The Highland Tale; The King Act One Scene Seven Sub Act One

 

EVIL CONFUSED INSIDE

ACT ONE

SCENE SEVEN

SUB ACT ONE

 

“My father once told me that one can be King if the last King was your father.” King Duncan smiled. That drew laughter from the gathered. “Or you could be one if you toppled the King then.”

That last line hushed the hall while everyone heard but did not speak of it.

“That is not an easy task. The King still held power and influence over many, and many support the King.” The King looked at the expressions from the gathered. “And a good King has none to worry about then.”

“Hail, King Duncan.” The roar of the crowd sounded out loud.

“Thank you. I am still your King, with all your support.” The King picked his words well. The gathered roared out their approval of the King.

“However, there are those who oppose me. The last Thane of Cawdor was one of the culprits. He sided with the Irish and opened the entry for the Danes. The triparty here made a dent into our land, but with the grace of God, General MacBeth took back what was ours.” King Duncan singled out MacBeth. “For that, I made him the Thane of Cawdor.”

There was a hush among the nobles then.

“The position of the King is to preserve the Kingdom, which is the land we are living on. The King faces many forms of difficulties to stay as King. I am King with no clean handover; I recall having to deal with some nobles that did not like me. I had invading armies on my borders.” The King repeated himself there. “It was not prophecies that I have to be King; to foresee the future, but I have all of you, but I am. For that, I will do all I can to be that King. I truly loved you all better than any prophecies.”

The group roared once more. All of them stood up to hail the King with their toasts.

“I disliked prophecies. They reeked of stale meals. Many of the opposed spoke of saying that they were the ones to be King, and yet it was my sabre that ended their prophecies." The gathered heard the King and laughed.

“A good arm and the sharpness of the blade were all I needed.” The King roared. “I drink with you to celebrate this victory once more.”

The laughing and roaring continued. No sooner was the feast to resume. MacBeth excused himself and left the hall. He went up to his chamber and tossed the contents of his meal into the pot.

“Did he hear my prophecy? I was to be King.” MacBeth felt sick inside of him. “I am King, and to be quick, I need to... If this will really all be over once it is done, then it would be best to get it over with quickly. The speech was laced with... unappreciative words. “

“I must be drunk to hold such thoughts in me. He is the King. As yet, King’s die.”

“Kings died by their own reckless acts or by those done by others. Assassination of the King with the blade or the aid of poison to stop the heart—these are all the acts on how to remove a King. An unworthy one, that is.” MacBeth seated himself on the chair there. “How many had angels to foretell their destiny? Only the greater King’s is worth their attention.”

MacBeth laughed at himself.

“You slay many in battle, and you cannot do this to one more now. Was it because he is the King? Yet you had killed the few before... Yes, they are not your King. Their death bears your consequences. Like the nest, to hold all the consequences, I need a bigger net. Could I do it and... then the act would be the be-all and end-all of the whole affair?”

“Once done, I am King." But for such crimes, there are still consequences in this world.” MacBeth Innards reacts with the meals once more removed. “Violent acts only teach others to commit violence. For every kill, there may be others, or retribution. The survivors will plague the killer.”

“I have done my killings. None I held by their names or rank. I just removed them. They may seek justice; they force the cup to be poisoned and giveth to my lips, but I did it for you, my King." MacBeth was delirious then. “Could I do thee as I did to others?”

“It was the King; he trusts me more than twice over: first, I am his kinsman and his subject. I shall kill for you. But at home, as his host, I should be closing the door to any murderer rather than trying to murder him myself.”

“Duncan has been such a humble leader, respected and honest and free from corruption. The virtues that will make angels sing for him and cry out like trumpets should there be a threat to him like murder. Pity, he is like an innocent newborn baby; he will ride the wind like a winged angel, or on invisible horses through the air, to spread news of good deeds across the land, so that a flood of tears will fall from the sky.”

“I cannot deny that I have no reason to spur myself to act on my desires other than ambition, which makes people leap into action and into tragedy.” MacBeth sighed. It was Elleanor who stepped into his chamber.