ACT I
The Aristocratic Richard, Duke of Aquitaine (Randy's past life)
The Aesthetic Doll, a friend of Richard (Theresa's past life)
The Bigheaded John, a young Duke of Lancaster and Richard's closest friend (Howard's past life)
The Backstabbing Edmund, a scheming Duke of York (Stevens' past life)
The Artful Henry, a young Earl of Northampton (Niall's past life)
The Kingly Thomas, the Baron Mowbray (Ken's past life)
Isabel, Queen Consort of France (Heidi's past life)
SCENE I
(London. A room in the palace.)
The young Earl Henry of Northampton, paced. He was short to say the least, shorter than John of Lancaster, and rather thin. He did not speak that much either, to hear Henry speak was rare in fact.
It was to be noted that Henry was not the firstborn son of the previous Earl of Northampton. One could imagine how his elder brother had felt when it came to being stepped over but there was a good reason for that. The man was an absolute lunatic!
He was an artful one, Henry! A good person with a mind to rival that of Ulysses! That was how people would refer to him!
Baron Thomas Mowbray then entered the room. He was a powerful man, king in all but title! However he was also quite hideous, having been born deformed but had been proven a better baron than others in his family.
"I saw you not at the tournament today, Henry!" spoke Thomas. "You should have seen, Richard! Clad in black from hook to plume like a yeoman knave! He beat everyone save for John. At first I thought it was going to be a stalemate but ultimately the disinherited Duke of Aquitaine fell! Richard was wounded but I shouldn't trust Edmund as an attendant! I trust the man as a far as I can hurl him!" Said the man who had allegedly hurled a full-grown horse.
"I was at the tournament today, Thomas. It I who wounded Richard, not that I wanted to! I aimed for the shield and got the shoulder instead." Lamented Henry.
Thomas laughed. "Ha, ha! Yes! So you were!" He continued to laugh for sometime. "However I remember you asking who that was, Richard had paid homage too!"
"And?"
"A person far below his station name Doll! However he was such a great jouster I wouldn't care if his love were a Barbary ape!"
At this point, Henry removed his glove and threw it at Thomas. "Watch your tongue, you empty headed jay! I love that girl, I know Doll well! I merely thought my eyes deceived me so needed to know if it was truly her!"
"Well, you have assurance double sure!" Thomas stroked the glove. "You have your love who does not love you and I have mine who I am most certain loves me!" The Baron sighed, a sigh full of love. He was not one who showed affection that often so seeing him do such a thing was most alarming to Henry. Henry was not usually so talkative and Thomas was rather unaffectionate… Something was afoot! "Isabel…"
"Good lord man, not that Isabel!"
"Of course that Isabel! Why not that Isabel?"
"She's married to the Dauphin of Viennois!"
"A madman: bored, sour, bumbling, incompetent, childish, unintelligent and indifferent to his own authority… Honestly, what woman deserves a husband like that?" Sound logic from Thomas! He was right of course. To leave a woman married to such a man was a fate worse than death. Henry knew not what the male equivalent of such a fate would be and he was afraid to find out. "If you help me to take care of my little… Dauphin problem, I'll help you with your little Duke problem."
Nervously, Henry nodded.
SCENE II
(London. A room in John's palace.)
John of Lancaster was a short, round man. He was good friends with Richard of Aquitaine, the brother of Isabel of France and not much else could be said. He could be a villain when it suited him, he could be a hero when it suited him. He had been the champion of the day!
Tonight, he was begrudgingly entertaining his sister. He did not like Isabel and Isabel did not like him.
"What do you know of Thomas Mowbray?" asked Isabel.
"Not much." Replied John. "Only that despite being Norman he has a fascination with the Saxon architecture." What John said was true. Thomas' mansion was a low, irregular building containing several enclosures extending over a considerable space of ground.
"Is it without defenses then?" asked Isabel.
"Certainly not!" Once again John spoke the truth. A ditch had been drawn around the whole building and filled with water from a neighboring stream. A palisade composed of pointed beams defended both outer and inner bank of the trench. To the west there was an entrance, which communicated by drawbridge. "He is a strange man, ugly too."
"I see only a man." Commented Isabel. "A good man, an interesting one."
SCENE III
(Open space near Coventry.)
To say that Richard of Aquitaine and Doll were in love would have been an understatement. The two intended to be married as soon as the King had returned from the wars.
When that would be, was anyone's guess.
While the two kissed, others were worried that the King was finding life away from England more pleasant than if he were in England.
While they kissed, a pair of eyes watched them. The eyes of Edmund of York!
Edmund was not to be trusted. He was humorous, wise, loyal… Too loyal! He knew Henry was in love with Doll just like Richard. If he could find a way to get the two to kill one another, then Edmund would have Doll all to himself!
Yes! That is exactly what would happen! This plan would work perfectly.