You become the overseer of all our attendants, 10885
Great evil comes from strife among dependants:
So let your example honourably recall
How they may please their liege, the court and all.
The High-Chamberlain
Be gracious, that the Lords may further your great aim:
Assist the best and cause no injury to the lame, 10890
Be open without cunning: be calm without deceit!
If you know me, Sire, my ambition is complete.
But on the feast may I now deploy my imagination?
When you’re at table, I shall bear the golden basin,
I’ll hold your rings, that on those joyful days 10895
Your hands may be refreshed, as I am by your gaze.
Kaiser
I feel too serious for ready celebration,
But, be it so, as a joyful inauguration!
(To the Elector of Bohemia.)
I make you High-Steward! Oversee the chase,
The poultry yard, and such, around the place: 10900
Give me the finest dishes, choice and rare,
In their right month, and carefully prepared.
The High-Steward
Strict fast will be my pleasant punishment,
Till I can serve the tastiest refreshment.
Your kitchen staff will join with me to bring 10905
The distant near, and make the year take wing.
Yet early and rare won’t stimulate your fires,
Simple and strong, is what your taste desires.
Kaiser (To the Elector Palatine.)
Since planning feasts is unavoidable here,
Young hero, I’ll give you my cup to bear. 10910
High-Cupbearer, take care those cellars of mine
Are richly filled with casks of vintage wine.
Be temperate yourself: don’t lose your reason
In the wild delight of momentary temptation!
The High-Cupbearer
The young, if you trust in them, my Prince, 10915
Grow to manhood, almost before you’d notice.
I’ll take my place too at your noble feast:
And load the imperial table with all that’s best,
With every kind of vessel, in silver and gold,
But the handsomest of all for you I’ll hold: 10920
A clear Venetian glass, where joy is waiting,
That strengthens the taste, without intoxicating.
One often trusts too much in such a treasure:
But your restraint, Lord, will protect your pleasure.
Kaiser
What I bestow on you at this grave moment, 10925
You hear, in confidence, has my true intent.
The Kaiser’s word is great, his gift is sure,
But to be enacted it needs his signature,
His noble mark. Here’s the right man I see
True to his time, to complete the formality. 10930
(The Archbishop and High-Chancellor enters.)
If the arch can trust the keystone’s part,
Then it’s raised securely, with lasting art.
You see four princes here! And I’ve explained
How my House and Court must be sustained.
Now, what the empire holds within its bounds 10935
Is placed, with weight and power, in your hands.
You’ll outshine all others in your estates:
So I’ve extended your walls and gates,
With the lost possessions of our enemy.
I award you fine lands, for your loyalty. 10940
Together with the right, in due course,
To buy, exchange, or add to them by force:
Then, be it known, I grant you unhindered use –
Of what belongs to you, the landlord’s dues.
When you as judges speak your final thought, 10945
No appeal shall be heard by a higher court.
Then taxes, levies, rents, and tolls and fees,
Are yours: of mines, mints, salt the royalties.
And to display my gratitude completely,
I’ve raised you all to highest majesty. 10950
The Archbishop
On behalf of us all I give our deepest thanks to you!
You make us strong and sure: increasing your power too.
Kaiser
To you five, still higher favours will I give.
I live for my empire, and I still wish to live:
Yet ancient, noble ties draw the careful thinker 10955
From present things to those that follow after.
I too, in time, must leave all I still hold dear,
It’s your duty then to name a new ruler, here.
At our holy altar, crown and raise him high:
What war begins ends peacefully, by and by. 10960
The High-Chancellor
With pride at heart, yet humble in gesture, too,
We, the Earth’s noblest princes bow to you.
So long as blood fills our loyal veins, then still
Are we the body that obeys your every will.
Kaiser
Now, to conclude, let everything we’ve enacted 10965
Be set down for the future, as we’ve contracted.
As Lords you hold your possessions, free in fact,
With this condition, that they remain intact.
And what you have from us, whatever else is won,
Shall descend in due measure to the eldest son. 10970
The High-Chancellor
I’ll entrust it to parchment straight away,
This weightiest statute to bless us, and the state:
The Chancery will provide fair copy, and reveal
You as confirmed, my Lords, by sign and seal.
Kaiser
And so I dismiss you that you may deliberate 10975
Together, concerning this great day for our state.
(The four electors exit.)
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