The Usurper's Queen | COMPLETED

17 | mercy and sympathies

On that autumn evening, a letter arrived for me. It was an order from the palace, and I was going to serve as Queen Jane's lady-in-waiting. My father knew that the position would be greatly beneficial for me and House of Winterbourne, but he was displeased by the fact that I would have to serve the daughter of the lowly Ainsworth family.

Edmund had told me that I don't have to serve her if I don't want to, but I knew that if I did, I would ensure that their downfall will come even swifter. On my first day, Queen Jane had ordered me to massage her feet-a maid's job. If I told either Edmund or my father, a huge scandal would break out, but I endured. For the following months, she made me tend to her feet, and she seemed to be very proud in being able to do so.

"Who would've known that the Earl of Rhyland's daughter was so good at cleaning feet! Did your father teach you how to do it, Lady Winterbourne?" she would say.

On some occasions, she would invite her friends over, ones that I outranked, yet she would praise my inherent talent, and made me wash the feet of all her friends. Most of them were afraid to let me bow to them, but Queen Jane was very insistent. There were a select few who were very excited and thrust their feet at my face, and later telling the queen how lucky she was to get a maid as good as me. These lowly people had called me, the Earl of Rhyland's daughter, a maid. I silently memorised their names and faces, and I was determined to return the favour someday. There was Madam Vivian Hockley, Baroness Abigail Nettle, and Madam Susan Lakely, low-ranked nobles who dared to disrespect me, and I would make them pay.

That day was the Queen's birthday, and she had expected the king to visit her in her chambers. So, I had to soak her feet in a concoction of herbs and dried flowers which stunk horribly, and then I was to wipe them dry.

"Why are your nails so sharp?" she winced while pulling her feet away and glared at me. "Are you trying to hurt me?"

I glanced at my fingernails, which were clipped short, close to the flesh. "I keep my nails short, Your Majesty," I replied, showing her both of my hands.

She scoffed, and said, "Then are you trying to say that I am crazy? That I felt that out of nowhere?"

I was not at all intimidated by the short, stocky woman she was, but I decided to entertain her. I fell down on my knees, at looked up at her fearfully, and I said, "I am at your mercy, Your Majesty. Please punish me for hurting you!"

This made her happy, and she told me to stand up and resume my duties. I was already used to her sudden mood swings, and I knew exactly how to entertain her. Queen Jane was the type of person who liked to be reminded of her high standing over and over again, and she had maids who would flaunt and praise her as if there were no tomorrow. She disgusted me, but to secure my betrothed's ascension to the throne, I must remain in her court.

Four months had passed since the wedding, and I had become even more alert. I must prevent her from popping out another heir for King Edward. Queen Jane had repeatedly vomited that morning, and I noticed that her monthly cycles hadn't come yet. I was now certain that she was with child, but I didn't have the heart to carry out my plan.

A child was growing in her belly, a child who would inherit a vast kingdom after his birth. A child who would prevent Edmund from ascending the throne. Queen Jane's child would become the second Prince George, and once he was old enough, he would eliminate Edmund for being a threat to the throne. I mulled over my thoughts for days, but in the end, my support for Edmund prevailed.

I had taken many lives before, and killing Queen Jane's unborn child was nothing compared to killing Lady Grace and Prince George.I felt no remorse, and I knew, it had to be done. I bought an incense stick from a pharmacist, one that when inhaled by a pregnant woman, would induce miscarriage. I hid the stick among the other incense sticks that Queen Jane would light up each night, and I waited.