MURDAC. Sweet Mary Mother of God, we don’t have time for this, Isabella. I don’t have the energy for this. Yield.

ISABELLA. No.

MURDAC. Come on. I beat you. Yield.

ISABELLA. No.

MURDAC. Will you at least admit I beat you?

ISABELLA. Yes.

She kisses him.

MURDAC. Thank God for that.

He lets her go. She trips him.

ISABELLA. But we wereny done.

MURDAC. We need to be out of this room. We can’t be standing here as if we’re welcoming the King into our hall.

ISABELLA. It is my hall!

MURDAC. No. We agreed. All the families agreed.

ISABELLA. I feel like we’re robbing our own bairns.

MURDAC. If we are they’ll rob us straight back, we both know that.

ISABELLA. They’re good boys.

MURDAC. Isabella, do you never think it would be nice to have a bit of quiet conversation, a bit of reasoned argument without some muscly young fucker slamming an axe on the table before you get to the point!

ISABELLA. Murdac, often as I’ve wanted to kill you there has never been any other man in my heart… in my eyes… whose skin I’ve wanted to touch… even now… even now when we’re down to the last warm coals in the fire. But I won’t love you if you don’t love our sons more than your breath.

A beat.

MURDAC. They’re my sons. Blood is blood.

ISABELLA. There you go.

MURDAC. But… do you never worry that they’ve grown too… dangerous?

ISABELLA. For what?

MURDAC. For anything but war.

ISABELLA. Well, how else are they going to win wars?

He kisses her.

Alright. I’ll make him welcome. You’re right. I don’t need the King’s gold. I’ve got my own treasure.

MURDAC kisses her.

My boys are my treasure.

MURDAC. So what am I?

ISABELLA. Something to keep the bed warm if the fire dies down.

They kiss.

See? You’re my warmth. You’re my fire.

The sound of a LORD and LADY of the Scottish court, both calling out, a formal cry and answer.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LADY. So get his fire on.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LADY. Get him meat.

MURDAC and ISABELLA talk over this.

MURDAC. They’re coming. Out of here. Don’t be standing here like you own the place, Isabella!

ISABELLA looks like she’s following MURDAC but then stands waiting, a formal welcoming committee.

The LORD and LADY enter, JAMES is behind them. Behind him are ALISDAIR, WALTER, BIG JAMES, BALVENIE and all the rest of the SCOTTISH LORDS and LADIES. They all join in now, roaring the responses.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LORDS and LADIES. Get his wine poured.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LORDS and LADIES. Gather round.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LORDS and LADIES. Gather Scotland.

LORD. The King’s coming in.

LORDS and LADIES. See him crowned!

They’re all cheering and clapping. JOAN and MEG are the last to enter at the end of the procession.

ISABELLA is greeting JAMES.

ISABELLA. King James, you’re welcome home.