An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
- Start date
Ah well. I do have some preliminary ideas for a full brother but nothing set in stone yet
18th of September, 1529.
Palace of Placentia, England.18th of September, 1529.
The baby whined in the arms of his wet nurse, struggling against her hold and Henry chuckled as he observed his newest son. When the nurse bared her breast, the prince latched only with much reluctance, staring up at her with angry blue eyes. He was a strong little boy, though rather small, tiny fists fidgeting as he nursed rather angrily.
Henry moved his eyes away out of respect for the portly woman, looking at his wife who was sleeping in the bed. He smiled once more, because he was happy. He had a third son now, a healthy boy who secured the Tudor succession even more. He imagined if that was how his father felt when Edmund was born, certain of the continuation of a dynasty. Wherever he was, Henry hoped the old king would be proud of him.
He continued looking at his wife, who didn't understand what she had done for him. How safe she made him and England by producing a second healthy son from her womb. It amazed him, truly. He and the Queen had been married for six years and they already had three children together, two of them boys. Surely, that was a sign. A sign that Isabella was his true queen, his true wife. The years with Catherine were good, but they were nothing more than a period of waiting for her niece to grow. It was why all but two of their children died. He understood it all now.
Henry looked back at his new son. He was struggling against his wet nurse, though still nursing rather reluctantly. The boy knew what he wanted and would have nothing until he got it. That was good. Younger sons needed to be strong, ambitious. A hundred names crossed his mind, one that would befit the red-haired little boy at the breast of the portly wet nurse, and in truth, there was only one that seemed to suit the child. He smiled and said, “We will call him Henry, after my lord father. Lord Norfolk will be godfather, and Lord Suffolk as well.” His aunt Catherine could be godmother, but Henry wanted to send her the letter himself. His mother had instilled in him a deep sense of duty to her York relatives and she’d very cross if he didn’t pen her the invitation himself.
The servants nodded and curtsied before moving away to continue their work, his private secretary leaving to write out the announcements. Henry continued to smile and walked to the bed in the inner chambers, waving for the door to be closed. When the lock clicked shut, Henry shrugged his surcoat off and removed his hat so he could lay next to his wife. His shoes slipped down and off his feet, the bed dipping down under his weight and Isabella sighed dreamily when he pulled her to him.
He pressed a kiss to the edge of her cheek, feeling the healthy flush of her skin under his face. She sighed once more and reached behind her with an arm, wrapping it around his neck to awkwardly hold him. He felt her hand touching his chin, her eyes still closed and the tired tone of her voice as she said, "Henry?"
"I'm here," he murmured. "I'm here, my heart."
Isabella nodded and he could see how exhausted she was, dark bags under her eyes. It was not easy to bear or give birth to children, Henry knew. He remembered how tired his mother looked in the days following Mary's birth when he visited to see her and meet his new sister, though she had recovered by the time she left confinement. Perhaps that was why they extended the period of confinement after the woman gave birth. To allow her to rest.
"Did you see him?" she asked with a slight smile. "Our baby boy."
"I saw him," Henry murmured, unable to keep the smile out of his face or voice. "He is so handsome, my darling, and I am so thankful. So, so thankful." He held his breath, watching her. "I have named him Henry, after my father."
She nodded. "I have a brother named Henrique," she whispered. Henry nodded, well aware that Henrique was the Portuguese form of Henry. This would surely please her. It would be hard to have a son named Alphonso or Ferdinand, and he already had a John, but Edward and Henry were more than possible. Perhaps, that was an advantage of the European royal houses more often than not having the same names.
Isabella smiled, but she didn't say anything. Her head turned slackly to the side, mouth slightly open. Henry leaned closer, half afraid she was slipping away from him, but his movement jostled her slightly and her eyes opened. She was tired, he remembered, and had done nothing more than fall asleep.
"What can I do to thank you?" he asked, his voice soft.
"Just stay here with me," Isabella whispered, fingers stroking his beard. The sound of her voice made his heart beat faster and he smiled even brighter, tears burning his eyes.
"Of course," he said, pressing another kiss to her cheek. "Of course, I won't leave you."
He pulled the covers over her himself, pulling her close to his body so they could sleep together. It was a night without the intimacy of the bodies, but Henry felt that before, his marriage was never as loving as it was in that moment. He hoped against hope that it would stay this way, he and his wife in bed after she gave him a new son. His family was, at last, complete.
---
Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg. 2nd of October, 1529.
"Anna!" George exclaimed when he saw the little girl walking around the ducal palace, hand in hand with her governess. His daughter giggled and came running to him, letting go of the adult hand guiding her. As soon as she was within reach, he took her into his arms, holding her close. "Oh, my sweet girl!"
"Papa!" said Anna. She was wearing a dress of cloth of gold, blonde hair twisted into tight braids woven with white ribbons. Her brown eyes twinkled as she looked at him and George adjusted his hold to touch her ear, tugging it slightly.
"How are you?" he murmured. "Has your day been good?"
"Yes," Anna responded. "I went to mass, and then I played with Baby Karl, and then I… and then I… and then I saw you!"
"Yes?" George said, arching his brows. He could feel the exasperated looks of his councillors behind him, waiting for him to pay attention to them once again. "Did you see your mother?"
"Yes, I'm going to see her now," Anna said. "She wants to paint my portrait."
"Does she?" George asked. Anna nodded and he sighed, putting her down once more. "Go on. Be good to your mother."
Anna nodded and curtsied before rising up to press a kiss to his cheek. George accepted it before he saw her off, her governess following her until he was, at last, forced to turn back to his councillors. The men still waited for him.
"Where were we?" he murmured.
Hours later, George visited Johanna in her chambers. His wife was sitting before an embroidery frame, dark hair falling into a long braid at her back. In the intimate setting, she wasn’t wearing a hood, with only a handful of attendants around her and Johanna smiled when he placed a hand over her shoulder after dismissing her ladies.
“How are you?” she asked in a soft voice, turning her brown eyes back to the embroidery. She was stitching flowers into the dark fabric, fingers steady and mind concentrated.
“Good,” said George. “Did you paint a portrait of Anna?”
His wife chuckled, shaking her head. “Silly girl,” she murmured. “My father asked for an image of her, so he could send it to the Duke of Bavaria. For that purpose, he sent his court painter here, and he was the one who painted her portrait.” She chuckled again. “It was certainly not I, my lord, who painted it.”
George nodded. "Young children," he murmured, shaking his head and Johanna smiled again. She didn't shift her eyes to him though, still knitting and embroidering carefully and focusedly.
"I have received a letter from the Queen of Hungary," Johanna said. That surprised him.
"Have you?" George asked. He pulled a chair to sit beside her, hands on his knees.
"Yes," she answered, nodding. "The Queen wonders why you haven't responded to her husband's message yet."
"What message?"
Johanna rolled her eyes. "Do not play the fool to me, husband," she murmured. "I know you very well." He didn't say anything and she said, not looking at him. "Why don't you want the Archduchess Anna to marry our son?"
"Who says that?"
"George," Johanna replied sharply. Her brown eyes turned to look at him and he sighed, deflating. "The Habsburgs are an influential family. They have ruled over the most powerful lands amongst the Germanic states for ages. It would be a good match."
"Karl Ferdinand and the Archduchess are too young," he responded. "The King and Queen want us to travel to Vienna to settle the betrothal and I…" He stopped talking. In truth, Georgr didn't know if he could trust himself in the event of seeing Ferdinand again. He had a good life with Johanna and the children, something he didn't want to ruin. "I don't want to risk our family or our duchy for a marriage that might not even happen in the end."
Johanna sighed, cutting the white thread of her embroidery. "Sometimes, I don't understand you," she murmured. "You're lucky that even if you wanted to, we wouldn't be able to travel so soon."
George frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Johanna turned to look at him.
"I'm with child once more, husband," she responded.
Last edited:
Henry, you absolute waste of air. Catherine was your wife for 10+ years and gave you your precious heir. How dare you not consider her a true wife?!
Awww what a sweet moment moment Henry and Isabella, I'm glad that they and little Henry are healthy right now, and hopd that they all live long lives. Also Johanna seems like a very good wife.fot George, intelligent and strong willed enough to rein her husband in if need be, wonderful chaper all in all!
I think everyone wants that now.
Maybe, they need to be in the same city for that to happen.
He does suck, but well, he isn't known to be the most consistent of men.
Johanna is doing the best she can in this situation. She wasn't raised to be in a loving marriage, but a partnership to produce children and being married to the emperor's brother-in-law is nothing to scoff at.
This...she's the mother of the future king, but Isabella is his one true wife?
Henry really needs to stop comparing Catherine and Isabella. I’m starting to think he has some sort of complex. And George/Johanna seem to be getting along well enough. Glad to see Georg Bullen settling into his Duchy, even if he is being an idiot about a very grand match for his son.
He just doesn't wanna see his ex and fall into old habits. They never said 'No homo' at the end. Can you blame him?
"Two bros sitting in Vienna - 5 feet apart 'cuz they're not gay"