1REGINALD: Mother I asked you a question.
GITANIA: I know sweetheart , I'm just.
REGINALD: Mother please, just tell me, I need to know.
GITANIA: But why? It won't change anything.
REGINALD: I need to know for my piece of mind. Who is my father ?
GITANIA: All right I'll tell you. Before you were born I worked in the castle.
REGINALD: I know that does it mean my father was a stable boy?
GITANIA: Reginald listen, I was King Roland's chamber maid. One night whilst I was working In his rooms he came in, in a frightful temper.
THE LIGHTS FADE AND WHEN THEY COME BACK UP ROLAND SLAMS THE DOOR AND STARTS PACING UP AND DOWN THE CARPET. A YOUNGER GITANIA IS SITTING ON THE CARPET IN SERVANTS LIVERY.
GITANIA: Sire if you do not want to marry princess Larenia then do not. Although your mother and late father have had you betrothed, defy them, you have more power than your mother does, you are king not her.
ROLAND: Gitania, it is not that simple. Larenia's father would become very upset, he is a king as well, he could wage war on our land. And mother damn her for being right, speaks the truth. I need a heir and I need one soon, my biological clock is ticking.
GITANIA: You would not let war develop would you sire?
ROLAND: My point exactly Gitania, I cannot let it happen, it would ruin our kingdom, we are not well enough equipped for war at this time, I have no choice, I must marry Larenia. Damn it Gitania being a king is so unfair, I want to marry for love not duty. And Gitania, I have told you before, In private you must call me Roland , not sire, here I am your friend, if you do not obey me I may have to have you beheaded.
SAID IN MOCK SERIOUSNESS THEN LAUGHS
GITANIA: Do not joke .if someone was to hear you they may behead me on the spot.
ROLAND: Ah, My love, you do have a sense of humour.
ROLAND LEANS OVER AND KISSES HER. THE LIGHTS THEN FADE. WHEN THEY COME BACK UP ON REGINALD AND OLD GITANIA AS BEFORE.
REGINALD: Are you saying King Roland is my father? My father is a King. does he know?
GITANIA: No he does not, I left the castle as soon as I realised I was with child. If it had become known it would have caused a scandal due to his betrothal our relationship was well known and obvious. I could not risk it and neither could he. I left with no explanation. He got married as planned and had the heir his mother had always wished for him. It was like the old saying that princesses can't marry kitchen boys. The same was true here. Kings can't marry chamber maids.
LIGHTS COME UP ON STAGE. PARTHENIA IS WALKING TOWARDS THE DOOR, HEAD DOWN. REGINALD IS WALKING OUT OF IT IN SERVANTS LIVERY. HE SHUTS IT BEHIND HIM AND CONCENTRATES ON NOT DROPPING THE DIRTY BED LINENS IN HIS ARMS. THEY RUN HEADLONG INTO EACHOTHER.
PARTHENIA: I should have been watching where I was going, I apologise.
REGINALD LOOKS UP AT PARTHENIA FROM WHERE HE IS PICKING UP THE DROPPED BED LINENS. HE STANDS HIS ARMS LOADED AND BOWS AS WELL AS HE CAN.
REGINALD: No m'lady, I who should be sorry. I should have been watching every move I make when I leave an apartment and step into a busy hall.
HE BOWS AGAIN.
I'm sorry m'lady, may I now be off?
PARTHENIA NODS AND REGINALD GOES OFF TOWARDS THE LEFT. PARTHENIA GOES INTO THE KINGS APARTMENT THROUGH THE DOOR. AN OLD ROLAND IS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRE.
ROLAND: Ah, Parthenia, you are here at last.
PARTHENIA: Who was that man who just walked out of your chambers?
ROLAND: That was Reginald, my new chamber. butler , I suppose, as he is not a maid.
HE LAUGHS AT HIS OWN JOKE
Why do you ask?
PARTHENIA: No reason, I just ran into him in the walkway and had not seen him before. Why did you call me here this day?
ROLAND: M y dear, I do not want to sound repetitive but. you must marry soon, your biological clock is ticking away.
PARTHENIA: Father! I have told you again and again, I DO NOT want to marry now.
ROLAND: But my dear, an heir!
PARTHENIA: An heir, An heir, it is all I ever hear from you. Do you realise how hypocritical you sound. Time and time again I have heard you come into my chambers in the dead of night when you thought I was asleep. You would tell me how you did not love mother and how you never wanted to marry her but had no choice! How you loved the chamber maid!
ROLAND SPLUTTERS
PARTHENIA: You did not realise I knew did you? You thought I was asleep all those times, did you not? Do you realise how much it hurt me? You thought it was your little secret did you not? And just like you did not want to marry mother I do not want to marry any of the dirty, pompous suitors and princes you keep throwing at my, oh so royal feet! Well forget it!
SHE TURNS TO LEAVE
ROLAND: Parthenia wait!
PARTHENIA: Wait for what? You to tell me I must marry again and again. Well I will not listen any more I am sick of all of this! All you want is an heir for your throne!, you do not even care for my happiness!
ROLAND: There you are wrong. I do care and deeply, and I know exactly how you feel, as you said, I went through exactly the same pressure as you are now and I was then betrothed, I will not do that to you but marriage is your duty! But If you want to marry for love as well as for duty then go right ahead. I do not care if you marry a pauper!, just get with child, and do it quickly, before your time runs out!
PARTHENIA: Father I believe you may regret that statement.
SHE TURNS AND WALKS OUT THE DOOR AND SLAMS IT BEHIND HER . REGINALD WALKS BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT WITH AN ARMFUL OF NEWLY PRESSED LINEN. ROLANDS LAST WORDS RING THROUGHT THE AIR FROM " I DO NOT CARE IF YOU MARRY A PAUPER" - PARTHENIA LOOKS AT REGINALD AND THEN BACK AT THE DOOR. SHE TAKES THE LINEN OUT OF REGINALD'S HANDS AND LAYS IT NEALTY ON THE FLOOR. THEN TAKING REGINALDS ARM SHE LEADS HIM OFF STAGE.
OLD GITANIA AND REGINALD ARE SITTING ON THE WALL A SPOT IS ONLY ON THIS POSITION. REGINALD IS IN SERVENTS LIVERY WHILST GITANIA IS WEARING THE PEASANT CLOTHES.
GITANIA: How are you finding the work In the palace Reginald?
REGINALD: It is fine mother and the pay is adequate.
GITANIA: And King Roland? . He is well is he?
RRGINALD: Yes mother he is well, as is his daughter Parthenia.
GITANIA: Why do you mention her?
REGINALD LOOKS GUILTY
GITANIA: Reginald what have you done?
REGINALD: Nothing mother, nothing, it is just.I.I. I'm in love.
GITANIA: In love?, in love with whom?
SOMETHING CLICKS IN GITANIA'S MIND AND A LOOK OF SUPRISE CROSSES HER FACE
GITANIA: It's Parthenia isn't it Reginald?. Oh Reginald how could you deceive her like that you know the relationship you have with her, you are half brother and sister, she doesn't know that, but you do, Oh Reginald!
GITANIA BEGINS TO CRY WHEN SHE REALISES THE FULL IMPACT OF WHAT AS HAPPENED OLD ROLAND STRIDES IN AND WHEN HE SEES HER THE LIGHTS FADE AND COME UP ON YOUNG GITANIA AND YOUNG ROLAND IN FRONT OF THE FIRE.
ROLAND: Gitania, my love, what is wrong with you tonight? You are acting very peculiar, are you not well?
GITANIA: No, m' lord I am fine.
ROLAND: You just did it again.
GITANIA: Did what m' lord?
ROLAND : Gitania call me Roland!
GITANIA: I will remember that. How are princess Larenia's wedding plans coming along?
ROLAND: Fine, Gitania, Fine. Why do you ask? GITANIA: I am interested m' lord. How long after the wedding do you think it will take princess Larenia to get with child?
ROLAND: Not long I hope my love, the sooner the better because than I will never have to touch her again and you can continue to be my mistress.
GITANIA MAKES A NON-COMMITAL SOUND AND THEN THE LIGHTS FADE AND COME UP ONCE AGAIN ON REGINALD IN SERVANTS LIVERY AND OLD GITANIA AND OLD ROLAND.
ROLAND: Gitania? Oh Gods! I never saw you again after that night! What are you doing here?
GITANIA: I have come to visit my son Reginald.
ROLAND LOOKS DEJECTED
ROLAND: You, you are married?
GITANIA: No I have never married.
ROLAND: But you said he was your son ?
GITANIA SIGHS
GITANIA: He is my son and he is yours as well . That is why I never married.
ROLAND: Oh Gods no! he, he, cannot be, he must not be he must marry Parthenia! Oh Gods no!
GITANIA LOOKING GRIEF STRICKEN
GITANIA: What do you mean he must marry Parthenia?
ROLAND: She is with child and she told me that my chamber maid is the father. Reginald is my chamber maid and apparently my son also . What is to be done? Parthenia told me my last words would come back to haunt me!
GITANIA REGISTERS AND REALISES WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND FAINTS DEAD AWAY. THEN ROLAND GETS REALLY MAD.
ROLAND: You deceiving sonofabitch! How dare you do this to me and my family, which you seem to have wormed your way into so carefully. You knew what you were doing did you not! I could kill you for this!
ROLAND BEGINS TO CALM DOWN A BIT ROLAND: But I will not, Parthenia needs a husband because she is with child and because you are my son and obviously first born child you have a right to the throne, damn you! Therefore you will marry her but you will never, and I repeat never!, touch my daughter again or I will kill you no matter what that does to your poor sweet mother. And If you ever tell Parthenia the truth you will die also because it would kill her if she knew that she had committed incest. You are just to let her believe she is getting her own way. It is all for the best.
JUST AS ROLAND FINISHES SAYING THIS LARENIA WALKS ON STAGE
LARENIA: What is this woman doing here Roland! She is in a heap on the ground, no place for a woman to be! Why did you not call for help? A chamber maid could have removed her, and then revived her but there you are yelling at this young man. What is going on?
ROLAND GROWLS
ROLAND: This scum of the earth has got Parthenia with child!
LARENIA: What! .must have raped her! Kill him Roland kill this thing! Have him hung!
ROLAND: She was not raped Larenia. You know how headstrong my daughter is she takes after her mother, she was not raped, she seduced this here boy. She will marry him though, I will see how she likes that !
LARENIA: I regret that accusation and one of these days husband dearest I believe you will too! Call and get this woman taken off the floor now! She will catch pneumonia and die you foolish man!
WITH THAT LARENIA STALKS OFF STAGE AND ROLAND SIGHS
ROLAND: Do something useful boy and call someone to come and revive your mother. Then you will go and talk to Princess Parthenia and tell her of our plans.
REGINALD: Yes father.
ROLAND: Do not call me that you insolent boy!
ROLAND STALKS OFF STAGE LEFT WHILST REGINALD SLOWLY TURNS TO LOOK AT HIS MOTHER AS THE LIGHTS FADE OUT.
ROLAND, LARENIA AND GITANIA ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRE. ROLAND IS LEANING AGAINST IT AND LARENIA IS STANDING NEXT TO HIM. GITANIA IS STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIRE.
ROLAND: I am glad that you are feeling better Gitania, it must have come as quite a shock to find out that your son was going to marry a princess. It is every mothers dream I suppose.
GITANIA: Yes m' lord it did come as quite a shock, I really wasn't expecting it.
LARENIA: Yes well Gitania you had better get used to it very quickly because if any of our subjects find out that Reginald and yourself are not of Noble birth then, well I do not even want to dream of what will happen.
ROLAND: But, Larenia, I do not think it will matter to our subjects wether a prince and future king and his mother are of noble birth or not. In fact I think that they will quite like it.
LARENIA: No Roland, it does matter. Our subjects look up to us. If they find out in future years or even now that there future king is of low birth then they will think that they can be Kings and Queens also. They cannot Roland!
ROLAND: But, Larenia, Do you not think that.
LARENIA: No, Roland, we have been through this!, they cannot know and that is final!
THE LIGHTS FADE OUT AND YOUNG GITANIA AND ROLAND ARE ONCE AGAIN IN FRONT OF THE FIRE TOGETHER. GITANIA MOVES UP TO ROLAND AND STANDS VERY CLOSE TO HIM.
GITANIA: Roland, you know that I will always love you don't you?
ROLAND: Yes Gitania, my love, I do know that. I will always love you also even though I will be married.
GITANIA: You'll feel guilt towards princess Larenia won't you? Because you'll have a mistress while she is you wife.
ROLAND: There you are right my love. I will always feel guilt towards her, but that does not mean I will not love you.
GITANIA: Just Remember m' lord Roland that however much guilt you feel towards her do not let her run you or the kingdom. The day you let that happen will be the day that life for anyone in this kingdom won't be worth living because our king is being persuaded to do things he would not normally do.
THE LIGHTS FADE ONCE MORE BACK TO ROLAND, LARENIA AND GITANIA IN FRONT OF THE FIRE PLACE IN THEIR RESUMED POSITIONS. ROLAND LOOKS AT GITANIA LONG AND HARD AS THERE IS A LONG SILENCE BEFORE HE WALKS OFF STAGE, THROUGH THE DOOR, AFTER SAYING:
ROLAND: Yes, Larenia, you are always right.
LARENIA'S EYES FOLLOW ROLAND OUT OF THE ROOM AND THEN TURN SUSPICIOUSLY TO GITANIA.
LARENIA: Gitania, did you ever know his majesty king Roland before the day you found out that unsavoury news about my daughter Parthenia and that son of yours.
GITANIA LOOKS VAGULY REMINISENT AND UPSET BY THIS QUESTION.
GITANIA: No m' lady Larenia, no I didn't, why, why do you ask?
LARENIA: No reason, Gitania. Oh! I really should start calling you lady Gitania should I not, if you are going to be passed off as of being of noble birth. And I really should get you a new dress also. I will get one sent in.
LARENIA TURNS AND STALKS OUT, THROUGH THE DOOR, WHILST GITANIA IS LEFT STANDING ALONE IN THE ROOM.
ROLAND IS SITTING ON THE STONE WALL BY HIMSELF LOOKING DOWN AT HIS FEET. GITANIA STROLLS IN WEARING THE BRAND NEW DRESS THAT LARENIA HAD GOT FOR HER.
GITANIA: M' lord how do you like my new dress?
ROLAND STARTS AND LOOKS UP WHEN HE SEES HER HE BEGINS TO CRY.
GITANIA: My dress is not that bad is it m' lord?
ROLAND: It is not that Gitania my love, it is just that you look more beautiful than ever before. My love, you are stunning. Oh Gods! How I love you!
GITANIA: After all these years my lord?
ROLAND: Now more than ever Gitania! You had my baby, the son and heir I had always dreamed of.
GITANIA: But Larenia gave you a beautiful daughter.
ROLAND: And I love her with all my heart but I do not love her mother which makes it hard because she is so like her mother and she knows that I never loved Larenia, she has tried to use it against me, as I said so like Larenia. Why did you leave Gitania? We could have been so happy.
GITANIA: I couldn't stay m' lord.
ROLAND: You never did get used to calling me Roland did you?, why could you not stay?
GITANIA: For the same reasons that you had to marry princess Larenia in the first place, it would have caused a scandal! When you found out that I was with child you would have tried to marry me and then Princess Larenia and her father would have been so upset. I had to leave before you knew.
ROLAND: And know look at what has happened! Larenia is too strong for me and our son and my daughter have made love and produced a baby! Our grandchild! My children have committed incest and our son knew that he was doing it! That is what makes me so mad, I cannot help but think that he did it on purpose so he could be king. When I found out he was my son I would have given him a place in court anyway and he would have been provided for forever. Now Parthenia cannot even know that she has a brother! It would kill her to realise that she had committed such a grievous sin.
GITANIA MOVES TO HUG ROLAND TO HER AND AS SHE DOES ROLAND PULLS HER ONTO HIS LAP.
ROLAND: Gitania I asked you to be my mistress because you could not be my wife Twenty years ago and you declined then because you were with child. I now wish you had not. But will you now be my mistress and watch over our son carefully by my side as it should have happened all those years ago?
GITANIA: Will you love me the way you did then? With all your heart and soul, and dare I say it body also?
ROLAND: Gitania, my love, you know I will now and until the day I die.
GITANIA: Then yes m' lord I will be your mistress because it is as good a title as I can get, but I know in my heart that you will love me in your heart as a wife and soul mate forever.
ROLAND PULLS GITANIA IN CLOSE TO HIM AND HOLDS HER TO HIM FOR ABOUT TEN SECONDS SHE THEN BREAKS THE EMBRACE AND KISSES HIM ON THE LIPS. AS THEY ARE KISSING LARENIA WALKS IN SAYING:
LARENIA: Roland what do you think about having swans on the royal lake during the wedding ceremony?
SEEING THEM SHE STOPS STUNNED. WHEN ROLAND AND GITANIA HEAR LARENIA'S VOICE THEY BREAK APART VERY QUICKLY. ROLAND OPENS HIS MOUTH TO EXPLAIN AND STANDS UP VERY QUICKLY MAKING GITANIA SLIDE TO THE FLOOR. THE LIGHTS THEN FADE AND COME UP ON LARENIA AND GITANIA AS THEY WERE TOGETHER IN THE LAST SCENE.
LARENIA: Gitania, did you ever know his majesty king Roland before the day you found out that unsavoury new about my daughter Parthenia and that son of yours.
GITANIA LOOKS VAGULEY REMINSENT AND UPSET BY THIS QUESTION.
GITANIA: No m' lady Larenia, no I didn't, why, why do you ask?
THE LIGHT GO BACK TO HE SCENE WITH ROLAND, GITANIA AND LARENIA AT THE STONE WALL. LARENIA MAKES TO LUNGE AT ROLAND BUT THEN CHANGES HER MIND AND LUNGES AT GITANIA INSTEAD WRAPPING HER HANDS AROUND GITANIA'S THROAT.
ROLAND: Larenia! What are you doing? Larenia?
GITANIA STARTS TO LOOSE AIR AND GO PURPLE
ROLAND: Larenia! Stop! Oh Gods! Larenia! Please for the sake of the world! please stop!
LARENIA FINISHES THE JOB OFF AND GITANIA SLUMPS TO THE GROUND DEAD. LARENIA, SMILING MENACINGLY AT ROLAND THEN LUNGES AT HIS THROAT ALSO. BUT SHE MISSES AND GOES FLYING TO THE FLOOR. ROLAND JUMPS ON TOP OF HER TO STOP HER GOING ANYWHERE AND THEN CALLS:
ROLAND: Guards!, Guards!, Guards! Will you get in here now!
TWO MALE GUARDS APPEAR AND ROLAND SNARLS AT THEM,
ROLAND: Take, her majesty Larenia and put her in a cell, I will deal with her later!
WHEN LARENIA IS OFF THE STAGE ROLAND GOES AND KNEELS BESIDE GITANIA AND BEGINS TO SOB.
ROLAND AND REGINALD ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRE IN A FRIENDLY POSE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT BOTH ARE STILL VERY UPSET THEY ARE IN BLACK MOURNING CLOTHES.
ROLAND: Reginald, did you love your mother?
REGINALD: Yes m' lord I did love my mother very much, she was a wonderful woman. Did you love her a lot?
ROLAND: I loved her with all my heart and I always will. Did she ever mention me as you were growing up?
REGINALD: Never you as king. Actually I don't think that I ever heard her mention the king as I was growing up. She showed indifference towards royalty. I assumed that was because she used to work in the palace. I assumed she knew something that I didn't. You were only ever referred to by her as "your father". I never even knew who you were until my twentieth birthday a few months ago. It was when, as a child, she promised that she would tell me who my father really was. I suppose this was because she was hoping that I would forget that I needed to know.
ROLAND: And so she told you on your twentieth birthday after all?
REGINALD: Yes she did, she did promise after all and although she didn't want to tell me, she never broke a promise.
REGINALD BEGINS TO CRY SILENTLY AS DOES ROLAND
ROLAND: I loved your mother very much Reginald and I miss her with all my heart. And what makes it worse is the fact that I only just got her back after twenty years.
REGINALD: But you will have a grandchild soon maybe that will help ease the pain.
ROLAND: How can that help ease the pain it was bred of incest.
REGINALD DRAWS BACK SILENTLY
ROLAND: Ah, I am not still mad at you, just upset. What possessed you to do it Reginald? You knew what you were doing, you knew it was incest!
REGINALD: I don't know what possessed me. The opportunity was there and Parthenia was so desirable and I just scumbled I suppose.
ROLAND: Just scummed! She is your half sister and you knew it! How could you?
REGINALD: I know she is my half sister it makes me feel dirty and unclean. I'm disgusted with my self because I enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed incest! I am the foulest creature on this earth!
ROLAND: There I agree with you.
REGINALD: And I feel guilty and deceitful because Parthenia doesn't know and she can never know as you have said because it would kill her. We can't cope with another death in the family. Especially hers as I have not married her yet and then I could not be your heir as I rightfully am because we could never let anyone know that you are my father it would just complicate things.
ROLAND IS LOOKING TIRED AND CONFUSED AND WHEN HE SAYS THE FOLLOWING HE SOUNDS IT ALSO.
ROLAND: Reginald please leave me now.
ROLAND IS SITTING AT A TABLE IN FRONT OF THE FIRE THERE IS REICHARD WALKS IN THROUGH THE DOOR WITH TWO SHEETS OF PAPER AND STANDS NEXT TO HIM LAYING THE PIECE OF PAPER ON THE TABLE.
REICHARD: The queens death warrants your majesty.
ROLAND: Thank you.
ROLAND SIGNS THE PIECES OF PAPER
ROLAND: You do not think that this is irrational behaviour do you Reichard?
REICHARD: No my lord I do not. The queen deserves death for what she did to that poor princes mother.
ROLAND SOUNDS AS IF HE IS TRYING TO CONVINCE HIMSELF.
ROLAND: Yes Reichard, yes you are right she does deserve it.
ROLAND HANDS THE DEATH WARRANT BACK TO REICHARD AND REICHARD WALKS OUT THROUGH THE DOOR PINNING ONE OF THE DEATH WARRANTS TO IT. ROLAND THEN PUTS HIS HEAD ON THE TABLE AS THE LIGHTS FADE AND COME UP ON PARTHENIA AND REGINALD WALKING SLOWLY ON FROM STAGE RIGHT.
PARTHENIA: Reginald, you know that I am truly sorry about the death of your mother, but you must understand that I do not want my mother to die also. You must realise that what you are feeling now about the death of your mother is what I myself will feel at the death of mine.
REGINALD: Yes Parthenia I understand that, but.
PARTHENIA: That is why I must now go and plead to my father for my mothers life.
PARTHENIA AND REGINALD STOP WALKING AND STOP IN FRONT OF THE DOOR.
PARTHENIA: He never did love her you know, he loved some chamber maid named Gitania. I wander what ever happened to her.
REGINALD GOES PALE AND STAMMERS A BIT
PARTHENIA: I did not require an answer from you Reginald.
THE LIGHTS FADE FROM PARTHENIA AND REGINALD AND COME BACK UP ON ROLAND SLUMPED IN HIS CHAIR. HE SITS UP AND TAKES HIS SWORD OFF. HE LOOKS AT IT FOR A WHILE BEFORE WHISPERING:
ROLAND: Goodbye my darling children I wish you happiness.
WITH THAT HE PLUNGES THE SWORD INTO HIMSELF AND DIES. THE LIGHTS THEN COME BACK UP ON PARTHENIA AND REGINALD. PARHENNIA LOOKS AT THE DOOR AND NOTICES THE PIECE OF PAPER PINNED TO IT.
PARTHENIA: What is this?
SHE UNPINS IT FROM THE DOOR AND BEGINS TO READ IT. WHEN SHE REGISTERS WHAT IT IS SHE SCREAMS:
PARTHENIA: Daddy no!, you cannot do this to me!
SHE FLINGS THE DOOR OPEN AND SEES HER FATHER SLUMPED ON THE FLOOR. SHE RUNS OVER TO HIM AND DROPS TO THE FLOOR BESIDE HIM CRYING.
PARTHENIA: Daddy!, Daddy get up!, Daddy you can't kill mummy! Daddy!
REGINALD CRYING ALSO.
REGINALD: Parthenia, Parthenia darling he is dead.
PARTHENIA: No, no he is not!, he can't be, he must save mummy!
REGINALD: Darling come away, we will call someone.
REGINALD STANDS PARTHENIA UP BUT SHE CRIES OUT IN PAIN AND CLUTCHES HER STOMACH.
REGINALD: Parthenia!, Oh Gods!, What is wrong!
PARTHENIA: The baby!
THE LIGHTS THAN FADE.