Edmund: Did you
come alone?
Richard: As
alone as you did.
Edmund: Ah. So what do
you think, my bodyguards are probably sitting outside playing cards with your
bodyguards as we speak?
Richard: Until a few weeks ago they were on the same side.
Now they’re waiting for you to come to your senses Edmund.
Edmund: Me! Oh perhaps but I dare say some of them are trying to
remember what you look like Richard. You’ve
been quite absent of late, chasing off to America.
Richard: Yes.
And you’ve been a very busy boy haven’t you.
Edmund: That’s the blessing of being second you learn to work twice
as hard and twice as fast. Let’s
get down to business shall we? The
way I see it you probably still got the interior ministry, the mayor, the
capital, the tourism board is iffy, they need a ruler who is present to draw
trade. Ah, but then again they
would hate to lose all of those lovely postcards of you.
Richard: Yes but you could resupply them with a card of your own
right? You probably got them all
printed up and sitting in a warehouse somewhere.
Edmund: I’ve had other things on my mind. The publisher of the newspaper, the President of the National
Bank and nearly half of the council members are…
Richard: Ah, you’ll see me a minister and raise me a council member.
Edmund I didn’t like this game when we were 9 years old and now it’s
simply pathetic.
Edmund: It’s serious. Deadly
serious, Richard. I have all of the
other titled landowners on my side. They
never truly appreciated your commoner princess. Oh and now I hear you’re engaged again, can’t wait to
meet the lovely bride. Do I know
her?
Richard: Do you
have any idea what it felt like watching you go over that cliff.
Edmund: A damn
site better than it felt taking the trip I can assure you.
Richard: I wish
it was me Edmund. I really wish…
Edmund: Oh yes Richard please spare us both. I’m sure you felt the chill of Dejá
vu run through you as it did me. Slightly
different setting of course, with that first sickening thug at the base of my
skull. Looking up and seeing your
back as you walked away. I thought
to myself - wait this is all so familiar - well I survived it then and I’ll
survive it now. Get off your cross
Richard it’s not very becoming for a monarch and a bit disingenuous
considering you’ve had me hunted all over this island.
Richard:
Edmund you tried to kill my wife and my son what did you expect?
We had to find you Edmund we had to get you some help before you hurt
someone…
Edmund:
I DON’T NEED HELP!
Richard: So this is you?
This is who you want to be?
Edmund: Yes! Finally! This is me. This
is what I want. (Edmund cringes in pain)
Richard: Edmund?
Edmund:
(Grabs table) I refuse to stand
two steps behind you satisfied with whatever bits you throw my way.
Smiling as if I respect you… give a damn about you…you are a weak
willed…simpering, arrogant fool and that dear brother…(grabs
his head and falls to the floor)
Richard: EDMUND!
EDMUND! (Runs
to Edmund)
Edmund: Oh God!
Richard: Edmund tell me where the
pain is.
Edmund: No! (Pulls away from
Richard)
Richard: Edmund how long
has it been? How long has it been
back Edmund?
Edmund: That day… that day at the
cliff.
Richard:
What about before that day Edmund? What
about before that day? Right.
Of course. Well this
explains a lot about the last few months doesn’t it.
Edmund: Glad its all cleared up for
you.
Richard:
Edmund, my God do you realize what you almost did?
You almost killed a defenseless woman and a child.
Edmund:
No I… I would have freed Reva. I
got detoured as you recalled and as for…as for the boy…
Richard: THE BOY!
MY SON! Your nephew.
Edmund:
I would have sent him away Richard.
I never wanted him dead just gone… just gone somewhere else.
Richard:
Well got your wish Edmund. He
is gone. He is somewhere else and you’ll never see him again
and nor will I.
Edmund: I’m sorry.
Richard:
All right. You don’t want
me to help you. Can we get you to a doctor; you can’t endure these symptoms
much longer.
Edmund: Richard you have no idea
what I live with.
Richard:
No I don’t Edmund. I can’t, not all of it.
I know you resented me. I
know you always resented me. I know
you felt pushed away when I married Catherine but I had no idea how much.
I should have paid more attention…
Edmund: You were happy.
You were in love. You were living. You
were entitled.
Richard:
Yes. I was entitled.
I am entitled, always that. Edmund
I never considered you as second or any of that nonsense.
You were my… you were the only real friend I ever had.
I felt lucky to have a brother and then the accident. Well I …when my
horse forced yours off the track… when I caused your fall and I saw you in the
hospital in a coma all those weeks…
Edmund: I heard.
I heard you never left my room.
Richard:
Actually I did…I did leave your room. That night before you woke up
when I didn’t think you were going to make it, I left.
I was going to leave.
Edmund: The palace?
Richard:
No, San Cristobel. I was going to leave San Cristobel for good.
You were the only person in the world that I trusted Edmund.
You were the only person when I woke up in the morning I looked forward
to seeing to. You were my best
friend. You were fun and without
you I could never have survived growing up in that bloody place.
Edmund: Nor I without you.
Richard: Oh I think you probably
would have done a lot better without me.
Edmund:
Richard you’ve been better to me than anyone’s ever been in my whole
life. Well better than those people
who weren’t required to be better by law.
You weren’t expected to even notice me let alone be my friend.
And no matter what happens I’ll…I’ll always love you for that.
Richard:
Edmund that wasn’t a favour I was doing for you.
I needed you and I know you may not believe this but if there was one
thing worse than not having any of fathers attention perhaps it was having all
of it.
Edmund:
Our father was a great ruler. He
had a great vision for this country. He
understood his duties…
Richard: Listen to you.
You’re spouting his party line about…
Edmund: He understood…
Richard:
…San Cristobels importance in the world order.
You must be joking. SAN
CRISTOBEL IS JUST A SMALL COUNTRY. THAT
NOBODY CARES ABOUT EXCEPT FOR YOU AND I AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON IT!
I can’t believe that you’re swallowing all that rot that he shoved
down our throats.
Edmund: He had his priorities!
Richard:
AND YOU WERE NOT ONE OF THEM. My
God Edmund I can’t believe you’re defending the man.
It’s time that one of us says it.
The man was a harsh man and he was wrong…about many things.
And the thing he was probably most wrong about was you. Now you can’t change that by becoming him.
Please don’t become him Edmund. You
are better than that and you always have been.
Edmund: Still sure about that are
you?
Richard:
Yeah I’m sure about it and this ends here Edmund. It’s time for you
to come home. (Holds his hand out to
Edmund)
Edmund: Little late for this
don’t you think?
Richard: Edmund the country needs
both of us and we will rule it together.
Edmund: What about your new bride?
Richard:
Oh come on there is no bride. That
was just Dax trying to appease some delegates, its going to be you and I.
Edmund: We'll rule the country
together?
Richard:
Yes that’s what I want Edmund. There’s
a lot of great things coming up. I
got some new business coming into the island and it’s going to take a lot of
my time and I’m going to need your help you know to take over some of my
duties.
Edmund: Ceremonial duties you mean?
Richard: Well yes…well no. Yes I
mean they’ll be more than that. You’ll
have a place.
Edmund: Ah, a place.
Richard: Yes a place with me,
helping me.
Edmund:
Do you think that I am a complete fool.
I’ve had a place my whole life. I
know what that means. You want to
shove me off in a corner somewhere and keep an eye on me.
Trot me out for state occasions but you’ll never really trust me again.
Richard:
You earn trust Edmund and you will earn it.
But you know when we sort all this out you will be my full partner in
running this country but its going to take some time.
We have to make sure you’re recovered from these injuries.
Edmund: Ah, again?
Richard: Yes again Edmund.
You’ve done it before you will do it again.
Edmund:
How…How can you feel safe around me again?
How can I feel trustworthy that I…that I won’t…
Richard:
You won’t…you won’t Edmund. Now
you were fine…you were fine for years. You
can do this it’s in your power. It’s
time for you to come home. This is
best for both of us.
Edmund:
Best? Well maybe it’s not
best for either of us. (Goes to drawer and
pulls out a gun) There’s
still another plan. (Points gun at
Richard)
Richard: Edmund you think this is
going to get you what you want? Fine.
Go ahead shoot!
Edmund: You don’t believe I’ll
do it.
Richard:
I believe you’re capable of anything right now Edmund even something as
destructive as this.
Edmund: Destructive.
Oh there’s a word for it. I’m
going to end your miserable life...
Richard: You’d only be ending
yours.
Edmund: The only thing that would
kill me is listening to you. Believing
you’d ever truly understand. That
you’d take me back. That’d you
ever be willing to share power with me.
Richard: The problem is Edmund that
you think that this is real power.
Edmund: Oh it’s powerful enough
to get what I want.
Richard: No one can give you what
you want Edmund and you can’t take it by force.
Edmund: Oh, well let’s find out.
I want the throne and your gonna give it to me not because you cared
about me or the country but because for all the strong jawed nobility your
trying to muster here, you don’t want to die.
Because if you do you know you will never see your precious Reva again.
Oh well I guess I was wrong.
Richard: Edmund wait.
Edmund: I knew it. All I had to say
was the magic word. Reva.
Richard: I can see now that we
can’t rule together. I’m
perfectly willing to forgive you but you…you want to be crown prince don’t
you? And as long as you want to be
crown prince well that hunger is going to poison you and it’s going to make
you blind to everything that could have made you’re life happy. So I’m taking away that option.
Edmund: You’re what?
Richard: I’m banishing you Edmund.
We’ll make sure you’re taken care of but you won’t be able to set
foot on San Cristobel ever again.
Edmund: You know I’ve really
never admired you more. The gall.
In 2 minutes you’ll be dead and you’re telling me…
Richard: No Edmund.
I won’t be dead. You can’t do it.
Edmund: What? Your loyal subjects would rise up would they?
No Richard you’re going to be the victim of a tragic hunting accident.
And they won’t know the difference I’ll see to that.
Richard: You won’t do it.
Edmund: Why are you so sure of
that?
Richard: Because everything I told
you today is the truth Edmund. And
if you killed me you’d be killing the only person in the whole world who truly
loved you. (Richard walks towards the door Edmund fires at the door)
Edmund you’re a much better shot than that.
Richard: Nor I with you.
(Edmund
starts to leave with his men)
Richard: Edmund don’t do this.
EDMUND?
Edmund: This isn’t over Richard.