The Lion in Winter Page #7

You cannot imagine

what that "yes" cost.

Imagine snuggling

to a chancred whore...

and bending back your lips into

something like a smile, saying,

"yes,

"I love you,

"and I find you...

beautiful."

I don't know how I did it.

- No! It wasn't like that!

- But it was.

You loved me.

Never.

Get out. Please.

I don't want you here.

It's no great pleasure

to be here.

So the royal corkscrew

finds me twisted, does he?

I'll go tell your mother. She'll

be pleased. She knows. She sent me.

How completely hers you are.

You've had four sons.

Who do you claim?

Not Henry.

Not my buried brother.

Not that monument to muck,

that epic idiot.

Why him? Why always him and never me?

He was the eldest.

He came first.

Christ, Henry,

is that all?

You went with Eleanor.

You never called me.

You never said my name.

I'd have walked. I'd have

crawled. I'd have done anything.

It's not my fault.

I won't be blamed.

I only wanted you.

No, my crown. You want my

kingdom. You keep your kingdom.

That I will.

I hope it kills you.

Thank God I have another son.

Thank God for John.

And who shall we thank for

Geoffrey? You don't think much of me.

"Much"? I don't think

of you at all.

Nurse used to say

I had your hands.

I might have had more of you.

Try seeing me.

I haven't Richard's military skill,

but he was here betraying you, not I.

I haven't John's... God knows what you

see in John... and he's betrayed you too.

You think I'd ever

make you king?

You'll make me king

because I'm all you've got.

I was to be his chancellor.

Ask him why. I've heard enough.

For moving John

to treason.

I don't doubt he offered,

I don't doubt you tried,

and I don't doubt

John loves me.

Like a glutton

loves his lunch.

You turd.

Well, John?

It isn't what you think.

What do I think?

What Geoffrey said. I wouldn't

plot against you, ever.

I know.

You're a good boy.

Can I go now, please? It's

late. I ought to be in bed.

Couldn't you wait? Couldn't

you trust me? It was all yours.

Couldn't you believe that?

Will you listen to the grief?

Who do you think I built

this kingdom for? Me!

Daddy did it all for me.

When can I have it, daddy?

Not until we bury you?

- I loved you.

- You're a cold and bloody bastard, you are.

And you don't love anything.

I'm it.

I'm all that's left.

Here, father.

Here I am.

My life, when it is written,

will read better than it lived.

Henry fitz-empress, first

plantagenet, a king at 21,

the ablest soldier

of an able time.

He led men well, he cared

for justice when he could...

and ruled, for 30 years, a state

as great as charlemagne's.

He married out of love

a woman out of legend.

Not in alexandria or rome or

camelot has there been such a queen.

She bore him many children,

but no sons.

King Henry had no sons.

He had three whiskered things,

but he disowned them.

You're not mine!

We're not connected!

I deny you!

None of you will get my kingdom.

I leave you nothing!

And I wish you plague! May all

your children breech and die!

My boys are gone.

I've lost my boys.

You dare to damn me,

do you?

Well, I'll damn you back.

Goddamn you!

My boys are gone.

I've lost my boys.

Oh, jesus.

All my boys.

Henry?

The Christmas wine

is in the pot

The Christmas coals

are red

I'll spend my day

the lover's way

Unwrapping all my gifts

In bed

The Christmas mass

Is over now

The Christmas prayers

are done

No one else is caroling.

It might as well be lent.

When I was little, Christmas was

a time of great confusion to me.

The holy land had two kings...

God and uncle raymond.

I never knew whose birthday

we were celebrating.

Henry isn't here. Good, we

can talk behind his back.

What happened?

Don't you know?

There was a scene with beds and

tapestries, and many things got said.

Spiced wine.

I'd forgotten Henry liked it.

May I stay?

It's your room just as much as

mine. We're both in residence.

Packed in like the poor,

three to a bed.

Did you love Henry...

ever?

Ever? Back before the flood?

As long ago as rosamund.

Ah, that's prehistory, lamb. There

are no written records or survivors.

There are pictures. She was

prettier than you. Oh, much.

Her eyes, in certain light, were

violet, and all her teeth were even.

That's a rare, fair feature...

even teeth.

She smiled to excess, but she

chewed with real distinction.

And you hate her

even now.

No, but I did.

He put her in my place, you see,

and that was very hard.

Like you, she headed Henry's

table. That's my chair.

And so

you had her poisoned.

No, I never poisoned rosamund.

Oh, I prayed for her to drop...

and smiled a little

when she did.

Why aren't you happy?

Henry's keeping you. You

must be cleverer than I am.

I've tried feeling pity

for you,

but it keeps on turning

into something else.

Why pity?

You love Henry, but you

love his kingdom too.

You look at him,

and you see cities,

acreage, coastline,

taxes.

All I see is Henry.

Leave him to me,

can't you?

I left him years ago.

And I thought

I could move you.

Were you always

like this?

When I was young and worshipped

you, is this what you were like?

Most likely.

Child, I'm finished, and I've come

to give him anything he asks for.

Do you know what I

should like for Christmas?

I should like

to see you suffer.

Alais, just for you.

Alors, ma petite.

J'ai peur, maman.

No, no.

The sky is pocked with stars.

What eyes the wise men must have

had to see a new one in so many.

You look cold. I've mulled some wine.

I wonder...

were there fewer stars then?

I don't know. I fancy

there's a mystery in it.

What's this?

Warm wine.

Why, so it is.

You are as beautiful

as I remembered.

Off you go.

My widow wants to see me.

She came to find out what

your plans are. I know.

She wants you back.

Go to your room.

So, you want me back.

She thinks I do.

She thinks the need

for loving never stops.

She has a point.

I marvel at you.

After all these years,

still like a democratic drawbridge,

going down for everybody.

At my age, there's not

much traffic anymore.

To your interminable health.

- Well, wife, what's on your mind?

- I've just seen Richard.

Splendid boy.

He says you fought.

We always do.

It's his impression that

you mean to disinherit them.

I fancy I'll relent.

Don't you?

I don't much care.

In fact, I wonder, Henry,

if I care for anything.

I wonder if I'm hungry

out of habit.

I could listen to you lie

for hours.

So your lust is rusty.

Gorgeous.

Henry, I'm so tired.

Sleep then. Sleep and

dream of me withcroutons.

Henri a la mode.

- Henry, stop it.

- Eleanor, I haven't started.

What do you want? You want my

name on paper? I'll sign anything.

You want the Aquitaine

for John? It's John's.

It's his, it's yours, it's

anybody's. In exchange for what?

For nothing.

For a little qulet.

For an end to this,

for God's sake.

Sail me back to England,

lock me up...

and lose the key

and let me be alone.

You have my oath.

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