There were many things Charles Brandon is learning in his "King training." A lot of it mounted on what not to do as King. Shadowing his best friend and father-in-law allowed him to see another side of the man. He knows there are two sides to every story and every person. They let the world see one side, and the other side is revealed to only those of close kinships. But he'll take it a step further. There's a third side. The third side is the one that's the most genuine, most authentic reflection of who a person is. The third face is for only when alone— it's a secret.
The King's third face allowed Charles to understand the thought process of creating laws and making decisions. More often than not, members of parliament think His Majesty comes up with things willy-nilly or by the seat of his pants. Except that's not true. He doesn't. Henry puts a lot of thought into everything he does. Each law created has been studied, sounded out, and cross-referenced with other past laws.
The Prince learned this on day four of the shadowing. They were in his chambers. While the King was at his desk, Charles was resting in a chair, reading a book his friend gave him. It's called The Regal Code of Law or Regalis Lex. Henry claimed his father gave it to him, and his Secretary of State gave it to him, and so on. Past Kings, and Secretary's of State, passed it down. He presented his friend with the treasured book by saying, "This is akin to the Bible. It is basically the King's handbook. I'm allowing you to read it, but it's never to be taken out of this room. You are to learn it forwards and backward and study it intently to the letter. Do you understand?"
Charles had nodded, and then the King took a seat at his desk. Suddenly, His Majesty threw his fine feathered quill across the room while His Highness read chapter four. Looking at his friend, he asked, "Are you alright?"
"No. I'm frustrated because I have to cross-reference another item. I'm tired of all this referencing. I wish to be done with this task already." He stood and put his doublet back on. "Come. We must go to the library." They exited and went upstairs to the Royal Library. The large, well-lighted room kept hundreds of books and epistles on the shelves from wall to wall.
The Royal Keeper of the Books greeted them. After bowing, the man asked, "What can I do for you today, Sire?"
His Majesty made known his request. "I need the book of law when Louis the Lion was King." When the Keeper left to retrieve it, Henry motioned around the room. "When writing law, all of these books come in handy. I will, at some point, send you here to learn from John, the Royal Keeper. He will instruct you on the different references and literature."
It sounded a tedious task, but Charles agreed to it. This academic tutoring is just one part of the King's training. The other practicums came with Henry telling him something or other that he deemed necessary. A long-winded speech usually accompanies it. By the lecture's end, the Prince could be found with his mind wandering. Some of the things the King has told him are, "Power makes you a monarch. Charles, the rich robes, and the money are not where it comes from, although they do help. It's the power."
Other things include "A King is no better than the company he keeps. So surround yourself with good companionship.", "A King has many eyes and ears.", "Know who to trust. Trusting everyone can kill you.", "Being King is not a choice but a duty." Of course, there's "A King bows to no one."
He completely disagrees with the last one, for he will always bow to his Queen. He also thinks that good kings should have mercy instead of tons of judgment. In his opinion, a king shouldn't raise their voice to be heard and get their point across. And as for power, well, many men crave it. Those who acquire power and want it the most are usually the wrong ones to have it.
Henry saved the most telling things of all for when they were sitting in his chambers nursing glasses of wine. After talking with Mary, he's decided to allow himself one glass of it a day. Any more than that, and his dark, seedy parts take over his mind. It seems that same thing happens to His Majesty as well. During these quieter times, his friend says the most outlandish things. It's his third face showing.
One such thing he's shared has been, "The truth doesn't matter to the people. It's only what they believe that makes truth real. You'll do well to remember that. Truth is what you, as the King--- the supreme authority, make of it." Another time he mentioned, "Anyone can betray you at any time. It could be your children. I mean, take the King of Portugal, for example. My sister killed him, and then the Royal family plotted to kill you because of it. The dead King's brother had no clue about the plot until we started trading messages back and forth. As I've told you before, trust no one."
Then he followed it up with, "Even though I say trust no one, that's an ironic lie. As a King, I feel very lonely sometimes. Yet, I push people away from me. People who would gladly spend time with me love me, even like my own daughters. Why do I do this, I wonder?" Most of all, Charles is learning being the King isn't easy.
After the few days of instruction he's had, he supposes there's truth found in the fact not everyone can be a king. You can't put a crown on the court jester's head and expect him to rule. Truly when his time comes, if it ever does, the last thing he wants is to act a fool. So he sits and listens and reads all the mind-numbing literature His Majesty provides him.
Having been in closeness with Henry all day, his time spent with his wife calms the anxiousness of his spirit. He shares most of everything about his day with her. Such as the one afternoon in mid-November: "Being a King is depressing. Half the time I spend thinking your father is melancholy of spirit. He has no close person to share life with, unlike us. He has us, but we live in Wales for most of the year. Now I understand why he often requests my presence in the court. He's lonely and in a kingly prison."
She thinks about those words. It must be why the man loves giving elaborate feasts and parties and why he enjoys tournaments. But even so, loneliness does not excuse recklessness. In her opinion, the only time to be reckless is with your love. Love with a reckless abandon, but don't conduct your life like that (or matters of state).
According to Charles, her father has been like this for most of his life. With an air of despondency and careless behavior. It makes her believe that he acts the way he does and surrounds himself with all the fawning people to stave off the doldrums of his kingly prison. These doldrums, this melancholy spirit, she knows all too well. When you're genuinely alone, all you have is yourself and your mind.
If actions speak louder than words, silence says more than a thousand words a minute. Sometimes silence is pain. Silence may be empty and lonely, but it's also full of answers. You realize you're the creator of your own misery in the reflective silence. And her father truly is the author of some of his personal sorrow. She prays for him and wishes he could just be happy.
"Charles, I agree with some of your thinking, but I disagree too." Feeling emboldened lately, she has decided to keep speaking up. She's unsure if this is a good thing, but hopefully, it is.
Looking at her, he addressed her words. "Alright, Princess, tell me what you disagree with."
Mary must say these thoughts out loud. "Well, my mother was a Queen and a Royal her whole life. And while my father may be living in a kingly prison, my mother wasn't. She loved being Queen. She enjoyed serving the people. Plus, lest we forget, she led the troops from the throne at the Battle of Flodden while you and my father were waging war with King Francis. She had true friends and was loved by all who knew her."
Judging by the expression on her husband's face, she knows he cannot disagree. "Another thing is while my father was very well-liked and respected in his younger years, his unscrupulous behavior in his later ones is not winning friends and gaining trust. So part of his problem is having a kingly prison of his own design. Also, as his closest friend like a brother, do you not think the whole heir issue has messed up his mind?"
Raising an eyebrow in question, he let her know, "I'm surprised you knew about the Battle of Flodden. I'm proud you do. I have to agree with your analysis of Queen Catherine. She was a happy ruler before the whole— You know? As for your father, I do think his mind is tired. I believe admitting that you're his heir has lifted a weight off his shoulders. I hope this lifted weight is felt more in his handling of the kingdom. But we'll see. He's prone to changing moods."
As she hugged him from behind while they lay on the sofa, her words reminded him, "You and I are not like my father. You and I are happy together and in love. We are single-minded and cannot be separated or divided in purpose. And our reign starts in our home. How we rule our home tells how we will rule a nation."
He thought that was the single most profound statement he's read or heard all day. It starts in their home, and indeed it does. And if a person doesn't find happiness in their own home and wife, they'll never find it anywhere. It makes him all the more thankful for her. "Mary, when I tell you I love you, it's not out of habit. I say it because it's real and true. The best thing in my life is us. I will do whatever is necessary to keep us together. I love us."
She loves them too. "I will always be yours, Charles Brandon. You're mine, and I'm not sharing." He chuckled and then turned himself around swiftly, with her under him. They kissed, and for one moment, everything was perfect.
During the King's training sessions, people began to murmur. They wondered why the King was having his son-in-law follow him around and sit in on important meetings where no one had been allowed before. They couldn't help but think about what this all means.
It all came to a head on the day before the Prince and Princess left to return home. The King and Prince had left another meeting with the Spanish Ambassador. The Holy Roman Emperor made it clear he wanted Milan for part of his empire. Therefore the only way to get back into his good graces is to side with him on that point. This whole conversation left His Majesty furious but resolute in his stance. And so, once again, the discussions came to a standstill, only to be tabled for later dates.
It was after the heated meeting that the Secretary of State stopped them. "Your Majesty, might we talk in your chambers, preferably without your shadow present?"
These words did not sit well with the already disgruntled King. "Whatever you have to say can be said in the presence of my son-in-law; otherwise, it needs not to be said." He moved to walk towards his Royal apartments. Charles and Cromwell followed.
Once in the room, Henry poured a large glass of wine. He set the jug on the table for the other two men. Sitting in his chair, he motioned for Cromwell to speak with his hand.
The shifty-eyed man sat, turning his hands over and over in his lap. "It has come to my attention that you favor His Highness more than others. Certain members of parliament are not happy about this. They are left wondering what this means? Furthermore, they conjecture that you need a wife. The kingdom cannot be without a Queen."
Charles knew this was not the right time nor the right thing to say to the King. Whereas Mary is all quiet fury, her father is anything but so. Having drunk his goblet of wine, Henry eyed the man down. "So parliament is curious and left wondering about me. Well, then it seems a conversation is in order. Call a session of parliament for this afternoon Sir Cromwell."
The Secretary got up, bowed, and left the room. Without a word, Henry went to his desk and began writing. While he wrote, he spoke. "Why are you not reading the book? Do you not understand? You must be prepared, and to do that, you must read the book." His writing never ceased, not even for a minute.
So His Highness went to the bookshelf and took The Regal Code of Law down. He grabbed a pillow from the sofa and put it behind his back in the armchair. Putting his feet up on the footstool, he opened to chapter thirty and settled in for more dull reading.
Having dozed off, he was awakened only to be informed that His Majesty requested him to change into more suitable attire for parliament. The servant then told him, "The King also asks you to wear your princely robes and have Her Royal Highness accompany you to the session. She likewise needs to look official." The chamber servant bowed and left to take his place.
Charles left to ready himself and inform his wife of the afternoon events. One needs only imagine how this sent Mary into a tailspin. She had Dot, Paisley, and Joan join her to pick out a dress. Dress after dress was strewn around the room. Finally, they all three decided she would wear a black dress similar in style to the dress with thorned sleeves. Except for the skirt, this one is much fuller.
And so she dressed, and Joan styled her hair in loose waves. A tiara of diamond roses was set upon her head. No other jewelry is needed, save for the diamond belt cinching her waist and the diamond earrings on her ears.
His Highness was outfitted in black leather pants, a black and maroon brocade doublet, with a black velvet overcoat edged in golden thread. His sigil was embroidered on the sleeves and the sides of the coat. He wore his princely sash.
Together they walked to the viper pit. "Darling, you look lovely. Forgive me for not saying so before." He turned his head and smiled at her. She came closer to his side and laced their fingers.
The herald announced the couple into the parliament chambers. From there, they took their seats on either side of the King. As soon as the parliament president called the session to order, His Majesty rose. Looking stoic and a bit perturbed, Henry began to speak.
"It has come to my attention that there is grumbling amongst you. Complaints that I'm spending too much time with the Prince. Complaints that I need a Queen." He began walking around the different members. "Do you know what legacy means? Surely you must. For years I have supplanted myself in the duty to beget an heir. Well, I already have one. My legacy sits on either side of me." He motioned to the Prince and Princess.
Henry heard a few gasps from the room, but not many. Stopping at a spot around the table, where a gasp came from, he asked, "You are shocked, Lord Tennent? You all complain bitterly behind my back about my personal matters of state." He resumed his place at the head of the room. Then his fury let loose.
His hands slapped the table hard, making Mary jump. "Let me remind you all that I AM PARLIAMENT! I make the laws and the rules. You carry them out. If I spend my time preparing my heir's husband for reign, then so be it. If I spend my time crafting the law, then so be it. You do not get to question that. And if I remarry, that is my business also. You will be told when needs be."
With that, he sat down and opened his parliament folder. The group moved to discuss trade and economic gains in the south. They also talked about the financial woes in the north. Charles sat thinking about how Thomas Cromwell needed to be dismissed. He's the author of a lot of confusion. And while he sat brooding and pondering this, his wife sat thinking on something entirely different. Mary became astonished at how quickly her father put out the wildfire of gossip in the room. She further marveled at how he commanded the room alone with nothing but his presence.
Again she can't help but feel lackluster beside him. It was apparent this commanding presence was a skill she needed to learn. But is it truly something a person can grasp? Is this skill something a person can teach? Truly she thinks the truth lies in personality, and hers is vastly different from her father's. How can she take her character and make it suitable for a ruling Queen?
This line of thinking is something she needs to discuss further with Lady Flora. Her father rules a lot by force. Except a person can't force loyalty and respect. She would instead refuse to be disrespected, which lies in how she treats herself and others. Hopefully, the commitment of dedication will follow.