SCENE (20) – SULTAN WAS ASSASSINATED
Characters
- SAFA
- RAJA GANESH
- PHULJANI
- MINISTER
- COURTIERS
- SCRIBE
Setting
- The imperial court, early morning.
- Guards line the walls. Courtiers whisper openly now.
(A GUARD enters at a run.)
GUARD
Begum Sultana—the Sultan has been found.
PHULJANI
Where?
GUARD
Near the inner passage of his private door.
MINISTER
The royal private door?
GUARD
Yes. That only that royals use.
PHULJANI
How is he?
GUARD
He is no more, Begum Sultana.
(The court breaks into overlapping voices.)
COURTIER
Inside the palace?
PHULJANI
Where is Raja Ganesh?
(No one answers.)
Find him. Now.
(MESSENGERS rush out.)
MINISTER
Begum Sultana, the gates are restless. The city already knows.
PHULJANI
We must speak before the streets do.
(GANESH and SAFA enter together. Calm. Collected.)
(The court freezes.)
(PHULJANI looks directly at them—no greeting.)
PHULJANI
Raja Ganesh.
Show me your sword.
GANESH
I never carry one.
PHULJANI
Safa.
(SAFA steps forward.)
PHULJANI (cont.)
How long did you stay with Sultan last night?
SAFA
Until dawn when he left for prayer to Adina Mosque.
MINISTER
Begum Sultana—the court needs direction. The provinces will not wait.
(PHULJANI looks around—realizes the truth.)
(Ganesh steps in.)
GANESH
We must act immediately.
Declare – the prince Saifuddin Hamza Shah is Sultan – effective immediately.
PHULJANI
He is not matured to handle this situation. You do not claim the throne?
GANESH
I claim stability.
I will be his regent.
PHULJANI
Cannot we delay the decision?
GANESH
Delay will fracture us by noon.
Grief can wait. The kingdom cannot.
GANESH (to SCRIBE)
Prepare the proclamation.
SCRIBE
Under whose authority?
GANESH
Under the Sultana Phuljani Begum’s seal.
Send the seal to Adina Mosque. Let the Imam announce the sovereignty of Sultan Saifuddin Hamza Shah before rumors crown someone else.
(The SCRIBE obeys.)
(The court bows—not in loyalty, but relief.)
(The last COURTIER exits. The doors close.)
PHULJANI (quietly, to Ganesh)
You planned far ahead.
GANESH
Only far enough to survive this hour.
(PHULJANI stands rigid, staring at the throne.)
(Suddenly—SAFA cries out.)
SAFA
Why?!
(She turns on GANESH.)
Why did it have to end like this?
Was it absolutely necessary?
You told me to slow him down—to calm him—
I stayed with him. I watched him sleep. I sent him to pray.
I thought I was saving him.
GANESH
You did.
SAFA
No. He is dead.
GANESH
Because too many people decided they could not wait.
SAFA
You knew this would happen.
Didn’t you?
(GANESH does not answer immediately.)
Your silence is misleading.
GANESH
I knew it could.
I did not order it.
PHULJANI
But you did not stop it.
GANESH
Stopping it would have required naming it.
And once named, it would have happened sooner.
PHULJANI
You let Sultan die to keep your hands clean.
GANESH
I kept them empty. Others filled theirs.
SAFA
He trusted me.
GANESH
Trust does not protect kings.
SAFA
Then what was I to him?
GANESH
A delay.
SAFA
You didn’t need the throne.
You need time.
And I gave it to you.
PHULJANI
We all did.
SAFA
Tell me where I stand now.
GANESH
Where you always have.
Between truth and survival.
(PHULJANI turns away.)
(Lights fade.)
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21