#Cordelia King ; introductions | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

afterair · 2 years

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃

DIABOLIK LOVERS + INTRODUCTION.

❬ WORD COUNT: ❭ 3000

❬ WARNINGS: ❭ Mention of sexual and mental abuse , neglect , manipulation , experimentation , human sacrafice and metaphorical mentions / canon backstory of the Sakamaki household : all information gathered from anime , games and wikipedia.

sakamaki - ' reverse winding '

EVE / THE CHURCH BRIDE

' 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄. 𝐍𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒, 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄. 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐊, 𝐒𝐎 𝐈 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄 '

𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈 𝐘𝐔𝐈 ⎯⎯ ( 小森ユイ )

' Komori Yui ' , the last known ( living ) sacrificial bride , ' Eve '

She was bought to the Sakamaki household at Karlheinz will , he wishes for her to choose one of his sons to become Adam - later killing him and becoming the king and queen of the demonic world.

a short young women with curly platinum blonde hair and sherbet-pink coloured eyes. Komori Yui is often seen wearing a button-up dress shirt with a frilly neckline with her black school blazer over the top , beneath her blazer is a white bow that rests through the V shaped neckline of the vest she wears with another bow coloured red , tied to her neck above the other bow.

Komori Yui can rarely be found by herself , even in the bathroom - there is a vampire on the other side waiting ( sometimes ) , but she can be found by following a vampire. At the Sakamaki mansion, she can be found in her bedroom or with a vampire. ( if in doubt , find a vampire )

Komori Yui is an extremely unlucky young woman. Komori Seiji is her adopted father , taking her in after being given to him by Sakamaki Richter - Karlheinz’s brother , Sakamaki Ritcher was also the lover of Cordelia and after her being pushed from the balcony , at her request : he cut out her heart and implanted it into the Eve. When Komori Yui was seventeen , she was told that her father was moving abroad and she was to be sent to Japan to live with another family , she later finds out that she was adopted when she finds Komori Seiji’s diary and , that she was given as a sacrifice.

Has multiple nicknames - is nicknamed by ,

Sakamaki Ayato , ' Pancake / Breastless ' : Chichinashi

Sakamaki Raito , ' Little Bitch ' : Bitch-chan

Mukami Ruki , ' Livestock ' : Kachiku

Mukami Kou , ' Masochistic Kitten ' : M Neko-Chan

Mukami Yuma , ' Sow ' : Mesubuta

Mukami Azusa and Karlheinz , ' Eve '

MENIS / THE SON OF WRATH

' 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 , 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐙𝐙 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄. '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐔 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻スバル )

' Sakamaki Subaru ' , the sixth born son and the youngest legitimate child.

He is the youngest of the Sakamaki brothers , he is the only son of Christa ( third wife ) and Karlheinz and has no siblings.

a pale man with light-lavender hair that reached below his ears , shades of deep rouge filling his eyes with a slight pinkish hue. Sakamaki Subaru wears a silver necklace with a tight black shirt and a longer white shirt beneath with rips that hang over his hips , he wears the school blazer over the top with the sleeves just below his elbows where a small silver looped chain rests on the bottom left side of his jacket.

Sakamaki Subaru can be spotted alone in the back of his classes or alone in the cafeteria with a scowl on his face. Or , at the Sakamaki household , he can be spotted in the gardens or the greeting room ( he will never be there for long )

Sakamaki Subaru is known as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴡʀᴀᴛʜ because of his quick temper when it comes to ‘ mild annoyances. ‘ As a child , Sakamaki Subaru was doomed from the beginning and any prospects of having a happy childhood were taken before his birth , his mother , Christa was mentally ill and bipolar because of her husband / cousin ( however , she often thought of him as her ‘ kind big brother. ‘ ) Karlheinz sought out his cousin , Christa , in order to conduct an experiment on incest born children and when she learnt of this - she began to hate and love her husband as he was ‘ her kind big brother ‘ and the man that dirtied her , while loathing her unborn son because he was ‘ something impure that could ruin her beauty. ‘ When ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴡʀᴀᴛʜ was born , Christa demonstrated extremely destructive traits and often belittled and degraded her son , calling him a ‘filthy abomination ‘ and asking him to kill her repeatedly to be done with her life - because of the degradation , Sakamaki Subaru grew up believing he was unwanted and a monster. For a long time , the youngest son believed it to be his father’s fault that his mother was ‘ broken ‘ and tried to protect her , when he did so - she slapped him across the face and ran into her cousin’s arms : demonstrating that at that moment , she was not entirely influenced by Karlheinz and giving her son trust issues , making him believe all women were ‘ two-faced ‘ or liars. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴡʀᴀᴛʜ soon began to believe that she simply hated him and did not ever want him , he was only a monster to her - because of the lack of support and refusing his ideologies , he turned to anger to deal with his sadness and is extremely destructive.

EPITHUMIA / THE SON OF LUST

' 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒. '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐎 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻ライト )

' Sakamaki Laito ' , the fifth born son , regarded as the ' perverted brother '

He is the youngest born triplet of Cordelia ( first wife ) and Karlheinz , Younger brother to Sakamaki Ayato and Sakamaki Kanato.

a slender man with shoulder-length reddish coloured hair that faded into a lighter blonde and shares the same piercing green eyes as his older brother, Sakamaki Ayato ; he is often seen with a fedora pulled above his eyes , slanting down and a grin on his face. His uniform consists of a black jacket with faux fur imbedded into the hood , an unbutton dress shirt ,and a skinny , black tie around the collar.

Sakamaki Raito can be found by listening to the moans or elated screams of the young women and men who follow him around. He can be seen wandering hallways or sitting in his selected classes. In the Sakamaki mansion , he can be heard playing his piano or watching over the household from shadowed corners.

Sakamaki Raito is regarded as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ʟᴜꜱᴛ because of his lewd actions and perverted mindset which was evidently , caused by his mother. As a child , Sakamaki Ratio was the firstborn son but soon had two younger brothers - he became the youngest triplet due to japans culture. Sakamaki Ratio had a lot of free time as a child because he had no ‘ responsibilities ‘ like his brothers during the day , but , as Sakamaki Raito got older - Cordelia found a different ‘ use ‘ of him. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ʟᴜꜱᴛ and Cordelia began an incestuous relationship when the youngest triplet became of age , Cordelia used sexual and mental manipulation to believe that the intimate touches that they shared , were acts of love. Sakamaki Raito never outright told anyone but , ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴘʀɪᴅᴇ had suspicions. However , their father - Karlheinz , quickly found out , ( most probably by Cordelia teasing the relationship to gain some sort of jealous reaction from her unaffected husband ) and punished the young boy by forcing him to remain in the dungeons : Cordelia sought to break her children’s minds and make them succumb to her whims out of devotion and started to make Sakamaki Raito jealous when she visited the dungeons to torment her son , saying she had ‘ found another ‘ and was having ‘ entertainments ‘ with someone else ( demonstrating to Sakamaki Raito that he was not special and she was not his lover , against his own thoughts. ) This was further pushed when she had these ' entertainments ' in front of him , this caused Sakamaki Raito's warped perception of love. When Cordelia had relations with other people , he saw that as cheating on him and often killed them out of jealousy , later on gifting them to Sakamaki Kanato to mutilate. Once Cordelia was reaching her end by the eldest triplet’s hands , she ran to ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ʟᴜꜱᴛ for him to save her : she stated that she only had love for her husband and she would kill him , as he would kill her - ( killing a vampire , as a vampire , is an ultimate form of love ) this caused for Sakamaki Raito to push her off of a balcony and down to the gardens , where she was burnt by the second born triplet.

ADEPHAGIA / THE SON OF GLUTTONY

' 𝐌𝐘 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐄 , 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐌𝐄. '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻カナト )

' Sakamaki Kanato ' , the fourth born son , and owner of a room full of wax brides.

He is the second born triplet of Cordelia ( first wife ) and Karlheinz , Younger brother to Sakamaki Ayato and older brother to Sakamaki Laito.

a short boy with light purple hair and the eyes to match : Sakamaki Kanato has dark under-eyes and an uncomfortable smile normally plastered on his face. His clothes that are typically worn are a white vintage dress shirt with a ruff styled collar , and dark plum waistcoat

He is never seen without his beloved teddy bear , ' Teddy ' .

Sakamaki Kanato can be found inside his classes at the designated times as he isn't big on causing trouble unless insulted at Ryoutei Academy. However , at the Sakamaki household , Sakamaki Kanato can be found in his own room or his private room - where he keeps his wax figures.

Sakamaki Kanato is nicknamed as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ɢʟᴜᴛᴛᴏɴʏ because he is a glutton for being the sole focus of somebodies attention. During Sakamaki Kanatos’s childhood , he was desperate for a sliver of attention from his mother since he never received it no matter what act of desperation he performed - however , he was only called upon when Cordelia wanted him to sing ‘ Scarborough fair ‘ for her ( only asked for him to sing because it aroused her ) which he did , happily. Cordelia however , often had affairs with different men in order to get Karlheinz’s attention and at some point in time , Cordelia received a ‘ teddy ‘ bear from a lover and gave it to her second-born, this led to ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ɢʟᴜᴛᴛᴏɴʏ becoming infatuated with the gift and separating himself from his brothers. Sakamaki Kanato , like his brothers - soon began to resent Cordelia because she did not shower him in affection , because of this resentment; he helped his brothers in finishing her off when Sakamaki Ayato was hunting her and Sakamaki Raito threw her off of the balcony - he found her battered body and lit her alight with a flame.

" Hysteric " ( ヒステリック- Hisuterikku ) - Sakamaki Ayato

HUPEREPHANOS / THE SON OF PRIDE

' 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓𝐎 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻アヤト )

' Sakamaki Ayato ' , the third born , household troublemaker and refers to himself as ' ORE - SAMA '

Eldest triplet son of Cordelia ( first wife ) and Karlheinz , Older brother to Sakamaki Laito and Sakamaki Kanato.

a tall boy with reddish coloured hair and piercing green eyes and a small stud in his right ear ; is often seen with an undone red tie wrapped around his fair neck. His uniform consists of a half done-up cotton shirt , a black blazer and black pants with the right leg pulled to his knee.

Sakamaki Ayato can always be found yelling in a classroom , ridiculing those who insulted his strength , in the cookery room trying to force a student to make him his favourite dish if he cannot find Komori Yui or , in the gym hall - showing off to anyone who would watch. However , in the Sakamaki mansion , he can often be found in the living room with his ' younger ' brothers : plotting a prank or berating them for taking humour in his self appointed nickname ' Ore - Sama '.

Sakamaki Ayato is seen as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴘʀɪᴅᴇ because of his attitude towards others and his brothers. During his ‘ adult ‘ life , Sakamaki Ayato has presented himself as a narcissistic troublemaker with an acumen for others’ misery however , this was all caused by his mother because of the responsibility she threw onto his young shoulders. Sakamaki Ayato was a very blunt young boy and would often complain to his mother’s face when separated from his ‘ younger ‘ brothers and was forced into studies without further argument ( similar to how the ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ꜱʟᴏᴛʜ was treated by his own mother ) as he was desperate for Cordelia's affection and praise. Soon , because of all the neglect and psychological abuse - his need and desperation for pride was tainted and his views on Cordelia became abhorrent , this lead to him hunting down Cordelia and injuring her - she later on died by his brothers hands.

' worthless boys must spend eternity at the cold, damp, bottom of the lake, all alone where no one can help them ' - Cordelia : ( his punishment was often being dropped to the bottom of the lake , this is how his fear of water ( thalassophobia / aquaphobia ) was developed.

PHTHONOS / THE SON OF ENVY

' 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐓 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃 '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐉𝐈 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻レイジ )

' Sakamaki Reiji ' , the second born , self appointed ' manager ' of the Sakamaki household and works as the heir , a job that Sakamaki Shuu should be partaking in.

son to Beatrix ( second wife )and Karlheinz , Younger brother to Sakamaki Shuu.

a slender young man with dark plum hair ( fades to blonde at the tips ) and pale magenta eyes ; is often seen with a pair of white gloves on and rectangular glasses with silver frames. His outfit is typically formal wear that consists of a black shirt , a grey toned vest and deep plum waistcoat paired with a purple string neck tie.

Sakamaki Reiji can always be found in his classroom at the correct times or patrolling the hallways looking for his brothers if he has no obligations , making sure the Sakamaki name is not tarnished and does not provide an unwelcome visit or scolding off of his father. In the Sakamaki mansion , he can often be found in his room with his chemical instruments and drinking tea or reading a book in a sitting room , away from his elder brother.

The antisocial pessimist , Sakamaki Reiji is seen as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴇɴᴠʏ because of his childhood and how he was treated by Beatrix. Sakamaki Reiji is an ambitious man and so , as a child , he was encouraged to study by his mother to become the best ' right-hand man ' his elder brother could have - ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴇɴᴠʏ felt shadowed in his brother’s glow and that he could never match up to Sakamaki Shuu in his mother’s eyes. Sakamaki Reiji developed a deep loathing for his older brother throughout his childhood because he never received the attention and dedication that his brother received from their mother and decided , in a fit of half thought out jealousy , sought out to burn Edgar’s village to the ground. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴇɴᴠʏ felt that this would gain the praise of his mother and recite some sort of responsibility onto his brother , to show him how careless he was. However , this had adverse effects and didn’t alter the relationship between himself and his mother , this caused a bitter taste to settle on the second borns conscious so , he then sought to be rid of his mother and hired a vampiric hunter to be rid of his mother and hired a vampiric hunter to be rid of her. She died with a proud smile on her face.

" tableware otaku " ( セブングラス shichisan megane ) - Sakamaki Ayato : ( collects tea sets and tableware )

ACEDIA / THE SON OF SLOTH

' 𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄 '

𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐔 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ( 逆巻シュウ )

' Sakamaki Shuu' , the eldest brother , the heir to the Sakamaki household , and master of the Sakamaki mansion.

son to Beatrix ( second wife ) and Karlheinz , Older brother to biological brother Sakamaki Reiji.

a young man with curled blonde hair and light blue eyes ; constantly has earphones in his ears and is seen with his MP3 player ( attached to a wire that is wrapped around his pale neck ) , his outfit is typically a beige sweater and unbuttoned white dress shirt with his school blazer over the top, resting on his shoulders ; like a blanket.

Sakamaki Shuu is often found asleep in two places - on a stairwell or more likely , the music room in a far back corner of the school as he is never interrupted by other students in Ryoutei Academy , he is also surrounded by instrument's he can play at his will. However , at the Sakamaki mansion , he is often seen in his bathtub or the living room - asleep with his earphones in to silence the ruckus of his brothers.

Sakamaki Shuu is regarded as ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ꜱʟᴏᴛʜ because of his mannerisms and regular attitude throughout his adult life. As a child , his mother Beatrix saw him as a ' win ' in the competition with the first wife , this led to Beatrix pushing Sakamaki Shuu to become barricaded with responsibilities and lessons - as a result of this , he often ran to the village where he became friends with a young human boy , Edgar , who was a source of peace for the young master. Beatrix became deeply upset whenever her eldest ran away and this caused the second-born son , seeking her approval and out of pure jealousy , to burn the human boys village to the ground. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ꜱʟᴏᴛʜ watched his friend desperately run to save his parents and never come back out , this caused the eldest fear of fire ' pyrophobia ' and , he soon began to develop his own world of comforts to soothe the ache of his best friend - he quickly shut himself off from his family and developed a apathetic view on the world and didn’t concern himself on mortal concerns.

" good-for-nothing " ( 役に立たない - Yakunitatanai ) - Sakamaki Reiji

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alucard-and-dracula-askblog · 7 months

Note

There’s the sound of a scuffle in the foyer. And a man cries out.

“I told you not to manhandle me. I told you twice! Now you sit there and think about how you treat women!”

And then a blonde woman walks into the room. Her arms crossed over her chest.

“He won’t see you without an introduction.” Comes the weak answer.

“Well if he’s any type of gentleman I think he will.” She tosses back over her shoulder.

She fixes her hair and looks waaaaaaaay up at the tall dark haired man. Her eyes widen. And if it were possible she would have paled.

“Pardon the scuffle. Somebody had to teach that egg some manners…How do you do Mr. Dracula I assume?” She offers her hand for a handshake.

@cordelia-brown

Dracula stares down at the tiny woman, his expression hard to read. "Formal introductions aren't necessary if she's willing to kick a vampire lord in the groin, blonde spitfires get priority, learned that lesson with my late wife," he says, not shaking her hand though. "I'm afraid I'm abstaining from hand shaking with the recent flu outbreak, miss, my son is half human after all and medicine took a deep dive among mortals five centuries ago. You may simply refer to me as Dracula, as I am no Mr, I am a king if you must use titles. And you are?"

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longitudinalwaveme · 2 years

Text

Before the Storm: My Ambitious and Possibly Foolish Attempt to Write a Prequel to Shakespeare's King Lear

This play is a prequel of sorts to Shakespeare's King Lear, a play that I've always really enjoyed. I have no delusions about being able to match the original in terms of characterization, theme, tone, or writing style, as I am certainly not Shakespeare, but I hope that my exploration of a potential backstory to the events of the play is at least entertaining and enjoyable to other fans of the play.

The play is written in what is my best attempt at convincing Early Modern English. I've tried hard to match the grammar and word choice that would fit the period, but I'm sure I've made some slip-ups here and there. Feel free to correct any errors in the comments!

There will however be no blank verse in the play. I briefly attempted to write it, realized that I would be unable to balance plot, characterization, reasonably convincing Early Modern English, AND blank verse with any success, and chose to just write the dialogue in prose.

Most of the anachronisms seen here are the result of the fact that King Lear is set in what is supposed to be, based on his sources, a very ancient pre-Roman-Conquest England, but also has Dukes of Albany and Cornwall (Dukes, from what I understand, came to England during the Norman invasion, long after the Romans), apparently a St. Bethlehem hospital (Edgar mentions "Bedlam beggars" and the mental hospital in question wasn't established until the 1400s), Greek and Roman gods that obviously would not have been part of the pre-Roman conquest religious system of England, and one very medieval-to-Renaissance era court jester. The point is, I don't have the foggiest idea of when King Lear is actually supposed to be taking place beyond "probably sometime before the then-present of 1605-1607", and so just ended up setting my play in the same weird pagan-but-medieval-but-also-some-Renaissance time abyss we see in the original play. Feel free to call me out on any inappropriate post-Renaissance references or word choices though.

With that very long introduction out of the way, I hope you enjoy “Before the Storm”!

Dramatis Personae

King Lear: The temperamental and autocratic ruler of an England that is trapped somewhere between 500 BC and 1605 AD. At 77, he’s already advanced in years, but acts like a man half his age.

Maglanus, Duke of Albany: The son of a second son, he inherited his duchy unexpectedly and feels rather unprepared for the role. He’s meek and mild-mannered, but extremely wealthy and in possession of considerable political power. 21 years old.

Henninus, Duke of Cornwall: An aggressive young firebrand; inherited the duchy upon the death of his father. Although barely 17, he’s one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.

The Earl of Gloucester: One of Lear’s closest friends and advisors. He always tells Lear what he wants to hear and is a bit gullible, but he’s generally affable and well-liked. 72 years old.

The Earl of Kent: Lear’s other closest advisor. He’s blunt and plain-spoken but always has good advice (when Lear opts to actually listen to it). 60 years old.

Edgar: Gloucester’s eleven-year-old son. He’s cheerful and good-natured. Rarely seen without his pet dog.

Edmund: Gloucester’s ten-year-old bastard son. He’s briefly been called home from his sojourn abroad so that he can attend the upcoming royal wedding. Quiet and observant.

The Fool: An uncannily intelligent peasant boy of 13 years; recently hired by King Lear for his comedic skills and biting wit. He’s very fond of the Princess Cordelia.

Princess Goneril: King Lear’s eldest daughter. She’s every bit as imposing and imperious as her father. Cold and calculating, Goneril is already an expert at the political game and plays it as ruthlessly as any man. She is 19 years old and her father is seeking a suitably wealthy and influential husband for her.

Princess Regan: King Lear’s second daughter. Passionate and impulsive, she has her father’s temper. Woe betide anyone who angers her. She’s also engaged in a tempestuous love affair with Henninus. 16 years old.

Princess Cordelia: King Lear’s youngest–and favorite–daughter. Sweet and good-natured, Cordelia is nevertheless every bit as strong-willed as her two older sisters. She doesn’t speak much, but when she does, it’s always something worth listening to. She spends a lot of time outside climbing trees on the castle grounds (much to the dismay of the ladies of the court). 13 years old.

Lydia, the Dowager Duchess of Cornwall: The mother of Henninus; widowed when her son was quite young. Until fairly recently she governed in her son’s name. She’s immensely proud of her son. Aged 50.

Lady Martha: The mother of Maglanus, she’s still grieving the deaths of her brother-in-law, nephews, and husband. While pleased that her son has inherited such a lofty position, she is horrified by the fact that the King seeks to have her son marry his eldest daughter. Aged 47.

Lords, ladies, knights, servants, messengers

Act 1

Scene 1: The Court of King Lear

Enter Lady Martha and the Dowager Duchess

Lady Martha: Were he not our lord the King, I would swear that Lear is mad to govern his daughters thus!

Duchess: ‘Tis true, lady. Could his wife the queen—Jove bless her soul!---see how he hath raised her daughters, she wouldst have some cause for weeping.

Lady Martha: Then he hath mismanaged their care long?

Duchess: Aye.

Lady Martha: Wherefore hath he done so?

Duchess: Our lord the King doted on his wife almost to idolatry. When she lay dying, he, half-mad from grief, grasped her small white hands in his and swore that he should never take another wife, for Jove had not created another woman such as she. His wisest and most cunning advisors and ministers, including my lord the Duke of Cornwall, urged him not to promise such a thing, for he was still without a male heir, but the King, ever sure in his own authority, refused. To his daughters he declared a kingdom for a dowry and inheritance in one, and thereby did the matter end.

Lady Martha: Were there no ladies of the court who wouldst take on the honor of tutoring the princesses in the womanly arts?

Duchess: There were, and ladies from the courts of France and Spain as well. But our lord the King would have none of it. His bloodline must needs possess the throne forever, so his daughters would be brought up to rule and to reign. Since their tenderest years, they have been taught languages and government and mathematics, history and tactics, by learned tutors just as though they were princes!

Lady Martha: What of needlework, music, and dance? What of managing a household? Doth our lord the King not know that such things will be needful for his daughters when they must wed?

Duchess: He hath ever but little concerned himself with the duties of women, and so hath never had his daughters instructed in such matters. Methinks he hath truly forgotten that his wife’s daughters cannot be his sons. The Lady Cordelia dances and sings in a manner untrained, but that is all.

Lady Martha: And thus at nineteen, the Lady Goneril is yet a stranger to the marriage bed.

Duchess: Though that shall soon be rectified. Our Lord the King hath of late been weighing carefully all the nobles in the land to find simultaneously a lord for his daughter and a consort for his heir.

Lady Martha: Who wouldst pledge their son in marriage to such a woman? ‘Twould be as though they married a king rather than a wife!

Duchess: With a dowry of a kingdom, who wouldst not? Men as well as women can marry into greatness.

Lady Martha: You say such only because your son is yet too young to wed.

Duchess: He hath reached his majority and rules his estate in his own name. If he is old eno to rule, he is of an age to wife.

Lady Martha: And you wouldst let his wife be a woman raised to be a king? A woman who barely remembers a mother’s touch and knows not the womanly virtues?

Duchess: Gladly. The Lady Goneril hath no gentleness, but cunning and patience she hath, and that in abundance. And though she manages servants more as a prince than as a lady, she manages them well. She wouldst be a fair match for my hot-blooded son…which is indeed more than can be said for her sisters.

Lady Martha: Then you wouldst not wish my Lord of Cornwall to marry them?

Duchess: No. The Lady Cordelia is as yet a year or two too young to wed, and even if she were older, a sense of propriety she hath not. She runs rampant through the castle grounds, climbing trees and playing at fencing just as if she were a lad, and she hath no sense of persons. She doth treat her father’s fool as though he were a nobleman’s son, and treats many a nobleman as though they were common thieves. And her father doth praise her for her “honesty”!

Lady Martha: And the Lady Regan?

Duchess: The Lady Regan is all storms and tempest. She hath not her elder sister’s intelligence or self control, and, being raised almost as a prince, she has no thought to tame her tongue as a woman should. Nor does she have the childish charm that causes our lord the King to dote so on Cordelia. And yet in spite of that, somehow she hath learned to use her beauty as would a siren. Many a young nobleman hath lost his head to her charms.

Lady Martha: The pity of it all is that they do have such charms. Had they been raised not as tigers wild but as ladies of the court, they should have made finer brides than even their mother ever did. But alas, now they are their father’s daughters alone.

Exeunt.

Scene 2: The King’s Gardens

Enter Lear’s three daughters. Cordelia starts to climb a tree.

Goneril: If our father the King desires a marriage of political advantages, ‘tis evident that he must needs do so by some other method than introducing me to all of the ladies of the court. He hath raised me as a ruler, not as the flower they wish their sons to wive.

Regan: All the better then. What want we with a marriage of political advantages? I wouldst far rather a marriage to a handsome man.

Goneril: Thou speak’st as a fool, sister. Knowest thou not that all royal marriages are political? Through my marriage, I shall strengthen our father’s power and my own withal. ‘Tis all I ever desired from such a union.

Regan: What if our father the King marries thee off to a man of threescore years and ten? Or a man who beats thee? Wouldst thou still be accepting of a political marriage then?

Goneril: Suppose I were not. Dost thou believe that our father the King wouldst abandon his plans to see me wed to that man? Never! He wouldst disinherit me for such disobedience! Better to go along with him while I am still in his house than to risk my fortune by defying him. I will have time enough to enforce my own will after I am wed.

Regan: What of thy husband’s will?

Goneril: Our father the King has made no overtures to foreign princes, so ‘tis reasonable to assume that he plans to give my hand to one of his dukes. As their only claim to royalty would be through our nuptials, I should have little to fear from the will of such a husband.

Regan: Dost thou have no desire for a handsome husband? Or one who wouldst find thee beautiful?

Goneril: Such physical attraction is fleeting, sister. ‘Tis fine for a dream, but no use for a marriage. No, I will be content to marry for power. Power lasts. Or dost thou forget thy history?

Regan: ‘Tis dry. I have no head for it.

Goneril: Lately, thou hast had no head for anything—save catching the eyes of the young noblemen who circle thee as a butterfly doth a flower.

Regan: Canst thou blame me? Our father the King pays mind only to Cordelia when he is pleased, and only to thee when his rash mood is on. Me he sees never! Why shouldst I not get from a lover what our father the King doth not give?

Goneril: Attention from our father the King doth not risk thy reputation. Thou shalt not wive at all if the young men decide thou art too forward.

Regan: Lecture me no more! I am not a child. And thou certainly art not our mother—no matter how much thou pretend’st to be!

Pause. Cordelia climbs down from the tree.

Goneril: Then do as thou list, and on thy head be the consequences. But know this: our mother the Queen would despair to see thee behaving thus.

Regan: Thou dost say such every time that thou approve not of what I do. How dost thou know of what she wouldst favor? Thou wast a child of six when she did die.

Goneril: Three years older than were thou.

Cordelia: Would our mother favor you arguing with one another?

Regan: Speak’st thou not of our mother. ‘Tis thy fault she is dead!

Regan slaps Cordelia; Cordelia cries.

Goneril: What meanest thou, upsetting the child thus? Our father the King-

Regan: Our father the King wouldst not notice if I threw myself off of the castle parapet! Why should he notice this?

Goneril: Notice he shalt if his favorite child comes running to him in tears!

Regan: He’ll notice that she is crying, and he will blame thee for allowing it to happen. Our father the King doth not notice me even to blame me.

Goneril: And thou wouldst have our father the King punish me for thy inability to control thyself?

Regan: That I wouldst! Mayhap his punishment will keep thy hands out of my affairs for a time!

Exit Regan.

Goneril: Child, dry thy tears. Thou are not hurt.

Cordelia: Sniffle. I am hurt. And so, methinks, art thou. Thy face when Regan said that thou wouldst never be our mother said as much. Sniffle.

Goneril: Thou dost see much for one so small. ‘Tis a pity thou hast not the knowledge to know when ‘tis not politic to tell others what thou dost see.

Cordelia: Sniffle. Wouldst thou have me lie, sister?

Goneril: I care not what thou dost. Thou dost have our father’s love. Thou hardly need’st mine–and I have none to give.

Cordelia: If thou cared not what I did, thou shouldst not tell me what to do. Nor Regan neither.

Goneril: Thou art a most persistent little creature. Very well then—the answer to thy query is yes. I would have thee lie. Thou wilt never last in the court of our father the King else.

Cordelia: Our father the King praises me for my honesty.

Goneril: Our father the King would praise thee for thy cleverness if thou didst lie and for thine inventiveness if thou didst steal the treasury! Thou art the last gift given him from our mother the Queen; he wouldst praise you for anything.

Cordelia: From our mother’s painting thou art the very form and image of her. Why then doth he not praise thee?

Goneril: Thou asketh above thy station, child.

Cordelia: Thou answerest above thy station, sister. Or hast thou become the King our father?

Goneril: Thy stubbornness will be the death of thee. Not everyone is so forgiving as I am with thee today. But if thou must have an answer to thy query, and it seems apparent that thou must, the King our father praises not me because he sees in me only a poor replica of our mother the Queen.

Cordelia: Thou were but half my age when our mother died.

Goneril: All the reason more for the King our father to find me wanting.

Cordelia: I shall speak to the King our father. ‘Tis unfair for him to blame you for not being the Queen our Mother.

Goneril: Fool child, thou shalt do nothing of the sort!

Cordelia: Dost thou not want the praise of the King our father?

Goneril: ‘Tis foolish to wish upon something that I shall get never. If thou dost ask him to favor me, he will say I put thee up to it, and blame me all the more.

Cordelia: Surely the King our father would not–

Goneril: Thou hast no idea what the King our father will do! Why dost thou think that I am so desirous of escaping his house?

Cordelia: If thou dost wish to escape the King our father, then why dost thou work so hard to expand his power? And why wouldst thou marry a man of his choosing?

Goneril: I am the eldest child of the royal line. Power is mine by birth, and there is precious little that I will not sacrifice to get it.

Cordelia: Even thine own happiness?

Goneril: Enough, child! I have not the time for endless questions.

Cordelia: But—

Goneril: I am sure thou canst find companions more suitable to thy youth than I. Go to!

Exit Cordelia.

That child doth see too much of me. I like it not—and yet in her mind she doth compass far more than our riotous sister Regan. Had she less honesty and more art, she wouldst be a ruler indeed.

Enter Maglanus, Duke of Albany

Albany: What a fine portrait must I make! My mother and travel to the royal court as consequence of mine inheritance, and the first action I take upon arrival is to become hopelessly lost! And I thought my castle was a labyrinth…

Goneril: Thou art not the first to be lost so. Who art thou, and whither art thou going?

Albany: Maglanus—that is, the Duke. Of Albany, I mean. I prithee, forgive mine clumsiness in uttering. Who are you, gentle lady, and what do you here unchaperoned?

Goneril: In troth, I have little reason to fear being alone. ‘Twould be a bold man who wouldst risk the wrath of my father the King by attempting to dishonor me.

Albany: Forgive me, Princess. Had I known–

Goneril: Art new to court?

Albany: Yes, your grace.

Goneril: ‘Tis apparent in your hesitancy. Though I confess I do find it strange that a Duke of such a vast territory as Albany shouldst never have been to court.

Albany: ‘Tis a title I have had not long; nor ever expected to have.

Goneril: Then thou art not the son of the old Duke?

Albany: No, he was mine uncle. And, as he had two sons of his own, I had no expectancy of the land.

Goneril: How then hast thou inherited?

Albany: Hast the castle not heard?

Goneril: No. News from as far north as Albany doth travel slow.

Albany: The castle of mine uncle was struck with a most dread disease, one that didst steal his life and the lives of both his sons. Since my father had died of infection a year before, the title fell on me. I should never have chosen to inherit anything thus.

Goneril: Thou art a strange man, then. Most would celebrate the power.

Albany: I was not raised to it. The mantle sits ill upon my shoulders.

Goneril: Marry, then thou art not the sort of man I wouldst have to wed.

Albany: To wed, your grace?

Goneril: My father the King seeks a husband for me amongst his noblemen.

Albany: I am not the man who wouldst wish to wed you. (Pause) Not that you are not beautiful, your grace, but I feel out of sorts even as a Duke. To be a prince is something I desire not.

Goneril: Thy meekness ill-fits a nobleman.

Albany: ‘Tis true, your grace. And you are unusually bold for a lady.

Goneril: My father the King wouldst have his heirs no other way. His scoldings, and mine instructors, drove from my bosom any semblance of timidity in my tenderest years. (Pause) Now to the point. Thou art lost. Where art thou trying to go?

Albany: In truth, I know’st not. My lady mother told me to attend to the King while she didst join the ladies of the court. But where the King might be I had no thought, and in searching for him only misplaced myself. Hadst I not come upon you, your grace, I wouldst likely only have traveled still further afield.

Goneril: Thou seek’st the King my father?

Albany: Yes. Know’st you where he is, your grace?

Goneril: I do, and I shall bring thee to him. (Pause) For what purpose dost thou wish to meet with him?

Albany: His majesty must be informed that the duchy hath changed hands and that the title hath fallen upon new shoulders, your grace. Or so my lady mother said.

Goneril: Were I in thy place, I shouldst leave out mention of what thy lady mother said. The King my father hath but little tolerance for lack of confidence.

Albany: I…find that not comforting.

Goneril: Nor shouldst thou. My father the King is not a man with whom one shouldst trifle.

Exeunt.

Scene 3: The Court of King Lear

Enter King Lear, the Earl of Gloucester, the Earl of Kent, Knights, and Servants

King Lear: What meanest thou that our daughters please not the ladies of the court?

Kent: Royal Lear, you have given to your daughters an education to rival princes powerful, but in the arts so prized of women, you have left them woeful ignorant. Because of this, reluctant the ladies are to allow their sons to take your daughters to wive.

King Lear: Then none of them have accepted our offer of our eldest daughter’s hand in marriage?

Kent: They have not, my good lord.

King Lear: We offer a dowry of a kingdom!

Kent: And, as the noblewomen see’t, a prince rather than a wife.

King Lear: Would they have us raise our heirs to do naught but needlework and dance?

Kent: My good lord, they wouldst have you see their sons as heirs.

King Lear: See that they shall never! Our royal blood, and the children of our Queen, will rule. It matters not that they are daughters; they are our heirs!

Kent: So you have sworn, my good lord.

King Lear: And we are firm. If the ladies of the court propose not a husband for our eldest daughter, we shall choose one for her ourselves!

Gloucester: You will no doubt find it simple, my lord. The ladies of the court may’st despair of your daughters, but even the most powerful of your Dukes have eyes—and the Lady Goneril hath a rare beauty.

Kent: And a rarer coldness. The Lady Goneril hath not the womanly charm that easily exciteth men’s desire.

Gloucester: ‘Tis true–but men will o’erlook much greater flaws to lay hold of a kingdom.

Enter Goneril and Albany.

Goneril: (bows) My lord, the new Duke of Albany requests an audience with you.

King Lear: The new Duke?

Goneril: Aye, my lord. (To Albany) Thou hast the ear of my father the King. Speak.

Albany: (bows) I am Maglanus, your grace. M-mine uncle the Duke of Albany was carried away by a pestilence, and my cousins with him, and thus the duchy didst fall. Upon me, that is. I came to your highness’ court to give the news to you.

King Lear: Hath Albany also a new Duchess?

Albany: No, your grace. I…I fear that I have not the confidence that doth draw women to men.

King Lear: Thou art in the prime of vigorous manhood, and thou art lord of vast estates. Is this not enough to give thee confidence?

Albany: No, your grace. Mine titles yet feel as naught but borrowed robes. I was brought up without expectation of them.

King Lear: And yet now they are thine. Thou art the lord of thousands and the possessor of vast riches. Is this not so?

Albany: ‘Tis so, my lord.

Gloucester: My lord the Duke speaks true, your highness. The duchy of Albany is the wealthiest in your great kingdom.

King Lear: Tell us, Albany, what dost thou think of matrimony?

Albany: I am told ‘tis a source of fruitful alliances and honest companionship. But I am yet young and truly methinks I would make a poor husband.

King Lear: And what think’st thou of our eldest daughter? ‘Tis apparent that thou hast met her.

Albany: My lady is beautiful, and she doth have the speech and courage of a prince. There could be no better partner for a man of greatness, and I hope that you shall find such a man for her soon.

King Lear: Methinks that we already have.

Goneril: You have, my lord?

King Lear: Yes, we have. This hath proved to be a most fortunate turn of events.

Albany: Then I am dismissed, your grace?

King Lear: No, Albany. We have yet one more question for thee.

Albany: I shall endeavor to answer it to your pleasure, your grace.

King Lear: Wilt thou accept our eldest daughter’s hand in marriage?

(Pause)

Albany: My lord—the crown is an honor I dream not of.

King Lear: Modesty ill-suits a man of thy stature, Albany. Thou art young, and thou hast inherited one of the highest and wealthiest titles in the nation. A more suitable husband for our eldest daughter would be hard indeed to find.

Albany: Your grace, I have not the temperament to wield such vast authority.

King Lear: Fear not. We have taken great pains to see that our eldest daughter can manage authority as well as any prince. Thou canst learn from her if needs be.

Albany: A-are you sure that the Lady Goneril will agree to the match, your grace?

Goneril: If my father the King wants to give thee my hand, ‘tis because our union will be a fruitful alliance. Thou wouldst not be my first choice for a husband, but if my lord would have us wed, it must be so.

King Lear: For once, our daughter speaketh well. So what say’st thou, Albany? Wilt thou have our daughter?

Albany: I…I…I….

Goneril: (to Albany) If thou dost refuse, my father the King will believe that thou dost insult him.

Albany: Y-yes, my lord. I’ll marry your daughter.

Lear slaps Albany on the back heartily.

King Lear: Thou art welcome to our family, son. We shall formally announce thy wedding to our daughter in a fortnight!

Exeunt.

Scene 4: The Duke of Albany’s Castle

Enter Lady Martha and Albany

Lady Martha: Betrothed? And to the Lady Goneril? My son, what hast thou done?

Albany: Believe me, mother, the idea was not mine. ‘Twas his majesty who did suggest the union.

Lady Martha: I would not have thee matched to such a woman. What shouldst thou do with a prince for a wife? What shall I do with a tiger for a daughter? My son, thou canst not go through with this marriage! The very thought of it doth cleft my heart in twain!

Albany: The King hath made already plans to announce our betrothal! If I do protest the match now, ‘tis possible that for dishonoring his daughter he will charge me with treason.

Lady Martha: Why didst thou agree to the betrothal?

Albany: To reject the lady’s hand would have been insult to her father the King!

Lady Martha: And to accept it ‘twas an insult to thy mother! Why didst thou not request time to deliberate so as to have the time to discuss the matter with me? Even our Lord the King hath not the power to force thee to wive against thy will!

Albany: I prithee, lady mother, do not chide me. The King desired strongly the match, and did desire my answer at once. Who was I to refuse his majesty?

Lady Martha: Thou art the Duke of Albany! Surely even our lord the King would not be so bold as to demand such a powerful nobleman wed his unmarriageable daughter!

Albany: Unmarriageable? Interest in the crown and fame of a prince I have not, and verily I do wish that neither the crown nor the duchy had fallen on my unable shoulders, but the Lady Goneril hath intelligence and talent enough to be a fit wife to a man worthy of rule. She shall perhaps be Queen—

Lady Martha: And her husband nothing but a consort! Her father the King hath declared that she and her sisters will reign—not their husbands. Why else hath no man asked for her?

Albany: Sure I cannot say. The lady is uncommon beautiful.

Lady Martha: Ay, with the beauty of cold alabaster and stony marble! (Pause) Son, art thou in love with her?

Albany: No, lady mother. But we are already betrothed. ‘Tis best that I learn to value her. Perhaps through that love shall grow.

Lady Martha: She cannot love. Her father the King hath driven all such tenderness out of her!

Albany: Then if not love, respect. (Pause) The betrothal cannot be undone, lady mother–for your sake.

Lady Martha: For my sake?

Albany: Should I refuse this marriage now, the King may have me banished or executed for my treason in breaking mine oath to marry his daughter. What then would become of you? Your husband and father are both dead, and I your only child.

Lady Martha: My son, I am opposed to thy betrothal only because of the great love I bear you. I would not have thee sacrifice thine own happiness for my sake.

Albany: Lady mother, I am duty-bound to honor and protect you as my mother, and to obey the King as my sovereign—just as I was bound to take on the responsibilities of a duke upon the death of mine uncle and cousins. Mine own happiness is still secondary to my responsibilities. Were’t not, I should be studying to become a priest yet.

Lady Martha: Oh, my son—thou art ever too good for me.

The two embrace.

Albany: You raised me, lady mother. My goodness is yours.

Lady Martha: Thy marriage hath my blessing.

Albany: I thank you, lady mother.

Lady Martha: I hope only that thy bride shalt not disdain thy gentle nature. Alas, ‘tis not a quality all women seek in men.

Albany: The Lady Goneril hath seen much sternness in her father the King. Mayhap she shall appreciate some gentleness in a husband.

Exeunt.

Scene 5: The Court of King Lear

Enter Regan, followed by Henninus, Duke of Cornwall

Regan: Wilt thou still follow me, Henninus? I marvel’st that a man of thy stature doth spend his hours at the King my father’s court when he couldst be hunting on his own estate.

Cornwall: Does your highness wish me gone?

Regan: Not at all. Thou art a proper man—but in troth, I have my choice of handsome men. Art thou not discouraged by mine other suitors?

Cornwall: Your other suitors? Art trying to win through jealousy one who already finds you a queen of women?

Regan: Truly, sir, if thou dost doubt that I have the charm to attract a brace of suitors, I question if thou dost love me at all.

Cornwall: Is’t so, Princess? There are those who would challenge my desire for you?

Regan: ‘Tis so, good sir. I am not my older sister—my father the King will have small trouble finding noble suitors for me.

Cornwall: I wouldst not be so sure of that.

Regan: Doth thou question my beauty, Henninus?

Cornwall: It is because of your beauty that your father shall have trouble finding suitors for you. Any man who hath an interest in your hand will have to go through me ere they meet your father the King. Few men are there who will risk combat with the Duke of Cornwall, and even fewer who shouldst ‘scape such an encounter sans serious injury.

Regan: And thou wouldst do all this for my beauty?

Cornwall: And more, princess. Why, for a kiss, I should happily stab my dearest friend.

Regan: Leave the stabbing, good sir. Thy words have already won my lips.

The two move to kiss, only for Goneril to enter and grab Regan by the arm.

Goneril: What dost thou, sister? Think’st thou ‘tis meet for a princess of the realm to cavort as though a woman of ill repute?

Cornwall: Your highness–

Goneril: And thou! Thou hast nerve indeed to treat the king’s daughter as a common whore!

Regan: Sister, ‘twas only a kiss.

Goneril: Only a kiss! In an empty corner of the castle, to a man thou art not betrothed to? Hast thou no brains in thy head? Should this rashness of thine become common knowledge, thy reputation wouldst be beyond all mending!

Cornwall: Upon my title and my life, ‘twould have gone no further. Bold am I, your highness, but not mad. To misuse the daughter of the king is something even I wouldst dare not.

Goneril: What title is that? I should like to know the identity of one so bold.

Enter Cordelia.

Cornwall: Your highness, I am Henninus, Duke of Cornwall. Hast heard of my valor?

Goneril: No, but I have heard of thine choler and the riotous lifestyle that thou dost lead. Thy mother the Dowager Duchess, for all she dotes on thee, doth despair of thy poor behavior.

Cornwall: How dare you! Were you not a woman, royalty, and my sweet Regan’s sister, I would shed your blood for insulting my conduct so!

Goneril: I am not thy mother, Henninus. Thou canst not fright me with thine words.

Regan: Sister, let him alone! He hath been nothing but respectable with me.

Goneril: Ay, and so he shall be—until he hath had his pleasure. See then how he treats you after!

Cornwall: Your highness, you wrong me! I do love your sister—and even if I did not, I’d not lose the chance at a crown by dishonoring the daughter of the king.

Goneril: Love, indeed!

Regan: Thou art but jealous! I have dozens of suitors. Thou hast but one, and he pays court to thee only to please our father the King.

Goneril: Darest thou speak to me that way?

Regan: I do! I have charged thee already, sister, to stay out of my business. Thou may’st have no life beyond being the King our father’s perfect heir for no reward, but thou hast no right to expect me to behave in the selfsame manner!

Goneril: Haven’t I? Should thou destroy thine own reputation in such a way that the King our father will be unable to wed you well, ‘tis me whom he shall blame. As thou art my younger sister, he shall say that I should have checked thee, and ‘twill be on my shoulders that the punishment falls. It is ever thus, and I will not have it!

Regan: I am doing nothing to destroy my reputation! Thou say’st as much only because Henninus doth love me, and no one loves thee! Thou cannot be happy unless I am miserable, and ‘tis unfair!

Regan starts crying.

Cornwall: Don’t cry, sweet Regan. (To Goneril) For all you have your sister’s beauty, your highness, you’re more serpent than woman. No wonder your father the King likes you not as a daughter.

Goneril: Serpent I may be, but at least I need not hide behind another to win an argument! What say’st thou to that, sister?

Cordelia steps forward.

Cordelia: I should say that the two of thee ought not fight one another over a man, whether he be our father the King or a handsome duke.

Cornwall: And what hole did you crawl out of, little mouse?

Cordelia: If thou dost love my sister as thou dost profess, Henninus, thou shouldst not treat Goneril and me so poorly.

Cornwall: You have a big mouth for such a small girl.

Cordelia: And thou hast small courage for so big a mouth.

Cornwall: Do you love your sister, mouse?

Cordelia: I do, though she knows it not.

Cornwall: Then why are you so rude to me?

Cordelia: ‘Tis not rudeness. ‘Tis honesty—just as ‘tis only just and honest for me to tell thee that thou art a very strong and handsome man, for all your other flaws.

Cornwall: Your sister seems not to think of them as flaws. Hast not noticed how fond she is of me, Miss Honesty?

Cordelia: I have. Would that she was fond of a better man.

Cornwall: What better could there be, mouse?

Cordelia: One who encourages not her bitterness and darker impulses.

Cornwall: Has she not reason to be bitter? Your father the King hardly knows her to speak to.

Cordelia: Though I love the King our father, I do know he is wrongfully harsh and neglectful to my sisters. But indulging bitterness and hatred will make Regan happy not, and thy appeals to her vanity shalt not be able to replace the love she has not from the King our father.

Goneril: The child speaks true. Get thee gone, Henninus. Regan needs not the help thou wouldst give.

Cornwall: I go, your highness—but think you not that I will give up my suit for your lovely sister’s hand. You are not more stubborn than I. (To Regan) Fare you well, my sweet Regan.

Cornwall kisses Regan’s hand.

Regan: Fare thee well, good Cornwall!

Exit Cornwall.

Goneril: Sister, thou shalt be the death of me.

Regan: Why call’st me sister? Thou dost not do a sister’s office, driving off a man who professes me a queen! By all the gods, surely I do hate thee—and Miss Honesty more so!

Exit Regan.

Goneril: Child, do not speak of this to the King our father. Our sister is ungovernable, and I would fain not be blamed for’t.

Cordelia: Unless Regan finds herself in grave danger, thou hast my word that I will not. It would do our sister and the King our father no good, and thou it might harm.

(Pause)

Goneril: Child, thou see’st much. What doth thou suppose the fiery Duke of Cornwall wants of our sister?

Cordelia: I think he loves our sister as much as a man of his nature can. Methinks he truly wishes to please her—but he is the sort of man whose love wouldst enable all the worst aspects of our sister.

Goneril: Then thou think’st not that he is using her?

Cordelia: Not in the way thou mean’st. He is too enchanted by her charms for that. (Pause) Sister, wouldst thou care to play outside with me? Surely thou wilt have little chance to do so once thou art wed and managing thine own household.

Goneril: I have no time for games, child. Our father the King expects me to manage many of his kingdom’s affairs, and for the sake of mine own future power, I must do so. In fulfilling his will do I fulfill mine.

Cordelia: Doth such selfish grabbing for power make thee happy, sister? Can it be more fulfilling than being a family, than enjoying the beauty of the world?

Goneril: Did our father the King not have power, thou wouldst not be able to enjoy the world as thou dost. Think’st thou that the powerless peasants have any life to enjoy?

Cordelia: When compared to these peasants, thou hast power unimaginable. Why then art thou not happy?

Goneril: I am yet subject to the King our father’s will.

Cordelia: And what if, when thou art free of his will, thou art still unhappy?

Pause.

Please, sister. I would that we could be friends. Wilt thou not play with me?

Goneril: I would make thee very poor company. Thou hast friends. Play with them, and leave me to mine own ends.

Cordelia: Art sure?

Goneril: Cease thy endless questioning! I have important work to do and a wedding to plan, and need not thy distractions.

Cordelia: If thou dost change thy mind, I shall welcome thee gladly.

Exit Cordelia

Goneril: I would that child didst not make weakness so appealing. I have no time for her fancies of love and family—yet I have a memory but half-remembered of the Queen my mother taking the child’s side of love. Perhaps there is something to it then…

Pause.

But then, ‘twas love for my father and that child which killed my mother. No, I must stay mine own course. Better ‘tis to be alone and powerful than loved and weak. Let my fool sisters chase love—I will be the one who prospers in the end.

Exit Goneril.

Scene 6: The King’s Gardens

Enter Cordelia and the Fool

The Fool: Tell me, sweet coz–wherefore does a cloud hang over the maid of sunshine?

Cordelia: “Maid of sunshine?” Dear cousin, thou hast spent too much time with my father the King if thou doth address me with such florid flattery.

The Fool: I’troth, coz, I do wonder how thou art thy father’s daughter and thy sisters’ sister. Thy father is well pleased to be flattered to the top of his bent, and thy sisters wouldst be praised even past truth. And thou, who art the best of them all, disdains even the least compliment as dishonesty.

Cordelia: The best of them? Surely thou dost jest.

The Fool: Not at all, honest maid. Even a fool may be grave in matters of great report. When I call thee the best of thy family, ‘tis done in a most serious manner.

Cordelia: Good cousin, do not sacrifice the truth out of concern for mine position or mine heart. I prefer honesty even to kindness. My father the King hast made me a goddess through the excess of love, and through doing so he hath set my sisters at deadly animosity with both me and his majesty. I prithee–tempt me not to believe that I am better than I am.

The Fool: Dost thou yet believe me to be a flatterer, gentle coz?

Cordelia: Thou must be, to praise me higher than a ruler of such a clever mind as Goneril or a lady so beauteous and charming as Regan–-to say nothing of claiming me greater than his majesty the King!

The Fool: Marry, coz, doth thou think so lowly of thyself?

Cordelia: I do see myself but as I am: a foolish fond child of no great beauty. Besides my royal birth, I have nothing to recommend me but mine simple honesty. Mine tutors have tried to give me an education like to that of my sisters, but by my father the King’s doting I have been too often left to my own childish fancies. He would not have me troubled by such difficulties as complex lessons, and through that I have become a scandal to the ladies of the court.

The Fool: Come, coz, thou art too harsh a magistrate. Art thou not gentle, loving, kind, and full of the joys of life?

Cordelia: And without the dignity of a princess. Would that I were other than that which I am—for then my simple joys would not disgrace my father the King in the eyes of the noblewomen.

The Fool: Right glad am I that I am a graceless fool.

Cordelia: Cousin, wherefore comes such a thought?

The Fool: Why coz, if goodness be a disgrace, I wouldst not be respectable. (Pause) So come, let us leave the graces of thy father’s court. Wouldst thou favor a game of fencing?

The Fool pulls out a pair of wooden swords.

Cordelia: Cousin, I—

The Fool: Art afraid that I should win?

Cordelia: (Laughs) Afraid? Of losing to thee? Give me one of thy swords, and I shall show thee how afraid I am.

The Fool gives Cordelia one of the wooden swords.

Cordelia: Good cousin, I thank thee. Thou hast restored my joy aright.

The Fool: I am glad on’t–but I would not have thee thank me for carrying out mine office. I should be a poor fool indeed if I could not bring joy to a maid so light-hearted as thou art.

Cordelia: Deny me not my thanks, cousin. I wouldst not have thy goodness go unrewarded.

The Fool: My pretty coz, serving thee is reward enough. (Pause) Now come, worthy opponent. Into the fray!

Cordelia and the Fool mock-fence around the stage, laughing. Enter the Duke of Albany, holding a bouquet of flowers, and Lady Martha.

Albany: Tell me truly, lady mother–think’st you that my gift will please the Lady Goneril?

Cordelia accidentally collides with Albany; Albany drops bouquet.

Cordelia: Oh! My apologies, good sir. I prithee, forgive me for mine heedlessness.

Albany: Thou art quite forgiven, sweet maid.

Cordelia: Here, let me–

Albany: No need. I can–

Cordelia and Albany both move to pick up the bouquet but only succeed in colliding again. Both laugh. The Fool retrieves the bouquet and hands it to Albany.

Albany: I thank thee, good fellow.

The Fool: I would that I had as much reason to thank you, sir—but as you and mine sweet coz do conspire to make mine position superfluous, I cannot. ‘Tis hard enough to be a fool without wise men making fools out of themselves to compete with me.

Cordelia: Good cousin, blame not the gentleman for my foolishness.

Albany: Sweet maid, I displayed folly enough without thy aid. This honest fellow spoke aright when he did call me fool. (Pause) Thy name, gentle maiden?

Cordelia: Cordelia.

Albany: Forgive me mine impudence, your grace. Had I known—

Cordelia: Fret not, good sir. I am the last and least of my sisters, and even were I not, you have been more than polite. Your name and title, sir?

Albany: Maglanus, your grace, the Duke of Albany. The venerable woman with me is Martha, my lady mother.

Lady Martha: Good morrow, Princess.

Cordelia: Good morrow, lady. I am glad to see you well, and gladder still to meet your son. My father the King hath told me of his betrothal to mine eldest sister, and it pleases me well that I shall have such a good and patient man as my brother-in-law.

Lady Martha: Tell me, your grace. Does his highness the King know that you run about in his gardens, playing at fencing with his all-licensed fool?

Cordelia: Aye. The King my father doth say that he joys to see me play so.

Lady Martha: (Sighs) Then the Dowager Duchess of Cornwall spoke true. Your father the King doth allow you to run wild. ‘Tis a pity. You seem a sweet child, and it is too cruel altogether that your father the King hath instructed you not in the womanly arts.

Cordelia: I am sorry that my conduct pleases you not, Lady Martha.

Lady Martha: It is for your own sake that I should have you behave differently, your grace. With training such as yours, I fear that you will have few suitors when you are of an age to wed.

Cordelia: Truly, Lady Martha, I should rather have one suitor who does love my humble honesty than a hundred who love me only for my manners and my charms. My sister Regan hath many suitors, and yet I would not stand in her place for anything.

Albany: Since you do speak of suitors, ladies, I would have your advice. Think’st you that Lady Goneril will look fondly on a gift of flowers? I…I fear that I have but little thought as to what might please any lady, let alone one of such exalted status as the daughter of the King.

Lady Martha: Flowers? My son, it is as I told thee before—thou were better to give her a quiver of arrows. The Lady Goneril hath no use for such gentle things as flowers.

Cordelia: My sister is indeed an archer of some skill. She hath not the strength for the longbow, but with a smaller bow she hits the target every time.

The Fool: Your lady mother doth advise you well, sir. If you do wish for blind Cupid to hit the center of the Lady Goneril’s heart, you would do well to start with a gift of arrows.

Lady Martha: (Aside) And this Amazon my gentle son will wed in a fortnight. Would it were not so!

Albany: Dear me! I have misjudged the situation quite.

Cordelia: I prithee, good sir—do not be so alarmed. Mayhap my sister will receive your gift in the spirit in which you didst intend it.

The Fool: Indeed, sweet coz—and mayhap I shall grow wings and soar above the still-wandering clouds. The Lady Goneril will have her way—or none.

Enter Goneril.

Why, I am a conjurer indeed! I speak but her name, and she is summoned!

Goneril: Enough of thy jests, Fool. I have not the patience for them.

The Fool: That truth should be silent I had almost forgot. I’troth, lady, your sister hath spoiled me with her willingness to listen to honest words.

Goneril: Why my sister should spend her company with such a low fellow as thou art, I shall understand never. Be silent or be gone.

The Fool: I shall be the sound of silence, lady.

Cordelia: Sister, be not unkind to him. He is a lad of much nobility.

Goneril: Only thou wouldst say such of a common peasant, child.

Cordelia: To say otherwise of him would be to lie. (Pause) Sister, thy suitor hath come to pay court to thee.

Goneril: My suitor? What suitor?

Cordelia: Why, the Duke of Albany–the man to whom thou art betrothed!

Goneril: (Aside) Were he not so meek, I should wonder at myself that I did forget him. (To Albany) I trust that you will forgive me my slip of memory, good sir. As the heir to the King my father’s throne, I am responsible in part for the administration of his kingdom—to remember affairs of marriage is something for which I have little time.

Albany: Believe me, Lady, I am not angry with you. I know well that I am a man easily o’erlooked—and our betrothal is so new that I am yet unaccustomed to thinking myself your suitor. ‘Tis only to be expected that you should forget.

Albany hands the bouquet to Goneril.

Lady Goneril, I only hope that you will find these flowers a worthy token of my affection. I…I am yet unaccustomed to courting, and what gift should please you I had no thought.

Goneril: Loath though I am to admit mine own ignorance, I know not what ladies should expect to receive as gifts from their suitors. You are the only one I have ever had—or expect ever to have. (Pause) Though I cannot say that I wouldst be pleased with flowers as a gift upon other occasion. What use to me is something so ephemeral? I should much rather a dagger or a quill. Some use they have–flowers have none.

Albany: I…I beg your pardon, Lady. I did not think of the matter thus. I brought you the flowers because they reminded me of your beauty, and it did seem only right to bring something lovely to someone so lovely.

Goneril: Such a timid man as you are, good sir, should never give as a gift anything that you knew I would dislike. I condemn not your kind intentions.

Albany: Would that I had more experience as a suitor, lady. In mine ignorance, I have pleased you not—and for no benefit cut short the growth of these flowers.

Goneril: (Aside) The man hath far more of his flower’s nature than I do. Were’t not so, he should never have called me ‘lovely’. From whence does such a gentle man as this come? And what have I—still sans gentleness—to do with him?

Cordelia: I will take your flowers if my sister will not. I would not have your gentle blooms go to waste, good sir.

Goneril: Thou art ever impolitic, child. Though I have no use for such a gift as this, ‘twould be most improper for me to reject any gift from a man to whom I am betrothed. The King our father would think that I was jeopardizing our alliance with the duchy of Albany should I do any such thing, and his wrath at such a prospect should not be little. No, the flowers I shall have to keep.

Albany: But I would be more than happy to bring a bouquet of flowers for you when next I come to pay suit to your sister, sweet princess.

Cordelia: I thank you—and I prithee, call me sister.

Albany: Sister, your grace?

Cordelia: Indeed. When you wed my sister, you will become my brother—and well pleased am I that such a gentle-natured man as you shall be my relative.

Albany: And I will be honored to call such a kind maid sister. (To Goneril) Lady, would it please you to come along with me? I would fain not have all of our courtship in the general eye.

Goneril: It were best if you become accustomed to being ever in the general eye. When we do wed, you shall become a prince of great import—and with that greatness will come very little privacy. (Pause) But for now, let us retire. Our courtship is yet but young, and far be it from me to threaten our alliance by causing you more discomfort than is necessary. (Aside) Or to threaten mine own power by driving away such a mild-mannered man as this. He may not be the sort of man who wouldst wield his own power or authority well—but at least he shall never threaten mine.

Albany: For this consideration, dear lady, I give you thanks. Your father the King has great expectations of our marriage, and I would prefer to have some confidence in wooing ere he beholds our courtship. (To Cordelia) Farewell, sweet sister. (To Lady Martha) Farewell, lady mother.

Cordelia: Farewell, gentle brother.

Lady Martha: Fare thee well, good son.

Exit Albany and Goneril.

Lady Martha: I am glad that my son’s gift was not received so badly as I feared.

Cordelia: So too am I. Your son hath a good nature, and I do hope that some of his gentleness should soften my sister.

Lady Martha: Think’st you that is likely, your grace?

Cordelia: Sure I cannot say. Coldness is in my sister long ingrained, but your son is at least sure not to encourage her hunger for power—nor her harshness neither. Of all the King my father’s noblemen, he is one of the few who would not do so. For that, I like your son well as her husband. Would that I could be sure I liked my sister well as his wife!

Lady Martha: I suppose ‘tis foolish to speak of the matter thus. Your father the King wishes them wed, and so it shall be. (Aside) I hope only that his desire for an alliance between the crown and my son’s duchy leads not to the destruction of my son.

Enter Messenger.

Messenger: Lady Martha, his majesty the King wouldst speak with you about your children’s upcoming marriage.

Lady Martha: Then bring me to his majesty. I would not deny the wishes of my Lord the King. (To Cordelia) Good day, your grace.

Cordelia: Good day, Lady Martha. I hope my father the King treats you well.

Exit Lady Martha and Messenger.

The Fool: Truly, dear coz, I would not be the Duke of Albany for all the world. It is a hard thing to be a fool, but a harder thing to be a lamb.

Cordelia: A lamb, coz?

The Fool: Aye—a lamb to the slaughter. He thought never even to be the Duke, and now thy father will have that mild-mannered man be prince consort to your tigress of a sister. How shall he and thy sister get along once they are wed? He hath not the experience to govern—and thy sister hath not the patience to teach him. Like as not, he shall end thy sister’s servant more than her husband–bound always to her apron strings. Thy father and thy sister are sacrificing him to their own power, and he is too green in the ways of the court to see’t.

Cordelia: Then I shall ask the King my father to release him from the betrothal. I would not have such a gentle man suffer so.

The Fool: Dear coz, do not do so. Thy father loves thee dearly, but he wouldst have his decisions questioned by none. Once he hath decided upon a course, no matter how foolish or cruel, he will never turn to the left or right from that path. Even the wise Earl of Kent hath never been able to change his mind. To petition him to end thy sister’s betrothal would do the Duke of Albany no good, and risk awakening his wrath against thee.

Cordelia: Surely the King my father would never turn against his own daughter for a petition–especially one that comes from honest love!

The Fool: Thy father has lived his entire life in expectancy of obedience and praise, and he hath come to rank any dissent as disobedience—even that which comes from his own daughters. Once I did see thy eldest sister attempt to correct him on a point of strategy, and the rage he poured out upon her for such impudence was enough to bring her as near to fear as I have ever seen her.

Cordelia: Cousin, I have still been his favorite child. Sure am I that he would never react so angrily to me as to my sister–and I would very much like to be able to use his favor to aid someone other than myself.

The Fool: Thou art his favorite indeed, and ‘tis probable that he wouldst not have been angered had thou been the one to correct his strategy—but thou art not suggesting that thou correct him on a minor strategic point. Thou art suggesting that thou wilt petition thy father to end thy sister’s betrothal–a betrothal that will tie the wealthiest duchy in the kingdom directly to the crown. ‘Tis a matter of great import, and thy father will react most poorly to even his favorite child questioning such an alliance. I wouldst not see thee hurt by his wrath, sweet coz.

Cordelia: To spare such a good man as the Duke, I will risk even the wrath of my dear father.

The Fool: And ‘twere thou the only possible target of his wrath, I suppose I couldst do naught but admire thy bravery. But there is a chance that thy petition will also rouse thy father’s anger against the Duke whom thou dost seek to help, or even against thy sister Goneril. Truly he may suspect that one or both of them is using thee to escape from the betrothal, and in his wrath both would be punished more severely than he should ever punish thee. The Duke would be banished–or worse—for treason should thy father suspect him of trying to renege on the betrothal through thee, and thy sister could find herself disinherited for defying thy father’s will if thy father believes that she is the one who wishes the end of the betrothal.

Cordelia: What then should I do, good cousin?

The Fool: Give the Duke all the kindness thou canst, and hope for the best. ‘Tis all that can be done in such a case as this. (Pause) But I pray thee, sweet coz, let not the affairs of thy great relations steal thy joy. Wouldst go with me to skip stones in the nearby stream?

Cordelia: I shall, cousin, and gladly. Would that my family did recognize the virtues of such simple pleasures!

The Fool: I too would have it so, sweet coz. (Aside) But alas, thy father and thy sisters are too wise in their own eyes to realize that they are foolish. Even I, as a fool, and thou, as a simple untutored maiden, have more hope than they–for we at least are wise enough to know we are not wise!

Exeunt.

Scene 7: The Duke of Cornwall’s Castle

Enter Cornwall and the Dowager Duchess

Duchess: My dear sweet son, I prithee—tell me what is ailing thee! Thou dost eat little, sleep poorly, and participate not in thy usual sports. What is it that afflicts thee so?

Cornwall: A woman—of the most beautiful features and proportions.

Duchess: Again and yet again? Son, the duchy’s power was not meant solely for thou to feed thine own appetites!

Cornwall: I want her, mother!

Duchess: Thou didst say as much with the last girl that thou didst ‘love’. And the one before that, and the one before that! And where are they now?

Cornwall: (Laughs) What does it matter what became of some peasant wenches?

Duchess: It matters because they were our servant girls!

Cornwall: You taught me that the servants exist to carry out our will. Why then does it matter if we lose a few? There are always more to replace them.

Duchess: And I am the one who must go about finding those replacements—because thou art too busy drinking thyself into a stupor or seducing another of my lady’s maids to do any of the actual work that running thy duchy entails!

Cornwall: Mother, I want her!

Duchess: Well, thou shalt not have her. Thou hast reached thy majority, and I will wink no longer at thy most disgraceful behavior!

Cornwall: Are you refusing me what I wouldst have, mother?

Duchess: Yes. I am.

Cornwall: But you have always given me whatever I wanted!

Duchess: ‘Tis true, and I repent me that ever I should have allowed thee to indulge in thine every whim. I am paying double for mine folly now!

Cornwall: Come, mother. Surely you would deny me not the joy of such a gorgeous woman.

Duchess: I have said once and will say again: thou shalt not have her. No longer will I give thee free reign to do as thou list!

Cornwall: No one doth refuse me, mother. Not even you!

Duchess: Thou saucy boy— thou hast some nerve to wag thy tongue so rudely against me!

Cornwall grabs the Duchess by the wrists and pulls her toward him.

Cornwall: I want her, mother, and I will have her—-or you will have cause to regret defying the Duke of Cornwall!

Pause

Duchess: Thou hast ever known thine own mind, my son. If thou dost feel so strong about the matter, I will oppose thy will no longer. Which of the servant girls dost thou wish me to send to thee this time?

Cornwall: (Laughs) The woman I wouldst have now is no mere serving wench, mother. I have entered a game of much higher stakes than ever I have played before.

Duchess: What maiden is it then that has been so unfortunate as to have caught thine eye?

Cornwall: Why, no less than Regan, daughter of the King.

Duchess: The Lady Regan? Hast thou lost thy sanity? ‘Tis one thing to have thy way with servant girls, and another altogether to attempt the seduction of the King’s daughter! Should his majesty hear that thou art trifling with her honor, thou shouldst pay with thy head!

Cornwall: Attempt the seduction? You do me wrong, mother. Her heart is already safe within my grasp—just as my heart is safe in hers. I need only to win her hand to be most happy.

Duchess: Then thou dost seek to marry her?

Cornwall: I do. Her beauty and her passion must be mine forever—and the crown that is her dowry too.

Duchess: And thou wouldst have me help thee in thy suit for her hand?

Cornwall: Dost have objections to such a union? ‘Twould be a boon for you to have your son a prince of the realm.

Duchess: My son, the Lady Goneril is the only one of the King’s daughters who wouldst be a suitable bride. Were she not betrothed to another, I should advise thee to sue for her hand instead, but as she is already promised, I can only tell thee that I would not have thee marry the Lady Regan were she the last woman on the globe. She hath had neither training in the womanly arts nor her elder sister’s brains, and the passion that you so admire in her is naught but wantonness.

Cornwall: If she is wanton, then verily I should never want an honest woman.

Duchess: The lady has a terrible temper….

Cornwall: Then we shall be yet the better matched. I should be bored could my wife not match mine own fire. True she is no proper noblewoman—but her teasing flirtations and her temper shall keep the fires of my passion stoked far better than could the obedient and responsible maiden that you wouldst have me wive. Get me married to her, mother, and I shall never get drunk again—or bother the servant wenches more.

Duchess: Wilt thou swear so?

Cornwall: On my life, I swear. Get me my sweet Regan to wive, and you shall have a better-behaved son than you have ever dreamed.

Duchess: Then I shall go to the King and present thy suit to his majesty within a fortnight.

Cornwall: Do so, mother, and soon you shall have both a princess and a prince in your debt!

Duchess: Run not too far ahead, my son. Even if the King approves the match, thy betrothal to the Lady Regan will become official only after the Lady Goneril is wed. ‘Twill be two or three months at least before thou canst truly call her thine.

Cornwall: Fear me not, mother. Even your fiery son can be patient if it means the hand of a woman so enchanting and passionate—to say nothing of the crown!

Duchess: (Aside) The Lady Regan must be powerful enchanting indeed if she can make my son patient. Mayhap she shall be a better wife to my self-willed son than I should have thought.

Exeunt.

To be continued (in Act 2)....

#king lear #shakespeare #regan #cordelia #goneril #the fool #and assorted others #fanfic

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Text

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Act 1

The first act opens with King Lear announcing his intention to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, based on their professions of love for him. Goneril and Regan, eager to gain a larger portion of the kingdom, flatter their father with exaggerated declarations of love. Cordelia, the youngest and most beloved daughter, refuses to engage in such flattery, stating that she loves him as a daughter should in accordance with her duty. Angered by her honesty, Lear disowns Cordelia and divides her share of the kingdom between Goneril and Regan. The Earl of Kent, a loyal nobleman, tries to persuade Lear to reconsider his decision, but Lear banishes him from the kingdom for his insolence. Meanwhile, the Earl of Gloucester introduces his sons, Edmund and Edgar. Edmund schemes to discredit Edgar and gain his father's inheritance, setting in motion a subplot of deceit and betrayal.

Act 2

Goneril, now married to the Duke of Albany, complains to her husband about her father’s unruly behaviour and demands that he reduce his retinue of knights. The king, angered by Goneril's disrespect, decides to stay with Regan instead and sends Kent to deliver letters to her, informing her of his arrival. Edmund forges a letter from Edgar, framing him for plotting against their father's life. Edgar flees, knowing that his life is in danger. Lear arrives at Regan's castle, where he is met with the same inhospitable treatment as at Goneril's. Regan, influenced by Goneril's complaints, refuses to accommodate Lear's entire retinue, prompting Lear to storm out into a raging storm. Gloucester, loyal to Lear, decides to help him despite the risks and sends a servant to guide Lear to a safe haven. The storm symbolises Lear's inner turmoil and descent into madness as he confronts the harsh realities of his own folly and betrayal.

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Introduction to the characters and commentary

The play, as many others made by Shakespeare, likes to play around with familiar dynamics of noble families, while also critiquing with dramatic irony the flaws of the characters themselves. “King Lear” is perhaps one the biggest examples of this, offering the story of a family which is doomed to tragedy due to the flaws of all the members of the family members, feelings of jealousy and greed erode the relationships of both of the noble families represented within the story, depicting a tragic ending for all involved.

One of the most interesting characters is of course the one of the king, he is depicted as arrogant, living in his own image, lavishing in the attentions of his daughters, particularly of his two eldest, who offer him compliments and gratitudes in hopes of winning favours. The character of Lear is the one that portrays a tragic descent caused only by his own doing, his arrogance and extravagance is his achilles heel and undoing. Through his desire for praise he loses the only member of his family who truly loved him as a father, Cordelia, as well as his most loyal servant Kent. The character of Lear starts off as a man full of pride, ending up a disgraced blind madman, who dies out of misery after learning of Cordelia’s death. It is interesting how the character arc of the king is reflected through the events of the story, as the inner turmoil of Lear enlarges as a storm becomes more and more near, until Lear himself is caught in it with only a few boxes/hut (depending on the production) to protect himself, reflecting the way in which the king is caught up with his own self which is will be his destruction, literally and figuratively.

The character of the King’s beloved daughter Cordelia is one that is relatively simple, she seeks to speak the truth especially to her father whom she loves despite his flaws. The character of Cordelia is one that is beautiful in her own simplicity, she reflects the classic idea of the “Angel women” much like Dante’s Beatrice, a perhaps static character that has the purpose of showing the flaws of other characters while also showing a forgiving and human perspective. Although Cordelia plays a central role in directing the narrative of the story by influencing the decisions of others, her actions are rather passive, suffering through the actions of others ultimately ending in her death.

The sub-plot that is developed together with the main story line has the same themes of filial duties, as it shows the relationship between a father, the earl of Gloucester, and his two sons Edgar and Edmund. The key aspect of the dynamics between the three characters is the fact that Edmund is the Earl’s illegitimate son, as such he yearns for his brother’s inheritance which he does not have a right to. The significance of the subplot of King Lear has the purpose of supporting and highlighting the characters of the main plot, acting as another element of tragedy and increasing tensions throughout the play.

🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺

As such the main themes of the play revolve around families, and especially filial duty and filial responsibility. It reflects on the concept of honesty, and what comes out of it. The play ultimately does not pose a happy ending or sad ending, but rather a bittersweet ending. Cordelia, perhaps the most noble person, dies at the end proving that just because someone is honest does not mean that they will be rewarded. At the same time the king, the one that caused Cordelia’s misery in the first place by disowning her, dies as well after undergoing a deep change of character that made him realise that Cordelia’s love was the purest of all and should have been rewarded as such.

#william shakespeare #king lear #theater #idk #analisys

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dialovers-translations · 2 years

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Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Reiji Maniac [10]

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

ー The scene starts in the entrance hall of the Vibora Castle

Yui: ( So this is the Vibora castle...It has a peculiar atmosphere to it. )

( Even though we were given a very warm welcome, I feel restless. )

Reiji: ...There he is.

ー Zweig walks up to them

Zweig: Welcome. (1) I did not expect the Vampire King would come himself...We are glad you are here.

Reiji: The pleasure is mine. Thank you very much for the invitation.

Zweig: I have arranged a welcoming banquet, so go ahead and enjoy it to your heart’s content.

Reiji: I highly appreciate the consideration. Aah, also...Allow me to once again introduce the lady over here.

Yui: ( I have to properly introduce myself. )

Selection (2)

→ Nice to meet you. (❦)

Zweig: The pleasure is all mine. Now then, no need to be so tense. Ease up a little.

Yui: O-Okay...!

Reiji: You do not seem relaxed at all even though he just told you that. Come on, ease the tension in your shoulders.

*Rustle rustle*

Reiji: ...Make sure to smile naturally, okay? ...I am sure you can do that.

Yui: ( Ah...He’s tapping my shoulders. ...How nice. )

Zweig: ...I see. It is pleasant to see the two of you interact.

→ It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Zweig: The pleasure is mine. Right. How about we shake hands to show our amiability?

Yui: Y-Yes...

Zweig: That being said, she does strike me as an inherently lovely young lady...As to be expected of Eve.

Yui: ( Eh? Did he call me Eve just now...? )

Zweig: I suppose I have to admit that it makes sense why the leader of the Vampires has fallen for her?

*Rustle*

Reiji: Excuse me. I would like you to refrain from saying any more. ...You, leave the introductions at that and come here.

Yui: Okay...

*TIMESKIP*

Zweig: Well then, I would like to call for a toast on the future of both the Vampire and the Vibora clan...Cheers!

*Cling cling*

Reiji: ...

Yui: ...

( Everyone’s fired up. I’m surprised we were given such an elaborate welcome. )

( I’m sure they’re being this nice and friendly despite the overall problematic situation in the Demon World because Cordelia hailed from this clan. )

( Ever since Karlheinz-san’s reign, they have been treating the Vampire clan extremely well...It’s amazing. )

( I’m sure it will be very important to keep on valuing this bond between both clans... )

Reiji: ...What are you spacing out for?

Yui: Eh? No...Nothing.

Reiji: I see. There are many delicious dishes amongst these, so go ahead and try it as you like.

Yui: Sure.

( Reiji-san seems very relaxed. )

( I’m not sure if that’s how he truly feels or if it just comes across that way but...Still, it’s impressive. )

( Meanwhile I can’t help but feel a bit tense since I’m not used to these kinds of occasions. )

f( However...I should try my best so I don’t drag him down. )

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( More and more people are leaving...I guess they’ll wrap things up soon. )

( I wonder if the plan is to spend the night at the castle? )

Reiji: ...You. I need to talk to Zweig about something, so please return to the guest room ahead of me.

Yui: O-Okay...

( I’m a bit worried about being all by myself at this castle...but I’m sure it’s an important talk. )

( I shouldn’t get in the way. )

Well then, if you’d excuse me now.

Zweig: Thank you very much for the enjoyable time. Go ahead and relax at the castle in whichever way you like.

Yui: Yes. Well then...

ー Yui leaves

Zweig: ...What a brave young lady. Is she not aware?

Reiji: ...

Well then, let us get to the main topic at hand. ...May you please ask the other people to leave the room?

*TIMESKIP*

Zweig: So...I have to assume that you read the letter I sent you the other day.

Reiji: Yes. Thank you very much for the polite proposal.

Zweig: The fact you came here today accompanied by the lady...Can I take that as a sign that you will accept my offer to form an alliation?

Reiji: Yes, of course. I would never dare think lightly of the close bond shared between our clans.

Zweig: I see. ...So you do not turn your back on it, even under the condition of having to hand over the woman known as Eve...I am highly impressed.

Reiji: ...At present, such a condition is but a small price to pay. Please do not get the wrong idea.

Zweig: Hooh?

Reiji: May I ask you to provide me with an official document stating that an alliation between our clans will continue to be in effect, proven by my decision to leave her in your care?

Zweig: Of course.

*Scribble scribble*

Zweig: ...Right. How about I offer you my younger sister in exchange for her?

Reiji: No, thank you. I am afraid that I do not need a ‘replacement’.

Zweig: Hahaha. ...Do you love her?

Reiji: ...

Zweig: However, this is the fate of those who lead a clan. Rest assured. I can promise you that I will treasure her in your place.

We will satisfy all her needs. ...In every regard.

Reiji: ...Well then, I shall take my leave now. I will take the document with me, okay?

*Flip*

Zweig: Do not break our promise, okay?

Reiji: Likewise.

ー Zweig leaves

Reiji: ...

( ...This was for the best. )

( I did the right thing as the leader of my clan. )

( ...If I do make myself believe that, I doubt I will be able to leave this place. )

( If I come to a halt here now, can I even call myself qualified to inherit Father’s powers...? )

Kuh...

( I must not pay mind to the pain. )

( For the sake of my powers, as well as to help the Vampire clan flourish...I shall forget about you. )

We go our different ways now. Farewell...Yui.

ー The scene shifts to the guest room

Yui: ( Reiji-san sure is taking a while... )

Monologue

I sit down on the bed,

as a sigh falls from my lips.

The Vibora’s intense welcome,

left me completely drained of all energy.

Their attitude and behavior,

enough to make one forget about all trouble and disarray taking place in the Demon World,

as much as it conveyed a sense of kindness (優しさを感じる),

I cannot help but get somewhat ominous vibes from it as well.

What could it mean?

Remaining ignorant,

I simply waited for Reiji-san’s return (帰りを待った).

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) This phrase literally means ‘good job coming here’, and it is used to welcome someone to your home/etc.

(2) While the two options you choose from have the same meaning, the first is a generally polite statement, while the second is keigo or formal speech, making it sound extra formal.

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #reiji sakamaki #lost eden #diabolik lovers translation #lereijimaniac10

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thatsmybluefondue · 2 years

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A New-Old Writeblr Introduction

Sterling Blue here! So... I was around a couple years ago, and now I am deciding to make my comeback!

Here’s where I’ve (sorta) been the last couple of years.

Twitter: @/mybluefondue

TikTok: @/thatsmybluefondue

And now...

The introduction!

Name/Pen Name: Sterling Blue

Pronouns: They/She

Age: Uh... Old enough.

Some More About Me: I’m in university for Education in English Language Arts, English, and a minor in creative writing. Then I’m gonna get my Master’s in English, and finally a Doctorate in creative writing. (At least, that’s the plan.)

I play D&D in my free time, and write (duh), and watch TV (mostly anime).

My dream, of course, is to be a (good) published writer, and I’m aiming traditional or indie at the moment. Teaching others is also a fun dream of mine, and especially teaching something I’m so passionate about.

Currently, I’m really into graphic novels, so I’ve been writing a lot of those (even though I cannot, for the life of me, Art. I just partner with people). I’m also working on an upper YA novel, and sometimes I dabble in a (sort of?) memoir-type thing.

Without further ado...

The WIPs.

Guardian of the Sun: The Weight of a Life

The world is split into the North and South. In the North, Sunchild Cordelia rules with a careless hand. Because Sunchild Cordelia refuses to leave the castle and spread light and energy, the North has long fallen to ruin—and with the decay of trees, clean air has become a commodity that only the wealthy can afford. Guardian of the Sun: The Weight of a Life follows siblings Nash and Nova, orphans that scam their way to survival. Nash’s cough is worsening though, and only clean air through a specialized mask can improve it—something they can’t yet afford. Nova would do anything for her brother and will carry him however far it takes, even if that means piggy-backing him to the Inner Circle to make more money. But the Inner Circle is different from their wide-spread Outer Circle life, and things will change forever because of their trip—especially when Nova accidentally kills someone for a mask. Now they’re on the run, and Nash is only getting worse.

Distant Dreams

Casey, Preston, and Zara are just ordinary kids when narcoleptic Aurora comes bursting into their lives via teleportation. They think this is their chance to escape The Frozen Land and reach freedom in The Sunny Place across The Mountains, but Aurora has yet to master her powers—and with monsters around every corner and random bouts of teleportation taking them to the worst possible locations, it doesn't seem likely that Aurora will have the chance to learn any time soon.

The Sea Witch and Her Curse

After Alcina’s family is murdered in front of her, an old sea witch takes her to be trained into becoming a sea witch herself. With the sea princes in-fighting over who will become the next king, witches are used as the main line of fighting in these battles and war. But there are dark secrets lurking in these waters, and Alcina does not want to figure them out.

Like Clockwork

Kilo never got to practice magic like everyone else growing up, but he has his chance now. With his internship at Magix solidified, Kilo can practice fighting in the Arenal Department to his heart’s desire. But with upper-rank officials dying left and right and the Anti-Magix Rebellion rising, Kilo will have to use whatever skills he has just to survive the summer—before time runs out.

Mentally Stable

Basically a journal of my journey through mental health. It’s totally fun—not really—and funny—if you enjoy dark humor—and absolutely, positively sane.

There are others in planning stages, but these are the ones with actual words on paper.

Like and comment and reblog and all that jazz, and I’ll follow you if you look like a neat-o writeblr!

#sterling blue #writeblr #writeblr intro

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ceriseo · 3 years

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gonna totally nerd out for a second and talk about the carstair sibling’s names. vibe-wise, they go together wonderfully, and they also have similar celtic origins.

cordelia is from cordeilla, a character in the original king leir, probably adapted itself from the welsh name creiddylad, which could possibly mean ‘heart of the sea’. meaning-wise, it suits cordelia perfectly, but cordelia is the name of the youngest daughter in king lear. cordelia is the only one of her sisters to remain truly loyal to her father, which provides some obvious parallel to elias and by extension alastair. popularity wise, cordelia was actually fairly popular at the time, and therefore historically accurate as well.

alastair is a scottish variation of alexander, which means ‘defender of men’. alexander is the name of a) alexander lightwood, famous shadowhunter gay, and b) alexander the great, famous historical gay. (also anna and christopher’s little brother? probably not relevant.) and maybe this is just personal taste but Alastair is such an evil sounding name. like harry potter villain or some shit, possibly representative of his introduction into the story as an antagonist. also the fact that his name alaSTAIR carSTAIRs maybe implies that his name wasn’t as well thought out or chosen with much care... mayhaps symbolic of his relationship to his parents? or mayhaps he was never meant to have the last name carstairs...

i love their middle names too. ‘cordelia katayoun’ and ‘alastair esfandiyar’. katayoun and esfandiyar are both characters in the persian epic shahnameh. (i’ve not read it so i can’t properly compare the characters but i know katayoun is esfandiyar’s mother.) both of the siblings love literature and stories, and given the the fact that their middle names, almost certainly chosen by their mother, show a love of literature makes it clear that they get that love from their mom. additionally, esfandiyar isn’t a common spelling of that name, a fact that is also true for alastair’s first name.

#tlh #tsc #alastair carstairs #cordelia carstairs #i know esfandiyar has an accent thing over the last a but i don't know how to make it with my laptop

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the-timeless-founder · 2 years

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About Claire Cornelle

[Introduction]

Claire is the illegitimate daughter of Burai and of Vibora nobility. After her contributions to the Second Great War, she was officially granted the title of Duchess.

Her last and middle name comes from the Founders she spent her early life with before moving to Vibora territories and under Burai's care.

Although she lives in the castle, she's never been known as a Princess, unlike Cordelia, and is looked down upon by many of her peers who consider her some random Vibora woman who managed to catch the King's attention.

[Biography]

Full name: Lucrecia Claire Etrama Cornelle

Title(s): Duchess, Lady

Race: Hybrid (Founder + Vibora)

Nickname(s): the Glorious, the Ever Young

Age: 1000+ (lookswise, 19)

Personality Type:

Gender: Female (She / her / they)

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Height: 179 cm (5 '10" ft)

Weight: 70 kg (154 Ib)

[Interests]

Romance novels. The sort that is compared to fairytales, the stuff of legends. Sweet and heart churning. If she's reading a book that is not going to be of use to her in dealing with those corrupt, sick officials, then it is definitely a romance novel.

All the finest wines in the world. She needs a little of it in the morning just to convince herself to get out of bed instead of lying there all day long. Luckily for her, due to her demonic heritage, she doesn't feel the side effects of her destructive habit of drinking.

Beautiful gowns and expensive jewelry. Fine shoes and aristocratic hairstyles. Because they make her look like a princess, popping out of a river in the woods, and they get her the attention she's been starved of all her life.

[Other]

Her real name is Lucrecia, but because upon meeting her for the second time Burai almost affectionately named her Claire, she decided to take up that name instead of her old one.

The home she spent her childhood and early teen years in was horrible and abusive enough that the second time Burai saw her and proposed that she leaves to live with him, she agreed immediately.

Menae was actually quite decent to her, she wasn't a substitute mother by a long shot, but she treated her well.

It was Cordelia who gave Claire hell all over again.

Mostly because she was afraid she'd lose the favor of her father and suitors because she now has a random sister.

Claire was kept away from meeting Cordelia's children because of their issues, they only vaguely know that they have some half-aunt who lives in Vibora territory.

#claire etrama cornelle #claire #diabolik oc #diabolik lovers oc #diabolik lovers #dl oc #my oc #introduction

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roughrudesea · 3 years

Quote

Is Lear at fault for demanding the performance, for requiring the oath? As it turns out, he is, but we can imagine a different outcome, in which the willing adherence to the honorable forms of ceremonial behavior is seen as the essence of civilized society. These are precisely the values that Hamlet is nostalgic for, the old chivalric world, the world Macbeth destroys with the murder of Duncan. Whether Lear is at fault or not is almost beside the point: the point, as the scene proceeds, is much more schematic, and reminds us of Macbeth's world of paradoxes. The good daughter cannot express her love while the bad daughters are believed; speech is lying and silence is truth; the richest reality is nothing -- what Cordelia says, what her dowry is.

Stephen Orgel, Introduction to King Lear (Pelican edition), xxxi.

#king lear #shakespeare #william shakespeare #dark academia

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adhonoremrp · 3 years

Photo

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND ENTITIES OF ALL VARIETY...

it is time to gather round the cage and let the fighting begin. the first match is lined up to enter the cage followed by the referee. CORDELIA GREENGRASS holds the ROUND ONE sign and walks it across the ring and promptly out the door with a wink to the crowd. JACKSON FLINT rolls his eyes and locks the cage behind her. WENDY FLETCHER, RITA SKEETER, & EZRAEL HYUN have taken a seat behind a table pushed against the side of the ring cage each with a microphone of their own. it is time to begin. AEROS ROSIER has taken the mic from the stage, he walks with purpose around the corner of the cage and crawls atop a table, knocking a glass to the floor. with a flourish of his arm, he proceeds with the introductions for the evening.

“AND THE PRIZE IS THE COVETED BELT, A YEAR’S WORTH OF DRINKS AT ACID, & ONE DELIGHTFULLY RARE BOTTLE OF FELIX FELICIS.”

h o n o r vs j u l y

the match starts out strong. both competitors leap into the fray with reckless abandon. july lashes out with the first clean blow, but recoils with a pained expression. a previous wrist injury on display. honor catches the weakness and goes to strike the wrist again with her elbow. july avoids the wrist blow with swift movement, but is unexpectedly caught with a kick to her stomach. july falls back a step, but does not lose her footing. honor turns to face july. they face off again. as honor attempts to reach for the injured wrist again, july ducks, digs her shoulder into honor’s chest, and bucks her back. honor loses her footing. july takes advantage, pinning her to the ground, and delivering two clean punches to the face. honor does not respond to the referee’s call for consciousness.

injuries sustained:

honor has a black eye, bloody nose, and busted lip. july has aggravated her previous wrist injury. she has a dark bruise on her torso.

J U L Y will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

"those injuries could be absolutely devastating in the next round...”

___________________________________________________________________

m a r s vs k i n g t u t

the match begins with whispers. both competitors remain planted on their feet. mars moves first. he’s up on the balls of his feet, knuckles prepped defensively. he steps forward. king tut, retreats. his own fists up now in defense. the two exchange blows. it appears they have both silently agreed to keep this a boxing match. king tut lands a right jab into mar’s chest. mars lifts his arm and wraps it over king tut’s arm. mars uses the momentum to pull king tut off his feet. king tut lands chest first on the mat. mars presses a knee into the base of his spine, pinning him firmly down. king tut taps.

injuries sustained:

king tut has bruising on the back of his neck. mars has sustained no injuries.

M A R S will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

"now that is a competitor who means business. you can just see the experience coming into play.”

___________________________________________________________________

d a r e vs d e s c h a m p

the match begins. dare strikes out hard and fast with a left hook to des champ’s skull. des champ falls. there is no response to the call for consciousness. dare and the referee share a look of confusion.

injuries sustained:

des champ has a minor concussion. dare has sustained no injuries.

D A R E will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

"what were they even doing in the ring? I think we can all say that was hard to look at.”

___________________________________________________________________

r o g u e vs b l a c k w i d o w

as the match begins, a strange hush falls over the crowd. rogue is tensed and ready to begin. black widow waves to the crowd as the two walk in a circle, facing each other and pacing the ring slowly. rogue runs and spears black widow into the walls of the cage. rogue rears back and rams her shoulder into black widow’s core again and again and again. black widow brings down both elbows onto rogue’s shoulders. rogue pulls back and attempts to tackle black widow again. black widow evades to the side. black widow hooks her arm around rogue’s neck in a choke hold and latches her legs around rogue’s waist tightly. black widow squeezes. rogue attempts to pull the arm from their neck. rogue reaches back and elbows black widow in the ribs. black widow screams but does not release. rogue slams black widow into the walls of the cage. black widow does not release. rogue slams her head back wildly. black widow’s head recoils sharply as the back of rogue’s head collides with her nose. black widow tightens her hold. rogue sinks down to her knees. rogue does not tap. rogue swings back again. they are both on the mat. rogue does not respond to the referee’s call for consciousness.

injuries sustained:

rogue has bruising around the shoulders, neck, and waist. black widow has a concussion, scratches on the arm, broken rib, and bloody nose.

B L A C K W I D O W will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

“incredible. I could watch that ten times over.”

AEROS tosses his microphone to WENDY as he pulls the robes off his back as he enters the cage himself.

___________________________________________________________________

h a t t e r vs t h e d r a g o n

the crowd is buzzing with energy. the match begins. hatter throws his arms wide to the audience, but his feet remain planted in the center of the ring. the dragon paces a circle around him and drags her fingers against the cage fence. the dragon bolts towards hatter. hatter does not evade. he braces himself. the dragon spears into hatter. hatter catches the dragon by the waist. hatter steps and spin, tossing the dragon into the cage wall. the dragon hits the cage and falls to the mat with a decided thud. the dragon rolls swiftly back to her feet. the dragon launches herself at hatter again. the hatter jabs with his left fist. the dragon uses her forearm to redirect the momentum and knees hatter in the ribs. hatter falls back a step. the two enter an exchange of blows. the dragon is faster and lands more consistently. hatter hits harder, each strike counts. both have drawn blood. the dragon gets an arm hooked around hatter’s thigh and digs in her nails. she uplifts his footing. hatter uses the same leg to knee the dragon in the nose. the dragon whips her head back and retreats to the cage walls again. hatter remains in the center of the ring and waves again to the crowd. the dragon climbs the cage wall and leaps from the top. she lands on the hatter’s back. they both collapse to the ground. there is a tussle for power. the hatter comes out on top. he pins the dragon down and pounds blow after blow into her upper body. the dragon writhes and strikes viciously in an attempt to free herself. knees and shins make repeated contact with the hatter’s back. hatter grabs her arm. there is a twist, a snap. the referee calls the match.

injuries sustained:

the dragon has a broken arm, a broken finger, a black eye, and major bruising. hatter has scratch marks on his thigh, a broken rib, a bite mark on his back, major bruising, and a busted lip.

H A T T E R will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

“they were lethally brutal. impressive.”

___________________________________________________________________

h u n t s m a n vs o p a l e y e

the match begins. the huntsman moves immediately stepping into a right hook aimed at opaleye’s head. opaleye evades in a quick step and keeps on the move. huntsman swings again. opaleye dodges. huntsman hits the cage wall behind him. opaleye takes advantage of the opportunity and hits two quick jabs to huntsman’s chest. opaleye moves back again quickly. huntsman attempts to grab opaleye. they lock arms in a tussle. opaleye pins huntsman against the cage by the throat. huntsman rears back and headbutts opaleye. opaleye stumbles backward. huntsman connects a left uppercut to opaleye’s jaw. opaleye elbows blindly and strikes the side of huntsman’s skull. opaleye swings again, but huntsman ducks. huntsman grabs opaleye but the waist and suplexes him headfirst over his shoulder into the mat. huntsman puts pressure on the hold until there is no more struggle. opaleye does not respond to the call for consciousness.

injuries sustained:

opaleye has a broken nose, black eyes, and a minor concussion. huntsman has a broken nose, black eyes, and a broken knuckle.

H U N T S M A N will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

“he could throw me around.”

___________________________________________________________________

s t a r vs t h e r u n t

the match begins in the same moment the runt begins to run the ring. star swings quickly at the runt as they sprint past. star misses. the runt does not pause. they charge from wall to wall past star, but do not attack. star throws out a few surprised swings that do not connect. the runt is seemingly moving too fast to hit. star tries to roundhouse kick as the runt knee slides under the leg without pause. in the next passing, star attempts to tackle the runt. the runt leap frogs over star and continues their path. the runt turns sharp and stampedes star. the runt drops kicks star in the center of the chest full speed. star is forced back into the fence. the runt lands hard on their hands and feet. they jump back up and speed back into their run pattern. star steps forward again. instead of pursuing, star holds their arm out firm. the runt clotheslines into it. star takes advantage of the recoil and snakes her legs beneath the runt, tripping them hard into the mat. star puts the runt into a triangle hold. the runt taps.

injuries sustained:

the runt has bruising on the face, chest, and sternum, a busted lip, and a sprained ankle. star has bruising on the chest and sternum, and a hyper-extended elbow.

S T A R will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

“thinking on your feet like that will get you far in a competition like this.”

___________________________________________________________________

w o r m t a i l vs s p a r r o w

the match begins with wormtail and sparrow squaring off. sparrow jabs. wormtails dodges. wormtail lurches forward to grab sparrow’s shoulders. sparrows ducks and steps to the side. wormtail lines up against the cage. sparrow backs up and faces wormtail. wormtail taunts and gestures sparrow to come forward. sparrow runs forward. wormtail scurries away at the last moment, and sparrow collides face first with the cage. sparrow wheels around. wormtail braces. sparrow heads directly for him and punches him clean in the jaw. wormtail grabs sparrow by the shoulders and wrestles her to the ground. sparrow reverses the hold and pins wormtail into the mat. wormtail taps.

injuries sustained:

wormtail has a busted lip. sparrow has sustained no injuries.

S P A R R O W will move on to the next round.

_______________________________________________________

“I could watch that again.”

___________________________________________________________________

t h e c o y o t e vs c a i n

the match begins, and the coyote is up on her toes. cain stays to the edge of the ring. the coyote kicks at cain’s head. cain blocks the blow, but the coyote hitch kicked her other leg and connected her shin to his head. the coyote falls back onto their back and rolls back to their shoulders to springboard back to their feet. cain jabs with his right arm, then his left. both narrowly miss the coyote’s head on either side. the coyote knees cain in the side and brings an elbow down on his collar. cain pushes the coyote firmly back, but does not swing until her feet are planted. he throws a jab, a hook, and another jab. the coyote easily dodges all. the coyote punches with a left jab. cain deflects. the coyote punches with a right jab. cain deflects. the coyote throws a left elbow, a right knee, a right hook, a left uppercut. cain deflects each, but does not return a blow. the coyote spears cain. the coyote uses her knees to pin cain down. cain forces them to roll and pins the coyote down. the coyote plants both feet under his torso and kicks cain off. cain stumbles to his feet and steps back. the coyote sweeps cain’s leg. cain falls back on the mat. the coyote pins him chest down to the mat with his arm wrenched behind him. the coyote leverages her feet into the cage and presses down harder. cain taps.

injuries sustained:

cain has sustained no injuries. the coyote has sustained no injuries.

T H E C O Y O T E will move on to the next round.

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“technically, it was a good fight.”

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b a b y vs m o o d y

the crowd is roaring with anticipation. the match begins. baby and moody face each other. baby moves first. baby clocks moody with a solid punch in the mouth. moody steps back. he swings at baby, but it is much too high. it whiffs over baby’s head. baby ducks down and hooks moody in the core. moody punches down at her. baby rolls to evade and wraps their legs around moody’s bicep, grabbing his wrist and forcing him down to the mat. moody strains to lift baby up from the mat and slams her back down. baby does not let go her hold of his arm. moody drives an elbow into baby’s leg, and lifts baby up once more to drop them against the mat even harder. baby releases and rolls over her shoulder back to her feet. baby jumps up, bringing both knees to her chest, and stomps down on his chest with both feet. baby vaults back into a back handspring then immediately into a forward tuck and drove her knees again into moody’s chest. moody grabbed baby by hooking his arm around her legs and twisted. moody leveraged baby to the mat. moody grabbed baby by the shoulders with both hands. moody lifts baby and slams her back into the mat once, twice, three times. baby scissor locks around moody’s waist and squeezes. baby strikes with her elbow against moody’s brow. moody tries to pray baby’s legs off. moody can not pray baby’s legs off. baby jabs moody in the jaw. moody chops baby in the throat. baby releases her hold. moody rolls away. baby hops back to her feet. moody stands. moody charges baby. baby stands her ground and grapples him. both wrestle standing. moody gains the advantage and forces baby down to her knees. baby ducks her head and drives her skull into his gut then her shoulder. baby drives him all the way into the fence. moody strikes baby’s back with the greater part of his arm. baby pulls back and drives him into the fence again. moody pushes baby back by shoving baby’s chest firmly with two flat palms. baby stumbles back. moody cracks a right jab directly to baby’s eye socket. moody pulls back his fist again and cracks baby’s tooth from her mouth. baby spits blood in moody’s face. moody swings again. baby ducks. baby grabs moody’s arm and forces it’s momentum harder into the cage behind him. moody pulls his elbow sharply back and clips baby’s chin. both stumble away to regroup. baby charges moody. baby ducks her head and tackles into his knees, she wraps her arms around them and lifts, flipping him over her. moody collapses to the mat in pain. baby shifts in two quick steps to kick him sharply in the head with her heel. moody does not respond to the call for consciousness.

injuries sustained:

moody has a slipped knee, a bruised sternum, a broken rib, and a lacerated eyebrow. baby has a missing tooth, a black eye, and severe body bruising.

B A B Y will move on to the next round.

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“that is why they call it a safe bet.”

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p a n vs t h e c a r v e r

the match begins. pan launches himself at the carver. he lands a left jab and right jab to the carver’s face. the carver swings with a hook. pan ducks. pan strikes a left hook into the carver’s torso, followed by a right hook, and a knee. the carver falls back a step. the carver steps forward again, and jabs pan in the face. pan’s face recoils. a cry from the microphone echoes from outside the cage to the fighter’s ears. pan turns instantly towards the noise. the carver punches again while pan is turning. pan falls to the mat. he does not respond to the referee’s call for consciousness.

injuries sustained:

pan has a black eye, and a concussion. the carver has a broken nose.

T H E C A R V E R will move on to the next round.

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WENDY drops he mic on the table before running to the cage door. her job was forgotten entirely. AEROS returns. he takes his microphone back from where it was abandoned and continues to announce as if he had never left.

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o d i n s o n vs b l u e

the match begins and odinson walks directly at blue. blue side steps and moves to the edge of the fence. odinson does not hesitate and advances again. blue braces herself. odinson grapples her by the arms. blue kicks odinson in the thigh. they continue to grapple. blue kicks odinson in the knee. they continue to grapple. blue kicks odinson in the shin. odinson lifts blue from the mat. in a great stride and spin, odinson hurls blue into the side of the cage. blue hits the cage and then hits the mat. blue scrambles to her feet. odinson is over her. blue lands an uppercut and a hook to odinson’s jaw and cheek respectively. odinson picks her up by the arms again and steps and spins in the other direction, hurling her into the other cage wall. blue hits the wall and hits the mat. blue pushes back to her feet. odinson starts to punch blue, but blue grabs his hand. she snaps his finger back sharply. odinson hooks his other fist in a blind rage across her temple. knockout.

injuries sustained:

blue has a black eye, bruising on the back, and a dislocated shoulder. odinson has a broken finger and a laceration across the cheek.

O D I N S O N will move on to the next round.

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“what a way to finish this round!”

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OLIVIA OLLIVANDER will now take the stage. the new bout list will be posted soon. everyone will have another hour to rest and get ready for ROUND TWO.

OOC NOTES:

round one is finally complete. feel free to post self-paras of your character’s perspective of any fight and any events that may have happened during these matches, but please remember what is posted above is the shared canon. please continue interactions leading up to the beginning of ROUND TWO fights, but don’t begin any threads past that point. it will occur in the same fashion as before.

#ahevent005 #ahfightnight #ahevent #tw: violence #tw: blood #tw: injury #tw: broken bones

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