Diarmuid lies awake in bed, listening to the hustle and bustle of his new Kingdom. Having been coronated in bed the night before, he is settling into his newfound sense of kinghood. Despite this, he still doesn’t feel like a king. It could be because his aliment still makes him feel weak and compromised as a decision maker. He is unhappy that his self-appointed regent, Mannix, has started a war, and frustrated that no one around him pays heed to his demands to have it halted. Also, his physician continues to be sceptical about his condition and Mannix’s brother constantly overlooks his work on Diarmuid’s medicals.
The door opens, and in struts Mannix; happy to see Diarmuid awake and alert, though there’s a degree of nervousness. Mannix apologises for his slow return to court, emphasising
