After first asking the young priest Trevor and then Gardiner's adoptive son Hugh O'Donnell, Colman eventually was able to bring King James to the Acting Dean. In his quarters did Gardiner kneel before an effigy of the Crucified Christ, whipping himself. It was a sight that Colman had seen often in the ten years he had been Gardiner's student, at this point it was something that no longer shocked him and he no longer took notice of the blood dripping from the clergyman's back.
William Gardiner was sixty-seven years of age, lean with some muscle upon him, standing a height of six feet and an inch. He was a bald, blue-eyed man with a cleft chin, clad in the attire of the clergy. His parents had died long ago, victims of the Tudor Conquest just as Colman's parents were. He was a respected scholar who studied several languages, law, medicine, science and theology, even dabbling in alchemy, and spoke Latin, Greek, Hebrew, English and Gaelic. Not without his flaws, he had been a greedy hedonist who would spend some time on expensive clothes, parties and courting loose women and even had ambitious dreams of ascending to the throne. It had only been in the last decade that he had changed, his greed, hedonism and ambition vanishing and replaced with a mission to censor certain books and to defend Ireland from pythonesses, mages and the Walking People. He was a well-read man, with his favourite types of books being those on science, history and drama and Colman had often found himself reading those types of books during his lessons with Gardiner.
"Master Gardiner!" uttered Colman, making his presence known to his mentor.
One last time did the whip lash against the old man's back. Standing, Gardiner turned and inquired, his voice rich and smooth: "Who is this, Colman?"
"James Stuart, King of England, Ireland and Scotland." Stated the Monarch, holding out a hand so the priest could kiss it.
Gardiner did not come forth to kiss his king's hand. He merely stayed where he was and studied the man before him.
Throwing the whip aside, Gardiner merely commented: "So this is Elizabeth's successor." Reaching for his shirt, the old man asked Colman: "How went your play?"
"I do not know, Master Gardiner." Answered Colman. "His Majesty wished to meet you, so the play is either still going on or finished depending on the mood of the crowd."
"And why pray tell did you wish to meet with me, Your Majesty?" inquired Gardiner, not even looking at the younger man as he put his shirt on.
"You were friends with my predecessor, my mother's killer, Elizabeth Tudor, who your people call 'Bloody Bess.'" Began King James. "I am told you were often at the court when she ruled and I wonder for all she did to your people, how could you possibly have befriended her?"
"Life is strange, Your Majesty." Was all Gardiner said.
"Did you approve of how your pupil's play depicted your late friend, Gardiner?" inquired King James.
"We are Irish and it is our tradition to despise villains, even if the villain was our friend in life." Answered Gardiner. "Though in regards to some of our own people, we can be hypocrites. Brian Boru was one of the greatest villains Ireland ever spawned, but alas between him and those he fought against, there was little to choose from."
Intrigued, King James crossed his arms and uttered: "Really now…Tell me more, dear scholar, I would like to know more of your views on history."