The Wrath of the GreenMan

one-act play I wrote for my Creative Writing Class. Still in the process, but wanted to get some thoughts.

Characters:

            Caerin Ni’Lorthen, Age 16, Gaelic Druid Priestess-in-training

            Aedford Kellian, Age 18, Gaelic Warrior-Prince

            Marcus Sestus, Age 25, Roman Commander

            Soldier, Age 20, Roman Soldier under Commander Sestus

            Asortia, around Age 40, Druid Priestess in charge of Caerin

            Midra’kel Kellian, Age 45, Gaelic Chieftain/King

Setting:

            Small Gaelic village on the edge of the forest overtaken by Roman forces and otherwise abandoned after the time of the Roman invasion of the British Isles (55 B.C.E �" 43 C.E.) Two days before Midsummer’s Eve

Scene One:

(Curtain opens on two bodies tied up on left-middle stage [center of the village] with very dim light, as a projector begins a short reel of memories of Caerin’s life as a Priestess-in-training and the joy of her youth as a chosen child. As the clip fades away, lights come up as if early morning. The two bodies tied against each other move as Aedford struggles to get out of the ropes. His half-naked body is painted a dusky blue to blend with the shadows of the forest, and Caerin is wearing a dark green, shapeless robe that seems to be falling off her body.)

Aedford: (near tears) Caerin! Wake up! Please…

Caerin: (calmly) I am awake. What is wrong?

Aedford: I am trying to get us free before that Roman swine comes back.

Caerin: That will do no good.

Aedford: What do you mean? It will do great good if I succeed. Can you reach that sharp stone by slipping your arm out of the ropes? They are too tight on me.

Caerin: (trance-like) Asortia and Midra’kel will be here by the afternoon hour.

Aedford: Caerin, we might not retain our lives by then. Have you seen what these animals do to our kind?

Caerin: They think we are the animals, Aedford. Skewed perspectives get you nowhere.

Aedford: They kill for nothing! Not honor, not food, they kill for the morbid pleasure of killing! The GreenMan will surely dispose of them with his wrath toward their malevolent ways! You are a Priestess; you know this is what they will receive for their actions

Caerin: Priestess-in-training. Then you do not know the GreenMan as well as you think you do.

Soldier: (enters from left stage carrying a pint of water) Here, demons. Have some water. God is gracious to his enemies, so repent your Pagan lives and join us Christians.

Aedford: (angrily) You steal our land, shear us like sheep without mercy, rape innocent women and you call us demons? How can you even claim to serve a god unless your god is a devil?

Caerin: Aedford! Virtue of silence…

Soldier: (grins laughingly at Caerin) You let this young sow control you? (Laughs loudly) No wonder you worship devils, the leader of your pagantry is a woman. (Kneels down in front of Aedford) Women will always lead you astray. You must show them who really is in charge.

Caerin: (calmly) Aedford, do not react, please…It will only make matters worse.

Aedford: Very well Caerin (glares at Soldier).

Soldier: (laughing boisterously) Commander Sestus will be here shortly, demons. He wants information on the location of camps, and you better provide him with it. (Lights dim and Irish flute music begins to play softly)

Scene Two:

(Spotlight comes up on Up and right stage on two figures making their way through the forest mid-morning, quickly and quietly as they spot the village.)

Asortia: (excited) Kel, there! There is the village.

Midra’kel: Do you think they are safe?

Asortia: Caerin is more skilled than you would think for her young age. She could best the Roman diplomats at their own game, though she is not as skilled in fighting as I had hoped she would be by now.

Midra’kel: Aedford makes up for that. I have trained him myself, and he can best me in battle, but he has a weak heart and takes too much without question.

Asortia: (urgently) We must get Caerin back to the castle as soon as we can. The induction must be held tomorrow night.

Midra’kel: Indeed, but how? I see a guard near them; the Romans must be holding them for information. (Pause, worried) They know Aedford is my son…

Asortia: Kel, matters will come out the way they should. Concentrate now on what we can do to get them out of this.

Midra’kel: You are right, Asortia. (Observing the village) We should be able to sneak in from this edge of the village; there seem to be fewer troops. Only the one guard is watching them, it should not be that difficult. We must wait until dusk, though. This could never be accomplished in the daylight.

Asortia: (drawing runes in the ground with a stick and bowing her head) There may be a great loss tonight, but we must release them before tomorrow.

Midra’kel: What loss Asortia?

Asortia: I know not if there will be any loss Kel; dwell not on it. Dagda protect us…The GreenMan has all under his control. His will be done. (Lights dim and battle drums crescendo to a fast cadence and then fade out)

Midra’kel: I will go to rally a force to best the soldiers in the case

Scene Three:

(Lights come up back on the village on the Soldier humbly untying Caerin and Aedford, under the watch of Commander Marcus, later in the evening)

Marcus: Now, soldier, return to your barracks and remember that your place is not to chastise prisoners.

(Soldier backs away after bowing to Marcus as Aedford and Caerin turn to face the commander)

Marcus: I am told that you are the so called goddess, Brigid…But this cannot be. A daughter of Dagda would be much more commanding of respect (observing the torn garment that is falling off of Caerin’s shoulders). Tell me Brigid, what do your people call you so that I may not seem mocking referring to the name of a goddess.

Aedford: (With pride as her protector) She is Caerin, High Priestess of the Earth and future mother of the clan.

Caerin: I am not yet a Priestess. I am called Brigid on some occasions, because of my love for poetry and metal craft (gathering a few plant leaves and petals from a flower, crushing them in her fingers with a little bit of water from the pitcher) and also because I enjoy nursing people and healing (begins to apply the salve on a cut on the commanders arm). That will clean the wound and allow it to heal faster without your body trying to fight off an infection.

Marcus: (Leaning back against the outer wall of a small hut and crossing his arms) It seems you are a daughter of Dagda, but pray, from whence does your religion come? Are you truly born of divinity?

Caerin: Are not we all? Every spark of life has a divine quality; that is why life is alive.

Marcus: Do you concur Prince Aedford? Can you better explain to me what is meant by that? (Looking back at Caerin) Does she always riddle her audience?

Aedford: She speaks in riddles so that men may ask. Every life is sacred from that of the smallest plant to the raging bear. All are part of the GreenMan.

Marcus: Have you ever questioned the existence of your divinity, Aedford?

Aedford: It is not my place to question, only to follow.

Marcus: Then you follow blindly.

Caerin: Do you not yourself induce blindness in following religion? You journey and conquer to convert those you say have not been “saved,” yet you speak of the blindness of others. God is not the figurehead of a ship that you can place on all your purposes. If you conquer for the sake of conquering, at least be honest about it.

Marcus: Have you ever questioned the existence of your divinity, Aedford?

Aedford: It is not my place to question, only to follow.

Marcus: Then you follow blindly.

Caerin: Do you not yourself induce blindness in following religion? You journey and conquer to convert those you say have not been “saved,” yet you speak of the blindness of others. God is not the figurehead of a ship that you can place on all your purposes. If you conquer for the sake of conquering, at least be honest about it.

Marcus: (Deep in thought) How can this be?

Aedford: Caerin, what do you mean by this?

Caerin: Is it not possible for the Father of all life to reveal himself in various ways to various peoples as his need demands? (Loud shouts are heard as a fire breaks out in the other side of the village, offstage. Soldier runs onstage)

Soldier: Commander Sestus, we’re under attack! Archers using flaming arrows. Half the camp is on fire!

Marcus: (pulling out sword) Organize the men. Mount a defense with half and send the rest to the other camp.

Soldier: And the fire, sir? It will destroy the village…

Marcus: Leave the blasted fire! Our tasks are done here (grabbing Caerin gently and leading her to nearby “horses” as the Soldier exits) Forgive me, but I cannot release you. You are to be sent to Rome. (Ties Aedford’s wrists and leads him to a second “horse”) This is out of my hands.

(Battle cries are heard as Asortia, Midra’kel, [and a few warriors] run onto stage. Battle music begins to play as Kel begins to battle against Marcus. The battle does not last long as Asortia runs up and unties Aedford.)

Asortia: Aedford! Take Caerin and leave, quickly!

(Caerin runs to try to stop Kel and Marcus from killing each other.)

Caerin: (As Kel delivers a fatal blow to Marcus) No!! (Falls to her knees as the lights dim and epic ritualistic music begins to play.)

 

Scene Four:

(Lights come back up on the village to see Marcus’s body laid out for a funeral, with Caerin sitting near him and Asortia praying in the morning)

Caerin: His importance was vast (interrupting Asortia’s prayer but turned away from her).

Asortia: He could not have ended the war that is coming, Caerin. Better he died now than to suffer later.

Caerin: (Turning to Asortia) He could have ended it. The GreenMan could have used him…

Asortia: (Breaking in) Caerin, the wrath of the GreenMan is not for us to question. We have to preserve our way of life, and he helps to protect us.

Caerin: (Shaking her head, beginning to cry) Our way of life is dying. The only hope for our world is dead (pointing to the body). Wrath is not why he was taken, Asortia. The GreenMan holds no malignancy against any particular people; those hatreds are only people-to-people. Our world could have been remembered as much as theirs will be, but that light is now extinguished.

Asortia: Death happens everyday. What potential is lost with those?

Caerin: Thousands of lives in the future could have been won with this one…but no longer should this be dwelled upon.

Asortia: Come, we must leave, for tonight is your initiation. You truly are a daughter of the GreenMan…Brigid.

Caerin: We all are his children; I have only deigned to accept.

(Curtain falls as tribal vocalization music plays.)

Reviews

[Personne]

Enthralling. I want to know more! I've never heard of such a religion, and this world is fascinating! I like Caerin because she seems very level-headed. Aedford made me laugh in the beginning, panicking, while Caerin was just like, "It's okay, gosh, don't freak out." I loved this, and I also enjoyed Marcus in there. He seemed to be more understanding of the priestess. I would probably watch this play, if it was in theaters near me. (: