Contains graphic sex.
The Prince and The Pauper Girl
Mairenn walked along the street, hungry and tired. Her feet ached from her worn out shoes and her head ached from hunger and exhaustion. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking until she walked right into big iron gates. She looked up and saw a huge palace. She pressed her face against the bars to try and see better but suddenly a guard pushed her away roughly with his hand. She stumbled back a few paces as the watching crowd laughed. Suddenly a boy dressed in rich clothes sprang to the gate. "How dare you treat my father the king's meanest subject so?" he asked imperiously. Then he took Mairenn and led her into the palace. Then he had his servants bring her food as he asked her all about her life. It took her no time at all to weave a magnificent web of lies. She told the Prince all about Offal Court, making up the lies as she went. The Prince was entranced by all of this, believing every word to be true. Mairenn could not believe how gullible the Crown Prince of England truly was. Or maybe she was just a very good storyteller. She wondered how far she could push this. She needn't have bothered, for just then the Prince told her of his desire to play in the mud just once like she had told him she did. Mairenn did not hide her delight at this. She told him that she wished to know what it felt like to be a prince. Then the prince stripped. Mairenn was at first shocked but hid it well. Then the prince motioned for her to do the same, saying they would switch clothes. Mairenn nodded and smiled at him, then stripped her boys' clothes. The prince was curious as to why she wore bindings. She smiled and waved him off as she got into his clothes which fit her perfectly. He then did the same with her clothes. She looked in the mirror and became ecstatic at what she saw. She looked just like the Prince! This was better than she could ever have dreamed. Suddenly the prince saw a bruise on her face and ran out to accost the guard. Mairenn grinned, knowing everyone would think he was a beggar and he would not be allowed back into the palace. She was the prince now, or so everyone would think. But she had to play this right. She couldn’t seem too sure of herself. Her ways were different than the Prince’s and she knew hardly anything about his life or the goings on of the palace. She had to act crazy like she had forgotten it all, or like she had forgotten she was prince at all. She nodded to herself. She knew a normal imposter would try to convince everyone he was the prince by acting like the prince and saying he was the prince, but somebody would notice the differences. But if she claimed she was not the prince and acted like she was insane, people would say she had to be the prince.
After thinking her plan over, she opened the door and walked out, pretending to look for the prince. Several brightly dressed servants jumped up to greet her, concerned looks on their faces. Mairenn at first was frightened that they knew she was not the prince, but then one of them said, “Your highness, what happened? Who harmed you? Should we call the guards?” Mairenn realized that they were worried about the bruise on her face. She decided to give herself the opportunity to get rid of someone later on if anybody crossed her. So she shook her head and replied, “I slipped in a mud puddle and fell. I’m not your highness. I’m Tom Canty of Offal Court. The prince and I switched clothes a few minutes ago and he left. I came out to look for him. Please don’t call the guards; I didn’t mean any harm!” The servants seemed to get more concerned at this and Mairenn knew her identity was sealed in their minds. If she kept this act up, there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that she was the Prince of Wales. She smiled inside herself, giddy at the prospect of being the prince and one day the king. A shock went through her as she realized that day might come sooner that she had imagined. She had been so focused on being the prince; she had completely forgotten about the king. She had heard rumors that he was nearing the end of his life; if she could only keep up the act until he died, she would be crowned king. Then she could slowly reveal her true identity. So would end the Tudor reign. She knew her first act as king was going to be to free Scotland. Then she would work on freeing other peoples under English oppression. Her reign would be a benevolent one, one that people would talk about for centuries to come. “Your highness, are you unwell?” asked another servant. He was good looking so Mairenn walked up to him and kissed him on the mouth, her hand on his back. Then she fell to her knees in front of him. “Prithee, don’t call the guards on me, sir. I am only a young boy who accidentally got into the palace. Surely the Prince will attest to that once we find him.” The servant’s face was beet red as he tried to form words. He turned to another servant who was watching the whole scene with wide blue eyes and said, “Get help! The Prince is unwell!” The other man nodded and was about to walk away when Mairenn said, “No! I don’t want to be hung for treason. Prithee let me show you I mean no harm.” With that Mairenn lifted up a bit and grabbed the man’s trunks and began to pull a little, acting as if she was going to pull them down. She licked her lips to get the point across even further. She then put her mouth on the man’s crotch and kissed it over and over until she felt his cock against her mouth. She grinned an began to pull his trunks down to get better access to it. Finally the servant fount his tongue as she made circles with her fingers in his nether hair. “Stop! Your highness, I am truly and deeply flattered that thou wouldst seek me for such pleasure, but this is completely improper. I am also deeply sorry that you feel you must do this in order to not be hanged. I know not what madness has overcome thee, but prithee hear my words: thou shall not be harmed. Thou art the Prince of Wales and thy father is the king.” Mairenn looked up at him and asked hopefully, “So you won’t call the guards then?” As she said this, she got to her feet. She felt woozy suddenly but ignored it. “Your Highness, you are very pale suddenly. Do you require the physician?” Mairenn shook her head. “Nay, I am well. I must find the Prince forthwith!” She took a few shaky steps, trying to right herself with no success. The servant grew alarmed as she continued to stagger away. “Your highness, I beg you to sit down at once! I am afraid you will fall and hurt yourself.” Mairenn finally overcame the dizziness and ran down an adjacent hallway, ignoring the servant. She soon stopped in her tracks when she heard talking. She instinctively pressed herself against the wall to listen without being seen. She peeked around the corner to see several servants gossiping. Mairenn gathered that one of them had a friend who was the servant of Sir George. He had just found out about a delivery that was coming that day. Mairenn guessed the delivery was human. She grinned, planning to meet the delivery at the docks. With this in mind, she ran to the door and opened it. She felt even woozier as she forced the heavy door open. Another servant came over and helped her. “Are you quite all right, your highness? You look very pale. Perhaps I should send for the physician?” Mairenn shook her head, unable to speak as she tried to walk out the door. The servant sighed and asked, “Where are you going, your highness, if you don’t mind me asking?” Mairenn managed to reply, “I am going to the docks to meet Sir George. There is a delivery scheduled to arrive today.” The servant nodded and said, “Would you like to call for a coach, your highness?” Mairenn tried to shake her head but that action nearly made her faint. The servant said, “Surely you are not planning on walking to the docks?” Mairenn nearly raised her eyebrow at the servant’s nearly disrespectful tone. If she were sure of her position she would reprimand him. She began to walk again when suddenly the world tilted and she collapsed. The servant immediately caught her. “Your highness, allow me to call for a physician! You are very ill.” Mairenn said, “Not now. A physician would make me go into bed. I must carry out this quest to save at least someone from Sir George’s clutches. Call for a carriage and then carry me into it. I will allow myself medical care when I return.” The servant frowned, obviously conflicted. “As you wish, your highness,” he said sadly. Mairenn smiled and relaxed against his chest, lulled by his heartbeat.
Mairenn woke up as she was gently placed in the carriage. “Your Highness, would you like me to stay with you?” Mairenn looked around the carriage and figured that there would still be room to bring a man along from the docks. She nodded at the servant. “Yes, I would like that. Sit beside me so that I do not fall over.” The servant smiled at her and climbed into the carriage. She noted he had lovely red hair as he sat beside her. She leaned into him. “What is your name?” she asked. He replied, “My name is Louis, your highness.” Mairenn smiled and said, “Louis, prithee grow your hair longer for me. When it reaches your back, I may invite you to a threesome with the man I am about to rescue and I.” Louis blushed hotly but nodded. “Aye, Your Highness.” Mairenn slipped into sleep. “Wake me when we get to the docks?” she said, fighting sleep. “Yes, your highness. Go to sleep now. I will wake you.” Mairenn obeyed and fell asleep.
“We’re here, your Highness,” said a voice, bringing Mairenn back into reality. She smiled as the servant stroked her face. Then he got out of the carriage and lifted her down. “Do you think you can walk, your Highness?” Mairenn nodded. “Yes, Louis, I can walk for a little while. Let us get this done with. I feel quite weak.” Just as she said this, another carriage came to the docks. It stopped and an older man got out of it. He walked over to Mairenn. Mairenn asked, “Are you Sir George?” The man replied, “Yes, I am. Who pray tell are you?” Mairenn replied, “I am Prince Edward Tudor of Wales. I have come because I was curious about the delivery that is to arrive today.” Sir George bowed and then smiled at her. “Your Highness, you are right to be curious. My men are bringing savages from across the ocean. They should be very entertaining. I am so glad you came here to meet them!” Mairenn could tell he was at least partially sincere. She looked out and saw a ship drop anchor and begin to unload. A gangplank was dropped and several men disembarked. Mairenn saw two men being forced to disembark. They were both good-looking with tan skin and long black hair. Their chests were well made and their faces were so handsome that Mairenn nearly fainted just from the sight of them. “They’re gorgeous,” she breathed into Louis’ ear. Louis smiled at her as the men were brought to stand in front of Sir George. Mairenn ran over to them. Sir George watched her as she looked them over. “You like them, your Highness?” Mairenn nodded, too in awe to speak. “Hello,” she told them finally, waving a little. A brown haired man stepped forward and said a word in another language. Sir George explained, “Thomas can speak their language, your Highness.” Mairenn gathered her courage and put her hands on their chests, right on their hearts. Then she gently ran her hands downwards. Sir George smiled at her. One of the men was looking at her curiously. He gasped a little as Mairenn gently rubbed along his stomach area, making it growl. “Hungry?” asked Mairenn with a smile. The man nodded. She reached up and caressed his face. She jumped as she felt sharp pain in her other hand. “Ouch!” she cried out, tears in her eyes. She looked and saw the other man had bitten her hand. She realized she had completely forgotten about him. A hostile scowl was on his face as he let her hand go. She recoiled, trying not to cry. Blood was streaming from her hand and she became afraid that she would lose it to blood rot. The last thing she wanted was to be a one handed king. She could imagine the names the people would call her. She then began to feel faint again. The world dimmed as she collapsed against the man. “Hold me,” she murmured. The man had a helpless look on his face. He said something to Thomas in his language. Thomas sighed and said, “Sir George, I think it would be a good idea to free Squanto’s hands so he can assist the prince. The way the prince is headed, he’s going to fall to the ground soon. I worry that he’ll hit his head.” Louis stepped forward and said, “I worry that Squanto will get hurt if the prince keeps leaning into him like that without him being able to support himself with anything but his legs. The prince is very ill with a fever; I don’t want him stressed any more than need be. He wants one of these men as a companion, and considering what just happened, I think I know which one he’s chosen.” Sir George was at once angry. “He ought to have told me that from the beginning! But either way, these men are not for sale. I own them and I intend to use them.” Louis raised a red eyebrow. “We’re not buying him anyway, so that’s just as well. We’re taking him whether you like it or not. This is an order, not a request. Now free Squanto’s hands so that he can carry the prince into the waiting carriage and I can get the prince into bed as soon as possible. I really don’t want to have to send for the guards.” Sir George nodded to Thomas, still angry but not wanting to say anything that might get him in trouble with the prince. Thomas immediately freed Squanto. Squanto thanked him and put his arms around Mairenn who was already unconscious. Then he lifted Mairenn and carried her as he followed Louis into the carriage. He gently laid Mairenn in the seat and then sat beside her, putting her head in his lap. Louis smiled at Squanto as the carriage sped off.
Mairenn woke up in a nice bed in a man’s arms. She felt safe and warm with him. She snuggled into his heat. Suddenly the door opened and a man she did not recognize walked into the room. “Good morning, Your Highness. Did you have a nice sleep?” Mairenn asked, “Yes, I did. I’ve never slept so well in my life! But prithee, who are you?” The man was taken aback. “I am thy uncle, the Lord Hertford. Do thou not recall me?” Mairenn remembered that she was supposed to deny that she was the prince so she said, “I’ve never seen you in my life, sir.” The man frowned and then felt her forehead. He said, “You are ill yet. Go back to sleep, Your Highness. I shall wake you up a little later to eat.” Mairenn nodded, glad she didn’t have to keep up the façade any longer. She was too tired to do so. She lay back and snuggled into the man’s chest. The man smiled and hugged her close. Lord Hertford smiled at her and ran his hand along her forehead, although Mairenn knew he had to be at least slightly uncomfortable with the situation between her and Squanto. But he hid it well as he brought the covers over them both. She admired his ability to stay so composed and sweet despite his own nephew sleeping with a man. Mayhap she ought to promote him when she got such power. Squanto put his hand on her head in a protective motion. He seemed ill at ease. Mairenn wondered what he sensed about this man or what he knew, seeing as he had been awake when they had arrived at the palace. She began to think that Lord Hertford had done something to Squanto, something beyond nasty remarks about him being a savage. She knew better that to ask her ‘uncle’ so she pretended to go to sleep. The man then walked out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, Mairenn sat up and waited for the man’s footsteps to fade before asking, “Squanto, are you all right my love? Did that man harm you?” Squanto sat up and nodded. “He gave me a red liquid to drink that made me sleepy. I woke up because he had men throw water on me. Then he slapped me in the back of the head several times. He said I had lured you out when you were ill. Mairenn became incensed. “And here I was thinking of giving him some sort of promotion when I became king. That bastard has some nerve attacking you! I have half a mind to go to the king about this.” Squanto said, “But my love, you are ill. Going to the king now would prove your uncle right. You ought to rest.” Mairenn sighed and decided to be honest. “Between you and me, my love, that man is not my uncle. I am not the prince. I am a Scottish girl come to help free my country. I didn’t really have a plan at all until I met the Crown Prince. I told him some lies about living around in the slums and he believed me. Then to my surprise he suggested switching clothes. I agreed and began to plan this. As soon as he had my rags on he ran out to accost the guard who bruised my hand. I was left to become the prince. I have been acting mad since then, knowing they would recognize me as an imposter if I said I was prince but acted so differently. Then I realized that the king is nearing the end of his life. If I can keep people convinced I am the prince until Henry’s death, I will be crowned. Then I can free Scotland with nobody to say me nay.” Squanto nodded and asked, “So where is the real Edward?” Mairenn shrugged. “I don’t know, and honestly I don’t care. As long as he stays the fuck out of my way until after the coronation, it doesn’t matter to me where he is roaming around.” Squanto said, “What would happen if he came back?” Mairenn replied, “Nothing at all. He is wearing rags now, so nobody would believe he was the prince. He most likely has tried to come back but been kicked out. He is most likely in Offal Court, if such a place exists. I was making things up as I went when I was telling him stories. I didn’t pay heed to whether they were even close to reality.” Mairenn decided that when she was able to act sane again, she would issue an order for the prince to be flogged should he ever return. She did not want him ruining her plans or Scotland’s chance at freedom. But she chose not tell Squanto about that. He didn’t need to know things which would sadden him. He was a good man and Mairenn wanted to keep him that way. Mairenn sighed at the thought of having to keep things from the man she was going to at least sleep with if not marry. But she supposed being a king would not be easy or pleasant either. This deception was the least she had to worry about right now. She had to focus on learning as much as she could about how to be a prince. She could not remain mad forever. She jumped when she heard a knock on the door. She instinctively went into Squanto’s arms as the door opened. Squanto held her tightly as Louis came in. “Hello, your Highness,” he said as he closed the door behind him. “How much did you hear?” asked Mairenn with a sinking heart, realizing he had been listening at the door. Louis admitted, “I heard everything. I came here right as Lord Hertford left. I was going to come in to see if you needed anything, but then I heard you begin to speak. I apologize, your Highness. I did not mean to hear what I heard. Please do not prosecute me for treason.” Mairenn sighed and said, “If I did that, I’d also have to prosecute you for heresy, because you have too much dirt on me. But why do you keep calling me your highness when you know I am a commoner? My name is Mairenn.” Louis smiled and said, “You act like a royal. And in truth, I wouldst support thee if thou ascended the throne. Verilee, you are not a commoner even if your parents are such. A light shines from thee, Your Grace. Besides, I am Celtic too. I may not be Scottish, but I believe the Scots and the Irish share a similar destiny. I can teach you princely manners if you’d like.” Mairenn was ecstatic that she had not only a new friend who knew the truth, but that she had a way to learn to be a prince. “I’d like that, so I won’t have to act like I am a madwoman forever. But I must go to the king as soon as possible. The Lord Hertford assaulted my lover and that is unacceptable. I will not stand for this! So assist me in dressing so that I may go and ensure this does not occur again.” Louis immediately began to help her. “I doubt it will be so easy, my prince. Even if the king rebukes Hertford, the abuse will only become more subtle and covert. And the king himself will do nothing to Lord Hertford but scold him. I doubt the king will be happy about your new ‘companion’ especially once he learns Squanto’s true purpose here. Think on it: how would you feel if your favorite child came home one day in the arms of a man nearly old enough to be his father and at first lied and said he was only her companion before revealing they were sleeping together and he had taken her virginity?” Mairenn said, “Then I won’t lie to him. I’ll tell him from the beginning that Squanto is my lover.” Louis raised an eyebrow. “You really think that will make him more sympathetic to Squanto? Are you sure he won’t simply throw Squanto out? Have you even met the king? He is not a patient man at all. He is not kind or just. He is the last person who would be able to empathize with Squanto’s point of view or care about his pain. If you’re going to tell him the truth about your relationship, you have got to act. You have to convince the king that you love this man with all your heart in order for this to have the tiniest chance of succeeding. And Squanto, you have to act gentle and sweet so that the king thinks you are a good match for his son. Don’t put your hands where they don’t belong, and smile a lot. Hide any bitterness towards the English. Act as if you are glad you came here, mayhap even act like you wish it had happened sooner because your life was empty without the prince.” Mairenn nodded as she finished dressing and motioned for Squanto to follow her. Squanto did so as the three of them walked out of the room. Immediately several lords of the court came forward and made Mairenn lean into them to steady her step. They all seemed beside themselves with concern for her. She soon came upon the room that King Henry occupied. She was about to open the door when it was opened for her by Louis. She walked inside with Squanto holding her. A fat man was lying on a divan, his leg propped up by pillows. Mairenn had heard that he was plagued by sores and now knew it to be true. She gently approached the man whom she assumed was King Henry Tudor. She had the urge to curtsy despite her hatred for this man. Instead she and Squanto knelt to him, their hands intertwined. Mairenn knew this was the moment she had to act both mad and in love. The king raised an eyebrow as she and Squanto smiled at each other. Squanto nuzzled his nose against hers in a loving motion. “My boy, who is this man?” asked the king, an amused expression on his face. Mairenn replied in a respectful tone laced with fear, “Your Majesty, this is Squanto, my lover. He comes from across the ocean. Please don’t behead us! I am sorry for what I’ve done. I know it was wrong.” The king smiled at Mairenn and gently took her head in his hands. “My son, I am not upset over your lover. All that matters to me is thy happiness. I care not whether it be sinful for you to bed a man or a heathen. If he gives thee pleasure, he is a friend to me. I shall not behead either of thee.” Mairenn sighed in relief. “Thank ye, my king! But verily, I am not thy son. I am merely a beggar boy. My name is Tom Canty. The prince and I switched clothes a while ago, and he hath not returned. I humbly beg thy forgiveness. I used the prince’s authority to save this man from Sir George. I know I have overstepped my bounds, but prithee spare this man. He knew nothing of this deceit. He is innocent, my liege.” The king frowned in confusion. “My son, I had hoped that the rumors were merely the gossip of bored servants, but I can see that they are indeed truth. I am sorry you are ill like this. Louis told me you had a fever yesterday. Come; let me see if that persists.” With that the king gently felt Mairenn’s forehead. “The fever doth persist. My son, go thee to bed and rest so that thy brain is not further harmed by this illness. Take Squanto with thee.” Mairenn nodded, grinning inside herself. She had not known this would go so well or be so easy. Squanto seemed to agree when he lifted her into his arms and then kissed her. She kissed back automatically, enjoying her first kiss. She used to have hoped to kiss a Scottish highlander like this, but now she felt as if she wanted to kiss nobody but this man, this exotic stranger. She wanted to marry him one day. He carried her out of the room, ignoring the lords and servants around them, and walked to her chambers. “Make love to me,” she told him as soon as the door was closed. Squanto seemed to understand her perfectly as he pushed her onto the soft green bed, his lips locked with hers. Then he began to kiss down her face while unbuttoning her doublet. She moaned in delight at this, her legs spreading instinctively. Squanto sucked her neck. Mairenn ran her fingers through his long black mane as he suckled her collarbone which was sticking out due to her thinness. He said something in his own language that Mairenn assumed meant that he was concerned about her low weight. “Worry not, my love, for in a few weeks I shall be almost as fat as our good King!” she said breathlessly. Squanto smiled up at her and then ripped the rest of her doublet off. He raised an eyebrow at her bindings. “They tie at the back, my love,” she said. Squanto seemed to understand her and easily untied her bindings. Then he covered her breasts with his mouth. She moaned as he sucked them while his hands went down her trunks. She shivered from pleasure as he kissed down her belly. He stopped for a moment, frowning at her in concern. He asked something in his language, which Mairenn could not understand. “Don’t stop, my love!” she told him. He nodded and sighed before spreading her legs and putting his face in between them, his tongue licking her clit. She moaned again but she was beginning to feel dizzy. She ignored it, thinking it was arousal. Squanto began to go faster, apparently trying to bring her to orgasm as fast as possible. It was working and soon Mairenn arched up as she cummed into Squanto’s mouth. Then she shuddered. She did this several times, alarming Squanto, who tried to soothe her to no avail. The convulsions lasted for several minutes until she finally collapsed into bed, unconscious. Then her eyes fluttered open. She did not remember anything since right before her orgasm. “Why are you looking at me like that? Have we finished already?” she asked, looking at Squanto’s panic-stricken face. He hugged her tightly, tears in his eyes as he said something in his language. “I thought you were dead!” he managed to say in a tearful voice. Mairenn did not understand this, so she spread her legs again and sat so that his cock was nearly inside her. “Let’s finish this and then go to sleep. I am exhausted suddenly.” Squanto kissed her and then lay her down on the bed and gently thrust into her, making her wince as her maidenhead was broken. “Are you all right?” he asked, stopping. Mairenn nodded. “Yes, my love, I am all right. Continue, please.” Squanto smiled at her and obeyed, thrusting in and out of her until she was used to the pain. Then he quickened his pace, still careful not to harm her. Mairenn appreciated how gentle he was being. She knew most men would not care to be. Most men only thought and cared about their own needs and desires. This man not only valued her needs, he seemed to put them above his own. She felt very lucky to have found such a man, especially in this époque. If she had been back in Roman times, then perhaps she would have more luck finding a good man, or at least a man who cared about her in bed. “I love you, Mairenn,” said Squanto sweetly, his mouth against her ear. Mairenn smiled and replied, “I love you as well, Squanto my sweet. You shall make a woman very happy one day,” she said the last part with a wink. Squanto blushed and smiled shyly, endearing her even more to him. Then he winced and came inside her. “Now, go to sleep, my lovely prince.” Mairenn was about to obey when suddenly she felt sick to her stomach and vomited blood over the side of the bed. Squanto held her long brown hair out of the way as he stroked her face soothingly. When she finished being sick, he lay her gently in bed and lay beside her. She snuggled into his chest as she fell asleep.
Mairenn was shaken awake the next morning by the Lord Hertford. She glared at him and then realized with a start that Squanto was not there. “Where is Squanto?” she managed to ask. The man replied, “That savage is in holding until he can be returned to Sir George.” Mairenn was distraught at this but was too dizzy to speak. “Tis for the best, your highness. That man was a danger to us all. He molested you last night. Then he had the audacity to ask for help, acting as if he were the victim. Sir George should never have brought such dangerous men to this country in the first place. I will see to it that both men are properly taken care of. Now get up; the King wishes to see you.” Mairenn felt like crying. She tried to get up but collapsed into Lord Hertford’s arms. He caught her and for a frightful second Mairenn thought he was going to strike her. But he didn’t. Instead, he gently helped her dress. Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach again. “I’m going to be sick,” she said. Lord Hertford frowned as she tried to fight the coming illness. When she thought she had it under control, she walked out the door and down the hallway.
She managed to walk up to the king and try to kneel before her stomach took control and she vomited blood over and over again. Tears streamed down her face as she wished Squanto was there. She sighed in relief as she felt a hand holding her hair back and another hand stroking her face. “Squanto my love, thou art here! I thought the Lord Hertford had sent thee back to Sir George!” her vomiting began to abate as relief and love flowed through her mind. She then collapsed, but was caught. She looked up and was shocked to see Louis holding her. “But where is Squanto? I thought-“ she burst into tears as she realized the truth. Louis said, “Your Highness, I am very sorry about thy lover.” The king sighed as he saw Mairenn trying not to break down sobbing. He motioned for her to come over to him. She ran into his arms and began to cry aloud. He patted her back and made fatherly soothing noises. “Twill be all right, my son. We will find Squanto and he will not be harmed. Sir George is not stupid enough to harm a man under my protection or yours. Thy uncle will pay dearly for this treason.” Just as the king finished saying this, Lord Hertford came in and bowed to him. Mairenn decided that this was the time to use the bruise on her face for the good of the country. She began to shake in fear as Hertford approached her. “My Prince, allow me to offer my condolences on losing thy lover. If thou wouldst like, I might find you another one, perhaps one not quite so savage.” Mairenn cowered as he came closer. The king asked her, “My boy, why do you tremble so? Art thou frightened of thy uncle? Has he harmed thee?” Slowly, Mairenn nodded. “He hit me with the back of his hand a week ago because I would not pleasure him,” she lied. Hertford’s mouth dropped open for a moment in shock at her statement. “My liege, the boy is mad! Clearly that savage hath done this! I will see to it that that heathen is hanged!” Mairenn lost control and screamed a little at this. The king soothed her before turning to Hertfort. “Nay, that savage hath not wrought ill upon my son; tis thee that hath driven this boy mad! This sweet and innocent child hath been corrupted by thy demented desires.” Hertford paled when he realized the king would not listen to him. “Sire, I have only ever shown this boy love! Never have I ever laid a finger upon the prince!” The king clapped his hands. “Guards, arrest the Lord Hertford and hie him to the Tower! He hath molested the prince.” The guards immediately seized the lord Hertford, giving Mairenn a wicked sort of smugness. She was sure now that the king would believe anything she said. And now she no longer needed to act mad or deny that she was the prince everyone would conclude that Hertford had caused her madness in the first place. As she was thinking this, the king drew her onto his lap and held her close to his chest. She realized that he would never think she was anyone but his son, no matter what happened. She could show him her breasts and he would still think she was his son! Or at least he would act like he did. Mairenn wondered how far she could go. But caution prevailed in her mind and she decided not to do anything rash. She hugged the king, pretending not to smell his rotting legs. Suddenly the king frowned and reached his hand between her legs, sending signals of alarm through her brain. He brought his hand back and she saw it was stained with her blood. “Thou art bleeding, my son!” Panic filled his face. Mairenn realized he was scared of losing her. She said, “Sire, please allow me to explain privately. This is an issue which requires delicacy” The king sighed and motioned for everyone to leave. Mairenn waited until the last person had left and closed the door behind himself before getting down from the king’s lap and pulling down her trunks and then her undergarments which were all soaked in blood. The king’s blue eyes widened. “What happened?!?” he asked. Mairenn replied honestly, “Last night Squanto and I made love. This blood is from my virginity being taken.” The king sighed in relief and asked, “Are you in great pain, my son? I worry that you are further injured than you realize. I would be more at ease if the physician gave his opinion.” Mairenn asked, “He will keep the secret?” The king replied, “He knows the price for treason. He won’t dare say a word against thee.” Mairenn nodded. “Then I would like to see him. I feel sick to my stomach.” The king smiled and called for the physician, who immediately ran in. “You requested me, your majesty?” The king answered, “My son lost his virginity last night and I fear he was injured in the process. Will you take a look?” The physician nodded and turned to Mairenn, only showing slight surprise at what he saw. “Sit down, your highness, so that I may have a better look down there.” Mairenn sat, her legs spread wide. The doctor gently wiped away the blood with a cloth. She winced when he felt inside her. “Sire, there is no injury here. The torn hymen may take a few days to fully heal. The bleeding seems to have stopped, which is a good sign. I’m more concerned over the vomiting. She may be hemorrhaging. She needs to be on bed rest for a few days so I can ascertain the cause of the bloody vomit.” The king nodded. “Then cover her and carry her to her bedchambers.” The doctor wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up. She laid her head against his chest, wishing with all her heart that he was Squanto. “I miss Squanto,” she murmured. The king said, “I know, my son. When you wake, he will be at your side.” Mairenn nodded, too exhausted not to believe him. She was then carried out of the room and to her bedchambers. She fell asleep as she was laid in the now clean bed. “Good night, sweet prince,” said the doctor in a sweet tone.
Mairenn woke up that night knowing she had to rescue Squanto. The king would not be able to do so, since he thought Squanto was in Sir George’s custody. But Mairenn remembered that Lord Hertford said that Squanto was in holding. Mairenn stood up and ran to the door, not bothering to get dressed. She knew time was precious if Squanto was to be found alive. She opened the door and was glad to see Louis standing there. He seemed shocked to see her in her nightgown. “Your Highness, what is the matter? Do I need to send for the physician? Are you unwell?” Mairenn shook her head and replied, “Nay, Louis, I am not unwell. You must take me to the dungeon forthwith.” Louis said, “Are you not going to dress first?” Mairenn said, “There isn’t time! Squanto is down there. I fear for his life if he is not rescued anon. Lord Hertford said that Squanto was in holding until he could be transported to Sir George. But with Hertford in the Tower, nobody can authorize the transport, and Sir George will not be stupid enough to agree to take Squanto back without my approval.” Louis sighed and said, “Follow me, your Highness.” He then led Mairenn down some stairs and through a secret passageway to a wall. He then slid a panel aside to reveal a door. “None but the servants know of this door, Your Highness. This leads directly to the dungeons.” Mairenn said, “This shall be useful to know when I am king, Louis.” Louis smiled at her before opening the door and walking through it. “Be cautious, Highness, these stairs are treacherous and steep.” Mairenn followed Louis through the secret door and down the first few steps, noting that it was nearly pitch dark, even with Louis’ candelabra. She was frightened suddenly as the door slammed shut, nearly making her jump. It was all she could do to not scream. She hoped they were not trapped down there. But she kept that to herself, not wanting to frighten Louis as she followed him down more and more stairs. “How long is this staircase?” she asked. Louis replied, “It is not much longer to the end, Your Highness, yet prithee stay close to me as these stairs can play tricks on the mind in such darkness.” Mairenn nodded and stepped forward only to step off into nothingness. She screamed as she began to fall. “Your Highness!” said Louis in alarm. Mairenn instinctively threw her arms in front of her to stop her fall. She soon felt severe pain as both arms fractured. She then fell to the side, hitting the stone floor. She could hear footsteps approaching. She looked up to see a guard running towards her. “Prithee, is Squanto alive? I want Squanto!” The guard ran away. Mairenn began to slip into unconsciousness. She could barely hear the scrape of metal against stone or the sound of two sets of footsteps coming back to her, but very soon she was in a man’s arms. She opened her eyes to see her lover smiling at her. She was sure it was a dream. She tried to lift her arms to stroke his face, but they were immovable. “My arms,” she said. Squanto said soothingly, “Hush, my love. I am here now. Everything is all right. Sleep now. You are safe in my arms.” Louis then walked up and said, “Squanto, my friend, we must carry the prince to his bedchambers with haste.” Squanto picked Mairenn up in his arms and carried her up another set of stairs. Then he carried her to her bedchamber and gently laid her in bed and then lay beside her so that she was resting on his chest. “Sleep now, my love,” he told her gently.
Mairenn woke up in Squanto’s arms a few hours later. She stroked his face and realized her arms were no longer broken. “What happened?” she asked. Squanto replied, “Louis came to the dungeons and rescued me, my love. When I arrived here, you were having horrible nightmares that caused you to cry in your sleep.” Mairenn realized that she had only dreamt of going down to the dungeons and breaking her arms. “I am so glad you are safe, my sweet. I was afraid for your life!” Squanto replied, “I know. But I am here now, and I shall never leave you again.” Mairenn hugged Squanto. “I just wish you had been here yesterday when I was vomiting. I felt so alone without you!” Squanto hugged her back as he frowned. “I am sorry you had to suffer alone. Go to sleep now. You need rest to recover from your illness.”
Mairenn woke up starving. “I am hungry!” she complained. Squanto, who was beside her, replied, “I will fetch you something to eat, my love!” Mairenn watched as he opened the door and said, “My love the prince needs food immediately!” The servants hurried away as Squanto searched the room for food. “I found some!” he said triumphantly with a smile. Mairenn saw he was holding a bunch of nuts. He easily cracked them, impressing her at his strength. Then he sat beside her and said, “Open your mouth, my love!” She obeyed and was rewarded when he popped a nut into her mouth. She grinned as she chewed the nut. Suddenly, the door opened and Louis walked in. “Your highness, your father the king requested both of you in the throne room forthwith. I believe he wishes to have a private audience with you two.” Mairenn said, “But I am starving. Can this not wait until Squanto and I have eaten? I am sure he is hungry as well.” Louis shook his head. “Nay, your highness. The King wishes for you to meet him immediately. I apologize for any discomfort this may cause either of you.” Mairenn sighed and stood despite the intense dizziness she felt from hunger. Immediately she collapsed, but was caught by Squanto who picked her up, seemingly resigned to having to miss breakfast. He then helped the semi-conscious Mairenn to dress. After that, he carried her out into the hall where several servants jumped forward to help. Soon Squanto and Louis walked into the throne room and up to the king. The king was immediately concerned and said, “Squanto, set my son there on the divan.” Squanto obeyed and then sat beside Mairenn to keep her from falling. The king then turned to Louis and said, “You may leave now.” Louis nodded and without another word, he left and shut the door behind him. Squanto realized that there was nobody else in the room except for Mairenn, the king, and himself. He saw a huge table laden with food in front of the divan he and Mairenn were sitting on, but didn’t dare touch anything on it. The king motioned to the table and said, “Eat, Squanto. This is for you and for her.” Squanto looked up in shock. How did the king know of Mairenn’s gender? And why was he acting so nicely when he clearly knew that Mairenn was not his son? The king said, “Worry not. I do not intend to harm either of you. I found out the truth of her identity yesterday, when I discovered that she was bleeding in between her legs.” Squanto nodded, accepting the king’s answer for now in favor of sating his hunger. He began to eat greedily. After he had finished, he gently woke Mairenn and said, “Here, my love, eat.” Mairenn smiled weakly and began to eat. The king waited patiently for her to have her fill. Then when she sat back with a smile on her face, he said, “Are you well now, my child?” Mairenn nodded and said, “Yes, my king. I feel much better. Thank you for your generosity.” The king said, “My child, there is no need to thank me. I couldn’t allow my daughter, the crown princess, to starve. After all, you are the heir to the throne. If you died, both England and I would be distraught.” Mairenn was confused and asked, “But your majesty, if I am a girl who is completely unrelated to you, how can I be heir to the throne? Besides the fact that I am not even nobility at all, your son, the real crown prince, is still alive. What happens to Squanto and me when he comes back?” The king shrugged, seemingly uncaring about his own son. He said, “If Eddy comes back, then it will be your decision what happens to him. After all, I will likely not live to see his return. England needs a king, and since Eddy isn’t here to take that position when I die, you will be crowned instead.” Mairenn was shocked that the king was ignoring the royal line and choosing to crown a commoner instead. “But why me? Is it just because I happen to be here in his place? I mean no offense, but I don’t understand your logic. Princess Elizabeth ought to be crowned if Prince Edward is not able to be. I am not in the royal line. Besides, you have no clue who I am. For all you know, I could be a Scottish girl come to free her country.” The king replied, “You’re right, my child. Normally Princess Elizabeth would be crowned queen in Edward’s place. But I am choosing to give the throne to you instead because I like you better. You are highly intelligent, more so than anybody I know. The fact that you got into the palace and tricked the real prince into giving you his clothes, then convinced everyone you met that you were the prince is nothing short of amazing. Most imposters would immediately claim to be the prince, but you knew better. You denied being the prince, thus convincing everyone that you were him. That is the sort of intelligence that I want on the throne. I care not who you are. Hell, if you really are Scottish that makes what you’ve done even more astounding. That you planned how to sneak into this country and then gain access to the palace and the crown prince and then succeeded proves your intelligence to be unrivaled. You are the only one fit to wear the crown of England, my child. Now, I wish to talk to you about your health.” Mairenn was amazed that she had so impressed the king of England after only a few meetings. The king smiled at her and said, “I’ve sent for the doctor to come in an hour. I am concerned that you may be pregnant.” Both Mairenn and Squanto were shocked at this. As Mairenn was about to speak, the door opened and the physician came in. He smiled at Mairenn and walked over to her. “Hello. Let me have a look, my prince.” He then felt her abdomen. Mairenn raised an eyebrow, wondering how he could tell whether she was pregnant so soon. If she was pregnant, than she had only conceived a few days ago. Thus far she had only had one symptom: morning sickness. But she hid her dubiousness and pretended to trust the doctor’s intuition. Suddenly, the doctor began to spread her legs, causing alarm to shoot through her. “NO!” she nearly shouted, slapping his hand away. The doctor said, “Tis all right, my prince. I was only examining you.” Mairenn became furious at this answer. “Dinna touch me, Sassenach bastard! And dinnae lie to me either. I may not be a fancy doctor, but I am nay daft enough to believe there is anything ye can find to prove pregnancy mere days after conception. I haven’t even had the chance to miss my monthly time. Twill be at least a month before we know if I have a bairn inside. In any case, dinnae touch me without asking first, especially after I ascend the throne. I dinnae want to have to throw thee in the Tower.” The doctor stepped back as Squanto put his arms around Mairenn in a protective motion. The doctor looked at the King who was smiling at Mairenn. “Your Highness, prithee allow me to examine the prince. I wish to ensure that he has healed from losing his virginity.” The king said, “No. The only one who can give you permission is the Prince.” The doctor turned back to Mairenn. “Prithee, my lord, grant me permission. I apologize for not explaining my intentions properly before.
All I want to do is see that your injury has healed.” Mairenn said, “Nay you shan’t have permission. The only one who has permission to look or touch that area is Squanto until the baby is born, if there is a baby. Also if I am pregnant and there comes a time where you must look to see if the baby is in danger, then that is permissible as well. But unless it is to save the baby, you are not permitted to even look there. I am angry that you attempted to force the issue by going to the king! I do not trust thee. Now be gone from my sight. The very sight of your face causes me to seethe with fury.” The doctor ran out of the room. The king smiled at Mairenn. “That is why I chose you, my daughter. That fire is what this country needs.” Mairenn sighed and said, “I think I am indeed pregnant, my liege. I never act like I just did. I am usually completely in control of my emotions, but I just snapped when he tried to touch me. I couldn’t control what was coming out of my mouth. As soon as it came into my head, I said it.”
Mairenn walked along the street, hungry and tired. Her feet ached from her worn out shoes and her head ached from hunger and exhaustion. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking until she walked right into big iron gates. She looked up and saw a huge palace. She pressed her face against the bars to try and see better but suddenly a guard pushed her away roughly with his hand. She stumbled back a few paces as the watching crowd laughed. Suddenly a boy dressed in rich clothes sprang to the gate. "How dare you treat my father the king's meanest subject so?" he asked imperiously. Then he took Mairenn and led her into the palace. Then he had his servants bring her food as he asked her all about her life. It took her no time at all to weave a magnificent web of lies. She told the Prince all about Offal Court, making up the lies as she went. The Prince was entranced by all of this, believing every word to be true. Mairenn could not believe how gullible the Crown Prince of England truly was. Or maybe she was just a very good storyteller. She wondered how far she could push this. She needn't have bothered, for just then the Prince told her of his desire to play in the mud just once like she had told him she did. Mairenn did not hide her delight at this. She told him that she wished to know what it felt like to be a prince. Then the prince stripped. Mairenn was at first shocked but hid it well. Then the prince motioned for her to do the same, saying they would switch clothes. Mairenn nodded and smiled at him, then stripped her boys' clothes. The prince was curious as to why she wore bindings. She smiled and waved him off as she got into his clothes which fit her perfectly. He then did the same with her clothes. She looked in the mirror and became ecstatic at what she saw. She looked just like the Prince! This was better than she could ever have dreamed. Suddenly the prince saw a bruise on her face and ran out to accost the guard. Mairenn grinned, knowing everyone would think he was a beggar and he would not be allowed back into the palace. She was the prince now, or so everyone would think. But she had to play this right. She couldn’t seem too sure of herself. Her ways were different than the Prince’s and she knew hardly anything about his life or the goings on of the palace. She had to act crazy like she had forgotten it all, or like she had forgotten she was prince at all. She nodded to herself. She knew a normal imposter would try to convince everyone he was the prince by acting like the prince and saying he was the prince, but somebody would notice the differences. But if she claimed she was not the prince and acted like she was insane, people would say she had to be the prince.
After thinking her plan over, she opened the door and walked out, pretending to look for the prince. Several brightly dressed servants jumped up to greet her, concerned looks on their faces. Mairenn at first was frightened that they knew she was not the prince, but then one of them said, “Your highness, what happened? Who harmed you? Should we call the guards?” Mairenn realized that they were worried about the bruise on her face. She decided to give herself the opportunity to get rid of someone later on if anybody crossed her. So she shook her head and replied, “I slipped in a mud puddle and fell. I’m not your highness. I’m Tom Canty of Offal Court. The prince and I switched clothes a few minutes ago and he left. I came out to look for him. Please don’t call the guards; I didn’t mean any harm!” The servants seemed to get more concerned at this and Mairenn knew her identity was sealed in their minds. If she kept this act up, there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that she was the Prince of Wales. She smiled inside herself, giddy at the prospect of being the prince and one day the king. A shock went through her as she realized that day might come sooner that she had imagined. She had been so focused on being the prince; she had completely forgotten about the king. She had heard rumors that he was nearing the end of his life; if she could only keep up the act until he died, she would be crowned king. Then she could slowly reveal her true identity. So would end the Tudor reign. She knew her first act as king was going to be to free Scotland. Then she would work on freeing other peoples under English oppression. Her reign would be a benevolent one, one that people would talk about for centuries to come. “Your highness, are you unwell?” asked another servant. He was good looking so Mairenn walked up to him and kissed him on the mouth, her hand on his back. Then she fell to her knees in front of him. “Prithee, don’t call the guards on me, sir. I am only a young boy who accidentally got into the palace. Surely the Prince will attest to that once we find him.” The servant’s face was beet red as he tried to form words. He turned to another servant who was watching the whole scene with wide blue eyes and said, “Get help! The Prince is unwell!” The other man nodded and was about to walk away when Mairenn said, “No! I don’t want to be hung for treason. Prithee let me show you I mean no harm.” With that Mairenn lifted up a bit and grabbed the man’s trunks and began to pull a little, acting as if she was going to pull them down. She licked her lips to get the point across even further. She then put her mouth on the man’s crotch and kissed it over and over until she felt his cock against her mouth. She grinned an began to pull his trunks down to get better access to it. Finally the servant fount his tongue as she made circles with her fingers in his nether hair. “Stop! Your highness, I am truly and deeply flattered that thou wouldst seek me for such pleasure, but this is completely improper. I am also deeply sorry that you feel you must do this in order to not be hanged. I know not what madness has overcome thee, but prithee hear my words: thou shall not be harmed. Thou art the Prince of Wales and thy father is the king.” Mairenn looked up at him and asked hopefully, “So you won’t call the guards then?” As she said this, she got to her feet. She felt woozy suddenly but ignored it. “Your Highness, you are very pale suddenly. Do you require the physician?” Mairenn shook her head. “Nay, I am well. I must find the Prince forthwith!” She took a few shaky steps, trying to right herself with no success. The servant grew alarmed as she continued to stagger away. “Your highness, I beg you to sit down at once! I am afraid you will fall and hurt yourself.” Mairenn finally overcame the dizziness and ran down an adjacent hallway, ignoring the servant. She soon stopped in her tracks when she heard talking. She instinctively pressed herself against the wall to listen without being seen. She peeked around the corner to see several servants gossiping. Mairenn gathered that one of them had a friend who was the servant of Sir George. He had just found out about a delivery that was coming that day. Mairenn guessed the delivery was human. She grinned, planning to meet the delivery at the docks. With this in mind, she ran to the door and opened it. She felt even woozier as she forced the heavy door open. Another servant came over and helped her. “Are you quite all right, your highness? You look very pale. Perhaps I should send for the physician?” Mairenn shook her head, unable to speak as she tried to walk out the door. The servant sighed and asked, “Where are you going, your highness, if you don’t mind me asking?” Mairenn managed to reply, “I am going to the docks to meet Sir George. There is a delivery scheduled to arrive today.” The servant nodded and said, “Would you like to call for a coach, your highness?” Mairenn tried to shake her head but that action nearly made her faint. The servant said, “Surely you are not planning on walking to the docks?” Mairenn nearly raised her eyebrow at the servant’s nearly disrespectful tone. If she were sure of her position she would reprimand him. She began to walk again when suddenly the world tilted and she collapsed. The servant immediately caught her. “Your highness, allow me to call for a physician! You are very ill.” Mairenn said, “Not now. A physician would make me go into bed. I must carry out this quest to save at least someone from Sir George’s clutches. Call for a carriage and then carry me into it. I will allow myself medical care when I return.” The servant frowned, obviously conflicted. “As you wish, your highness,” he said sadly. Mairenn smiled and relaxed against his chest, lulled by his heartbeat.
Mairenn woke up as she was gently placed in the carriage. “Your Highness, would you like me to stay with you?” Mairenn looked around the carriage and figured that there would still be room to bring a man along from the docks. She nodded at the servant. “Yes, I would like that. Sit beside me so that I do not fall over.” The servant smiled at her and climbed into the carriage. She noted he had lovely red hair as he sat beside her. She leaned into him. “What is your name?” she asked. He replied, “My name is Louis, your highness.” Mairenn smiled and said, “Louis, prithee grow your hair longer for me. When it reaches your back, I may invite you to a threesome with the man I am about to rescue and I.” Louis blushed hotly but nodded. “Aye, Your Highness.” Mairenn slipped into sleep. “Wake me when we get to the docks?” she said, fighting sleep. “Yes, your highness. Go to sleep now. I will wake you.” Mairenn obeyed and fell asleep.
“We’re here, your Highness,” said a voice, bringing Mairenn back into reality. She smiled as the servant stroked her face. Then he got out of the carriage and lifted her down. “Do you think you can walk, your Highness?” Mairenn nodded. “Yes, Louis, I can walk for a little while. Let us get this done with. I feel quite weak.” Just as she said this, another carriage came to the docks. It stopped and an older man got out of it. He walked over to Mairenn. Mairenn asked, “Are you Sir George?” The man replied, “Yes, I am. Who pray tell are you?” Mairenn replied, “I am Prince Edward Tudor of Wales. I have come because I was curious about the delivery that is to arrive today.” Sir George bowed and then smiled at her. “Your Highness, you are right to be curious. My men are bringing savages from across the ocean. They should be very entertaining. I am so glad you came here to meet them!” Mairenn could tell he was at least partially sincere. She looked out and saw a ship drop anchor and begin to unload. A gangplank was dropped and several men disembarked. Mairenn saw two men being forced to disembark. They were both good-looking with tan skin and long black hair. Their chests were well made and their faces were so handsome that Mairenn nearly fainted just from the sight of them. “They’re gorgeous,” she breathed into Louis’ ear. Louis smiled at her as the men were brought to stand in front of Sir George. Mairenn ran over to them. Sir George watched her as she looked them over. “You like them, your Highness?” Mairenn nodded, too in awe to speak. “Hello,” she told them finally, waving a little. A brown haired man stepped forward and said a word in another language. Sir George explained, “Thomas can speak their language, your Highness.” Mairenn gathered her courage and put her hands on their chests, right on their hearts. Then she gently ran her hands downwards. Sir George smiled at her. One of the men was looking at her curiously. He gasped a little as Mairenn gently rubbed along his stomach area, making it growl. “Hungry?” asked Mairenn with a smile. The man nodded. She reached up and caressed his face. She jumped as she felt sharp pain in her other hand. “Ouch!” she cried out, tears in her eyes. She looked and saw the other man had bitten her hand. She realized she had completely forgotten about him. A hostile scowl was on his face as he let her hand go. She recoiled, trying not to cry. Blood was streaming from her hand and she became afraid that she would lose it to blood rot. The last thing she wanted was to be a one handed king. She could imagine the names the people would call her. She then began to feel faint again. The world dimmed as she collapsed against the man. “Hold me,” she murmured. The man had a helpless look on his face. He said something to Thomas in his language. Thomas sighed and said, “Sir George, I think it would be a good idea to free Squanto’s hands so he can assist the prince. The way the prince is headed, he’s going to fall to the ground soon. I worry that he’ll hit his head.” Louis stepped forward and said, “I worry that Squanto will get hurt if the prince keeps leaning into him like that without him being able to support himself with anything but his legs. The prince is very ill with a fever; I don’t want him stressed any more than need be. He wants one of these men as a companion, and considering what just happened, I think I know which one he’s chosen.” Sir George was at once angry. “He ought to have told me that from the beginning! But either way, these men are not for sale. I own them and I intend to use them.” Louis raised a red eyebrow. “We’re not buying him anyway, so that’s just as well. We’re taking him whether you like it or not. This is an order, not a request. Now free Squanto’s hands so that he can carry the prince into the waiting carriage and I can get the prince into bed as soon as possible. I really don’t want to have to send for the guards.” Sir George nodded to Thomas, still angry but not wanting to say anything that might get him in trouble with the prince. Thomas immediately freed Squanto. Squanto thanked him and put his arms around Mairenn who was already unconscious. Then he lifted Mairenn and carried her as he followed Louis into the carriage. He gently laid Mairenn in the seat and then sat beside her, putting her head in his lap. Louis smiled at Squanto as the carriage sped off.
Mairenn woke up in a nice bed in a man’s arms. She felt safe and warm with him. She snuggled into his heat. Suddenly the door opened and a man she did not recognize walked into the room. “Good morning, Your Highness. Did you have a nice sleep?” Mairenn asked, “Yes, I did. I’ve never slept so well in my life! But prithee, who are you?” The man was taken aback. “I am thy uncle, the Lord Hertford. Do thou not recall me?” Mairenn remembered that she was supposed to deny that she was the prince so she said, “I’ve never seen you in my life, sir.” The man frowned and then felt her forehead. He said, “You are ill yet. Go back to sleep, Your Highness. I shall wake you up a little later to eat.” Mairenn nodded, glad she didn’t have to keep up the façade any longer. She was too tired to do so. She lay back and snuggled into the man’s chest. The man smiled and hugged her close. Lord Hertford smiled at her and ran his hand along her forehead, although Mairenn knew he had to be at least slightly uncomfortable with the situation between her and Squanto. But he hid it well as he brought the covers over them both. She admired his ability to stay so composed and sweet despite his own nephew sleeping with a man. Mayhap she ought to promote him when she got such power. Squanto put his hand on her head in a protective motion. He seemed ill at ease. Mairenn wondered what he sensed about this man or what he knew, seeing as he had been awake when they had arrived at the palace. She began to think that Lord Hertford had done something to Squanto, something beyond nasty remarks about him being a savage. She knew better that to ask her ‘uncle’ so she pretended to go to sleep. The man then walked out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, Mairenn sat up and waited for the man’s footsteps to fade before asking, “Squanto, are you all right my love? Did that man harm you?” Squanto sat up and nodded. “He gave me a red liquid to drink that made me sleepy. I woke up because he had men throw water on me. Then he slapped me in the back of the head several times. He said I had lured you out when you were ill. Mairenn became incensed. “And here I was thinking of giving him some sort of promotion when I became king. That bastard has some nerve attacking you! I have half a mind to go to the king about this.” Squanto said, “But my love, you are ill. Going to the king now would prove your uncle right. You ought to rest.” Mairenn sighed and decided to be honest. “Between you and me, my love, that man is not my uncle. I am not the prince. I am a Scottish girl come to help free my country. I didn’t really have a plan at all until I met the Crown Prince. I told him some lies about living around in the slums and he believed me. Then to my surprise he suggested switching clothes. I agreed and began to plan this. As soon as he had my rags on he ran out to accost the guard who bruised my hand. I was left to become the prince. I have been acting mad since then, knowing they would recognize me as an imposter if I said I was prince but acted so differently. Then I realized that the king is nearing the end of his life. If I can keep people convinced I am the prince until Henry’s death, I will be crowned. Then I can free Scotland with nobody to say me nay.” Squanto nodded and asked, “So where is the real Edward?” Mairenn shrugged. “I don’t know, and honestly I don’t care. As long as he stays the fuck out of my way until after the coronation, it doesn’t matter to me where he is roaming around.” Squanto said, “What would happen if he came back?” Mairenn replied, “Nothing at all. He is wearing rags now, so nobody would believe he was the prince. He most likely has tried to come back but been kicked out. He is most likely in Offal Court, if such a place exists. I was making things up as I went when I was telling him stories. I didn’t pay heed to whether they were even close to reality.” Mairenn decided that when she was able to act sane again, she would issue an order for the prince to be flogged should he ever return. She did not want him ruining her plans or Scotland’s chance at freedom. But she chose not tell Squanto about that. He didn’t need to know things which would sadden him. He was a good man and Mairenn wanted to keep him that way. Mairenn sighed at the thought of having to keep things from the man she was going to at least sleep with if not marry. But she supposed being a king would not be easy or pleasant either. This deception was the least she had to worry about right now. She had to focus on learning as much as she could about how to be a prince. She could not remain mad forever. She jumped when she heard a knock on the door. She instinctively went into Squanto’s arms as the door opened. Squanto held her tightly as Louis came in. “Hello, your Highness,” he said as he closed the door behind him. “How much did you hear?” asked Mairenn with a sinking heart, realizing he had been listening at the door. Louis admitted, “I heard everything. I came here right as Lord Hertford left. I was going to come in to see if you needed anything, but then I heard you begin to speak. I apologize, your Highness. I did not mean to hear what I heard. Please do not prosecute me for treason.” Mairenn sighed and said, “If I did that, I’d also have to prosecute you for heresy, because you have too much dirt on me. But why do you keep calling me your highness when you know I am a commoner? My name is Mairenn.” Louis smiled and said, “You act like a royal. And in truth, I wouldst support thee if thou ascended the throne. Verilee, you are not a commoner even if your parents are such. A light shines from thee, Your Grace. Besides, I am Celtic too. I may not be Scottish, but I believe the Scots and the Irish share a similar destiny. I can teach you princely manners if you’d like.” Mairenn was ecstatic that she had not only a new friend who knew the truth, but that she had a way to learn to be a prince. “I’d like that, so I won’t have to act like I am a madwoman forever. But I must go to the king as soon as possible. The Lord Hertford assaulted my lover and that is unacceptable. I will not stand for this! So assist me in dressing so that I may go and ensure this does not occur again.” Louis immediately began to help her. “I doubt it will be so easy, my prince. Even if the king rebukes Hertford, the abuse will only become more subtle and covert. And the king himself will do nothing to Lord Hertford but scold him. I doubt the king will be happy about your new ‘companion’ especially once he learns Squanto’s true purpose here. Think on it: how would you feel if your favorite child came home one day in the arms of a man nearly old enough to be his father and at first lied and said he was only her companion before revealing they were sleeping together and he had taken her virginity?” Mairenn said, “Then I won’t lie to him. I’ll tell him from the beginning that Squanto is my lover.” Louis raised an eyebrow. “You really think that will make him more sympathetic to Squanto? Are you sure he won’t simply throw Squanto out? Have you even met the king? He is not a patient man at all. He is not kind or just. He is the last person who would be able to empathize with Squanto’s point of view or care about his pain. If you’re going to tell him the truth about your relationship, you have got to act. You have to convince the king that you love this man with all your heart in order for this to have the tiniest chance of succeeding. And Squanto, you have to act gentle and sweet so that the king thinks you are a good match for his son. Don’t put your hands where they don’t belong, and smile a lot. Hide any bitterness towards the English. Act as if you are glad you came here, mayhap even act like you wish it had happened sooner because your life was empty without the prince.” Mairenn nodded as she finished dressing and motioned for Squanto to follow her. Squanto did so as the three of them walked out of the room. Immediately several lords of the court came forward and made Mairenn lean into them to steady her step. They all seemed beside themselves with concern for her. She soon came upon the room that King Henry occupied. She was about to open the door when it was opened for her by Louis. She walked inside with Squanto holding her. A fat man was lying on a divan, his leg propped up by pillows. Mairenn had heard that he was plagued by sores and now knew it to be true. She gently approached the man whom she assumed was King Henry Tudor. She had the urge to curtsy despite her hatred for this man. Instead she and Squanto knelt to him, their hands intertwined. Mairenn knew this was the moment she had to act both mad and in love. The king raised an eyebrow as she and Squanto smiled at each other. Squanto nuzzled his nose against hers in a loving motion. “My boy, who is this man?” asked the king, an amused expression on his face. Mairenn replied in a respectful tone laced with fear, “Your Majesty, this is Squanto, my lover. He comes from across the ocean. Please don’t behead us! I am sorry for what I’ve done. I know it was wrong.” The king smiled at Mairenn and gently took her head in his hands. “My son, I am not upset over your lover. All that matters to me is thy happiness. I care not whether it be sinful for you to bed a man or a heathen. If he gives thee pleasure, he is a friend to me. I shall not behead either of thee.” Mairenn sighed in relief. “Thank ye, my king! But verily, I am not thy son. I am merely a beggar boy. My name is Tom Canty. The prince and I switched clothes a while ago, and he hath not returned. I humbly beg thy forgiveness. I used the prince’s authority to save this man from Sir George. I know I have overstepped my bounds, but prithee spare this man. He knew nothing of this deceit. He is innocent, my liege.” The king frowned in confusion. “My son, I had hoped that the rumors were merely the gossip of bored servants, but I can see that they are indeed truth. I am sorry you are ill like this. Louis told me you had a fever yesterday. Come; let me see if that persists.” With that the king gently felt Mairenn’s forehead. “The fever doth persist. My son, go thee to bed and rest so that thy brain is not further harmed by this illness. Take Squanto with thee.” Mairenn nodded, grinning inside herself. She had not known this would go so well or be so easy. Squanto seemed to agree when he lifted her into his arms and then kissed her. She kissed back automatically, enjoying her first kiss. She used to have hoped to kiss a Scottish highlander like this, but now she felt as if she wanted to kiss nobody but this man, this exotic stranger. She wanted to marry him one day. He carried her out of the room, ignoring the lords and servants around them, and walked to her chambers. “Make love to me,” she told him as soon as the door was closed. Squanto seemed to understand her perfectly as he pushed her onto the soft green bed, his lips locked with hers. Then he began to kiss down her face while unbuttoning her doublet. She moaned in delight at this, her legs spreading instinctively. Squanto sucked her neck. Mairenn ran her fingers through his long black mane as he suckled her collarbone which was sticking out due to her thinness. He said something in his own language that Mairenn assumed meant that he was concerned about her low weight. “Worry not, my love, for in a few weeks I shall be almost as fat as our good King!” she said breathlessly. Squanto smiled up at her and then ripped the rest of her doublet off. He raised an eyebrow at her bindings. “They tie at the back, my love,” she said. Squanto seemed to understand her and easily untied her bindings. Then he covered her breasts with his mouth. She moaned as he sucked them while his hands went down her trunks. She shivered from pleasure as he kissed down her belly. He stopped for a moment, frowning at her in concern. He asked something in his language, which Mairenn could not understand. “Don’t stop, my love!” she told him. He nodded and sighed before spreading her legs and putting his face in between them, his tongue licking her clit. She moaned again but she was beginning to feel dizzy. She ignored it, thinking it was arousal. Squanto began to go faster, apparently trying to bring her to orgasm as fast as possible. It was working and soon Mairenn arched up as she cummed into Squanto’s mouth. Then she shuddered. She did this several times, alarming Squanto, who tried to soothe her to no avail. The convulsions lasted for several minutes until she finally collapsed into bed, unconscious. Then her eyes fluttered open. She did not remember anything since right before her orgasm. “Why are you looking at me like that? Have we finished already?” she asked, looking at Squanto’s panic-stricken face. He hugged her tightly, tears in his eyes as he said something in his language. “I thought you were dead!” he managed to say in a tearful voice. Mairenn did not understand this, so she spread her legs again and sat so that his cock was nearly inside her. “Let’s finish this and then go to sleep. I am exhausted suddenly.” Squanto kissed her and then lay her down on the bed and gently thrust into her, making her wince as her maidenhead was broken. “Are you all right?” he asked, stopping. Mairenn nodded. “Yes, my love, I am all right. Continue, please.” Squanto smiled at her and obeyed, thrusting in and out of her until she was used to the pain. Then he quickened his pace, still careful not to harm her. Mairenn appreciated how gentle he was being. She knew most men would not care to be. Most men only thought and cared about their own needs and desires. This man not only valued her needs, he seemed to put them above his own. She felt very lucky to have found such a man, especially in this époque. If she had been back in Roman times, then perhaps she would have more luck finding a good man, or at least a man who cared about her in bed. “I love you, Mairenn,” said Squanto sweetly, his mouth against her ear. Mairenn smiled and replied, “I love you as well, Squanto my sweet. You shall make a woman very happy one day,” she said the last part with a wink. Squanto blushed and smiled shyly, endearing her even more to him. Then he winced and came inside her. “Now, go to sleep, my lovely prince.” Mairenn was about to obey when suddenly she felt sick to her stomach and vomited blood over the side of the bed. Squanto held her long brown hair out of the way as he stroked her face soothingly. When she finished being sick, he lay her gently in bed and lay beside her. She snuggled into his chest as she fell asleep.
Mairenn was shaken awake the next morning by the Lord Hertford. She glared at him and then realized with a start that Squanto was not there. “Where is Squanto?” she managed to ask. The man replied, “That savage is in holding until he can be returned to Sir George.” Mairenn was distraught at this but was too dizzy to speak. “Tis for the best, your highness. That man was a danger to us all. He molested you last night. Then he had the audacity to ask for help, acting as if he were the victim. Sir George should never have brought such dangerous men to this country in the first place. I will see to it that both men are properly taken care of. Now get up; the King wishes to see you.” Mairenn felt like crying. She tried to get up but collapsed into Lord Hertford’s arms. He caught her and for a frightful second Mairenn thought he was going to strike her. But he didn’t. Instead, he gently helped her dress. Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach again. “I’m going to be sick,” she said. Lord Hertford frowned as she tried to fight the coming illness. When she thought she had it under control, she walked out the door and down the hallway.
She managed to walk up to the king and try to kneel before her stomach took control and she vomited blood over and over again. Tears streamed down her face as she wished Squanto was there. She sighed in relief as she felt a hand holding her hair back and another hand stroking her face. “Squanto my love, thou art here! I thought the Lord Hertford had sent thee back to Sir George!” her vomiting began to abate as relief and love flowed through her mind. She then collapsed, but was caught. She looked up and was shocked to see Louis holding her. “But where is Squanto? I thought-“ she burst into tears as she realized the truth. Louis said, “Your Highness, I am very sorry about thy lover.” The king sighed as he saw Mairenn trying not to break down sobbing. He motioned for her to come over to him. She ran into his arms and began to cry aloud. He patted her back and made fatherly soothing noises. “Twill be all right, my son. We will find Squanto and he will not be harmed. Sir George is not stupid enough to harm a man under my protection or yours. Thy uncle will pay dearly for this treason.” Just as the king finished saying this, Lord Hertford came in and bowed to him. Mairenn decided that this was the time to use the bruise on her face for the good of the country. She began to shake in fear as Hertford approached her. “My Prince, allow me to offer my condolences on losing thy lover. If thou wouldst like, I might find you another one, perhaps one not quite so savage.” Mairenn cowered as he came closer. The king asked her, “My boy, why do you tremble so? Art thou frightened of thy uncle? Has he harmed thee?” Slowly, Mairenn nodded. “He hit me with the back of his hand a week ago because I would not pleasure him,” she lied. Hertford’s mouth dropped open for a moment in shock at her statement. “My liege, the boy is mad! Clearly that savage hath done this! I will see to it that that heathen is hanged!” Mairenn lost control and screamed a little at this. The king soothed her before turning to Hertfort. “Nay, that savage hath not wrought ill upon my son; tis thee that hath driven this boy mad! This sweet and innocent child hath been corrupted by thy demented desires.” Hertford paled when he realized the king would not listen to him. “Sire, I have only ever shown this boy love! Never have I ever laid a finger upon the prince!” The king clapped his hands. “Guards, arrest the Lord Hertford and hie him to the Tower! He hath molested the prince.” The guards immediately seized the lord Hertford, giving Mairenn a wicked sort of smugness. She was sure now that the king would believe anything she said. And now she no longer needed to act mad or deny that she was the prince everyone would conclude that Hertford had caused her madness in the first place. As she was thinking this, the king drew her onto his lap and held her close to his chest. She realized that he would never think she was anyone but his son, no matter what happened. She could show him her breasts and he would still think she was his son! Or at least he would act like he did. Mairenn wondered how far she could go. But caution prevailed in her mind and she decided not to do anything rash. She hugged the king, pretending not to smell his rotting legs. Suddenly the king frowned and reached his hand between her legs, sending signals of alarm through her brain. He brought his hand back and she saw it was stained with her blood. “Thou art bleeding, my son!” Panic filled his face. Mairenn realized he was scared of losing her. She said, “Sire, please allow me to explain privately. This is an issue which requires delicacy” The king sighed and motioned for everyone to leave. Mairenn waited until the last person had left and closed the door behind himself before getting down from the king’s lap and pulling down her trunks and then her undergarments which were all soaked in blood. The king’s blue eyes widened. “What happened?!?” he asked. Mairenn replied honestly, “Last night Squanto and I made love. This blood is from my virginity being taken.” The king sighed in relief and asked, “Are you in great pain, my son? I worry that you are further injured than you realize. I would be more at ease if the physician gave his opinion.” Mairenn asked, “He will keep the secret?” The king replied, “He knows the price for treason. He won’t dare say a word against thee.” Mairenn nodded. “Then I would like to see him. I feel sick to my stomach.” The king smiled and called for the physician, who immediately ran in. “You requested me, your majesty?” The king answered, “My son lost his virginity last night and I fear he was injured in the process. Will you take a look?” The physician nodded and turned to Mairenn, only showing slight surprise at what he saw. “Sit down, your highness, so that I may have a better look down there.” Mairenn sat, her legs spread wide. The doctor gently wiped away the blood with a cloth. She winced when he felt inside her. “Sire, there is no injury here. The torn hymen may take a few days to fully heal. The bleeding seems to have stopped, which is a good sign. I’m more concerned over the vomiting. She may be hemorrhaging. She needs to be on bed rest for a few days so I can ascertain the cause of the bloody vomit.” The king nodded. “Then cover her and carry her to her bedchambers.” The doctor wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up. She laid her head against his chest, wishing with all her heart that he was Squanto. “I miss Squanto,” she murmured. The king said, “I know, my son. When you wake, he will be at your side.” Mairenn nodded, too exhausted not to believe him. She was then carried out of the room and to her bedchambers. She fell asleep as she was laid in the now clean bed. “Good night, sweet prince,” said the doctor in a sweet tone.
Mairenn woke up that night knowing she had to rescue Squanto. The king would not be able to do so, since he thought Squanto was in Sir George’s custody. But Mairenn remembered that Lord Hertford said that Squanto was in holding. Mairenn stood up and ran to the door, not bothering to get dressed. She knew time was precious if Squanto was to be found alive. She opened the door and was glad to see Louis standing there. He seemed shocked to see her in her nightgown. “Your Highness, what is the matter? Do I need to send for the physician? Are you unwell?” Mairenn shook her head and replied, “Nay, Louis, I am not unwell. You must take me to the dungeon forthwith.” Louis said, “Are you not going to dress first?” Mairenn said, “There isn’t time! Squanto is down there. I fear for his life if he is not rescued anon. Lord Hertford said that Squanto was in holding until he could be transported to Sir George. But with Hertford in the Tower, nobody can authorize the transport, and Sir George will not be stupid enough to agree to take Squanto back without my approval.” Louis sighed and said, “Follow me, your Highness.” He then led Mairenn down some stairs and through a secret passageway to a wall. He then slid a panel aside to reveal a door. “None but the servants know of this door, Your Highness. This leads directly to the dungeons.” Mairenn said, “This shall be useful to know when I am king, Louis.” Louis smiled at her before opening the door and walking through it. “Be cautious, Highness, these stairs are treacherous and steep.” Mairenn followed Louis through the secret door and down the first few steps, noting that it was nearly pitch dark, even with Louis’ candelabra. She was frightened suddenly as the door slammed shut, nearly making her jump. It was all she could do to not scream. She hoped they were not trapped down there. But she kept that to herself, not wanting to frighten Louis as she followed him down more and more stairs. “How long is this staircase?” she asked. Louis replied, “It is not much longer to the end, Your Highness, yet prithee stay close to me as these stairs can play tricks on the mind in such darkness.” Mairenn nodded and stepped forward only to step off into nothingness. She screamed as she began to fall. “Your Highness!” said Louis in alarm. Mairenn instinctively threw her arms in front of her to stop her fall. She soon felt severe pain as both arms fractured. She then fell to the side, hitting the stone floor. She could hear footsteps approaching. She looked up to see a guard running towards her. “Prithee, is Squanto alive? I want Squanto!” The guard ran away. Mairenn began to slip into unconsciousness. She could barely hear the scrape of metal against stone or the sound of two sets of footsteps coming back to her, but very soon she was in a man’s arms. She opened her eyes to see her lover smiling at her. She was sure it was a dream. She tried to lift her arms to stroke his face, but they were immovable. “My arms,” she said. Squanto said soothingly, “Hush, my love. I am here now. Everything is all right. Sleep now. You are safe in my arms.” Louis then walked up and said, “Squanto, my friend, we must carry the prince to his bedchambers with haste.” Squanto picked Mairenn up in his arms and carried her up another set of stairs. Then he carried her to her bedchamber and gently laid her in bed and then lay beside her so that she was resting on his chest. “Sleep now, my love,” he told her gently.
Mairenn woke up in Squanto’s arms a few hours later. She stroked his face and realized her arms were no longer broken. “What happened?” she asked. Squanto replied, “Louis came to the dungeons and rescued me, my love. When I arrived here, you were having horrible nightmares that caused you to cry in your sleep.” Mairenn realized that she had only dreamt of going down to the dungeons and breaking her arms. “I am so glad you are safe, my sweet. I was afraid for your life!” Squanto replied, “I know. But I am here now, and I shall never leave you again.” Mairenn hugged Squanto. “I just wish you had been here yesterday when I was vomiting. I felt so alone without you!” Squanto hugged her back as he frowned. “I am sorry you had to suffer alone. Go to sleep now. You need rest to recover from your illness.”
Mairenn woke up starving. “I am hungry!” she complained. Squanto, who was beside her, replied, “I will fetch you something to eat, my love!” Mairenn watched as he opened the door and said, “My love the prince needs food immediately!” The servants hurried away as Squanto searched the room for food. “I found some!” he said triumphantly with a smile. Mairenn saw he was holding a bunch of nuts. He easily cracked them, impressing her at his strength. Then he sat beside her and said, “Open your mouth, my love!” She obeyed and was rewarded when he popped a nut into her mouth. She grinned as she chewed the nut. Suddenly, the door opened and Louis walked in. “Your highness, your father the king requested both of you in the throne room forthwith. I believe he wishes to have a private audience with you two.” Mairenn said, “But I am starving. Can this not wait until Squanto and I have eaten? I am sure he is hungry as well.” Louis shook his head. “Nay, your highness. The King wishes for you to meet him immediately. I apologize for any discomfort this may cause either of you.” Mairenn sighed and stood despite the intense dizziness she felt from hunger. Immediately she collapsed, but was caught by Squanto who picked her up, seemingly resigned to having to miss breakfast. He then helped the semi-conscious Mairenn to dress. After that, he carried her out into the hall where several servants jumped forward to help. Soon Squanto and Louis walked into the throne room and up to the king. The king was immediately concerned and said, “Squanto, set my son there on the divan.” Squanto obeyed and then sat beside Mairenn to keep her from falling. The king then turned to Louis and said, “You may leave now.” Louis nodded and without another word, he left and shut the door behind him. Squanto realized that there was nobody else in the room except for Mairenn, the king, and himself. He saw a huge table laden with food in front of the divan he and Mairenn were sitting on, but didn’t dare touch anything on it. The king motioned to the table and said, “Eat, Squanto. This is for you and for her.” Squanto looked up in shock. How did the king know of Mairenn’s gender? And why was he acting so nicely when he clearly knew that Mairenn was not his son? The king said, “Worry not. I do not intend to harm either of you. I found out the truth of her identity yesterday, when I discovered that she was bleeding in between her legs.” Squanto nodded, accepting the king’s answer for now in favor of sating his hunger. He began to eat greedily. After he had finished, he gently woke Mairenn and said, “Here, my love, eat.” Mairenn smiled weakly and began to eat. The king waited patiently for her to have her fill. Then when she sat back with a smile on her face, he said, “Are you well now, my child?” Mairenn nodded and said, “Yes, my king. I feel much better. Thank you for your generosity.” The king said, “My child, there is no need to thank me. I couldn’t allow my daughter, the crown princess, to starve. After all, you are the heir to the throne. If you died, both England and I would be distraught.” Mairenn was confused and asked, “But your majesty, if I am a girl who is completely unrelated to you, how can I be heir to the throne? Besides the fact that I am not even nobility at all, your son, the real crown prince, is still alive. What happens to Squanto and me when he comes back?” The king shrugged, seemingly uncaring about his own son. He said, “If Eddy comes back, then it will be your decision what happens to him. After all, I will likely not live to see his return. England needs a king, and since Eddy isn’t here to take that position when I die, you will be crowned instead.” Mairenn was shocked that the king was ignoring the royal line and choosing to crown a commoner instead. “But why me? Is it just because I happen to be here in his place? I mean no offense, but I don’t understand your logic. Princess Elizabeth ought to be crowned if Prince Edward is not able to be. I am not in the royal line. Besides, you have no clue who I am. For all you know, I could be a Scottish girl come to free her country.” The king replied, “You’re right, my child. Normally Princess Elizabeth would be crowned queen in Edward’s place. But I am choosing to give the throne to you instead because I like you better. You are highly intelligent, more so than anybody I know. The fact that you got into the palace and tricked the real prince into giving you his clothes, then convinced everyone you met that you were the prince is nothing short of amazing. Most imposters would immediately claim to be the prince, but you knew better. You denied being the prince, thus convincing everyone that you were him. That is the sort of intelligence that I want on the throne. I care not who you are. Hell, if you really are Scottish that makes what you’ve done even more astounding. That you planned how to sneak into this country and then gain access to the palace and the crown prince and then succeeded proves your intelligence to be unrivaled. You are the only one fit to wear the crown of England, my child. Now, I wish to talk to you about your health.” Mairenn was amazed that she had so impressed the king of England after only a few meetings. The king smiled at her and said, “I’ve sent for the doctor to come in an hour. I am concerned that you may be pregnant.” Both Mairenn and Squanto were shocked at this. As Mairenn was about to speak, the door opened and the physician came in. He smiled at Mairenn and walked over to her. “Hello. Let me have a look, my prince.” He then felt her abdomen. Mairenn raised an eyebrow, wondering how he could tell whether she was pregnant so soon. If she was pregnant, than she had only conceived a few days ago. Thus far she had only had one symptom: morning sickness. But she hid her dubiousness and pretended to trust the doctor’s intuition. Suddenly, the doctor began to spread her legs, causing alarm to shoot through her. “NO!” she nearly shouted, slapping his hand away. The doctor said, “Tis all right, my prince. I was only examining you.” Mairenn became furious at this answer. “Dinna touch me, Sassenach bastard! And dinnae lie to me either. I may not be a fancy doctor, but I am nay daft enough to believe there is anything ye can find to prove pregnancy mere days after conception. I haven’t even had the chance to miss my monthly time. Twill be at least a month before we know if I have a bairn inside. In any case, dinnae touch me without asking first, especially after I ascend the throne. I dinnae want to have to throw thee in the Tower.” The doctor stepped back as Squanto put his arms around Mairenn in a protective motion. The doctor looked at the King who was smiling at Mairenn. “Your Highness, prithee allow me to examine the prince. I wish to ensure that he has healed from losing his virginity.” The king said, “No. The only one who can give you permission is the Prince.” The doctor turned back to Mairenn. “Prithee, my lord, grant me permission. I apologize for not explaining my intentions properly before.
All I want to do is see that your injury has healed.” Mairenn said, “Nay you shan’t have permission. The only one who has permission to look or touch that area is Squanto until the baby is born, if there is a baby. Also if I am pregnant and there comes a time where you must look to see if the baby is in danger, then that is permissible as well. But unless it is to save the baby, you are not permitted to even look there. I am angry that you attempted to force the issue by going to the king! I do not trust thee. Now be gone from my sight. The very sight of your face causes me to seethe with fury.” The doctor ran out of the room. The king smiled at Mairenn. “That is why I chose you, my daughter. That fire is what this country needs.” Mairenn sighed and said, “I think I am indeed pregnant, my liege. I never act like I just did. I am usually completely in control of my emotions, but I just snapped when he tried to touch me. I couldn’t control what was coming out of my mouth. As soon as it came into my head, I said it.”