Scene 9 – Meanwhile…back at the Palace

(The King and Queen enter, followed by courtiers and Bert. They sit on their thrones.)

King:            You’ve searched every inch of the palace?

Courtier 1:  Yes, my lord.

King:             And the gardens?

Courtier 2:  Yes, my lord.

King:             Blacksmith!

Bert:             Your majesty –

King:             She’s not been with you?

Bert:             I have not seen her since I gave her the sword, your majesty.

King:             Well, this is all very tiresome. (Pause) I suppose I will have to organise a search party.

                      Where would she go? (Pause) Blacksmith, you are her closest friend, where would she

                      go?

Bert:             I have no idea, my lord, we never discussed such things.

King:             What did you discuss?

Bert:            Weapons and wars, mostly –

King:             I see. Not helpful.

Queen:        What did you expect her to discuss with a Blacksmith? The best silk fabric for a summer

                      frock? For goodness’ sake!

King:            Does she have other friends? Confidants?

(Pause)

Queen:        Apparently not.

King:            Where do you think she might have gone, my Queen?

Queen:        As far away from here as possible…my King.

King:             What do you mean? Wasn’t she happy?

Queen:         Of course, she wasn’t happy!

King:             Why not? Have I not lavished her with the best money can buy? Beautiful gowns –

Queen:         Hanging, untouched in her wardrobe –

King:             Designer shoes –

Queen:          Still in their boxes –

King:             Countless tiaras –

Queen:         I have no idea where they are.

Courtier 1:   I couldn’t help but notice the royal sheep looking very regal, this morning.

King:             Outrageous behaviour! What more could a princess want?

Queen:         A toolbelt, a sword, a little freedom and someone to believe in her – cheap at the price.

King:             I don’t understand, you’re a girl, well, woman and you’ve never wanted any of those

                       things.

Queen:          How do you know? Have you ever asked?

(An embarrassed silence follows, finally interrupted by the king)

King:              Blacksmith, I command you to make a jolly nice sword fit for my Queen. (To Courtier 1)

                       Ask the royal seamstresses to fashion a golden tool belt that the Queen may wear over

                        her gown.

Queen:          I don’t want a sword or a tool belt!

King:              Well, it would appear, I can’t do right for doing wrong! What do you want?

Queen:          I want to have my daughter back so I can apologise.

King:              Apologise for what?

Queen:          Squashing her. Trying to make her fit into a mould of my making. Not letting her be her

                        own person; not believing in her. When she was a little girl, I told her she would grow up to

                         be big and strong and could be whatever she wanted to be; then when she was a big,

                         strong girl, I took those dreams away and shackled her with silly rules and low

                        expectations. I tried to turn her into a pointless princess. I want my clever, funny, unusual princess back.                              (The Queen begins to sob) I’ve let her down so badly; we both have.

King:               I will send out men to the end of the earth, to find her and bring her back to you, to us.

                         Prepare the royal army!

Courtier 1:     Prepare the royal army!

Courtier 2:     Prepare the -

Queen:           No! I have a better idea.

King:                Really, my dear?

Queen:            Yes… we do nothing.

King:                Nothing?

Queen:            Nothing. We leave her be and let her come back when she is ready.

King:                But she might be in danger; she might get hurt. I need to protect her and keep her safe –

                          she is my princess -

Queen:            She is my princess too; my brave princess who doesn’t need to be saved. We must

                          believe in her.

(Pause)

King:                 Stand down the royal army!

Courtier 1:      Stand down the royal army!

King:                 My Queen –

Queen:            Yes, my King?

King:                What if she never comes back?

Queen:            She’ll come back; stronger, much stronger. Have faith, my King.

(The Queen, Bert and Courtiers exit leaving the King sitting alone on his throne.)

Waves (by Dean Lewis)

King

There is a swelling storm
And I'm caught up in the middle of it all
And it takes control
Of the person that I thought I was
The boy I used to know

But there is a light
In the dark, and I feel its warmth
In my hands and my heart
Why can't I hold on?

It comes and goes in waves
It always does, always does
We watch as our young hearts fade
Into the flood, into the flood

The freedom of falling
A feeling I thought was set in stone
It slips through my fingers
I'm trying hard to let go
It comes and goes in waves
It comes and goes in waves
And carries us away

Through the wind
Down to the place we used to lay when we were kids
Memories of a stolen place
Caught in the silence
An echo lost in space

It comes and goes in waves
It always does, it always does
We watch as our young hearts fade
Into the flood, into the flood

A feeling I thought was set in stone
It slips through my fingers
I'm trying hard to let go
It comes and goes in waves
It comes and goes in waves
And carries us away

I watched my wild youth
Disappear in front of my eyes
Moments of magic and wonder
It seems so hard to find
Is it ever coming back again?
Is it ever coming back again?
Take me back to the feeling when
Everything was left to find

It comes and goes in waves
It always does, oh it always does

And the freedom of falling
A feeling I thought was set in stone
It slips through my fingers
I'm trying hard to let go
It comes and goes in waves
It comes and goes in waves
And carries us away.