Her Majesty’s Secret Service

030. The Chamber

As soon as I returned to the palace, I went to the kitchen as usual, prepared some refreshments, and headed to the Queen’s chamber.

I had asked a maid, and she told me that just before I arrived, the Queen had finished her audience with the Prince of Sweden.

When I went to the Queen’s chamber to deliver the refreshments, the door soon opened. Entering the room, I saw the Queen resting her chin on her hand, seemingly deep in thought.

“Have you received the portrait I sent? And when will Felipe’s portrait arrive?”

Seeing me enter, the Queen quickly composed herself and spoke. I answered her question.

“Yes, Your Majesty, your portrait was sent on the last ship, and the portrait from there will arrive on the next one.”

“Is that so? Then it will take about another week,”

“It seems likely. But Your Majesty, may I ask something, if you permit?”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“That… I heard that an envoy led by the Prince of Sweden has arrived. What is the matter?”

“Oh, that matter?”

The Queen replied to my question with a tone of disbelief.

“It was a letter from King Gustav of Sweden that he brought to me.”

—

“A letter?”

“Yes. It was a letter asking if I had no intention of marrying his son.”

The son of the King of Sweden, it must mean the prince of Sweden. Could it be referring to the prince who is currently leading the delegation?

“Your Majesty, by ‘son’, do you mean the one leading the delegation…?”

“You are correct. It refers to the marriage proposal with Prince Erik, who is leading the delegation.”

The story that the Queen of Sweden proposed marriage, and that the prince himself came to offer it, outwardly I feigned surprise, but inwardly I rejoiced.

“Is that so? Hmm, even if he came in person… don’t you have the marriage proposal with Duke Felipe? It must have been difficult to respond.”

“There’s nothing so difficult about it. Since it’s not yet public, and secrets must be kept, I’ve told them I would consider it. After all, Sweden does not protect the followers of Luther, so why would I marry a heretic who does not pledge loyalty to me?”

The queen spoke as if it were unthinkable, yet she uttered another sentence with a hint of regret.

“Still, he was quite handsome to look at. Almost a pity he believes in the Protestant faith.”

Those subtle words, the voice saying he was handsome enough to consider, tickled my ears.

Let’s think, what was one of the reasons the queen clung to Felipe?

‘Handsome enough to consider? A pity for the Protestant faith he won’t pledge loyalty to?’

In other words, if it weren’t for the Protestant faith, there might be a chance with the Swedish prince?

If only Mary wouldn’t see Felipe directly, there could be a possibility.

It’s only the stage of exchanging marriage proposals, so who knew if the Swedish prince could win the queen’s heart and block the proposal with Felipe.

“Then, Your Majesty, do you have any message for the ambassador?”

“Yes, I shall do so.”

Now, I could no longer delay and had to transfer the writing with my own hands.

As she interpreted the blueprint in accordance with the command, her thoughts lingered on the Swedish prince.

‘If I marry Felipe, it’s bound to follow a course similar to the original history, right? Since Felipe was averse to Queen Mary due to her appearance… And since the marriage hasn’t been announced, it wouldn’t be so crucial for Felipe. A marriage to Spain might be regrettable for the queen, but a marriage to Sweden means the Swedes are so eager for the queen that the prince himself has come calling.’

The reason I had given up on separating Felipe and the queen was the lack of a suitable replacement for Felipe.

But then, as if on cue, the prince of Sweden arrived to propose to the queen. Hope began to flicker anew.

‘I don’t know what he looks like, but the queen said he was quite handsome, so it’s clear she’s taken with him. What the queen currently dislikes is that the prince is Protestant. More precisely, a ‘non-loyal’ Protestant?’

I was pondering how to unite the queen and the Swedish prince when a sound that should not have been heard came from outside.

“Your Majesty, Ambassador Simon and Duke Felipe of Spain have arrived. What should we do?”

Felipe is here? Why would Felipe show up all of a sudden!

“Logan, what is this noise? How can Felipe from Spain be here?”

“I’m hearing it for the first time too. I was sure they were still coordinating the departure date…”

The queen, startled by Felipe’s sudden appearance, nevertheless straightened her attire and smoothed her hair several times. Then she looked at me and spoke.

“We’ll find out what’s going on soon enough. For now, hide the blueprint. And go stand quietly in that corner.”

Following the queen’s command, I quietly took my place in a corner of the room. The queen, watching me move, ordered the door to be opened. Soon, two men entered and greeted the queen.

One was the familiar Spanish ambassador, Simon. The other was a man with a hazel beard and hair, particularly notable for his jawline. He seemed to be Felipe, the heir of Spain.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for the sudden visit. That…”

“Enough, Simon. I will speak now.”

As Simon began to explain their presence with due respect, Felipe interrupted, speaking in Spanish, which I could not understand.

The queen’s eyes on Felipe were quite favorable. No, her face even blushed lightly, a look of instant infatuation. In contrast, Felipe’s expression was not as pleasant.

Precisely, his expression darkened abruptly after he saw the queen’s face.

“I did not expect to see you so soon, Your Majesty.”

“I never thought you would come so early, Duke Felipe.”

The two who met for the first time exchanged simple greetings and took their seats.

Simon’s expression darkened strangely as he watched the two sit down. His gaze was fixed not on Queen Mary, but on Felipe.

‘Why such a look…?’

He harbored a moment of doubt, but soon he could unravel it.

“Before we get to the main point, may I ask you one thing first?”

“What do you mean?”

It wasn’t her usual tone. It was surprisingly gentle. He had never seen the queen like this before. She seemed utterly captivated.

“Your Majesty, why have you declared to protect the new faith? Are you considering converting to it as the rumors suggest?”

Her tone was polite, but the content seemed less so. He didn’t understand Spanish, but he could guess from the queen’s hardening expression.

“Convert?! How dare you speak to me of such things! I am quite displeased. Wasn’t today’s visit to discuss the terms of the marriage proposal?”

The queen’s voice, once soft, turned sharp. Felipe seemed unfazed by the change in her tone.

“If that’s not the case, then I apologize. The rumors were so rampant, I wanted to verify them myself.”

“…Let’s get to the main point quickly. The foremost issue I wish to discuss is the matter of our authority.”

“Before we discuss that authority, there is one more thing I’d like to address.”

“What now!”

The queen’s initial cordiality had long vanished. The demure queen, speaking coyly, had long disappeared.

“Duke Felipe, from this point on, I…”

“Please excuse yourself, Ambassador. Now that I am here, I am the plenipotentiary.”

At Felipe’s response, Ambassador Simon’s expression crumpled, turning so pale it was as if he was sickened. It seemed he couldn’t even sigh in front of the queen.

“As we announce our engagement, I would like you to revoke the protection order against the new religion.”

“How utterly impudent! Do you realize what you are saying? You claimed to be an ambassador plenipotentiary, didn’t you? Is this attitude reflective of your emperor’s will?!”

Eventually, the queen’s voice grew louder. It seemed there was no longer a need to find a way to separate Felipe and the queen.

As the queen’s voice rose, my heart became more at ease. Not knowing Spanish, I couldn’t understand the content, but the growing commotion suggested that the engagement discussions were not going well. Once the uproar subsides, I must carefully ask the queen what was said.

* * *

The two had finished their audience with the queen and were on their way back to the mansion.

With rooms aplenty in Whitehall Palace, one would expect them to be offered a stay, but Felipe’s behavior had them leaving as if expelled from the court.

On the way back, having been expelled, Simon finally burst out with the anger he had been holding back.

“Lord Felipe, what were you thinking, displaying such rude behavior!”

“Don’t you know? We were discussing the terms of the engagement.”

Despite Simon’s outcry, Felipe responded confidently. Simon was speechless at his attitude.

“Yes, I could have tolerated it if her face was a bit… no, vastly different from the portrait. But did you not hear? ‘Protecting those loyal to me is my right.’ I have no intention whatsoever of marrying a woman who advocates for the heretics of the new religion!”

“So, you intend to break off the engagement now? No matter what, your behavior was excessive! What if this brings England and France closer together? Can you bear the emperor’s wrath?”

“Just explain it well to them. Before we left, my father made it clear to me. He said to do as I wish. And remember, not once did I say I wanted to break off the engagement. Do you understand?”

“What are you saying now!”

“It seems you think I want to break off the engagement… I’m no child, and I wouldn’t end an engagement over the queen’s looks. Since she won’t convert to the new religion, the engagement must proceed.”

“Then why did you show such disrespect? You could have jeopardized the entire engagement, and it would have been our fault!”

“You worry too much. Queen Mary is a 37-year-old spinster this year. Who else would propose an engagement with terms like mine? She will end up marrying me anyway. And the demand to revoke the protection of the new religion’s followers? Once we’re married, I’ll have the right to make such requests as a grand duke, won’t I? What’s wrong with exercising my rights as a grand duke in advance?”

Was it the vigor of youth or the arrogance of youth? Simon felt a headache coming on once again at Felipe’s confident voice.

“I told you on the way here. The prince of Sweden has come to England leading an envoy himself. We don’t know what might happen, so please refrain from making statements that could upset the queen’s mood.”

“What’s so important about those country bumpkins coming here? Aren’t they just heathens who believe in the Lutheran heresy? It seems they’ve heard rumors of the Queen’s conversion to the new faith. So now they send an envoy, belatedly seeking to forge an alliance, isn’t that so?”

“But the prince himself…”

“Ha, enough. You seem to think those country bumpkins have come to propose a marriage to the Queen. Even if they did, what of it? Do you think they can offer better terms than Spain? You worry too much.”

Despite Felipe’s confident voice, Simon couldn’t shake off his worried expression.

Perhaps it was his youth; this prince seemed to take the world’s affairs too lightly.

‘Sigh, how shall I report this to the Emperor…’

* * *

After hearing the exchange between the Queen and Felipe, I could only marvel.

Good heavens, to speak of religious rights at their first meeting.

No matter that Felipe is the heir to Spain and there’s talk of marriage, it was a great impertinence to make such remarks to a sovereign, especially at their first encounter. In fact, it was all the more impertinent because of the marriage talks.

Now I understand why Ambassador Simon looked so troubled. No talk of breaking off the engagement yet, but Felipe’s demeanor might as well have been that of someone intent on doing just that.

“Whyever he did it, it’s a welcome turn for me.”

After Felipe and Ambassador Simon left, having heard the entire conversation with the Queen, I stepped out of her chamber, murmuring quietly to myself as I walked.

How long had I walked when I came upon a firmly closed door and knocked lightly.

“Who is it (Vem är du)?”

A voice came from beyond the door. The man who appeared upon opening it had the typical look of a Nordic male.

“Greetings. I’ve come to see Prince Erik. By any chance, do you speak English?”

The occupant of this room was Erik.

He was the leader of this Swedish delegation and the prince who had proposed to the Queen.

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*When kings and queens marry, the spouse is usually granted the status of a co-ruler, allowing them to exercise the same rights as the monarch of their partner’s nation. Typically, the queen’s nation would be absorbed into the king’s, but if the queen’s nation was stronger, both sides could have equal status.

In the case of Mary and Philip, the English people feared subjugation to Spain, as Philip’s Spain was the stronger power. To quell the opposition, Mary negotiated before the marriage to limit Philip’s authority.

*In actual history, when Philip and Mary married, Philip was not granted military command or the right to convene Parliament. It was the result of negotiations. It was thought that this would prevent Philip from exerting influence over England.

However, despite the negotiations, Philip was able to project significant influence over England, exploiting the fact that Mary was enamored with him. Using Mary’s affection, Philip actively intervened in England’s internal affairs.

As a result, England was repeatedly exploited by Philip. This turn of events…