He needed to die.

But I think Scotland needs you to live, James Stewart.

JAMES. What do you want, Murdac?

MURDAC. I’ve listened to you. I’ve watched you. I think we want the same thing, King James. I do.

JAMES. Really.

MURDAC. A peaceful country, bound by law, ruled by a strong king.

JAMES. I can’t begin to rule here! How can I rule without money? How can I pay crown officers without money? If we want law they have to pay! That’s common sense!

MURDAC. Not to the men with the wealth and the lands.

JAMES. I had a plan. It was a good plan.

MURDAC. I heard you. It was a beautiful plan. Anyone could hear the sense in it. But this lot won’t listen to any man until he proves he’s as good as they think they are. You need to scare them.

JAMES. What do you suggest? I’ll shout a bit louder, shall I?

MURDAC. Make some arrests.

JAMES. Who? Who can I arrest?

MURDAC. My sons. You have to arrest my sons. They shouted treason in your face. The whole world heard them.

JAMES. And how do you propose I arrest three warriors with their own private armies, their own defended castles…

MURDAC. There is only one place in this whole palace where there’ll be good French red wine to drink tonight, that’s our tent in the garden here. They’ll be with me and Isabella tonight.

JAMES. What kind of father offers up his own children?

MURDAC. A father that loves the bravest sons that ever drew breath! Don’t flatter yourself, wee King James. They could gobble you up and never even stop to pick their teeth, but after that… After that they’d be fighting for their chance to sit on your throne the rest of their days. No man can defeat every sword in Scotland.

No man can live in a war all his days and hope to live long.

They’d probably kill each other in the end. But they’d kill me long before that. That’s certain.

JAMES. So you give me your sons…

MURDAC. And you’ll give me your word you’ll keep them safe. Alive, unharmed. Your vow before God.

And give me your word you’ll not touch one blade of grass that belongs to me and mine. All that’s ours will still be ours.

JAMES. Murdac Stewart… If I have your sons locked up… why would I ever let them loose again?

MURDAC. Because you’ll need to keep my friendship, King James. You need the friendship of one great man at least. Otherwise you might as well have drowned eighteen years ago.

JAMES. You’re trusting your children’s lives to my word?

MURDAC. It’s the only thing that makes sense, at this point. Isn’t it?

JAMES. Yes.

MURDAC. Well, I trust you to know good sense when it offers itself up to you.

I love them… but I could wish you’d been my son, James Stewart. I could.

JAMES. Thank you.

JAMES takes his hand.