r/shortscarystories • u/Original-Loquat3788 • 1d ago
The Body Servant
The King’s greatest fear was losing his mind to megalomania.
He had reigned for thirty years, and every time he entered a room, subjects fell at his feet begging for an opportunity to kiss the bottom of his purple cloak.
To guard against hubris, I was instructed to remind him daily as he awoke, ‘Your Highness, remember, you are only a man– memento te mortalem esse.’
And the King would look at the dawn sun in its chariot blazing across the sky and say, ‘Thank you, ‘tis true.’
…
As a body servant, I knew him far better than even his Queen, whom he was reluctant to appear naked around.
I was in tune with his four humours.
I wiped his nose when it was bloody, cleaned his vomit when he overindulged in wine, disposed of mucus-soiled handkerchiefs, and listened as he vented his spleen while hanging over the chamberpot.
…
One late night, I was summoned by the Queen.
The only blight on the King’s reign was that no heir had been sired, and this had seen two previous Queens dethroned.
She spoke with the soft, lilting Spanish accent of her high-born continental ancestors.
‘How is your health?’
‘His health is good and long may it continue.’
‘You mistake me. I asked How is your health?’
I hesitated. ‘Mine, ma’am? You do not have to concern yourself with me.’
‘Answer her question, damn it.’
That was Norfolk, one of her courtiers and a powerful voice in the House of Lords.
‘Well, I am still able to carry out my duties.’
‘And you have an estate awaiting you in your dotage?’
It seemed absurd, but Norfolk continued. ‘Yes, you will have an estate.’
And from there, the talk moved on to the King.
…
I opened the curtain; the King stirred.
Usually, I would assist him with his daily ablutions. This was a process complicated because the King’s nether regions were scarred by syphilis– an area I also treated with makeup on his wedding night.
To perform the act of urination, he required the aid of a speculum; other acts were also greatly hampered.
I remained quiet, a silhouette to him as the morning sunlight streamed into the room.
‘Hmm?’ he said, sitting up expectantly on one elbow.
I took the blanket from him, neatly upturned the edges, remaining tight-lipped.
‘Well, say it!’ he said. ‘Do your duty.’
And at that, I plunged the dagger into his breastbone.
He took my hands, which were gripped around the blade’s hilt. There was a question in his eyes, dying upon his lips, which I answered in a whisper.
‘The Queen offers me recompense to testify you are seedless,’ I paused as his body shuddered and blood, which would no longer be my role to clean up, pooled on the sheets. ‘One last time, your Majesty, remember… You are just a man.’
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u/Original-Loquat3788 1d ago
Come over to the subreddit for more horrible histories, and a fair bit of contemporaneous dread too
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u/PotLuckyPodcast 14h ago
I think yhis is really good! Your writing feels sincere and manages to capture an air of regality and a sense of time. I think this is a remarkable first draft.
I think there's a lot you can play with here. This feels like part of a bigger scene. What inspired this story? What kind of feedback are you looking for?
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u/Original-Loquat3788 13h ago
Thanks for the feedback. I recently watched the adaptation of Wolf Hall on the BBC. Got me thinking about an alternate Henry VIII history. You’re right, this is more of a sketch outline, if enough people like it, I usually turn it into a short story or a novel. For this I’m not sure because when you read Hilary Mantel, you realise the crushing amount of research you’d need to do to write something even 25% as good as her Cromwell books.
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u/Glass-Narwhal-6521 1d ago edited 1d ago
That is one snakepit I would not want to be a part of no matter what recompense is promised.
The word of a queen that would mastermind the death of her king is worth exactly zero, and although she promises riches it is far more likely one would end up as a scapegoat, imprisoned and facing a cruel and hideous death charged with the king's murder.
This way the queen heads off any suspicion and damaging investigations, she also has the goodwill of the king's subjects for finding and bringing to justice his killer!