The Pearl of Great Price Part II

Chapter 21: Steps

As the first week in Spain drew to a close, The Holy Roman Emperor and the Prince of Wales signed the new alliance between England and Spain into effect. One of the Emperor's Royal Couriers was tasked with delivering a copy of the agreement to King Henry in England. Charles and the Emperor have two copies each, in case something (or someone) damages it.

Once the official business of forging a new alliance concluded, all parties involved could relax. Now the Prince, and other men of the Royal Envoy, have time on their hands and a country to explore. With this knowledge, the Emperor had his secretary put together different Spanish excursions for the group. Some outings included both the men and the women, while others were just the men or just the women.

The first such outing occurred that Friday when the ladies took the pottery class in town. The women enjoyed learning this craft, and the artesian, Mariana, proved an excellent teacher. Most of the English ladies made the cup and saucer set, but Lady Shively created the deep and flat plate.

Mary, who had taken a similar class in Wales, thought she knew what she was doing. In Wales, she had made a large bowl. Her Highness didn't believe making a cup and saucer would be more difficult. However, as she set about creating the cup handle, it became a challenging task. That, coupled with the saucer, left a very irritated Princess.

Paisley poked fun at her handle and saucer. In response, Mary stuck her tongue out at her friend in jest. If Mr. Harris knew about that, he'd have her lunch. Tongue showing is akin to spitting in the man's mind. It just isn't done.

But in the end, Mariana saved the day. She helped Mary craft a better handle and assisted her in reforming the saucer. So now Her Highness's pottery is passable.

The ladies enjoyed adding the watercolor almost as much as making the pottery. All of them except Mary and Paisley designed their watercolor around the colors of their house sigil. The Princess, who literally just ordered items with the Prince of Wales insignia, chose to do whatever color she wanted. The color ended up being a vibrant coral with flecks of gold paint. The effect looked superb. Paisley opted for a pink watercolor, and she, too, was pleased.

The weekend became filled with games, hunting, and resting at the palace. But a new week brought about new experiences. The first outing Secretary Los Cobos planned was to explore the beautiful Spanish coastline. The group saw plenty of short rocky coves, stunning bays, striking rock formations, and long stretches of sandy beach. The party marveled the most at the blueness of the ocean.

The Duke of Somerset and his wife stood by the Prince and Princess. The Duke quite simply said, "I have never seen such crystal turquoise water as this. And I thought England had the best waters. Fool I am."

One thing this trip has provided to Charles and Mary is a friendship with the Seymours. Mary has been faithful to her decision to befriend Anne, and Charles has begrudgingly admitted that Edward is not so terrible. The Prince's dislike of the man has more to do with the Duke's roving eyes on Mary. Due to his wife's captivating nature, in form and spirit, other men admire her too. But that's Charles's personal problem that he must deal with on his own. So suffice it to say, Edward Seymour has been moved to His Highness's friend list, albeit reluctantly.

The mornings were filled with activity, and the afternoons were filled with flamenco lessons. The ladies progressed in their dance. Señora Rosabella had been correct. The dance she crafted for them was easy to learn. Their talented instructor continued to praise their efforts and skill.

However, a mishap transpired with only three days left until the bullfighting festival. Late into the class, the Infanta Juana crowded Mary's space and elbowed her. This move made Her Highness fall ungracefully. She landed hard on her side. Juana looked at her and said with false kindness, "Oops. I'm so sorry. My feet are clumsy."