Chapter One
Harry could feel the hooves that followed him pounding on the treacherous terrain in the very core of his heart. He knew that every step the horseman took closer to him was one less step he had. The young prince’s stockings were torn with thorns poking through. Never in his life did he have to run for anything, much less his freedom. He was one of the most powerful men in all of Lockerbie, and probably Europe. He saw his fate dwindling down as the night closed around him and his legs gave way.
For a moron prince he put up a good fight, thought the horseman as he approached the sad lump of a man. The horseman was did not sit tall in his saddle but he was an expert rider. Instead he was strong and muscular, many years in the Royal Army of England, his mother land, had provided him. His tasks since were the same, to obey his master, to carry out the dirty little tasks such as those before him now. He tried to block out the fact that he was about to perform high treason, a treason that not even England would forgive. This was his task. He was not trained to think about the morality of the situation before performing, just act!
“I beg you sir!” The pathetic form moaned, “My father can give you anything you desire. I can give you unspeakable wealth, a place in our court, and this will be our little secret. I beg you, by the name of the Family Humphries, do not kill me!”
“My job, my lord, is not to make negotiations. I serve a purpose to my master. This is my duty. I am sorry for the treason I am about to commit. May the Lord grant mercy on my soul, as well as your soul.” The man spoke in a monotone.
Harry glimpsed up and through the moonlight thought he recognized the man. He was helpless as the large hand seized his collar and secured the noose around his neck. The poor prince struggled. Harry was a small man and rather thin. Nights of drinking and getting very little sleep had prevented him from ever becoming a strong man. He had always lived a rambunctious lifestyle, to the displeasure of the citizens of Lockerbie.
His body was dragged by the noose to a tree. The tree was perfectly designed for situations such as these. The prince gagged profusely as he was still very much alive and able to breathe. He tried to dig his feet into the mud to stop his captor but nothing seemed to stop this man’s strength.
“Well Prince Harry, it has been a royal pleasure. I’m sorry to say that my ugly face will be the last you gaze upon.” The man seemed almost amused at the situation. The prince kicked and wailed to his energy’s limit. But it was no use. It seemed like in no time the man had him strung up. Just one more pull would have done the trick. “Any last words, my lord?”
It was difficult for him to gag out anything but he was sputtering something that the man seemed to understand. “What’s that my lord? Ah, yes, for here I am thinking you’re the world’s biggest idiot. You do recognize me though. Good job my lord, yes, I am Kenton Knight!” And with one tugged the body went lifeless.
“Elizabeth! Elizabeth, I have to dance with you.” The speaker was the tall, dark and handsome Robert Whitaker. His strong presence flattered the young princess to her very core. Robert was indeed one of the most sought after, handsome men in all the land.
“You know if my father witnesses us attempting to look at each other he will have your head.” Tall and slender Elizabeth Humphries turned from the lavish ballroom to face Robert. She was only 16 but she was already a beautiful woman with golden hair that was placed in a stylish bouffant of the time. Her massive dress was ornate with beads and stones; a long dark silk dress with pleats and largely proofed sleeves. Her tiny waist was wearing a corset so tight she could barely take a deep breathe. All in all, the blue eyed beauty of the Humphries Clan was exquisite. And Robert knew it. He also knew she was very, very young.
“Your father could not get within two inches of my head your highness. He is a rather slight man.”
“Robert, you should not say such things of our King! Or my father for that matter.”
“Princess,” Robert said taking her ever so willing hand and led her to the dance floor, “I am not worried about “our king” as you put it. I am the Prime Minister of this country. He needs me. Besides, we have a truce amongst the families, so his clams to killing me will be short lived.” He then proceeded to dance with her.
“Alfred.” The King, His Royal Highness Harold Humphries IV addressed his personal advisor, Alfred, do you see what’s going on down there?” The King and his men were seated in a grand seating chamber above the grand hall. It was a large chamber overlooking the gay couples dancing and sharing punch together. The room glowed with richness; the night lamps were burning hotly across the ballroom making a rather cool night a sweaty affair. Directly underneath the seating chamber was where the orchestra sat. They had been playing for hours open hours as though the couples seemed to never tire of the stream of music that escaped their instruments. The band sweat, the crowds sweat, the cooks and servants that served the various meats and dishes sweat, the courtier’s sweat, the dancers sweat, and the royalty sweat. It didn’t seem to matter what class distinction you fell under, no one was free from the sweat.
“I see many things underneath these dear old eyes Harold, what are you speaking of?” Alfred had not only been the King’s advisor for many, many years but he also was a life long friend; one of the very few that he had.
“Do you not see my daughter dancing with that…that man?” Harold was a hot tempered man and it was easy to see him upset about something. Alfred was long since use to it.
“Dear friend, your daughter has danced with many men all evening; she is the most sought after girl in the land.” Alfred was old and weary of conversing with the king on such matters. He was 63 and looked like he was at least 70. “That man is one of the most sought after men in the land.”
“So why it then that he is still remains unmarried? When I was his age Mary and Harry had been born by then!”
“Maybe he isn’t the marrying type my Lord.” Alfred said wearily.
“He was the marrying type when he was trying to romance my Mary!” The King was speaking of the secret affair his eldest daughter had with the man. After her father found out the romance was over and the Princess was married off.
“The man is your Prime Minister now for God’s sake. She’s danced with several men of the court”
“Not by MY Prime Minister!” The King enraged.
“Harold, they are both noblemen of the court. And I don’t think there is anything written in your family creed that distinctly states that a Whitaker and a Humphries may not have a dance together at a ball.”
“Well, let is so be written then!” The creed that Alfred was speaking of was a document that was written centuries ago.
In the beginning there was one family. Margaret Whitaker was a poor peasant girl that had taken a fancy to the young and handsome Prince Richard the Lion heart, when he was but a young man. The affair turned the young servant of the palace back to her homeland of Lockerbie Island after she had discovered that she was with child. The young prince did not know this. A generation later the young prince, now old man, was on a rampage to convert the Catholics**** of Lockerbie Island to unite as one. This caused uproar for the tiny island due to their difference is religious beliefs. An angry Richard ordered executions and persecutions that were unbearable to imagine. Unknowingly, this led his son down a destructive path. His grandson, Cain, who witnessed his parents burning last moments, would not stand for anything other than freedom from England for Lockerbie Island. The rebellious revolt led to much bloodshed in the next few years. So much blood was shed that a much older King Richard came to the Island himself. Never setting gaze on the Island before the King noticed a young man who bore a striking resemblance to himself in his youth. Richard came to find that after the parents of the young man had been persecuted he was raised by Margaret Whitaker, his grandmother. After the fact of Cain’s genealogy was produced Richard offered him a seat in the royal court, as his own son was already made a Crowned Prince. Cain refused. Grandfather or not, he was still very much the murderer of his parents. If Richard wanted to do something noble for this branch of his family, he would free the Island from England’s tyranny and offer a truce to keep the country protected. An unwilling Richard agreed. England kept the small Island safe from conquerors in later years to come.
Thus were the roots of the small island’s royalty. King Cain was a peace loving King. He built wonderful schools and a legendary castle which still stood to the date. It was not in use anymore but it was an excellent retreat. Centuries later there was to be another noble king to sit on the throne of Lockerbie. His name was Robert IV. Robert IV believed in truth and justice to the people of Lockerbie. In that he felt that his son, Robert V, was not an adequate choice to be the successor of Lockerbie Island. Instead, Robert IV placed his son in law, his daughter Elizabeth’s husband, Harold Humphries, on the throne of Lockerbie. Harold had been the King’s right hand man for years, hence the strategic alliance in his marrying the Princess. Now he entrusted him with his nation. This did not make Robert V or any of the other children of Robert IV very happy. There were several bloody civil wars fought in the country after this. Harold II offered a truce agreement which the current Robert of the day accepted. Since then, Whits, as they were called, and Humphs, as they were called, tried to live harmoniously. But the separation started two political factions within the country. And forever the country remained. One of the items in the truce was that a Whitaker clan leader must prevail as prime minister of the country. The descendants of the Humphries Clan were still Whitakers in all but name. They shared the same blood line and heritage. But the Whitakers never really forgot that it was there people that should have been sitting in that seat if the infamous Robert IV did not feel that it was his noble duty to appoint the most worthy candidate on the throne of the land. There had been bad Humphries rulers as well, however, none of them so noble to give up the throne that was given to them. And so the politics went on for centuries to the present date. The tensions grew so much that it was ridiculous for a Whitaker man to have a dance with a Humphries woman.
“Your Highness, really, the man is harmless. In fact, I’ve never seen such a dull man in my life. The women only rave over him because he is handsome. There really isn’t anything to Robert Whitaker at all.” Alfred spoke the truth. While Robert had the tall dark good looks that were very pleasing to the eye, he was not very interesting. He preferred to speak of politics only and had very few time for anything else. Had this not been the Coronation Ball of the Crowning of Prince Harold VI of Lockerbie Island one would not have seen the eldest Whitaker.
Down on the dance floor things were a different story. “You look lovely tonight Elizabeth.” Robert said very steadily. There was very little animation in his voice when he spoke.
He stared at Elizabeth to the point where she blushed and looked away. “That is a handsome compliment coming from someone of your stature Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you generously.”
“I am sure Her Highness is rather use to the compliment anyhow.” Robert said again. He very rarely made her feel as if she was a princess and at the moment she felt like she was queen of the world.
“You are indeed a very sought after man in this land, yet you choose to dance with me. Why is that?” Elizabeth finally looked up to gaze into his eyes.
“Elizabeth, you know why. I am tired of having to sneak around to see you. I am tired that we cannot be free of our relat—-”
“Robert, you must not speak openly of these things.” Elizabeth said quickly. She knew that there were watchful eyes on her all night, her father being one of them. For months they had been keeping their relationship a secret and Elizabeth knew that at some point something would have to change.
“Did you think that we would either stop sneaking around or cause a stir in our government? Elizabeth, you tell me, what are we suppose to do?” These words seemed odd to Elizabeth coming from Robert. He was a very quiet, impassionate man when it came to their relationship. However, tonight he seemed like he had some type of purpose. He had pressured her for a while for something to change but she was not sure which direction she wanted the change headed to.
“What are you suggesting Robert? That I denounce my family and do something completely unorthodox to the traditions of our people? I cannot do that to my family and you know that.” The young Elizabeth suddenly seemed as though she had her head on firmly for the moment. Robert knew she was much more fickle than that.
“Elizabeth, I love you. I want to marry you.” The Princess was thoroughly shocked. She actually stopped in her track for a second and caught herself. She did not know whether she should cry or smile or laugh. It was an odd moment. This was definitely not how she had pictured being proposed to. There was always something about Robert that she had been in love with. He was much older than her and ever since she could remember she had a huge crush on him and always fancied that she was in love with him. She was at a turning point in her life where she was questioning if she really did love him or not; especially when he started paying her secret trips to the gardens in the evening which he knew she’d be there. Their secret relationship was very overwhelming for her. And now her top political nemesis wanted her hand in marriage. Her head was whirling.
“Say something Elizabeth. You do know I am in love with you, correct?” Elizabeth felt as though she couldn’t think for the moment and lost herself in his dark, dangerous eyes.
“I—I wasn’t expecting this. And my father….”
“Your father will come to understand in time Elizabeth but for now he cannot find out about this. We are going to have to elope.”
“When?” She seemed to be intrigued by his sudden urgency.
“As soon as possible. Will you meet me at the Old Cain Church at sundown on Sunday? It’s the only day I can think of where it isn’t heavily guarded.”
“And what will we do from there? What is to be of our lives, my role as a princess….my family?”
Whitaker pulled her closer, “Elizabeth, do you love me?”
She faltered under his gaze, “Yes, for as long as I can remember yes!”
“Are you willing to sacrifice this for me? Give up everything that you know for a moment to take a chance on me? You know we have to run away and it’s a big risk that I am asking you. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. This is your choice Elizabeth. I am asking you, I am not forcing you.”
She was contemplating her entire life. Her father, her entire family, they would be devastated. But she looked up into those pleading brown eyes and saw something in them that she had never seen before and she just…”Ohhh okay. I’ll do it. I will run away with you. But will you take care of me from there?”
“Elizabeth, there are not any other hands you will want to be in.” She smiled brightly as he twirled her in delight.
King Harold V groaned under his robe after the couple parted. Alfred jabbed his old friend in the side. “Like I said your majesty, it was merely a dance.”
The coronation ball was a splendid affair. It lasted until midnight. After the typical ball where the entire upper class had been invited, there were several after hours galas that went on. These were not things that Elizabeth, or any other noble woman her age, were able to attend. Prince Harry, being the newly crowned prince, was the life of the party. He went from one party to the next. Indeed it was a joyous moment for him to be in a drunken stupor running along to party after party. Harry was accompanied by several men of the court, Robert Humphries being one of them.
“Hey Harry. I’ve got a great little hole in the wall tavern that has the best type of after hour’s women to meet with, if you know what I mean. Let’s say we bag the guards and head over there?” Harry was a little surprised. The nobleman always seemed to despise him and treat him like an unworthy child. Harry was curious though for Robert Whitaker was a leading man in the country and Harry had an idol like worship for him.
“I don’t think I can bag the guards though, chap. These fellows are on me day in and day out. It seems a pain for a man to catch a break these days. Maybe if you tell them—”
“If I tell them they definitely won’t do it. You need to be the man. You are in fact the Crowned Prince now and with that comes more authority to be your own man so to say. I’d imagine that if the Crowned Prince wanted to meet some naughty woman and not tread on his guards, then he by all means had every right to do it. Go on lad, at least give it a shot and see what they say.”
After give that dose of courage the slight Harry went on to tell them. He was only 19 years old and had always been a rather shy and quiet chap. It seemed as though he had never really experienced his “royal privileges,” and lived under the radar of his unbearable mother.
A few moments later Harry returned. “You’re not going to believe this mate, but the guards listened to what I had to say about being the Crowned Prince and they actually adhered to it. I must say Robert, you’re ingenious. I’m glad that I will be having you serve on my court someday.”
Robert snickered, “yes, someday Harry, someday.” The young prince had already been thoroughly intoxicated already. It was tough for him to even remember his name, much less remember that he was the royalty and what he said goes. He followed the men on and on into the wee hours of the morning. Suddenly he was alone with Robert, walking to the carriage from one of the taverns they had visited. “So chap, did you have a good evening then?”
“Most definitely. One of the best of my night. Hey, I need to use the latrine.” The moment was golden for Robert. He got in his carriage and said, “Use that wooded area over there. I am sure no one will mind.” When Harry was out of earshot Robert blazed off in his carriage thinking, “That was almost too easy!”
The news of the Crowned Prince’s murder hit the capital like a wave. The suspicious guards that left the young man at his insistence found him a scant two hours after his murder. The body had still been warm of blood but freezing as the corpse had been left swinging on a tree to and fro. His face and feet were both swollen and there were little remains of the handsome man that had once breathed life into that body.
The King took the news with a full force blow. He was asked to be left alone for several hours. He did not have a dramatic reaction that one would have suspected but he was covered in grief. The needy nation looked to their leader for answers yet the King had none as he sat motionless in his chamber. It was left up to the Queen, her majesty
Diana Humphries to be the one to pull him out. Diana was a strikingly beautiful woman at the early days of her tenure as Queen of Lockerbie. The stumpy brown haired, blue eyed crowned prince at the time had taken a large fancy to the beautiful blonde that graced the palace ballroom with her father and brothers. Her father, John Dumars, the Baron of Greenwich, had strategically placed his daughter, Lady Dumars, in front of the prince so that he could be taken by her. And as taken as he was, it never made for a happy marriage. While Harold was obsessively in love with the blonde beauty the feelings were never reciprocated. Harold was a slight, un-athletic man. He was engaging in conversations but moved quickly up the road to gain several pounds over the years. One thing that he did posses was striking, electric blue eyes, eyes which only his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, possessed. There had been consistent strains within their marriage and the Queen desperately hoped that maybe during this tragedy, things could turn around.
She rapped loudly on the chamber door. The man-servant came to the door and unlocked it. He was dressed in a drab dark mourning color, as were the rest of the staff. The queen was still in her nightshirt and very rarely cared what the general public thought of her prancing around Capital Palace that way.
“Your majesty, my Lord wishes to see no one at this time.” The man-servant said with a cold air about him.
“Step aside good sir, I will see to my husband myself, thank you.” The queen all but pushed past the tall man. The chamber shades had been kept shut in order to keep the sunlight out. Harold sat at his drawing table seeming to be looking at a map of some sort. “Geography to keep the mind busy?” the queen asked as she motioned closer to him. Her face was tired and tear stricken.
“I thought I specifically asked to not be disturbed.” The king said coolly.
“Harold. Harold, look at me. Our son is dead. Our nation needs you during this our. Harold, I need you!” the queen seemed to be pleading with him as she sat besides him.
Harold’s weary eyes finally moved to her face, “my nation, yes, my nation needs me. I am trying to figure out exactly what can I say to a nation that only had one male heir. I’ve been going over my public statement over and over. But the item I cannot seem to fit in properly is to let the nation know that my son was not at all my son at all but the son of a Whit at that!”
Diana did not move. She seemed stunned. In all the years that she had kept her secret safe she had no idea that Harold even suspected this! “Harold, I cannot imagine what you are talking about. What nonsense is this?”
“Nonsense!” the king became animated now, “nonsense? Is this how you speak of the parentage of your only son? Do not think that for a second I believed that Harry ever really was my son. I gave him my name, I raised him as a son, and I even gave him the future of my nation. All to my wife who could never be satisfied with the husband that made her a queen!”
“Goodness Harold what on earth!” Diana felt desperate now, “why would you accuse me of such rubbish! Especially now, during this tragedy? Harold really. What I need you to do is make a public speech if you choose not to comfort me during this time in our lives.”
“This time in your life Diana, let us be frank. I am devastated that my son is dead. However, I know that he is not my son. I know that Royal Whittaker is the real father of Harry. Dear, don’t look so surprised! I am the King of this country. I have ears and eyes on everything, including the sleeping arrangements of my wife and I am very capable to remember the last time I laid with her and how to do the math to understand that my son in not my son at all!” The king got up from his seat and almost knocked over his chair. Silenced echoed in the room. “Silence is affirmative. Tell my people I will be calling court to session in one hour. In the mean time, I bid you farewell from this chamber.”
Diana burst into tears, not for the first time today. She missed her son. She was completely devastated that despite all the efforts the nation took to keep the royal family safe her son still managed to be hung for his life. And at what? At the cost of being a queen. Never in Diana’s life had she ever regretted her decision to become queen of this palace. Even when Harold did not give her the love she was so yearning for from him. She tried hard to get it from him and it just never happened. She did seek refuge in the arms of Royal Whittaker, which was true enough. He was a handsome and dashing man and was very able to give into the needs that she possessed. It was a shame indeed that she did love Royal and married Harold. It was her father’s doing. And now today, if she had to choose between being a queen and keeping her son safe by never becoming a queen, she would have chosen the latter in a heartbeat.
She left the chambers after her outburst. “Dear Sir, please tell the proper authorities that the King wishes to hold a court meeting in one hour to discuss the murder of my son please.” The man-servant was shocked at her enormous courage to be able to say those words without as much as an emotion. Royalty trains you to loose you emotions as a human being, he thought to himself.
The court adjourned quickly. There were several ministers, lords, and barons present. All there for one common purpose. Who killed the prince?
The king took his seat at the head of the court; knowing fully well that all eyes were on him. Watching like hawks to see what kind of emotional outburst he would make. He made none. He would not give the public the satisfaction of seeing him falter. He learned that trick long ago from his father when his mother passed away. “Never let a grieving nation see the head of the nation grieve, son. Always keep you emotions on guard. The hawks will be out to get you if you show them any type of weakness.” His father’s words taunted him today.
There was quite an audience in the court today. Several women were present. The most shocking of the bunch was the youngest daughter of the King, Elizabeth. She sat motionless as well. She briefly looked up to give a warm look to the Prime Minister when he took his seat besides her. The queen looked deathly pale but she seemed like she was managing. They seemed to be an unemotional family. Also present in the court besides Elizabeth was her older sister Mary, the Baroness of Cardinal. Mary had very much taken the resemblance of her father. She had warm dark hair and pale gray eyes that seemed mysterious. She would have almost been beautiful but there was something about her that seemed to make her not. She was definitely pleasing to the eye however her personality seemed to be that of a royal snob. Her husband sat on the opposite side of the room, Baron Elmer Johnson. Elmer was a very large and loud blonde man. He never really possessed any good looks to speak of. As shocked as he was to hear of the death of his brother in law, he could not help but feel a little pleased that his oldest son, Marcus, would be named the new crowned prince today. He never thought he would live to see the day. He felt that all the unhappily married years he spent with Mary were well worth the trouble if that meant seeing his son on the throne some day.
An abnormally quiet court room awaited the message that the king had for them. The Prime Minister stood and spoke very eloquently. “It is sad to inform you all that today we have found out that the Crowned Prince Harold V had been viciously murdered. His body was found a mere few hours ago in a forest. It seems as though the prince had wandered away from a crowd that had been having after ball gala parties for his coronation. He had dismissed his guards earlier in the evening and was caught by unfortunate circumstances. This is the highest treason in the land. Lockerbie Island has several enemies. Several of whom which did not wish to see Prince Harry sit on the very throne that was rightfully his. The government will stop at no length to find the malicious murders and bring them to justice. Our King, although highly saddened, will now speak for us. My Lord?”
Harold glared a little at Robert. He never liked the man and now in his family’s biggest tragedy he could not help but still harbor those sentiments. The King was weary and did not stand. He turned to look at his queen who was still shocked and tear struck from the events of the day. He knew how much it cost her to sit besides him and bear the wounds of her fallen son; acting completely unemotional. Harold had been groomed to this lifestyle from his beginning; Diana had not. It was a tough world indeed for her to live in at her side and all he did that day was bring her grief. Well, maybe, he thought, he can bring her some happiness in the mist of darkness. Even though she did not love him he knew he still loved her very much.
With a heavy heart the King spoke. “While the tragedy of my son’s death is still at large there must be political decisions to make in a hurry. Therefore, I pronounce that my youngest daughter, Elizabeth, be crowned heir apparent immediately. Ministers?”
All eyes focused on Elizabeth. A shock waved through the entire room. The once silent courtroom filled with curious whispers and glances. Not even Albert, who was seated at the foot of the King’s seating chamber, had known of this decision he had made. The initial response to the tragedy was to crown young Marcus, the King’s grandson, as heir apparent. Now it seemed that the King had taken the entire matter into his own hands. Robert Whitaker smiled a slight smile but said nothing.
Elizabeth felt that someone had just punched her in the stomach. Sure, her entire life she had been groomed in the oft chance that she would be made queen of somewhere someday. But that was different than becoming the heir apparent. The queen of the king who was an heir apparent had an easier role to play. Of course, thing were difficult overall but the queen did not have to make any sort of political decisions. She had been well groomed and educated her entire life. Harold always felt that Elizabeth was the sharpest of all of his children and seemed to understand and fit the political role to the tee. She was flighty for sure, but not any less than Harry was. She felt as though she was going to be sick. All she could do was look at her father with watery eyes.
The queen turned sharply to her husband who instinctively turned back to her. She seemed surprised but for some reason the decision seemed to make sense to her. It was fitting for Elizabeth to take the reins. She was immensely smart and well learned. She had studied in Paris and London; she had visited numerous political adversaries and seemed to charm the graces off of them. She spoke several languages and had impeccable manners. Could she govern a nation though? And what of her husband. Her marriage now would have to be shrewder and politically staged than ever. She knew the king had spoken briefly to the King of England of marrying her off to one of their sons. Now that would seem impossible, if Lockerbie wanted to keep their independence from England. Marrying her back into England would surly strip Lockerbie of their freedoms. Had Harold thought of all of this?
Robert Whitaker was the only person in the room that seemed to not have any affect over the decision. He had spoken briefly to the King before the message was delivered so he knew what the verdict was. However, unlike the criticism that the king would surely be receiving soon, Robert seemed for the idea. Now that Elizabeth would be his wife in a few days he would then soon become the King of Lockerbie Island. This was something that Harold was going to hate. But once the coronation had taken place and he and Elizabeth eloped there really was not much that Harold could do to change the decision. His dream was almost a reality.
“This is not a decision for open discussion. As I have stated Elizabeth shall succeed my throne. This means, Elizabeth is to be heavily guarded at all times. It shall be up to the citizens and law of Lockerbie Island that no harm comes to Elizabeth in any way, shape or form. In the event that something does happen to Elizabeth then my grandson shall succeed her without any questions. This shall be written into law as of today. In the meantime it will be up to us, the law of Lockerbie to prepare Elizabeth for her role as Queen. Elizabeth will begin her political training immediately.”
And in an instant a girl became a queen, just like that.