THE KING, AM I?
ACT ONE
SCENE THREE
SUB ACT FOUR
“I am the Thane of Gladis; my father was one, and it
was bestowed on me upon his death.” MacBeth looked to Banquo. “Bless his soul
to eternal rest.”
Banquo fought with him against the other nobles for
the rightful passing of the rank.
“MacBeth is a clout by manners. He does not hold the
requirement to be Thane.” One of the nobles argued at the succession talks
after the death of the Thane.
“MacBeth is a soldier. He knew nothing of the talks at
the palace. He is better armed with a sabre than the rank of Thane.” Another
noble voiced the lack of support for MacBeth.
“I bear my call for Ambrose to be Thane.” Another
noble added the name to the successor. The others gathered there in deep
conversation, and then the announcement came.
“Colonel MacBeth arrived.”
The gathered there hushed their talks and looked to
the high doorway of the castle. Its doors were opened, and in came the
indomitable general, followed by his aide, Major Banquo. He strode in, still
dressed in infantry fatigue and with his sabre on his belt.
“General MacBeth, you cannot wear your sabre here.”
The palace staff cautioned him, as it was the tradition of the palace not to be
armed there except by the palace guards. The men in suits were stationed
outside and were all fully armed.
MacBeth ignored the staff and proceeded to the high
back seat of the Thane. His eyes rested on the wooden seat with the intricate
carvings of the Highland lions. It was said to belong to the previous Thane,
who had died in that seat. MacBeth's father did not; he died in the arms of his
lover, who was turned away from the palace by the nobles.
Was she silenced by the nobles, or were there rumors
that MacBeth disliked her? And would kill her. The other murmuring was that Thane
does not die in that manner unless he is poisoned. There are many speculations,
but no MacBeth to dispute them all.
“The prodigal son returned.” MacBeth heard that when
he walked in. It may be to support or mock him. Nevertheless, he made it back.
He turned to look at the décor of the hall. The sides of the hall were adorned
by the great portraits of the greats of Gladis, and lined below the portraits were
their weapons. Thirteen seats were lined up for the nobles, each of them
pledging their loyalty to the Thane.
Thirteen-year-old men they were.
“I was late to my father’s burial, but I saw him
before arriving here. The rebels were not to let return before I sent them back
without their heads.” MacBeth stood by Thane’s seat. “It was the wish of the Thane
that no rebels would rob his people of their harvest.”
“Two hundred rebels will not return home.” MacBeth
looked at the nobles. “We were strong, but the victory of a battle was not by
numbers but by strategy. I took them to battle hard and well.”
MacBeth looked at the noble, who suggested his cousin
as Thane.
“My men will attest to that. They are here in the
courtyard.” MacBeth looked at the nobles. He could see the uneasy feelings
among them. “They fought for Gladis as I did. And we are all of Gladis.”
All the thirteen nobles bowed to MacBeth and made him Thane.
‘Change the décor. My father lies dead, and we still
fly the red velvet on the drapes. I want it... solemn.” MacBeth gave his first
command as Thane. The staff there reprogrammed the machines that set the décor,
and all was done in an instant. The hall was then seen as more solemn, and the
portrait of the last Thane was displayed.
“Good, now we can mourn for my father’s death.” MacBeth
made his second command.
The Hall then was emptied but not all left in person.
Four nobles were there in their holographic form, and upon dismissal were
blinked off. The other furnishings of the Hall were all blinked off leaving
only the High Back Seat of the Thane.
Later, in the personal chamber of MacBeth, both Banquo
and him were immersed in the hot bath to ease their bodily aches. They were
alone and sharing the goblet of wine when Banquo asked.
“Why did you not tell me that you wanted to challenge
the nobles for the Thane?”
“I... I did not until I saw my father’s burial. It was
done deservingly, and there I met the relation of my wife.” MacBeth sighed and
then submerged his head under the bath. He later rose up and spoke.
“Elleanor told me of the nobles’ plan to place Ambrose
there. She told me he is young and lacks influence.”
“Ambrose is your wife’s brother. He is not raw to the
worKings of the Thane. He had been the clerk for the Thane.”
“A recorder of events, yes. But unsure of the
intricacy of the clan.” MacBeth told him. “It was said by Mary. God bless her
soul.”
“And where is the army of ours?” MacBeth asked.
“They just arrived just now. Your bluff that they were
there in the courtyard was brilliant. It held the nobles from revolting.”
“I had planned that.” MacBeth smiled. When he was Thane,
he removed four of the nobles.
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