8 June 1526 morning
Renee stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress of cloth of silver and white, with touches of gold and blue, was the most beautiful dress she'd ever worn. Her wedding dress. She smiled in the mirror, then went over to the women who were to do her hair. Queen Regent Marie was also dressed, hers a pale blue so as not to upstage the bride: Marie was walking her step-daughter down the aisle. Marie had forced Renee to eat a simple breakfast so it would not make her ill as her anxiety did. All brides were nervous in Marie's thinking. Her lady-in-waiting, Cecile, brought over the jewelry box, large and heavy, but not too heavy for the heavy-boned, heavy-set widow from northern France (who had started as a nursery helper, having been the daughter of a goldsmith and his second wife, the midwife sister of his first). Ceelie (see-lee) set the box down and unlocked it using the key kept securely around her neck. The Mirror of Naples was carefully set about the Queen's neck, the dress's neckline having been designed to show it only to those in front of Marie, not those on the sides (again, Marie did not want to upstage Renee, who had spent the last two years in England, perfecting English and learning English court customs).
The young woman had been completely successful, except where her soon-to-be brother-in-law Prince John, Duke of York was concerned. He was one of the reasons Marie had come for the wedding (seeing her brother and others was also a reason; she was also to remain until the birth of the Duke of Suffolk's fourth child - she was to be a godmother for the babe). John enjoyed tormenting Renee after learning that seeing her brother-in-law Francis almost killed and losing Therese, her closest friend at the time, had traumatized her. She hated watching jousts, bear or lion baiting, even dog fights. John enjoyed them all and made a point of trying to trick her into seeing one. Renee was regally polite to the Duke of York, but avoided him if at all possible. John tried to scare her every chance he got. Which, in turn, resulted in his new companion, William Howard, 3 years his senior, and a much better fighter that John disliked for that very reason. Or rather, tried to dislike. Secretly, he admired Will, but would die before admitting it.
Renee admired the sapphire necklace with diamonds, the earrings and the bracelets. She and her step-mother had decided she would not wear any rings, to show off the ring she would be wearing after the ceremony. She hadn't seen it, but both Marie and Josephine had and were thrilled. The church bells rang nine, it was time for them to leave; their journey to St. Paul's would start in an hour.
Queen Regent Marie of France rode with her step-daughter side-by-side through the streets of London on their way to St. Paul's for Renee's marriage to the Prince of Wales. Renee was not as frightened as she'd been upon her arrival in England, in May of 1524. She had been terribly nervous then, leaving her mother country, her sister, half-siblings (one of whom was King of France) and Marie, her favorite person at court. But she had concealed the fear, as both Marie and the French Ambassador to England, whose daughter Josephine (a companion of Renee's when Francis was injured - she was the one who climbed a tree) was to remain in England as well. Henry VIII had not wanted a gaggle of French girls with Renee, he wanted her to learn English. So, 14-year-old Josephine and 12-year-old Clemency* (both knew English because of their fathers' occupations) were to remain with Renee, but the other companions to return with the girls' chaperone.
Henry VIII and Katherine waited, as Henry VII and Elizabeth had waited for Katherine's arrival at St. Paul's. Henry VIII seemed restless (he was remembering that he had escorted Katherine for her wedding to his brother Arthur - and even though he knew Arthur had never had Katherine, it was an uncomfortable memory); Katherine was beaming - her first-born son was to be wed and she wholeheartedly supported it: she liked Renee. Prince John was seating between his parents. He was not happy in the least. After being told that his father had walked his brother's bride (he didn't seem to realize his father was speaking of his mother) down the aisle, he had wanted to do the same. However, his behavior towards Renee (after learning that jousting, bear baiting, and other possibly dangerous endeavors brought her to tears if she witnessed them, he proceeded to pretend to joust whenever he saw her in the yard) had resulted in him sitting with his parents with no part in the celebrations. The only thing that cheered him up was that there was to be jousting and the like the day after the wedding. Renee would have to watch or risk offending his father.
Marie and Renee reached their destination and ascended the stairs that would take them to the raised walkway and the waiting groom. Renee was attired in cloth of silver and white, with pears and diamonds scattered through it, making floral patterns. The Queen-Regent wore the purple and her dress was deliberately simpler than Renee's. Marie did not want to upstage her. Hal stood near the priest, by tradition, keeping his eyes averted - he was to see her in the wedding gown once she reached the dais.
Hal's supporters should have included his brother John, but Hal had discussed the matter with his father and his chief supporter was to be Sir George Boleyn, who had been knighted just before his marriage to Jane Parker and had been helping Hal in preparations for the wedding. It was easier for Hal to ask the 7 years older man questions than his father. His sister Mary was 10 and more than excited to be in the wedding. Eleanor and Edward were too young, of course, but were allowed to sit with Nurse Shelby* along with their nursery companions.
Henry watched as his sister led her step-daughter up the stairs to the raised aisle that afforded to all the attendees to watch the first public royal wedding in England for over two decades. He was proud of Hal and Renee was already like a daughter to him. Katherine, he knew, felt the same. Of all his children, only John was a disappointment. No matter what they did, he rebelled. Henry's former pride in him was long since diminished, close to dead. He had let Mary (as he still thought of her) and his wife handle the feasts and the next day's celebrations, trusting them to come up with something that would keep John from ruining the day for his brother and new sister-in-law.
