CRICHTON. Grow up, son, he’s got half of Scotland at his back.

JAMES (to CRICHTON). You promised! You promised!

LIVINGSTON pulls JAMES.

LIVINGSTON. And you stay inside this gate like I told you.

A nightmare transition pursues JAMES into the castle till he is left, entirely alone, beside the kist.

King’s Room, Stirling Castle

After a moment, JAMES climbs inside. WILLIAM comes on and pulls the lid up, talking into the box.

WILLIAM. Why are you always hiding in there?

JAMES climbs out.

JAMES. I’m not hiding.

WILLIAM. Yes you are.

JAMES. I like resting in there. It’s comfy.

WILLIAM. You’re weird.

JAMES. You’re not allowed in here. These are the King’s rooms.

WILLIAM. Do you want me to go away?

JAMES. Yes.

WILLIAM. No you don’t.

JAMES. I’m busy.

WILLIAM. You’re not doing anything.

JAMES. I am.

WILLIAM. What?

JAMES. King’s business.

WILLIAM. You’re just sitting about on a box looking glaikit. How old are you?

JAMES. Nine.

WILLIAM. I’m eleven. Why are you always by yourself?

JAMES. I’m not. Why aren’t you with the other boys, doing weapons training?

WILLIAM. They won’t let me any more.

JAMES. Why not?

WILLIAM. I don’t know. It’s no like I killed anyone. He was just bleeding a wee bit.

JAMES. Who?

WILLIAM. The sergeant-at-arms. Come on and play ball with me.

JAMES. They won’t let me do that.

WILLIAM. No one’s watching. Come on.

JAMES follows WILLIAM as he kicks the ball out into the courtyard.

We should be friends, you and me.

JAMES. Why?

WILLIAM. Because… I can look after you ’cause I’m older than you are. We can do stuff together, it’ll be great.

JAMES. Have you got brothers and sisters?

WILLIAM. Aye, hunners of them. But I always have to be with Dad because I’m the eldest. How did you get that mark on your face?

JAMES. It’s my father’s blood. He put his hand there when he was dying. He was a hero. He fought eight men with a little knife. They had swords. They stabbed him fifteen times. All the wounds were on his front. He wouldn’t run.

WILLIAM. That’s a good death.

WILLIAM does a trick with the ball.

See that? The Earl of Douglas taught me that.

The Earl of Douglas is my cousin.

JAMES. He’s my cousin too.

WILLIAM. But the Earl of Douglas is better than you. You know he is.

He’s a Douglas, like me. The Douglases are higher than the King.

BALVENIE is there, watching them.

BALVENIE. What do you think you’re doing?

WILLIAM. Playing ball with the King.

BALVENIE. Did I tell you to do that? No. What did I tell you?

Come on!

WILLIAM. To play quiet and stay out of your way.

BALVENIE. No one can be looking at my family tonight! Do you understand? No one!

You get more meat off the table if folk don’t see you coming to get it. Yes? Yes? You say it.

WILLIAM. I’m just playing ball.

BALVENIE goes to hit him. WILLIAM flinches. JAMES calls over.