WILLIAM. Did you see how they killed them? Did you not look? We need to look. A fighting man needs to be fit for that.

JAMES. I’ve dark blood, like snakes, under my skin.

WILLIAM. No you don’t.

JAMES. It’ll come out. I’ll kill people.

WILLIAM. You might. But not with snakes.

When we’re grown we can learn killing.

I’m nearly grown. Till then we need to learn how to bear looking at it. I’ll teach you.

It’s like when you take a beating. You think you can’t stand it but if you just get used to what it feels like to get clouted round the heid, you can. Makes you stronger. I’ll help you. I’m going to be the greatest warrior in Scotland. See when my father finds out what I can do? We’ll be warriors, wee Jamie. We’ll rule this country like roaring lions.

JAMES. I don’t want to do that.

WILLIAM. Aye you do. I’ll help you.

See if anything bad’s happening all you need to do is call for me. Just…

WILLIAM is suddenly wrenched away from JAMES, before he can finish the sentence, he’s just gone, whipped away into the dark.

JAMES cries out, sitting up, looking round wildly for WILLIAM.

WILLIAM is gone. JAMES is sucked further into the nightmare.

JAMES. Will!

JOAN enters. She is bloodstained. She looks feral and haggard. She’s trying to coax JAMES to her.

JOAN. Jamie?

JAMES. No.

JOAN. I need you to be a brave boy now, Jamie. A brave, brave little boy.

JAMES. You’re hurt. You’re bleeding.

JOAN. It’s not my blood, Jamie. It’s from the men who killed your father.

ISABELLA. I heard she made it last three days. Watching them die a piece at a time.

The BULL-HEADED MAN enters behind JOAN.

JOAN. Say hullo to your new father.

JAMES. My father’s dead, my father was a hero.

ISABELLA. Your father was a murderer, a tyrant.

The BULL-HEADED MAN embraces JOAN, they kiss.

LIVINGSTON. I have the King!

ISABELLA. Aye, that’s the blood that’s in you, like black snakes creeping their way down your veins.

ANNABELLA. It’s my special special day.

She is picked up.

JAMIE!!

JAMES. No! Annabella! Annabella, don’t leave me!

LIVINGSTON and LORDS are chorusing.

BALVENIE/LIVINGSTON/CRICHTON. In the King’s name. In the King’s name. In the King’s name.

CRICHTON. The blood of the Bruce.

YOUNG DOUGLAS. I am the sword of Scotland!

DAVEY. Here he is! Here’s my brother! Do you see him?!

JAMES. No! Stop it, leave them! They’re my friends! Leave them!

YOUNG DOUGLAS. Jamie! Help me!

LIVINGSTON. In the King’s name.

ISABELLA. I see you, I see what you are, you can’t hide.

JOAN. Jamie, I need you to be a brave boy now, Jamie. A brave, brave little boy.

JAMES. You’re hurt. You’re bleeding.

JOAN. It’s not my blood, Jamie. It’s from the men who killed your father.

She kisses him.

JAMES. NO!!

He pushes her violently away and gets back in the kist. The adult ANNABELLA is staring at the kist. JAMES’s young bride, MARY, picks herself up from where he threw her. The two young women exchange a terrified look.