[ WP ] The King is dying and decides to abdicate his throne before he dies . During the coronation ceremony , he places the crown on a servant 's head and declares him king , rather than one of his two sons .

Richard wrapped the king ’ s hands in bandages once more. His frail withered hands tremored as the linen touched his skin and when the last of the material touched his palm the King croaked again ‘ More, boy! ’ 
 
 Richard reacted with bewilderment ‘ Sire, your hand, I can treat it no more. ’ 
 
 ‘ More boy! ’ he squealed ‘ Do you wish me to shatter into pieces? ’ 
 
 Taken aback at first, Richard then done as requested and began to wrap more bandages around the king ’ s hand but it had only confirmed what many had begun to suspect – the King had grown mad. However, it was not with old age the King had lost his wits. No, although the king had reached nine and forty he had been going mad for the last two decades. 
 
 Many members of the Privy Council as well as his servants had noticed the King ’ s sudden outbursts, his mood swings and his melancholy which at times left him immobile for weeks. No one was certain for sure what caused the madness of the King but many assumed it was when he lost his mother and wife. Roughly one and twenty years ago, a plague had encroached the capital and the Queen Dowager was one of the many who fell victim to the sweating illness. In the early hours of the morning the Queen Mother had died. Had the King been given time to grieve matters wouldn ’ t be so bad but his wife died several hours later. 
 
 Consumed by the loss of his mother he never got the time to say goodbye to Matilda nor did he have the time to see the birth of his second son. By the time he arrived he found Matilda in a bed of blood and Edward in the hand of his future wet-nurse, my mother. Edward and I grew up almost like brothers and I got the impression Edwards father never really forgave him for taken his mother ’ s life. Yes, Edward was intelligent, some may say even cunning but he was coy, stern, unpopular, and was always a sickly child. Even to this day as he kneeled beside Richard he could see the pox marks on his pale white skin, his bloodshot eyes and his withered arm reaching across the bed to his dying father. Despite his ill health many in the court felt it was fitting for Edward to take over administrative roles as his father descended into madness. Then again Richard believed that this said less about Edward and more about his elder brother, Henry. 
 
 Henry was never despised by his father like Edward was he was more disappointed in him. As heir presumptive Henry was expected to be everything a king should be: Brave, Just and pious, Henry was everything but. The Dauphin was a gambler, a drinker and a whoremonger. Rumours that circled around the court suggested that Henry had sired many bastards and had even enjoyed the company of men. Many of those at the King's deathbed believed he wasn ’ t there out of concern of his father but rather to see what other estates and titles were up for grabs. Despite his flaws the Prince was charismatic, handsome and was loved by the people, unlike his brother Henry would find little difficulty in being betrothed, forming an alliance and producing an heir. For the length of time he had been in the king ’ s room Henry had only sat on the chair by his bed drinking from a goblet of wine. 
 
 The king cried out once more ‘ More bandages! ’ Richard began to apply more but was interrupted. 
 
 ‘ Please father! ’ He swirled the wine in its goblet. ‘ The boy can not place any more bandages upon you, nor do you need them. You are not made of glass. ’ 
 
 The King's neck twisted turning to the Prince with snarling teeth and glassy eyes. Richard had seen dogs consumed by madness back on the farm but never had he seen one quite as mad. 
 
 ‘ You dare presume to speak to me in such way! I am your king, nothing more and you will address me as such! ’ the King then glared at his sons ‘ you, you ’ re imposters you are no sons of mine, Wesley where are my sons! ’ 
 
 The Princes were unresponsive, over the passing years they had grown used to the King who often forgotten who they were but the Lord Chancellor Wesley attempted to restrain the king. Instead the King turned his attack on the Lord Chancellor. Once the king had released Wesley from his grip he appeared to compose himself before he fell back and slumped on the headboard. The King began to wheeze, coughing blood which almost took the life out of him. 
 
 Staring towards his chest the King whispered ‘ my subjects, I have a final announcement. ’ The princes, the chancellor, the Privy Council and even the maids and servants drew in closer. The King repeated himself ‘ My subjects, in my old age I have begun to realise what is required of a king and the direction which the country must be taken in. ’ Richard began to step away as the crowd grew in closer. ‘ And upon this realisation I have decide which man is best to take the country in such direction. ’ The king turned to his son and for the first time in his life spoke to him with dignity. ‘ Edward, as my faithful advisor and regent over the years I bestow it upon you to be entrusted with the Position of Lord Protector and ensure the peaceful passing of the crown upon my servant, Richard, son of Margret. 
 
 The crowd shared a collective gasp, those adjacent to the king stared in horror and now all eyes were on Richard. 
 
 ‘ Sire, I don ’ t think you understand… ’ Richards lips trembled. 
 
 ‘ I fully understand! and I am in complete control of my faculties. ’ 
 
 ‘ Sire, I can not not succeed you, you have two sons. I am a servant and a bastard at that. ’ 
 
 ‘ Aye, I may have married their mother but I loved yours. A bastard you may be but you are still my blood. ’ 
 
 This time the crowd did not gasp, they remained silent. Prince Edwards face had never been paler and Henry choked on his wine and spat it out over his white doublet. With those final words the King's eyes rolled behind his eyelids and his hand fell from the bedside. From his finger the coronation ring fell and settled into the cobbled stone floor. Chatter and gossip washed over the room but surprisingly none of that chatter was directed towards the princes. Both men glared at one another, jumped to their feet, clasped their scabbards and stormed out of the room almost like they had somewhere to go. A fool would allow them to leave, Richard thought, but a wise man would follow them. At that moment Richard was unsure of which one he was. 

