Long May She Reign

Gloves (Ep 3)

Owen adjusted her skirts and entered her uncle's rooms, not tipping her head like she once would because he outranked his uncle.

Claude de Guise bowed to his niece and Queen, "You look exceedingly well, Owen."

"I am quite well, thank you."

Claude handed her a letter, "Affection from your mother that you must read later. Rest assured that her love is truly in there but so is news of a crisis in your dear Scotland," he tutted.

"Ah. The English yet again," Owen sighed, setting the note off to the side.

"These are not regular skirmishes at our borders, they are grouping in large numbers and they are looking for a weak point to infiltrate," Claude made himself comfortable in a seat.

"Then we must respond with force and strength," Owen did not appreciate the disrespect of her uncle sitting without his permission. Normally he would not care if his friend sat and she did not but this was an official meeting and he was his Queen.

"Yes, we must," Claude urged his niece.

"Surly my mother, as Regent, has sent her soldiers to quell the English."

"She has sent what she has but it is not enough, you need more men."

Owen thought for a second, "King Hudson must help us because his kingdom is our strongest ally."

Claude shook his head, "He is slow to provide us with an answer no matter how much we ask," he gestured towards a seat across from him, "Sit."

Owen paused for a moment but sat none the less.

"You had one job when you were sent here and it was to marry Hudson's heir, you are unwed a d they are not pushing a wedding, what has happened?"

Owen sat up straight, "There is nothing happening on my eng of the alliance, they are simply being political. Acho and Hudson so not want to commit to us fully just in case there is something better elsewhere. To them, I am a pair of gloves, when things look chilly for France and only for France then I will be donned and wed."

Claude shook his head, "Listen to me Owen, they are worried about what a permanent, undoable, alliance will mean for them. Right now, you must worry about Scotland and she needs soldiers. You must not think as a young woman, but as a Queen, and as a Queen you must think as Scotland."

Owen did not respond verbally but instead she nodded slightly.