Scene 2 Castle Camaalis

ELIAWRAS

For less than a score I see more and more of those crucified man talismans encroach on us stealing national essence. For Branwen's Christian tongue in my lord Matholwch's ear pandering for their son Gern. Dragonfly buzzing in the Bran's ears, we lose what make us distinct. We lose our moral standing, do you not agree, Lord Albany? If everyone is brother and sister, then is

it not incest to have children or do they condone that we should
commit

such a sin? Tell me Kent.

ALBANY

I do not know thee, old man.

KENT

Why speak to me druid? Though I once succored for Branwen's

nice leg and hated Bran, who called this Camaalis Castle after
himself.

Under his rule my lands have prospered, everybody is happy with
their

share. Even if he be Christian, he is a fair and just man.

MANYDDAN

Speak one more word and I will charge you with treason.

[Enter Caradoc and Pryderi]

ELIAWRAS

[to Nissyen]

What you look at clipper of the coinage debasing their value by slicing the
metal off their edges?

NISSYEN

How did you know this, for I am watching my scapegoat Pryderi, hated like the plague of brown rats and pigs carrying away home, transfixing dogs into stone, and stealing grain stored... Justly so, since the Welshman did trick Gwawl out of a wife ... Still, the lord of the Fort of Glass teaches that
Christian-born prince the art of the fight.

ELIAWRAS

[watching Caradoc and Pryderi fencing with wooden swords]

Well played, my prince.

[to Nissyen]

What do you love? What do you hate? Tell me, Lord of Euroswyod. Given that title due to you being Bran's mother's brother, you are not all you seem -
you seek a balm called a crown and I speak not of the coins you debase.

NISSYEN

Keep your necromancy away from me! I want nothing to do with you.

PRYDERI

[fencing with Caradoc]

Good, my prince, very good. Strike at me, hard! Use your mind and

body! Make every blow count - for it could be your last.

ELIAWRES

[to Nissyen]

You lie too well, Minister Nissyen. Your only love now is that by your acts
the treasury's stories of the metals of the sun and moon are getting
lighter by mixing baser stuff there in. However, I should war you
Castwallen, when Prince Caradoc there becomes king, everything will be
put into proper account.

CARADOC

[fencing]

Yes, I will. I want my father to be proud of me. I also want what the lords want. The lords want me to learn war. My father dreams of days of making
swords into plowshares countering them. I am set apart as a prince.

NISSYEN

[to Nissyen]

Is that a threat rider of deer?

ELIAWRAS

No truths. Pure truths. If Caradoc becomes king, Christianity will flourish and the treasury's books will be balanced. However, if Prince Caradoc dies, the throne is up for grabs. Matholwch will be murdered by his wife and his son. Prince Gern will proceed here to take it. This must be so for as long
as the geese fly.

NISSYEN

[to Nissyen]

What do you want me to do about it?

ELIAWRAS

Nothing. I do not interfere. What ever you think is best, is best.

NISSYEN

Do not back out on me with this what do you want me to do?

ELIAWRAS

[to Nissyen}

Obey me in this; raise an army to fight Gern. Face him soon, immediately so
that the land can again pagan be.

[enter Falcon, invisible]

With sword, stone, cup, spear, and crown on a proper person.

PRYDERI

[fencing]

You cannot serve to masters. You must learn this if you are to be

king.

CARADOC

[fencing]

When I am king? I am told this from sun up to sunset. For it is like the pox set on my great-grandfather. Bladdud who out hunting approached a crone
rejected her, she revealed herself as Pwyll, King of the Dreaming. Pwyll spoke, "Thus you a leaper, be." When you are king," sickens me like the pox, it maddens me so did the state Bladdud, father of King Lear, was
in.

ELIAWRAS

That from the top of the city of Bath, Bladdud attempted to fly to
Leicester, where his son dwelled and fell to his right death.

FALCON

[thunder, becomes visible]

Silence, fetted viper!

[surprised, Pryderi knocks Caradoc to the floor]

Spin your webs else where; be the squirrel on some other tree.

[Exit Eliawras in fear]

TENGAU

[rushes to Caradoc's side]

Are you hurt? My prince! Struck viper- ly? Did he harm thee? If
Pryderi did, hence I will never forgive him

CARADOC

It is nothing, Tengau, nothing at all.

PRYDERI

[to Caradoc]

Never take your eyes off the enemies once, for when you do - they
shall chop you up for stew. Even for a woman you love.

[Enter King Bran]

CARADOC

What? Umm. I do not know what you are talking about.

[To Falcon]

Who are thou changeling to order Eliawras around?

FALCON

Stately, Falcon I be nothing more or less than that, I am the maker of kings. Take pride in that sacred position, for not long you will
be king. Remember that, Prince Caradoc and future Princess Tengau.

KING BRAN

Falcon, speak now to my son? What are you doing here? Why have you
never listened to my summons for counsel? Where have you been? I sent
seven riders out to find you, none ever returned.

FALCON

Of course they will not return, to know the future is to know that there is
death in this world. I have walked since the beginning of Time, dear
High King. Hecate, mother of witches, is my friend and the Fates are my mothers. Sometimes, I give crowns and glories and life. Sometimes, I take
them away. It is mine to know which and when, for I serve no king -
not even you.

CARADOC

Say that again changeling and I will have you impaled - have you looked
up to, on a stake.

TENGAU

Ya, what he said. Where ever my Caradoc goes I shall follow. For I am
his shadow, though he never sees me - I love him so more than I do
the king

FALCON

[amused]

With a wooden sword and a bride wearing blue, as if a nun, so it is true the apple does not fall far from the tree. That is why I am here, to say
this and more.

KING BRAN

Speak. Strike not, son. Strike not the blot in another's eye
until you remove the one in you own. Be free of undue emotions - anger, lust, hatred, and impiety if you are to succeed me. The peace of this realm I leave in the hands of the brave lords like thee, to be my archangels and angels. But woe on thee who thinks they shall send my son against me. Do not interfere with my rule, or I shall toss you out exiled from this realm
as Lucifer and the unfaithful was. Now speak weaver of men, tell me
what does the stars has in store for us.

FALCON

Inquire of the stars one might get false results - for the horoscopes can be very wrong, for if one knows the future one also must know of their own death. I can tell you this, High King, your brave son will avenge you. And
his love will bear many children. And very brave descendants.

CARDOC

Me? Avenge my father? Name the traitor now!

FALCON

I cannot and will not say for that will ruin what Fortune wants. I
can inform a strange occurrence in Eire, where the tyrant not a ship
lets leave on pain of death.

KING BRAN

What of that emerald land? I fear something may have happened to my sister
and her son, Gern. Tell me, Lord Falcon.

FALCON

Just Falcon, not a lord. I refuse to take any titles for it affronts my own
fortune to die at the hands of the woman I love. Woe unto that land Matholwch has found a new wife, a paragon of beauty, once love of the Hound
of Culann. Branwen, poor once princess, is mewed in a tower with no visitors save me. And in the guise of a cuckoo I provide her with food and drink, Matholwch seeks her to starve to death. Then faster than Hermes, I
winged here to tell that she suffers so.

KING BRAN

What are all you standing there? Call my councils. Call my lords! With
the lords I will shortly speak

[exit all except King Bran, Caradoc, and Falcon]

What must I do now, Falcon? She is my dear sister, the last of Lear's blood. I could not justly rob her of a husband for her son will come
one day with Devine justice and a knife to slaughter me. Then my son, will avenge me, and be cursed as well. My oath to Heaven stands that if I
break my word my bones will be the foundation of the bloodiest tower
in London-town. (1)

CARADOC

Still, still my father. Still, still my king. The tyrant has
broken his vow. So why seek his council now?

FALCON

My council, Prince is the truth, like it or not. I only tell the truth all the time unlike many men whose truths wax and wane, for that is a curse on me I set for myself. Branwen's fate is set. She will escape her cage and up to the ramparts run chased by her own son and be toss'd there
on and die in the fall. So in any case, decide or not she will die.
Good day.

[Bows, exit Falcon]

CARADOC

Father, heard you this? This demon cur does not speak the truth. My aunt is not dead is she? He lies and spreads poison like that of Eliawras, rider of
deer.

KING BRAN

Peace my son. My lords wait for me. I have decided to leave you
here to rule while I go to Ireland and meet with Matholwch - he will not refuse me. We can talk this out, peace is still an option is it not?

EXTENT

One:

Bloodiest tower - Tower of London, once tomb of King Bran.