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The Royal After Party (Friday Night)


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The yacht race was over.  Celebrations sprang up throughout the area, some celebrating the race and some celebrating the day was Friday.  Any excuse for merriment was embraced in the "merry" English court.

In the royal wing was a private celebration.  Only those who raced and their spouses, or closet kin, were invited.  The King and Queen sat together, joined by the Duke and Duchess of York, Duke of Cumberland and Peg Hughes, Duke of Buckingham and his sister (aka Lord Camberwell), and the Margrave of Brandenburg-Anholt and his sister Dorothea.  Francis Kirke was invited as he captained the King's yacht and would also serve as the King's gentleman in the room.  Servants were allowed to bring in food and drink, but they were supervised by Kingston, and Cumberland, as the Constable of Windsor Castle.

York and Cumberland were seated to the left and the Margrave and Buckingham to the right.  Kingston sat at the end of Buckingham's seating, after Camberwell, but only three seats from Dorothea.  It had been planned carefully.  Even the Queen was now privy to the King's plans to match Kingston with Dorothea.  She would get her best friend to stay in England forever and Kingston's secret would be revealed to the House of Lords in the following year, after the King and Buckingham coordinated with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Royal Chancellor.  It would need to be done carefully, so it would be greeted with acclimation as opposed to royal prerogative.

 There were salutes and toasts to the individual racers and the ultimate winner. York chose to be silent through most of the chatter, though he joined the toasts.  Far too much attention was given to the margrave and Buckingham, and his cub, for his liking.  James did not relish being merely a royal sibling, treated as a spare to a spare.  The conversation was dominated by Buckingham, to no one's surprise.  Cumberland mentioned the good news for the royal navy.  Some funds had been raised as a result of the race, thanks to Kingston and his aide, Lord Beverley.  It was Peg Hughes that was starting to put together the celebration of Kingston and some connection with Dorothea.  Women like her had a sixth sense for connections between ladies and men.  Perhaps it was only that Dorothea and Francis were the only two unmarried persons celebrated this night.  But, Peg caught the German girl sneaking glances at Francis more than any other.  She knew what that likely revealed.  Lord CamberwelI already had been told that Francis was her nephew.

There was talk of winnings. The King asked Buckingham, that as his prize, that he should stop speaking the rest of the evening.  Of Cumberland, he asked that the navy build a special frigate called Regina Karoline, of York he asked that he give the Duke of Monmouth a handshake upon his eventual return to England.  York gave a sour look.  As for the Margrave, King Charles deftly turned to his Queen to ask the forfeit, since it would be harder to deny her.  Karoline promptly asked if Dorothea could stay another year in England, though she would be free to visit her brother during the upcoming holidays.  Dorothea, on cue, nodded her agreement and the Margrave had been outmaneuvered.   "Very well, but she stays a month with me," he conditioned, wanting to have sufficient time alone with her to see about marrying her to the son of another German duke.  The Queen agreed readily.

The main plots having revealed themselves, the entertainment for the evening was ushered into the chamber.  They were puppeteers from Italy, and there was quite the show of politics with the Sun King being depicted as the King that wanted to rule everything under the sun.   There was play about how courtiers sought favor from their rulers, with puppet fights breaking out to the laughter of the audience.  It was humor that transcended all nationalities, as sycophants transcended all borders.  There was a part about Commonwealth Puritans wanting to sail away and fighting amongst themselves as only puppets can.  This was a salute to the King and the stained legacy of Cromwell.  At the end of the show, there was polite applause and it seemed to be an evening well spent.  Buckingham, true to the royal request, said nothing the entire night, notwithstanding one puppet scene about a braggart first minister that received his just beatings.

The ladies spoke of the Christening on Sunday, but the evening was winding down with liberal drinking and tastings of various sugar desserts.  Kingston was relieved of further service that evening, in light of his contributions.  Other gentlemen would look after the King this night.

 

OOC~  This is a summary post of the event.  Francis is permitted to respond with a summary post of his own.   

 

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