monarch

Early in the morning, several servants in bright red livery rode out from the luxurious London mansion of the Marquess of Dorset.And when the sun was high in the morning, the invitations written on finely gilded stationery were placed on trays and delivered by servants to the adults and wives who had just woken up from sleep:

Your Excellency (Madam):

If you have no better place to go at night, or you are willing to see the bravery of the warriors who are about to go out, then I will be waiting for you at the mansion at seven o'clock tonight.

Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk

The Duchess of Suffolk is the daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who just died of illness not long ago. This duchess is really good at organizing banquets. Many ladies are willing to go to her banquets to learn from her banquets in order to entertain guests at home one day, not to mention that the theme of this banquet is to see off the warriors who are about to go to Scotland. Sublime subject.Therefore, when night fell, almost the entire high society of London flocked to the residence of the Marquess of Dorset in Westminster.

The jeweled Duchess of Suffolk stands in the center of the hall, welcoming visitors.Standing in the center of the room, the king's niece almost attracts all eyes.And in her gigantic shadow was her poor husband, Henry Gray, Marquess of Dorset, with a smirk and a grotesque look on his face, apparently still concerned with his wife's refusal to let him inherit his father-in-law's dukedom. dissatisfied.Now his wife has become a duchess, but her husband has bowed his head instead. Even the tabloids in London are laughing at the Marquis, who is eating soft food.

"I wish you a pleasant evening." The duchess smiled and welcomed a countess into the door. After the countess disappeared into the crowd of the banquet hall, she turned to face her husband.The spring-like smile on the Duchess's face disappeared in an instant, and she stared coldly at her husband who was too muddy to support the wall, and the other party shivered involuntarily.

"What's going on with you today?" Her voice inexplicably reminded the Marquis of his stern mother who died young.

His Excellency the Marquis tried to raise his chest, but as soon as he met his wife's eyes, his aura lost half of it. "I'm not feeling well." There was a hint of cowardice in his voice unconsciously.

The Duchess gave her husband a cold look, what a fool!Such a person is also worthy of inheriting my father and riding on my head? "His Royal Highness is coming. Tonight is our daughter's important day. I don't allow you to mess up. If you don't feel well, go back and rest." She didn't say anything threatening, but the Marquis of Dorset felt that she If you don't follow her advice, you probably won't get any good results.

The Marquis wanted to say something, but a noise outside the door interrupted him, and the butler hurried into the hall.

"What's the matter?" asked the Marquis.However, the butler ignored the hostess at all, and bowed deeply to the hostess, "Madam, the prince's carriage has arrived at the gate."

"Really?" The Duchess smiled happily, "Go upstairs and ask Jane to get ready!" She lifted her skirt and strode towards the door. The servants also rushed up and followed the lady to the door to welcome the Crown Prince. The Marquess of Dorset was left standing alone in the middle of the room.He gritted his teeth resentfully, turned his head and glanced coldly at the crowded banquet hall, turned around and walked to the other side.

"Your Highness is here, we are very honored!" As soon as Edward got out of the car, he was wrapped in the smell of the powder on the Duchess. He almost sneezed, but luckily he held back. "Your banquet is well-known in Europe. If I don't come, it will be a huge loss." Edward said in a polite tone that he didn't believe it. He slightly held the Duchess's hand and kissed it lightly.

"Such a false name really disturbs me. If Your Highness can't enjoy himself tonight, it will be my fault." The gentlemen around laughed. "I am afraid that even Luculus will linger on your banquet. I am afraid that even a saint like Thomas Beckett cannot refuse a Medusa like you." A gray-haired gentleman said, and the Duchess looked at it reproachfully. She glanced and turned to the prince again, "My daughter, Miss Jane Gray, has always wanted to meet you again. She has been excited to welcome you for several days!"

People around fell into an embarrassing silence. The Duchess wanted to sell her daughter to the Crown Prince a few years ago. Although anyone with a discerning eye could see that she was hot for shaving her hair, she always felt that the King's noncommittal showed that she still had hope. As the two children got older, her sales became harder and harder.Originally thought that the marriage contract between the prince and the Queen of Scots would make her give up. After all, the king did not hesitate to start a war for this marriage, but it seems that she has not given up on it today.Several people exchanged a strange look with each other, it seems that there will be another good show tonight.

"I'm also looking forward to meeting Ms. Jane." The prince was a little helpless, but his tone of voice and expression on his face remained unchanged. This is a basic subject of life in the court.

"Ah, my dear Robert!" Seeing Robert Dudley getting out of the prince's carriage, the Duchess quickly changed her target, "Look how handsome you are today!" Sir Robert wore a Hungarian cavalry dress today. , instead of a sword, he wore a saber with an oriental pattern on the scabbard, apparently of Turkish origin. "I heard that you are going to go out together, my dear little cavalry?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Robert politely, "The Lord Earl of Hertford has appointed me his aide-de-camp."

"Became the commander-in-chief's adjutant before the age of 14, how young and promising!" The Duchess praised.My second daughter Catherine met you earlier, do you remember?That little girl, she really likes you..." The duchess kept talking like a cannonball, and the crowd around her became a little embarrassed. This lady is usually good at everything, but whenever she mentions her daughters, she desperately puts them down. Selling to all decent young people. The eldest daughter is almost nine years old, which is reasonable. After all, many noble girls are married at the age of twelve or thirteen, but the second daughter is only five years old... After all, she is also a girl of royal blood. , Do you really worry about getting married? Many people sneered in their hearts. The Duke of Suffolk was smart for the first time, but he only had one daughter who was only a little smart.

"Oh! Look at me." The Duchess of Suffolk seemed to have finally realized her inappropriate behavior. "Please come in, Your Highness. I'm so sorry. I can't stop talking about my daughter."

"You are a good mother." The prince was noncommittal.

Lady Jane Gray was already waiting in the hall when the Prince entered.She was an extremely beautiful girl in a snow-white dress, holding a red rose in her hand.

"Celsitudinem (Latin: Your Highness)." Jane Gray made a standard curtsey.

"Salve (Latin: hello)," replied the prince.

The Duchess leaned forward again, as if offering a treasure, "Jane heard that His Highness likes Virgil's poems, and she is learning Latin recently! She is also learning Greek and Italian, and recently she is reading Plato's "Utopia." "The duchess stretched out her hand and pulled the two of them closer, "You guys can just have a good conversation." She turned to greet the others, "Okay gentlemen, let's give the young people some space, we old-fashioned just get together Let's chat together." The crowd burst into laughter again.

Robert felt a little stuck in his heart, and he smiled self-deprecatingly. Although he had seen this scene many times, he still couldn't turn a blind eye to it, even though he had already told himself that it was inevitable.Future kings always have a queen, don't they?He raised his head and found that the prince was looking at him from the corner of his eye. He immediately cheered up, put a smile on his face again, and winked at the prince.

Edward could hardly control the gloomy expression on his face, what does this guy mean?When Mary Stuart signed the marriage contract with him, he was uneasy and didn't know how to let Robert understand that he didn't want to marry the little queen at all, but unexpectedly, Robert didn't show any sadness at all. Congratulate him cheerfully, today he looks like this again, winking his eyes?Does he really want me to get married early?

"Your Highness." It was Jane Gray's crisp voice, "I didn't understand something when I was reading "Aeneas", may I ask you for advice?"

Edward looked at her fixedly for a few times, and then at Robert, who was calm and breezy beside him.He gritted his teeth secretly, and then resumed his usual smile, "Okay, I'm very honored." He stretched out his arm, and Jane Gray's face flushed with excitement, and she quickly reached out to catch the prince's arm.

Robert watched the golden couple walk into the banquet hall from behind, a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes.

At the banquet, Edward was seated between the duchess and his daughter, so he had to endure the eloquence of the duchess telling him what her daughter had learned, and on the other hand, he had to find time to explain Aenea to Miss Jane. The relationship between the plot and the following text is related to the plot where Si was entrusted by his deceased father to go to the temple of Apollo to find enlightenment.

"How beautiful is the love between Aeneas and Queen Dido!" Miss Gray admired, crimson climbed up her white cheeks, and she looked at the prince affectionately with those deer-like eyes.

"Yes, miss." The prince was a little absent-minded, he was exhausted by the high-intensity attack of the mother and daughter, "I wish you can reap such love in the future."

Miss Gray pursed her lips, she didn't seem to give up yet, "Can you dance the first dance with me later?" The first dance must be started by the highest-ranking Edward, "I really want to I want to open the ball! But my mother said that I can only be your dance partner, so can I trouble you?"

The prince looked at Robert across the table, and found that he was still chatting and laughing with the ladies beside him. He was extremely handsome and had a bright future, so he was naturally popular among the ladies.Edward sighed, yes, he was always looking for a partner, he turned his head, and said to Miss Gray who was anxiously waiting for his reply, "I'm very honored."

Miss Gray's face was flushed, "Thank you, Your Highness!" The girl was clearly in ecstasy.

The Duchess of Suffolk smiled beside her. What about the Queen of Scotland?The prince can marry her and then divorce, just like the current king's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, she is still the princess of Spain.As long as Edward likes Jane, is there anything he can't do?The duchess doesn't mind her daughter being the second queen at all. After all, it seems that the last laugh among the king's six wives is Anne Boleyn, who has the worst reputation. Sitting on the throne, maybe, who knows, Jane's son, her grandson, might do the same.

……

The skirts in the ballroom were fluttering, the fire in the room was very hot, fine beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the prince, he looked at Miss Gray opposite, her mouth opened and closed, as if to say something, in fact Her mouth has not stopped since she started dancing, although no one can hear a word she said in such a noisy environment.

This was already the third dance they had danced together. Miss Gray was like a vulture, clung to the prince desperately, and made the other young ladies who wanted to invite the prince to dance almost grit their teeth.The prince sighed secretly, seeing that Miss Gray's mouth finally stopped opening and closing, he squeezed out a smile, "You are so right, beautiful lady." Even though he didn't know what the lady said .He watched from the crowd outside the school, and Robert Dudley was standing by the dance floor, still wearing the same polite and distant smile on his face, and several women were staying beside him.The prince felt irritated for a while, and he wanted to be angry for no reason.The music was so loud, and the smell of the powder on Miss Gray was so suffocating.

Finally, the song ended, and Edward couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Miss Gray was still not satisfied, "Can your Highness dance with me again?"

Edward still had a smile on his mouth, but his hands had already pushed away the sharp claws stretched out by Miss Gray. "I'm sorry, miss, it's late, I should go back to the palace."

"Now?" Miss Gray couldn't hide her disappointment, "Why don't you stay a little longer? My mother has prepared a lot of programs, and there will be more in a while..." As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and grabbed the prince again. cuffs.

"I'm sorry, miss." Edward couldn't bear it anymore, he interrupted Miss Gray who was still chattering a bit abruptly, he lightly but resolutely pulled the sleeve out of Miss Gray's hand, nodded slightly , turned and walked towards the gate, leaving Miss Gray standing pale in the middle of the dance floor.

Robert, who was standing on the edge of the ballroom, noticed that the prince walked straight towards the duchess, and he looked a little unhappy.what happened?Robert squinted his eyes and watched Edward walk up to the duchess and say something, as if he was saying goodbye, and the duchess seemed to want to keep him.But in the end the prince bowed and left. The Duchess stood at the door of the room, still smiling, but Robert could see that her hand holding the fan had turned white from excessive force.

Sir Robert bowed to the ladies beside him, "Sorry, ladies, I have to leave."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" A lady with winking eyes smiled coquettishly, "It's only ten o'clock now."

"His Royal Highness has left." Robert left the ballroom without looking back.The lady was extremely embarrassed, she laughed a few times, "Sir Robert is really loyal to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." She looked around, but no one answered, and the whole atmosphere became even more awkward.

Robert went out of the gate to find the prince getting into the carriage. "Your Highness!" He ran to the side of the carriage, "Why are you in such a hurry to go back?"

"I'm tired." Edward was a little cold.

"Then I'll go back with you."

"No, sir, you can have as much fun as you want."

"What's the point of me staying here after you've left." Robert said and jumped into the carriage, the prince curled his lips, noncommittal.

The carriage was driving on the already quite quiet street, Edward looked out the window at the deserted street, the moonlight poured down on the ground, illuminating the low houses and narrow streets.Today's London city is still completely medieval, and it is completely incomparable with later generations. The prince looked at the dilapidated urban area outside and thought about the transformation he would carry out in the future.

"Your Highness? What's the matter with you today?" Robert's voice interrupted the prince's contemplation, "Did Miss Gray upset you?" The prince didn't answer, so Robert felt that he had guessed right. "Little girl is like this, you have to understand..."

"You seem to wish me to be near Miss Gray?"

Robert's words stopped suddenly, and he seemed a little lost. "I don't know." His voice was a little low. "But you're always going to get married, aren't you? You need a queen, whether it's the Queen of Scots or Miss Grey. I think you should get in touch with one of them first." There will be no harm."

"Have you forgotten what you said to me a few years ago?" Edward's face became more and more gloomy.

"Of course I remember." Robert smiled wryly, "But Alexander and Hephaestion still got married, didn't they? You are the future king, and you need an heir." He paused, "Because I have feelings for you, so I have to protect you, this day will come sooner or later, I think I am already mentally prepared." He smiled again, but he looked more bleak than before.

"So you're going to get married too? Then we separate marriage and love like Alexander and Hephaestion?" In fact, this is very common among the aristocratic class, but the modern thinking in Edward's mind makes it difficult for him accept.

"No, I won't."

"I am the fifth son, and there is no need for the fifth son to reproduce." Robert said, "I will always protect you, and I will not let you take any risks. You will become the greatest king in England's history." He got down on one knee and kissed the prince's hand.

The prince had mixed feelings in his heart. He looked at the boy who was anxiously waiting for his reply with his head down. He knew that everything Robert said was right, and he also knew that this was the best choice for him. He could get everything. Whether it's marriage or love...

"You didn't ask me."

Robert raised his head in doubt, "What did you say?"

"You never asked me if I needed your sacrifice." The prince's face turned pale.

"Sacrifices are never many," said the young knight.

"But I don't want it!" Edward grabbed the knight's chin and forced him to look up, "My father thinks I want a Queen of Scots, but I'm not interested in her at all; you think I want a guardian, but I There are many such people around." He took a deep breath, "You don't know what I want." He looked at the handsome cheek of the knight illuminated by the moonlight, "I want Robert Dudley, unique Robert Dudley, not Sir Robert, nor one of the Dudleys, but Robert Dudley."

Robert was a little stunned, "But you can't..."

"No, I can." The prince turned to the window, and the carriage had passed through the gate of the Whitehall Palace, "I said three years ago, I am not Edward II, I can protect the people I love, and I can protect myself. He turned his head again, "But you don't seem to have confidence in me."

"No, that's not the case." Robert said quickly, "I just don't want you to make any sacrifices, I..."

"But what if I'm willing to sacrifice?"

There was a moment of silence in the carriage.

The carriage stopped, and the footman at the gate stepped forward and opened the door.

"I'm sorry, I... I just..." Robert felt his eyes get wet.

"You are leaving with the army tomorrow, I think you can think about what you want during this time." The prince turned around and got out of the carriage, "Goodbye, Robert, I wish you all the best. He walked up the steps, and glanced at the people under the steps from the corner of his eye beside the gate.Robert had already got out of the carriage and stood beside the carriage, looking a bit lost.The prince couldn't help feeling a little throbbing in his heart. For a moment, he almost turned around and threw himself down the steps to hug the sad knight. After all, this might be the last night.

However, in the end, he just bit his lips, and still walked towards the depths of the palace.

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Luculus was a consul in ancient Rome, known for his extravagant life.Thomas Beckett was the Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry II and was canonized by the Holy See after the king's assassination.