BALVENIE. Well, you can’t. You’ve work to do now.

JAMES. But…

BALVENIE (cutting him off). No! Let your elders guide you, Your Majesty. We know what we’re about.

(To the crowd.) Clear the courtyard! There’ll be no more games! Go and make ready to welcome your King to his new council!

WILLIAM. What are you talking about, old man? Jamie? Are we here to play or not!?

BALVENIE (hissing). What are you… Be quiet!

WILLIAM. The Douglas family is ready! The Douglas family is ready to play! I’m here to take on the King! I say the Douglas family can take down any other family in this country!

Aye, wee King James can give orders but can he stand against the Douglas family!? I say he can’t. What do you say, Jamie?

Everyone is looking at JAMES. JAMES hesitates. BALVENIE moves in.

BALVENIE. King James… I’m not sure you appreciate the… volatility of the situation we’re in now.

CRICHTON. Your Majesty, he’s right, Livingston still has his allies…

BALVENIE. Half the council are here, we need to plan…

JAMES. I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’ll plan when I know what you’re talking about.

BALVENIE. That’s why you have to hear our counsel now and…

JAMES. Well, if it was that important you should have explained it before this.

No?

(As they’re at a loss.) Well, you can explain yourselves tomorrow. This is Holy Innocents’ Day. The day we play games.

BALVENIE. Yes but…

JAMES (cutting him off). Then I say we’ll still have our game!

I’m the King and I say we’re playing the ball on Holy Innocents’ Day like we’re meant to! Who’s with me!? Stewart! Stewart!

A shout as other voices join him. WILLIAM starts the counter-shout throwing the defiance straight at his father.

WILLIAM. Douglas! Douglas! Douglas!

CRICHTON. And where do you stand, Chancellor Balvenie?

With the King or with the Douglas family?

BALVENIE. King James, you still needs a man to stand father to you, to advise you, to guard you from the rash, dangerous acts of madness your youth might lead you in to.

Abruptly, MARY seems to be choking. She flaps her hands, trying to swallow a coughing-sneezing fit. MARY turns from them, sneezing explosively, several times. She has sneezed right over BALVENIE.

He wipes off his face.

MARY. Oh, I am so sorry.

BALVENIE says nothing. He’s groping for a handkerchief. WILLIAM is trying not to laugh, as is JAMES. MARY hands him a hanky.

Here it is… it is… quite clean.

BALVENIE waves her away. He finds a hanky of his own and wipes off his face.

JAMES. We can have a council tomorrow, man, alright? Today is for the games.

WILLIAM has produced a ball, a ragged bundle of leather and rags. Cheers as he throws it up then kicks it to JAMES.