Her Majesty’s Secret Service

006. The Queen and Her Subjects

Mary Tudor, it has been a week and a few days since she ascended the throne. Naturally, thanks to the loyal subjects who rushed to swear allegiance, the task of purging the traitors went smoothly.

First, the traitors who claimed the throne despite the rightful heir, herself, being alive and well—Jane Grey and her husband, Gilbert Dudley—were reduced to immobile bodies locked in the Tower prison.

The Duke of Northumberland, John Dudley, who barely escaped from London, seemed to be gathering forces in Cambridge, waiting for an opportunity. However, since he failed to take Jane Grey with him when he fled London, the tide had already begun to turn.

There was no justification. There was no reason for other nobles to side with him.

Mary, using the name of Parliament, urged the Duke of Dudley encamped in Cambridge to disband his forces, while also mobilizing the forces of East Anglia. Moreover, although half-ruined, the still operational Royal Navy was deployed to pressure the Duke of Northumberland, leaving the great John Dudley no further means to resist.

Eventually, having no other choice, John Dudley meekly disbanded his forces and accepted his fate of being confined in the Tower of London, thus all the threatening traitors could be said to have fallen.

Although the Duke surrendered meekly, the king’s command was absolute, and it was inevitable that John Dudley would not escape death. However, Mary, considering his surrender, promised to spare his second son, Robert Dudley, and upon hearing Mary’s assurance, the Duke showed a relieved expression as he was imprisoned in the Tower.

As she dealt with the traitors one by one, a problem arose; the queen began to feel the weight of the throne.

In her memory, the position of king was always a convenient place where one could have whatever they wanted, but in reality, being a king meant there were countless things to worry about.

Among these, what particularly troubled her was the issue of ‘Jane Grey’s’ fate.

Mary knew Jane was wronged. The story of how her parents had forced her to ascend the throne against her will, using beatings, was already well-known.

Mary, who had similarly suffered abuse at the hands of her father, Henry VIII, wanted to save Jane Grey, who was in a similar plight. However, some courtiers wished for her death. Especially those who were like bats, neither on Mary’s side nor on Jane’s.

Facing such nobles today, Mary spent the entire audience holding back the curses that rose within her.

It was indeed a torment. Although she now spoke in refined tones, the Mary of the past, left alone amidst Henry VIII’s abuse and neglect, would often blurt out the curses used by the servants.

It wasn’t just once or twice that the curses of her childhood almost slipped out in front of the greedy nobles who, under the pretext of looking out for Mary, pleaded for Jane’s execution.

“I understand your words well. However, as I know it, the traitor Jane was forced to usurp the throne against her will by her parents. Considering this, execution seems too harsh. Wouldn’t it be better to confine her to a suitable place instead of killing her?”

Despite her gentle refusal to consider Jane’s death, the nobles’ mouths did not close.

Was it because she was a woman? She disliked that the nobles, who couldn’t utter a word in front of her father Henry VIII, were particularly rebellious against her.

“Your Majesty, sparing the life of a traitor who usurped the throne would tarnish Your Majesty’s dignity, would it not?”

“If it were only a matter of tarnishing my dignity, how fortunate that would be. Showing mercy to those involved in the rebellion is one thing, but to show mercy to one who directly usurped the throne would certainly invite another rebellion. Please, execute her.”

Looking at the faces of those clamoring for Jane Grey’s death, they all seemed to be suspects in the recent rebellion. They were trying to prove their loyalty to the current queen by killing the queen they once served.

Every time she saw such behavior, Mary felt nauseated. It was natural for her to feel disgusted by such ‘political acts,’ having not been taught, or rather not allowed to learn, the art of rulership according to Henry VIII’s wishes.

Fortunately, not all courtiers were like them. There were those who sincerely pledged their loyalty to her, as much as the disloyal courtiers who shouted to kill the queen they served to protect their power. One of them was Bishop Stephen Gardiner of Winchester, who had been loyal to the Tudor dynasty since the reign of her father, Henry VIII.

Despite his advanced age and poor health from two years in the Tower, this old courtier tirelessly worked for the queen, allowing Mary to fulfill her duties as queen.

‘That’s why they are all the more revolting. Vermin.’

Comparing the loyal old courtier to the greedy ones, she barely suppressed the curses that surged within her as she thought of his wrinkled face.

After examining the faces of the courtiers who made the nauseating proposal, Mary answered indifferently, “I will consider it,” and left the office.

—

“Truly, they are detestable beings.”

No sooner had they finished their audience and left than the suppressed curses burst forth. Mary’s contorted expression only relaxed after she returned to her room. Unbeknownst to her, a most trustworthy and loyal subject had been waiting for her.

“Steve! It’s truly a pleasure to see you. The faces of those repulsive men during the audience were a torment. So, where have you been today? I was worried you might be ill since you hadn’t come by.”

In the audience chamber, she had not shown it, but now the Queen greeted Bishop Winchester Steve with a bright smile. Bishop Steve responded to the Queen’s laughter with a smile of his own.

“Your Majesty, as I’ve said before, I am soon to join the Lord. What will you do without me?”

“If that’s the case, I shall plead with the Lord to bring you back from His side. Come in. It’s not good for your old body to stand for so long.”

The Queen herself opened the door to let him into the palace and ordered a servant to bring a chair for Steve to sit on. Bishop Steve stopped the servant with a gesture, saying he was fine.

“I am well. Your servants should be used only for Your Majesty, I gratefully accept only your concern.”

“Your words always carry sincerity. Your consistent self brings me joy. So, what brings you here today?”

“There are two reasons. First… I’ve found a foreign chef from a distant land, and I wish to serve his cooking for tonight’s dinner.”

“A foreign chef? Tell me more.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Actually…”

The Queen’s eyes sparkled. The story of Bishop Eli’s chef, told by Bishop Steve, was intriguing enough to captivate Steve’s palate, but the mere mention of a ‘foreign chef’ was enough to make Mary’s heart race.

Perhaps it was because she was cast out as an illegitimate child by her father, Henry VIII, at the age of 17 and did not receive a proper education. Now at 37, the Queen was always thirsty for new knowledge.

It wasn’t that the Queen was ignorant because she hadn’t received an education. She lacked knowledge, not wisdom. The fact that she had mastered the only knowledge she could learn as a child, languages, proved her intelligence.

She could write and read from English to French, Spanish, and Latin. The Queen was intelligent and always struggled not to miss an opportunity to learn.

“So where is this foreign chef?”

“He is currently in the royal kitchen, preparing the meal for Your Majesty.”

“Hmm… This foreigner, he lost his memory?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, though he has lost his memory. His skills are remarkable, so please have no worries. This old servant has tasted his cooking, and it was excellent, and everyone in the kitchen is watching him, so there is no need to worry about any possible situations.”

—

Bishop Steve thought the Queen was worried she might be poisoned. Contrary to the Bishop’s belief, the Queen had no such fears.

“No, it’s not that I’m worried about. I have many questions for that foreign chef…”

The Queen’s voice, full of curiosity, made the Bishop tilt his head in wonder.

“Really? He’s just a chef. What are you so curious about?”

“Didn’t you say? That foreigner has drifted from a faraway place to here? I ask you. Aren’t you curious about what he might have experienced on his journey here?”

The Queen, still brimming with curiosity, looked at Bishop Steve. The Bishop, amused by the Queen’s demeanor, burst into a hearty laugh and replied.

“Indeed, indeed. As Your Majesty says, I too am becoming curious about what he might have experienced.”

The Queen, pleased with the Bishop’s agreement, wore a satisfied smile.

“To think you share my thoughts, I am overjoyed. I’m especially looking forward to tonight’s dinner. The exotic dishes prepared by the foreign chef…”

“Your Majesty’s happiness is my happiness as well. But… let’s set aside the pleasant talk for now, may I bring up a somewhat troublesome matter?”

The Queen’s expression, which had been cheerful until moments ago, visibly contorted at Bishop Steve’s voice. She could talk all day about policies leading the nation, but ‘troublesome talk’ about traitors was something she greatly disliked.

It was about the distribution of titles reclaimed from the traitors. The Queen wanted to resolve this particular issue hastily, unlike other matters.

However, this troublesome task was one of the most important duties as a monarch, so Mary, trying to hide her complaints, permitted Bishop Steve to speak.

Once the Queen granted permission, Bishop Steve looked at her with pride. Feeling Steve’s gaze, the Queen made an awkward face and urged to finish the business quickly and go to dinner.

“Seeing Your Majesty so enthusiastic eases my mind. The most urgent matter is the inheritance of the Duke of Northumberland…”

After Bishop Steve began speaking, an hour passed, and finally, his mouth closed. The Queen, looking at him as if weary, had fatigue written all over her eyes.

Noticing her gaze, or perhaps feeling guilty for having talked about the distribution of titles for an hour, Bishop Steve cleared his throat awkwardly a couple of times before speaking.

“Ahem… For now, this should suffice. Dinner is…”

“The chef and servants have been waiting outside the door since earlier.”

At the Queen’s petulant voice, Bishop Steve could only offer an embarrassed smile.