How she became The Queen of Scotland

Chapter 12

"M'am the speaker of the Scottish Parliament has requested an audience with you as soon as it can be arranged."
"Do we know why?"
"No. The only thing we know is the request came directly from the Scottish parliament to your office. Bucking Palace wasn't consulted first. This is rather unusual to be honest, M'am."
"I thought so. Alright. When can we schedule the appointment?"
"There is a two hour gap tomorrow between the morning briefing and your outing to the school."
"Right, lets schedule him there. I am very interested to hear what he has to say. Would you please let Buckingham Palace know that he has approached us? I don't want to do anything in the shadows."
"Certainly, M'am."
"Thank you Phil, I know I can always count on you."
The next morning Maddie couldn't stop thinking about the audience ahead of her. It was her first private audience with a member of the Scottish parliament. She had met some of them on previous events but none of them had ever requested a private audience.
Buckingham Palace had responded with a reminder to remain political neutral and to listen rather than giving her personal opinion and to refer back to the palace if any questions would arise.
"The Speaker of the Scottish Parliament, Mr. Kellan McGuff."
Maddie waited until he had approached her before extending her hand.
He bowed his head before shaking her hand firmly.
"Mr McGuff please take a seat. What can I do for you?"
They sat down on the sofas in Maddie's office sitting opposite of one another.
"I have been sent by the parliament to inform Your Royal Highness that they have made the decision to set up another referendum for Scottish Independence."
Maddie let the words sink in and kept her face unmoved. She had become rather good at keeping her emotions inside without showing them on the outside if she didn't want to.
"I am afraid I still do not know why you have come to me with this."  She smiled her encouraging polite smile.
"The referendum will be different to the last one."
"In what way?"
"You, M'am. The referendum will be for an Independent Scotland with you as our head of state. As Queen of Scotland."
Maddie looked at him unable to answer straight away. Did he really say what she had just heard?
"I am sure I have misunderstood you, Mr McGuff."
They looked at each other without saying anything for a moment.
Mr McGuff seemed unmoved by Maddie's surprise. This was the reaction they all had expected.
"I am here to inform Your Royal Highness about the steps the Scottish parliament has planned in agreement with what they think is best for the Scottish people and their nation."
"And do I have any choice in this, Mr. McGuff?"
"We assumed that you would be pleased with the faith and trust our parliament puts in you to do what's best for our country. If however you have objections you are invited to address  them freely of course. The referendum will be announced at noon tomorrow."
"I don't think I can say anything about this right now and here. But I thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come here and tell me in person, Mr McGuff."
Maddie stood up strongly keeping a steady posture extending her hand.
Mr McGuff understood and followed her lead.
"It was my honour, Your Royal Highness." He took her hand before bowing his head and leaving the room.
Minutes after he had left the room Maddie still stood in front of the sofa not quite sure about what had just happened.
She took the phone from her desk.
"Phil? I need you in my office as soon as possible."
"On my way, M'am."
It took him less than a minute to get there.
"I mean they can not be serious about that, can they? Overthrowing The Queen... I mean this is... I am looking for a better word than ridiculous."
"Did he leave you anything written down?"
"Yes, right there. Parliament had everything written down apparently."
"I will run this past our lawyers to see if its even claimable."
"You have to get it to Buckingham Palace first. They can't be left in the dark about this. Her Majesty can not be left in the dark about this. And we have to make it very clear that we were not part of any of this. That we didn't know about this until today."
"I will take care of this, M'am. Please don't worry about it."
"Don't worry about it? Phil the speaker of parliament has just informed me that they want another referendum for Scottish independence while overthrowing The Queen to put me on a then reinvested Scottish throne. How can I not worry?" Maddie didn't realise she had started walking around her office.
"M'am you have to take a breath." Phil glanced over at Maddie who paced around her office like an imprisoned lion in his cage.
"I will get all these information to London and they will get back to us. That is all we can do for now. And in the mean time you will go to your school visit and work through this like you always do. Flawless and with perfection." He smiled at her trying to encourage her.
Maddie stopped looking at him for a second.
"I don't think I have any different choice do I? Gameface?"
"Gameface."
"I honestly have no idea what I would do without you at that point, Phil."
"I am here to serve you the best I can. M'am."
"No. You are doing so much more than that." Maddie had finally found some sort of peace again and smiled back at him.
Almost a year ago she chose him as her private secretary. She didn't even have clue how right she was about him and what an important figured he would become in her life.