The queen looked at her own face in the mirror, while her maids combed the fiery locks. A fragile woman she was, pale and thin, but life had hardened her and here she was now, queen of England, souvereign of Wales, conquerer of Scotland and ravager of Ireland. All over these islands men bowed to her and trembled in fear.
There was a knock on the door.
" Enter!"
The maggot crawled into her bedroom, his head low.
" The bard requests an audience, your majesty."
" Send him in."
The miserable worm made space for a handsome fellow. Elizabeth enjoyed William's company, not only was he eloquent and artistic, but his gentle voice reminded her of who she could have been, if she had not turned into a king and warrior. Just because she ruled Britain from the barren Highlands to the white rocks of Dover did not mean she wasn't a woman of flesh and blood...
The man bowed slightly, a smile upon his face. Protocol was protocol, rules were rules.
" What brings you, poet?"
" I have an idea for a new play, but I prefer to have your majesty's opinion first."
" Sit down and tell me."

William sat down on a bench, and the queen admired his graceful movements. He coughed once, and then looked at her with that gaze that made her melt.

" It's about a queen, a queen of all of Britain..."
" What's her name?"
" Elizabeth."
" How interesting. Is this by some way an ode to me?"

William shook his head and looked a little nervous.
" No my liege, it is a tragedy."
" About a queen called Elizabeth?"
" Oh yes my queen. I dreamt about her. But this Elizabeth is not you, nor is this Britain in any way like ours. It may well be a future Britain. I shall call her Elizabeth the second."
" Of course... Second to me. No other queen can be as great as I am."
" Indeed my queen. Now this queen Elizabeth is married to the duke of Edinburgh..."
" A Scot? Oh dear. Can't you change her name into Mary or something?"
"... and she has three sons and one daughter. Now here comes the tragic part. Anne, the daughter, falls in love with a mere soldier. Of course this doesn't work. I have to develop this plotline, but they will divorce in the end."
" She does not decapitate him?"

" Perhaps. I'm not sure about this one yet. But I have also another divorce plotline going on. For one of the sons, the duke of York, marries the daughter of a servant. She turns crazy because of all the intrigues at the court and he finds the only way to restore her mental health is to let her go."
" What a wimp... But then, royalty should not marry servants. So that's all?"

" Oh no! The greatest tragedy will befall the future king."
" That Charles boy?"
" Yes, he. For he'll fall in love with a woman called Camilla, but the queen does not like her very much."
" Ah? So she has her thrown into the Tower's dungeons?"
" No, your majesty, this Camilla introduces him to a lady called Diana, a beauty, but of simple descent."
" Yet another peasant? Why couldn't she be the crown-princess of France?"
" Because like the wife of the duke of York, she's going to turn crazy as a result of the sudden change in status."
" Is there an evil magician at work?"
" I haven't thought about that, my queen, but perhaps I'll put it into the play. May I continue?"
" You may."

" The two marry, but secretly Charles keeps seeing his Camilla. Princess Diana is meanwhile followed by beggars and churls who hope for some alms, which she hands out like a saint."
" And then they'll run out of money?"
" Oh no. She finds out about Camilla."
" And she sets up a plot to become queen instead of him?"
" No. She starts her own affair with a good looking and tremendously wealthy Saracen."
" A Saracen?"
" Oh yes, the son of an exotic nobleman. They leave for France and while in Paris they have to flee for an army of beggars. They mount a charriot and speed away, but the beggars mount their donkeys and follow them, until eventually they crash into a tree. Blood everywhere, Saracen prince dead, princess mortaly wounded, everyone is mourning."
" And there it ends? It's not realy spectacular, William..."

" Oh, but I have more ideas. Charles is going to marry Camilla shortly after."
" Yes, all men are bastards aren't they? Not you William, not you. I mean all kings."
" And his son will go on crusade."
" Crusade? What a fantastic story is this William. Even your Midummernight's dream was more believable. Take my advice. Write something else. No-one is going to believe this nonsense, and furthermore, it's boring. Who wants to hear about this Charles with his Camilla and Diana?"