The Highland Tale; The King Act Five Scene Three Sub Act One

 

THE LION CORNERED

ACT FIVE

SCENE THREE

SUB ACT ONE

 

The King sat at his chamber with his sight on the window that displayed the hills. Once he was there on the hills, watching his army marching. He felt proud to be the leader of those men. He also remembered the moments at battle when his soldiers clashed with the enemies. The Man-Suits were deployed in the front to level the enemies. Every army have their own destructive weapons; the English the Juggernauts, the Irish their cannons and the Highlanders held their Man-Suits. There were other weapons to counter these destructive machines.

The King saw the scout standing at the doorway.

“Do not bring me any more reports. Let all the Thanes run from me.”

“My King, they are near to Birnam Wood.” The servant told him.

“Birnam Wood? Till it can move to Dunsinane, I will be unaffected by fear.” The King voiced out. He had been talking of Birman Wood and Dunsinane for some time; yet none made sense of it.

“What is the boy, Malcolm? Was he not born from a woman?” The King roared. “Maybe he is of the construct. I heard tales of them but fables they are.”

“The Angels that know the future have told me this: “Do not fear, MacBeth. No man born from a woman will ever overpower you.” So run, disloyal Thanes, and join the soft and self-indulgent English! My mind and heart will never waver with doubt or shake with fear.” MacBeth was laughing then.

A servant entered then.  

“May the devil turn you black, you pale-faced fool! Why do you look as frightened as a goose?” The King glared at the servant.

“There are ten thousand …….”

“Geese, fool?” The King asked. “Or sows?”

“Soldiers, my King.”

“Go prick your cheeks so blood will hide their whiteness, you cowardly boy. What soldiers, fool?” MacBeth roared. ““Damn you! That pale face of yours will influence the others to be afraid as well. What soldiers, milk-face?”

“The English army, my King. They have …….”

“Juggernaut? I feared not that. The Man-Suits are capable of handling that threat.” MacBeth tossed the reports from his hands. “The day I will fear them will be the day I die.”

“Get your face out of here.” The King dismissed the servant.

“Seyton!” The King called on his loyal servant. “Make haste here.”

Seyton was an older man who served MacBeth when he was only an officer to the throne that he sat there.

“I’m sick at heart when I see …….” The King looked for his servant. He saw then the servant had arrived. Seyton had bouts of body pains due to age.

“Seyton, come here!” The King called out. “This battle will either secure my place forever or knock me from my throne. I have lived long enough. The path of my life now leads me toward withering and death, like a yellowing leaf.”

“Long live the Kingf.” Seyton said.

“You were with me long.” The King looked at the old servant. “I cannot hope to have those things that should be a part of old age, like honour, love, obedience, and loyal friends.”

The King saw Seyton nodded his head.

“Instead, men curse me, quietly but with profound hate; people honour me with words but not in their hearts. My heart would happily end my life, and yet does not dare to do it.”

“Seyton!” The King roared out. “Are you asleep?”

“Nay, my King. I am awake. What do you desire, your Lord?” Seyton still considered his care as the Lord instead King.

“Tell me, Seyton. Is there more news? Sad or bad?”

“All the rumours have been confirmed, my lord.” Seyton replied. “They have left you for the young prince.”

“I will fight until they hack the flesh off my bones. Give me my sabre.” MacBeth had travelled everywhere with his sabre. He had it with him since young, and many times, it had saved his life.

“If only …….” MacBeth thoughts sailed back to Banquo. They got their sabres the same day at the Academy,

“It is not needed yet.” MacBeth held the sabre offered. “I will put it on anyway. Send out more patrols. Search the entire country. Hang anyone talking of fear. Give me my reports now.”

Seyton excused himself and then the Healer appeared.

“How is your patient, Healer?”

“The Queen is not physically sick, my King but she is troubled with constant visions that keep her from sleeping.”

“Nightmares …… Cure her of that.” MacBeth was concerned on Elleanor. She had been unwell for some time.

“I will …….” The Healer was cut off by the King.

“Can you not heal a diseased mind? Remove from her mind the memory of sorrow? Eliminate the troubling thoughts from her brain, and use some sweet medicine to clean her chest of that awful stuff that weighs upon her heart?” MacBeth was getting agitated.

“For that kind of relief, the patient must heal herself.” The Healer was explaining the solution.

“Throw physic to the dogs; I will have none of it.” MacBeth then called for Seyton.

“Give me my reports, Seyton, and send out ……… the rest. Healers and Thanes.”

“Hold there, Healer who was still standing there. Find her disease, and purge her to a sound and pristine health, I would applaud thee to the very echo of the glens. Pull it off, I say ……. And what rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drugs? Just do it.”

“My Lord, the Thanes ran from us.” Seyton reported then. MacBeth ignored the other and walked off.