The King's Woman

In the year 1756.....

All the officials were present in the King's court discussing about the matters of the insecurities in the kingdom. The kingdom of Spain had once again started with their invasion, putting the lives of the people in jeopardy.

"Your Lordship, the Spanish people have taken over the eastern side of the Kingdom..." Minister Baldwin, the minister of War, started to say. "The people who resides there have been taken into slavery and most of them had been killed and not even the children were spared. And also, most of our guards at Brecon were ambushed. What has to be done, your Lordship?" He asked bowing before the regent.

The regent tapped his index finger on the table but didn't say anything.

"The kingdom of Scotland had also refused to assist us this time around." Minister Baldwin added.

The regent stopped tapping his finger and looked up. "Why?" He questioned.

Minister Baldwin sighed. "The King of Scotland said that he did not want to keep getting his hand into something dangerous. He said the kingdom of Spain had too much forces backing them up and he did not want his kingdom to become a target as well."

The regent sighed and moved his back away from the chair.

"What about England?" The regent asked.

"They do not want anything to do with us either." Minister Baldwin answered.

The regent swallowed and sighed again before resting his back against the chair. He turned to Minister Edward, the minister of finance.

"How is the kingdom's financial status, Lord Edward?" He questioned.

Minister Edward bowed, "The financial status is bad your Lordship. Due to the disruption caused by the enemies, many people had ran away from their businesses and the financial circulation had dropped. I would suggest..."

"I did not ask for your suggestion, Lord Edward." The regent cut him off with a deep frown.

Minister Baldwin scoffed, "Always extra." He muttered under his breath, mocking Minister Edward.

The regent sighed before saying. "Something has to be done concerning the finance of the Kingdom. Now, does anyone have anything to say?"

Everyone kept quiet and did not say anything. They dared not bring up their own opinions unless they wanted to end their lives. They knew well that only the regent was meant to bring up a suggestion and they were simply expected to follow without complain.

"Well then, I shall come up with a nice strategy for the kingdom." The regent said before raising up his hand and immediately, his eunuch rushed over to him. He handed over an empty scroll along with a pen and ink.

The regent took the pen and after dipping it into the ink, he started writing out a decree on the scroll. After he was done, the eunuch took it up and started to read it out.

"The people of wales shall henceforth pay double of the tax they were paying ere. To ensure that there would be enough finances circulating the kingdom, I decree for the tax to be augmented so more equipments to fight against our enemies shall be made."

The ministers started to murmur among themselves as they heard what the eunuch read.

"Your Lordship..." Minister Edward dared to say with his head bowed. "Please permit me to say but I do not regard it is a good imagining to augment the tax of the people, especially at a time this."

The regent's expression hardened. "And may I know why you regard so?"

Minister Edward swallowed hard. "Your Lordship, the people are already suffering from financial issues. Augmenting the tax would send many of them to their early graves. We should consider the welfare of the people."

"And why do you regard that is not what the regent is doing?" Minister Baldwin challenged him.

"I am not saying that..." Minister Edward tried to defend himself.

"Lord Edward..." Minister Edmund, the minister Steward cut him off. "You are indirectly saying that the regent does not care for the people."

"That is not what I am saying, Lord Edmund, I..."

"It would be better that you take back your words, Lord Edward..." Minister Radford, the minister of Justice cut in. "The regent knows best."

"I am the minister of finance and it is mine office to say to the regent about things concerning the finances." Minister Edward said further.

"Didst you not hear the king's decree, Lord Edward?" Lord Baldwin cut him off with a deep frown on his face. "It clearly stated that the use of the tax is to get more equipments to fight..."

"Of what quantity more weapons do we want before all the subjects of wales perish?!" Minister Edward yelled as he looked straight at Minister Baldwin who looked back at him with widened eyes.

"We all care about the kingdom Lord Edward!" Minister Edmund yelled back at him. "Stop acting like we are all against the welfare of the people!"

Minister Edward tightened his fist and pointed at him. "What care you about the welfare of the people yet yourself! All of you are selfish!" He yelled.

And then they all started exchanging words and insults causing the court to become noisy.

"Enough!" The regent shouted with authority and immediately, the court became quiet and everyone bowed their heads.

He heaved a sigh and frowned.

"Lord Edward." The regent called out.

"Yes, your Lordship." Minister Edward answered.

"Why are causing a commotion in the court?"

Minister Edward shook his head. "I apologize, your Lordship. I was only trying to state out my own opinion as the minister of finance."

"So you are saying my own suggestion is wrong then?"

He shook his head abruptly. "Not at all, your Lordship. I do not have any intention to go against your decree."

The regent sighed. "It seems that the minister of finance had lost his way, escort him out." He commanded and immediately, two royal guards walked over to him.

They both grabbed his arms.

"I... I was only trying to voice out my own suggestion, your Lordship. I did not regard yours to be wrong." Minister Edward said with a pleading voice but the regent simply stared at him without a word.

The guards started dragging him out of the court.

"Now, does anyone have anything to add?" He questioned with a hard expression that sent shiver down the spines of the ministers.

The ministers all shared looks but no one said any thing more. They did not dare to.

"If no, then that should be all." The regent said and was about standing up before Minister Hereward, the minister of ceremonies, raised his hand up.

"Yes Lord Hereward, speak."

"Your Lordship..." Minister Hereward started to say. "Would the jousting tournament still take place?"

The regent kept quiet for a while and he relaxed into his chair.

"Yes, you can arrange for that." He permitted.

"I was thinking that we could use this jousting tournament to bring new knights to the palace. The winners of the tournament could get a chance to join the royal family for banquet and also become knights in the palace. What do you say, your Lordship?"Minister Hereward asked further.

The regent nodded. "That is not a bad idea at all, Lord Hereward." He agreed.

"Your Lordship..." Minister Baldwin raised up his hand.

"Yes Lord Baldwin, go ahead." The regent permitted.

"I would like to suggest that the King pick a royal noble consort at the royal banquet because time is no longer on our side."

Now, this was when everyone turned their direction to the King who had been sitting on his throne, watching everything in the court like a clueless child.

"It has been three years since the queen was married into the palace and until now, she had not been able to produce an heir for the throne. And besides, it was confirmed that she might not be able to birth a child, ever." Minister Baldwin continued.

The regent turned to the King who was staring blankly like a statue.

"Of course, that is not a bad idea but we shall discuss about that on our next meeting, Lord Baldwin." The regent said.

Minister Baldwin nodded, "Yes, your Lordship."

King Arthur swallowed hard as he listened and watched everyone who were busy discussing as if he was invincible. It wasn't anything new, it had always been like that and so he was already used to it. All he had to do and had been doing was to sit on the throne and watched, while the regent, his grandfather, ruled.

Xoxo

After the meeting, King Arthur slowly started walking out of the court with his retinue following him from behind. The ministers had all left the palace and the regent had already gone back to his house. As he walked over to the entrance, he paused when he reached where the guards, who escorted Minister Edward out of the court, were standing.

"Your Majesty." They both bowed their heads.

He turned to them. "Where did you take Minister Edward to?" He asked them.

The guards looked between themselves and did not say anything.

"I am certain that I asked a question." King Arthur pressed on.

Finally, one of them opened their mouth to speak. "Your Majesty, we only led him outside and handed him over to the other guards. I am sure that his Lordship, the regent, would handle it on his own terms."

The King clenched his fist and swallowed hard. He was very certain that the regent would not let Minister Edward go scot fr