Romania's Port

I heard the ladies talking and could hear how angry Christine was that she could not hold me.

I then felt guards lift me up and put me in chains.

"Christine, you must be so unhappy that you cannot keep me here, but greater things await in England. Tell me good lady, who might you be? I say looking at Margaret as the blindfold was removed.

The guards that Margaret was with did not hesitate to take me to a secure cell, but this would work perfectly with my plan with Matthew. He would rescue me, then knowing Christine, she would have the guards hide somewhere in hope to detain me again, but that was not going to happen.

"Very well, Duchess Margaret, if that is what has been ordered, then I must oblige.

I watched Elizabeth Hampton and listened to her.  But I did not trust her.

. Can I be honest with you Elizabeth.  I have been told that you are a very smart woman.  I too am a smart woman.  I run a country on my own so I know what to do with prisoners in the cells.  But I must admit that I have never seen anyone who is willing to go into a cell unless they are just waiting for a way to escape.   So you are telling me that you will just go to the cells willingly.  Forgive me but I do not believe you.   My guards will be here to watch you I whispered to my most trusted guard. .  I want to to place a guard in every spot here.  You can have the court guards help you.  She is to be watched closely and no one goes into this cell. Oh and she has many people in her command especially a man named Matthew Brown.  Keep an eye out for him.

This woman really did interest me. I heard the way she talked to the guards and I knew that Matthew would be very clever and disguise himself as a court guard for no one here knew what he looked like.

I allowed her to go ahead with her plan as I already had mine in place and it was going exactly how I wanted it too. I let them escort me to her cell she had chosen.

I whisper to my guard. Then I looked at Elizabeth.

. Elizabeth I do not trust you. I wish that I could stand watch myself . The only thing that I can do is not to let anyone in the cell. But at all times two members of my guards will watch you. No one enters this cell. I will leave momentarily. So there will no reason to have a guard to enter until we leave.

I looked at Margaret and just knew her plan would collapse.

"Tell me something Margaret, you say you do not trust me, then please do explain what exactly it is that I have done to your personally that would make you not trust me? I say as I was getting closer to getting my hands free.

Elizabeth walked towards me.

. First thing I suggest that you stand back away from me you are to close.  Second you are correct you have done nothing to me personally.  But have you transgressed against my friend King Henry's his daughter Katherine Elizabeth and by extension Queen Mary.  You had tried to give Mary something for her being ill knowing that recognize her symptoms knowing that there is no reason to give her such a tonic .  Since she will have moments of feeling sick.  You knew that Katherine did not trust you so she and Princess Agnetha watched over Mary never leaving her alone.  Watching over Princess Rebecca as you watch her and Marius growing closer together.  You wanted Katherine to come to see you and you are the last person to see her.  Please do not bother to deny it. You are a smart and capable woman so you should not try to insult me. But what you may not be aware of is that Katherine sent a letter to Agnetha about you wanting to see her and if she went missing it was you that had something to do with it.  Now I know that you personally did not physically touched her but you but you know what happened.  I was with Henry when she went missing in lue of a letter. Henry was quite angry about this.  Know that whatever you do it will not go well with you. No matter what happens Henry will never let this go without punishment.

I looked at her closely.

"You are a wise and intelligent woman, Margaret. I would never have offended Queen Mary, especially when I learnt that she was indeed with child and knowing how she would feel there was no need for harm. Answer me this then, Katherine and the Swedish royals, say they do not trust me and that I have hurt them or intended to hurt them, where is the evidence Katherine has that I hurt her? I have never even touched her, yes I did invite her to see me and that I was last person to see her, but I knew that for some reason she hates me and that she would not listen to what I had to say, so I had no choice but to give her a little drug in order for her to meet Nadia, whom before you say anything, was never going to kill her. It was the only way she could meet Katherine.

With regards to me trying to stop Marius from meeting Rebecca and trying to hurt her, why would I? I have always wanted Marius to be happy and seeing how he looked at Rebecca, I was so pleased for him. Do you think, that if I intended to hurt Rebecca or Marius, that I would have done so already? So tell me, when King Henry learns that no actual harm has come to his sister or daughter, do you really think that he is going to execute me? Besides, a trusted friend of mine, has already travelled to England to speak with the King, you see I had a little someone watch from afar at all times, who can back my story as a witness. So I would ask you now to think carefully what you are doing. I say to her directly.

I left Mary's chamber.  Gustav was with her Christine met me at the bottom of the stairs.  She told me that Elizabeth was at the port with Margaret.

. Well that is the business that Margaret had with Elizabeth.  Interesting let us go to see what she is telling Margaret.

As we walked in Elizabeth was talking to Margaret so we went closer to hear her.

. Elizabeth I know you are not telling Margaret the truth.  We do not
hate you.  Katherine and I did not trust you.  So we watched you closely.  Katherine told me that you wanted to talk to her.  So when she did not return I knew that you had done something to her.  So you are saying that we hated you.  My question to you is why would we hate you?  We do not know you.  Have you done something that would give any of us cause to hate you?  So if you are innocent why are you doing so much to make us believe you are this misunderstood woman and that we are plotting against you.  I myself do not hate you.  I do not really hate anyone.  What is worse is not to care about you at all.  And I truly do care about you.  What I do care about is what you wanted to do to my family since we arrived here

I had seen that Agnetha had left Mary's chambers.  When she came down the stairs I told her that Margaret was talking to Elizabeth.  She suggested that we go there to see what was happening.  We arrived there in time enough to hear what Elizabeth told Margaret.


. Elizabeth you know that Agnetha is telling the truth.  Katherine sent her a letter stating that she was with you and if she did not return it was you that had done something to her.  Myself I know that you did not like the fact that the Swedish Royal family was here trying to take over Romania and get rid of you.  You told me that that princess wanted to be with Marius and you did not like that.  You along with Matthew Brown watch their every step.  You had Matthew follow me when I went to see Marius.  He even asked me if I was followed.  Now why would he say that.  To tell me to watch out for him because he was being watched by one of your men.  I know that you did not like the fact that Charlotte had arrived.  You had Marie come here as well yet they are no where to be found

Listening to the princesses.  I was surprised.  I know that Henry was unaware of this.  Elizabeth is truly trying to get me to believe her. I looked at her sitting there.  A look of someone who is about to check mate her opponent.  I circled her as I spoke.  Getting angry with every completed circle.


. Elizabeth I know that you have not physically touched anyone.  But I do believe that you would have someone like Matthew Brown to do your bidding.   So you are responsible because you asked them to do these things.  So you by extension are responsible.  A woman who would do anything to get what she wanted.  You are the general sending your soldiers to war.  You seemed like a nice and respectful woman.  One without blemishes. But I think that you should not speak anymore.  You are only digging yourself in deeper.  You have lied to King Henry.  You told him that I was wrong, mistaken and incorrect because you do had done nothing. That I believed these lies without proof.  You wanted to help Mary with her sickness even though you that she was just with child.  You gave Katherine something to calm her so that she could go to Hungary without a fight to meet Nadia.  Only Katherine could meet her.  Not the Swedish princesses.  Why?  You tried to blemish my character by putting my reputation in question.  Writing to to the King getting him to believe that I am incapable of doing what he had sent me here to do.  I,  a trusted friend and you are putting doubts in his mind about me.  I will not allow you to smear my character to someone who I consider to be a good friend.

I listened to what Margaret was saying and I was impressed by the way she handled Elizabeth's lies.  


. Elizabeth,  I remembered when you came to Romania.  Marius and I wondered why you came here.  Tell me why did you come.  You had Marie of Luxembourg and I believe Cassandra Pennyfeather.  Just one day you and companions came.  I know that you were not specifically invited.  I thought that it was strange.   And for some reason you stayed. Even though your friends left but you stayed. You would tell others that you were taking care of him but Marius was perfectly fine.  I saw that you did not like anyone who came to Romania to see Marius. Almost as if you were protecting what was yours. I did not understand why you had an issue with his visitors..