The Life Of A Queen

Chapter 9

 "Really? We've fallen for this trick again?" was what awoke Francis from his sleep. His fiancee was angry, no, livid. Why was she unhappy?
Francis groaned softly, his body aching all over. He was drowsy and had no idea what was going on. His head was on a fine velvet pillow, entire body hurting, arms behind his back. He frowned. Why were his arms bound by the wrists behind his back?
His eyes snapped open, seeing the grey stone chambers, imposing fire, the large red bed he was laying on, a roaring fire surrounded by dark grey stones and his only companions were his parents, fiancee and her male cousin. All were bound like him.
Henry was laying on the top of the bed, Catherine a little further away on a small cot near the chairs in the middle of the room. Mary was sitting on one of the chairs, looking straight to the door. Edward laying on the rug, back supported by one of the legs of the table. The cousins were talking quietly, about figuring out who had taken them.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Somewhere between the border between Scotland and England, Francis." was the response from his fiance. His mother and father were still sleeping.
"It has to be one of the more populated border towns. And a richer one, not many have the amount of money to build a manor to have this be one of their worst rooms." Mary added.
"Why would this be one of the worst?" Francis asked.
"We're all bound, meaning we're all captives. We're all royal, meaning it's been by someone or a group of people who are against us. Why would you put those you hate in a nice chamber?" Mary asked. Francis half nodded.
"Fair enough, any ideas which border town we're in? It has to be a border, since you're both here." Henry asked.
"It'd say we're in the Scottish region, it's far colder here than in England, at this time of year. It must be one who've recently converted to my rule, meaning we'd be what was the north of England, because he's here." she nodded to Edward. "This plan must have many holes in it, due to the fact the border towns being swayed was a recent occurrence. They wouldn't have had much time to plan this out. We're not in the worst possible situation just yet."
"All of this sounds like one who hates our bloodline. Our captor could be someone who is a Scot and protestant and wishes to have me on your throne, which is why they've brought your fiancee here. Or, it could be A catholic who hates female monarchs, but wishes a catholic on my throne. Which could also be why they've brought the French, to put the French king on the throne."
"These have holes. If it's just our bloodline, why bring the French? If it's a Scot who wishes you on my throne, why bring the French monarch, future monarch and his consort, and me, by default. And why would they kidnap somebody who they want to be ruled by. If it's a catholic who wishes King Henry on the throne, why bring Catherine? She's just his consort. It can't be to tie up loose ends, because she clearly wouldn't have seen anything, look at her. If it's the fact that this person or more likely people simply hates a monarchy, why bring just us? We're quite the mismatched collection. Besides, not all of us are sovereigns. If it's the French who they dislike, why bring you? And Catherine? Me, I can understand, because of Francis and I's engagement, but you makes no sense. Catherine's Italian, and she's the minority, so it can't be somebody who hates her blood."
"There's a multitude of possibilities."
"It's clearly something against me. Everybody has a connection to me. You, my cousin. Francis, my future husband. Henry and Catherine, my future mother and father in law."
"Even still, why Catherine and Henry if it's that reason? Why not just you, I and Francis?."
"Either we're missing something,"
"Or someone,"
"Yes, or someone, or this person simply wishes to tie loose ends or has a lack of logic."
"It could be the hatred of a monarchy. I'm a King, you're a Queen, Francis is a future King, Henry is a King, Catherine is a Queen consort."
"And what better time to strike when all of these royals are joined together."
"Indeed."
"And it's a bigger possibility that they're one of our subjects, because we're in the border towns and had enough of the war between our families. This stems their hatred of a monarchy, and due to the fact you're set to inherit England when I die, and you're going to rule France one day. It's no wonder they'd capture who you'd one day be related to."
"And with Catherine, they would simply want to tie up loose ends, she is intelligent, even though not a queen in her own right."
"Indeed."
The door creaked open and they saw a man enter. Medium height, brown hair, green eyes, dressed in a white shirt with a brown woven waistcoat, black leather trousers and knee high boots.
He clapped.
"Well done, little monarchs. You attained the answer without even the help of the King and Queen."
"We are a King and Queen," Edward snapped. "Now, what do you want with us? Surely, the fact we're here can't just be because you hate a monarchy."
"How intelligent our dying king is, I'm surprised. Now, down to buisness," he pulled out a long knife out from his hollister on his hip and pointed it at the young Queen.
"I was wondering when that would be used," Mary nearly smirked.
"How perceptive of you. It's not just a monarchy I despise, but the unbalance of nature." he stepped forwards. "A queen. A Queen ruling. A woman ruling. Not even that, a girl ruling a country. It's just unnatural." he laughed. Mary glared up at him. "So, I'm going to rectify this." he simply said, grabbing a pitcher of water and throwing it over the King and Queen of France, awaking them with splutters.
"How nice of you to join us," the man smirked, before turning back to Mary.
"You see, your majesty," he mocked "you shift the balance of nature, as it's well known that a woman cannot rule, let alone rule on her own," he laughed. "so, I'm going to rectify all the wrongs you've done to my country."
"What are these wrongs you speak of? More armaments, more ships, the increase of money and food, the decrease in English attacks, the promise of England when my cousin dies? Don't you enjoy all these things, Angus?" she called him by name. He grinned.
"You remember me." he noticed.
"I do."
"Of course I enjoy a better way of living, but it is poisoned with sin. You should be serving your husband, creating strong male children and leaving ruling to the man."
"So, you don't have a problem with a monarchy, you have a problem with female monarchs?" Mary guessed.
"Oh no, I despise a monarchy. That's why you're all here. I just despise you a little more. You've ruined my country."
"And Catherine? Why is she here?"
"Collateral damage, now she can go running back to Italy where she belongs, to keep her head. She was never a true Queen, in any stretch of the imagination."
"Now listen here-" Henry started.
"Silence!" Angus suddenly screamed. "You'll get your turn, but I have more of a problem with my Queen." he turned back to the young girl. "Think of your mother. Think of how you screamed as she was slaughtered in front of your six year old eyes. By those who think like me, and support the fact that ruling a nation is done by men. Your superior." he spat. "And now you think you can trust your cousin? The main reason why your mother is dead?"
"Edward had nothing to do with her assasination. It is men like you, cowards, who slaughtered an innocent woman for following the orders of the almighty himself. You'll burn for that, just as you will for this."
"And what makes you think you will be the one to come out unscathed? I'm a man, you're a child. A petulant child."
"A Queen," she spat. "So, your plan is to kill us and turn Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland into democracies? And what of France? A fault in your plan, his and her majesty have other sons, and the order of nothing but males ruling France can easily be reversed."
"This is the short term plan, majesty. When you're long dead by my hand, by this sword," he brought it to his face. "I will remove the poison of a monarchy and will be granted absolution from the almighty for what I have to do. I will bring the people hope. Bring the people peace. And remove them of you,"
"And in your mind, killing us will do that?" Mary laughed. "In case it escaped your notice, I spent years fighting for my life, what makes this any different to other assasination attempts? Haven't you heard the tales of your queen, making English and Scotsmen fall at her feet, blood covering her floor? Havne't you heard of the names I am given? The Warrior Queen? The huntress? What makes you think you can take me and those who matter to me down? Do tell."
"They never had you at their mercy."
"Neither do you."
"Oh, I do," he took a fistful of her hair and threw her against the wall, back first. "Is this proof?" he questioned.
"Not at all," she smirked. He went to punch her, but she casually rolled out of the way. "Is that all you're going to throw at me? If it is, i'm disappointed," she complained slightly, walking almost casually. "Now, down to buisness," she said casually, snapping her bonds with ease. "You've taken those I care for hostage. I have a problem with that. No matter your motives, these people will go back to where they belong, and you will suffer for this treasonous act."
"You figured out a way to get free." he observed.
"Of course I did. A little trick I learned when the English kidnapped the dauphin, King and Queen of France, as well as I, and killed my half brother James. Simply burn the ropes and they will fall whenever you please," she smirked. "You left us alone, without binding our feet. It made my job so easy. Child's play, really." she nodded once.
"You really think I wouldn't have a plan for when your facade comes into play?" he grinned, reaching behind him, pulling out the handle of a blade. Mary smirked, reaching behind her own body and onto one of the chairs, bringing up the actual blade. He scowled. She smirked wider, raising her eyebrows in challenge.
"Goodness, is killing you going to take all night?" he asked, irritated.
"More than likely so," she smiled. "Are you busy?" she questioned as they started to circle each other.
"Not at all," he grinned. He walked in circles with the young queen, grabbing an arbalest from underneath a gold and red silk pillow. Mary chuckled, pulling out three arrows from the arm of an overstuffed chair.
"Impressive for a child, I will admit." he nodded once. "You noticed?" he asked.
"Of course I did. I've had to do a lot of that to keep my head over my reign," Mary narrowed her eyes as he let the gun fall to the floor. She did the same with her arrows, not looking at her fellow captives as she walked slowly over to the man, watching as he stared into her eyes, before reaching into the bowl of apples, pears and strawberries, bringing out a dagger and throwing it. Mary quickly reached into her belt and pulled out her own, throwing it, listening as the silver crashed into eachother and fell to the ground with a 'clunk'.
"It's all very good, your way of doing things, I will admit. And this has surprised me, majesty. I didn't realize one would use my own weapons against me. You've even used fire to your advantage," he noticed, looking down at the burned rope on the floor. " But now, it's my turn." he brought a small hand cannon and aimed it at Mary and Francis, whom she was standing near in their circling. Catherine screamed and Angus yelled in frustration, as Mary mockingly dangled the piece of rope he needed to burn close to her face.
"Intelligent, I will admit. But, you are also a child. And, children need sleep, do they not?" he asked, grinning, walking to the door. "Sleep well, your graces," he left the room, locking the door loudly behind him. The fire suddenly died, as did all the candles, because of a large bust of wind from a quickly opened window. Mary's head snapped towards the window, seeing a servent close it and run away. She frowned, watching as all the people in the room suddenly started coughing. Her eyes widened as she, too, started coughing. Suddenly, she was on the ground, helplessly coughing, her chest getting heavy. She weakly saw Francis collapse onto the bed, making his mother scream again, before her eyes closed and body became limp.
She awoke with a gasp, sitting up with a start. Everybody limp and unconscious in the room. Her body ached and she mentally scolded herself for falling for that trick.
Sleeping gas, of course.
Mary looked around the room, seeing that the only light coming into the room was because of the falling sun.
He put us to sleep for almost an entire day, Mary realized, scowling. She went to move her arms, but found that they were tightly bound together. She looked over at the fire, hoping to burn them away again, however her thoughts diminished once she saw it wasn't burning any wood.
Mary sat up and managed to sit on one of the longer chairs, pulling up her knees and attempting to figure out a way out of this situation. She must have been there for quite a while, as she was awoken from her plots by the sound of her cousin stirring.
"It's alright, nothing changed," she comforted in monotone. "It was just a sleeping gas." she said to the boy who had tried to take her head on many occasions. And taken her brothers, but that was an argument for another day.
"How are we getting out of this little perdicimant, little cousin? You were quite the show earlier." Edward smirked. Mary shrugged.
"Being Queen is a performance, and his plan had quite a few holes."
"If your bonds could be broken and you had blades, why didn't you realize us before he came into the room?"
"Everybody had to awake from the sedative. What's the point of loosening them from their bonds if they were sleeping? One can awake somebody from natural sleep with water, but not from a medical slumber. They woke up after he came into the room. He only woke the French King and Queen because the sedative wore off by then, they were just sleeping, as proven by the fact you, I and Francis had awoken before them. Besides, I woke up first, his traitors started to get things ready after I woke up, I couldn't let them hear me loosening everybody, then they would have come in. And, as experienced as I am with bow and blade, I couldn't have killed all of them at once, without risking harm to you and the French." Mary explained.
"Point taken, so, how are we getting out of this situation? Scheming monarch to scheming monarch." Edward nearly smiled at his cousin. She nearly returned it, and they started to plot their escape, only stopped by the drowsy Dauphin shooting up, comically followed by the repetition of his actions by his parents, in unison, no less.
"We are still here?" Henry asked, startled.
"We are, Henry."
"Don't fear, we have a plan to get us all out of this mess alive." Edward supplied.
"We must admit that, right now, it is a fairly terrible plan," Mary added.
"And almost certainly won't work," Edward finished.
"Indeed." Mary finalized. Francis tried to hide a chuckle. They were alike and amusing.
The door slammed open, making Catherine gasp and jump. Angus walked towards her again, gripping her by the hair and forcing her against the wall. She hissed in pain.
"You're more ridiculous than I thought, majesty." he growled, their noses touching.
"And you're missing some vital context in your insult," Mary countered.
"Now, you listen to me. Until I get what I want, none of you are leaving. You're not going anywhere, do you hear me?" he growled, their noses touching.
"Once again, context."
"I want the monarchy dead. The words of John Knox are nothing but prophecy. I want the two most powerful countries in the world to not be ruled by children. I want the golden age where all looked to grown men, God's on earth, do decide what is best for his subjects, not children who have no idea how to rule."
"You've changed your opinion, yet again." Mary rolled her eyes. "If this is the case, why kidnap two adult rulers? Why not just the youngest rulers?"
"Collateral damage. I'm not stupid enough to think that France wouldn't declare war to get their heir back, all safe and sound. Oblivious to the actual world. Oblivious of what a ruler actually is."
"You have me pinned against the wall, what's the point of verbally attacking the French?" Mary asked.
"You care for him. He is your weakness. I can get you to do anything, with just a threat on his little blonde head."
"You are correct, he is my weakness. I care for him deeply."
"And I will make sure you never dirty Gaelic blood with that of a Frenchman." he spat.
"You're wrong. It hasn't happened yet, but in time, my blood and his will be mixed, and you will be ruled by the heir when I am dead. But, you won't hurt him. You wouldn't risk international war between Catholic and Protestant countries just to irritate me. I am not going to die today, neither is my betrothed, nor the King of England or France, nor the Queen of France."
"You may be right, but I can get somebody else to do whatever I want, with just a threat." he let her go and walked up to Catherine, pointing a blade at her eldest son.
"The weakest. The one with the most to loose. The one with filth in her blood. The false royal." he glared. "All of these people here, they have royal blood, but you, just a rich Italian whore."
"Stop this!" Henry snapped. "It is clear your problem is with the English King and the Gaelic Queen. How on earth does insulting my wife attain you anything you want?"
"It attains me with power. It attains anger for those I despise." Angus glared. "All of these persons here present, they hold royal blood in their veins, whilst you, a mere rich tart, who thinks she has the world at her feet. Who thinks she has power and control. You're simply a puppet."
Uncharacteristically, Catherine sat there and took the verbal abuse.
"You're a lord! You have no royal blood, either!" Edward snapped. Mary shot him a look. That wasn't the best thing to say.
"Enough of this verbal abuse. This attains nothing. It's time for me to get what I want," he walked right over to the Gaelic Queen and grabbed her raven locks, pushing them forwards so she slammed hard into the ground. She barely whimpered upon impact, a loud crack echoing across the room, but her face shot up from the ground, hair whipping back, blood immediately flowing from her nose and down onto her mouth.
"Hey!" Edward yelled. "Stop this!"
Mary's arms were forced above her head, another loud snap echoing in the room. She barely grimaced again, the sound of her infuriated and yelling cousin and her nails dragging across the carpet and stone drowning out any sound. He dragged her down, before forcing her on her back. He forced her arms onto her abdomen, the numb and pain filled limbs doing nothing to protect her.
Realization flickered across her eyes, making them widen. He was going to rape her.
Fire flashed in her eyes. This was not happening again.
Instinct flowed through her and she brought her knees to her chest, sinking the heels of her shoes into the man's eyes. He screamed out and backed away. She brought her knees between the bonds of her wrists, forcing them close to her shoulder. A swift movement forced her left shoulder into it's socket. She barely made a noise of pain before bringing her bound wrists to her mouth, hurriedly biting through the thick rope and freeing herself. She forced the right shoulder back inside it's right place, before rolling to her side, grabbing the nearest sword and jumping to her feet.
She and Angus fought for what seemed like eternity, each movement in extremely slow motion, each second feeling like a lifetime. Her pulse echoed in her ears, the screaming of swords and people echoing in her head, before the bloody traitor fell to her feet, dead and beaten. His severed head rolled a few inches before becoming as still as his body.
She allowed herself a few seconds to breathe and come back to reality, before forcing her feet over to Henry and bringing the sword to his bound wrists.
"How, how did you know how to do that?" Edward asked quietly. She didn't look up.
"You're a student of history, yes?"
"Yes?"
"Your countries history?"
"Of course?"
"You'll remember the years of rough wooing? A war brought about by your father?" she snapped open the bonds.
"To attain your hand in mine in marriage?"
"Indeed. Did you and your country think I was sitting quietly whilst people did that? Did you ever wonder how I've kept my head and my alliance? I was without choice. You become one with bow and blade, to keep your life and reign." she released the French king from his bonds, helping him free his wife and son, before snapping Edwards' bonds with ease.
"You don't know how I've had to adapt to live, cousin. You don't know what your father and region cost me, and what I've had to do to remain standing here." she said sternly.
"We're known by the sin of our fathers, cousin. That changes now," Edward nearly smiled. Mary nodded once, before looking to the French.
"Come, we have to leave before something else happens."