Queen Mary II

Picking Sides

December 31, 1558

Mary walked through the halls, preparing to face her mother again, after all this time. As she passed members of the court, they all bowed or curtsied, therefore acknowledging Mary as their queen, but she had more pressing issues to think about. Mary's relationship with her mother was a complicated one to say the least. Having grown up in France most of her life, Mary usually only wrote letters to her mother, seeing her a handful if time throughout the years. Of course, it took Mary becoming Queen of another nation to bring her mother around again. Walking to the council chamber, where her mother was, Mary dismissed all the lords so she could talk to Marie de Guise in private. "Mother," Mary said simply with a polite curtsy.

Marie turned around to see her daughter. "It is I who should be curtsying to you, Queen Mary the Second by the Grace of God, Queen of England!" She crossed the room to stand in front of her daughter, "And soon to be the Queen of France. I am proud of you Mary, and your father would be too." The way Marie mentioned Mary's father was more out of obligation, than affection. It was well known that Marie and Mary's father, James, did not have a happy marriage.

Mary rolled her eyes at her mother's attempts to care. Of course Marie de Guise cared, she cared about power. Notice, she did not mention a single thing about being happy to see Mary, instead she just focused on thrones and nations. "I do hope so, I would not have wanted my birth to have been a waste for you," Mary replied as she walked to the head of the council table, and sat down, the spot for the monarch.

"A queen of two nations, and princess to a third, but still a bratty teenager," Marie sighed as she sat down next to Mary, taking her hand. "I do love you Mary, which is why I have been the way I am. Perhaps I did not coddle you enough as a child, but thats because I was fighting to survive, I was fighting for you. You will learn, if you have not already, that being a woman in this world, especially a woman with power, is almost impossible. Maybe I was not a good mother, but I was a good parent, look at you, alive, and on top of the world."

Mary scoffed at the sound of her mother, almost begging forgiveness for her absentee parenting, "Yes you fought alright," she said, pulling her hand back and standing back up. "I have heard much of your fighting. Maybe if you did not fight so much then the protestants would not be ready to revolt! I have dozens of reports that claim that your policies puts Scotland closer and closer to a civil war!"

"Do you think being Queen is easy? You have been queen here for what? A month? Try fifteen years," Marie snapped back as she took a goblet of wine to take a drink, "Try convincing hordes of Protestant men that they should accept a Catholic girl as their God anointed Queen. You can, so, you are forced to snuff out the protestant men. Which brings me to my next point, if you are finished whining about me?" Mary sighed and nodded, as if to tell her mother to continue with her next point, "The Lady Elizabeth, when is her execution?"

"Execution?" Mary asked her mother in shock as she turned to face her, "The Lady Elizabeth has done nothing wrong, and has complied with the greatest of ease. Executing her would be like signing my own death warrant, her supporters would turn on me. Do you know we have cousins? The Grey sisters, who are protestant and their family has reached for the crown before. If I execute Elizabeth, surely there would be a movement to install them on my throne."

"Then get rid of them too," Marie replied nonchalantly. "Trust me dear, it is better to dispose of these issue before they have the chance to become issues. I know best dear."

"Mother!" Mary snapped back, she was used to this kind of behavior by now, but that did not mean she approved. "You do not know best! You have run Scotland in to the ground, it is clear your methods do not work. I will rule as I see fit, dispense justice as I see fit, and ally with whomever I see fit. You, on the other hand will curtsy, thank me for allowing you to continue to exercise political influence, and beg my forgiveness for offending me." This was Mary's first time standing up to her mother, because she finally felt like she had the power to do so.

Marie gritted her teeth, but there was a proud air about her as she curtsied to her defiant daughter, "Thank you your majesty, and I apologize profusely if I have offended you in anyway."

Meanwhile, in the gardens, Catherine Grey was negotiating an alliance with Edward Seymour, on the behalf of Queen Mary. She knew very well why her Queen sent her out here. Catherine knew she had not been subtle with her blushing when Edward first introduced himself to Mary. Everyone knew that Catherine fancied the Earl of Hertford. However, Catherine knew this was not about her, she was out here for her Queen, and would be professional. "The Queen is grateful for your loyalty, my lord."

"And I am grateful for her support as well," Edward replied with that same charming smile. "But in truth, I came to court, mainly to see you, milady. I know we have met briefly on a number of occasion, and in truth, my head has swirled with thought of meeting you again, and getting to know you better. It is my intention to begin courting you, if you'd have me."

Catherine could not believe what she was hearing, a handsome noble wished to court her. However, she remembered why she was here, and who her loyalties were with. "If we proceed I need you to know something. My loyalty is to my Queen, to Mary, if your loyalty is some sort of trick, then end this now. I will not compromise my friendship with the Queen for you. I am her majesty's most humble servant."

"My loyalties are to her majesty as well, she seems to be a gracious Queen, with a very beautiful servant," he said with a mischvious grin as he took Catherine's hand and kissed the top of it softly.

As much as she hated to admit it, Mary knew her mother was right. Elizabeth was dangerous, and Mary needed to keep an eye on her. At any moment she could start a Protestant uprising, or continue her plan to marry the king of Spain. Something needed to be done, and Mary had learned enough from the great Catherine de Medici to know that spies could be a valuable tool. With Elizabeth's usual isolated lifestyle, she had a small circle of friends. There was only one person Mary could think to spy on Elizabeth. It was late at night, and Mary was in her chambers with Francis when the herald announced, "The Lady Mary Grey."

As the young girl walked into the room, the Queen dismissed everyone, except Francis. Mary Grey curtsied to the royal couple, "You requested to see me your majesty? I am at your service."

Queen Mary could sense the nervousness in this girl, having been called here in the dead of night, without her older sister Catherine. However, Mary wanted to let Mary Grey know that she was a friend. "Dear cousin, please sit down," she gestured to a chair across from where she and Francis were already sitting. "As much as I look forward to our friendship growing," Queen Mary looked down, knowing the bad thing she would be asking of Lady Mary, "But as for tonight, I have called you here for a purpose."

Lady Mary nodded nervously as she sat where her Queen gestured, "As I said, I am at your service. My sister and I are your most humble servants."

"Thank you Lady Mary, but what I ask of you cannot be told to anyone, not even your sister, Lady Catherine. What we say in here should never leave this room," Francis told the girl, who nodded in agreement.

"Lady Elizabeth is a threat to my rule," Mary began, going in headfirst to what she needed, "You are the only person here she remotely trusts. I have heard reports of her possible marriage, and even a possible uprising. It would please me very much if you would relay any treasonous or otherwise important actions of the Lady Elizabeth. For my safety, and the safety of the Kingdom."

With a shaky voice, Lady Mary nodded, "If it is your majesty's wish. I will do this, and not tell a single soul about it." She then stood up, and leaned on the chair for support, "If that is all your majesty requires."

"Of course, go get some rest, the crown thanks you, and so do I," Mary replied as Lady Mary curtsied and left the room. Once they were alone once again, Mary turned to her husband, "She seemed scared to death."

"Of course she is, this is a hard task for anyone," he agreed with a nod, "Do you think she can do it?"

"She is a descendant of the Tudor family, if there is one thing this family is good at, its deception," Mary responded to her husband as she got up, to prepare for bed.