BANQUO’S
THOUGHTS
ACT
ONE
SCENE
SIX
SUB
ACT FIVE
The
banquet planning process took a long time. Inverness was a grand castle, but it
seldom drew quests unless you considered the wedding of MacBeth to Mary. That
was such a long time ago, considering time passed slowly with the death of
Mary. MacBeth had spent his time soon after training the infantry to be
battle-ready. He was utilizing his energy there to forget the pain of losing
Mary.
“The
infantry is the main part of the army, and not the man-suits. The latter are armoured,
heavily armed, but cumbersome for the movements needed in battle. Brute
strengths are nothing to the stealth of the infantry. Once the infantry gets
close to the man-suits, it is only a single shot to end the latter.” MacBeth
had likened the infantry to being more effective. ”A slash by the sabre will
immobilize the suit and thus doom the handler.”
“Planning
and execution are the strategy.” MacBeth had reminded Banquo. That was easier
said than done, for preparing for the banquet required more than that. It
needed the lady’s effort, and Banquo was clumsy at that. His love was equally
at risk, for she was a clerk and not a housekeeper. She has her time fulfilled
with their children.
“Fleance,
you will not pull Dane’s hair.” Banquo heard his lover educating the boys.
Fleance was holding on, and Dane—well, he was another boy from the servant’s
side. Banquo was content with her care for them, while he was always busy with
the tasks asked for by MacBeth. He was hardly with his family, and when Fleance
was inside the mother, his conjugal obligations were perfunctory at best. He
had not known his lover before their engagement. It was a quick engagement, and
soon they were wed. He spent his time with her and was whisked off to join MacBeth.
He returned after being told that he was to be a father, and on a few occasions
he was there as the family head. He believed he loved the mother of his
children but could not utter her name most of the time.
“Banquo,
have you arranged for the stewards to make the tables?” Banquo heard from the
one lady he likes to hear from.
“Yes,
my lady." Banquo turned to look at the lady. “I will get it done.”
“And
the martins’ nests. They nestled there at the corners.” Lady Elleanor, as she
was called, pointed out the nests above. “Could we remove it?”
The
Martins are the seasonal guests there at Inverness. They are part of the
migratory birds of the Swifts, swallows, and martins—small birds with long,
tapered wings and forked tails. Although the Martins' beaks are smaller, their
mouths are wide, making it easier for them to catch insects in the air. They
are incredibly agile in flight and can be seen performing impressive aerial
aerobics in the summer skies.
“They
nest here in the summer." Banquo was told this by his lover. “They are
devoted to their nests.”
Banquo
was unsure of how to relate that, and then, when asked by Lady Elleanor to
clear the nesting, he tooka moment to stare at the martins. The birds were in a
frenzy with all the going on at the castle.
“The
martins are back.” MacBeth interrupted Banquo in his thoughts. “Mary used to
watch them nest there.”
“I
did not know.” Banquo looked at the martins once more. “We shall not disturb
them there.”
“How
is your family?” MacBeth asked.
“They
are fine. The mother is here with the boys. They ….” Banquo smiled
“The
mother holds a name, Banquo," MacBeth reminded the other.
“Yes,
Mauld of Atoll.” Banquo uttered. He hardly called her by the name and most
times called her'mother of my son’. He was told her name when her father, the Thane
of Atoll, placed the right hand of the lady on his.
“Her
name is Mauld, and she is my daughter. Take care of her, and she will bear you
many sons.” The father had spoken then. Mauld gave Banquo a son, and it was
then.
“Banquo,
we should be like the martins. We can be away, but when the time comes, we
return to the nest.” MacBeth told him.
“I
do understand that, my friend. I wished...” Banquo was cut off.
“Mary
is still in me. She nests with my son inside of me.” MacBeth smiled. He then
saw the King’s arrival. “Make haste; the King is here.”
“Where’s
Elleanor? She needs to be here.” MacBeth looked around before he approached the
King.
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