Long May She Reign (1)

(XXX) Taken

15th September 1561

A month had passed since Mary had left the castle, Tulia missed her friend and the protection that she brought. Tulia was smart and knew how to look after herself but Mary's presence around court was an added comfort.

Charles had vowed to her that he would destroy the Red Knights without the help of his mother, Tulia thought this to be an irresponsible decision but he had accused her of not believing in him so they no longer spoke on the matter. 

Currently, the young Queen was liaising with Irish Lords and Generals who had come to visit her about uprisings in the villages. 

"Your Grace, they are becoming unbearable." Lord Campbell spoke, he was one of the wealthiest Lords in Ireland, in charge of the largest grain supply Ireland had. "Just last month they refused to farm the lands, they want to speak with the Queen directly."

"Dainial is regent in my absence," Tulia reminded. "Is he not doing his job?"

"He is, your grace," Campbell nodded. "But they don't want to speak to him, they want to speak with you. You are their Queen."

"Every decision that Dainial makes is influenced and accepted by me." Tulia spoke, she had a look of slight annoyance on her face as she lent back in her chair. "I don't understand why it makes a difference that they speak to him, he will speak with me about their problems will he not?"

"It's not about trust, your grace." General Bailey cut in. "It's about religion. Dainial O'shea is protestant, Ireland is a Catholic country."

"Under my rule, Ireland will be a tolerant country." Tulia spoke, looking at the general as she replied. "I will not allow religious persecution, there is one god who is worshiped no matter what way you decide to do it. I may be a Catholic woman but I am not a Catholic Queen, I am an Irish Queen and I will treat everybody who has the Irish spirit as they should be treated, equally."

There were a few nods and comments of appreciation between the Lords and Generals but Tulia could tell that she had struck a nerve with some of the Catholic Lords as they daren't make eye contact with her.

"What is it that they want," Tulia asked. "What has upset them enough to cause them to strike."

"Raising in taxes, your majesty." Campbell affirmed, causing Tulia to scrunch her eyebrows together.

"I never permitted a tax raise." She told them, looking at him in surprise. 

"O'shea did,"  Bailey explained. "He needed money for the growing army."

"If he would have just spoken to me." Tulia sighed, putting a hand to her head in annoyance. "The Vatican gave me 10,000 livres to expand my army, I have the money."

"The other generals will be please to know this," General Bailey smiled to which Tulia pulled a face.

"The army will not be getting all of this money." Tulia stated. Her face was void of emotion and she was being deadly serious. "Due to the incompetence of your regent, some of the money will go to the people who were cheated out of their own."