Meetings and Arrangements

You rub against your cheek, likely red from the slap your mother had given you. She’s pacing around the room furious; your dalliance with the dignitary and the planned arrangement didn’t go down well... obviously.

“God, you’re just like your father, thinking with your cock instead of your head!” Your mother yells at you. “She’s a foreign dignitary of our enemies, did you forget that while you were too busy fucking her?”

You stood silent, this wasn’t the first time your mother’s lectured you but of course it’s the first time since you became king. Yet here you were being treated like a child caught stealing sweets from the kitchen.

She sat down at a small table and began to pour herself a drink, the red liquid filling a glass cup before quickly consuming it and then shaking her head. “Honestly...”

“It will be fine, I will sort this out.” You tell her “I’ll manage it, it’s my problem.”

She rolls her eyes “Your problem, you forget that your bastard will be my grandchild, their my problem too and too my family, it’s not just the kingdom that can be claimed.”

“I intend on keeping them close, if they are with child then they’ll stay here.” You inform her under my watch.

“Yes I’m sure that’s why you want her to stay.” Your mother replies sarcastically. “And I’m sure this will also end very well.” She pours herself more wine “God... this whole thing is just scandalous, dragging our your name through the mud... the church will lose their heads about this.”

You sigh “I have other things to attend to, I hope you’ve calmed down when we meet again.” You step outside her door, closing the door.

Your guards look at you and collectively shrug at you, they escort you back to your chambers. You sit down at your desk and pull out a pen and some paper, writing a letter to the rival king of Westlicherberg to rebuild your relations and maintain a long-term diplomat in Veronica.

There was a knock on the door, you turn toward it “Come in.” The door opens, your spymaster enters the room.

“Your grace, I hope you’re doing well.” Benjamin said stepping into the room, he looked over to a spare chair “May I?”

You nod your head “Are you here to lecture me too, Benjamin.”

“No your grace, it’s not my place to do so, if you decide to do this than that is your prerogative as king.” Benjamin replied “However, there are concerns I have about this relating to our security of the realm, which is why I’m here to ask for your permission.”

“For what exactly?” You ask.

“My spies and I could intercept her messages and keep an eye on her networks.” He tells you “Make sure she doesn’t pass out any sensitive details about us.”’

“Yes, that would be appropriate.” You reply, you then hand your spymaster the message “Please get this to a messenger bird for me.”

“Of course.” He takes the message from you, stand up and bows his head. “All the best.” He steps out the room and back into the hallway.

The rest of the day goes uneventful, if busy and stressful; the duties and responsibilities of a king still being introduced to you.

You head back to your room, dismissing your guards for the night, you shut the door and remove your clothes, entering you bed.

You’re about the drift to sleep when suddenly there’s a knock on the door.