The Lion in Winter Page #6

Steady, John. Don't panic.

Some adviser you are.

Don't do anything without me. Let me

handle it. He's made a pact with Philip.

You advised John into making

war. That fearless boy...

he's disinherited himself.

When Henry finds out... when

I tell him what John's done...

I need a little time. Can you keep

John from Philip till I say so?

Anything you say. Richard, I want

you out of here before this breaks.

And that means Philip.

Go to him, be desperate.

Promise anything...

the vexin, brittany.

Once you're free and John is out

of favor, we'll make further plans.

You see Philip. You're the diplomat.

You see him, you talk to him.

You're a friend.

You know him, I don't.

And Richard!

Promise anything.

I've got the old boy

this time.

The damn fool thinks he

loves John. He believes it.

That's where the knife

goes in...

knives.

Knives.

Where is that mirror? I'm Eleanor,

and I can look at anything.

My, what a lovely girl.

How could her king

have left her?

Philip?

Philip!

It's working out. By morning,

I can be the chosen son.

The crown can come to me. Are you still

with me? We'll have to fight them all.

They'll band together once this

happens. Have I got your word?

Do I have yours? All England's

land in France if I support you?

Are we allies then?

We were born to be.

I should say something solemn,

but I haven't the time.

I'm off to father with news that

John's a traitor. After that...

you stink! You know that?

You're a stinker, and you stink.

I'll kill you!

Ah!

Lump.

If you're a prince, there's

hope for every ape in africa.

I had you saved. I wasn't on

my way to father, but he was.

He would have gone to Henry and

betrayed you. Look, it's in his face.

It's true. I don't know

who my friends are.

Philip?

May we? That's what tapestries are for.

I'll never learn.

I'll ruln everything.

Richard?

Hello, Richard.

You're halfway to bed. I'll

wait for morning. Come in.

Mother sent me.

Come in anyway.

Our alchemists have stumbled

on the art of boiling burgundy.

It turns to steam, and when it

cools, we call it brandywine.

I'm Henry's prisoner.

You find that charming?

No. Then why the charming smile?

I thought,

I can't think why,

of when you were

in paris last.

Can it be two whole years

ago? It can. I need an army.

It'll take the cold away.

I must have soldiers.

Have I aged?

Do I seem older to you?

They've been two fierce years. I've

studied, and I've trained to be a king.

I'll have your answer... yes or

no? You'll have it when I give it.

You see?

I've changed.

I'm not the boy you taught to

hunt two years ago. Remember?

Racing after boar,

you flying first,

me scrambling after,

all day into dusk.

Don't go. I must know. Will you help me?

Sit and we'll discuss it.

You never write.

To anyone.

Why should I make you

king of England?

Aren't I better off

with John or Geoffrey?

Why have you to fight when I

could have the cretin or the fiend?

Would we fight? We're

fighting now. Good night.

You're still a boy.

In some ways.

Which way did you have in mind?

You haven't asked how much your

help is worth. You'll tell me.

You can have the vexin back.

And what else?

All of brittany. Does that

matter? That's Geoffrey's.

Possibly to Geoffrey. And what

else? That's all your help is worth.

And in return,

what do you want from me?

Two thousand soldiers.

- And what else?

- Five hundred knights on horse.

- And what else?

- Arms and siege equlpment.

- And what else?

- I never wrote because I thought you'd never answer.

You got married.

Does that make a difference? Doesn't it?

I've spent two years

on every street in hell.

That's odd.

I never saw you there.

You haven't said

you loved me.

When the time comes.

Shh.

It's not too late

at night?

I'd hoped you'd come.

Good!

We couldn't leave negotiations

where they were.

Ah!

I keep looking for your

father in you. He's not there.

I'll miss him.

Has Richard or the queen

been here to see you?

Does it matter? If they

haven't yet, they will.

I want to reach a settlement. I

left you with too little earlier.

Yes.

Nothing is too little.

I'm sorry

you're not fonder of me, lad.

Your father always said,

"be fond of stronger men."

No wonder

he loved everyone.

I've come to you

to offer peace.

Piss on your peace.

Your father would have wept.

My father was a weeper.

Fight me, and you'll lose.

I can't lose, Henry.

I have time.

Why, just look at you.

Great heavy arms. But each

year they get a little heavier.

The sand goes pit-pat

in the glass.

I'm in no hurry, Henry.

I've got time.

Suppose I hurry things along. Suppose I

say that England is at war with France.

Then France surrenders. I

don't have to fight to win.

Take all you want... this county,

that one. You won't keep it long.

What kind of courage

have you got?

The tidal kind...

it comes and goes.

By God, I'd love to turn you

loose on Eleanor. More brandywine?

You recognize it? They were boiling

it in ireland before the snakes left.

Well, things look a little bleak

for Henry, don't they?

You'll say yes to Richard when he

comes... arms, soldiers, anything he asks.

I'd be foolish not to.

Yeah.

And withdraw it all before the battle

ever started. Wouldn't you, in my place?

Why fight Henry when his sons

will do it for you?

Yes, exactly.

- You've got promise, lad. That's

first-class thinking. - Thank you, sir.

Good night. Good night? You're

going? We haven't settled anything.

We open Christmas presents at noon.

Till then. You can't be finished with me.

Oh, but I am. It's been most

satisfactory. What's so satisfactory?

Winning is. I did just

win. Surely you noticed.

Not a thing. You

haven't won a damn thing.

Hmm.

I found out the way your mind

works and the kind of man you are.

I know your plans

and expectations.

You've burbled every bit

of strategy you've got.

I know exactly what you will do

and exactly what you won't.

And I've told you

exactly nothing!

To these aged eyes, boy, that's

what winning looks like! Dormez bien.

You...

you made my father nothing.

You were always better.

You bullied him,

you bellied with his wife,

you beat him down

in every war,

you twisted every treaty,

you played mock the monk,

and then you made him

love you for it.

I was there.

His last words

went to you.

He was a loving man, and you've

learned nothing of it.

I learned how much fathers

live in sons.

A king like you has policy

prepared on everything.

What's the official line

on sodomy?

How stands the crown

on boys who do with boys?

Richard finds his way

into so many legends.

Let's hear yours

and see how it compares.

He found me first

when I was 15.

We were hunting.

It was nearly dark.

My horse fell,

I was thrown.

I woke to Richard

touching me.

He asked me

if I loved him.

"Philip, do you love me?"

And I told him, "yes."

Do you know why

I told him yes?

So that one day I could

tell you all about it.

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