Edmund and Goneril rode up to her castle and were met by Oswald.
"Madam, I must warn you," he said. "Your husband takes the king’s side. He does not want to fight the French."
"He is a weakling," Goneril fumed. She smiled invitingly at Edmund. "Not like you, fair Edmund." She kissed him on the forehead. "Now, return to my sister and Cornwall. I will soon send word to you."
After Edmund rode away, the gates opened and the Duke of Albany strode out. "Goneril," he cried, "what have you and your sister done to your father? You are tigers, not daughters!"
"Silence, you coward!" Goneril retorted. "Cordelia and the French army are at Dover—we are at war!"
"If the French have invaded British soil, then I must fight," said Albany unhappily.
They were interrupted by a messenger on horseback. "The Duke of Cornwall is dead!" he shouted. "Slain by a servant who tried to stop him from putting out Gloucester’s eyes!"
"Where was Edmund when this was happening?" asked Albany.
"Gone, sir. It was he who informed against his father."
"Cornwall is dead?" thought Goneril. "Then my sister is free to remarry. And she will soon see my Edmund. I don’t like this."
Goneril quickly formed a plan. She went inside and wrote a letter. "Take this to Edmund," she commanded Oswald. "And if you see Gloucester, kill him. He stirs up too much sympathy and makes us look bad. We will meet you in Dover."
Edgar and Gloucester were nearing Dover when they encountered Lear, dressed in strange clothing, with wildflowers in his hair and around his neck.
"I am the king himself!" Lear babbled. "Look, a mouse! They flattered me like a dog . . ."
"I know that voice!" exclaimed Gloucester. "My lord, do you know who I am?"
Lear stared at Gloucester’s empty eye sockets. At last, he said, "You are Gloucester."
At that moment, Cordelia’s servants arrived. "The queen of France wants us to bring her father to her," one said, and they led the king away.
Then Edgar saw Oswald approaching.
"Traitor, you must die!" Oswald shouted at Gloucester, his hand on his sword.
Moving quickly, Edgar drew his knife and stabbed Oswald in the chest.
Oswald fell and whispered, "Take my purse and deliver the letter inside to Edmund, Earl of Gloucester. I am dying . . ."
Edgar’s eyes widened as he read the letter. "I must warn Albany! Goneril wants Edmund to kill her husband. Then she will marry Edmund."
At the French camp, Cordelia’s doctors had given Lear a potion to calm him. He lay sleeping as Cordelia watched over him.
At last, Lear opened his eyes. "Am I in my right mind?" he murmured. "Are you my child Cordelia?"
"I am," she said, weeping and tenderly taking his hand.
"I am very foolish," said Lear. "I must ask your forgiveness."
Meanwhile, at the British camp in Dover, Regan had asked Edmund to lead her army, since Cornwall was dead.
"I wish to marry you," Regan said, "but are you in love with Goneril?"
"By my honor, no," answered Edmund. To himself, he said, "Both sisters want me. I’ll turn this to my advantage!"
In another part of the camp, Edgar, now disguised as a peasant, approached Albany and handed him the letter he’d taken from Oswald. "Your life is in danger," Edgar said. "If you win the battle, sound your trumpets and a knight will come to prove what this letter contains."
The battle began early the next morning. It was short and bloody, and the French forces were defeated. Lear and Cordelia were captured and brought to the British camp.
"Take them to the prison," Edmund ordered an army captain and handed him a note. "Follow these instructions, and you will be rewarded."
As the captain led Cordelia and the king away, Cordelia was heartbroken. But her father tried to comfort her, saying, "In prison, we’ll be like two birds in a cage. We’ll sing and pray and laugh and tell old tales."
When Albany heard Lear and Cordelia were in prison, he was furious. "Edmund," he said, "that decision was not yours to make. You are not my equal in rank."
"He led my army," Regan interrupted. "I declare him my lord and master."
Jealous, Goneril jumped in. "Will you marry him?"
"Not so fast," said Albany. "I arrest you for treason, Edmund, and Goneril too. You planned to kill me and get married!"
"You have no proof," Goneril shot back.
Regan looked pale and weak. "I am not well," she whispered. Two servants led her away.
"I will defend my honor," Edmund declared. "Who challenges me?"
Suddenly, Edgar appeared in the armor of a knight, his face hidden by his helmet. "Edmund," he cried, "you are a traitor against your father, your brother, and the Duke of Albany!"
The two men drew their swords and fought. Edgar finally struck Edmund down.
Goneril ran to him. "Edmund," she shrieked, "are you badly hurt?"
"Enough, Goneril," said Albany sternly and held out the letter she’d written to Edmund. "Here is proof of your wickedness!"
"What do I care?" Goneril said haughtily, but there was a desperate look in her eyes. She rushed away to the tent she shared with her sister.
Edgar removed his helmet and knelt beside Edmund, who struggled to breathe. Remorse washed over the dying man. "Brother," Edmund said, "I have done all you accuse me of, and more. May you and our father forgive me . . ."
"Alas," Edgar said, "our father has died." Edgar related how he had disguised himself and then met up with Gloucester. "When I finally revealed myself to him this morning, he was overjoyed. But the shock stopped his poor heart."
Just then a messenger ran toward them, carrying a bloody knife. "My lady Goneril is dead, by her own hand," he cried. "And she confessed to poisoning her sister, who is dead too!"
"This is also my fault." gasped Edmund. "They both wanted to marry me. But maybe I can finally do some good. I secretly ordered Lear and Cordelia to be killed. Send someone to the prison to stop the executions!" Edmund said, right before he died.
But it was too late. Within moments, Lear appeared, carrying Cordelia’s body. The faithful Kent followed behind him.
"She’s gone forever!" wailed the king. "Curses on you murderers!" He looked up and saw Kent. "Are you not Kent?" he asked, confused.
"Sir, I am," Kent replied. "I am also Caius. I chose to stay with you through all your trials."
"Good Kent, you are welcome here," said Lear. He looked at his daughter’s face again. "Oh, Cordelia, why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, and you no breath at all?"
The death of his innocent child was too much to bear. Lear plunged into madness again. "Look," he whispered, imagining she was still alive. "Her lips, they move . . . !" Then Lear, his heart broken, took one final breath and fell to the ground.
"He is gone," said Kent, gazing down at the master he had served so loyally. "It is a wonder he endured so long."
"All is woe in the kingdom now," murmured Albany.
"The oldest have suffered most," said Edgar. "Surely, we who are young will never see such misery again."