The Royal Bed

Cue-sheet for Gwilym

(Siwan) The music's over now.
 
(Siwan) Pour la reine qu'il aima.
(1, 0) 121 My Lady …
(Siwan) Gwilym!
 
(Siwan) Gwilym!
(1, 0) 123 Siwan – I've been waiting, outside the keep.
(1, 0) 124 What made you detain her such a time?
(Siwan) Today, at sunrise, Henry, King of England,
 
(Siwan) My brother, sails for France.
(1, 0) 127 Yes? What of it?
(Siwan) You're a hot blooded young man …
 
(Siwan) You're a hot blooded young man …
(1, 0) 129 Twenty five, and a father to four daughters.
(Siwan) I still see you as that brash young upstart
 
(Siwan) For us to subdue and to nurse …
(1, 0) 133 Why tell me about your brother?
(1, 0) 134 What if he is travelling to France?
(Siwan) That's why I kept my maid here the while.
 
(Siwan) That's why I kept my maid here the while.
(1, 0) 136 To keep me away?
(Siwan) No. The implications, Gwilym. My significance.
 
(Siwan) Gwilym.
(1, 0) 148 No one saw me. Don't worry. And your guards
(1, 0) 149 Were sleeping. Did you drug their wine?
(Siwan) A prudent precaution, knowing how reckless you can be.
 
(Siwan) A prudent precaution, knowing how reckless you can be.
(1, 0) 151 Don't forget – I'm almost one of the family here.
(1, 0) 152 Your daughter's my step-mother
(1, 0) 153 And my daughter will soon marry your Dafydd.
(1, 0) 154 That gives me some right to come and go …
(Siwan) Not in the dead of night.
 
(Siwan) Not in the royal bed, like this.
(1, 0) 157 You want this marriage – your Dafydd
(1, 0) 158 To my daughter – more than anything. I know.
(Siwan) Yes. I want it. But it's the Prince's decision.
 
(Siwan) Yet I find patience such an elusive virtue.
(1, 0) 170 And what lessons have you taught him?
(Siwan) You're married, a hearthful of daughters,
 
(Siwan) Worth teaching her husband?
(1, 0) 174 I do know you say that mockingly.
(1, 0) 175 I'll show you one wife - a Prince's wife
(1, 0) 176 Who's consulted as a prime minister,
(1, 0) 177 Who's the court's chief ambassador
(1, 0) 178 And who walks the halls and makes heads turn
(1, 0) 179 As if she were Helen of Troy … My lady?
(Siwan) Perhaps that's a form of escape for me.
 
(Siwan) With my husband's stratagems, his statesmanship.
(1, 0) 185 Do you know what they say about you
(1, 0) 186 Down in South Wales?
(1, 0) 187 That Gwynedd, thanks to your influence,
(1, 0) 188 Has become a French princedom.
(1, 0) 189 All your children have been given away
(1, 0) 190 To a French nobleman in marriage.
(1, 0) 191 You've almost changed your Welsh Prince
(1, 0) 192 Into an adopted Frenchman.
(Siwan) The only thing that forges real change in a man
 
(Siwan) That Llywelyn loves me as you do?
(1, 0) 196 You're the first successful politician
(1, 0) 197 That I've found to be intelligent and intuitive
(1, 0) 198 Siwan.
(Siwan) The unruliness of passion is anathema to statesmanship
 
(Siwan) To rule my head in such matters.
(1, 0) 202 And when was that, my lady?
(Siwan) When I suggested the union
 
(Siwan) Of mine and yours.
(1, 0) 207 An inspired suggestion.
(Siwan) A desperately bad suggestions
 
(Siwan) If Dafydd doesn't sire a son.
(1, 0) 210 You astonish me Siwan.
(Siwan) Why?
 
(Siwan) Why?
(1, 0) 212 You know why I came here to your court.
(Siwan) To finalise the arrangements for that wedding.
 
(Siwan) To finalise the arrangements for that wedding.
(1, 0) 214 And why do I want to see that wedding happen
(1, 0) 215 As much as – if not more than – you do?
(Siwan) Because you have no male successors.
 
(Siwan) Like a cub protected by the great lion's paw.
(1, 0) 225 O, Siwan – I didn't come here to talk politics.
(Siwan) Talking politics with you
 
(Siwan) Is a form of defence for me.
(1, 0) 228 How is that?
(Siwan) It keeps my thoughts from other things.
 
(Siwan) It keeps my thoughts from other things.
(1, 0) 230 Are you frightened of some other truths?
(Siwan) Not frightened of the truth –
 
(Siwan) But of hearing it spoken perhaps.
(1, 0) 233 Do I frighten you Siwan? Is that it?
(Siwan) Not you. The things I'm really frightened of
 
(Siwan) Are within me. And you awaken them.
(1, 0) 236 They're the very things
(1, 0) 237 That make life so sweet.
(Siwan) They can make life bitter too
 
(Siwan) And stately protocol. Yes, I'm bitter.
(1, 0) 247 You've guessed then why I came here
(1, 0) 248 To arrange the wedding.
(Siwan) You don't understand do you
 
(Siwan) That politics and pleasure should not mix.
(1, 0) 251 I wouldn't call my longing for you a pleasure.
(Siwan) Is your flatterer's tongue faltering?
 
(Siwan) For me is becoming burdensome?
(1, 0) 255 One thing I didn't come here to do
(1, 0) 256 Was to exchange jibes.
(Siwan) That wasn't a jibe.
 
(Siwan) Is almost as old as you.
(1, 0) 261 I was only ten years old,
(1, 0) 262 At my father's wedding in Hereford
(1, 0) 263 When I first set eyes on you, Princess,
(1, 0) 264 As you led your first daughter, a child bride,
(1, 0) 265 To be my father's second wife,
(1, 0) 266 And the crowd in the church garlanding
(1, 0) 267 Your path with rose petals.
(1, 0) 268 I didn't speak to you then – I couldn't.
(1, 0) 269 My heart was in my throat.
(1, 0) 270 I gathered up a handful
(1, 0) 271 Of scented rose petals,
(1, 0) 272 And they were my pillow that night.
(1, 0) 273 Not that I slept.
(1, 0) 274 My mind was restive, hungry …
(1, 0) 275 I didn't see you then until I was brought here
(1, 0) 276 In manacles. My wounds were light –
(1, 0) 277 But I became feverish.
(1, 0) 278 You came to my bed, surrounded by your maids.
(1, 0) 279 Walking towards me as I'd seen you in Hereford.
(1, 0) 280 Was it the fever?
(1, 0) 281 Or was it my breathless excitement
(1, 0) 282 That made me sweat and lie atremble
(1, 0) 283 As you knelt over me, placing your lips on my mouth?
(Siwan) You fainted. You frightened us so.
 
(Siwan) You fainted. You frightened us so.
(1, 0) 285 But you knew that my wounds weren't serious.
(1, 0) 286 It was that kiss. It was fated,
(1, 0) 287 Like Isault's kiss …
(Siwan) Gwilym, ssh … Not that unhappy tale.
 
(Siwan) Tristan and Isault have haunted me this evening.
(1, 0) 290 I'll talk of happier things.
(1, 0) 291 When I'd recovered, I stayed awhile.
(1, 0) 292 We'd go riding along the mountain passes
(1, 0) 293 Stopping on some sunlit verge to drink wine.
(1, 0) 294 And there was singing and dancing in this fortress …
(1, 0) 295 The halls of Gwynedd's court were
(1, 0) 296 As bright as any in Aquitaine.
(1, 0) 297 Then your kisses turned from courtly greetings
(1, 0) 298 To a hotter, sweeter foretaste
(1, 0) 299 Of this tryst tonight.
(1, 0) 300 Do you remember when you first kissed me
(1, 0) 301 With your mouth on fire, greedy …
(Siwan) And the very next day Llywelyn returned.
 
(Siwan) With your ransom paid.
(1, 0) 304 He's got a knack of returning
(1, 0) 305 At the wrong time.
(Siwan) We had a week of discretion
 
(Siwan) Then you left.
(1, 0) 309 You see. And that's why I've returned.
(1, 0) 310 My daughter's marriage to your Dafydd
(1, 0) 311 Was agreed by me, so that I could be here now,
(1, 0) 312 To claim you, make love to you Siwan.
(1, 0) 313 Of course, you knew that.
(Siwan) Did I dare know it? I didn't think
 
(Siwan) Simply to open the way to my bed.
(1, 0) 318 I'd give my whole kingdom
(1, 0) 319 For this night in your bed Siwan.
(Siwan) All your worldly wealth?
 
(Siwan) Forsake reason and caution.
(1, 0) 325 I heard that Francis as a young man
(1, 0) 326 Was a gambler and a squanderer.
(1, 0) 327 I like men who gamble, with money and with fate
(1, 0) 328 Who can lose and still cock a snook
(1, 0) 329 At life and luck.
(1, 0) 330 If Francis was ever such a lad
(1, 0) 331 He's the Saint for me.
(Siwan) I'll pray to him on your behalf
 
(Siwan) Asking him to guard you from ill-fortune.
(1, 0) 334 But not tonight. Fortune's with me tonight.
(1, 0) 335 If I lose my luck and lose your love
(1, 0) 336 Then I'll plead with Saint Francis.
(Siwan) You love danger too much.
 
(Siwan) Makes me fear for you.
(1, 0) 340 You have to take me as I am Siwan.
(1, 0) 341 Since I was a child
(1, 0) 342 I've been in my element hunting, fighting
(1, 0) 343 Accepting dares. That's how you squeeze
(1, 0) 344 The grapes of experience till your mouth
(1, 0) 345 Runs with the tang of their juices.
(Siwan) Am I one of those bunches,
 
(Siwan) Ripe on the vine?
(1, 0) 348 Your taste will be sweeter Siwan.
(1, 0) 349 More exquisite, even more heady.
(Siwan) Did you mention this to anyone
 
(Siwan) At my brother's court?
(1, 0) 352 Who would I tell?
(Siwan) And you told nobody that I suggested
 
(Siwan) To make the wedding arrangements?
(1, 0) 356 Perhaps I mentioned that. Perhaps I told
(1, 0) 357 Hubert the Chancellor. Such details
(1, 0) 358 Interest him. Why?
(Siwan) Hubert de Burgh is a venomous viper of a man.
 
(Siwan) With Hubert's insinuations nagging in his brain?
(1, 0) 363 If Llywelyn suspected anything
(1, 0) 364 He's a wily enough statesman
(1, 0) 365 To let me deliver my castle as dowry
(1, 0) 366 Before unleashing any angry accusation.
(1, 0) 367 I know the Prince of Gwynedd.
(Siwan) That's more than I can safely say
 
(Siwan) A Prince and statesman can be as impetuous as the next man.
(1, 0) 371 Why talk of him now?
(1, 0) 372 You promised this night to me.
(Siwan) I do give you this night.
 
(Siwan) Here, now, I'm yours Gwilym Brewys.
(1, 0) 377 And your love?
(1, 0) 378 Do you give that too Siwan?
(Siwan) I don't know yet.
 
(Siwan) And we'll wonder if there can be another.
(1, 0) 385 I'll wait. You summoned me tonight
(1, 0) 386 You put the opiates in the guards' possets.
(Siwan) I did that. My own hand.
 
(Siwan) Tonight's my gift to you.
(1, 0) 389 And why Siwan? Why all this for me?
(Siwan) Because you remember how things first taste
 
(Siwan) Because it's now the eve of May Day.
(1, 0) 397 Your bed is beckoning Siwan.
(Siwan) Come to the window first
 
(Siwan) And look at that moon over Anglesey Gwilym.
(1, 0) 402 D'you hear those sounds, like horses in the distance?
(Siwan) Hill ponies, panicked by something, stampeding?
 
(Siwan) Hill ponies, panicked by something, stampeding?
(1, 0) 404 Those steeds are shod, I tell you.
(Siwan) There's nothing now.
 
(Siwan) There's nothing now.
(1, 0) 406 No. Not now. But my ear
(1, 0) 407 Is attuned to the sound of hooves.
(1, 0) 408 I'm hardly ever mistaken.
(Siwan) What was that?
 
(Siwan) What was that?
(1, 0) 410 That was a dog. Somewhere by the fortress gate.
(Siwan) Gelert.
 
(Siwan) Gelert.
(1, 0) 412 What?
(Siwan) It was Gelert. Llywelyn's hound. I'm certain of it.
 
(Siwan) It was Gelert. Llywelyn's hound. I'm certain of it.
(1, 0) 414 No. He's taken Gelert with him.
(1, 0) 415 To do some hunting on his journey home.
(1, 0) 416 What a dog! I saw it once
(1, 0) 417 Running down a stag, bounding along the crags,
(1, 0) 418 Defying death, above the abyss …
(Siwan) I know Gelert's bark. I heard Gelert out there.
 
(Siwan) I know Gelert's bark. I heard Gelert out there.
(1, 0) 420 You heard a dog. But not Llywelyn's hound.
(1, 0) 421 Siwan, my love. The candles' flames are flickering low
(1, 0) 422 And this royal bed begs us to make bold use of it.
(1, 0) 423 Let me take you before the light dies.
(Siwan) Sshh! Listen!
 
(Siwan) Sshh! Listen!
(1, 0) 425 I can't hear anything …
(Siwan) People over by the gates, people moving,
 
(Siwan) Someone's arriving, coming in …
(1, 0) 428 It's your imagination. Your pretty ears
(1, 0) 429 Are flattened back like a frightened cat's.
(1, 0) 430 Why are you suddenly so nervous?
(Siwan) No – Listen! There!
 
(Siwan) No – Listen! There!
(1, 0) 432 The fortress gates, yes, opened and closed.
(1, 0) 433 The sentries are probably changing shift.
(Siwan) When the guard changes, Gwilym
 
(Siwan) Towards this keep.
(1, 0) 439 What's happening?
(Siwan) Dear God – what is this?
 
(Siwan) Dear God – what is this?
(1, 0) 441 Soldiers are surrounding this tower.
(1, 0) 442 You're right. Something's going on …
(Siwan) Your sword. Where's your sword?
 
(Siwan) Your sword. Where's your sword?
(1, 0) 444 Not with me. Not even a dagger. Nothing.
(1, 0) 445 I'm going to see if the stairway's clear.
(Siwan) He's here. Gwilym! Llywelyn is back!
 
(Siwan) He's here. Gwilym! Llywelyn is back!
(1, 0) 447 And tens of armed soldiers around this keep's entrance.
(1, 0) 448 We've been betrayed Siwan. We're trapped.
(Siwan) Can you get out between the window pillars?
 
(Siwan) Can you get out between the window pillars?
(1, 0) 450 The space is too narrow.
(1, 0) 451 Where are the maids' chambers?
(Siwan) Down next to the tower's door.
 
(Siwan) Down next to the tower's door.
(1, 0) 453 And what's above us?
(Siwan) The turret loft. It's locked.
 
(Siwan) The turret loft. It's locked.
(1, 0) 455 There's nowhere to escape.
(1, 0) 456 No move I can make.
(1, 0) 457 The Prince must be welcomed to his royal chamber.
(1, 0) 458 It sounds as if he's on his way.
(1, 0) 459 How shall his welcome be?
(1, 0) 460 Simple and sans ceremony?
(Siwan) Come to the bed. Lie here, in my arms.
 
(Llywelyn) Take him. Tie his hands and arms.
(1, 0) 465 You won't need to do that.
(1, 0) 466 I've no dagger or sword.
(Llywelyn) Tie him up I said. Stand him here.
 
(Llywelyn) In the courts of France and England.
(1, 0) 476 Now there spits the rhetoric of wounded pride.
(1, 0) 477 I've loved a Princess, who's a married woman,
(1, 0) 478 But so do hundreds of noblemen.
(1, 0) 479 Such things are as much part of our lives
(1, 0) 480 As jousts and tournaments.
(1, 0) 481 You caught me in your bed. Very well –
(1, 0) 482 Exact your penalty,
(1, 0) 483 Make me pay for this indiscretion.
(1, 0) 484 You're already promised my castle in Builth as dowry
(1, 0) 485 And your son is to take my daughter.
(1, 0) 486 Now for this – take more of my lands,
(1, 0) 487 Of my wealth – take anything you want.
(Llywelyn) This indiscretion? Make you pay!
 
(Llywelyn) I'll also take your life.
(1, 0) 496 That's more than you would dare.
(1, 0) 497 Your anger, my Lord, is clouding your common sense.
(1, 0) 498 Every lord in France, in England and the Marches
(1, 0) 499 Would turn against you, and take up arms to challenge you
(1, 0) 500 If you dared kill me. That action
(1, 0) 501 Could ruin Gwynedd.
(Llywelyn) If the Pope himself and the whole
 
(Llywelyn) I'd still take your life.
(1, 0) 505 Oh! This isn't righteous anger
(1, 0) 506 Or wounded dignity. This is jealousy!
(1, 0) 507 Siwan, my lady, what other Princess
(1, 0) 508 In the whole of Europe has a husband who …
(Llywelyn) Shut him up men. Gag his insolence.
 
(Alis) A hand on that ladder …
(2, 0) 894 Siwan!