Marguerite of Angouleme: Now repeat after me Philippe, Le France, Le France, Le France.
A Queen Twice Over: Mary Tudor the Elder Marries Francis I of France
- Thread starter FalconHonour
- Start date
Section LV - October 1524
Coldharbour, October 1524
“Diane, he’s beautiful!” Henry gazes down at the baby in his arms, enraptured by every inch of him. From the soft red fuzz that covers his scalp to his blue-grey eyes and his long toes, every bit of the boy is Tudor. Indeed, to Henry, the only way he could be more perfect is if he were a Prince of Wales.
No sooner has the thought crossed his mind than Henry shakes his head. Mary’s still young. They’ll have a son soon enough.
And in the meantime, nothing will be allowed to spoil this idyllic moment.
“Charles and Lord Shrewsbury have already agreed to be godfathers. And Charles has suggested Edmund as a name, after my grandfather and brother. Would that please you, sweetheart?”
“If it pleases you, Henry, it pleases me,” Diane is more tired than she ever remembers being in her life, but she musters the energy to raise her head to her lover and smile at him, “Could Mistress Champernowne be godmother? She’s been such a good friend to me during my confinement.”
Henry shrugs. He’s been planning to ask Denny’s wife to stand as sponsor, or maybe Lady Worcester, but if Diane’s taken a liking to young Katherine…it’s a small enough thing to grant her.
“Of course, darling,” He leans over to kiss her, noting with slight alarm just how wan and exhausted she looks, “If that’s what you want. Now, rest. You need your strength back so that I can make you a Duchess, just like I promised.”
As if his words have given her permission, Diane slumps back on her copious cushions and is out like a light.
Henry lingers by her bedside a little longer, cherishing the weight of their new-born son in his arms.
Richmond, October 1524
“You agreed to stand as sponsor to the harlot’s whelp? You agreed?!”
Mary Talbot glares at her father, so furious she can barely speak.
“The King didn’t exactly give me much choice, Madam!” George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury snarls back, barely restraining himself from sneering his daughter’s Christian name, let alone her title, “His Grace made it very clear that, given what a disappointment Your Grace has been to him so far, it would well behove the rest of us Talbots to prove ourselves more biddable.”
“You’re my father! You, of all people, should stand up for me, not go begging for crumbs off the French hussy’s table!”
“Well, you should have given the King a son at the first time of trying! That’s what you promised him. But you didn’t! You didn’t, and now I’m left scrambling to keep this family afloat, while you do nothing but throw tantrums over the fact that your husband finds more pleasure in another woman’s bed than he does in yours. Has it occurred to you, even for an instant, that our sovereign lord might respect you more if he saw you shut your eyes and endure, as the Princess Dowager always did? If he saw you even attempt to care about your daughter, about the country, about anything other than your own blasted pride?”
Colour flares in Mary’s cheeks at her father’s words. Her lips go white and she presses them together sharply.
“My husband needs a son,” she says bitterly, “That’s all he cares about. You mark my words, the moment I put a Prince of Wales in the cradle, he’ll drop his harlot so fast, it’ll be as though he’s never laid eyes on her. A son will bring him back to me, Papa, and bind us together so tightly that he will never stray again!”
“You naïve fool,” George scoffs under his breath, “Nothing will ever keep the King from straying.”
Aloud, however, he merely shrugs, “So you say, Madam. But, pray tell me, when will this mythical son of yours be born? Do you have a date for me, or are you clutching at straws as always?”
“April!” Mary throws the word at him triumphantly. She says nothing more, merely looks at him, daring him to slander or countermand her.
Not for the first time, George bites back an oath, knowing it is more than he dare to curse in front of his Queen. Instead, he merely turns on his heel without waiting to be dismissed. And while he won't curse his daughter, he won't let her have the last word. Not this time.
“Make sure you eat every bit of asparagus you can lay your hands on. This family cannot afford another failure.”
Honestly? I can't see Marguerite being allowed to raise her son. Any girls, yes, but Charles will use the excuse that the future Emperor shouldn't be raised clinging to the skirts of women to take Philip away from Marguerite as soon as he possibly can.
Ah, now that would be telling - although I promise I am half a chapter or so away from writing the birth of Mary's second child in my longhand draft...
Boleyn Family Tree
For those who are curious/struggling to keep children straight, here is the Boleyn family tree as of the end of 1524 
Thomas Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, m 1499 Lady Elizabeth Howard
1) Mary (b.1500) m.1516 William Carey
2) Thomas (1501-1508)
3) Stillborn girl (1502)
4) Henry (1503-1517)
5) George (b.1504) m. 1521 Lady Catherine Butler
6) Catherine (1506-1510)
7) Anne (b.1507) m.1521 Francis de Bourbon, Count of St Pol
8) Eleanor (b.1515)
Thomas Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, m 1499 Lady Elizabeth Howard
1) Mary (b.1500) m.1516 William Carey
- Alice (b.1518)
- William (b.1521)
- Thomas (b.1522)
- Catherine (b.1524)
3) Stillborn girl (1502)
4) Henry (1503-1517)
5) George (b.1504) m. 1521 Lady Catherine Butler
- Elizabeth (b.1522)
- James (b.1524)
7) Anne (b.1507) m.1521 Francis de Bourbon, Count of St Pol
- Georges de Bourbon (b.1522)
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Gods, I hope Mary Talbot faces the axe sooner rather than later. Such a harpy. At least Diane has given Henry a strong Fitzroy boy! And Edmund is a great name for him!
Awwww yay for baby Edmund! And for Madame le Duchesse!
Maybe keep Mary away from Coldharbour, though....
Maybe keep Mary away from Coldharbour, though....
Axe would be difficult here, I think, given Henry hasn't made himself Head of the Church to marry her. She's an anointed Queen in the Catholic Church. She may not be popular, but I can't see Henry managing to behead her without *some* backlash. Glad you like little Edmund, I thought Henry would like the idea of naming his son after his grandfather and baby brother.
That would probably be wise...
Also did you catch the little nod to a certain Mistress Ashley? She can't be Lillibet's governess here, not without the Boleyn connection, but I thought you might like to see her pop up anyway.
That is true... Poison then? Or an "unfortunate accidental fall" down a flight of stairs?Axe would be difficult here, I think, given Henry hasn't made himself Head of the Church to marry her. She's an anointed Queen in the Catholic Church. She may not be popular, but I can't see Henry managing to behead her without *some* backlash. Glad you like little Edmund, I thought Henry would like the idea of naming his son after his grandfather and baby brother.
As much as I hate Mary Taldbot I don’t think she deserves getting axed. Hope she can have a healthy son or two so Henry can just say “-sigh-finally, the line of succession is secure, now I can just be done with her and spend my time with my mistresses and kids.
Or have him not have a legitimate son so we can have another imported dynasty from France haha!
Or have him not have a legitimate son so we can have another imported dynasty from France haha!
I don’t see why he’d need to do that unless he really got pissed at her. Besides, making him that big of an ass would feel cartoonish.
Not necessarily. I take your point, but Edward V was raised away from his mother from the age of 3, as was Arthur Tudor. I worded it wrong, yes, and I will be careful how it's written, I promise, but I still think Marguerite would be more involved with the lives of her younger children, should she have them, than Philip. That seems to have been the norm.
As for Mary's children, I have planned them, but I haven't yet written them, and anyway, to say anything would be spoilers, so I'm keeping my mouth shut...
Huh. Was it really that common? Still, it just seems like it’ll make Charles V even more of villian here if he did that and make him cartoonish.
Don’t spoils it haha! I wanna be surprised!
I saw it and I was ecstatic!That would probably be wise...
Also did you catch the little nod to a certain Mistress Ashley? She can't be Lillibet's governess here, not without the Boleyn connection, but I thought you might like to see her pop up anyway.
I am very intrigued as to how Mistress Champernowne will influence her young charge this time around
Well, she's godmother, not governess here, but she and Diane will pretty much run the ideal nursery between them!
Yay for Henry and Diane having a son! Mary should count her lucky stars that she’s pregnant again and hope that the baby is a boy.
Ok I know cat and Elizabeth were close IOTL but I hardly think cat was an ideal governess...see the whole issue with Thomas Seymour.Well, she's godmother, not governess here, but she and Diane will pretty much run the ideal nursery between them!