"Rules of the Game" (Exeter Story)
Hampton Court
September 19, 1532
Midnight
As the young man entered the chamber and quickly closed the door behind him, he noticed immediately that it was very dark indeed, lit only by a single candle on the far end of the room. The only noises to be heard were his footfalls upon the smooth stone.
"Do come forth and be seated, Thomas," a voice near the candle said.
He knew that voice, oh yes. The lord who had taken his innocence. And who had made sure he loved every moment of it.
Thomas carefully traversed the room and sat in a finely wrought wooden chair upon reaching the far end. In the dim light he could barely make out the items strewn atop the desk. The silvery gleam of an ornate signet ring recently used for the purpose for which it was made. The sharp edge of a finely appointed dagger glimmering with a palpable danger that gave him a chill at the sight of it. A pen and inkwell. And many, many papers.
"I trust thou hast been informed of why thou art here?" the patrician voice of his host intoned.
Thomas paused. The messenger had been rather cryptic but he thought he knew well enough. "To serve you, My Lord." The look in his eyes was genuine but there was a blush on his cheeks. He had served the marquess *quite* well already, or so he believed.
As Lord Exeter's face suddenly seemed to materialise in the candle's light, he spoke with a gravity Thomas had never heard in his voice. "After a fashion, my lad. But 'tis our great and wondrous King thou shalt serve most of all."
Thomas bowed his head, shocked beyond measure at this revelation. "Any...any way I may be of service, My Lord Exeter, I shall put myself to use."
"Excellent," Lord Exeter replied, his fingers laced together. "Know this, Master Churchyard, 'tis the most dangerous of games I and those under me do undertake in England's service. 'Tis no matter of trifles and can prove deadly beyond measure."
Perplexed, Thomas began "My Lord, I understand not what--"
"Our beloved Albion is most truly a nonesuch, most especially in this golden age," the lord interrupted. "But our world is full of knaves, and villainy abounds in benighted foreign lands. Constant vigilance must be performed to insure the security of the Realm. The continued flow of all news of import to His Majesty is chief among my aims and of the utmost importance. He remains the best informed ruler in Europe in no small part due to our efforts."
Thomas merely sat silently, taking it all in and somehow realising he was about to enter a secret world from which there would never be an escape.
Lord Exeter continued, stating Thomas directly in the eye with a look that pierced his very soul. "There are many in my employ. They strive diligently both at home and abroad and I regard these men who toil under me as the most devoted in Christendom. 'Tis essential that we remain abreast of news from the Continent, so many do ply their arts in foreign courts. But most essential of all is the internal security of this blessed realm. The intrigues of The Court are not for the timid of spleen or dull of wits. But thou art neither. An innocent smile and trustworthy manner are inestimable qualities in a spy. Thou hast both. And I do believe thou shalt serve well as a result. Know this -- great are the rewards thou might merit in His Majesty's service. I shall provide thee coin from my own purse to use in thy appointed missions and so that thou might live most comfortably. And there is favour to be had as well -- thou art naught but a pawn 'pon the board at present, but one day perhaps a knight, a rook, a bishop. Knowledge and power, they are the same."
The marquess paused, allowing Thomas to process these thoughts, and then continued. "But ere we formalise this arrangement a show of good faith must be made." He picked up something metallic and shiny from the table and held it to face the page. "Dost thou know what this is?"
Thomas was taken aback, turning rather pale at the sight of it illuminated like a beacon in the candlelight. "Why, 'tis the Great Seal of England!"
Lord Exeter smiled. Clever lad. "Indeed. And 'tis upon it thou shalt pledge thy troth and swear thy loyal and perennial service to King and country."
Thomas took the Seal and holding it as gingerly and reverently as if it were a piece of the True Cross, responded with great sincerity, "This I swear." His mind was reeling, Lord Exeter could tell. Excellent. Always keep them off their footing.
The lord smiled wickedly. "Very well, thou shalt henceforth be under my command as a member of His Majesty's most secret service. Let thy apprenticeship in the covert arts of spying and subterfuge begin. From this point until the ending of thy life thou shalt be known only as C in thy work here and abroad. Secrecy is our life's blood and NO ONE (not even thy lord Surrey, in whose service thou shalt continue) must know who is party to our work. No names are ever to be used in our service to His Majesty."
"I understand, My Lord." This all seemed terribly exciting to him and he paid rapt attention.
The spymaster continued. "There are many who suspect the presence of our cabal hither and elsewhere, but none has proof to place the blame (or even believable suspicion) upon myself or any in my service, and so it must remain. This is a matter of especial importance to the King -- failure is not an option! And the delicacy of the matter requires such hugger-mugger as this: There are many who perform this necessary work, but thou shalt know only those thou must in order to protect our shared secret. And thou shalt NEVER reveal the identity of another of thy kind, thine own nor mine to anyone at all, not even to one who claims also to serve me! To do so shall risk disaster for thyself and us all. And 'tis not wise to court my ire for my wrath shall engulf thee in flames, I swear it." There was a steel in his voice as cold and sharp as the blade lying on the table.
Suddenly Thomas realised the marquess was looking past him. And only then it was that he felt a presence behind him and then a blade at his throat. A man seemingly coalesced from the shadows, handsome but cruel, loomed above and behind him.
"This is D. He is my best, and 'tis from him thou shalt learn. I find the skill of his tongue even more efficacious than that of his dagger." He grinned at D wickedly, his eyes alight with mischief, but upon turning his attention back to his lad, there was steel in them again. "And should thou fail or betray us, 'tis by his blade thou shalt most assuredly perish -- just as thou wouldst if thou hadst refused my offer today."
Thomas gulped, icy fear having filled his gullet. "I-I shall not fail nor betray you, Lord Exeter." The dagger moved away from his throat.
The lord cackled sonorously, moving to where Thomas sat and soon tousling the page's hair. "I thought thou shouldst say so. Most satisfactory. Now, 'twould behoove thee greatly to mark my words for they shall save thee great trouble." He motioned around him. "This room, as thou art aware, is the antechamber to my private lodgings here at Court. D shall show thee a secret passage which doth lead hither from a hallway near unto the Great Watching Chamber. If thou shouldst come here save publicly with me, it will ONLY be by that passage. For no one must see nor overhear us together except when it suits our purpose."
"I understand," C replied.
Lord Exeter smiled conspiratorially. "We are no flowers of chivalry, thou and I and D -- such is not our lot in life. Moral and religious convictions are a weakness in a spy and will be his undoing. Thou shalt be expected to dissemble, lie, steal and even kill when necessary. But I trow these shall be no difficulties for thee, C. Am I correct in my supposition?"
"Aye, My Lord," the young man said almost without thinking. He was truly surprising himself. It was as if he had been meant for this sort of business...and that his new master had sensed it from the start.
"Thou shalt be instructed in etiquette, foreign tongues, subterfuge, espionage and all other manner of essential skills by D and others in my service. And thou shalt learn much of the natures and plots of our enemies France, The Empire, Rome and others yet." The lord continued as the newly dubbed C listened intently. "Once thou art well prepared, all of thy missions shall be delivered unto thee at noontide Mass in the Chapel Royal. They shall be written in a code which D shall instruct thee of and are to be destroyed immediately upon being read as soon as privacy allows. But ah, I do get ahead of myself."
And so began the reshaping of Thomas Churchyard into C, a deadly yet seemingly innocent tool of observation and infiltration.
OOC: Hope you enjoyed this Exeter story. :~) Oh, and there's going to be a C at Scarborough for at least part of next season. *evil grin*
Love,
~~Kangi Tanka~~
AKA Sir Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter, Earl of Devon, Gentleman of His Majesty's Privy Chamber, Knight of the Garter