A Trusted Friend

*smiles* I do appreciate that My Lady, more than you know. It seems I am short on friends these days.

I may indeed call on you

*Sir Francis Walsingham - having been set upon a task as a matter of urgency - knocks and enters the room*

*Bowing shortly before Her Majesty Elizabeth and regarding Sir Nicholas with raised eyebrow he doth speak*

The co-conspirator is of no consequence and we shall have no trouble there your Majesty. We hath been gaining good information while this man doth roam free, but will not have him endanger the realm.

*A gentleman despite his job, Walsingham doth look politely to the floor*

His behaviour towards the Scots Queen ist unforgivable and if thou wishest it your majesty we are full ready to escort him south to the Tower.

...however, your majesty

*he glances with a cold look towards Sir Nicholas*

if we are ever to know the true intent of this realm and this rule I think we have need of further information of what all parties intend.

*he bows his head to her majesty indicating he hath finished, and Elizabeth, full trusting of her faithful servant doth look to Sir Nicholas for his reaction upon this*

(OOC: is Sir Richard there now or did you mean Nicholas? )

*Throws a sour look at Walsingham when she realises she was not acnowledged*

(OOC: meant Nicholas, have alterred it)

*Walsingham bows towards Lady Woodville*

My apologies good lady, I seem to have forgotten my manners in the haste of business.

Gathering information? What information? *Now it is Nicholas who locks him with an icy stare.*

It was you who brought him here. You brought him here to spy. You best tell me now if I am mistaken.

*Nicholas is clearly not the least bit intimidated by this man, he looks as though he is quite prepared to rip him to shreads at any moment.

*Walsingham nods*

You are not mistaken my lord of Rhodes. The unstable nature of your so called Queen of Scots endangers us all. She cannot be second guessed except for us to assume she will be the ruin of Scotland and all who come into contact with her. Without immediate knowledge of her every move and inclination I am powerless to protect England from it's nearest and most unstable threat.

*he turns away from Nicholas now, pacing the floor in anger at the chaos of the Scottish court and that he hath been decieved of the true extend of Richard's character*

If I had known Richard of Rhodes to be truly the vile creature he ist now uncovered to be I would have not permit him leave for the court of an unprotected Queen. I also foolishly thought Marie Stuart under the protection of her council and her betrothed, but it seems she doth run free along with her foolish mind with none to care for her welfare.

As for my involvement with Richard, I found him angered and plotting thine downfall Sir Nicholas. He was set to travel here anyway and sought the aid of most unsavoury benefactors. It seemed best that we step in, therefore having some knowledge of his behaviour as well as that of Marie Stuart. I also saw fit to steer him clear from any unfortunate associations who could place fierce power behind his foul schemes.

That wuldst be Marquis!

How dare you bring evil into this land and then stand there and purpose to blame me for not protecting my betrothed! If it were not for thee and thine trickery she wuldst not have needed protecting!

Perhaps not from Richard, if I had sought my Queen's wrath by falsely imprisoning a gentleman of the house of Rhodes.

But I say with all confidence my lord that the so called Queen of Scots needs protecting from herself, and her Kingdom protecting from her! Apart from your blind love for Marie Stuart enticing my Queen and her friends to treat her well, no other would go near her!

...except of course papist murderers who would see my Queen dead, and other foul fiend who seek only to take all Marie Stuart has or else use her as puppet Queen for their own ends. For all the love she claims from her French family, she was cast out of the French court back to Scotland upon the death of her husband and they didst not lift a finger to help her when last she destroyed and fled from this land.

Her own family and her guardians would cast her aside for her incompetant destruction of all things. My Queen ist her only true and powerful friend and yet she still plots to have Elizabeth dead.

*Walsingham looks to Her Majesty Elizabeth afore bowing his head*

You know full well your highness that I find your only weakness to be your kind heart and your insistance upon delaying distasteful matters which must be done. I fear your fondness for this gentleman hath led you to support Marie Stuart and in so doing threaten the safety of our good Kingdom.

*he gets down upon one knee*

I must plead for an end to this, now, while there is still chance to cut England free and build defences against the Papist Scots and all the their foul friends abroad.

I also think it unwise for you to remain here any further and so taint your good name with the goings on of this court.

Marie plots nothing! Elizabeth and Marie hath built a strong alliance over these past months, that which was of thier own chooseing and from no influnce from me.

From where I stand, the only ones I see plotting destruction are treachurous spies such as thee! And again I wilst thank you not to speak of this court as if it were some plague ... I remind you the goings on here THOU set in motion!

*Nicholas paces the room a moment, his whole body rigid with anger. He shakes his head finaly and sighs*

I shall habor no ill will against you, for I know what you do you do for the love of your Queen and England. Despite thine thoughts to the contrary I too love Elizabeth, as both Queen and my oldest and dearest friend. Likewise I remain loyal to her and England as I always have.

However, I also love Marie, I intend to make her my wife. I am loyal to her, I believe in her and I feel in my heart she will rise to be the ruler everyone wishes her to be, IF she is left alone to do so. She poses no threat to Elizabeth or England.


*He then turns to Elizabeth*

My dear friend thine presence here in all of this has meant more to me than I can say, but if thou feels thee shuld leave here then by all means do so and know that thou doths with my blessing. Thou hath done so much for me already. Go home and prepare for the arrival of thine Don Juan *smiles despite his own misery*

*Sir Francis nods and takes his leave, thankful that Elizabeth hath been freed of her personal obligation. He hopes she will take the chance to return to her kingdom and put her realm afore her friends and family*

*Elizabeth hath spent the whole of the conversation either angrily with her hands balled into fists or wringing her hands with distress. Sir Francis' words of her putting her friend and her cousin afore her realm didst sting, but for one of the rest times in her life she had no argument of defence.*

*At Sir Nicholas's words of release from her obligtion to him and the kingdom of Scotland she felt a pang of longing for England, but with it tears sprung to her eyes. How could she abandon him now with all he was going through. And Marie too, no matter how stupidly she was behaving was her cousin, her blood, and had been through a great deal.*

*she speaks very quietly, almost like the young princess who wished the approval of her father rather than the older Queen*

I would take my leave of you for short while.

Sir Nicholas, If you could please ask thine horsemen to prepare me a horse and allow me alone in my rooms to change I have the need to go out for a gallop beneath the Scots moon to gather mine thoughts.

Of course my friend *Nicholas bows and leaves her alone*