Chapter 2
-Whitehall Palace, London two weeks later-
James was exhausted of listening to his council argue back and forth. He had kept a mix of his parents council while also adding some of his most trusted: his Uncle James, Lord Darnley, his grandfather the Duke of Guise, Lord Bothwell, his brothers the Princes of England and Scotland, and his childhood friends George and Alban. His oldest brother John was captain of his King's guard and was standing behind James chair smirking as James paced. He and Isabella discussed this in circles and they made a clear decision together; they wanted to build a new palace in Calais. They needed to make their mark on the Empire and it was to create a permanent home for the Emperor and Empress..at least their first mark. He spent his days faking a smile but his parents death still stung at night. They seemed to handle this all with ease and he wished they were here to help him now. Everyone had an issue with his decree, too much work, too much money, too far from Scotland, they had a million reasons why but none would listen to their Emperor's reasons.
Finally he just left, leaving them all stunned. He barged out of the council chambers and took off walking he wasn't quite sure where until he was there. He waited to be announced into her chambers and tried to think of what to say. To him she had always been Aunt Elizabeth but a lifetime ago she was Queen of England, she had also been his mother's most trusted advisor. She curtsied as he walked in and he walked to her and hugged her tight. Before he knew it he was sobbing.
When he finished she sat him down at her tea table and waited for him to calm down.
"I am sorry to behave as such aunt, I didn't mean to burden you." he finally said.
"James you may be my Emperor but you are my nephew first. I watched you grow into the man you are and you can always come to me for anything, you know that. What is troubling you?" Elizabeth smiled at the upset ruler.
"I.. I am not quite sure. I was informing my council that Isabella and I decided to build a permanent residence in Calais and they all began to argue, I couldn't even get a word in. As I sat there listening to them bicker, I found myself aching for my parents. I left the room and found myself here. I have no idea why I chose here of anywhere or anyone else." he said.
"Probably because I am the only person in the world who might know what your feeling right now. I had to lose my entire family to gain my crown, I know how lonely and heavy the crown can weigh." she replied.
"People take care all day to make sure I'm well dressed, fed, and entertained but none of them care for what I see for the country. My Empire." James stated.
"You have to remind them that you are their ruler. It does not matter what they want only what you desire. It is your job to make sure your people and country are taken care of, it is your job to make it happen. I remember fighting with my council over the issue of my marriage." she said.
"Did they not want you to marry Uncle Robert?" he asked.
"Some of them… I am going to tell you something I have never told anyone," Elizabeth took a deep breath, "if I had remained Queen I probably never would've married. It would've meant sharing my power and I would've never been able to trust anyone with it the way your mother could with Francis. My council would've never accepted it, but I never would've caved. I knew long before I was Queen and that's why I told Robert I couldn't be with him and he had to divorce so we could when your parents took over."
"How do I get them to pay me the respect to listen though? They had to at least listen when you turned down suitor after suitor." he pondered.
"You have to remind them you are their Emperor and they bow to you and they give them concessions to make them happy. I also think Calais is a perfect center for the Empire. Your parents travelled because they had to make sure they didn't have any of the countries break off again. You clearly do not need to as you have successfully been coronated as Emperor of all three. Show the world we are strong and one." Elizabeth smiled.
James left shortly later and walked back to where his council was sitting. He walked in without a word and effectively silencing the argument that continued after he left. "Gentlemen I have made three decisions since I left this room. The first is you all deserve a slight raise, second is I'm appointing my uncles to the council. I feel I need more family surrounding me and protecting the country we call home. Finally, that we will be building a palace and basing court out of Calais. It was not a suggestion, it is a demand. I need to centralize my power and I need to do it now." They began to protest. "You are forgetting who you speak to. For most of you I am family in blood or familiarity, something I do not want to change but you also need to see me as your divine ruler or our country will forever be at odds. My parents made us one empire, I will make sure it lasts long past my reign. That begins with creating it's center, Calais makes the most sense. It's easy access to each country and symbolic to our history. England and France fought over it before my father helped my grandfather claim it back. He then took England. Make it happen." he stood up and left them to their own devices. He went to tell his page to send for his entire family. He spent his life ruling France and still wasn't prepared for the struggling of ruling it all. He would rely on them to help him keep France strong, it was almost supper so he also sent for food to be prepared for them as well as sent for his wife. Thankfully they hadn't left for their respective homes yet
His wife was there with him to greet everyone as they trickled in slowly. Margo, Claude, Conde, and Elisabeth were the first to arrive followed by Bash, Charles, Sofia, Henry, Anna, Herkules and Mary. Each respective couple cat next to each other and James admired his Aunts and Uncles. They each had their lessons they instilled in him and he was glad to have such strong bonds with his family. It was rare for royals to be so close and he hoped it would continue through the generations. Prince Charles and his wife Sofia split their time between the Empire and his wife's home land of Sweden, James hoped to send him there and an ambassador for awhile as well as Henry with his wife Princess Anna. It was risky though, while Anna was welcomed with open arms her and Henry never truly bonded and her father the Tsar was mad. He need to strengthen relations though and he hoped the former Tsarevna could help, he only hoped his uncles arrogance wouldn't get in the way. She hadn't returned since her arrival and he hoped she'd be eager to see her homeland. He wanted Herkules to serve as a moving ambassador opposite Conde and Elisabeth between the three major regions. He needed to make sure his brothers power remained strong and in-check at the same time. Margo would return to her husband King Sebastian at the end of the week.
Next entered his siblings: John, Cathy, Gavin, Francis and Margaret. He admired how grown they all had become. John was a spitting image of his mother, Lola, except for his hair and eye color which were entirely Francis. James and Cathy were spitting images of their mother ex He decided to do something drastic and the country would fight back but it was necessary. He would eventually find them spouses but right now he needed to solidify his power and decide who he can trust. He didn't speak until everyone was seated, "Thank you all for joining me on such short notice, I have a few announcements I want to tell you before they become public, some my council knows about, some they do not. To begin with Isabella and I have news, we have decided to move our court to Calais permanently. We will build the center of the Empire there. Which will be vital for the potential heir she carries." He waited for them all to give their congratulations to the couple, it had been long awaited. Then he continued, "I also have decided some situations need attention to that I can only trust to family. Charles and Henry for the next half year at least you will be ambassadors to your wives countries, their King's need to understand while I am young I am no fool and not to be trifled with. I need you to ensure their continued support. Herkules, Conde, Elisabeth, and Claude you will travel throughout the Empire to each region and act as traveling ambassadors. You will be my eyes and ears of the realm. You will also strengthen my brothers rules as well. Margo I will just need your continued support in Portugal and its allies. I will send an ambassador with you who will in appearance answer to your husband but in reality he will answer to you."
"Oh, that won't be necessary dear nephew, Sebastian and I are partners as your parents were and deeply in love." Margo replied.
"I know it is not a need for you my dear Aunt but I want to ensure your safety as well as our interest. We will never know what our future holds. Now John and Bash you are to accompany my sisters and protect them. This is a new precedent I want to set and I have many reasons for doing so. Cathy, you will now be known as the Princess of Wales and Margaret you are the Princess of Ireland in the same fashion we sons were the Princes of France, Scotland, and England. Our biggest threat right now is someone trying to take advantage of our recent tragedy. The enemies within the realm and outside will be looking at the throne to show strength and unity. I need each of you to show you support me fully, so none will try to use you as pawns to usurp my crown. Siblings, I am sorry but I will be looking at marriage arrangements for you soon but first we secure the Empire and show that even with the loss of it's creators, it remains strong."
"Brother, not that I am objecting to our sisters new positions, but why?" Francis asked.
"The lower countries are growing restless, I fear that now the empire is so large and with such an inexperienced ruler they will try for independence. I plan to show them they are not forgotten and they are very much a prized part of our empire. My goal is to keep the the Empire as peaceful as its name."
"What do you expect of us as their Princesses, are we to rule or just be figureheads?" Cathy asked.
"I want you to rule in my name. From now on the first born daughter will always be Princess of Wales as the first born son is Prince of France. Someday I hope to make you Queens of your own nations, I want your husbands to know how capable and loyal to the Empire you are, for even after your marriage you are to remain in control of the region until I have children old enough to inherit the title." he smiled.
"Thank you for this honor brother. We will make you proud," Cathy answered.
"We are so fortunate to have such loyal family in our lives," Isabella smiled from her seat. She may have been a Spanish Princess once but she was more like the Valois side of her family. She had been raised in French court with her mother and Catherine de Medici who was in charge of her education. Her father was King of Spain but he never cared for her or her sister. They prayed for the day her half brother Don Carlos took the crown.
They all sat down to eat and enjoyed the feast displayed before them; James and his brothers decided to go hunting the next day and stayed long after everyone else had left planning it. This is what James wanted all along because there were certain matters they needed to be aware of that no one else could know of. "Gentlemen, I am worried about the Spanish. King Phillip was never a friend of our fathers and I fear he will try to take advantage of our country. I need you both to be prepared for war or to make any alliances I need you. Decide who would rule in your places if I send you from the Empire. I fear Sweden and Russia will soon be at war and we will be right in the middle. We don't need Spain causing any problems."
"Is that why you sent our Uncles to their wives countries?" Gavin asked.
"Yes, I want a heads up if there is to be war between the two," James stated.
"Which side would you support brother?" Francis asked.
"I haven't decided yet.." he said clearly distracted by the servant girl on his left. James was never this brasen with his desires usually but since becoming Emperor he had been feeling bold and while he had never been so open about it, he had never been faithful to Isabella. He knew he shouldn't, especially after the example his father set for him with his mother, but he couldn't help himself. He was in love with a woman he could never have and married to a woman he could never truly love, so he found distractions. Discreetly…
Down the hall Henry tried to calm his fiery Russian bride down. They were fighting because he didn't want to take their children to Russia with them. "Love I know you want our children to meet your family but your father is mad!"
"Мудак, my father is ill! Much like yours was once!" Anna yelled. How could he be so insensitive?
"Yes, and if he hadn't of died he would've destroyed France and we would not be part of an Empire. Our children are princes and princesses of the Empire and should be safe. If he was still on the course he was going I wouldn't want our children anywhere near them. I also hope to not be in Russia that long, convincing him to not go to war is impossible and we will need to leave for our safety if James sides against him. Which is very probable, while we enjoy our relationship with your country we cannot support a man who cannot be reasoned with," he pleaded.
She glared at her husband, their marriage was not what she ever expected, it had its ups and downs but they were both very passionate, and she was lucky all his passion was for her. She knew he was right but she hated to be parted from her children. He looked her with his green eyes and all she could do was cave, "you are lucky you are so handsome. I suppose you are right it would be reckless to take them...моя любовь I am worried. My brothers have been writing me lately and my papa is becoming unstable and cruel. The country is being to whisper behind his back, he will be known as Ivan, the terrible."
"I am so sorry my Tsarevna, I wish I could take your pain away. I promise I will do everything I can to help your father, but protecting you is my main priority. I do not think I could survive this life without you." Henry kissed her on the forehead. She wrapped her arms around her husband and cried.
A few rooms over Sophia and Charles were engaged in a similar conversation. Sophia was much softer than her sister-in-law and her situation in her home country unstable in a very different way. She paced the room quietly while Charles sat on the edge of their bed watching her, waiting for her to say something and admiring her beauty. Even distressed she was a vision of light in her turquoise gown. He wanted to say something but he knew it was better to let her come to him.
"How could your nephew do this? Knowing why we left Sweden in the first place? I love my brother and Erik was not fit to be King anymore but I am sure John had Erik murdered. So how does that make John any better? I am not in better standing since I am not the half sister of the King but the full blood sister. I am not ready to return. I am not ready to go back to where my family has been torn apart." She was hyperventilating now and gripped onto a chair for support. Charles walked over and held her. "And what will he think of you? You and your father supported Erik until the murders happened and I worry he will not forgive you."
"My love, when was the last time you wrote your brother?" Charles asked caressing her hair. She unhooked herself from his grasp and pulled a letter from her desk.
"He wrote me a month ago, asking me to return. It was a pleasant letter but something seemed off, not like the ones I usually get from my eldest brother. It had a cynical tone to it. I originally supported Erik and I fear he will not forgive me," she sniffled.
"We will show him that you, and your in-laws support his rule. We just want to help keep the peace between our allies. I promise he will not dare harm you Princess. I would not let him. It would also create a war he couldn't dream to win." Charles told his wife.
"You are right my Älskling, I am over worrying. We should rest, we have a long journey ahead of us." Sophia kissed her husband and undressed for bed. They climbed into together, it had been a long week and it seems the life they once had under her brother-in-law's reign is over.
The next morning Charles, Sophia, Henry, and Anna were off to their respective home countries to try to broker peace. This would be a long shot but they had to try for their wives sakes as well as the Empire.