Quickly walking down the halls, I looked over my shoulder before turning the corner. Heading towards a flickering light just at the end of the corridor, I slipped through an old antique portrait hanging on the wall and stayed ad still as possible.
Hearing Darnley's footsteps walk right past me, I sighed quietly before heading down another dark corridor into a dimmed room towards a dark wooden wall. Roaming my hands around, I pushed open the door to see Bothwell leaning on a bookshelf.
"Bothwell..." I whispered.
Closing the door behind me, I see my father and David.
"Father, David...I hope I haven't kept you waiting."
"Not at all," Bothwell said.
"Have you discovered why the privy council has been voting against every measure I placed before them?" I asked.
"They continue to blame you for mishandling the money for the disaster relief. You're a natural-born Catholic, Protestant by marriage, and a woman...they consider you a foreigner-"
"My daughter is not a foreigner." My father hissed, standing behind Bothwell.
"Darnley's been paying them." David blurted out.
"Yes, I was getting to that, thank you. Brides. Quite large. He's using them to influence the most powerful members of the council..."
"You know how men are towards money." My father whispered.
"And what favor does he ask of them in return?"
"He's requested a special vote. One that gives him the Crown Matrimonial."
"Over my objections!" I blurted out.
"The privy council has much power."
"If Darnley is granted the Crown Matrimonial, it makes him my equal...towards me and my boys. But in their eyes my superior!" I yelled.
Pacing back and forth in the room, I fidgeted with my hands as I glanced around the piles of books around me.
"And because he is a man...because I am no longer married. The privy council will look to him and not me." I whispered, before turning around and facing my father.
"We cannot let him succeed, or they will be one step closer to eliminating me," I added.
"I will never let that happen. Greece will never let that happen, you know how protective they are towards their Queen." Bothwell said.
"I need a plan that gives me power with the privy council. If I can force them to take my side over Darnley's...then I'll be able to protect my throne." I sighed.
"I think I have just the plan." My father said.
"What would that be, Your Grace?" David asked.
Looking at my father, he smiled at me before he made his way over.
"Announce that I am alive...that I will stand beside you. We could make a public announcement tomorrow morning...Mary could be present, let her see her father." He hissed.
"My King that could-"
"It's brilliant." I blurted out.
"I could say that I have two Kings by my side, strengthening my power in Scotland. A King, who once ruled for years, over a King, to secure my throne. The council will see that I will no longer need Darnley." I whispered.
THE NEXT DAY
Standing in front of my mirror, Talia stood behind me, tieing my grayish-pink skirt alongside with wrapping the rest of the ribbon around my waist.
YOU ARE READING
The Art Of War (TV Series 'Reign') #4
FanfictionAfter the death of the late King Francis, news spread around the country as the newly crowned Queen Eliana of Scotland returns back to a land she once called home. Alongside her sister, Mary Stuart, they soon realize that the country they once calle...
