“It’s not the King’s Yeoman, you fool,” Castleroy strode between the trees “Have you suffered a bout of the nerves Fawkes? Do you need some sniffing salts or a kerchief?” Castleroy looked at him in disdain.
“Having spent weeks being Queen Katherine’s dandy, I couldn’t afford not to check in to see how the plan is unfolding.”
The men with Castleroy hung back at a respectful distance, clad in his colours and heavily armed.
“No Fawkes, I have come to make sure the plan unfolds entirely as planned. It’s not possible to crown one King when the former has yet to be usurped.”
He strode over, reached out a firm hand and hauled Fawkes up. “Now for the finale,” he laughed.
***
Months of planning, fawning, and pretending were nearly over. Castleroy let his head lean back in the carriage, tasting the power that would soon be his.
He could not join the King’s party, too many suspicions were afoot. They thought him, and Katherine, were having an adulterous affair. What a joke. He needed her to disappear with the King and by incensing jealousy, he had made it so Katherine was not allowed out of the King’s sight.
As the new King and master of the realm, he did not want James’ old bed-mate. No, he wanted a lady, fair on the eye, softly spoken, obedient, and his alone.
The carriage tilted. Fawkes hung down from the roof and peered in the door.
“I reckon it’s time to blow the lid off this, have us some fireworks.”
They made it briskly and undetected to where everything was waiting. Fawkes continued to fuss which was agitating Lord Castleroy’s nerves.
“Will you do the honours?” Fawkes turned and asked with a gleam in his eye.
Lord Castleroy laughed. “All this work to accidently get myself blown up? I don’t think so.”
With that he strode off, and made it a couple of streets over, to a balcony perched high, with an excellent view of James and Katherine. How foolish they looked he thought. Arrogant in thinking the plan was thwarted and they would be able to safely watch the festivities.
Katherine was a sight to behold in all her splendour, a shame her personality and overwhelming neediness had drowned any affection he may have had for her.
He inhaled; he could almost imagine the crown on his head. Watching as the royal family turned to see the procession, a smile at his lips.
The force of the explosion was swift, it decimated everything in the wake of Westminster, Lord Castleroy standing on his perch did not know what had hit him, and never stood a chance of surviving, and so in death he joined the King and Queen.
Running as fast as he could, full of adrenaline, was Fawkes “If I plot to kill a King, then I will make sure the replacement is worthy and of my choosing.”
With the deception fresh, he journeyed forth to find a new King.
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