Winter's Consort

Chatper Five

Elizabeth looked out onto the river. She closed her eyes and pretended that just for a moment that her father would come bounding through those doors behind her. Mary and the boys would be with him. They would embrace her and they wouldn't let go. Elizabeth would tell Mary she was the most beautiful sister a girl could wish for. She wold hold her two little brothers and tell them they were both so strong and handsome, and would make the most noble of men. Then her mother would come to them, she'd smile and her mother and father would fall into each others arms. A loving embrace long over due.

Her father would be the king again. He wouldn't be dead. He would be with Elizabeth, with her mother and her uncle Richard would not have usurped her little brother's throne. Elizabeth would not have been betrothed to a man in exile and Henry Tudor would not have invaded. Her father would have never let any of it happen. He would have got back the Dauphin for Elizabeth, and she would have grown to be queen of France.

She wrapped her arms around herself and pretend they were Mary's. "I am sorry, sister." She uttered to herself as she finally opened her eyes and they were clouding with tears. With the back of her hand she wiped away the tears and took to gazing out at the ripples on the water, they would take her home. To Grafton, to anywhere away from London.

One arm let go of its hold around Elizabeth, and she let it run up and down her neck beneath her hair. Her fingers tickled her cool skin as they did it but she didn't move, she didn't chuckle. She simply pretended there was some lover there; some man to sweep her away. A handsome prince like King Arthur to take her to his castle and to love her until the day she died.

Elizabeth stepped away from the window. She looked around her room and pulled her shawl around her as a wintery breeze hit her. They were not a Queen's room, but they were not a servant's, there were tapestries hung on the walls and the furnishings were far from dull. Henry Tudor, he chose it, he and his mother, they chose the rooms for Elizabeth. They chose the castle at Coldharbour to be the place of thier courtship. Where they were to, fall in love.

"Your grace." One of Elizabeth's newly appointed ladies said and curtsied her mistress. "You are early." She smiled at Elizabeth hoping she would welcome her as an old friend.

"I could not sleep." Elizabeth told her walking slowly towards her. She forced a little smile.

"Was the bed not fitting? Should we..." She looked to the bed, it was grand with silken sheets, dozens of silken sheets and a beautiful embroidered tapestry strung above it. She had probably never herself slept in one so fine, it was high from the floor and wide. More importantly it had not been slept in. The sheets were perfect as they had been when Elizabeth had sent them all away the night before, and told them she could put myself to bed well enough.

"The bed was fine, it was me, I was thinking." She tired that excuse just as she had every other time. "I have a lot to think about."

"Yes, your grace." The woman said as more of her ladies came to join me. They all curtsied Elizabeth before preparing her warm clothing for the day ahead. She stood and watched them for a while.

"The King, has he asked of me at all?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, your grace." A different lady told her. "He asks that you should go join him at breakfast, after our prayers." She then turned back and drew out a pair of slippers for Elizabeth to wear.

As the king wished, once the ladies has dressed Elizabeth They walked to the small chapel Lady Margaret had allocated for Elizabeth's own private use, and prayed. Then they proceeded from the chapel to the Kings rooms, where he awaited Elizabeth with a table filled with foods.

They ate, talking about little either cared for. Elizabeth's ladies were soon dismissed and it was only the two of them remaining. Without a word to Henry, Elizabeth stood to her feet and took to standing by the window, there was no view of the river from there only the gardens but it was pleasent enough.