Declarations

MAGGIE WADE (20s) is a woman disguised as a man. She keeps vigil outside ROBERT THE BRUCE’S chamber on the eve of the most important decision of his life – declaring war on England. When ROBERT calls her in, unaware that she is a woman, MAGGIE finds him in an inebriated state. He wants her to help him in his decision about the declaration of war; he also knows that people refer to her as ‘Wallace’s Brat’ and invites her to tell him about her involvement with Scotland’s hero, WILLIAM WALLACE, over a drink. She is reluctant to drink, having eaten little, but cannot refuse a king. MAGGIE recounts events that occurred when Scottish men invaded her home in Northumberland. One night, she and her DA, with URKIL her faithful dog, flee into woods near her home, intending to hide up a tree, but Da is discovered by Scots men. One, MCLEOD, attacks him. Maggie slides down from the tree she hides in, injuring her leg as she does so. She leaps off it, onto the back of MCLEOD and begins pummelling him, in a vain attempt to save her father. She is flung off, and MCLEOD brings out a claymore, intending to kill her... WILLIAM WALLACE saves her. MAGGIE tells ROBERT that she should have sought revenge for the murder of her father, but instead she aided WALLACE, who nursed her back to health, by shielding one of his closest, an injured man, from view until they passed back through. Thus the name ‘Wallace’s Brat’ was coined. The two discuss war, in which Maggie states that she believes that war is not right, but there can be a right reason to go to war. And so ROBERT tells her that he has come to a decision – with her help – to go to war. She passes out. When she regains consciousness, she finds her outer garments have been removed and ROBERT sits next to her, mopping her face. He now knows that she is a ‘wee young woman’. He asks her why she masquerades as a man, and she tells him that no one would have wanted a woman in WALLACE’S army. ROBERT promises not to reveal her true identity to others, believing that she displays bravery by trying to exist as a man. He entrusts her with the task of delivering the declaration of war to Edward 1st of England.