Death of Kings (a Rival Poet extra)

Deleted scene from Rival Poet. 1576.

“I’m serious, Mary. I can’t keep this up!”

Will glanced up. It was father’s voice, coming from the garden. There was a hissing sound, and then silence. Will peered through the half open shutters and saw mother filling pitchers with beer, handing them to her husband in terse, angry movements.

“On one side, there’s family,” father said. “On the other, the Queen’s favourite! I need to work twice as hard as everyone else to keep up appearances.”

“Isn’t that your job?” Mother’s voice was tense. Will glanced at his brother and sister, but Gilbert just continued stretching skins and Annie bent her head over her needlework, as if trying to shut out what couldn’t be ignored.

Will sighed and took a new skin, unrolled it and started pulling at it. Father was having all the aldermen over to the house for an evening…

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