The May Queen (Forgotten Royals)

Chapter Five

There were many May Queens before England had a Queen.

Noble maidens were devastated that they lost their chance to marry the king. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to marry our righteous and religious king. Nothing made me happier than the blessed fact that I was too closely related to him, making marriage out of the question.

While I was relieved that there would never be a royal marriage for me, Mama was happy that Henry hadn't married into a rival noble family. Not to mention that she wanted my brother to make a grand marriage to an heiress and had worried the king might wed the best. Instead, after many years at war with France, Henry had his way and a French princess would be queen. He forced the French to recognize him as regent, surrender his daughter to wed, and make Henry his heir, disinheriting his own son. Henry would be the most powerful king that ever lived. Mama wanted me to serve the new queen, so I traveled in the blustery weather to meet his queen.

I reached the capital before the new queen. Time crept slowly as everyone waited for her, so I escaped the stifling shadows of court and went out into the frozen garden. My fourteen-year-old brother Edmund followed, acting as my chaperone, but disregarded the role when he came across a soldier bragging about his exploits in France to a group of lads who were too young to fight. That suited me fine, since I wanted a moment to myself. I was already nervous about meeting the queen. Before I left, Mama had impressed on me how important it was to be liked by the king's wife. Mama's marriage with Henry's brother hadn't done much for our family, so it was up to me. But already there was so much gossip about the young queen and her mad father who had lost his kingdom. Unkindness lurked beneath every word, as people spoke of the Queen with contempt. It bothered me that people could be so terrible about a young woman who traveled so far from her home. No one seemed to know anything about her, other than asserting that she was beautiful and probably a fool.

I trudged through the snowy ground, regretting my decision to go outside, but I didn't really want to deal with pointed questions about why I wasn't married yet. I was only eighteen and in no rush for the responsibility and even less eager with the war dragging on for years. Even with all of Henry's victories, there was still resistance. Mama always prayed when Thomas was away from here. Her ladies told me she would stay up all night in the chapel. It didn't help that he brought my older brother Harry to France for the fighting and my brother died. Mama's marriage, meant to benefit our family, had stolen my brother's life. Mama and Thomas both blamed themselves and there was a strain where there once was love. The worst part was Thomas now took my sixteen-year-old brother Johnny and fifteen-year-old brother Tom, to France. He and Mama had a terrible row about it before he departed.

"Your brother got my Harry killed and now he wants to do the same to my Johnny and Tom?" Mama asked, bitterness wrapped around each word.

I stayed quiet, as they forgot I was even in the room. Perhaps I should have said something and it would have stopped the argument.

Thomas buried his face in his hand. "You know that's not why he asked, Margaret. Your son is the Earl of Somerset. A peer. He's expected to fight in France and so his brother. This is considered an honor."

He didn't even sound like he believed his own words. But I understood that he couldn't say anything else. Thomas was the heir to the throne. There was no choice but to support his brother.

"An honor!" Mama spat. "Harry was only seventeen. I should be planning his wedding, not praying for my son's soul. Convince your brother not to send them so soon."

Thomas looked up, shadows in his eyes. "No one tells my brother anything. He thinks he is on a damned holy mission. The only way I can gain any influence is if I win a battle in France. That's the only thing he cares about. If I ask him to let them stay, all he will see is disloyalty. The lads' uncles know the same. You know it. If you want a miracle, you need a saint."