Betrothed to the enemy

The Conqueror I

The sound of men screaming and begging for their lives fills William's ears, suddenly he jolts up covered in sweat and panting heavily. William hears the sound of his door clicking and he stares at the door feeling paranoid, the door opens slowly revealing it's his chancellor, Alan.

"Your grace?" Alan asks softly, William gives a sigh of relief unsure why he felt paranoid in his own castle, "Yes chancellor? I pray for you that this news is worth disturbing my sleep over." William chuckles.

"Apologies your grace but this news is of grave importance, please meet me at the council chamber," Alan says before closing the door.

William sighs and gets up, he never gets enough sleep ever since he became king, he slides on his shoes and begins to head towards the door and opens it, and the two guards at the door lower their heads. William walks towards the council chamber, each step causing an echo as his shoes cling against the stone floor, each time he passed a group of soldiers they would lower their heads which made him feel powerful.

William stands at the door and sighs before opening the door, where his chancellor and other court officials stand, the wooden table in the middle of the stone chamber, and each official sitting on a red seat, he walks towards his seat at the head of the table and sits down.

"What is this important news?" William asks, his marshal leans over and hands him a letter, and William opens it. "I cannot read this paper. Is this supposed to be a mockery of my abilities, dear marshal?" William throws the paper down and lets out a sigh of anger.

"N-n-no your grace I only..." The marshal says before getting cut off by the chancellor, "Your grace the paper is from the lord of Exeter in said paper he states that, 'To the false king William of Normandy, we hereby decide that we do not recognise your authority of England." William's fists tighten.

"I have never heard of Exeter so why is this town I have never heard of important? Can the Marshal not take an army and subdue them?" William asks, attempting to understand the importance of this town.

Alan gets up and paces the room while speaking, "Exeter is located in Cornwall, a region that has been causing us all a headache since it is located far away from London, if they don't surrender it could spread further." Alan explains calmly, "that is why we must kill them all, show to the Anglo-Saxons how you reward treason." Alan says, sitting back down.

"No, we will not burn down another town and kill innocent men, women and children." William says, protesting the idea, as he feels for every man he kills they haunt him in his sleep.

The Treasurer gets up and speaks, "Your grace the town has also refused to pay taxes killing our sheriffs, which will make the funding of the castles you wish to build difficult." The treasurer sits back down after explaining the financial situation.

William sat in silence, wrestling with the weight of his decisions. Finally, he rose, determination hardening his voice. 'Send a diplomat. They must have the chance to surrender. I refuse to raise my army against innocent women and children. We call ourselves Christians, yet we condone rape and pillage? That is hypocrisy, plain and simple. We will discuss this in the grand council. This matter is settled for today." William turns around and walks out frustrated of Lord Exeter's treason.

William leaves the council chamber and heads back to his chambers with the royal guards lowering their heads and he opens the door and walks in before slamming it shut.

William took off his shoes and lay in bed again staring at the red curtains splashed with blue surrounding his bed, he shut his eyes attempting to gain some sleep if possible as he knew tomorrow would be a day he would despise.

William awakens and he jolts up covered in sweat and panting once more, he gets up still catching his breath and puts on his shoes and walks out, the guards lower their head as soon as he walks out, "Get me my chamberlains now." William orders the guards and walks back in. The guard lowers his head and begins walking with haste down the stone hallway.