The Third Song (The Second Queen Companion)

Queen, Wife, Mother, Soldier - Phillipa de Viscardi

Cast of Characters
Phillipa de Viscardi : Main Character, Queen of Varis,
Alexander de Viscardi : Side Character, King of Varis
General Fabbro: Side Character, General of the Varian Army at the Elvair Front
Soldier 1: Works under/with General Fabbro
Soldier 2: Works under/with General Fabbro
Lord Nadal: Alexander's cousin, next in line to the Varian throne if Alexander wasn't born

Scene 1
(Open on Phillipa and Alexander standing around a table.)
(Phillipa is visibly with child.)
(The table is covered in maps and wooden statues.)
Phillipa: I am going.
Alexander: You cannot just go out to the warfront!
Phillipa: Someone must and you certainly aren't.
Alexander: Malik Nour has come all this way and I cannot leave this palace just to boost morale. The army does not need a royal presence to succeed. They are holding perfectly well on their own.
Phillipa: Perfectly well is not the same as winning.
Alexander: So you wish me to send my wife and heir out to the field of battle?
Phillipa: (firmly) I am not asking for your permission or your approval, I am asking for your support.
Alexander: (softly) You know that is something I cannot so easily give.
Phillipa: I know, but someone must go to the army. The Duchess of Luiza wrote expressing the need for strength in the army. They are camped on her estate. She describes them as forlorn with weakening morale each day. Her six children leave the house each day to feed and clothe our men, yet our family does nothing.
Alexander: And what would you have us do? We already fund the military and pay the men.
Phillipa: Money does not keep one's body and mind from weakening after years of war.
Alexander: The presence of one person does not provide strength.
Phillipa: With all due respect, husband, I disagree.
Alexander: You know just as well as I the risk. It is not one I wish to take. What am I to do if you are killed? Or if the child is killed?
Phillipa: I have fought before, Alexander. I have been fighting since I was a child. I cannot be killed so easily, nor can this child. I am not going to be away for long just to see what is happening and to help in any way I can. I swore to be both sovereign and servant, this is what I must do.
Alexander: Two weeks.
Phillipa: Maybe less. Depends on the need.
Alexander: I do believe that the Malik will miss your opinions at dinner, and your company at the opera.
Phillipa: (knowingly) I'm sure he will.
(Phillipa and Alexander share a knowing smile)
(Alexander waves over a serving boy)
(the boy bows as he steps forward towards the King)
Alexander: Boy! Ready the Queen's horse.
(boy runs offstage)
(as Phillipa bows her head three ladies surround Phillipa strapping plate armor and scims onto her)
(when they are gone she raises her head, a whitish gold light coming down from above to give her more of a warrior queen look)
(Alexander takes Phillipa's hand as she moves to leave the room, kisses her knuckles and lets her go)
(Phillipa leaves the stage)
(Stage goes black)

Scene 2
Phillipa (dressed for battle) walks on stage (war tent) escorted by four guards. The armored men in the tent turn to her.
Soldier 1: Who is the girl?
Phillipa: Your Queen.
General Fabbro: (steps away from the table) Tell me, Majesty, how are you, a woman, supposed to help us fight to win this war? Women are not meant to fight these battles.
Phillipa: It's a good thing I'm not a woman then, I am a queen.
Soldier 2: With a woman's body.
Phillipa: Have you heard of the Battle of Auxton?
Soldier 2: Aye, what's that got to do with your place here?
Phillipa: I was there. Sixteen. Serving directly under the command of General la Barre, killed hundreds of enemy men that day. Who did you think Leftinent Whitewood was?
Fabbro: A man.
Phillipa: Sorry to disappoint. Now that that's settled, can we move on?
(the four take their places forming a semicircle around the table alongside the rest of the men.
(music from THE UNTOLD plays as the characters mime conversation and point to places on the map)
(Phillipa moves a large piece back across the map to where it originally lay)
Fabbro: (slams fist against the table causing some of the pieces to fall) We must send the men to the mountains!
Phillipa: Did you attend military school or not, General?
Fabbro: I beg your pardon, Majesty?
Phillipa: Sending the army along the border to the mountains is suicide.
Fabbro: As is keeping us near the water.
Phillipa: We have the stronger navy.
Soldier 2: They are said to have a hellburner!
Phillipa: We cut them off months ago, they do not have the resources to keep one.
Fabbro: We are weakening on that front, Majesty. It is only a matter of time before they take it back.
(Phillipa draws the papers on the makeshift table closer to her, muttering under her breath as she reads over them)
Phillipa: If you increase the number of men at Sudart blockade and send a legion into the city to take over their gunpowder factory then remove all of the gunpowder from the city, the armies will no longer be able to fire at us.
Fabbro: How do you plan to achieve this task Majesty?
Phillipa: With the ferocity and bravery that this army was built upon. I know that this task seems impossible, but we already have one foot in the door and all we need to do is force it open.
Fabbro: You speak as if you know of these things.
Phillipa: I know of most. I know that I am not fluent in the art of war. But I know that this army, with the strength and resources we have, is able to do anything. Now, with all due respect General, if you keep contradicting my every move, this army will be killed off before we have a chance to fight back.
(another soldier walks onstage in full military uniform/emblems/etc)
(he stands by table across from Phillipa)
Lord Nadal: (nods) Your Majesty.
Phillipa: Lord Nadal, I did not expect to see you at the front.
Lord Nadal: Nor did I, Ma'am. What are you doing here?
Phillipa : Fighting for king and country with all of my knowledge and abilities of war.
Lord Nadal: And a woman such as yourself is fit to do that?
Phillipa: Nadal, I'm disappointed in you. I was so sure that you would remember me.
Nadal: Why would that be Majesty?
Phillipa: Oh don't play coy, your cousin can pull it off much better.
Nadal: I see, you're here not only for your king but to upstage me.
Phillipa: If that were true I would applaud you. Why are you here? Wait, no let me guess, you want admiration and honor from the battlefield. But, dearest Nadal there is no honor for you here. If you are done wasting the time of the military and myself, you will either leave or say something of use.
Nadal: You do not wish for me to fight in this battle?
Phillipa: The men are outside preparing, you could join them if you wish to fight.
Nadal: Your wish is my command, Your Majesty.
(Nadal hits his fist to his heart, bowing before leaving the tent)
Fabbro: We ride in an hour. Ready yourselves gentlemen, the night is already upon us.

(The men leave the lit up 'war tent' area and stay onstage in the dark-ish area where crates and weapons have been placed)
(Fabbro hits his fist to his heart before following the men out of the tent)
(They strap weapons to themselves and other people come on stage and mime talking with them and take crates away)
(Phillipa takes the only chair from the still lit war tent and sits in it, looking over the maps, concern filling her face)
(After a minute passes and all of the crates are gone (the men in lines) Fabbro walks back into the tent (hands clasped begins his back))
Fabbro: Shall the boy saddle a horse for you Majesty?
Phillipa: No, I came here to advise and raise morale, not to fight on the lines. I am unable to and have been advised against it.
Fabbro: As you wish it. We will see you on the other side.
(Fabbro and Phillipa hit their right hands over their hearts in salute to the other)
(Fabbro walks off stage)
(Stage turns dark)

Scene 3
(Phillipa is alone in the 'war tent' sitting on the lone chair)
(one hand is on the hilt of her unsheathed sword and the other rests on her womb)
Phillipa: (Quietly singing Wartime's Lullabye) The floor slick with blood below my leather covered feet, clutching you to my breast so that you will not see. Lullabies from my voice fill your ears so that you will not hear, the sounds of screams from those who die in fear. Your little feet move against the hilt of my sword, the silent promise that I will always protect you. Do not live in fear, my beautiful child; the way you have lived will never make you mild. Grow up strong and grow up true always knowing that someone will care for you.
(The stage falls quiet)
(boy runs onstage (sounds of a army's march from offstage)
(Boy bursts into the war tent, he bows quickly)
Messenger: The city has been taken!
Phillipa: Which one?
Messenger: (smiling) Sudart. I ran here as fast as I could. General Fabbro is on his way back. The Leftinent and Lord Nadal have stayed behind with enough men to keep the city under control. The general was a few miles behind me.
Phillipa: (solemn/joyful half smile) We should be ready to greet them when they return.
(Group of lets say 20 men walk onto the stage, General Fabbro at the front)
(Phillipa stands and leavesd the tent)
(Focus lighting changes from the tent to the rest of the stage as she moves)
(Phillipa approachesd the General)
Philipa: (nods) General.
Fabbro: Your Majesty.
Phillipa: I heard all went well at the front. Congratulations.
Fabbro: You are kind, Majesty. Your council was most helpful.
Phillipa: I am glad, but I must return to Alther.
Fabbro: So soon?
Phillipia: (hint of a smile) Yes, I sense that I have been gone too long.
Fabbro: How so?
Phillipa: As a girl I was first a princess, the eldest born. But I would get no throne to myself. My mother knew that. So she gave me a second identity, soldier. But now, now I am first queen, then wife, then mother, and the soldier that must protect them all. It is my duty to return to the palace, to be my four persons, and fight for this country on a different front. As much as it pains me, the battles I must face do not allow me armored plates and steel.
Fabbro: You are an odd creature, Majesty. It has been an honor to fight alongside you.
Phillipa: it has been an honor as well. Send word if anything is needed at the front.
(Fabbro and Phillipa hit their right hands over their hearts in salute to the other)
(Fabbro walks off stage)
(Phillipa walks off in the opposite direction)
(QUICK CHANGE in progress)
(Fancy artistic carrying of chairs and tables and stuff with some cool greens and sunrise colored lighting to show the passing of the night)
(Wallpapery looking green backdrop with two wooden thrones sitting in front of it.)
(Alexander is sitting in the right throne (left to the audience)
(Phillipa walks onstage decked out in celadon blue and diamonds with her swords and crown)
(Alexander stands as she walks on)
(Alexander and Phillipa hit their right hands over their hearts in salute to the other)
(Alexander sits)
(Phillipa unsheathes her sword)
(Phillipa sits in the waiting worn wood throne)
(Phillipa sets her swordpoint to the floor as she holds the base of the hilt with her arms sitting on the armrests of the chair)
(Satisfied and just plain royal 'I am the Queen' half smile)
(Lets get some gold and white lights fanning down on them)
(Either DIES IRAE, Georgian chants or something from THE UNTOLD playing in the background)

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AN
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this is a one act play i wrote about Edwards sister years in the future after she got married and everything.