Glory in Our Defiance • Zarry

17. - Winners and Losers

May 1485, Windsor Castle

Silence in a room packed with people is always more deafening than all the other kinds of silence. The ability of a large number of adults be quiet and make the room seem like there is not a soul breathing is chilling.

The throne room is full and yet everyone is silent. With Zayn's last words, the energy in the room grew from shocked to fearful. With Melisende's killing look in her eyes, Harry isn't surprised the room is worried.

But Harry isn't scared. Zayn is still firmly holding his left hand, standing tall and brave and Harry has never loved him more than in this moment.

Melisende takes a deep breath. "You some here and stand before your Uncle and I while holding that usurper's hand like his family didn't kill your Father the King."

"That usurper is my husband," Zayn says clearly. "And Father killed Harry's Father too. That is why I am standing here with him. I do not want us to kill each other like our Fathers did. It is over, Mother. The war cannot go on any longer."

The room isn't quiet anymore, the silence overtaken by whispers. The nobles' reaction is understandable. They have two Princes who faced each other in a battle stand in the room and say they are married. Two Princes who are supposed to be one another's greatest enemy and not husbands. Every single soul is anticipating this showdown between their Prince and his Mother.

"So you married a traitor to stop the war?" Melisende scoffs. "Is that what you are trying to say?"

"I married an honest man out of love," Zayn says. "He is not my enemy and I came to understand that once I had met him. Having come to know his soul, I fell in love and we came up with an idea how to stop this futile war. You cannot end this war any other way, Mother. And I would not stand by and watch how you had everyone killed because that is the only other option. Our kingdom needs peace and not an outdated war."

"You are a fool," Melisende spits out. "He is trying to trick you, I can see it now. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because I had never heard words about him being cunning and cruel. But I was mistaken. He is just as false and fraudulent as his family."

"He is not a fool," Harry says. Melisende sets her burning gaze on him but Harry doesn't falter. She is wrong about everything and he knows his mother-in-law will never believe him but she is not the only person in the room. Harry needs to show who he truly is not only to her, but to the nobility and his people as well. He has grown tired of rumours, he has grown tired of pretending.

"I love your son, Your Grace," Harry continues. "I fell in love with him while I was still intertwined in the schemes created by Lord Wawrick but you were plotting against us too. That was the war. But then I met your son and I could not bring myself to hate him. I was expected to kill him and I had my hands on him and yet I could not bring myself to hurt him in any way. After our time together in York, I knew I could never hurt him. I am telling you that my only intentions are to be with the man I love and to bring peace to England, to save those innocent lives lost in this war. You can interrogate me, you can torture me and my answer will not change. I am not a traitor. I shall not be punished and judged for the crimes of my ancestors. I do not want the rest of my life ruined by a war I did not ask to fight in, in the first place."

"And I am supposed to believe all this?" Melisende arches her brows. "Do you think I am a dimwit?"

"No," Harry replies. "I do not need your trust or belief. I just want you to accept me as your son's husband and King. I do not care if you think that I am lying and I do not care if you will hate our children. We are doing what is best for England and if you fail to see that, it is not my concern as long as I have Zayn by my side and England is not being kicked into the ground by a war that should have ended decades ago."