Mary Su Stuart

Marie and François, true childhood sweethearts, never worry about having nothing in common.And as the "relationship between soul and flesh" becomes closer, when chatting, they become more frank and unscrupulous.

"You're going to visit Elizabeth?" Mary's sleepy eyes were half-closed.

Inside the curtain, the two were lying on a high bed, with the duvet tightly covering their chest and below.François was twirling Marie's sideburns, thinking they were lovely in curls. "Just an idea...you don't agree?"

"No." Mary squeezed his troublesome hand and said slowly. "I think, if I don't accompany her, she shouldn't refuse."

"what?"

"The Queen of England doesn't like to bother with me." Mary smiled. "However, if the client is a man, especially a young man of status, she is more receptive."

"I heard that she was reluctant to meet people before and almost turned away all visitors?" Francois asked.

Mary shook her head slightly. "At first, she could almost only accept Cecil and Dudley-one was the most trusted secretary of state, and the other was the most beloved 'lover'. Later, she gradually added a few loyal relatives, such as cousin Nuo Lord Leith and others, convey the news of the Privy Council for her. Recently, she has calmed down and started to receive guests more actively."

"However, she still doesn't welcome women, especially me, a usurper."

Francois looked at his wife, still a little puzzled. "you mean……"

Mary patiently explained: "Her Majesty Elizabeth still wants to maintain contact with the outside world, and looks forward to regrouping one day. But if she gets along with young female guests, she will feel particularly bad when she thinks about her situation."

Mary sighed: "Before, the diplomat Melville told me very harshly: she claimed that she would not marry, but liked to be surrounded by men; I believe it. Until I came to London and lived in Whitehall Palace, I finally understood that she, like me, has a female vanity." [Note [-]]

"And because her body does not yet belong, this kind of mood is easier to surface."

Hearing this, Francois gave her a sideways glance, as if it meant something.

Mary, who blurted out the truth, suddenly felt guilty.She put her arms around his neck. "Honey, she and I are actually very different."

"Hmm." He hugged her back, and his palms fell on the most concave part of her waistline.

"Look, she's very fickle, and she's never sure who she's going to marry next." Mary wanted to defend herself. "And I, I identified you from the very beginning."

Francois looked straight at her, making Mary feel a little scared, and he said:

"I believe."

After a while, the French Crown Prince finally cared about Elizabeth seriously. "But now, she is negotiating a marriage contract with the ambassador of the Habsburg royal family...will it affect your governance?"

"That's a complicated question," Mary replied. "If she ends up marrying the Archduke Charles of Austria, I'm afraid she won't be able to stay in England."

"Then..." Francois looked at her worriedly.

"It doesn't matter." Mary couldn't help mocking. "We all remember that the Queen of England is independent and self-respecting, and she is taboo to share royal power with others, so she has been reluctant to get married for several years. She is also hesitant and fickle. Even if the current situation is not good, she will not make a decision easily. After all, Choosing a husband to exclude me is nothing more than a plan to drive away wolves; for her, the benefits are not obvious."

"However, in the long run, she won't really not get married." Francois had doubts. "At least in this way, it is possible that the child who will rule England in the future will be her own child?"

Mary smiled. "No, she's probably just that stubborn."

Then, Mary and he described Elizabeth's "unfortunate history" in detail: before she was three years old, her mother Anne Boleyn was beheaded on suspicion of cheating; Adultery" was killed; in childhood, she was despised and belittled by her father who hated her ex-wife for a long time... These failed marriages brought her a deep haze.

"When Henry VIII, who repeatedly killed his wife, died, she was handed over to his last queen, Catherine Parr. The former queen married Thomas Seymour, one of the uncles of the new king Edward VI. The country The uncle tried to seduce her for various purposes, and the princess, who was in love, soon found out that Thomas was executed by the order of his estranged brother Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, for this reason and several other crimes. "

Therefore, lust (;) and marriage, in Elizabeth's heart, may always be accompanied by the horror of bloodshed. 【Note [-]】

"She is also afraid of giving birth." Mary thought of another reason that was speculated by later generations of scholars. "Her two stepmothers, Jane Seymour, died of puerperal fever, Catherine Parr died of dystocia; even her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth of Henry VII, died of dystocia."

Marie concluded: "So, she has been avoiding marriage."

"It seems that you really know her very well." Francois sighed.

"Because she was my idol." Mary accidentally told the truth. "But in this era, she is my most important opponent."

Opponents can understand, but, "'Idol'?"

Mary realized that she had probably slipped her tongue. "Well, it means I used to adore and admire her."

Francois was a little surprised. "I don't think so, ever?"

"God reminded me... I used to believe that she was not a simple, rejected illegitimate daughter. Sure enough, the former Queen of England, Mary I, was deserted and complained not long after she reigned; nobles and commoners alike turned their hearts to She, throwing herself under his command..."

Francois still had a little doubt: At that time, Mary was obviously by his side in France; he didn't realize how much she paid attention to the other side of the strait?

"All right……"

Mary quickly straightened the crooked building. "In short, I don't think Elizabeth will marry a foreigner - she is afraid of repeating the mistakes of Bloody Mary, afraid of the rejection of her by the people."

"In comparison, picking an Englishman is more in line with public opinion. However, if she marries a courtier, the distribution of power will become a big problem. The position of the new king is too difficult to control, and the government is likely to fall into division."

She chuckled. "If she just weighs the pros and cons and delays for a long time; as time goes by, the situation will be more favorable to me."

Francois listened, thinking: Suppose Elizabeth has been hesitating... Will the Privy Council of England tolerate her continuing to waste time?

With all kinds of doubts, the Crown Prince of France finally met the Queen of England one afternoon.

At that moment, she had just seen off another visitor, the Habsburg envoy.Judging from the relieved expression on the special envoy's face when he left, Francois had reason to believe that his conversation with the Queen had made some progress.

When Francois was brought into the room, he watched the joy gradually fade on Elizabeth's face, and he was more inclined to Mary's statement.

This is a "dark" audience room.Even though it was daytime, the already thin sunlight in winter was mostly covered by heavy curtains, so it couldn't leak much through the windows.As compensation, the flames on the candlestick were burning brightly, dispelling some of the gloom.

"Honorable Dauphin of France and His Majesty King of Scotland..."

Poor queen, she has to report through the maid to know who is coming at this moment.

In the room, the rose perfume was choking.Francois sniffed lightly.Well, mixed with the peculiar smell of Italian leather gloves that he was familiar with.

"It's a pity that I'm not in good health, and I couldn't entertain you in a more solemn and grand place." Elizabeth, who was nearly [-] years old, spoke with a slightly sad tone. "I heard that you are young and handsome, with extraordinary appearance, I just hate that I can't see it in person."

Francois, who was given a lot of "knowledge" by his wife and received many suggestions from her, answered very cleverly. "As far as I can see, your makeup is exquisite, your skin is fair, and you are as gorgeous as I have heard."

Well, he'd heard people describe Elizabeth this way: blond curly hair, high cheekbones, thin, arched eyebrows.Taking a closer look today, it is indeed in line with imagination.

As for the face, it was exactly as Mary had said: white as a half-painted wall.

He was suddenly a little inexplicably worried, if his face moved too much, would there be powder falling off it?

Elizabeth was delighted by his praise.Her shoulders trembled, and the jewels all over her body trembled, shining brightly.

It's a pity that the eyes that should be brightest seem to be unable to focus, as if they are covered with a layer of dust.

"Moreover, your audience room is also very beautifully arranged, and will never disgrace any prince or nobleman." Francois, a good man, went to the end and added a few words of praise. "Treading on this luxurious Turkish rug, there is no noise at all."

Elizabeth covered her mouth. "You're doing too well. I'm terrified of noise, but luckily they're there to help keep it quiet."

After the usual few pleasantries, François made a point of talking about the previous visitor.

"We have made a little progress. However," Elizabeth's cheeks were flushed, but her expression was a little weird. "You know, although the suitor has a great status, the queen of a country always needs to think carefully about marriage."

"As for our nobles in England, it is inevitable to be impatient and aggressive. Every marriage negotiation, they are always urging..."

She then complained:

"Well, they think that if a woman is not married, it's as if she hasn't lived, as if it's unhealthy, as if it's mentally insane..."

She raised her finger to show the huge king's ring on it. "Actually, I have married my country, England. I am willing to dedicate my body and mind to 'him' without reservation." [Note [-]]

François said to himself: She didn't say she was serving God with all her heart—that would be the time to go to a convent.

Well, no, those who advocate Calvinism, even priests, can get married.

When his mind wandered, the Queen of England humbled herself. "Please forgive me, I'm just expressing my feelings, my words may be inappropriate, I'll make you laugh..."

Come on, François really admired her.Elizabeth knows how to take advantage of women.Even though she is now "not as attractive as before"; he has been stalked around, and he has not found out the actual progress of her marriage negotiations at all.

Look, she acted even more vigorously - the maid respectfully handed her a handkerchief, and the Queen squeezed it gently with her fingertips, slowly covering her eyes.

"You must be tired of listening to these trivial matters?"

"No, not at all..."

What else can he do, he has to comfort him in a hurry.

The author has something to say: [Note [-]] Refer to the content of Melville's report to Mary in "Queen of the Severed Head".

[Note [-]] The speculation about the virgin queen's fear of marriage is quoted from the description in "The Biography of Elizabeth".I think it makes sense.

[Note [-]] The courtiers' complaints about the queen's unmarried, and Elizabeth's response to "marrying England" are all referenced in "Elizabeth Biography"