A Queen Twice Over: Mary Tudor the Elder Marries Francis I of France

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Tudorfan

Tudorfan

FalconHonour said:
Orleans, July 1536​

“Milan? You want to go back to Milan? Now?! My Lord…”

“It is my Duchy, is it not?”

“Tell that to the Emperor!” Phillippe de Nemours clenches his fists at his sides, struggling to stop himself from shaking the recalcitrant Jean, “Like it or not, we ceded Milan to Lord Pescara the moment we landed in Narbonne! And your brother has more than proven he doesn’t like to fight for territories he loses. If he won’t fight for Boulogne, he sure as Hell won’t fight for Milan, not now. Not after what we’ve done. No, My Lord. If we are to get your Duchy back, then we must get ourselves installed in Paris! We must press on!”

“Must?! Must is not a word one uses to Princes, Lord Nemours! I came north for Madame de Valentinois’s sake. Now that she is dead, I see no reason to remain in France and put myself so easily within my brother’s reach. Get word to the men, we ride for Milan at dawn!”

“My Lord… you gave your word that you would see me installed on my mother’s throne in Pamplona. My sister, God rest her, would want you to keep that promise. Or did we all misjudge you? Are you naught more than a boy playing the man, ready to run at the first sign of trouble? Has Isabella died for nothing?”

Of all the curses and savage words thrown at Jean, it is Henri of Navarre’s that comes closest to getting through to him. The newly-fourteen-year-old falters for a moment, turning to face the older man with a stricken face.

Before he can speak, however, the doors behind them crash open and they all jolt, whirling as one to confront the intruder.

Guy de Laval stands there, two dozen burly men-at-arms fanned out behind him.

“Lord Milan, Lord Nemours, I have here warrants for your arrest, signed at Chinon by His Majesty King François. You are all to come with me to Nantes, where King François will decide what your fates shall be.”

Phillippe’s hand flies to his sword, as does Jean’s, but, when they look at the third of their triumvirate, Henri of Navarre simply smirks, and glances across to the Count.

“I understand King François must punish his rebellious subjects, but surely he would never be so crass as to arrest a brother sovereign, Father?”

“Of course not, son,” Guy de Laval replies coolly, laying just as much snide emphasis on Henri’s familial title as the younger man did on his, “Not, of course, providing that Your Majesty leaves France at once and never again embroils us in your rash dreams of restoration. Indeed, in his great mercy, King François has permitted me to say that any common soldier who surrenders to me or to my captains will be spared.”

Henri hesitates for a moment, but it is really just for show. In truth, he’s been negotiating behind Jean’s back ever since his sister died. Isabella was the driving force behind Jean’s stubborn uprising, after all, and he’s rudderless without her. Henri saw the writing on the wall a while ago, both for the uprising and for his own dreams of retaking his family’s realm. With France in turmoil and Jean out of favour and powerless, there is no one who would care enough to help Henri retake Pamplona, at least not when it means going up against the might of the Empire. And Gaston is only six. He can’t take up the banner yet, not for at least a decade. When the choice is between a suicidal last stand or a pampered exile pleading for support in Europe, trying to keep his family’s cause alive long enough for his son to take over…well, he really has no choice at all.

Henri nods to his father-in-law, and beckons to his men, sweeping from the room with all the arrogance that befits a King, even if only a titular one.

Jean watches open-mouthed. He is still too green in the world of politics to understand all the motivations behind every single power play, but even he knows it bodes ill for their cause when half the soldiers in the room, already uncomfortable with torn loyalties, particularly after Jean slaughtered so many innocents seeking vengeance for Isabella, seize their chance to defect, following Henri of Navarre out of the room. The young Duke screams obscenities after the defectors, exhorting them to return, but none do.

Lord Nemours knows then that it is all over. In truth, he’s known it is over ever since Guy de Laval set foot in their council chamber. After all, King François’s lapdog would never have made it so far into their stronghold without at least some of their soldiers turning coat.

Still, he tries. Roaring defiantly, swinging his sword with every ounce of strength he possesses, he does everything he can to stop the inevitable.

Jean does the same, but essentially, it is the two of them against two dozen, and, slowly but surely, they are overwhelmed. Overwhelmed and forced to their knees, hands bound behind their backs.

Guy de Laval leers down at them, grim satisfaction etched into every line of his face.

“It’s over, you whoresons. The next time you wake, you’ll be in Nantes before King François.”

With two swift swipes of the wrist, he clouts them on the backs of their heads with the pommel of his sword, even as protests form on their lips.

The world goes black.
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And, so, we begin the retribution!
I cannot wait for people to read the rest of these!
👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿
 
FalconHonour

FalconHonour

Tudorfan said:
And, so, we begin the retribution!
I cannot wait for people to read the rest of these!
👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿
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Hehe. Although I will say, writing the family fluff that is Christmas 1536 is such a refreshing change after all this war...

(And no, you can't see it yet, I've only got the handwritten draft so far...)
 

BoleynBuff

pandizzy said:
the brain damage they just suffered is massive.
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I’m pretty sure neither of them is living long enough to worry about the effects of brain damage.

Also, Laval, I don’t think Francois would be too happy with you call his mother a whore.
 
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FalconHonour

FalconHonour

BoleynBuff said:
I’m pretty sure neither of them is living long enough to worry about the effects of brain damage.
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Jean might. Francois doesn't really want to be a kinslayer if he doesn't have to. As I said in the previous chapter, Marie has drilled the horrors of the Cousins' War into all her children, but most especially into him...
 

BlueFlowwer

FalconHonour said:
Jean might. Francois doesn't really want to be a kinslayer if he doesn't have to. As I said in the previous chapter, Marie has drilled the horrors of the Cousins' War into all her children, but most especially into him...
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Jean's probably looking at long years imprisoned in some remote fortress. Or being stuffed into a uber-strict monastery. How long is Marie gonna live btw, otl she died in 1533. Is her health better here?
 
Tudorfan

Tudorfan

BlueFlowwer said:
Jean's probably looking at long years imprisoned in some remote fortress. Or being stuffed into a uber-strict monastery. How long is Marie gonna live btw, otl she died in 1533. Is her health better here?
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Even if it is, France is a warmer climate so she'd live longer anyway. It's why IOTL Francis I was so concerned with sending Madeleine to Scotland - she was in ill health in France, but lived due to the warmer climate. In the cold climate of Scotland, she perished rapidly.
 
FalconHonour

FalconHonour

BlueFlowwer said:
Jean's probably looking at long years imprisoned in some remote fortress. Or being stuffed into a uber-strict monastery. How long is Marie gonna live btw, otl she died in 1533. Is her health better here?
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It is. She's in warm sunny France, not damp East Anglia. I could see her managing the early 1540s, at least....
 
FalconHonour

FalconHonour

Tudorfan said:
Even if it is, France is a warmer climate so she'd live longer anyway. It's why IOTL Francis I was so concerned with sending Madeleine to Scotland - she was in ill health in France, but lived due to the warmer climate. In the cold climate of Scotland, she perished rapidly.
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Indeed... I am about to DM you a question..
 

BoleynBuff

King of Danes said:
Damn, Henri, you snake - I respect that
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Unless some detail flew over my head (which I admit is quite likely), I wouldn’t call Henri a snake for leaving Jean rather than rising up against Francois in the first place. In this instance, he’s trying to get out with his head on his shoulders.
 

isabella

Avrorange said:
Technically speaking non Cardinals could be pope as well if enough cardinals vote for them and it has happened before like the first pope who abdicated.
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Celestine V was only the most well know Pope to resign as he was not the only but neither the first or the last to resign before modern times
 
FalconHonour

FalconHonour

Awkwardvulture said:
Damn, Henri is quite tricky, but I suppose you must be in order to survive in such a situation.
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Well, I imagine that as a King without a country, you must learn fairly quickly to do whatever you need to do to survive, so I couldn't see Henri NOT coming to some sort of arrangement behind Jean's back.
King of Danes said:
Damn, Henri, you snake - I respect that. Can’t wait to see Jean’s punishment
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BoleynBuff said:
Unless some detail flew over my head (which I admit is quite likely), I wouldn’t call Henri a snake for leaving Jean rather than rising up against Francois in the first place. In this instance, he’s trying to get out with his head on his shoulders.
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I think the reason @King of Danes is calling Henri a snake is because he knew full well Guy was on his way and said nothing. In fact, he was actively encouraging Jean in his treason, right up until the moment Guy stormed the council chamber. He was playing for time, so that the younger man would get caught red-handed, while he swans off into a comfortable exile with his wife and children...
 
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