ROYAL BLOOD
— 15. Burgundy
When Henry was forced to ride back to London, he felt ashamed by the way the Progress ended up. "How glorious do I look now? Skulking home in shame like the exile that I am, because I brought the Sweat to England."
"That boy has been locked up and will be dealt with," Margaret informed Henry in a calm tone, "We shall set up a private guard to keep you safe."
They continued to ride forward, only to stop when a large band of peasants appeared in front of them, blocking the road.
"Guards! Guards!" Sir William shouted, causing the guards to unsheathe their swords, "Get back! Get back from the King!"
Despite that, however, the small folk did not listen.
"Are you deaf?!" Lord Stanley exclaimed in frustration, "Get back!"
"Jasper..." Henry began to speak to his uncle in a hushed tone.
"We ride on," Jasper demanded, he and the rest of the Tudor men feeling uneasy, "Move aside! Let us through!"
Just then, the Tudors watched as the small folk dropped to their knees, each of them thanking Henry.
"Bless you for your kindness!"
"King Henry!"
"The King has shown us mercy!"
"Bless you, King Henry!"
"He's merciful!"
Henry's eyes widened, watching as each of them held up a gold coin. What was happening?
When Henry arrived in Westminster along with the rest of the people who came with him on Royal Progress, he climbed off his horse and walked over to Bishop Morton, who looked anything but happy.
"She broke into the palace treasure room," He began to explain to Henry, who looked up to see Lizbeth watching the whole ordeal from the window with a smirk on her face.
He tried not to smile, which Lizbeth herself noticed from the window.
Inside the castle, Lizbeth watched the arrival of Henry and the rest of the people who had gone with him on Royal Progress. Lizzie was standing with her, both of them smiling until Cecily walked over and ruined it.
"You brought this on yourself, you know. He will be angry as he should be," Cecily explained, earning an eye roll from Lizbeth.
However, when she turned her head to see Cecily now had a cut lip because of what happened the day before, she began to smile. "You know, I miss the days when Father was still alive and would yell at you whenever you bothered me because you were jealous of me, despite you being the princess and I the bastard. Now, it seems you're the bastard and I am Queen of England. You would do well to remember that and shut up, Cecily, before I have your tongue cut out." Lizbeth explained before she began to walk toward the door.
However, before she could get there, Maggie stopped her. She wasn't angry, though. If she had to choose between Maggie and Cecily, she'd choose Maggie. At least Maggie had reason to bother her. She was trying to get her poor brother back.
"Please ask him to let Teddy out," Maggie pleaded and Lizbeth smiled at her, nodding her head before leaving.
Outside in the courtyard, Bishop Morton continued to stand in front of Henry as he explained all the misdeeds Lizbeth had done while they were gone.
"She threatened the royal heir's life and I knew she wasn't bluffing when I saw the way she cut half of her neck and smiled as she did so," He explained, but Henry was only half-listening, so desperate to see Lizbeth for himself after being parted from her for nearly three weeks.
"Where is she?" Henry desperately asked, looking up to see Lizbeth no longer standing in the window.
"Punish her, Henry," Margaret demanded as she watched her son walk away, "Severely. She must not get away with this."
Henry ignored his mother and walked into the castle. He entered the throne room walked up to his throne, a disappointed look on his face.
Just a few moments later, Lizbeth had entered, leading to him turning to her instead. Henry eyed her closely, especially the cut on her neck.
She stood before him proudly, not fearing for whatever punishment she was about to get. "Punish me if you must, I do not care. It will be worth it. I couldn't remain in this castle and do nothing as people were dying in the streets, not when we had a means to help them here."
"You make it look so easy," Henry complained as he stared at Lizbeth in shock, "You know exactly what to do to make them love you."
"Well, I am my mother's daughter, aren't?" Lizbeth smiled playfully, only to notice the look he gave her, which made her sigh, "I already told you, Henry. You want England to love you? You start with the small folk. You rule with fear and you'll only get hatred in return. As my mother likes to say, you take before a man will give and you will never win him, no matter what he may pretend as he stands before you."
Henry looked at Lizbeth, beginning to chuckle. "My mother says the opposite." He admitted.
"Well, she is wrong," Lizbeth replied, causing them both to smile, "I hope you see that."
"I do," Henry confirmed, only to frown as he watched her smile fade as quickly as it came.
"What about locking my cousin in the Tower? Was that her order as well?" She asked, a curious look on her face, which caused Henry to avoid eye contact with her, "Or was it yours?"
"He is a York boy," Henry spoke up after a long moment, finally bringing himself to look her in the eye, "They were calling for him, shouting that they would support him over me. What else could I do?"
"You know the answer. We both do," Lizbeth argued in a stern tone, no longer speaking kindly to Henry, "If you want their love, then you should release him. And my mother from the room you've confined her to."
"I must assume I cannot trust her," Henry confessed in a frustrated tone.
"So I am to be separated from her?" Lizbeth complained, letting out a large scoff, "Because you're scared an old woman will overthrow you?"
"Do you really think she has your best interests at heart, Lizbeth?" he found himself asking, "Perhaps she did once, but not anymore. She is nothing like the woman I once knew as a boy. She has changed and not for the better. She's lost too much, nearly everything she ever cared about. All she thinks about now is vengeance. She's so consumed with it she cares for nothing else."
"And whose fault is that?" Lizbeth suddenly blurted out, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
Henry sighed in defeat, remaining silent since he knew she had a point.
"Teddy is no threat to you. You know that in your heart," Lizbeth reminded Henry in a calm tone, "I know you do."
"Of course he is a threat. He is beloved, especially with your mother supporting him on the throne," Henry complained, causing Lizbeth to sigh in defeat, "England loves her and hates me! You may be assured of that. The only hearts I won on Progress were due to you, her own daughter. They thanked me for your actions. They fell down on their knees and they praised."
Lizbeth sighed, remaining silent while Henry looked shameful. "As I've said before, I owe you my thanks, Lizbeth," He paused as he looked up at her with a desperate, "If only we could work together, we could be a true ruler for England."
"But you hate me and you always will," Henry confessed, a disappointed look on his face, "I don't blame you, either. I hate myself for what I did to Arthur and what happened to Thomas and Grace because of me."
"Don't," Lizbeth blurted out, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, "Don't mention them to me."
Henry sighed in defeat as he nodded his head, "I thought we were getting somewhere in this marriage, but it seems we are not."
With that, Henry began to walk away. Lizbeth found herself in defeat, but this time, she didn't stop him as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
_____
After leaving Lizbeth, Henry traveled to his council room, where Margaret, Bishop Morton, Jasper, and Lord Stanley were all standing together.
"Lovell has fled to Burgundy," Jasper informed Henry in a calm tone, causing the Tudor king to sigh in defeat, "The Duchess is emboldened by the news from Progress and has taken three more ships."
"Burgundy has become a rebel stronghold," Bishop Morton told Henry, just before Margaret spoke up.
"And worst of all, they have our greatest enemy with them now," Margaret spoke up, causing Henry to turn to her and frown in confusion.
"What do you mean? Who do they have?" Henry asked, a concerned look on his face.
"Nora has escaped. She's taken her youngest daughter, Princess Katherine, with her. They've fled to Burgundy," Jasper explained, causing Henry to stare at his disbelief.
"What?!" Henry shouted, an incredulous look on his face, "How did she escape!"
"She had help, it seems. People here in the castle helped her," Bishop Morton added in before Lord Stanley spoke up.
"If the Duchess and Nora join forces, we are doomed," Lord Stanley informed the group, "They are good friends and have been in contact for years. She might have been married off to Charles of Burgundy in the first years of Edward and Nora's courtship, but Margaret has always been as close to Nora as Edward's brothers were with her. They are practically sisters to each other. Margaret has the armies outside of England, but Nora knows England and has the love of the people. Together, they would be unstoppable."
"We must send an army," Margaret suddenly spoke up, an alarmed look on her face.
"No," Henry argued in a stern tone, much to Margaret's confusion, "Not an army, Mother. A peace envoy."
"We'll send my husband, and his son Lord Strange," Margaret suggested, but Jasper was quick to argue.
"No. I will not deprive you of your husband. It would be too hard of you after everything you've done for me. And if it isn't obvious already, Nora has a vendetta against Lord Stanley, especially after learning that he was the one to stop Prince Thomas in the back. He is the last person we would want to send," He explained before turning to look at Jasper, "Jasper may form the envoy with Lord Strange. He doesn't have a wife to miss him or anyone to pine for. Not to mention, I know that Nora has a liking toward him and has for years, which means we don't have to worry about him not returning. She would never harm him."
Margaret's eyes widened at Henry's words. Henry turned to look at Jasper, who felt uneasy about the whole ordeal. It caused Henry to smile, satisfied by his mother's unhappiness and jealousy due to the mention of Nora and Jasper.
"Marvelous. I couldn't face weeks on the road and two rough channel crossings," Lord Stanley spoke up, smiling as well when he saw Margaret's reaction.
Henry took a moment, just before beginning to walk away. However, he was unable to get far when his mother followed him.
"Did you punish her for stealing the Palace gold?" Margaret asked, causing Henry to roll his eyes as he turned to face his mother.
"No, I did what any sane person would do," He responded in an annoyed tone, "I thanked her."
_____
Lizbeth was walking down the hallway with Lizzie when suddenly stopped, seeing Margaret walking down the hallway from afar.
"Did you ask him, Lizbeth?" Maggie asked, causing Lizbeth to turn to face her cousin, "Did you ask?"
"I'm sorry," Lizbeth sighed, shaking her head, "He will not release him."
"Well, may I visit him at least?" Maggie asked, trying her hardest not to break down.
"Not yet. Maggie. It will take time," Lizbeth assured her cousin as she grabbed her hands and held them in her own, "But, Maggie, I think I have learned a way to work my will on Henry. A way to help us win. He is in love with me. More than I ever imagined. He is blinded by that love, especially since I'm carrying his child. I may use that to my advantage."
"I pray that he's a boy," Maggie confessed, a large smile on her face, "Aunt Nora's first child was a boy. Arthur, who became king. Maybe you will have the same luck, a firstborn son named Arthur who will become king," She paused, trying to contain her sadness, "Maybe when you've given Henry a son and heir, he won't fear poor Teddy anymore."
Lizbeth smiled and nodded, trying to hide her own sadness. She pitied Margaret. She knew what it was like to have a brother taken away from her.
With that, Maggie walked away. When she did, she turned to Lizzie, a saddened look on her face. "This is my mother's fault. She named Teddy the rightful King of England and now he's locked up because of her."
"She did what she thought was right," Lizzie complained, shocked that she was defending Nora because her own daughter wasn't.
"No, Henry is right. She's changed. She is consumed with her vengeance and I fear for who will pay next because of it," Lizbeth explained in a hushed tone, "I must see him."
Before Lizzie could react, Lizbeth walked away, off to find Henry. She sighed in defeat as she watched her sister walk away, fearing that Lizbeth would soon change sides to House Tudor by her own will, not because her son will be a Tudor.
In one of the large rooms in the castle, Lizbeth entered a room and finally found Henry. His back faced her as he stood in front of the fireplace, looking down at the flames.
"Henry?" She called out, causing her husband to slowly turn to her to see her smiling, unlike earlier when he saw her
"There is something I would like to show you," Lizbeth explained, a smile on her face as she walked closer to him.
Henry raised a brow at Lizbeth, watching as she extended her hand out to him.
"Give me your hand," She insisted and Henry stared at her in confusion, but still obeyed.
She held onto his hand, placing it over her growing belly. His eyes widened, a small gasp escaping his lips when he felt the baby kick. "He is kicking," He realized and Lizbeth smiled, nodding her head in response.
"He is," She confirmed, causing Henry to smile, "He's strong."
"Just like his mother," Henry pointed out and Lizbeth playfully rolled her eyes.
"And his father," Lizbeth replied, smiling up at Henry, "I think your mother is right. We should name him Arthur."
Henry frowned, not expecting Lizbeth to say such a thing. "I know it was my mother who suggested it, but I'm still not sure. Not when the king who was named that was the one I..." He trailed off, letting out a small sigh.
"He shall be named after the man who was your friend and the one who was like a brother to you. Do not think of the fact that he died at your hands. You had no choice," Lizbeth explained, much to Henry's disbelief.
"Who are you and what have you done with Lizbeth?" Henry asked, raising a brow at his wife.
"Everything's becoming more clear to me," Lizbeth confessed as she took a step toward him, "My feelings included."
Henry's lips parted, shocked by her confession. He took a step toward her, on the verge of kissing her when they were interrupted by Margaret.
Margaret felt angered when she entered, seeing her son's face just centimeters away from Lizbeth's, his hands on her growing belly.
Instead of Henry pulling away, Lizbeth did, much to his dismay.
"You will submit to your confinement," She spoke up in a stern tone, earning a puzzled look from Lizbeth, "Until the child is born."
"A king may make his own rules and choose to not make me do such a thing if he wishes to," Lizbeth snapped at Margaret in a cold tone.
"Only if he wishes to displease the Holy Lord his God. It is his will--" Margaret began to say, only to have Lizbeth cut him off.
"You and I both know this is not God's will," Lizbeth argued with the woman sternly, "It is your own will. You wish to punish me by keeping me away from Henry because he refused to punish me for taking the gold from the palace and giving it to those who needed it more than we did."
"Excitement stimulates the womb," Margaret argued, ignoring what Lizbeth had said like she always did.
Lizbeth whipped herself around to look at Henry. She took a step toward him and the moment she grabbed his hand, all of his attention was on her. "My mother had seven children. All of them were born and remained healthy all their lives and she did much more stimulating things while carrying them than I have while carrying this one. I will be fine. As will my child." She explained and Margaret felt angered, noticing the way Henry seemed to actually be listening to her.
"We cannot take the risk with your heir," Margaret butted in as her ladies began to move toward Lizbeth to escort her away.
"It will be your choice," Lizbeth spoke up, bowing to Henry as she continued to hold his hand.
Henry briefly looked away from Lizbeth, noticing how they were about to grab Lizbeth's arms to take her away as Lizbeth let go of his hand. "You needn't do that," He demanded in a stern tone, much to Margaret's confusion and Lizbeth's satisfaction, "She may stay."
"Henry--" Margaret began to argue, only to have Henry cut her off.
"The Queen is right. It is my choice and I say she can stay," Henry ordered, grabbing of Lizbeth's hand once more, "Shall we take a walk through the gardens, my wife?"
"I would love to," She responded, shooting Margret a smirk as she walked away with Henry.
The moment they exited the room, however, Henry suddenly stopped. Lizbeth stopped, turning to give him a confused look.
However, before she could react, Henry had pulled her toward him, pressing his lips against hers.
Lizbeth was shocked at first but slowly began to kiss back, smiling into the kiss.
Gradually, they pulled away from the kiss, and Henry stared at Lizbeth, smiling as he cupped her face in his hands.
"I couldn't wait any longer," He confessed in a whisper, and Lizbeth smiled.
"I'm glad," She whispered back to him, smiling as she leaned forward to kiss him once more.