“Cromwell?”, she called meekly, and received no answer in turn.
Normally, it would be uncouth for the Lord Secretary and Chancellor to, to put it bluntly, invade the Queen’s rooms like this, or keep her waiting, very much so. But they lacked at this castle the same rooms and privacy they enjoyed in Theren. Privacy being the more important of the two, and their meeting this night was to be as discreet as absolutely possible. This of course put a great risk upon propriety if he was seen leaving or entering her room at such a late hour, but Lord Cromwell had a talent of sneaking about that Meera trusted and was willing to risk being found out on. It was most unusual of him however to leave her waiting, for what she assumed was something very important. After all, Cromwell was nothing if not flawlessly decorous.
Tossing the papers down onto her bed she moved to her privacy screen, where her sleeping shift and robe were hung over the top. Another thing out of ordinary for her was dressing and undressing on her own. In Theren royalty and nobility did not dress themselves, one of the few things they knew of Beleth however, was that Belethan’s did. She was not very quick at it, but it was minor as far as things she’d be getting used to. She became lost in her thoughts, digesting the night’s events. As she exited her screen, knotting her robe she nearly screamed as she found a dark figure in her room. She covered her mouth to stifle herself, as part of her realized who it was as she became startled.
“Your majesty!” Lord Cromwell bowed low and urged her quietness in a hushed tone.
“Cromwell…” She sighed angrily.
“I apologize your majesty thrice over, but I think that once you hear the news I have just received you will find it in your heart to forgive the mess, lateness and scare.” He rose slowly, an urgent look on his face.
“You must apologize to me much more than that Cromwell, there is some news of my own I’ve found out about. The marriage was never as paramount to the treaty as you made it seem, was it?” She demanded, unrelieved to see it was him and not an assassin, eyes wide with anger.
Cromwell paused, calculating. “Your majesty... you must understand.”
She did not let him finish, “I must understand? Understand that my advisers have deliberately kept information from me, the crown, to better serve their own ideas of what is right? Tell me Cromwell did you become monarch after my father was murdered? Were you crowned King of Theren at the coronation? Because as I recall you were not.” Her voice was stern and hot.
“Your majesty please,” Cromwell lowered his head, never had he been chided quite like this, not by the late King of Theren and not by his Queen, he was quite unused to having been so caught red handed by someone above him.
“There are some, who would think to know better than me, to rule better than I can. That I am too young and too naive to wear the crown and uphold it. And maybe they’re right. Maybe after my father’s death in my fragile state I did not hold as strong as I should have and keep the faith of my court. Maybe there are better leaders out there than I. But the fact remains Lord Cromwell, the crown is on my head, I am Queen, indisputably, and if my advisers are not prepared to respect me as such then I will get rid of them. Is that well understood?” Meera stepped closer and closer as she spoke, and though she was shorter than Cromwell she seemed to bore over him. In fact, at her closest he felt compelled to kneel on one knee.
“If I may, your majesty.” He said quietly.
She looked down at him, “You may speak.” She was pitilessly furious, and tired of feeling as though she was not in control of anything, despite being Queen.
“It is true that we, and by my design, failed to inform you that the King of Beleth stressed that the marriage was optional. And we should have, but we feared the consequences of your refusal, and knowing the truth of the matter did not wish to risk it.” He paused, looking up.
“Go on.” Meera turned away and sat on the edge of her bed.
Cromwell took this as leave to get up, “The reaction of our allies when Beleth threatened to turn on them when they attacked us made it clear that now, with Beleth even more powerful, that we would continue to be alone and vulnerable if some turn of events did not secure us as untouchable. Beleth could turn on us, make us behold to them as they wished and get away with everything they had done to us under the treaty without the marriage. Treaties are dishonoured all the time. Treaties held together through marriage are unbreakable. And, and this is the most important bit your majesty, with this marriage you have an opportunity to exact revenge in a way you would never be able to if you refused his offer. Now your majesty, you have an opportunity to rip his heart out, as he ripped ours.” This seemed to convince her, she nodded slowly as she stared at him with a stony expression.
“You’re as convincing as ever Cromwell. I see the reason, but it was poorly executed. In the future, your are to trust me to do my job, and do what is best for Theren. I always will. I know my duty. I am Queen.” She said evenly.
“Yes your Majesty.” He bowed once more.
“I brought down the wall this evening. By addressing it and making it apparent that I am uncomfortable and wounded, I have made any failings in my smiles forgivable and explainable. While at the same time convincing him that I am determined to commit myself to unifying our two countries. He helped me in that endeavour. Remember my coronation gift? Father was furious when he found out. It would seem that he has all but memorized the letter.” Meera folded her hands on her lap and reported her progress, losing no time in switching gears to the business at hand.
Cromwell switched without a beat as well, “He is fond of you already? His attachment to the idea of you did not waiver in all these years then?”
“I don’t know the particulars, but I’ve certainly reignited it. He is already sufficiently and plainly attracted to me..” She slightly embarrassed at reporting such a thing so dispassionately and openly, but they had discussed at length that her dealings with her husband would need to be plainly spoken about between them. “He insists that he had no choice but to go to war, and that what he did was justice. He is quick to worm his way out of responsibility and insist that the choice to move forward is all mine. I see no justice in it, none at all. Despite his disdain for the fact that the innocent suffer for maneuvers of Kings he took his army to war and innocent men, women, and children died as a result. I find him full of hypocrisy and false modesty.” She vented.
“You will find him of that and more when you learn what I have heard from his own lips this very night.” Cromwell began...