The Choice

SD1: Lights rise on a large arena. Every seat is filled.

SD2: The king and his court sit high up on velvet chairs.

SD3: Two narrators stand downstage.

N1: Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a powerful king.

N2: A king who loved his authority almost as much as he loved his own daughter.

N1: A king who used a cruel system of justice that struck fear into the hearts of all his subjects.

N2: Nothing made him happier than to sit on his throne in the royal arena and watch justice be served.

SD1: The king and the princess wave to their subjects.

SD2: The princess leans over to the king.

Princess Margaret: Father, who is the accused today?

King John: A peasant who stole from the royal garden.

Princess: What did he steal?

King: Carrots! Can you imagine?

SD3: A handsome young servant approaches with a silver tray.

Thomas: Cider, Your Majesty?

SD1: The king takes a goblet. The servant turns to the princess.

Thomas: Your Highness?

Princess: Yes, please.

SD2: The servant smiles at the princess and winks.

SD3: Behind them, Lady Anne and Lady Helen giggle quietly.

Princess: That will be all, Thomas.

SD1: The princess tries to suppress a smile as Thomas bows and moves on. She turns back to her father.

Princess: So this peasant was caught pulling carrots from the ground?

King: Not exactly . . . he was found nearby carrying a large bundle of carrots.

Princess: Father, is it fair to conclude that he—

SD2: A trumpet sounds.

King: Quiet now. The criminal is coming.

SD3: A man dressed in rags walks slowly to the middle of the arena. He bows to the king, then turns to face two identical wooden doors.

SD1: The Master of Ceremonies addresses the man.

MC: You stand accused of royal theft.

Accused Man: But I didn’t—

MC: Silence! By order of the king, you must now choose one of these two doors and open it. Behind one is a hungry, vicious tiger. Behind the other is a young lady you will marry.

Accused Man: But—

MC: It is your duty and your privilege to select a door. The decision is entirely in your hands.

SD2: The accused looks at the two doors.

MC: What will it be, ladies and gentlemen? Will he be torn to pieces as punishment for his guilt?

Crowd: Oooooooh!

MC: Or will we witness a joyous wedding rewarding him for his innocence?

Crowd: Hooray!

SD3: The man walks slowly to a door and opens it. Immediately, a tiger springs upon him.

SD1: Iron bells clang dolefully. Hired mourners enter the arena and begin to wail.

Mourners: Ooooooooooo! Ooooooooooo!

SD2: The king takes a gulp of cider and wipes his beard.

King: Chance is an impartial judge, don’t you think?

SD3: The princess looks down at the arena.

Princess: Yes, Father

SD1: In her bedroom, the princess sits at a dressing table with a gilded mirror.

SD2: Lady Anne is brushing the princess’s hair. Lady Helen is removing the princess’s jewelry.

Lady Anne: Milady, I could not help but notice how bold Thomas was today.

Lady Helen: Winking at you with your father right there!

Princess: He is audacious. It’s one of the reasons I love him.

SD3: The ladies gasp.

Lady Anne and Lady Helen: You love him?

Princess: Of course. We are undeniably perfect for each other.

Lady Helen: But, milady, he is a lowly servant.

Princess: Should we be denied our love because Thomas happened to be born a servant and I happened to be born a princess?

Lady Anne: I think we know how the king would answer that question.

Princess (sternly ): The king must never find out.

Lady Helen: We shall never tell.

SD1: Thomas and the princess stroll through the royal rose garden.

SD2: The princess stops in front of a bush blooming with pink and white roses.

Princess: These are called Rosa Mundi.

Thomas: Tell me about them.

Princess: Once there was an ancient king who dearly loved a fair maiden named Rosamund. But the queen had Rosamund killed in a fit of jealousy.

Thomas: Oh, really?

Princess: Yes—though it was never proven.

SD3: Thomas leans in to smell the roses.

Thomas: Sweet and prickly, just like you.

SD1: The princess laughs.

SD2: She removes a shiny brooch from her cloak. It is shaped like a bee.

Princess: This brooch belonged to my mother. It was said her disposition was like that of a bee—she could sting and she could be sweet as honey.

Thomas: You are not unlike her.

Princess: I want you to have it.

SD3: Thomas takes the brooch.

SD1: Suddenly, Lady Anne and Lady Helen rush over.

Lady Anne: The king is coming!

Princess: Thomas, hide! The king will kill you if he finds you here!

SD2: She pushes him into the thicket of roses.

Thomas: Ow! Ow! Ooooof.

SD3: The king rounds the corner.

King (shouting ): Who is here with you?

Princess: Just my ladies, Father.

SD1: Lady Anne and Lady Helen bow deeply.

SD2: The king spots the glint of something shiny in the rose bushes.

SD3: He reaches in and drags Thomas out.

King: What is the meaning of this?

Thomas: The princess . . . I . . . I was merely . . .

King: Silence!

SD1: The king looks to his daughter.

King: Explain yourself.

SD2: The princess squares her shoulders and looks her father in the eye.

Princess: Father, I love Thomas.

King: Thomas?

Princess: Yes. And Thomas loves me.

King: Of course he does. You’re a princess. He has everything to gain, and you, my dear, have everything to lose.

Princess: I don’t care what you say. We are going to get married, and there is nothing you can do about it.

King (chuckling): Heh heh heh.

SD3: The king snaps his fingers. A guard steps forward.

King: Take this traitor to the dungeon. Scour the kingdom for the most savage tiger and the fairest maiden. His trial will take place three days hence.

Princess: Father, no!

King: There is no escape from the judgment of the king’s arena.

D1: Wearing a hooded cloak, the princess makes her way through a dark passage underneath the arena.

SD2: The light from her torch bounces off the cold stone walls.

SD3: At last, she finds the chamber with an entrance to the two rooms holding the lady and the tiger.

Guard: Who goes there?

SD1: The princess removes her hood.

Princess: It is I.

SD2: The guard bows deeply.

Guard: Your Royal Highness.

Princess: Show me the tiger that might eat my Thomas.

Guard: I am under strict orders not to let anyone near the tiger.

Princess: I beg you. Just for a moment.

Guard: It’s too dangerous. The tiger has not eaten in several days.

SD3: The princess chokes back a sob, accidentally dropping a piece of meat hidden beneath her cloak.

Princess: Then tell me about the maiden.

Guard: I only know that she is wise not to disobey the king’s command.

Princess: Might I speak with her?

Guard: I am sorry, Your Highness. I’m under orders.

Princess: The orders come from my father, yes?

Guard: Yes, milady.

Princess: Am I not my father’s daughter?

Guard: You are, milady.

Princess (sweetly ): Then surely I am the exception.

Guard: I’m afraid not. Especially seeing as how the accused is your . . . uh . . .

Princess: My one true love?

SD1: The guard casts his eyes down.

Guard: If I help you, I’ll be thrown into the arena too.

Princess (sharply ): Do you think for a moment I care what happens to you? Let me see her!

Guard: No one must know which door Isabella is behind.

SD2: The princess’s eyes flash with anger.

Princess: Isabella?

SD3: The princess grabs the guard by the lapel.

Princess: Show me which door Isabella is behind, or I will guarantee you live in the dungeon for the rest of your miserable life.

SD1: The guard sighs, defeated.

Guard: Very well, Princess. I will show you. Follow me.

SD2: The princess paces back and forth in her room.

Princess: Of all the maidens in all the land, it had to be Isabella!

Lady Anne: Beautiful Isabella.

Lady Helen: Kind Isabella.

Lady Anne: Wise Isabella.

Lady Helen: Clever Isa—

Princess: Enough! I must figure out what to do.

Lady Anne: Is there anything to be done?

Princess: Yes, you simpleton. Thomas’s fate lies entirely in my hands.

Lady Helen: How so?

Princess: Thomas knows that I would never rest until I found out the secret of those two doors. He will look to me for an answer.

Lady Anne: Surely you will guide him to the lady.

Princess: Don’t you see? Either way, I lose him forever.

Lady Helen: Perhaps it would be best to send him to the tiger. The pain would be over quickly.

Princess: I’ve spent every waking hour imagining Thomas opening a door. I see his face contort in horror as he sees the cruel fangs of the tiger.

Lady Anne: How awful!

Princess: But just as often, I imagine his delight when he opens the door and sees beautiful, kind, wise, clever, perfect Isabella.

SD3: The princess’s face grows dark.

Princess: And then Thomas and Isabella walk away, hand in hand, the crowd cheering, bells ringing, drowning out my one despairing shriek.

Lady Anne: Perhaps you should stay home tomorrow.

Princess: And not go to the arena? Never. Thomas will look to me, his eyes asking, “Which door?” And I must give an answer.

Lady Helen: Which will it be?

SD1: The princess sits on her bed and puts her face in her hands.

SD2: The arena is overflowing with people.

SD3: The princess sits, stone-faced, in her usual place beside the king.

SD1: The crowd is abuzz with excitement.

Citizen 1: Help me understand something. This servant Thomas is accused of loving the princess.

Citizen 2: Yes.

Citizen 1: And this trial is meant to determine his guilt or innocence?

Citizen 2: Correct.

Citizen 1: But he has never claimed to be innocent. He admits he loves her.

Citizen 2: True.

Citizen 1: So why a trial?

SD2: Citizen 2 sighs heavily.

Citizen 2: Thomas dared to love someone far above him, and this process will determine whether he was wrong to do so.

SD3: The trumpet sounds. Thomas enters the arena with his head held high.

Crowd: Gasp!

Citizen 1: Such a confident young man! No wonder the princess loves him!

SD1: Thomas stands in the center of the arena, his eyes fixed upon the princess.

SD2: Her face is pale. Her right arm rests on the arm of her chair.

SD3: Certain that all eyes are fixed on Thomas, the princess raises her hand slightly and makes a small, quick motion to the right.

SD1: Thomas turns and walks toward the doors with firm and rapid steps.

SD2: Every heart stops beating. Every breath is held.

SD3: Thomas pauses for a moment and looks back at the princess.

SD1: Their eyes lock.

SD2: Then Thomas goes to the door on the right and opens it.    

This article was originally published in the April 2019 issue.