Royal Lies: The Royals Series Book #1 Read online

  K. L. Roth

  Royal Lies

  Copyright © K. L. Roth 2017

  All rights reserved.

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events and organisations are purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publisher.

  Condition of sale

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Cover design © Rebecca Weeks

  Cover model: Robert Kelly

  PROLOGUE

  Sometimes we make choices that seal our fate; being a queen and wife to an easily changeable king, I am afraid that my fate had been sealed a long time ago.

  The only thing I could change was the path that led me to this fateful night.

  The eerie darkness shadowed over me as I watched the guards enter. The servants in the castle gathered to watch as I was arrested.

  Lord Greenstone’s lizard-green eyes narrowed as the cuffs were placed around my wrists.

  He lowered his head as James was pulled out of my arms. I refused to let the tears spill over onto my cheeks and instead held my head high. I would not fall apart in front of any of them, they would not get that satisfaction.

  I could hear James crying. He was only two. I had grown fond of him as I had mothered him, well, everyone else thought he was mine at the least.

  I glanced at Greenstone as I walked through the archway. He would do anything for power, and I was in the way of his sister becoming queen. How I could laugh now. It was all in vein because my husband had already chosen another to take for his wife and it was not Greenstone’s sister.

  It was Mary. One of my ladies. She was fair-haired, unlike my English rose appearance, and had the personality much more dangerous than even the king.

  I walked out into the courtyard. It was cold, as cold as the axe that would soon meet my neck.

  Is it not strange, how as I walked toward my place of death, I could only think of Anne?

  I had been one of her ladies, and just as Mary had done to me, I had done to Anne.

  Anne was clever, diplomatic, and funny. King Henry had taken her as his queen at the tender age of seventeen.

  Of course, I know that Anne was having an affair with the Lord Chamberlain. They had given into their infatuation just as I had done with my Michael and now I would go to the same block for the same crime; treason.

  Greenstone, however, could not find Michael, Elle, or their family.

  I had warned them once I knew what was coming and they had fled to save me, but Greenstone had orchestrated false evidence, being that his one witness was not enough.

  As soon as I heard that he would be the judge for my crimes, I knew I was going to lose my head.

  Thunder clapped as I approached the boat. I saw Henry watching from the window with Mary on his arm. He was devoid of all emotion which was expected. He had not truly loved me.

  My loyal subject gathered by the gates, watching as I stepped onto the boat. I stared blankly ahead as the knot in my stomach grew.

  We sailed away, and as we did I turned and looked at castle I had spent many years in. It stood proudly as it had done for decades, against the black sky.

  I looked up. Milky speckles formed puffy shapes against the dark canvas. I felt the first drizzles of the rain. England had been in a drought all summer. The rain brought me solice that night. It felt cold on my hot skin.

  The tower slowly came into view, the grey mass twisted up into the sky, casting a shadow over us.

  I was taken through the traitor’s gate.

  As they opened the black bars, a shiver slithered down my spine.

  How many had come through this gate to die?

  I walked up the steps and over to the building where I would stay until the day of my beheading.

  As I stepped past the scaffold, I ran my fingers around my neck, reminded that soon it would be detached from my body.

  ♚♚♚

  The morning of the execution came and the sky was tinged with grey. I looked out of the window as a guard told me it was time.

  I could have been a thousand miles away as I stared up, refusing to look down at the crowd and scaffold.

  The man coughed loudly and I closed my eyes. Slowly, I turned. My ladies walked behind me as I walked down the steps, each step feeling heavier than the last.

  I took a deep breath; my knees were wobbly and I could not stop myself from shaking.

  I reached the scaffold and looked out over the crowd. I dropped to my knees and looked down at the block – it was covered in blood from the previous decapitations.

  It took everything to control my bladder. The basket below was occupied by a head of a woman, staring up expressionless.

  If I had not been on my knees, I would have fainted.

  Turning to executioner, I dropped a bag of coins into his hands and turned to look out onto the crowd of familiar faces. Faces of those who had dressed, bathed, coveted, loved and hated me.

  The King had only let the court witness my execution as a favour to me. I could laugh. A favour would be letting me go free.

  The council and all my friends at the castle knew the truth - that the king did not sentence me to death because I had been unfaithful. No, this was because of Mary.

  Divorce was not allowed and would never be granted by the Pope; an annulment would take too long so this was the easiest way to get rid of me.

  Henry’s wedding and Mary’s coronation would come soon after my execution, meaning she would be their queen and her child, if God gifted her one, would be next in line to the throne before James, meaning he was in terrible danger. Even more so if Henry deemed him a bastard or anyone learned the truth about James’s true heritage.

  My most trusted servant, Lina, removed the hood from my head and unclasp the ruby necklace from my neck. She placed the white bonnet around my braided hair with delicate care.

  ‘My lady,’ Lina cried as she stepped back, but I could still hear her muttering prayers under her breath.

  I looked up and opened my mouth to delivered the well-rehearsed speech.

  ‘As you all know, I have come here today to die.’ I paused and rubbed the ring on my finger. ‘I willingly accept the fate decreed by my Sovereign. I pray for England and all her people.’ I could hear my voice breaking. ‘I beg for you all to pray for me as my life here in this world leaves me. God bless each and every one of you.”

  The crowd knelt in prayer and I lowered myself down to the block. The blood was cold on my cheek.

  ~

  I go over every memory of my time as queen as I look at Lord Greenstone who watches me like a snake waiting to strike his meal.

  I avert my gaze and close my eyes.

  The cold edge of the axe touches the back of my neck as he lines up his shot.

  I hear the whistle of the axe cutting through the air and I weaken and rest heavy on the block as the blade hits the back of my neck…

  ONE

  Marie pushed back her chocolate coloured waves and grinned. ‘Remember Alice, when you are queen, you are to make sure that James is persuaded to let me marry whom I wish.’

  Alice Greenstone sighed and turned. Sh
e was sick of the princess’s request.

  James strutted past them both. Alice gazed at him as he marched down the well-lit corridor with his guards following behind.

  James was never one for subtlety. Dressed in black leather and gold velvet finery, he looked ahead smugly as he headed to his father’s chambers, already wearing the royal jewels. The crown sat on his short brown hair perfectly as if it was made for him. The jewels twinkled in the sunlight as he passed the corridor full of stained glass windows. Paired with a strong jaw, sharp green eyes and a fit body from years of riding and jousting, he looked nothing like his father; his father, the king, who was now dying in his chambers.

  Soon James would take the throne and the burden that came with it.

  Incoherent chatter circled the hallways as everyone braced for King Henry’s death and Prince James’ coronation.

  Henry had ordered the coronation to be performed the day after his death, something they had been preparing for, for months now. Normally a coronation would not take place until at least a year after the accession of the new monarch, but Henry had no other male heirs but James and feared a usurper from the bordering countries and other royal bloodlines.

  Crowning James right away would keep England strong and the other royals and countries at bay. Never a weak man when it came to protecting what was his, Henry knew this was the choice he had to make for his people and his country.

  James was to be crowned first, married to Alice his betrothed, and then she would be crowned queen and England would have a king and queen once more.

  Alice watched James disappear through the double doors and turned to the hordes of people hanging decorations in the hall, dismissing Marie. ‘Careful with that one. It’s over fifty years old and irreplaceable,’ she ordered. The maid nodded and continued hanging the garlands with better care.

  Alice was used to the eye rolls as she walked past, barking orders at them, but she did not care. She loved the authority that being James’s had given her since they had announced their engagement.

  She brushed down her royal purple dress and hurried off to the main hall. It was winter solstice, which meant once again the palace was being lit up with the most beautiful decorations old and new.

  She sat down on an oak bench overlooking the grand hall and sighed. She was tired from overthinking the decor for both the ball and James’s coronation that could happen any day and personally, she feared the king would never let go.

  She was very eager to take on her role as England’s new queen and bring an heir to the throne. She felt someone sit next to her but was too lost in her own thoughts to look. The green velvet skirt of the dress and beaded gold shoes told her who it was.

  ‘Mary.’ She let out with a pettiness to her voice.

  ‘Alice,’ the low, hard voice replied. Alice turned and looked at her soon to be stepmother-in-law. Her emerald green eyes matched her dress and her soft blonde hair that was greying in areas was pinned up into a woven plaited bun. Circling it was a pretty diamond tiara that would soon be hers. She wanted to rip it off her head right now but held herself back. ‘How can I help you, Your Majesty?’

  Mary pressed her lips together. Alice had, once again, forgotten to stand and bow before her. Stupid girl. How on earth was she to reign if she couldn’t even remember to simply bow now before her?

  Mary knew Alice hated her but royalty you bowed down to, her word was gold and to be obeyed, not questioned. ‘Winter Solstice, a funeral, followed by a coronation. Oh, and a winter wedding. I shall be partied out by then,’ she said with venom that only Alice seemed to hear.

  Alice plastered on a smile but her eyes locked onto Mary’s with cold determination. ‘Well, at least you will have an excuse not to wear black for too long, although the colour suits you. You should wear it more often.’

  Mary was always giving her a hard time and treated her like a commoner even though she came from a very rich, titled family. Some say even richer than the crown and that is why Henry agreed to the arrangement. Her dowry was quite exquisite and would bring the crown much-needed funds.

  It was no secret England was in debt up to her ears. The war was very expensive two years ago and they were still trying to recover from it. Thousands lost, lands destroyed and the royal family caught up in a scandalous affair when Princess Margaret of Spain and James had dosed themselves up on opium along with Edmund and Princess Angelica of France. The four of them were dancing outside his room on the terrace when Margaret fell to her death by accidentally tripping over her own feet or at least that is what James and Edmund had claimed.

  The truth. Whatever it was, would never be exposed.

  The princess’s father, King Philip, invaded England the second he received word from his spies at court that his daughter was dead, murdered by the prince himself. Angelica fled to her room, staying there and denied any knowledge of the whole incident claiming she never left her room that night. Her ladies preached the same story. If her father found, out he would surely send her back to the French court and she could not bear living life under the scrupulous eyes of her mother again. This had all happened before Alice came to court.

  Mary laughed coolly and stood up. ‘You have so much to learn, Alice.’ Her eyes flared with hatred as she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the white marble floor.

  Alice fiddled with the huge rock that was neatly placed on her recently manicured finger and smiled. It was black gold with a large diamond in the centre surrounded by two large rubies and two smaller ones. Black gold was the latest trend in royal jewellery and she deserved only the best and would accept nothing less.

  Mary could try and screw with their relationship, she may think that Alice is nothing, but Mary had no idea how many men she had to sleep with to work her way up to the prince, and what she had to do to keep them from talking. It was not overly hard as sleeping with married men usually meant they wanted to keep things quiet anyway.

  As far as James was aware, Alice was a virgin with knowledge of how to capture men with lust. Growing up with a father that frequented the brothel had its perks. He would tell her mother, that he was taking Alice into town with him to go shopping for whatever it was he could come up with at the time. She was to shop for the item with the driver or stay put in the carriage while her father spent his money on whores. As Alice got older, she grew bored with the “shopping” trips and snuck into the brothel to watch the women work the clientele.

  She learned it all since Marcus, her father, visited their beds more than his wife’s.

  Her parents had slept in separate beds since before she could remember, so she knew when her father visited her mother what was going on at night.

  Alice was a quick study on how to tease men, how to play hard to get until they were on their knees begging for her. Harriet, one of the working girls, took her under her wing and let her ‘play’ with clients she was too busy to service. Alice was made to wear a mask and wig to hide her identity. She gave all the money to Harriet in exchange for her ‘lessons’. After all, that was how she managed to trap James into the engagement in the first place.

  Stepping out onto the courtyard which bustled with market stalls, Alice breathed in the unseasonably warm air. Horses were led around to the stables and a carriage was being loaded with luggage by the huge stone archway. Beautiful cream pillars topped with winged stallion statues welcomed guests into the palace. The busy road bustled with people as the final arrangements were being made and decorations and food prepared for their upcoming events.

  Although the kingdom was overjoyed by the wedding and coronation, a gloom hung in the air. Their king was dying and soon his son would take the throne, which was exciting yet frightening.

  James, like Henry, was a selfish and ignorant man who was too hot-headed to rule a kingdom, as he had shown on countless occasions. In fact, it had been Alice’s flirtation yet unwillingness to sleep with James that had spurred him into further begging his father to let him take her as his wif
e.

  Alice admitted that she was vain, with beauty like hers, who would not be? Her looks were all she ever had going for her and her mother had frequently reminded her of that throughout her childhood and into her adolescence.

  Her mother, Elizabeth, had high expectations when she was younger for herself but never worked to achieve them. Her mother was ignorant to a lot of things going on before her eyes when it came to Alice. She was too busy having tea and visiting the other ladies at court.

  At the tender age of seventeen, Alice was a fake virgin who was flirting her way to the top. Lady Alice Greenstone was an overachiever. Everyone who personally knew her was aware of that. She had always wanted more than her station allowed and to everyone’s surprise, she had managed it.

  Her uncle, Lord Greenstone, was particularly pleased with her success. She came to him for help first, of course, as he had been the only one in the family to understand Alice’s ambition and help her achieve that goal. Once he set his sights on something his determination was unyielding. She had used his narcissism to her advantage.

  ‘Alice,’ Lord Greenstone called as he placed his hand on the top of her arm. ‘Why are you not walking on the bridge? Why surround yourself with…’ he looked around and pursed his lips, ‘commoners? You don’t need to do that anymore.’

  ‘I know,’ she replied and steadied her breathing. ‘I don’t think I can keep it a secret.’ Looking around, he hushed her and pulled her around to the side of the palace and checked for eavesdroppers before dropping into a low whisper.

  ‘You have everything now? This is what you wanted. If you screw this up now then we are both in for it.’ He dragged his finger along his neck, his nail slipping through his thick, curly beard. ‘James is not exactly forgiving.’

  ‘He loves me.’

  He snorted. ‘Do not be naïve, girl! He lusts after you, there is a difference. Not even he could save you from treason.’ He released his tightening grip on her arm and sighed. ‘Go to your chambers and have a bath, try not to overthink things, and enjoy your success.’ She nodded and bowed her head. Before turning he knelt to her five-foot-three height and looked her square in the eyes. ‘And remember, both our necks are on the line if anyone gets wind of this. Literally.’