The Iveni Saga

Act II, Scene IV: Talking to Iveni

(The corridor before Iveni's chambers. Ivesh and Lilea at the door.)

IVESH:

Mother, I am here with good Lilea,

Who brings to us this day distressing news.

LILEA:

The farmers all are hiding in the city,

This is their right, which we cannot refuse,

But now we see that all our halls and houses

Are much too small for all the refugees.

You must come out to help your stricken people!

IVESH:

She speaks with reason, mother. Listen, please!

IVENI:

(From behind the door)

Just let them in, find room in sheds and stables,

Let them sleep in the palace over night.

Our enemies will soon give up their conquest

And leave our lands without a single fight.

We cannot be aggressors, son, nor villains,

We must retreat behind our steady walls.

For then, the gods will see the pleasant virtues

Of peace, restraint and kindness in us all.

LILEA:

My queen, is virtue truly more important

Than the upholding of the ancient vow

That you spoke, when Marthala's diadem

Was first bestowed upon your noble brow?

Your swore to lay your wings over the city,

You vowed that you would keep your people safe.

Yet now you wish to hide, merely for virtue,

And I ask you: Is truly this your place?

May not the gods find virtue in the power

With which you drive our enemies away?

Would they not see that your love for your people

Is great enough a misdeed to outweigh?

IVENI:

They would not!

IVESH:

[How can you know so surely?

Can one lone human speak for all the gods?

LILEA:

It certainly would not be wise to try it;

It is a game with none too friendly odds.

(Lilea starts walking away from Iveni's door. Ivesh follows her. Atuyo and Itolias arrive, and Atuyo looks questioningly at Lilea.)

LILEA, cont'd:

All hope is lost, our queen is beyond reason.

IVESH:

So what can we still do to save our land?

ATUYO:

There still remains one last, desp'rate solution:

We must now take this war in our own hands.

LILEA:

You wish to fight despite Iveni's orders?

ITOLIAS:

Is it then wise?

LILEA:

[Much wiser than to hide.

I will pray to our goddess, that the spirits

Of war and battle be on our side.

(She leaves.)

ATUYO:

(Takes Itolias into his arms.)

Rest, my love, before the dawn of battle.

(To Ivesh)

Please tell the infantry to do the same.

IVESH:

Take orders now from me, not from my mother.

I will fight for Marthala in her name.

ATUYO:

You should sleep too, before the night is over.

IVESH:

I will, but not in any royal bed.

Tonight, I am a prince of all my people,

And will therefore as a soldier rest my head.

I will sleep in the barracks, with our fighters,

So they know that I bear not my mother's flaws.

And come the dawn, we will be more than ready,

With hardened hearts, sharp minds and sharper swords.

(Atuyo and Itolias bow to Ivesh, then leave.)

IVESH:

Oh, would that this were not a time of war,

Would that discord would live nevermore.

(He leaves. Darkness.)