Deirdre:
Brother, I see you now enthroned in
state,
Claiming the power you have so long desired.
So say, what are your plans for
future rule?
Do you desire us all to bow the knee,
And swear to you as monarch of the
land?
Julian:
Custom demands a pledge of loyalty
From all the court, and all our
royal kin.
Deirdre:
Brother, be silent! I spoke not to you.
Since you now choose
to give allegiance here,
Snatching whatever crumbs of power you may
Like one of your
own hounds, that yelps and fawns
And begs for titbits at his master's hand,
I see no
further need to waste my time
In hearing you recite your master's words.
But answer me,
dear brother, closest kin:
What are your future plans for me and mine?
Eric:
As
Julian said, I now expect a pledge
Of loyalty, allegiance, and support:
Or else you stand
in peril, sister dear,
As faithless rebel 'gainst my royal will.
Deirdre:
I see no king
now here: our sire is lost,
And though you may usurp his lofty seat,
Claiming his rightful
power and his throne,
You are no king, nor shall you ever be!
Caine:
Then wait
his coronation, sister dear,
And when he shall be duly crowned as king,
May we expect
your loyal oath and pledge?
Deirdre:
Never shall you have such a pledge from
me
While an heir lives far apter to the throne,
An abler monarch, and a better
man,
To whom, despite all rumours of his death,
My love and loyalty are ever
given!
(Exit Deirdre.)
Eric:
My brothers, have her watched: we cannot
now
Permit this rank rebellion and affray.
As ever, she brings trouble to the
Court:
Should Corwin be returned, all of our plans
Would stand confused, and chaos
soon result,
Leaving the way unguarded for our kin
Who deal in malice and in
sorcery
To rise against us, and to seize the crown.
If need be, have her guarded and
confined
Until such time as I am duly crowned
And power is confirmed within our
grasp.
Julian:
It shall be as you say.
(Exit Julian.)
Caine:
And if she still
Persists in this aggression and revolt?
Eric:
She has
no claim upon the throne herself,
Being a woman merely, and no Prince,
And Corwin
rests in Shadow past her reach,
Lost in forgetfulness, under sure guard...
You have my
leave to go.
Caine:
I shall obey.
(Exit
Caine.)
Eric:
Corwin, my brother, once I spared your life,
And now that mercy
comes to trouble me,
Dire premonition of my coming doom...
I shall not be thus swayed
be empty fears!
You have no memory of our land or me,
Quiet and untroubled may your
exile be!
(Exit Eric.)
Scene 2 : Eric passes down a
corridor: Flora enters from the other direction.
Flora:
My brother, stay
a moment: I have news
Most bitter and unwelcome to your ears.
Eric:
What
news is this? Fresh news of Corwin?
Flora:
Yes:
This
morn I found him standing at my door,
He smiled at me, and entered straight
within,
Seated himself in comfort, greeted me,
And then with all his customary
wit
Laid many compliments before my feet
And sought to turn my loyalty to
him.
Eric:
And did he then succeed?
Flora:
Observe
me here,
Bearing report of all his words and deeds,
Rather than at his side and serving
him!
Eric:
Sister, I merely jest: so tell me, pray,
Where is he now? And does
he now recall
Our land, our powers, and our family?
Flora:
He lodges at my
house, and rests there still:
As to his memory, I fear in truth
That he recalls all of his
missing years,
And nurtures bitterly within his soul
Desire for vengeance upon all of
us,
But most of all on you.
Eric:
Little surprise.
Corwin,
you wake at a disastrous time,
For now all Amber shakes with family strife:
Your coming
casts a darker shadow yet
Over what slender future hopes we have.
Flora:
Your
orders, brother?
Eric:
Did he speak at all
Of future
plans?
Flora:
He would not so to me.
But what would Corwin ever
seek but power?
He would not wish for less than rulership,
Nor would he ever bow his
head to you,
From both past bitterness and present pride.
Eric:
Nor I to him: we
are too closely kin,
Too similar, too like in every way.
Sister, return to him: speak not
of this,
Nor let him know that you have journeyed here,
But court his friendship now as
best you can,
And tell me straight of all that you observe.
You have my grateful thanks
for this long watch,
And all your constant loyalty to me:
Be sure that I shall not forget
my debt.
Flora:
I take my leave of Amber, then, for now:
You shall have word
of all that I may know.
(Exit Flora.)
Eric:
I'll have my brothers guard all
paths that lead
From Shadows to the castle and our land,
That if he should attempt to
challenge me,
He shall be seen and challenged in his turn,
Nor secretly bring ruin on our
plans.
Brother, you would be wiser to have slept
A few years longer in sweet
ignorance:
Now that I hold the power as my own,
I'll brook no rival here, nor let it
pass
To other than our Sire and rightful King.
(Exit
Eric.)
Scene 3 : Eric stands in the Library: Julian enters, slightly
less than impassive.
Julian:
Brother, I bring bad news: in the past
hour,
While riding through fair Arden with my hounds,
I met our brother Corwin on my
way
With Random at his side and his ally.
Eric:
Random his friend! That comes
as no surprise,
That swift betrayer and conniving rogue
Would cast his lot with any who
he thought
Might have a chance to seize and hold the throne
And cast me down into the
cells below.
So do you have them captive?
Julian:
I fear
not,
They both remain at liberty, last seen
Plunging yet deeper into Arden's
groves,
Making their way towards our city high.
Eric:
Surely this is the first time
that your prey
Has ever slipped from out your armoured grasp?
My hunter brother, have
your hounds grown slow,
Your hawks grown blind, your cherished steed now lame,
That
you should fail in such a thing as this
And let the quarry which we most desired
Escape
to seek rebellion and revenge?
Julian:
Do not reproach me thus: I am no
slave
To menial bear your petty jeers and taunts!
Eric:
Brother, you came to me
and sought my aid,
Offered the crown to me and bent your head,
Acknowledged me as
monarch and as liege:
And I shall keep the power you have given!
So tell me now the
truth of what occurred,
And why you chose to let him travel free.
Julian:
As I
was riding out upon a hunt
I came upon our brother, passing fast
Through Arden,
Random seated at his side.
After a mere few words for courtesy
I gave due chase, my
hounds and hawk beside,
Many of which they slew as I pursued,
No little loss to me. But
then I saw
That, though desired, it was not in my power
To hold them both as captive
at this time,
And I must either slay them as they fled
Or else let them escape. I would not
wish
To have their blood upon your hands or mine,
And so I let them think they captured
me,
Holding me hostage, while I sought to learn
Their future plans and
hopes.
Eric:
And I suppose
They poured their thoughts into
your open ears?
Julian:
They said no more than you or I might guess:
Dreams
of dominion, visions of the crown,
Thirst for your blood, and passion for your
death.
Eric:
And ... you escaped?
Julian:
They chose to
set me free
Beside a precipice, with the advice
That I consider how they spared my
life
Although I was sworn enemy to them,
And ponder whether you would do as
much.
Eric:
Why, rest assured, I would not seek your death
While you are of
such value in my cause.
Return now, hunter brother, to your realm,
And have it guarded
still more strictly yet:
For Deirdre now has fled, and she will seek
To join our brother and
his minion.
Their rebel threats I shall no more abide:
But all who would defy me and my
power
In chains shall ponder on this unwise thing,
To stand against their rightful Lord
and King.
(Exeunt both.)
Scene 4 : A green-lit room in
Rebma: Corwin and Deirdre stand talking.
Deirdre:
And all this has
befallen as I said:
Eric has claimed the power and the crown,
Supported by those of our
royal kin
Whom he can sway with promises and threats.
He now stands fast: most cruel
in tyranny,
He is no rightful king for our fair land.
Corwin:
Ever have we two
been at daggers drawn:
My brother Eric, I remember well
My constant hate for you and
all your deeds.
How often you have sought to take my life,
And how you held me on that
Shadow Earth,
Wandering in memory, long considered dead:
I promise you shall wish
for such a time
When once again I face you with my sword!
And you, my sister, well I
know your face,
And well remember my eternal love
For that eternal beauty which is
yours:
You are my constant friend, my sure ally,
The closest and the sweetest of my
kin,
Fair as the silver rose I ever bear.
Deirdre:
Brother, your words are sweeter
to my ears
After the bitter treatment I received
From Eric, as he sat upon the
throne
And ordered me then held as captive there:
I cried at him that he was vile and
base,
Craven usurper of your proper right,
Unfit to rule and govern as a
king.
Corwin:
Pleasant it is to hear of your support,
And that you also judge him
rightly thus.
Deirdre:
And now, my brother, what is your
desire?
Corwin:
To walk the Pattern straight, and use its power
To carry me
within our city's walls,
And there to find our brother. And I swear
I shall cast our
defiance in his teeth,
Give answer to his questions with my sword,
And prove upon his
body with that sword
That I am righful heir and justly king!
Deirdre:
I stand
with you in this.
Corwin:
I ever knew
That you would not be
parted from my cause.
Deirdre:
Brother, my constant wish and sure desire
Is
that I soon should see you on the throne,
Holding dominion that is yours by right,
And
Eric flung in chains before your feet
Waiting your royal judgement in
despair.
Corwin:
Dearest of sisters, I now promise you
That should that day
arrive, you will be there,
Seated beside me, next the royal throne,
Most trusted of my
councillors and friends,
Your words received with gratitude and
thanks.
Deirdre:
I only seek that you should rightly have
Your just position and
your proper place:
Even did I not wish these from my love,
My sense of justice would
demand them now,
And would cast Eric down from out his seat.
Corwin:
I go
to walk the Pattern: I would ask
That you might watch my steps, and lend your
prayers
That I may conquer in this noble cause,
That Amber shall be ours, as is our
right,
And Eric may soon take a better place,
Kneeling before us, manacled and
chained,
As foul usurper and as bitter foe.
(Exeunt
both.)
Scene 5 : Library, Corwin seated and turned away from the
door. Eric enters, and Corwin rises to face him.
Corwin:
Hail, brother
mine: I did not dare to hope
To meet with you so early in the game.
Eric:
And
by what means have you now ventured here?
Corwin:
In Rebma's glassy depths, so
far below,
I walked the Pattern, treading 'midst its fire,
And by that power I come to
challenge you.
So how go things in Amber?
Eric:
Very
well,
When we consider things. On other counts
Matters go
poorly.
Corwin:
How to set them right?
Eric:
I know a
way. So now you wish the throne?
Corwin:
As do we all.
Eric:
Perhaps: this much is true,
There is no ease for he who holds the crown,
Nor do I
know why we so strive for it.
But think on this, my brother: twice you fell
Before my
blade already, and both times
I mercifully granted you your life,
Leaving you to your exile
in due peace.
Corwin:
That was no mercy: and when first we fought
It was more
stalemate than defeat for me.
Eric:
Corwin, I am your elder and your better,
And
Amber lies between the two of us:
If you should wish to try me now at arms,
I bear my
sword: slay me, the throne is yours.
So try: I do not think you can succeed.
Come,
challenge me!
Corwin:
And what gives you the right
To be our
better and to rule us now?
Eric:
The fact that I could take and hold the
throne:
Come, seize it if you can!
(They fight: Eric is wounded in the
wrist.)
Damnable brother!
Rumour reports that Random follows
thee.
Corwin:
Many of us are leagued against you now.
(Fight continues:
Corwin is driven back.)
Eric:
You were a fool to challenge me here
thus.
Corwin:
Perhaps you were the fool to enter here:
You slow before my
blade: your strength now ebbs:
Your blood flows fast...
Eric:
Be silent!
Corwin:
No more words,
My sword provides
all arguments I need:
I have grown stronger in that distant shade,
I bring your
death...
(Corwin drives Eric back, and wounds his wrist again.)
A foolish act indeed,
To take another wound from the same stroke...
Eric:
My
servants come, and shall be with us straight!
Corwin:
You will be dead before they
enter here.
See how the blood now flows...
Eric:
Be
silent!
Corwin:
Soon
A single Prince will stand as
Amber's Lord,
And it will not be you!
(Eric picks up a chair, and barricades himself
in a corner.)
Eric:
Come, take me now!
Corwin:
Why,
brother, do you fear me?
Eric:
If I do,
The point is
academic: soon my men
Will enter here, and end your little game,
And you have not the
skill to conquer me
Ere then.
Corwin:
Why, then, it seems that you will
live
For that small time until we meet again.
This time, my brother, luck was on your
side:
The next time that we meet, there shall be none
To raise a hand to help you, and I
swear
That you shall fall before my blade that day!
(Corwin escapes. Eric emerges
from behind barricade.)
Eric:
Much do I now repent that distant day
When I so
pitied you, and spared your life,
Thinking you of no consequence to me.
I must now hold
the throne, or that cabal
Most skilled in malice and in sorcery
Will take it and bring
havoc to the land.
Corwin, my brother, should you once again
Grasp for the crown, or
meddle with my schemes,
That mercy which you once received from me
You shall not
have again: I'll take what steps
Are needed to protect our cherished land,
And to confirm
me in my present power.
(Exit Eric.)
Scene 6 : Fiona and
Bleys stand atop a mountain ledge in Avernus.
Fiona:
So what is this
strange news you would report
So marvellous in import, brother dear,
That you must tell
it to me face to face,
And may not speak it simply through our
Trumps?
Bleys:
From his long exile Corwin has returned,
And stands my ally
as we gather men
To strike at Amber and to seize the crown!
Fiona:
This comes
as a surprise: I thought him dead,
Long ages dead, his blood on Eric's hands,
Nothing but
dust and ashes in his tomb.
And he would stand with us?
Bleys:
Rather, with me:
Ignorant of our private schemes and plans,
He thinks I stand alone
'gainst Eric's might,
And offers me alliance to that end.
Fiona:
How very useful
and convenient.
And if, in battle, power falls to you,
Which of the two of you should hold
the crown?
Bleys:
Why, as I said to him, no need to fret:
The two of us shall
simply fight a duel,
Winner take all.
Fiona:
And he believed all
this?
Oft have I thought our brother was a fool,
But never, never such a fool as
this.
Indeed, I am persuaded we do right
In that we shall not let him hold the
crown,
For such a man is most unfit for rule
Who is so simple and so
gullible.
Bleys:
Yet he is apt for battle, strong in fight,
A worthy leader of his
men in war,
A useful ally at this time and place.
I could not ask for
better.
Fiona:
True enough,
With him to aid us, we may
even now
Unseat proud Eric and attain the throne.
Accursed be the hour that he seized
power!
He has more wisdom than our other kin,
Stronger in battle, quicker in his
wits,
Most worthy adversary on the field,
Dangerous foe, and perilous to
us.
Bleys:
A pleasant challenge for our crafts and skills.
Fiona:
Yet we
two stand alone: Brand is confined,
Our strength reduced while we must keep him
penned,
And we the poorer for his loss in this.
Corwin arrives at most convenient
time
To be our aid and help, to lead your men,
Fight in our battles, and assist our
cause.
Bleys:
His thoughts burn ever with a constant hate
For Eric, and for all
of Eric's works,
A fire that drives him hot into the fight
And maybe yet shall scorch our
monarch's pride
Into an open battle and defeat.
I bear no bitterness for Eric here:
He
merely did what any man would do,
Seizing the power, taking firm control,
Happy the
man who has the skill for such!
But equally I do what any man
Who would be king and
ruler, not be ruled,
Would do in this position: I rebel,
Raise armies up against his royal
might,
And if I have the chance, and have the power,
Shall leave his bleeding corpse upon
the ground.
Fiona:
But not for him particular concern,
Merely for what he is:
the power enthroned
That we in turn must rise and overthrow.
Bleys:
Exactly
so: but Corwin is so strong
In enmity and hatred...
Fiona:
Let
it be,
And use that strength to aid us on our way,
Till Amber kneels before our royal
sway.
(Curtain.)