I don't own Reign.
Chapter 1
Forty-five years ago….
The forest of Scotland is filled with birds, and critters all around, and the land itself is peaceful.
NREGH!
A stomping hoof onto the grounds as a hunting party is taking a tour of the lands.
Her lands.
A young beautiful brunette woman gave a 'Hyiah!' for her stallion to run faster. She loves it. She knew how to make this a thrilling activity for their sports.
Quickly she orders her deerhounds to chase their stag. WOOF! WOOF!
The woman laughed as she ran her horse faster. The rest of the groomsmen and fellow knights have a hard time keeping up with her on their horse.
Quickly target at sight. She wipes out her bow and arrow to aim at the stag.
What seems to be a slow movement. She released her arrow and it aimed toward its neck.
Stag whines in pain as it collapses to the ground by the river. Her dogs ran and barked at the stag by the river.
BARK! BARK!
She reigns her horse to slow down. She patted her stud in good gestures.
"Good ole' Robert the Bruce. It seems my ancestor wished to honor me with his stag." She comments and rejoices in her ancestor's name.
She went to the rivers where her dogs are barking and growling. She jumped down from her horse and went to the stag.
"Hey!" She whistles her hunting dogs and gestures with a signal. "Enough, enough. Hold down, my boys."
All her dogs ceased their barks but they growl for a bit. The lady of noble birth noticed something different about this prey.
The stag has bigger antlers. No doubt this is the prince of the forest.
"Praise to you, prince of the forest. For the opportunity, to end your suffering and your venison shall be honor and feast for my household." She took a knife and slit its throat. She petted it gently out of kindness and respect.
"My lady." Her knight, Sir Anthony Stewart came with sweats and panting.
"You look like you just come back from war." She bluntly said to him which the knight smiled. "With you riding like a maniac, I rather go back to war."
She loudly laughs as other men in her hunting party laugh as well. "You say maniac. I say I rode like a Scotswoman."
The men cheered as Sir Anthony bowed his head in good gestures.
"Bring the stag it looks like we have a feast for all of my household."
The men cheered even more. As two strong men came to lift the Stag.
"Let's go back to Galloway Halls."
All of them pack and rode their horse back to her household.
The servants there waiting on her and the children with an older gentleman.
"My lady," He greeted her with a kiss on her hand.
"My Lord," She smiled. She looked at her daughters and infant son. Whom she named James. She kissed her son's forehead and hugged all her daughters.
They walked into the halls.
"I need to tell you something important." The count said to her.
"What is it?"
"It is Mary, Queen of Scots." Margaret sighs as she sends her nurse to take all her children to the nursery rooms.
Inside his studies…
"You mean she is coming back?!" She hissed at that thought.
She read letters from her older half-brother that Mary is coming back since France no longer wants Mary as the second wife to the new king of France, Charles.
'Suppose that means they want a pure noble girl into the new marriage.'
"My love," Count said to her.
"You know that she has never been in Scotland for years," Margaret confirmed her facts.
"She was born here, my lady."
"As an infant!" Margaret then added, "Scotland won't accept her. She will bring all the French luxuries. Her version of courtly life is like she did in France. You do know the protestants Lord hasn't forgiven her mother, Mary of Guise of taking all good noble lords of their lands and titles."
Henry grew quiet. What many people failed to realize is that Scots are not like other people of Europe.
Scots lords are the symbol of duty, honor, and bloodlines. Take away any man's titles unlawfully, they will not forgive the slights of their ancestors.\
Mary of Guise failed to realize that. Religions, bah! Who is to say which one is right and which one is wrong?
In his philosophy, all religion has the purpose to people to bring their relationship with God who no doubt had many names for a reason.
Margaret was lucky to have hidden their true faith as a protestant and her husband was too of Protestant faith during the regent queen's reign. Mary of Guise would be loved to have her head if she did find out.
"If we bring our blood relationship towards the queen of Scots, other lords will follow us," Henry suggested it.
Margaret shakes her head in denial, "You know little of what she will do. When I see her, all I could see is Mary of Guise. And that is not a good compliment. She doesn't even know what her mother has done. Or the horrors of fear that she wants my head."
It was bad enough that King James V of Scotland has mistresses, but Margaret's mother was someone whom the king loved and showered affection front of his legal wife.
When her mother died and Margaret was left alone in the world. King James brought her to court.
James even brought her up himself to raise her personally and gave her the title Viscountess of Macleod as her mother's only true heir since her untimely death and her mother's maternal families were traitors who were beheaded and executed.
Since she was sought out by many suitors as the Kings' favorite and recognized illegitimate daughter of a king. She was a real catch.
Mary of Guise hated her and tried to marry her off to French nobles which disgusted her. Instead, she caught the eye of Count of Galloway. Henry Stewart was a fellow kinsman but from the lower branch of their family tree.
He was a clever man who needed someone of rank and wealth to boost up. And what does he have for Margaret?
Well…
He has the men and swords to lay their lives for their Lord and the ambition to rise to positions of court. She convinced her father that Count of Galloway would make a good husband.
For he has no children, and she is a young woman to bear him many.
King James doesn't have the heart to say no to his favorite eldest daughter. And Count of Galloway does have lands close to her mother's estate. It would be easier to merge two lands for Count anyway.
So, he decrees that both lands and titles will merge as Count of Calloway as their acres will be merged with her mother's estate and people as one land.
The rising status of one lower branch of the Stewart family is now a rising power and wealth. Not only he is rich and status boosted by his newfound marriage, but he used his positions in court to be the king's inner circle of advisors.
He has enemies in court, but always has friends in high places.
Henry sighs as he remembers how the queen regent dismissed him and his family in court which caused tensions between countrymen, lords, and peasants to wished to rebel against that outrageous French woman. Without his assistance had to cause the queen regent slowly pass away in private.
"My love," Henry walked around and stop his wife's pacing. "Nothing is going to happen to us. We are nobles who served the blood of King James and Mary is catholic yes. But if we convinced her to have protestant allies, she can remain ruler of Scotland."
Margaret took a moment to breathe. "Queen Elizabeth is not going to stay silent. No doubt that she will see this as a threat."
Henry answered, "Not unless, Mary renounced her claim to the English, Scotland will not have war."
Margaret nodded and quickly question, "Have you sent word to Queen Elizabeth?"
Henry firmly nodded. "Yes, with our proposal to convince Mary to renounce her claim. Scotland and England will remain friends."
Margaret nodded firmly.
Edinburgh
Mary returned to her home and lived in the Palace in Edinburgh.
Mary Queen of Scots had managed to escape the assassins with her half-brother, James at her side. She is ready to face off against any enemies.
"James will our sister, Margaret is coming as well. I haven't seen nor heard of her, but…" Mary has been hearing stories about her other half-sister. Her lady mother never likes to talk about her other than her father, King James believes she is an angel in his eyes that cannot do any wrong.
"Our sister Margaret is married and is known as Countess of Galloway and her husband was once King James V's inner circle and advisors. He was dismissed by your mother, the queen regent and that was when things get messy of the poor choices she made." James gave Mary an honest answer.
He recalls many Scotsmen were furies and angry some even left because Henry Stewart's dismissal of counsel was unjustified.
Everyone heard that Mary of Guise was a jealous woman and see Henry Stewart and Margaret being in a better light instead of herself the queen regent.
It causes endless rebellion and plots against the stubborn woman who refused to admit she was wrong to dismiss Count of Galloway.
"Poor choices?" Mary felt provoked by it. "I can understand that many subjects don't agree with their sovereigns from time to time."
"It is not that Mary. It is that since the death of your mother, I had welcomed them back in court to help me with the clans and religion's prospects. Also, our sister is not our ally. She is on Queen Elizabeth's side since she would travel back and forth in the English court."
Mary gasped in shock. Her blood is either against her or for her.
'Why is she allied against my worst enemy?" Mary is furious. Is she going to be betrayed by those who are close to her?
"Look," James defends Margaret. "Scotland was a mess, and you were gone as your mother is dead. We were suffering attacks from enemies from all sides. We were losing a fight. Margaret volunteered to go be a hostage in Queen Elizabeth's court. Instead, of being seen as an enemy. She was treated as an honorable guest as our father recognized her as the daughter of a king. I don't know what happened to her time at court, but our reports and stories said, that they treated each other as if they were blood sisters. Margaret convinced Queen Elizabeth to cease her attacks on Scotland. Margaret helped save Scotland from being taken by the Englishmen."
Mary is stunned. She cannot recall what happened nor received letters about it.
"I…I didn't know that." She stuttered about it.
"Mary, as queen you need to have her on your side. Everyone in Scotland respects Margaret too much. You need her backing." James advised her.
Mary thought back.
Compare to Mary she failed the alliance with France. Margaret did a better job in keeping Scotland away from anyone's hands.
"Then as queen of Scotland, I must write to invite Margaret to come to court as my lady-in-waiting." Mary paused her walk and added, "See to it that her husband has a place in court. Perhaps as the advisor again."
A few days later…
James came with bad news.
"What? She cannot come to court." Mary orders the reason.
James said, "She has a prior engagement that she cannot ignore."
"What prior engagement?" Mary was indecorous about it.
"As you know, her mother's lands and the estate is merged with Count of Galloway. So, you have to forgive her that she has to make sure her lands are in great care." James explained to Mary that since for a count, Lord Henry Stewart is the wealthiest man in Scotland.
Mary stood silent. She wanted to be angry, but perhaps she is too hasty. After all, Scotland is different than France, and everyone needs to protect their lands from others.
'Maybe just this once.'
"Of course, it is natural for Countess to make sure her lands are in safer hands."
What Mary did not realize is that Countess went to her mother's estate to talk to her fellow protestant Lords about what to do with Mary Queen of Scots.
It is their private meeting that could change everything.
Next Chapter, the Protestants' Lords meeting, Mary may have overplayed her role.
Rhys Ifans plays Henry Stewart, Count of Galloway. Think of him as the appearance of Ser Otto Hightower from House of The Dragon.