JAMES. You’ll have all of Big James Stewart’s lands. I promise you.

BALVENIE takes a long sigh of happiness.

BALVENIE. So I hold those now? Already? Right this moment?

JAMES. Yes.

BALVENIE. Oh, maybe I can die happy then. Maybe I can.

I know where he is. I know where Big James Stewart will be waiting.

JAMES. Then take me to him.

He’s armed and ready. He turns to JOAN.

JOAN. I could love you. I could. I’d love you if you could make me safe! I want to love you. I will love you. I promise.

JAMES. Good.

JOAN. Can you do this? Do you even know how to do this?

JAMES. I’ve watched… I’ve seen battle, I… Yes! Yes of course I know how to do this! I’m going to do this!

JOAN. Don’t die. Don’t. Please don’t die.

He kisses her and exits. BALVENIE follows. JOAN turns to MEG, holding her stomach.

Tell them to arrest the Lady Isabella.

It’s moving, it’s frightened. It’s so frightened.

A Battlefield, Morning

Drums. Two armies. JAMES facing BIG JAMES.

JAMES is talking to himself, focusing himself.

JAMES. I know how to do this. I know this work. I do. There is nothing but the sword in my hand. The sword and its weight and its use. I know this sword and I know its use. (Shouting to his men.) Ready! Ready for my command!

Use breath, use weight, throat and arm and grip on horse and hilt and…

(Roaring it as he urges the army forward.) Charge!

Aw Christ, look at this morning… first smell of frost in the air. Last few yellow leaves hanging on the birches by the river, lit up like wee flames of morning light…

The GHOST OF HENRY is there, taunting JAMES.

HENRY’S GHOST. What kind of king is brought up in a prison reading books and writing poetry?

JAMES. Fuck the leaves!… light on the blade, on the sword.

The battle begins.

(Shouting at BIG JAMES.) That’s right, you bastard! That’s right! I’m coming for you!

HENRY. You? You can’t even win a fight with a dying man.

JAMES. I’m ready. My sword’s ready. Never mind that burn in your shoulder, keep it high, slash that burn down when it’s time, when it’s time, when it’s time.

BIG JAMES gives a yell of defiance at JAMES.

That’s right, you bastard! Your King’s coming for you! Death’s coming for you!

HENRY. You’ve never beaten me. And you never will.

JAMES. I know this work! Nothing but the blade and… NOW!

JAMES slashes his sword down, yelling. He’s slashing to left and right, in the thick of the battle.

Drive them into the river!

A chaotic press of men crammed together in bloody hacking fury.

BALVENIE. We’re winning! We’re winning!

(Rallying the men around.) King James! For King James! Drive them into the river!

JAMES is straight on BIG JAMES. He hacks down a man in his way. The man becomes the GHOST OF HENRY. He falls, JAMES’s sword is stuck in him. He roars in rage as he tries to tug it loose. At the same moment BIG JAMES breaks and runs.