A Queen Twice Over: Mary Tudor the Elder Marries Francis I of France
- Thread starter FalconHonour
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How could I forget Renee? She's more than old enough by now. Marie would never go for Richard de la Pole, although I didn't know that about Margaret Beaufort. I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Mary Talbot makes sense, given the Anglo-French alliance.
Renee, Mary and the Duke of Nemours works for me.
Yeah, she's also the future Queen of France, a Sovereign ruler and is the child's something-th cousin, so she'd be perfect to be a Godmother.
I know, she'd be crazy to do so. If it were to happen it would be Francis to choose him, and even then that's extremely unlikely, unless Henry VIII does something crazy that offends him that deeply.
He's been dead for some time. He lost his life in the 1521 Navarre campaign... It was him or Henri of Navarre and I chose him.
Section L - September/October 1523
Bridewell, September 1523
Henry is passing the archery butts in the courtyard, when childish laughter reaches his ears. He pauses and turns to look. Mary and her companions are there, well wrapped up against the September chill, shooting arrows under the supervision of Mary’s French tutrix, Madame de Breze.
As Henry watches, the young redhead crouches down behind Mary and helps her draw back the string of an obviously new hunting bow, one that has been carefully scaled down to match her diminutive stature.
The fletchings on the arrow tickle his daughter’s cheek for a moment and then the arrow is launched on its flight.
It wobbles through the air for a few moments and then buries itself in one of the inner rings of the target.
Mary pouts and Henry has to chuckle to himself. His pearl has always been something of a perfectionist.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he calls, applauding, “Not even I was a marksman at seven. It’ll come!”
“Papa!” Mary’s eyes light up and she flies towards him, flinging her little arms around his waist.
Henry chuckles and swoops her off the ground into his arms.
“I didn’t know you were learning to shoot,” he says, as Mary wraps her legs around his waist so that he can carry her back to the butts, “Is this a new set of lessons?”
“Aunt Marie sent me a bow as a present when Lillibet was born. And Madame Diane got some cut for Meg and Nora too. She said we could learn. She said Aunt Marie had the right of it and that if I was big enough to be a big sister, I was big enough to handle a bow.”
“I see,” Henry arches an eyebrow, “And what does Lady Salisbury say?”
“She doesn’t know. She’s too busy with Lillibet,” Mary shrugs, the very picture of nonchalance.
Henry is about to respond when Madame de Breze looks up from helping Meg string her new bow.
“Lady Salisbury asked me to entertain the Princess, Lady Margaret and Mistress Eleanor while Lady Elizabeth takes her morning nap, Sire. I thought they might enjoy learning to shoot. I apologise if I was too forward, but my father taught me to shoot alongside my brothers when I was Her Highness’s age and I always enjoyed it.”
“Oh, Papa, this is Madame Diane,” Mary interjects, waving a hand to introduce her governess.
“Your father and I have met, Your Highness,” Madame de Breze chuckles, dipping a brief curtsy as she straightens, “We danced together several times at Christmas.”
As the words leave her mouth, Henry kicks himself inwardly. He remembers being thoroughly charmed by this young redhead during the festive season. Why hasn’t he made more of an effort to get to know her? No one would begrudge him enjoying her company, particularly not while Mary is still lying in.
Shifting Mary in his hold, he takes Madame de Breze’s hand in his and bows over it.
“Indeed we did, Madame. And I have been most remiss in not renewing our acquaintance before now. I trust you can forgive me?”
“Bien sur. Kings need not ask forgiveness over such small things.”
Christ. Even her voice is sultrier than Henry remembers. Fighting the unbecoming blush that wants to rise in his cheeks, he turns back to Mary.
“Are you enjoying being a big sister at last, then?”
“Oh yes, Papa! Lillibet is a beautiful baby. She’s the prettiest baby in all of England – and she’s my baby sister!”
“And my cousin!” Tired of not being in the spotlight, Meg chooses that moment to break into their conversation.
Mary stiffens in Henry’s arms and he knows he’ll have to create a diversion if the cousins are not to start fighting. They are usually the very best of friends, but sometimes their mutual love of attention will cause problems.
“Do you think Lillibet might like some flowers from her older sister and favourite cousin?” he suggests. Meg and Mary both halt in their tracks. They exchange an excited glance and nod eagerly.
“Run and pick some then,” he urges, setting Mary on the ground.
The cousins flee at once with Eleanor Boleyn hot on their heels, leaving Henry alone with Madame de Breze.
“Dancing, languages, archery. You’re a remarkable woman, Madame de Breze. Is there nothing you can’t do?”
“What can I say, My Lord? My father believed in all his children having a broad education.”
Freed from having to act as an example to the Princess, Madame de Breze smirks, and the wry twist of her lips stirs something deep within Henry. He knows then, that he must spend some time alone with the woman, whatever the consequences.
“I wonder, Madame de Breze, if you have had a chance to see much of London since you arrived?” he says slowly, trying not to show how he is hanging on her every word.
“Not as much as I would like, Your Grace.”
“Then we must remedy that. I’m of a mind to ride over to Coldharbour today. I like to do that every now and again, now that my grandmother is no longer around to oversee the place. Should you like to come with me?”
“Sire,” Diane hesitates, knowing it won’t do to appear too eager, “I should be delighted.”
October 1523
“He’s been riding with that French hussy again. I hear they’re on first name terms now,” Mary Talbot hisses, glaring down into the courtyard beneath her rooms. Her hands clench into fists at her side as she sees Henry lift Diane from the saddle and set her on her feet, reaching up to straighten her plumed hat as he does so.
Mary’s older sister, Lady Dacre, sighs.
“Come away from there, Your Grace. It will do you no good to fret over what you cannot change. It is a King’s right to take a mistress when their wives are unavailable to them, you know that.”
“Most Kings wed for duty. Henry chose me. He ought to have the decency not to stray, even if only with the first,” Mary scowls blackly, but she does turn back into the room and plump herself gracelessly on the nearest divan.
“Very well. I shan’t give Henry another thought. But how else do you propose to entertain me in these dreary rooms, Elizabeth?”
“Perhaps I could fetch the Lady Elizabeth from the nursery?” Lady Dacre suggests, only to be met with a most unimpressed look from her royal sibling.
“Really, Elizabeth? You expect your mewling namesake to hold my attention for more than a moment or two?”
“Madam…” Lady Dacre sets her jaw for a moment, then forces herself to relax, reminding herself that Mary isn’t her little sister any more. Losing her temper isn’t going to help anyone, “Your Grace has hardly seen the child since her christening. People are beginning to talk.”
“Let them talk,” Mary snarls, tossing her head, “I don’t care. Elizabeth was meant to be a boy. I needed her to be a boy. A girl’s no good to me, not with Princess Mary ahead of her in the Succession. Oh, the King might pretend to be pleased, but I’m losing him, any fool can see that. You know he’s broken Francis’s betrothal to the Lady Margaret and promised her to Lord Surrey’s heir. I knew I should have pushed harder for them to marry!”
“Mary!” Lady Dacre cannot help but exclaim, scandalised, “Lady Margaret is scarcely eight years old!”
“Royalty have had child marriages before,” Mary glowers and Lady Dacre knows she will simply have to yield. She nods quietly, watching as her dark-haired sister subsides into mulish silence, chewing the inside of her cheek. Her mind is clearly whirling.
“Hunsdon.” The word falls like a bitter pebble into the lake of silence and Lady Dacre looks up, startled.
“Your Grace?”
“Lord Norfolk gave me Hunsdon as a wedding gift. I’ve been wondering what to do with it. I shall send my daughters there. No one will think twice about the Duchess of Milan and Lady Elizabeth being sent to the country for their health. As Mary’s tutrix, the French hussy will have to go with them. Once she’s out of Henry’s sight, she’ll fall out of his mind. And with no more distractions, he’ll turn his attention to fathering a Prince of Wales. Yes, that will do very nicely.”
Mary’s voice rings with triumph and Lady Dacre ducks her head to hide the uncertain twist of her lips. Somehow, she doesn’t think things will go exactly as her younger sister wants them to. Not now she’s disappointed the King by presenting him with a Lady Elizabeth rather than a Prince of Wales.
Mary needs to get pregnant again and sending away Diane just as the king is clearly falling for her does not seem to be the right move...
Also, does she really think Henry couldn’t just go to hunsdon himself if he wanted to see Diane?
Also very true. Mary is henry's child so he can have her and her household living wherever he wants.
What, and little Lillibet isn't? You're both right, although I will point out that children were more the Queen's sphere than the King's. Henry isn't going to want to admit that he and Mary are having problems, at least not this early, so he can't *really* refuse to have the children sent from Court, especially not if Mary phrases it in such a way that makes people think she's doing it for her daughters' health...
Getting Diane out of it, however...
That bastard would have to be a boy... And yes, Henry and little Mary do get on very well TTL. After all, he's got what he wanted re. the annulment. He can afford to dote on his bright, beautiful little girl.
Diane and Henry are both redheads right? So their kid(s) would be redheaded too.
And, Henry's always the nicest when you give him what he wants. It's how Charles Brandon got through life. And Diane is a champ at navigating a monarch, so she should have no problem with Henry.
Oh, yes. There will be plenty of little redhead Fitzroys TTL. Why do you ask?
As it stands, Princess Mary is strawberry blonde ITTL, Lady Elizabeth has her mother's dark hair (but fortunately a sweeter temper), and Hal Fitzroy is blonde like his mother, but with the Tudor features.
I like Madame de Breze, she seems level-headed and willing to teach stuff to the children that many other tutors would not.
Mary is very nice here, so glad she is getting a much nicer childhood with her Dad around.
One suspect Mary is not getting what she wants regarding the children, and of course Madame de Breze - perhaps they wil leave Court, but for a property closer to the London centre?
Mary is very nice here, so glad she is getting a much nicer childhood with her Dad around.
One suspect Mary is not getting what she wants regarding the children, and of course Madame de Breze - perhaps they wil leave Court, but for a property closer to the London centre?
Diane was a keen horsewoman and a swimmer in a time when it wasn't very common, so I figured she'd want to pass that down to Mary here.
Oh, children wise, the Queen will get what she wants, but Diane wise...??