Awww poor Beatrice, it seems her death may have saved Ercole, thought then again this period of peace may be needed to allow Francesco to solidify his rule over his lands. Poor Catarina and her other children must be devastated too. Still, even with this loss Catherine of Austria at least will (hopefully) have most of her children outlive her.
An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
- Start date
True. While Ercole may thank his lucky star for this peace treaty, it will let Francesco's men get some rest as well as to let him increase his control on what he already has.
Will be interesting to see what the terms of this peace are, and how things play out with Milan in the future. But Francesco is at least showing Caterina how much he cares for her and their children by choosing to return.
True that. He may be a soldier, but he's also a father and a husband. Even if Caterina had not asked him to come home, he might have done so, since Lulu, Massimiliano and Margherita are probably extremely confused as to where their little sister has gone.
Also, there is plenty of talks to be made before peace truly comes to Italy.
Francesco is a good guy when he wants to be. Here’s hoping he and Caterina can console each other and move past their loss together, and Francesco can always try later for the conquering.
I don't care what people think. When a traumatic event happens such as the loss of a child, the most important thing is being with your loved ones.
12th of June, 1528.
Palace of Richmond, England. 12th of June, 1528.
The sun was high on that warm summer's day and Henry had a content smile on his face. He leaned against the chair he was sitting on, hands tightly holding his fishing rod as he sat before a large pond in the deep English country. His hat was tipped over his face to protect his eyes from the light, since he had dismissed the servant that would be holding a shade over him, and he took deep breaths, feeling the pressure easing all over him.
It was a good day. A happy day, even. Henry moved his eyes slightly and saw John and Teddy playing together with small wooden ships, the two brothers sat together. Teddy, much like his mother and little sister, had locks of fair gold hair, while his brother had straight dark red tresses that had been carefully brushed to frame his round face. They were smiling, away enough from the pond for them not to fret over an accident, but still close enough to feel the fresh breeze that came from the body of water.
With the way that the two moved, Henry thought they were mimicking a naval battle of sorts, John's face crumpled as he breathed out harsh sounds that sounded like cannons. Teddy, younger and more foolish than the Prince of Wales, simply rammed his ship on the other, uncaring of strategies or usage of firepower. Although he seemed reckless, and even capable of damaging his brother's toy, John's laughter told Henry not to worry.
He chuckled. It felt good to see his little sons playing together, happily frolicking with ruddy cheeks under the warm and healthy sun. He moved his eyes back to the pond he sat before, the water reflecting light back to him in glowing ripples. The fish seemed to be evading him, but in truth, Henry did not mind.
It was a good day. His family was with him, the sickness seemed to have died down and Isabella had recovered from her own bout of the sweat without major complications. Or any, in fact. It was a good and happy day.
Bessie was toddling about, hand in hand with one of Lady Bryan's nurses. She was wearing a light pink dress with a white cap embroidered with green thread covering her light blonde hair. She was giggling, uncaring of her weak legs that meant she would have fallen were it not for the woman assisting her, bending down to pick up little rocks on her path.
It was a good day. In truth, it would have been a perfect day if Mistress Seymour was present, but with her brother's death, the Seymours had requested leave to remain in Wulfhall to mourn Master Edward. Although Henry had been offended by her refusal to answer her summons, he thought he could understand it. The loss of a sibling was difficult to move past and with the sickness still present in some areas of England, he didn't think it seemingly for her to bring the disease to him.
But it didn't matter. He had his children with him, his two sons and Bessie, who was happily picking up flowers with her nurse. Henry turned to look at Isabella, sat at a table with her ladies just behind him and saw her slight smile as she calmly bit into an apple. She was still pale and rather thin from the ordeal, but she seemed well. She was recovering.
Henry turned back to his fishing. It was a good day. He could hear the giggles of John and Teddy, high and carefree as well as the babbles of Baby Bessie who toddled closer and closer to him, holding a fist full of dandelions that clung to her cheek as the wind blew the fluff away. It was a good day.
In the end, he returned to the palace with only a handful of medium-sized fishes, but John and Teddy insisted on bringing the catch themselves. Henry laughed good-naturedly as he watched them, the two boys groaning as they lift up the catch in their attempt to be as strong as their royal father.
Lady Willoughby, the governess of Prince John, laughed with a large smile on her face when she saw them.
"Look, Lady Willow," said Prince John, showing her the prize. "Look what I fished with papa!"
Lady Willoughby bent down to look at the fishes with a starstruck look on her face. "Incredible, Your Highness," she murmured. "Today's supper will be lavish, I'm sure." John beamed at the praise and Henry stepped forward and placed his hands over his and Edward's shoulders.
"Go on, boys," he murmured. "Hand our catch to the servants and go wash your hands before we eat."
"Yes, father!" said John and Teddy at the same time, handing the fishes off before they ran to their rooms together. Lady Willoughby and Lady Worcester, who was quietly standing by the corner of the room, gave him deep curtsies before they too left, though both women calmly walked behind their charges.
When they left, Henry turned around the room and found Bessie toddling about with her nurse a few steps behind her. He chuckled and walked close to the little girl, her back turned to him. The nurse, noticing his approach, stood up and gave him a deep curtsy that Henry dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"You can go now," he ordered. "Leave me alone with my daughter." The nurse nodded and gave him a deep curtsy before slinking away through a side entrance.
At the sound of the door shutting, Bessie turned around with wide blue-grey eyes and a parted pink mouth. "Where, Nan?" she babbled. "Where?"
"Come here, sweetheart," said Henry, walking to her. Bessie offered him her arms and he picked her up, groaning as he did so. She was rather heavy, but he merely laughed, adjusting her in his hold.
Bessie said nothing, though she gave him a cheeky grin, pulling at his collar and grabbing the chain around his neck with a curious gaze. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, knowing he spoke the truth. Bessie had golden hair and perfect features under a flawlessly white. She would be a great beauty when she grew, just as her mother.
Bessie giggled, tongue peeking out. She had some teeth already, though not all, and her cheeks pinked in pleasure. "Papa beau-ful," she murmured, pressing her palms to his face.
Henry laughed. "Am I beautiful too?" Bessie nodded, pouting slightly. "But you're more beautiful. The most beautiful girl in the whole world."
"Papa," she whispered. "My papa."
He smiled and pulled her closer, helping her lay her head against his shoulder. He felt the guilt blooming high on his stomach, spreading across his chest for having ignored her for so long, for pretending not to care, but of course he cared. He cared just as much about her as he cared for Marie, his daughters. His precious little girls.
"My Elizabeth," he murmured, stroking the fine hair at the nape of her neck.
Hours later, Henry was with Isabella in her rooms, stomach full of a heavy supper. He was trying not to fall asleep, sat at an armchair with a footrest before him. He was almost laying down, eyes heavy-lidded as he attempted to stay awake.
Alertness came only a few minutes in, when he was nearly snoring, with a slight gasp from Isabella that was seated right next to him. Henry snorted himself awake, rumbling like a sleeping lion as he opened his eyes and groaned out, "What is it?"
"A letter from Baroness Howard. Her sister-in-law, Jocasta has died," she murmured. She was holding an open letter, with a deep frown between her thin eyebrows. "It seems Jocasta's husband has little luck and money that comes from his own hard work."
Henry nodded. "Lord Edmund," he said. "I remember him well. Foolish and reckless. Most of his achievements were done through the work of his elder brother."
"Yes, quite right," Isabella said. She twisted her lips. "Jocasta had three daughters with her second husband. Margaret, Mary and Katherine. Baroness Howard fears for the girls, since with their father's lack of money, they will probably be sent to the household of the Dowager Duchess."
"And what is the problem with that?" Henry asked and Isabella shook her head.
"Lady Howard says since the Duchess spends most of her days at court, the girls have little supervision and live carefree lives full of sin," she murmured. "Lady Howard fears for the poor children and their virtues in such a place. She has offered to take two of the girls to raise herself, but requests my assistance in the matter."
Henry nodded. "A very Christian thing for Lady Howard to do," he murmured. "Taking care of poor motherless children." He stopped to think before adjusting his position. "We shall have the youngest girl, Mistress Katherine, join the nursery with our Bessie. She will be safe from sin, well-educated and when our girl leaves for her own marriage, Mistress Howard may very well join her entourage there."
Isabella smiled. "Very well," she said, "I shall write to Lady Howard at this very moment."
---
Madrid, Castile. 14th of June, 1528.
Anne sat before the council as her legs trembled. Charles had left a month before and she still hadn't grown used to the pressures of rulling, or the nerves she felt whenever the nobles of the Spanish Kingdoms turned to look at her for leadership.
When she was fully adjusted in her position, Anne pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling rather billious. No one said anything, the grey old men merely blinking as they waited for her to say something. She was with child again, conceived about a week before her husband left in mid-May, but had not yet announced her condition. Anne feared that if she said anything, they would try to wrestle the regency from her, since she would have to go into confinement at the end and be isolated from the world.
And she would never let that happen.
"Do we have any news from the Emperor, my lords?" she asked when her sickness abated.
It was Señor Belmonte who spoke, "A letter from the Duke of Alba has arrived, Your Majesty." He handed the paper and Anne picked it up, reading the hastily-written scribbles of Alba. "It seems the Emperor has convinced the Pope to crown him and recognize the marriage between his niece Catherine de' Medici and Ludovico Sforza, as well as the payment of a large dowry to Milan."
Anne nodded. That was good.
"And what of the council?" she asked. "I understand His Majesty intended to convene a council to solve the Protestant issue."
"His Holiness shows himself unwilling to hand over such power to the Emperor," said Belmonte. "No word of an approved council has come."
Anne nodded again. "The Emperor is a good diplomat," she murmured. "I'm sure His Majesty will convince His Holiness of the importance in arranging such a meeting."
Señor Belmonte nodded, though he did not smile. Anne moved her eyes around the room, waiting for someone else to speak.
It felt like an eternity before someone did, though Anne didn't know the name of the man. "Some cities on our southern coasts have been raided by pirates, Your Majesty," he murmured. "It's our belief that the man who commands these raiders is Barbarossa, an infidel under the rule of the Ottomans."
"Where is this Barbarossa located?" she asked.
"Algiers, Your Majesty," said another man. This one, Anne did not know. He was a newcomer to court and rather young as well, with a pinched pale face. "It's a city in the northern coast of Africa that until very recently was under Spanish rule, but Barbarossa and his older brother conquered it from us in 1516."
Anne nodded. "And what is your name, my lord?"
"My name is Francesc de Borja, Your Majesty," he said with a smile. "I'm a kinsman to your husband."
Good to see Henry and Isabella having some peace even if their marriage isn’t exactly perfect. The kiddos are absolutely adorable and Henry having his fatherly moments is nice.
Also love Anne stepping up as regent and being a bit nervous of it, though I’m sure she’ll find it comes easier with time and practice. Also good to see the Sforzas really getting somewhere with the imperial favor they have.
is Francesc de Borja this guy ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Borgia,_4th_Duke_of_Gandía
Wow I’m intrigued to see what part St Francis Borgia will play here! Also love seeing Henry and Isabella being happy together, and Katherine Howard getting a happier youth at court.
Well Francesc did serve Empress Isabella loyally for many years until her death, so he's bound to do the same for Empress Ana.
Ooh I'm glad that Henry and his court is haply again, and that he's spending some quality time with his wife and children. Also I really get the feeling Anne will find herself to be a most capable regent. Great chapter!
I'm not so sure about Anne's abilities. Otl she did not have a good head for politics and she tended to alienate allies. The Anne in this TL, however, is much softer and less fiery then the real Anne. So perhaps it could work?
Eh, she wasn't a stupid woman by any means. I think much of her issue IOTL had much to do with the insecurity of her position, along with the scheming of others (Cromwell and the Seymours brought her down after all)
I'm not saying she was stupid. Anne was intelligent in many areas. And I agree that it had a lot to do with her insecure position and being chased and married to a volatile man as Henry. But she did also make blunders that aided her enemies. But with a better husband and a stronger position and competent advisors in this TL she could do a lot better.
I think this Anne is softer and less fiery because a) she's younger than Anne was during her queenship and b) yeah, she's disliked but her position is secure. Charles isn't gonna send her away, not now that he had two sons by her, two daughters and another baby on the way. She can afford to be softer since she doesn't have to put on the façade of regality as often.