Adelaide, later that night, said a quick goodbye to Henry and disappear off to her own room. As soon as the doors shut behind her, the suffocating feeling of loneliness seemed to pounce on her. Adelaide sighed softly as she slumped against the doorframe and sunk to its base, knocking her head against the doorknob as she did so. Groaning, Adelaide rubbed the throbbing bump now forming on her head and leaned forward into her knee and away from the jutting object.
"What's wrong with me?" Adelaide whispered to herself aloud to her empty and large room. She couldn't seem to get her heart to stop racing, and a throbbing sensation tugged at her, tempting her out the door and down the hall to Henry's room. She hated this feeling that seemed to engulf her whenever she had to say goodbye to him. It was like all the light and warmth in the world just suddenly went out the moment he was no longer in her line of sight. It had been five minutes, and already Adelaide wanted to see him.
Not wanting to delve into what those feelings meant, Adelaide swung her head back against the door hard and fast, letting the solid surface knock some sense into her. The pain was startling, though, and as Adelaide held her head whimpering, she was sure that were other methods she could have used to clear her head.
Heaving herself off the floor, Adelaide trudged over to her bed but stopped at the long mirror that rested in the corner of her room. Curiously, Adelaide walked over and stood in front of its frame staring intently at herself. It was dark now, and the only source of light in the room was the moon outside that had made its first appearance in weeks through the storm clouds that were still raging.
Adelaide touched the curls of her hair gently before pulling them down so that they were straight, giving the allusion her hair was long again. Leaning towards her reflection, Adelaide released her hair before placing a trembling hand on her bottom lip. She traced the curve of her lips to her cheekbone and jaw before drawing a finger down her throat to rest her palm over her heart. With a heavy and dramatically slow breath, Adelaide trudged off her jacket and unbuttoned her shirt and presumed to strip off her boots and her pants. Lastly, she unfastened the wrap around her chest and allowed it too slowly cascade down to the ground. In the glow of the moonlight, Adelaide looked at her body, fully exposed in front of her, and sighed.
Her skin was smooth and pale in the moonlight, and her eyes looked grey rather than blue. Her blonde hair shimmered like a silver halo around her head, floating just above her shoulders. The slenderness of her waist was foreign to her, as was the shape of her breasts and the curve of her hips. Adelaide usually hid her frame under layers of clothes, so it was weird to be examining what her body shape actually was. What it would look like regularly had she remained Adelaide. If she had stayed a girl.
A wave of embarrassment rolled over Adelaide suddenly, and her face burned scarlet as she rushed to throw on some night clothes. She hurled herself under the covers of her bed without a glance back at the mirror.
The next morning, Adelaide woke to a series of stabbing cramps that had her legs shaking and her insides churning. She groaned in frustration and pain before loudly hauling herself to her feet. She made sure to throw a blanket over the mirror before doing anything else.
After dressing and doing her regular routine to get ready, Adelaide headed to find Henry for breakfast. To her surprise, she ran into Kayden on her way down the stairs. He blushed intensely upon seeing her which had her stumbling back in surprise. She had not expected that sort of reaction from him or really any other man.
"Morning," he said quickly before brushing past her. Adelaide watched him go before shaking her head and continuing downstairs. She had expected to find Henry in the cafeteria, but he wasn't present which had her questioning if he was outside. The storm seemed to have finally cleared up, and the sky was cloudless and the day warm so it wouldn't be strange to see him running around outside crying tears of joy. So that's where Adelaide went. She bypassed the cafeteria and food and headed straight for the courtyard.
To her un-surprise, Henry was outside in the central courtyard. He, however, was not alone. Jasper accompanied him as did several guards and a group of strangers, all armed, that Adelaide didn't recognize. Whatever they were discussing, it was serious, and so Adelaide edged closer as quietly as possible.
"I think you are mistaken," Jasper said in his authoritarian and commanding voice. It startled Adelaide, and she halted where she was. Jasper never used that tone of voice unless it was a serious matter. Her eyes shot to Henry who was white in the face, and she felt her stomach flip and tighten. "Henry will not be going anywhere."
Adelaide's eyes widened, and she glanced between Henry, Jasper, and the stranger. The man who stood at the front of the group frowning severely and Adelaide saw his hand drift to the sword at his waist. Across the yard, she saw Kayden draw into the courtyard and watch the scene with the same rapt attention and confusion as Adelaide. He circled the group so that he was standing close to Henry and Adelaide felt herself relax a little. Kayden was armed and skilled and would protect Henry if anything happened.
"What has brought on this sudden change?" Henry asked stepping forward and demanded. "Duke Francis has protected my uncle and I and our people for years. It does not make sense that his intentions would suddenly change. So explain to me now why there have suddenly been negotiations with King Edward for my head?"
Adelaide felt her heart drop in her chest. Her face went pale, and the air seemed to have been yanked from her lungs. The world was spinning around her, and she wanted nothing more than to strangle whatever man who felt it was within his power to bargain Henry's life.
"Duke Francis is ill, isn't he?" Jasper suddenly cut in. Adelaide's eye shot toward Jasper and then towards the speaking soldier, whose gaze narrowed and his fists curled. So that was the case then. Duke Francis was incapacitated and his advisors must have made the decision in his absence. After all, the Duke would never have decided to hand Henry over, not after all he has done for them over the years.
"It is not up for debate," the soldier remarked loudly. "Henry Tudor, you will come with us to the Breton port of Saint-Malo where you will be handed over to the English King. Further opposition will be met with force."
The courtyard fell silent. Henry glanced around him, and his eyes fell on Adelaide who he seemed stunned to see there. Adelaide registered the fear in his eyes and knew the same emotion was reflected in her own. Adelaide's presence, however, seemed to have settled something in Henry and he offered her a reassuring smile before looking away.
He looked towards his uncle and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder.
"Let's not cause an unnecessary fight," he whispered. With a deep breath, Henry directed his attention towards the representative soldier and met his gaze head-on. "You may take me. I only ask that in return for my compliance, you continue providing support for my people and allow them to remain here under Brittany's protection."
"No!" Adelaide shouted in panic, surging forward. Jasper moved quicker than her, though, and seized her around the waist, pulling her back and constraining her arms behind her back. Henry didn't turn to look at her as she fought to get to him, to try and make him see reason. His eyes remained on the solider in front of him who, after a long pause, nodded to his request.
Henry moved forward without resistance and allowed the men to grip in my the arms and direct him out of the castle gates. Adelaide stood screaming his name, trying to get him to look back.
"Henry!" She hollered. "Let me go with you! Please! Don't leave me here alone. I want to be by your side."
Adelaide wasn't sure when she had started to cry only that it was beginning to obscure her vision and she had to blink rapidly so she could focus on Henry's receding figure. He had stopped at her shouts and had looked back at her with a soft but sad smile.
"The last thing I want is for my dear brother to die with me." Henry's voice, mournful and heavy, carried across the courtyard stilling, Adelaide. "Live for me, Arthur. Do all the things I couldn't do in this lifetime. Take care of my uncle and my people. That's all I ask."
"Henry!" Adelaide shouted again, but he had already turned away from her. She was still struggling against Jasper when the gate shut with an echoing clang. Adelaide dropped to her knees and felt her lungs constrict painfully. Hyperventilating, Adelaide rose to her feet to run after him, but the world around her spun and went black, and she collapsed without knowing the reason why.
[Also, interesting side note, I just found out Henry's eyes were actually blue in real life and not brown, like I initially thought. They're gonna remain brown for the story but I thought it was an interesting tidbit of information.]