All Things Pass

Owen Bland 

Characters: 

King Adrian: 

An aged monarch, faced with his sudden and violent end. An old man who has been trying his  best all his life in a corrupted system. 

Anthony: 

Prime Minister of the realm, chosen by the king to replace Daren. He is loyal but knows himself  to be the king’s intellectual superior. Significantly younger than the other two. 

Lord Daren:  

The former Prime Minister of the Realm, who has now come to claim the throne at the head of a  popular revolution. Not quite as old as the King. Arrogant, and almost psychopathic in nature. He  enjoys this.

The throne room of a grand palace in the early light of pre-dawn. This is no dark, drab keep, but  rather a gilt construction of crystal and glass, befitting a monarch belonging to an enlightened  age. The throne sits upstage, directly in the center, with a sword leaning against it. As the play  progresses, the light should slowly get brighter. 

The King kneels facing the audience with a crown upon his head, praying with fervor. King: 

Dear God, if it must end like this, then let it. Let me die lord, but not to him. Please not him.  Anyone, Anyone else! (Intense coughing fit) Not just for my pride’s sake, but for all my people’s,  for my sons, please God I… 

Enter Anthony 

Anthony: 

Your Majesty. 

King: 

Anthony. Well, is it done? 

Anthony: 

Yes, your Majesty. I brought your sons to safety on the Delaware, just as you ordered but.. (Quiet  Sob) 

King: 

What is it, Anthony. 

Anthony: 

Why didn’t you go with them sire. You don’t have to die here, you could have fled. The  revolutionaries, they’re here your majesty, he is here. You could be saved from this damed/ 

King: 

There’s no choice, Anthony. It’s me he want’s more than any crown. Here is where I will die, on  nobody’s terms but my own. 

Anthony: 

So you really mean to fight him then?  

King:

(Crossing to retrieve sword from beside the throne) Yes. 

Anthony: 

(Hesitant) Your majesty, are you sure this is a good idea? It… it doesn’t seem proper. King: 

What do you mean? 

Anthony: 

I, this is how you’re going to be remembered your majesty. This may well be your last act. It  doesn’t fit a great king to die cut down by a foe. It, it should be like you said, on your own terms.  History won’t see it that way if he kills you. 

A beat 

King: 

So what would you have me do… 

Anthony: 

(flustered) Well, I…. 

King: 

You would have me do it myself, wouldn’t you? 

Anthony: 

Manages to only stammer out half a protest before he is cut off 

King: 

(Temper rising) No I know, you want me out of the picture before he get’s here. That way, you  get your glorious last stand, eh? A page in the history books. Well, fuck you. This is my death, my ending, not yours. You have no right to (a violent coughing fit sizes him) 

Anthony: 

Your Majesty. 

King: 

(a whisper) You do it.

Anthony: 

What? 

King: 

Kill me. (Offering him the sword) You know you want to. 

Anthony: 

I really do not. 

King: 

You really do. We both get what we want. You, to face that mongrel dog with all of history walking, and I, with a fair excuse for my demise. 

He tosses the sword in the air. Anthony catches it. 

Anthony: 

What excuse is that? 

King: 

(Turning) Stabbed in the back by a traitor, of course. 

Anthony: 

Now that is not fair! 

King: 

What about any of this is fair? Now play your part, Minister. Your lord and sovereign command you. 

He kneels. Sobbing, Anthony begins to raise the sword. 

Enter Lord Daren. His manner of dress befits a ragtag revolutionary, but he carries himself with the poise of nobility. A naked sword glints in his hand. 

Daren: 

Well, what have we here. 

Anthony: 

Your Majesty, behind me! 

He steps around the monarch, putting himself between him and Lord Daren

King: 

No, wait! 

Daren: 

Now isn’t this a funny sight? The crippled King and my pathetic replacement engaging in a little  swordplay. Well, when your about to die our judgment can perhaps be a bit hazy. Still, tut tut  your majesty. 

Anthony: 

You don’t need to do this Daren. 

Daren: 

Need to, no. (pause) But I really fucking want to. 

King: 

(Struggling to his feet) Daren, please. 

Daren: 

(to Anthony) And you were going to stab him in the back? I just killed twelve of my own  countrymen getting here, and even I’m not low enough to stab a man in the back. Shame on you. 

King:  

Take your revenge Daren, kill me, but let Anthony go. He has no part in this.

Daren: 

(with amused incredulity) You really are that self-centered? This isn’t about your old man, or  your crack head sons. This is about all the people you forgot, the real people of this realm. The  people you and him and destroying every day. My only regret is that it took my joining their sorry ranks to see it. But now I am correcting that mistake. 

The King approaches Daren 

King: 

Forgotten? I rose out of those masses you slime. I am their cham (He doubles over coughing)

Daren backhands him and he staggers back, collapsing against the throne. His crown falls off. 

Daren: 

Don’t cough on me bitch. You’re a thing of the past. Now – 

He lunges at Anthony, and they begin to duel. Daren is forcing him back when – Pause. They freeze. 

King: 

So, this is how I die, on the side lines of the fight I’ve been in my whole life. A man of the people  overthrown as a tyrant. 

The Duel resumes, with Anthony now pushing Daren back towards the throne. Pause Again. The  King rises and walk over to the frozen figures. 

King: 

He can’t win. Daren’s the better fighter by far. God, this really is it. Goodbye sunlight, and  goodbye my sons. Hello death. (To audience) I’m not scared to die. (cough) As is readily apparent I’m dying already. But that man, he really has to be the one to kill me? I deserve better. 

The Duel resumes, and with a twist Daren puts Anthony’s back to the Throne. With four heavy  blows he forces him back so Anthony stumbles and falls into the seat. Pause. 

The King walks downstage. 

King: 

Everything I fought for, everything I built. Gone. A lifetime now wasted. History will forget me  and make that vile man a hero. Unless… (He turns upstage to look at the duel) There is one thing  left. 

Time resumes and Daren stabs Anthony. He lies dead in the Throne. 

Daren: 

Well, that was easy. 

King: 

You win. 

Daren: 

Not yet old man. 

The picks up Anthony’s sword, the King’s sword, and tosses it to him. 

Daren: 

Pick it up.  

King: 

I/ 

Daren: 

/Pick. It. Up. 

He picks it up 

Daren: 

Good. Now, we fight. You and me, at the end of everything. This is where I slay my Dragon.

King: 

Since when were you a poet? 

Daren: 

Since you made me one. It’s poetic. You made me a man of the people by taking away my titles, and honestly, I should thank you for that. But instead, I’m going to kill you. 

King: 

You can try. (Cough) 

Daren: 

Laugh Now that is funny.

He raises his sword, and takes a swing at the king. The king stumbles back. 

At This moment, the sun rises, and the stage is in full, fiery light. A faint bugle sounds off  triumphantly in the distance. 

Daren’s sword is outstretched. In his one nimble movement of the entire show, the King drops his  sword and spins, throwing himself backwards onto Daren’s sword. He stabs himself in the back with his blade and falls to the floor. 

Daren: 

Motherfucker! 

King: 

So much for (cough) noble man of the people. (Cough) 

He dies 

Daren looks at his body for a moment in disgust, and spits on it. Turning he picks up the crown  and shoving Anthony’s body aside seats himself on the throne. He places the crown on his own  head. 

Beat 

Daren: 

(With genuine puzzlement) Now what? 

The End