SCENE II
The curtain rises revealing the throne room. The King is present, and his three Knights kneel before him. As he speaks, the King hands each of them a scroll.
KING: Spread the news far and wide! I want word of this to reach every county, city, and hamlet from here to the Western Sea! There has to be someone in the Kingdom who can solve this mystery for me! And by God, if he does, he shall have half my kingdom and the hand of my daughter in marriage! Three days, three days to solve the mystery! After that, the punishment is death! Heads will roll!
KNIGHT #1: Which daughter is that, sire? You have three.
KING: I know that you fool! Whosoever solves this mystery may choose whichever of my daughters he likes! He shall have her hand in marriage and half my kingdom!
KNIGHT #2: That is an awful lot of land, sire. Are you certain one-third of the Kingdom might not be more reasonable?
KING: I’ll do as I please! Although…you may have a point. (the King pauses to consider). No, you don’t. Whosoever solves this puzzle can have half my kingdom! No, better than that! I’ll make him my heir and he can have the whole bloody place when I go!
The Knights scramble to obey and the King takes a shot at kicking one of them as they rush out. He huffs a bit, and then straightens his crown and walks over to his throne.
KING: (yelling to offstage) Summon my daughters! I want to see them here immediately!
The King begins to pace. One by one the Princesses walk onstage, in order of age from oldest to youngest, coming in from all points offstage.
ALUSAIR: (Yawning) Yes father?
AURORA: (Absently rubbing her back) You wanted to see us?
ANASTASIA: (Spinning about) Have our new dancing shoes arrived father? Have they? Oh have they?
The Princesses all begin to giggle and chatter to one another in excitement at the thought of new dancing shoes.
KING: QUIET! No, your new shoes have NOT arrived. I don’t know what is going on around here, but I’ll stand for it no longer. I am the King!
ALUSAIR: Oh yes father.
AURORA: Of course, father dear.
ANASTASIA: What is it this time?
KING: You are to prepare the room adjoining yours to receive guests. I imagine there will be a goodly number of them, but you need only worry about entertaining one at a time. From now on, you are responsible for entertaining and seeing to the needs of whosoever occupies that room at the time.
ALUSAIR: Father, I don’t understand.
AURORA: Why are WE responsible? Surely you could have the servants tend to the matter?
ANASTASIA: What are you up to, father?
KING: You will do as I say. I may not be able to force you to tell me where you go dancing, but in this I will be obeyed! You will care for whichever gentleman sees fit to need that room! And I suggest you be polite to him, after all, if he succeeds in solving the riddle you girls have put to me, he shall choose one of you to be his wife.
PRINCESSES (all): Gasp!
The Princesses erupt in protest.
AURORA: Oh FATHER! You wouldn’t!
ANASTASIA: Marry!?!
AURORA: You can’t expect us to simple marry a stanger! Some, some, nameless peasant or beggar off of the streets!?!
ANASTASIA: Honestly Father! You’re being positively Medieval! It’s the 14th century! Don’t you think we should have at least some say in who we marry?
KING: Yes, I can. Further, I will. And no, I don’t! I am your father and I am King! I will be obeyed in this! My foot is put down! (he stomps angrily) If you don’t like it you have only yourselves to blame. Now go prepare the room.
The Princesses look dismayed, but obey their father and exit the stage together. The King begins to mutter to himself.
KING: Kids these days! I don’t know what the world’s coming to! In my day we respected our Sovereign Rulers! We did as the King decreed, and the King’s Decree’s were always listened to! Fourteenth century indeed! Why I’ve a mind to…
The King stomps offstage angrily.
Curtain.
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