An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
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That is true, it won't exactly help the genetics, but it is far more plausible
No one but modern historians care about genetics. All Charles can think of is how to improve his family's power through his daughter's marriages and sometimes, that means marrying his children to the children of his siblings.
Okay this is absolutely sweet, I love how far Anne and Juana have come and Juanita of Austria is totally precious.
That is true, and the child is quite sweet, so let us hope she has happy union with her cousin
How do you know she's sweet? She's like two minutes old. She literally has done nothing but be born
Oh. Kids, when born, look quite cute. She could grow up to be a royal bitch, but so far she's just a sweet kid who has just been born, as you said
28th of December, 1526.
Palace of Richmond, England. 28th of December, 1526.
“I have received a letter from Lady Parr in Nantes,” said Queen Isabella, holding her cutlery with firm hands as she dined together with her husband in her antechamber, surrounded on all sides by his grooms and her maids. She brought a square of cut meat to her mouth, washing it down with a gulp of watered-down wine.
Henry hummed, indicating he had listened to her but did not raise his eyes from his golden plate. “And what did she say?” he asked mid-chew. Isabella tried not to cringe, averting her eyes to keep from seeing the food in his mouth, and looked down to her own plate.
“She says that our daughter is very happy,” she answered. “She has taken quite well to her husband, she says they have become quite good friends and that Marie’s French improves every day, as do the other girls’.”
“Marie?” Henry repeated, frowning. Isabella nodded.
“It seems she now insists on being called by the French version of her name, as befits the Duchess of Brittany,” Isabella murmured. “Much like how I’m now called Isabella, rather than Isabel.”
Henry scowled. “I know that already. No need to explain it to me, wife,” he murmured in a reproachful tone.
Isabella leaned back, dipping her chin in a submissive gesture. “Forgive me, husband,” she said in what she hoped sounded like a truly mournful tone. “The baby in my womb has confused my mind and made me say something I did not mean it.”
Henry nodded, waving his hand as if to say he accepted her apology, when her words finally made sense in his mind. Isabella smiled broadly at the awed sight in his face, a large smile cutting across his face and she giggled when he ran to stand up, doing as well to meet him halfway in a tight embrace.
He kissed her face, her cheek, her neck and finally, her lips. He stroked the back of her neck, fingers curling under the black velvet of her French hood and Isabella laughed when he put a hand to her still-flat belly.
“My Duke of Somerset,” he murmured. Henry kissed her again, soft and loving, a sharp contrast to his tone only a few minutes earlier. “We will call him Henry, of course. After myself and my father.”
“Our little Tudor rose,” Isabella whispered, placing her hand over his. “Born at the end of Spring, as do the most beautiful and precious flowers.”
Henry raised his eyes to her and kissed her again, stroking the bone of her cheek with his thumb. “Isabella, you have made me the happiest man in all of England,” he said. “You are my true and loving wife, for now and evermore.”
Isabella tried to smile, tears reaching her eyes, and kissed him back. She had never wanted to hear anything else more than that.
--
London, England. 13th of January, 1527.
Jane Seymour rubbed her thumb over her palm, trying to calm herself while she waited for William to arrive. She had already tried to sit down in one of the two wooden chairs available, but she found herself too tightly strung to do anything but pace around the room like a caged animal.
Only two days before she had received a message from Baron Howard asking that she meet him there and for two days, Jane went back and forth on attending or missing the secret meeting. It was a room that belonged to a small inn hidden in a dark alleyway, no place for a lady of her standing and yet… She and William had been corresponding since they met in August, as he very rarely stayed at court beyond seeing his brother or meeting with the King.
There were times he came to the capital to attend parliament, but those were difficult days. When he came for his political reasons, William was usually so busy that she couldn't meet with him and Jane had to be content with the few short messages he sent detailing his sorrow at not being able to see her and how much he longed for her.
Jane liked to think of herself as a clever and modest girl. Her father always said she was the most sensible of his daughters, which is why he sent her to court instead of Margery, Elizabeth or Dorothy. He thought she could have a good marriage that would improve their standing in England and she'd weep bitter tears if she failed him in such a task.
But William was handsome and charming. He made her skin crawl with desire, her entire body tremble whenever he deemed her worthy of a smile and he was always smiling, always laughing at everything she said. He made her feel dignified, but silly, as well. As if she would willingly risk everything for a chance at his love.
Her voluminous skirts swished when the door opened and William stepped inside, smiling at her with his brown eyes sparkling. "Jane," he breathed out and came to her with open arms.
She allowed him to kiss her face, his hands brushing against the exposed skin of the sides of her neck. When he stepped back, William was still smiling.
"I'm so happy to see you here," he said. "I was terribly afraid you wouldn't accept my invitation."
"I almost didn't," Jane admitted. William made her feel more open, more honest to both him and herself, and because of it, she stepped back.
"Jane?" he asked.
Jane closed her eyes for a long second before she opened them again, sighing deeply.
"I ask you to declare your full intentions towards me, my Lord Howard," she said, hands trembling at the idea of speaking so openly to a baron from a powerful family. "My father sent me to court with the sole purpose of finding a husband for myself. Because of it, if you do not see marriage in our future, then I ask you to never write to me again."
"Jane, you have misunderstood me …" he started, but she did not let him finish. She had words to say that needed to be heard and none would stop her from doing so.
"I have three younger sisters that will need husbands in their turn and their prospects will be sorely affected if I'm to cause a scandal during my debut," she said. "I will not be your mistress, my lord, nor the mistress of anyone else. My heart and body will belong to one man and one man only: my husband."
When she finished speaking, Jane was out of breath. William's face was pale and she began to deflate in sadness, only to stop when he stuffed his hands in the pocket of his surcoat and pulled out a small jewelled chest.
"Mistress Seymour has misunderstood my intentions," he said, offering her the box. Jane picked it very hesitantly and opened, a gasp leaving her parted lips at the sight of the content. "I did not ask you here to take your maidenhead dishonourably but to make you an offer."
It was a ring bearing the coat of arms of Howard and his barony in coloured enamel. Jane's eyes filled with tears and raised her gaze to look at him.
"Jane Seymour, if it pleases you and your family, I'd see us married before the Lord," he murmured, taking her free hand in his carefully. "You would be Baroness Howard, a woman of great standing, but if that does not appeal to you, then I'd sacrifice everything to have you."
"Oh, William!" Jane cried, throwing her arms around him. "Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I accept!"
Smiling, William pulled her into a deep and loving kiss. Jane's cheeks ached from grinning so hard when he picked her right hand and slipped the ring on her fourth finger, pressing a kiss to the enamel and then to her knuckles.
Well that looks familiar. That had strong shades of Mary becoming Marie in Queen Twice Over. Right down to Henry's refusal to accept it! Good to see Mary settling into life in France!
Also, William and Jane are so sweet! Here's hoping the course of love runs smooth for them!
I mean, it makes sense. The Duchess of Brittany and Dauphine of France has to have a French name rather than an english name. And I'd say Henry's reaction was even quite muted. He was simply confused and then upset, when Isabella tried to school him. I know if I were to use the french version of my name, my parents would just be like "Your name is Beatriz, not Beatrice. Use it correctly."
Ooh, nice to see Isabella very happy and with child again, even if the latter is what it took for Henry not to be a dick to her. Very glad that Jane is marrying William, they are so cute together, and being a Baroness is nothing to sniff at. Nice chapter!
Especially considering her father is not a peer. This is quite the advantageous marriage for her.
Okay but Henry being so mercurial really just makes me wince sometimes. Definitely accurate though.
Okay, this is honestly too sweet. So good for Jane to have an honest marriage that’s a pretty decent one for her and her family. Here’s hoping her brothers don’t bungle their own potential rises to power.
The Seymour brothers all share one braincell and most of the time, it's with Henry.