Scene 1:
[Enter Morgase, Gaebril, Gawyn, and Galad]
Morgase: I can understand thy sorrow, Gawyn.
The death of thy sister on the River
Erinin has left us all in the depths
Of despair. Woe unto those who drowned her!
Gaebril: Do not doubt that we will shower honor
On her when they bring her corpse upriver.
Yet in this dark night we do have cause of
Rejoicing, do we not sweet Queen Morgase?
Morgase: Yes, our marriage has brought joy to my life
But forgive me for the tears I shed on
Thy pillow.
Gaebril: Think naught of it dear woman.
Soon greater joy shall come, when triumphal
Andor shall conquer Cairhien. None can hope
To stop us. Andor triumphant will grow
In might, in riches, in fame, in glory.
Weep not, my Queen. Our future shines splendid.
Morgase: Yes, so why should thy soul dwell in the vale
Of distress and grief, dear Gawyn? Tell me.
Thou didst desire to speak with me, son.
What wouldst thou have me do for thee?
Gawyn: Mother
I desire to return to the White
Tower. Mayhaps there I can forget my
Sorrow and find joy once more in my life.
Morgase: It grieves me to say this but I cannot
Let thee return at this time. I need thee
By my side to help us through the crisis.
Galad, thou art silent. How doest thou?
Galad: I am still finding my way after the
Past month's hurricane. But I shall survive.
Whate'er thou wantest me to do, I will.
Morgase: We praise thy valor, Galad. Certainly
We shall need it in the future. Anon.
Time doth stop for no one. The day grows short
And we must attend to affairs of state.
[exeunt all except Gawyn]
Gawyn: Affairs of state, foh! What are they to me?
Peasant, and slave am I, counted as dross.
O that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew.
By mine oath, I was bound to Elayne to
Save her from e'en the River's horrific
Fate that has snatched her from our tender care.
Never queen will she be. And I am of
The same use as the rotting corpse beneath.
Is this a dagger I see before me
Leading me to slice open my own throat?
I am going mad. And I have cause! Why
Did mother have to marry that scheming
Gaebril? How could she fall for the villain?
Frailty, thy name is woman! Soon Andor
Will take laws from a King and not a Queen.
And I can do nothing, for she will not
Heed the counsel of a boy such as I.
I should hurl myself to the earth. But soft.
I hear the Guards' footsteps running this way.
They must not stop me in this, my purpose.
[enter Queen's Guards]
How now brave soldiers? What news dost thou bring?
Guard 1: Hail Lord Gawyn. We bring news of our watch.
Gawyn: Say on.
Guard 1: Last week passed in tranquility
Save for an occurance thrice seen by us.
Gawyn: What sort of an "occurance", do you say?
Is't friend or foe?
Guard 1: Well, how shall we say it?
Guard 2: We have seen the spirit of thy sister,
The Lady Elayne walking at midnight.
Gawyn: My sister Elayne? Art thou sure? How so?
Guard 1: Her countenance is the same as the one
Reflected in her mirror months gone by.
Guard 2: Thrice now we have seen her. If thou dost doubt
Watch with us this night in our hall and see
That she dost not appear before thine eyes.
Gawyn: How can it be so? Yet strange things we saw
This year. Sudden spring after long winter.
Rumors of heroes in Falme. Why not this?
I shall come and solve this riddle tonight.
[Exeunt all. Enter Graendal from hiding place]
Graendal: Rahvin, thrice times one thousand years hath not
Daunted thy love of women. It doth not
Surprise me that thou didst choose to come here
And marry the Queen. And from this lofty
Peak I shall thrust thee. Thou didst die the day
Thou didst attempt to compel me. Revenge
Is now mine. Thy plot on the Daughter-Heir
Shall be thy undoing. Her ghost made with
Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Shall reveal thy secret to the young prince.
Yes, Gawyn shall reveal thee, and I shall
Kill thee. And after he hast done me this
Service, I shall demand a pound of flesh
From him. No one insults women and lives.
[Exeunt]