Renewal of the Auld Alliance
The formal renewal of the Auld Alliance treaty between Scotland and France is taking place in the Great Hall of the Palais de la Cité. James IV of Scotland and Louis XII of France stand at the central
Setting
The Great Hall of the Palais de la Cité, Paris, adorned with rich tapestries depicting French and Scottish heraldry. The hall is grand, with high vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows filtering the afternoon light. The space is arranged for a formal ceremony, with dignitaries and nobles gathered around a central dais.
Characters
James IV of Scotland
primary
A tall, robust man in his late thirties with auburn hair and a well-groomed beard. His piercing blue eyes convey both intelligence and authority. He carries himself with the regal bearing of a seasoned monarch, his posture upright and confident.
Louis XII of France
primary
A tall, well-built man in his late 40s with a regal bearing. His face is lined from years of rule, with a prominent nose and deep-set blue eyes. His once-dark hair is now heavily streaked with gray, worn slightly longer than court fashion, and he sports a neatly trimmed beard.
Scottish Ambassador
secondary
A middle-aged man of lean build with sharp, angular features, his face framed by a neatly trimmed auburn beard streaked with grey. His piercing blue eyes convey both intelligence and wariness, with deep-set crow's feet suggesting years of diplomatic service. His hands are well-manicured but bear the faint scars of old swordplay.
French Diplomat
secondary
A middle-aged man of slender build with sharp, angular features. His dark hair is cropped short in the French style of the early 16th century, with streaks of gray at the temples. His pale complexion suggests a life spent more in courts than in the field. His hands are delicate, accustomed to holding quills rather than swords, with ink stains faintly visible on his fingers.
Royal Guard
background
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late 30s with a weathered face and close-cropped dark brown hair. His piercing blue eyes scan the hall continuously, and a faint scar runs along his left cheekbone. His muscular frame is evident even beneath his ceremonial armor.
Dialog
James IV of Scotland
By the bonds of our forefathers and the blood we have spilled together, this alliance shall stand as a bulwark against those who would see our realms diminished.
Louis XII of France
As the vine entwines the oak, so too shall our nations be bound, Scotland and France, against the tempests of unfriendly seas and the envy of lesser kings.
Scottish Ambassador
With all due respect, Your Majesty, it were prudent to revisit Article Three, lest our mutual obligations be misconstrued by those who seek division.
French Diplomat
Indeed, the phrasing must be unambiguous—'joint defense' leaves no room for interpretation. 'Hostis humani generis' applies to all who threaten either realm.
James IV of Scotland
Then let it be so written, and so sworn—before God and our peoples, that none may sunder what we here unite.