CHAPTER IV - FRANCIS
"Her Queen does not allow it!"
To his side, Mary quickly stood up and firmly voiced her opinion and it rang with finality. Francis did a once-over at the entire room and saw, in the corner of his eyes, that Stephane had sighed visibly in relief.
Francis coughed loudly to clear his throat and breathed in deeply. "Mary," he whispered, catching her attention. "Why don't we let things simmer down. Let's not get too carried away." He tried for a smile, though it came out as somewhat unsteady and shaky. "Stall and buy time, remember?"
Mary sat down hastily. The first thing he noticed about her was how tense she was. Her fingers were curled to a fist and a part of him worried about her drawing blood from the palm of her hands. But that was the least of his worries. Keeping with pretenses, he leaned closer to her side and while inhaled sharply, a tell-tale indicator telling him to back off, he didn't. "No," he began firmly, "don't push me away."
While the nobles argued among themselves, Mary's face crumpled into a look of horror and anger. "Francis, you cannot let that man take Lola away." She folded her arms and rested them against her chest. "I will not allow it. She is my subject and my lady and I will not allow my friend to be defenseless in a foreign court where she will have no standing."
Francis sighed. His gaze softened and gently reached for her, allowing her arms to fall to her side so that he could weave their hands together. "I know. I'm against this, Mary." Francis mocked a thoughtful look when a noble glanced over at their direction. "Know that I will take every precaution to ensure that Lola will remain here, at French court where she is safe with us."
Finally, when the initial shock and anger of the council began to simmer down, Stephane stood up. "I respectfully second Her Majesty's motion!" Narcisse's confidence faltered for a moment as he stuttered through his words. "Cardinal de Guise, gentlemen," Narcisse addressed the council, acting the guise of the perfect politician he often donned. "I ask you to take into consideration Her Grace's stand upon the matter. With all things considered, I cannot be the Lord Chancellor of France if I am stationed in England."
Francis felt the urge to intervene and call for the dismissal of the meeting, to postpone it until a further time but before he could even speak on the matter, the English ambassador spoke up.
"While the invitation extends to the Lady Lola's son, there has been no mention of burdening France by taking its most senior politician and officer." Lord Nicholas sauntered around the table and shot him a confident look. "My queen extends her happiness at His Majesty's recovery." Francis' stomach fell at the insinuation. English court knew of his illness, and while he's recovered, it made him look weak and the world as it seems will continue to view him as a sickly boy-king.
More importantly, his wife and Lord Chancellor continued to fight a losing battle. "Gentlemen," Lord Nicholas gave Mary a victorious look that unsettled him deep inside. "Your Majesties," he drawled out, his eyes lingering on Mary longer than he'd appreciate, "I believe that it is in all of our interests to allow the Lady Lola Narcisse to serve as a new Scottish ambassador to England."
Narcisse slammed his fist on the table. "This is absurd—she is my wife!"
"And a possible key figure in the creation of long-lasting peace between our three nations. Do you realize the risk Queen Elizabeth is undertaking with her council and country with this generous offer? Taking only a Scottish noblewoman? Queen Elizabeth is as generous and benevolent as any leader would be."
"And she is my lady." Mary spoke up beside him, her eyes narrowed down at Lord Nicholas. "And, she happens to be the sister of a strong Catholic lord. Her family serves as a stronghold for the Catholic cause in Scotland, loyal and staunch, as they unite the Scottish highland lords under my name and rule. Only a Scottish noblewoman?" Mary scoffed at the words, a scowl formed along the lines of her lips. "She is as important as her husband, even more so in the matters of Scottish affairs!"
Francis sucked in a breath of air and watched his wife as she scanned the room. No one dared to oppose her, not even the Holy See with the perpetually opposing Cardinal de Guise. Every soul remained silent and fixed, entranced much like him. A small smile crept up to his face as a bubbling feeling erupted in his chest, almost like this fluttering beat that thumped against his chest.
"Do you have anything else to say, Lord Nicholas? Any more points to cover that my wife has not?" he asked, his voice failing to hide the beam of pride he held for his wife, glancing at her only to see her return a smile.
The English ambassador coughed awkwardly and shrank, but confusingly enough, did not back down. "While that may be true, Your Majesties, I've heard rumors, whispering prompted me to investigate the condition of the Lady Lola. Are you confident, Queen Mary, that your lady in waiting is best put in the care of her husband?" the words came pouring out, stumbling over a few words, but the message was clear.
The feeling of relief evaporated as quickly as it came. Francis turned to his wife, now noticing the troubled look that plagued her, the smile long gone. "What do you mean by this, Lord Nicholas?"
Just like that, Narcisse paled and Nicholas glowered with a confident smirk, the nervous stammering gone. "Word around here at French court is that the Lord and Lady Narcisse are having marital problems."
Narcisse scoffed, but nobody paid him any attention. "And the rumors about marriage troubles are exactly just that. Rumors!"
Lord Nicholas pulled out a letter and pulled out a small ledger from his coat pocket. Francis found himself holding the leather-bound book, reluctant. He hesitated before turning over the cover. Inside the book were numbers and details on land and it dawned on him that the the information were familiar. They were Crown lands, some were the properties and holdings he had given his son and other were older assets his father had granted to other men. Strangely enough, they were all compiled inside the ledger.
"No matter how baseless these rumors are, Lord Chancellor," the man pointedly remarked, "with your marriage to the Lady Lola and being granted the guardianship of the newly-minted Baron of Valey, Jean-Philippe Valois, the strategic purchase of these lands have caused worry and concern from the English parliament and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth." Francis spotted a remark on the bottom of one of the pages, noticing it to be repeated on every single one.
It was the date. The most recent had been when he and Mary had given Lola their blessing to marry Narcisse. "A few months ago." He muttered under his breath as Mary peered over to look at the notebook. He's almost positive that the same thought is coursing through their minds—when he was sick and dying.
"If you would care to look at these documents, King Francis, you will see that your Lord Chancellor had—through the purchases of these properties and using the influence of his office—aligned himself with the opportunity for a seat on the Privy council." The paper were now scattered throughout the table, nobles and council members were clawing to get themselves a copy of the deeds. "This is treasonous matters, Your Majesty, concerns that English government has pursued and will continue to be discreet as long as you so wish. Of course, we would prefer that Your Majesties would reconsider the proposal for Lady Lola."
Narcisse slumped further into his seat and began breathing heavily. In his eyes, Francis was sure, held regret and guilt and clearly asked for forgiveness but he couldn't see through that. "Everyone, out!" he boomed and inhaled sharply, his eyes narrowed down at Narcisse. "We will reconvene later when I've reached a decision." Narcisse buried his face into his palms. "Everyone but you two, Narcisse," his eyes flickered to the English ambassador, "Lord Nicholas."
The nobles stood up and left the room, one by one, while Stephane remained in his seat, unmoving and silent.
When the doors clicked, Francis only saw the ledger and threw it as hard as he could across the room. His wife beside him had flinched, but remained silent. "How could you?!" he angrily hissed, not bothering to yell, his fingers yet again itching and urging him beat up the man who once held so much power over his head. A dark part of Francis' thoughts lurked just beneath his mind as the image to beheading him flashed. "How could you?! I trusted my son to you, my wife entrusted her friend to you and this is how you repay us?!"
"King Francis, I—" desperation surged through the man's words but he couldn't hear a word of it.
An accusing finger shot to Stephane's direction. "No! Don't! Not a single word from you!" Francis had cut him off before he even had the chance to say anything more than his own name. "Nicholas," the name came out fluidly, Francis felt anger seethe through his every breath of air. "What else? What are the information you've gathered from your spies about Lady Lola and Lord Narcisse?"
The man shifted his footing uncomfortably but it was enough that Nicholas enjoyed the upper-hand against Stephane. "Your Majesty, I've also uncovered a conspiracy to frame the Queen Mother?"
"What kind of conspiracy?"
Stephane paled and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I think it's best that we discuss this issue alone and—"
His eyes narrowed down at his subject. "I said not a word from you!" sharply, Francis reverted his gaze at Nicholas. "What are the rumors of the conspiracy against my mother?"
"Your Majesty, it appears that before the Lady Lola's wedding to the Lord Chancellor, there had been some doubts on the part of the Queen's lady-in-waiting. My spies have also uncovered an incident where a dead rat was found in a bath drawn for Lady Lola and a message was produced to instill fear into her."
Mary stepped towards him and stood by his side as he regained composure. "And who is responsible for this message? This act of terrorism?" a flicker of a memory surfaced in his mind of Lola asking him to confront his mother about terrorizing her.
"Earlier rumors suggest that it would be your mother, the Queen Mother, Catherine de Medici, but with a comparison of notes, it appears the handwriting belonged to David Lussac, the secretary to the Stephane Narcisse."
Francis turned to look at Narcisse and narrowed his eyes, expecting some sort of answer or retaliation. Or any kind of explanation. "Is this true?" he asked, finally, breaking the heavy silence.
Stephane looked unsure, almost in fear and shock, but it came as defeat. "Your Majesties, scribes are often educated with the same calligraphy." Francis scoffed bitterly as his subject defended his own case weakly.
"You're not denying it."
Nicholas chimed in with a signed death certificate. "Your Majesty, this document was filed a few days ago, detailing the death of one David Lussac." Nicholas shot the older man a look. "Probably ended the poor boy's life to tie up the loose ends."
Hesitating for a moment, Francis reluctantly took the certificate and glanced at the report. Immediately, wind was sucked right out of his chest as he felt sick to the stomach. The paper read that the scribe, David Lussac, was only fifteen years old. Barely even an adult.
A part of Francis trembled at Narcisse's sight. If Stéphane Narcisse could be driven by desperation to kill a man, what would stop him from harming Jean should he find himself desperate again?
"Francis, what are you going to do?" Mary asked him, her voice small as she crept her hands around his arm. It was only then when he realized that he was shaking in anger and frustration.
"I," he began, looking across at the predominantly empty council room, "I cannot and will not decide this on my own." His scowl ran deeper as he glared at Narcisse. "As much as I want to take your head, your punishment is not mine to decide." Francis turned towards the door and cleared his throat with a loud and commanding cough. "Guards! Bring the Lady Lola Narcisse! And bring in the council!"
Beside him, Mary gasped and her eyes widened. "Francis, what are you doing?"
"I'm letting Lola decide," he shot Narcisse a look before glancing at Nicholas, who gave him a nod. "And I'm going to make sure she is properly informed of the situation."
Mary's eyes narrowes at him. "Francis, if you are going to use Lola as a pawn in your retribution against Narcisse, I'm asking you to reconsider and find another solution!" she hissed into his ear. "We can't let Lola go to England."
Francis watched his wife as she pleaded with him. "Mary, we're just going to tell her of the facts. I'm not going to force her to choose to go to England." He reassures his wife but Mary shook her head and grabbed his hands tightly.
"Francis, you don't understand the gravity of the situation because you don't know Lola the way I do." Francis stared at his wife and flinched at the coldness of her words.
"Mary, what are you talking about?" he asked gently.
"Lola confides in me, Francis. I know that she doubts Narcisse, that she's strained in her marriage. I know that she's desperate to know the truth about Narcisse because she is terrified of being left in the dark. She's already doubting him of infidelity and secrets. And she is selfless, Francis, that she will do anything that could benefit Scotland, and I know that she will undergo and undertake any task for her for her family. She's nursed two brothers to the grave, she's watched her mother decay into nothingness as she succumbed to the plague, and I know that she watched her sister die before her eyes." Mary shook her head and wiped a stray tear away from her eyes. "The moment she will learn of this, Francis, and of Narcisse's betrayal, I assure you at she will leave for England."
Instinctively, he sucked in a breath of air. He didn't know the extent of damage that he could have done. "You don't know that, Mary."
"But I do know! Lola could have chosen to stay in Scotland and have a comfortable life. She knew the dangers of travelling to a foreign court, but she left anyway because she is loyal to me and to Scotland."
Slowly, the door creaked open and the council members came inside and sat accordingly around the table. Cardinal de Guise looked triumphant and confident as he entered the room. The Holy See gave him a testing look and his stomach dropped. He had been so engulfed in his anger that he forgot the bigger underlying threat that hung near his head.
The moment he makes an unpopular decision with Rome, he risks excommunication and a subsequent war with Spain. With the armada and their endless funds and with the support from the Pope, France will crumble and fall to King Philip II.
"Mary, I know that I've put Lola in a difficult position. But know that I will do anything in my power to keep her safe in England. I will fight for her rights for mass, I'll send trusted elite guards to keep her safe."
Then, Lola arrived inside the council room, silencing the whispers of the council members. Mary softened at her friend's sight but he knew that they both noticed something wrong with Lola. Her eyes were bloodshot and in her hands were crumpled papers full of Narcisse's treachery.
"How could you?" she asked Narcisse who remained silent. "Lord Nicholas?" Lola spoke up, everyone's eyes fixed on her. "Please inform your queen that I shall accept her invitation to England and that I will leave as soon as she allows."
With the declaration, Lola immediately fled from the room and Mary was quick to follow her. Finally, Narcisse stood up and faced him. "Your Majesty, I beg of you. Remove me from office or have me disgraced from court. Take my lands, I do not care. Please, do not let my wife pay the price." But his cried were ignored.
Cardinal de Guise pounded his fist on the table with triumphant glee. "Well, Your Majesty, I shall be pleased to tell the Pope of your heroic and benevolent actions on behalf of the faith."
Francis adjourned the meeting and remained inside the council room. As much as he felt sick, using Lola as a pawn in an attempt to secure the Papal support and to punish Narcisse, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He had a country to look after and most importantly, he needed Lola's presence in England to help subdue any possible danger Mary had taken after withdrawing her claim to the English throne.
A part of him knew of what would happen. He risked his friend's safety and his wife's estrangement, but Francis knew that of all things, it is Mary he needed to keep safe. That whatever decision he'd made, if Mary's safety was concerned, then it would have been worth it.