Wanted: plot help
So you have a group of rebels who want to take down the government of a country (in this case a kingdom) to keep them from being able to conquer a neighboring country. They don't necessarily want to take over the kingdom (not that interested, and it's kind of beyond their capabilities at this point) but they do want to cripple it enough so that it can't conquer anyone else. What do you do?
Along those same lines, if you had someone within the royal family who was your ally, how could they help you? If they could get you inside the palace while the king and most of his people are gone, what could you do to further your goals?
Along those same lines, if you had someone within the royal family who was your ally, how could they help you? If they could get you inside the palace while the king and most of his people are gone, what could you do to further your goals?
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frustrated
The queen must have plausible deniability. since we know the king is sterile, salt peter helps save her or if he continually denies his issues, she has someone help her get pregnant. depends on how far the king will let the falsehood stand.
perhaps this person that helps the queen ingratiates himself with the king, becoming a trusted advisor, pandering to the king, perhaps even covering for him once or twice to build trust. to suceed in undermining him, he needs to be trusted.
If you want a primer on royal intrigue, watch some of The Tudors. there were multiple examples of peoplle being set up for failure. Anne Bolyn was taken down largely on rumor and innuende augmented by Henry's ego.
I had thought of the queen turning to one of the king's advisers (someone who knows the king's sterile) to help her get pregnant, so she doesn't face the same fate as the first queen (because the king's kind of in denial). But that would definitely be a darker, more angsty route because she hates the guy.
The rebels have also installed some people in the palace as servants or slaves who were captured abroad.
So assuming the queen and her allies are able to set up the king, to make him unpopular with the people, what's the fatal stroke? What ultimately brings him down?
the king then falls sick, and the queen sacrifices herself to care for him. she won't leave his side, etc. she's selfless and kind. she sends out calls around the world for people to save her husband, etc...when she's really poisoning him on a daily basis. something like cyanide poisoning or arsenic poisoning, slow and painful. the king seems to fall ill and nothing can save him.
a sadly incapacitated king and his selfless wife caring for him until his tragic and untimely death. if he really as hated as you say, most of his advisors will be glad to see the back of him.
Maybe the real baddie of the story is the adviser (he's the only who executes the brother). Or has that been done too much?
a sick king succumbed to his illness, and no one can prove otherwise. bonus points if the queen is preggers at the time...and she has never given suspicion to who could be the daddy, she's only spend time with the king, so - especially with a co-conspirator religious figure - that declares the unborn child a miracle and gift from god!!!!!! ;)
especially if there's any sort of future savior myth going around (someone finds an old story in an old book and 'leaks it to the press', so to speak.