The Highland Tale; The King Act Four Scene Two Sub Act One

 

THE FATE OF THE FAMILY

ACT FOUR

SCENE TWO

SUB ACT ONE

 

At the castle at Fife, Lady MacDuff met her guest in the chamber. It was inappropriate but she had her son in attendance. The servant admitted the guest and they greeted.

“Ross of Cambria, I bid you welcome.’ Lady MacDuff smiled. “You know my son, Garth.”

“Please leave the formality, Beryl. We have known each other as distant relatives, and since you married to the MacDuff family, we can still be friends.” Ross bowed to the lady. Ross and MacDuff have their differences in some views but they are still friends.

“I got word from your love to take you and Garth to safety.” Ross spoke of the reason he was there.

“What did he do that made him flee Fife?”

“You must have patience, Beryl. He had a reason and will not tell me.” Ross said. “Maybe he meets you then he will tell.”

“He had no patience. To run away was insane. Even if we are not actually traitors …….” The lady spoke.

“Hush your words, Beryl. The walls have ears.”

“That I knew for a long time. And secret passage ways, with the peep holes. The MacDuff had not survived for generations without any precautions. The servants ……. Well, some are loyal but the others may be treasured to move their allegiance.”

 “It is treason to say that.” Ross reminded the lady.

“As much as it makes us seem like traitors.” Beryl smiled. “And we are not.”

“You have grown with strength, Beryl. I admired that in you.” Ross smiled. “But we do not know whether it was wisdom or fear that made him flee.”

“Wisdom? That eluded him then.” Beryl was upset at her lover. “Was it wise to leave his wife, his children, his house, and his titles in a place from which he himself flees?”

“Does he not love us. He lacks the natural feelings of a husband and father. Even the fragile wren …… the smallest of birds ……will fight an owl to protect her young ones in the nest. Macduff’s running away has everything to do with fear and nothing to do with love. And since running away is contrary to all reason, it also must have nothing to do with wisdom.”

“My dearest cousin, I beg you, control yourself. Your husband is noble, wise, and judicious, and understands the current political unrest.” Ross assured the other. “We have our differences in views but mutual respect prevailed. I don’t dare say anything more than this, but it is a bad time when people are denounced as traitors and have no idea why; when we believe rumours out of fear, but aren’t even sure what we’re afraid of.”

“It is like being trapped in the glen or a dark cavern, floating with the heavy fog over the head and no help could be seen.” Ross sighed. “It is your safety I am to take on now.”

“Our fate is in your hands, Ross of Cambria.” The lady replied.

“I will leave now to plan, but it would not be long before I return. When things are at their worst they must eventually end, or else improve to be like how they were before. My good cousin, I give my blessing to you.”

“My son has a father, and yet he may be fatherless.” Beryl looked at Ross. “You know that for a fact.”

“If I stay longer, I will disgrace myself and embarrass you by crying. I must leave now.” Ross tried to avoid the emotional rush. He excused himself.

“Young MacDuff, your father is dead. What will you do now? How will you live?”

“My father is not dead. If he is, I will live as birds do, Mother.” The young lad told his mother.

“What? You will eat worms and flies? Whoever taught you that?”

“My father did. He told me nothing is forever and live for the moment. I will live on whatever I get, like birds do.”

“Oh, you pitiful bird! You will not know to fear any traps or snares set out by hunters.” The lady hugged her son. “Your father is wise but the wiser need to be more when in the dire moments.”

“What dire moments, Mother? Whom shall I fear?’ The lad asked.

“The ones who will not let you live.”

“Why should I fear them, Mother? Hunters do not try to catch pitiful birds. I am not a predator. I am a ……. No matter what you say, my father is not dead. He will protect us.”

“Yes, he would but if he’s dead?” The mother said. “He is a good man.”

“Was my father a traitor, Mother? I heard the servant’s mentioned it. What is a traitor?”

“Someone who makes a promise and breaks it.” The mother replied.

“What does one do a traitor?”

“Everyone who does it should be hanged.”

“And should everyone be hanged who makes and breaks promises?”

“Everyone.” The mother smiled at the son. “That sis the just punishment for the traitor.”

“Who should hang them?”

“The honest men.”

“Then the liars are fools, for there are enough liars in the world to defeat and hang the honest men.” The lad looked at the mother.

“Heaven helped you, my poor little monkey!” The mother laughed. “But what will you do for a father?”

“If he were dead, you will be weeping for him. If you are not weeping, it is a good sign that I will soon have a new father.”

Then mother remained silent. It was then two figures appeared before them. One was a lady.

“Who are you?” Lady MacDuff asked. “Were you sent by Ross of Cambria. Why do you cover your faces?”

“Where is your husband, the Thane?”

“I hope he is not anywhere so disgraceful that men like you could find him.” Lady MacDuff replied.

“Leave my father alone!” The young MacDuff shouted. The lad charged at the other lady.  The lady who was covered in the face, stabbed the lad in the chest.

“My son!” Lady MacDuff grabbed hold of her son. “You killed him.”

The lad laid there with the heart silent.

“You killed my son!” Lady MacDuff stared at the masked lady.

“And you are next.” The lady killer said.