Another round of tears wet the King of France's cheeks. He's wept so much in these last few days that it hardly seems to spur him anymore, he hardly seems to notice as he stares out of the window at the murky English cityscape. He's somber, silent, pale, sickened and heartbroken. The last words of the British announcement lead by Prime Minister Chamberlain regarding the surrender of the French and the humiliating appeasement Henry and the French Prime Minister had been forced to sign echoed in the background, until the King James switched the radio off and the two royal families were left in an uncomfortable silence.
"That piece of filth is an evil, evil soul." Henry whispers, looking out of the window, not daring to look at his family or his brother-in-arms for fear he would break again. "Dismantled my army and threatened to kill my children, my wife. Made me sign that ridiculous agreement inside that damned cart." he sniffles, wiping his face. "He is an evil, psychopathic being. He has to be stopped before he rips the whole damn world apart."
"I know, Henry. I did all I could, but the Ministers are in dissaray, with Churchill and Chamberlain and the talks of peace and war, my family, my country, my people, are in no better state than your own." The King of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales replies, standing from his chair to stand at his dear friends' side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know this promise will damn me, and I can barely see a future where I keep my word, but I will make that bastard pay, Henry. For what he did to you, France, and your children, let alone the innocent souls he's moulded to do his will."
"Brainwashed toy soldiers, the lot of them."
"Yes." James whispers. "Marie begs me to side with Chamberlain, to sign the peace agreement and prevent war." he reveals regretfully, looking at the mother of seven of his children sitting in the large room, surrounded by both families.
"What?" Henry demands. "James, you can't!"
"I don't want to, but you know as best as anybody how much a King is a puppet dancing on strings. If I can't-"
"You have to drop this ideal of peace, James. You have to do it now. Peace is nothing but a pretty word for subjugation, subduement. You'd be a puppet King even more, you'd be hand and glove with the villian who will murder millions more."
"I know." James whispers. "Trust me, Henry. I know. We are so close to a word of darkness, we are so close to loosing everything, the Nazi menace is damn near unstoppable, I don't know who to trust, how to get even one victory over that bastard, let alone the whole damn war."
"You have to, James. Look what he's done to me, look what he might do to them-" Henry wipes his face as they both of their families, the ones they owe fealty nd protection to above all things, in everything, against everybody in this godforsaken world. But they both stare at the blonde boy and the ravenette girl who may one day go face to face with the lunatic who may burn the world to ashes. "we have to protect them, James. I am a King with no crown, no country. You have both. You have to beat him, James. Give it everything you've got, so Francis and Mary can inherit a world better than the one they were born into."
YOU ARE READING
You Are My Light Part II
Historical Fiction-Reign Oneshots/Taking Requests- The world can be dark, Mary, and uncertain and cruel. The only thing that matters is that we face it together. No matter what happens, you are my light. Part 2! -Read TEML first!-
