Send the dignitaries away

The new king says, “Issue a proclamation in my name, notifying everyone of my father’s ****. In light of such events, proclaim a period of national mourning. The selection of my future wife will have to wait; I’m sure the visiting dignitaries will understand.”

“Of course, Sire,” says Norbier.

“You mentioned other matters?”

“Yes, My Liege, there is the matter of the women.”

Stewart looks confused. “The women? You mean my mother and sister?”

Norbier squirms in his seat uncomfortably. “No, Sire. Although since you mention them, we have already begun moving the Queen Mother to the royal residence in Doffenshire; that is where your grandmother lived when your father ascended to the throne.”

“What?” exclaimed Stewart. “My father’s body is not even cold, and you are displacing my mother!”

“It was at her insistence, Sire,” explained Norbier. “She is quite insistent that you be afforded all the rights to which you are entitled, and that includes the royal bedchambers. She will remain in guest quarters until after the funeral, but the quarters are being prepared for you even now.”

Stewart thought for the first time of Chantelle. All of this would come as a serious shock to her; he only hoped she followed his instructions about vacating his room. It would not do for servants to enter his room to move his possessions and find that their new sovereign has been having carnal knowledge with a ciguapa!

“And as for Her Royal Highness, your sister,” continues Norbier, “may I also remind Your Majesty that the matter of her marriage is also of utmost priority, as Lord Perth can attest.”

The Minster for Foreign Relations speaks up. “Indeed, Sire, your royal sister is in her prime years, in terms of desireability and as it relates to child bearing. An alliance with a foreign power based on royal marriage would go far in securing the peace, and we have received several offers of interest from foreign powers. Your father seemed hesitant to consider any of them.”

It never occurred to Stewart that he would not only have to decide on a woman for himself, but that he would also be the one responsible for selecting Adella’s spouse. It also suddenly occurred to him that he had the same responsibility relating to Duncan, who now, as heir presumptive, had the expectations that so recently had been Stewart’s: get married, settle down, and produce an heir and a spare.

He waved those thoughts away. That is too much to consider at the moment. “We shall address those matters later. What ‘women’ are you referring to, Norbier?”

Again the Minister squirms in his seat. He clears his throat and says, “Sire, I do not know how much your father confided to you about his personal life, but....”

Stewart understood. Although he did not have any such conversation with his father, one could not grow up in the palace without suspecting that Queen Caroline was not the only woman in his life.

“You are saying my father had a mistress?” asks Stewart, casually. “And we must address what to do about her?”

Norbier exchanges uncomfortable looks with his fellow ministers. “Actually, Sire, it’s a bit more complicated.”

Stewart looks at him, expectantly.

“While your father unquestionably loved and adored your mother,” Norbier seemed to be treading cautiously, searching for words.

“Just come out with it, Norbier,” commanded the king.

“Yes, Sire. Forgive me. Well, your father — just as his father, and his father’s father did — had a collection of concubines that he kept here at the palace.”

Stewart’s eyebrows shot up. “A ‘collection’? Here at the palace? How many are we talking about?”

Norbier consults his notes. “I believe the current number is somewhere around twenty, Sire.”

Stewart is incredulous. “Twenty?”

“Approximately, sir. The number varies from time to time, as certain women fall out of favor for one reason or another.”

“Here at the palace? How can there be twenty women here that I know nothing about?” Of all the things he has heard today, Stewart is having the hardest time grasping this news.

“They remain in the harem quarters, for the most part, My Liege.”

“The harem quarters? Norbier, I have lived in this palace all my life. If there were such a place, I would know about it.”

Norbier seems to have difficulty maintaining eye contact. “It is something very few people know about, Sire. You probably know it as the Records Repository.”

Stewart blinks. “Records Repository? Norbier, I have been in that room. It is nothing more than dusty crates of old documents.”

“Indeed, Sire. At least, that is what it is designed to look like. There is a hidden door in that room that leads to the harem quarters — an assortment of suites that dates back to when your royal ancestors openly kept multiple wives. The rooms retain that name today, despite the absence of any official harem.”

Stewart still finds this difficult to understand. “Why have I never heard about this?”

Norbier continues to look uncomfortable. “Well, Your Majesty, for one thing, the king valued his privacy in such matters. I know not whether — or to what extent — your mother knew of or approved of such practices, but if she did, I suspect the king did not want to flaunt such things in front of her.”

Stewart nods, understanding.

“And secondly, sir, I believe he wanted to keep the knowledge from you and your royal brother.”

“Why? Because he was ashamed of such things?”

Norbier shook his head. “No, Sire. I believe he was concerned that with your — um, reputation — that the two of you would have difficulty staying away from such a place.” The Minister seemed to be very interested in a piece of dust on the table and focused his eyes on that, rather than make eye contact with his new king.

Stewart considered this. In truth, what Norbier said was quite right. He and Stewart would have been driven to the point of distraction, knowing about 20 or so women whose sole purpose was to satisfy the king’s sexual appetite. It was probably for the best that this was kept from them.

“So, Your Majesty,” continues Norbier, “when your father came to the throne, he dismissed all of your grandfather’s concubines and sent them to far-off corners of the kingdom with a modest ‘severance package’ so they could begin new lives for themselves. I assume you will want to do the same?”

He looks up at Stewart, expectantly.