The Pearl of Great Price Part II

Chapter 25: Home Again

When Charles arrived in the king's quarters at Whitehall Palace, he realized nothing had changed while he was gone. Everything is as it was exact, even down to the smells in the air--- leather, liquor, and lavender sandalwood. One thing has changed, and that's himself.

He's much more rested, relaxed, and romanced. As his wife was a bit gloomy about returning home the other day, that's kind of his same feeling now. Charles likens it to his drunken hangover, except this is different. It's a travel hangover. That glum feeling you get when you return home and life goes back to normal. Travel transforms you.

The king's guard let the Prince inside Henry's sitting room. His Majesty was sitting in his favorite armchair, studying a folder of papers about the day. At the sight of Charles, he stood and hugged his friend. He then motioned for the two of them to sit.

Eager to hear about the trip, Henry implored the man to "Tell me about the journey. How did it go? I received the copy of the trade agreement."

So, the Prince told him all about Spain. He shared the particulars of the new alliance agreement, the tennis match against the Infante, visiting the Spanish countryside, the delicious wine, and of course, "I gained two new hunting dogs. The Emperor gifted me two of his finest. It was a great trip."

The King leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. He wore a pinched expression with a slight frown. "The man gifted you two new dogs? Well, it doesn't matter. I have some of the best England has to offer," he stated with an air of superiority.

The two men talked at length about the alliance. While Henry was not thrilled trade would not be going through the country as a whole, he can concede that Wales and Suffolk were the main ports of interest. The booming economies of both regions have prospered with the trade entering there. The business in the two areas also helps sustain the country's economy. At least England will have some form of interchange with Spain.

Then chatter turned to that of the pursuits of the royal grandchildren. His Majesty wanted to hear all about their time in Spain too. He was fascinated to hear Charles talk about how the boys enjoyed the crow's nest on the ship and how all the children loved eating chocolate in Barcelona. But learning the twins relished going on a treasure hunt with the Emperor got Henry thinking about their birthday celebration. Because whatever The Holy Roman Emperor could do, the King of England could do better.

Finally, Henry asked about Mary. "How did she fare in Spain?" He opened the bottle of wine Charles gave him from the Emperor and sniffed it. The drink smells good, but he'll never admit it. That blasted Spaniard.

His Highness was wondering when he'd ask about Mary. Charles simply said, "I'll let her tell you herself about her time there. But it did her spirits good, except for her knee."

Henry heard that and wanted to know more. "That was a vague answer. What happened to my daughter's knee?"

So, the Prince explained about the Infanta pushing his wife down. He told him about Mary's exploits of mobility. "But she's better now and not having to use the cane. Although it still throbs a bit."

This news made His Majesty mad. His dramatic eyes spoke before his voice did. "That wench! How dare she push my daughter, the heir to the crown! I hope you told her off." He gave Charles a stern look.

Charles explained his talk with the Emperor about his daughter, the Infanta. It seemed to appease his father-in-law. After this, Henry briefed him on the poison investigation, which came to a standstill due to dead ends. The culprit had conveniently covered their tracks. Although all roads still lead back to Norfolk and the Howards. Personally, Charles thinks it leads to the Queen of England, but His Majesty doesn't want to admit that, so he stops the investigation.