Long May She Reign

Meeting (Ep 1)

Owen bowed low before King Hudson and Queen Vanessa as they sat upon their thrones, "I truly thank Your Majesties for the protection you provided me with last night but I urge you to allow me to speak to Colin."

Vanessa raised her eyebrow slowly, "Why would you wish to speak to your attacker?"

Owen stood slowly, "Because my dear friend loves him and of course if he misunderstood my joy at the wedding then-"

"Careful now, child. If anyone caught wind of the fact you were even asking this of us then..."

"She needs to know Vanessa," Hudson cut into the conversation.

"Gossip such as this will poison not only a young queen's reputation but her heirs' legitimacy and also her right to rule her own kingdom," Vanessa feigned concern for the Scot.

"As foolish as you may have behaved, you are not at fault, the only fault lies with your countryman," Hudson explained to Owen like she was a fool but if there was one thing Owen was not, it was a fool.

"I am the Queen of Scotland and Colin McPhail is a Scot, I will speak with him!" Owen drew herself to full height.

Hudson sighed, "There have been witnesses, child, saying that the boy was part of an English plot to ensure you never married the heir of France."

"You are sure it was an English plot?" Owen questioned as this went against what Colin had told Finnegan.

"This was treason Owen, not a passionate act of a drunken boy. You would not be fit to marry any royal, let alone Acho, if Colin had been successful and the English knew that," Vanessa nodded sorrowfully.

"There is nothing we can do, all has been settled and Colin has been beheaded," Hudson shrugged.

"What?"

"Colin McPhail was executed at sunrise," Hudson confirmed.

Owen could not believe the audacity that Hudson had, executing one of her subjects without her permission. He bowed and left without another word to the Denholm King and the de' Medici Queen.