Scene 1 : a corridor, Brand loitering. Caine
enters.
Brand:
Why, brother, what an unexpected joy
To meet you
here within these castle walls
When I desire a moment's speech with
you.
Caine:
Indeed? I pray you, pardon my surprise,
Since I recall the last time
that we met
You raved at me in bitterness and rage,
And swore that you would kill me
for my words.
Brand:
A moment's rage, no more: such passions passed
Should
rest unnoticed at this present time,
For surely we have better things to do
Than celebrate
past grudges and affrays.
Caine:
Such as?
Brand:
Considering
our present state.
Caine:
And more?
Brand:
What steps to take
to change that state.
Caine:
Which are?
Brand:
For chosen allies
to debate,
And in seclusion there in conclave met,
Decide the ruling of our house and
land.
Caine:
Then who should hold that rule? Perhaps you see
The crown upon
your head, sceptre in hand,
The Jewel of Judgement glowing on your
breast?
Brand:
I fear that such a dream I'd not survive.
But others might: my
brother Bleys is strong,
Crafty and skilful, much to be admired,
And may depend on
others of his kin.
Caine:
That much is common knowledge: you and he,
And
sweet Fiona too, are ever linked
By chains far stronger than your common
blood.
Brand:
But better yet if others of our blood,
The blood of Amber,
powerful and strong,
Should stand with us, whatever might betide.
Such a position
offers... rich rewards
For any who had stood beside their king.
Caine:
A king
might turn against his old allies
Should he, once crowned, have no more need of
them.
Brand:
Not such a king, and never such allies:
He would be guided by
them through his reign.
Caine:
And... rich rewards?
Brand:
Though all the worlds are ours,
The only true dominion is this land,
The only valued
power is found here,
And waits for those to claim it, those who dare
To seize this power
and dominion,
And rule all Amber as it should be ruled.
Caine:
You are my
brother: surely we can live
In amity, and in true brotherhood.
I would lend you my aid
in such a cause.
Brand:
Then no more need be said. I shall anon
Tell you our
plans, and trust upon your aid.
(He leaves.)
Caine:
Oh, my dear brother,
you need not do so,
For surely I already know your mind,
And thus can tell the details
of your scheme.
Some day, I swear, I'll rule: but not quite yet.
If for the moment I must
serve a king,
I will not serve you, or your closest kin.
I'll find a liege who must have my
support,
And who shall guard and ward this fairest land,
Before you bring an end in blood
and fire.
Curtain.
Scene 2 : the Library. Julian is glancing
through a book. Fiona enters.
Fiona:
Brother, a
word.
Julian:
Why, certainly: speak on.
You know that I am ever at
your call.
Fiona:
I only wish a mere few words: no more.
First I should ask that
you consider now
Our present situation and our state:
With Oberon, our sire, now so
long gone,
We stand in indecision and in doubt
With danger looming dark on every
side.
Julian:
Sister, there is some truth in what you say:
The Shadows round our
land grow perilous,
And we have no true king upon the throne
To guide us now in this
uncertainty.
So what would you suggest?
Fiona:
A simple
thing:
Since Father is not here to rule us now,
Then let us choose another of our
kin
To rule as regent until he return.
Julian:
You speak, dear sister, with the
words of one
Who has considered long upon this theme.
Fiona:
And which of
us has not? Although you choose
To spend your days in Arden and the wild,
I do not
think that you are innocent
Of thoughts of which of us should hold the
crown.
Julian:
Sister, I am as innocent as you.
Continue: let us share our
innocence.
What are your further thoughts?
Fiona:
That you
should share,
With us, the power of the regency.
My brothers, Bleys and Brand, do both
collude:
We should set Bleys up as our figurehead,
But we should stand in council next
the throne,
And in all things his will should be as
ours.
Julian:
Indeed?
Fiona:
You doubt?
Julian:
Beloved sister dear,
I would not cast a doubt upon your words,
But many is
the doubt I'd cast at Bleys.
Fiona:
Brother, I know that never you nor he
Has
loved the other: but believe me now,
I promise he would do as I
desire.
Julian:
And, sister dear, what is it you desire?
Fiona:
Why, my
dear brother, nothing more than you:
The certain preservation of our land,
Our strong
continued rule above all Shade,
Our safety now, and Amber's safety too.
Arden would
still be yours, your own to rule,
And this the least of all that you might
gain.
Julian:
As ever, sister, you know my desires.
But tell me, sweet Fiona, if
it were
That I this offer generous refuse,
What then?
Fiona:
Why,
who could say?
Julian:
I think you could.
I would not wish
to give undue offense,
But yet I'd beg a little space of time
To think it over ere I make
my choice.
Parden, I pray, this incivility,
That I do not immediately kneel
To offer
you my sword, and oath, and heart:
I fancy you'd refuse them if I
did.
Fiona:
Brother, you have your time: as you have said,
I would not trust a
single moment's choice.
But this I'd say: consider very well
Whose side you choose to
take, and where to stand,
For in our current great uncertainty,
A trusted friend is a most
priceless thing.
Julian:
And you would be that friend?
Fiona:
Only, my dear,
If you would have it so: I am no boor
To thrust myself
where I am not desired,
Or press my company if it's disdained.
Julian:
Never by
me, my sister, as you know:
I would not choose you as an enemy,
Nor wish for less than
amity with you,
Or for whatever else you might desire.
But still there might be others of
our kin
Who'd choose to view a friendship such as this
As open declaration of flat
war.
Fiona:
If that should be their choice, then what is
yours?
Julian:
Again I'd ask for time to make that choice,
For matters grave as
this require due thought
Before all Amber rushes into strife.
Fiona:
You have
that time: I caution you, think well,
And make the choice I'd hope that you might
make.
You know where you may find me: so farewell.
(She
leaves).
Julian:
Sister, beware: I would not have you harmed,
But if you set
yourself against our land,
And threaten Amber, then my choice is made.
There is no
choice: my sword is Amber's guard,
And as her guardian I do what I must:
To serve her
crown, and slay her enemies.
(He leaves. Curtain.)
Scene
3 : Grove in Arden. Julian, in armour, lounges with his back to a tree. Caine stands
nearby.
Caine:
Brother, are we alone and
unobserved?
Julian:
Indeed, so speak your mind: my hounds stand guard
About
this clearing, and for many a mile.
Caine:
Then I will speak: of all our kin, the
best
In craft and magic, crime and treachery,
Are the three redheads of Clarissa's
brood:
And they, most devious in their many plots,
Now seek to rule in direst
trinity.
We cannot now permit this.
Julian:
And why
so?
Arden is mine: Arden is all I wish.
Whoever holds the throne may have their
will,
While Arden and its Shadows I possess.
Caine:
Do not play games with me:
you know, as I,
One thing there is we love beyond all else,
And that is Amber, Amber
shining gold,
To which we give our service and our lives.
Julian:
And if that's
so?
Caine:
Brother, be not naive:
The rule of any of Clarissa's
brood
Would bring disaster on the eternal land.
I do not think you wish
this.
Julian:
Truth indeed.
Brother, you know me well:
speak all your mind,
For plain it is to see that you would place
Another of our kin upon
the throne.
Caine:
Tis Eric.
Julian:
Why?
Caine:
He would preserve the land,
Would stand as
regent till our sire's return,
Would leave us both in our accustomed posts,
And would
require our aid to hold the crown.
Gerard would stand with us: he loves the land.
The
others are of no account or dead.
Julian:
And... those who would
object?
Caine:
They make their choice,
And if they choose
rebellion 'gainst our throne,
Are traitors then, and subject to our whim,
And to all
punishments that are desired
As payment for betrayal and revolt.
If none object, why,
nothing has been lost.
And if strong opposition takes a hand,
Then we have chosen such
a side to stand
That we may claim the mandate of our Sire
In any actions we are forced
to take.
Julian:
Enough: we have no need for further words.
We have no other
reasonable choice:
Eric must rule, and we stand by his side,
As his support and stay, lest
darkness come
And our own blood bring chaos on the land.
Caine:
Then come
with me: let us to Eric straight,
And there we'll make this offer as we may,
Before the
coming turmoil that I see
Bring death to us, and trouble to our land.
Exeunt
omnes.
Scene 4 : A room in Rebma (green-lit). Deirdre and
Llewella seated.
Deirdre:
Sister Llewella, greetings on this
day!
Since you are rarely seen within the walls
Of our fair city, high above these
waves,
I come to join you here in Rebma's halls.
Llewella:
My sister, you are
welcome, as you know.
But for what reason do you visit me?
I would not think that we
have ever been
So close in kinship or in amity
That you felt need to leave the heights
above
And seek for converse here with me below.
Deirdre:
I did not think we
were so far apart
That you should greet me with such great
surprise.
Llewella:
We are not similar, in mind or heart,
As witness how we
choose to spend our lives.
Deirdre:
And that is what I wish to now
discuss:
Though we might wish to spend our days in peace,
Abstaining from all enmities
and strife,
Intrigue entraps us often in its coils,
And we may find ourselves, against our
wills,
Caught up in family plots and arguments.
Llewella:
How very
true.
Deirdre:
So now it may seem best
That we consider where we
two should stand
Should we be forced, at last, to take a side.
Llewella:
Sister,
you speak with somewhat different words
Than I have often heard you use before:
In
earlier days, your thoughts were all of power,
Of rulership, of Amber, and the crown.
Am
I to now believe you have so changed
That you have no more interest in such
things?
Deirdre:
Perhaps you have misjudged me in the past:
I hope that you will
not misjudge me now.
Llewella:
Indeed. Continue, please: would you
suggest
Which side you had in mind that we should take?
Deirdre:
Eric, so
rumour has it, sees the crown
And covets it.
Llewella:
As do you
all.
Deirdre:
But more:
Julian, Caine, and Gerard are
inclined
To bend the knee to him in servitude,
Acclaiming him as monarch of the
land.
Llewella:
I will not take a part in these affairs:
My choice is as I made it
long ago,
Power and dominion hold no charms for me.
Deirdre:
Yet should our
brother reach and hold the throne,
We both may stand in peril...
Llewella:
Both of us?
Say, rather, you may stand in peril then.
Often, my sister,
have you cast your eyes
With enmity upon your closest kin,
And often have you spoken
in our ears
Accusing Eric thus of Corwin's death.
Deirdre:
And if I have? All
that I say is true!
Llewella:
All but that certain part in which you claimed
That
you desired a quiet and peaceful life,
Ambitions long forgotten, strife
foregone.
Deirdre:
And which of us then seeks eternal
peace?
Llewella:
Why, I do, sister: but I see that you
Are steeped as deep as
ever in your schemes,
And are not changed from those long distant days
When you and
Corwin looked upon the throne
And saw yourselves in power, side by
side.
Deirdre:
I will not be abused and jeered at thus!
Llewella:
Then
get you gone, and leave me to my quiet:
I'll take no sides, nor give you any aid.
Your
proud ambitions are your own concern,
And I refuse to have a part in
them.
Deirdre:
As you so wish: I shall remember well
Your help and your
assistance at this time.
(Exit Deirdre.)
Llewella:
Why must my family be
ever thus,
And for the sake of momentary pride
Desire the throne, the kingdom, and the
crown?
Better my life in solitude and peace
Than strong ambition, bitter spite
distilled,
Cruel, endless turmoil, warfare in the land,
Constant dissension, and a bloody
grave.
(Exit Llewella.)
Scene 5 : A small room, several
chairs, fireplace. Bleys and Fiona sit: Brand paces nervously,
distracted.
Bleys:
So do you trust him, sister?
Fiona:
Not at all:
He is more icy and more keen for blood
Than all the hounds
that follow at his heels.
Yet, like those hounds, he can be tractable
If fed with the strong
meat he most desires,
Amber preserved, and Arden in his rule.
Bleys:
That he
may have, if he will kneel to us.
And Caine, my brother? What had he to
say?
Brand:
He is, and shall be, ours: his word is given.
When first I spoke of
power, he was mine,
And gladly promised certain help and aid
If we should give him
power when we rule.
Fiona:
And was he honest?
Brand:
That he was, indeed,
And fell before my words as ripened fruit
Falls eagerly into a
clutching hand.
Bleys:
Then we have allies: with this promised aid
I feel that we
now have no further need
Of offered help from the far distant
Courts.
Fiona:
Indeed, such help is highly dangerous,
And is a thing more to be
feared than prized.
Brand:
Surely you jest! With what they offer us
Amber shall
fall before us in the dust,
And we be rulers of reality,
Ordered creation putty in our
hands!
Eric still stands against us: do you think
That he will ever bow the knee to
you?
The power you would idly cast away
Is our sure key to victory in
this!
Bleys:
You go too far: what schemes are these of yours?
Brand:
I
see a brighter future, shining fair:
If neither of you has the will nor wit
To help me forge
it from our royal blood,
Then I shall act alone, and turn my dream
To true creation and
reality!
(Exit Brand.)
Fiona:
I cannot tell his plans: his mind is
strong,
His secret visions things he would conceal
Even from both of us, his closest
kin.
And yet foreboding seizes on me now:
His plans, I fear, bring turmoil on the
land,
From family blood spilt comes darkness now,
And night and fire descend upon our
realm.
Bleys:
Then we must act: we shall confine him fast,
And in your glittering
Shadow he shall rest
Until such time as we may question him,
Determining his visions and
his thoughts.
We two must act alone now to seize power,
For this I swear: to none of all
my kin
Shall I pledge fealty or bow the knee:
I'll wear the crown, and you stand by my
side.
Fiona:
My brother, I am ever at your side:
There is no force could ever part
our ways,
We are too similar in heart and soul.
Amber shall be our land, and we shall
rule.
(Exit Bleys and Fiona.)
Scene 6 : the Library. Eric,
Caine, and Julian seated.
Eric:
Greetings, my brothers: strange to see
the day
That brings three of our kin beneath one roof
In peace and concord, not in
argument.
Caine:
Nay, not so strange: three others of our kin
Do plot in amity,
behind closed doors,
And there prepare destruction for our land.
They speak of how they
shall assume the rule,
And with the power that they shall possess,
Alll those who would
oppose shall... be removed.
Eric:
Name me their names.
Caine:
You know of whom I speak.
Eric:
Nevertheless, I ask you, name their
names,
And let me know for certain where we stand.
For rumour, which will speak in
every ear,
Has claimed that others might assist those three
Should certain promises to
them be made.
And so I would now know the truth of this:
Where every one of us will
take his stand,
And who will stand against us.
Julian:
As you
wish:
Fiona, Bleys, and Brand, as well you know,
Are linked as closely as they ever
were,
And now have gazes fixed upon the crown.
Eric:
As I
suspected.
Caine:
There is more.
Eric:
Speak on:
I would be pleased at last to know your plans,
And all your meditations on this
theme.
Caine:
If they would place one of their own cabal
Upon the throne, the
land would suffer much:
While they are powerful, and crafty too,
None of them has the
skill to govern well,
Or inclination to the folk or land.
Therefore, we must prevent them
from this step,
And place upon the throne one of our own,
Who would preserve the land,
and keep it safe,
Until such time as Oberon returns.
Eric:
His life would not be
worth a copper piece:
For surely he would swiftly be removed
By those who sought their
private candidate
To take the power and the regency.
Julian:
Not if he had true
allies at his side,
Who shared his views, and sought for the same aims,
Who would protect
him, as they do the land,
And in all peril would preserve his life.
Caine:
My
brother speaks for me in all of this:
Such a protector of the throne and realm
Would be
well guarded by his loyal kin.
Eric:
And his disloyal kin?
Caine:
In such a case,
Disloyalty is a most grievous crime,
And subject to the judgement
of the king,
And treason the most capital of crimes.
Eric:
Still, I would think that
reasonable men
Would be concerned for their own life and health,
And would not court
an almost certain death
By baring necks to an opponent's sword.
Julian:
Even
a regent could preserve the land:
He would have power, but not risk his life.
Were
Corwin here...
Eric:
Corwin is long since dead!
You know that,
brother, just as well as I,
He has been missing for long centuries,
And moss and vines
grow over his old tomb.
Julian:
Only a passing thought, my friend, no more:
For
if he were but here, he'd take the crown
With neither hesitation nor concern:
Amber was
dearer to him than his life.
Although I was no friend to him in life,
Now he is dead, I'll
pay him due respect,
And own his courage and nobility.
Caine:
Let us not waste
our time upon the dead,
But think upon the living, and ourselves.
A regency as Julian
proposed
Might be enough to save our House and land,
Should we but find a man to hold
that power.
Eric:
I am no worse than any of my kin,
And better now that I
should hold the throne
Than any sorcerers among my kin,
Assuming that such friends
as you describe
Should stand beside me in this arduous task.
Caine:
They
would.
Eric:
If you are certain in this thing,
Then so am I: you have your
regent now,
And I will stand before the Court and folk,
The Jewel of Judgement hung
around my neck,
And place the crown, by right, upon my head,
Knowing my loyal
brothers stand behind,
To guard me, as they always have the land.
Julian:
Then
if we are agreed, let us prepare
For all reprisals that our kin will take,
And trust that they
may see where power lies,
Nor throw their lives away in useless strife
And bring disaster
on all Amber's land.
Eric:
It shall be as you say: let us depart
And make those
preparations, one and all:
For yet I fear we shall see bloody war
Before our home stands
safe again once more.
Curtain.