Long Live The King (Peaky Blinders)

The one who wears the crown

A few days after the Banquet

(Nick's P.O.V.)
I walk into the stateroom of Buckingham Palace. In front of me I see many members of the Home office and the Church and some of my advisors, aswell as my grandmother. "Nicholas" my grandmother begins with a smile. By her posture I can tell she neither wants to be around these men and also not be in this room to have this precise conversation. Whatever that may be. I watch my grandmother reluctantly stand up, eyeing the bischop of Canterbury with a glare. Almost as if she wanted to go for his throat for making her do something she never wants to do. Yet she held her composure as the Dowadger Queen and got right to the point. "I have seen three great Monarch be brought down to their knees, because of failure to seperate personal indulgences from duty. You must not allow yourself to make similar mistakes" she said and she held eyecontact with me. Although adverted her eyes slightly when talking about personal indulgence. "Nicholas Henry Windsor has been replaced by another person. Nicholas Rex. King of the British Empire and her colonies. And the crown must always win". I stay quiet for a moment and glance my eyes over everyone opposite of me. I hum and turn on my heels to walk to a class cabinet that contains the imperial state crown, which had been put on display for the baquet and had yet to be returned safely to Tower of London. I lift the display case uo carefully and begin to talk "So, you've all flocked here, like hungry chickens, from all sides of the country to tell me how to fullfill my duty?". None of them move a muscle nor open their mouth to speak. With grace and carefullness I take the Imperial State Crown out of its safety. Holding it confidently in my hands infront of me. My eyes wandering over the materials of the gold, silver and platinum details. The velvet cap trimmed with ermine. "Do understand. I am very much aware that I am surrounded by people who feel that they could do the job better, strong people with powerfull characters. So who would like to have a go?" I ask and carefull hold the 1.06Kg (2.3 lb) crown infront of me. Suggesting for someone to take it from my hands. "Archbishop of Canterbury? Colonel Sir Clive Wigram? Earl of Cromer?" I question each and every single man in this room and hold the crown out to them. My tone is so sharp and deep that it almost comes out as an order for them to take it. I continue to walk along the men. "Lord Stamfordham? Lord Knollys?". I knew it, they dared to make my grandmother speak for them, yet when pressured to do my job they would fall in like starving dogs. "No? None of you want to wear the Crown?" I asked loudly with a laugh, "then why are you telling me how to wear it" I growl and step into the personal space of the closest person to me, Archbishop. I chuckle low and darkly and can see the Archbishop shiver slightly. I turn their back to them and walk back to my spot, where I previously stood. "Then again, even if you dared to think you could wear the crown. You would be refused by it. After all, the crown knows it is not your right. It is mine. I am the rightfull heir. For better or worse, the crown has found it's home on top of my head". I turn and hand one of my servants the crown who carefully puts it back in the display, thanking them in the process. "Your Majesty" I heard the Archbishop and turn my head. "You have forbidden desire that must be dealt with before the public finds out. And we have found a solution to eridicate them by force". "What forbidden desires of mine?" I question him and cross my arms. I see him swallow for a moment and glance his fellow group members. Eventually Lord Stamfordham answers me "your sexual desire with a certain - man". I realise he was talking about Tommy again and about the time Grace caught me and Tommy kissing. "It was mearily a kiss. We greet other people with a cheek kiss aswell, I do not see a problem" I tell them, trying to play it of as a kiss in a form of greeting. "First of all, the kiss Ms Burgess informed us about. Wasn't just a form of greeting" Stamfordham replied, "second of all, you two are conversing in more serious desires. Ones that are forbidden by the Church and illegal in your Nation". I stay quiet as I think for a second. How do they know about mine and Tommy's further sexual relation. Sure they knew about the kiss not long before my coronation. But we had been carefull after that, didn't we? Yeah, sure, Tom's family knew about the relationship, but didn't really cared or would even consider calling the police. My part of the family no one knows about it. Only Reynolds did and maybe some instances my grandmother. She could always read me like an open book. It sure as hell couldn't be Grace, she left for America shortly after I became King. I looked at my grandmother, who shook her head. Telling me it wasn't her. "Who told you?" I demanded to know as I looked at the men in front of me. "I think you know who has betrayed you, your Majesty" Lord Chaimberlin told me. My mind was running wild again. I couldn't concentrate. Who had betrayed me? Who was it? I almost felt dizzy as I tried my best to figure it all out. I barely could keep my balance to keep standing. "Who?" I whispered to myself. I looked around the room for faces that could've been the betrayer. But I stopped looking when one importaint face wasn't here. And come to think of it, I hadn't seen his face since the Banquet. Realising I was catching on, the Lord stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder "it seems that even the loyalist of dogs only care for themselves" he sighed with regret, "My sincere apologies for Reynolds betrayal, Sir"

Published: 26th of March 2024