The Queen's Plan (Pre-Order on Amazon) release date 2/19/19

Chapter 4- Her Majesty

Chapter 4

Her Majesty

"YOU ARE MAD!" my husband yelled at me. "I only love you. I don't bed others. I never have." He assured me. I knew that the idea I had would shock him. That was no surprise. But I was serious.

"You don't have to love her. I would prefer you not, if I'm honest. Only put a baby in her." I explained.

"We are still sweaty from our making love. I may have put a baby in you."

"Putting a baby in me had never been the problem. It's getting them out alive that is." I reminded him.

"Do not say that. Do not speak of yourself so. I do not even allow you to slander yourself." He told me as he took my face in his hands. His love for me was unexplainable. And mine for him.

"You know that I speak true, my love. Can you deny it?" I asked.

"All things in God's time." He reminded me.

"True. And if that be the case, and this night has brought about a child that will live, then so be it.

"And I would, what? Deny my other child with this mistress you mean to give me?" you know I would not do that."

"Nor would I ask it. They would be brought up accordingly. Given land and title. Viscount or Viscountess such and such. They could even serve our child on their council when they were both of age." I explained.

He looked like he was considering all that I said. "I don't want another woman, my love. I never have."

"Think of me when you love her. I do not care. I just do not wish you nor the kingdom to suffer any longer due to my inadequacies."

"Beyond that, there is another problem with your plan, my love. This imaginary child that I have with this hypothetical mistress, can never inherit the throne. They will be named bastard. What is the point in having an heir who cannot follow me to the throne?"

"What is law but what the king says it is? If she gives you a son, name him your heir. Give him the title of duke. Not the first title, as that will be reserved for the son I pray to give you. The Duke of Massene. The one reserved for the third prince. Put in your decree that this son is second only to children from our marriage. Have it witnessed and signed by your Parliament. They will agree. They love you.

"Hmmph. It seems as if you have thought of it all. All except my reluctance to know any woman aside from you."

"Do you think I want it? That I want to think of you naked, loving some woman in the way that you love me? Is that what you think? It gives me pains of the stomach and head to think on it. But, this is bigger than me and my wants. I must put the safeguarding of our lands and the throne first. So, if I hurt for those, then I hurt. You have bled for it. I must now do my part."

"That. That right there is what makes you more than adequate. It is what makes us all undeserving of such a queen." He kissed me again and then lie back to think. I joined him, my head on his chest. "Ok. I leave the day after tomorrow. I will be gone for two months. Which you well know. If when I come back, you are not with child, I will consent to this buffoonery. Grudgingly, that is." He said.

I jumped on him and began to kiss him over and over. He grabbed my face and returned it.

"You won't regret it, my love. it is for our people." I tried to convince him.

"Something tells me I will. But, tonight, I care not. I just want you." and with that, we made love once again."

In the morning, I rose to my husband watching me sleep. He was deep in thought.

"Share." I told him.

"I just wanted to know if your resolve for this was the same apart from wine and exhaustion."

"It is." I told him.

"Very well. I must leave you. I have meetings to prepare to leave on the morrow.

Your breakfast is here. Do you need anything else?" he asked. I climbed from the bed and joined him on the edge.

"I know this is not a normal request of a wife to her beloved husband. But it truly is for the benefit of our people. I love you beyond words. And I thank you for giving me this, though it be against everything you believe in. Thank you." I said again, kissing his face until his began to kiss me back.

"Before we had a chance to make love again, my ladies came in. We kissed again and he stood.

"Will I see you for dinner?" he asked, my face still in his hands, looking up at him.

"Try to stop me." I said, bringing a smile from his handsome face. He then turned to leave as my ladies curtsied to him until he was gone.

Whitley came over and whispered to me as she put my robe about me. "What did his majesty say to your lunacy?" she asked.

"He said yes. On the condition that I am not with child when he returns. Heaven knows he tried to bring that about last night." I told her, thinking about how my king made love to me over and over again.

"I would say that I was shocked. But, what has he ever denied you?" She asked as she took my hair loose to be washed. "I would just like to say that I think it is a horrid idea. Though I am but your cousin. A lowly Baroness. What do I know?"

"Exactly. What do you know?" I teased her. My payback was a slight tug on my hair. I tapped her playfully and we continued to speak on it until Betheny entered with new sheets for my bed.

I knew that she was my choice. Her father was a lowly knight. They would be honored to be noticed by the king. They should be easy to control. Easy enough to disappear from court to their new lands and gifted money when I did provide my husband an heir. Or so I

thought. Two more months and my plan would be in action.