Tudor Roses & Romance

Chapter 7: Emotion

People say every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Once something has been set in motion, it can't help but produce momentum. Even the word emotion is a type of motion. It's written into the word itself. Whatever you're feeling is related to how you use your body, whether good or bad. Motion creates emotion, either getting in the way or carrying you away, sometimes over a cliff. That is why feelings should never outweigh your intelligence.

But Mary isn't thinking about that. No. She's thinking about everything Charles shared since they left the ruins of the burnt church. That was days ago. The thing that won't let her rest is the fact that he's being blackmailed.

Here's the interesting dilemma she's found herself in. Being a princess, Mary has had the doors open for some of the shadiest creatures ever known to enter. Even though she's been able to maintain a sense of naivety about her, Mary is no dumb Princess Barbie. No. She knows that people with bad intentions will do bad things no matter what.

So, her father has helped protect her over the years from known and unknown threats, either with security or himself. For example, there was one time that stood out as a teenager. She had received a handwritten letter from a child. The letter claimed his family was poor, and he was being put up for adoption because they could no longer feed and clothe him. It tugged at her heartstrings because all she could think of was the story of Oliver Twist. Oh, the injustice of it all!

One thing that gets to Mary more than any other is poor and needy children. So for days, she worried about Fred, this boy in the letter. Finally, she worked up the courage to speak with her father about the matter. The Princess took the note and made her way to the King's office. He let her in, and she presented it to him, whereby he read it and laughed.

Angry and indignant, she snatched the letter and asked, "Why are you mocking this poor boy? Father, it's not a laughing matter!"

Her father, the King, taught her a valuable lesson that day. His Majesty steepled his fingers on his stately desk and remarked, "Mary, I do love you so. That's why you're My Pearl. But everyone knows life isn't fair. In that letter, Fred says that very thing... life isn't fair, and now I'm to be driven from my home, blah, blah, blah. Calling something unfair suggests that he thinks life is supposed to be, which makes him look immature and you naive. Besides, your cousin in Scotland got a similar letter from Fred. My sister passed it on to me in case you received one too. Apparently, there's a royal scam going around."

He produced the message and let her read it. Mary's face fell, and that was when she realized her heart trusts too easily. It wants to believe not everyone is out to deceive and be of bad purposes. Despite learning hard lessons about trust, she still chooses to see the good side of things. It's not naive but strategic and necessary for her survival. Because there's always evil, and if you focus on it too much, it becomes despairing.

So with all of those lessons in mind, Mary grew up. Now, she has fact-checkers hired to assist in imperative matters like blackmail. She trusts Charles, but she doesn't trust Catherine. Any blackmail is manipulation, and manipulation is nothing more than using guilt and fear to control someone. It's unconscionable, and the Princess won't stand for it! Inconspicuously, Mary hired her private detective to follow the girl around.

Detectives are notorious for finding things that should stay buried, especially things with the huge potential to rake in lots of moolah. What Winston learned and shared was astonishing. The Duke of Suffolk is living with a real-life crazy person. Not only is she blackmailing Charles, but she is gaslighting her own mother, among other things. It seems like this girl gets off on causing pain.

Time stops for no one, especially when you're up to no good. With that in mind, the Princess was determined to speak to her father about this matter. She headed straight for his office, paying no one attention except the goal of talking to him. The guards announced her arrival, and she entered.