1498

Arthur Tudor sighed as he watched his younger, plumper, brother, Henry Tudor and his sister Margaret walking in the large, flower filled gardens, he would have loved to have joined them, but unfortunately, after his recent, brief bout of ilness, he was unable too

'It's always me that suffers from illness' Arthur sadly thought, his eyes flicking back to the two children in the garden, Henry's hair was blowing slightly in the wind, while Margaret's kept blowing into her face, her green eyes being obscured as her long, red hair covered them, as it continued to blow in her face, slightly more rapidly as a large gust of wind whipped through the air

Arthur watched as Henry said something which caused Margaret to laugh, along with him.

Arthur breathed deeply as the cold winter air, from the open window opposite blew through the room, giving him the chills, even the blanket wrapped around him wasn't doing much

He was wrenched from his thoughts as he saw his younger siblings run back into the castle

Arthur picked up the book that he had, momentarily, discarded onto the windowside seat, and returned to reading it

'Why my father makes me learn latin, I'll never know' he thought to himself as there was a rasp on the door, one of the ladies, cleaning the room answered it, revealing his sister, in her trademark red dress, her hair, the same colour as her dress made her look like a very thin tomato

Henry stood next to his sister, his round, plump face, smiling, his brown eyes twinkling.

The lady let them in a returned to plumping the pillows on the bed and making the bed, which Arthur hadn't made once he had woken up

"What are you two doing here?" Arthur asked, getting to his feet and heading over to the two of them as they entered the room

He crouched down slightly as he reached them, pulling them each into a hug, Margaret first and then Henry, who hugged back, just as tight

"Well?" Arthur got to his feet, his hands on his hips "What are you doing here?"

"We though you would want our company since, you're not allowed outside"

Arthur's annoyance at his siblings vanished and he smiled "Well, I thank you, but that was unnecesarry...and shouldn't you be thinking about your marriage?" he added this last part to Margaret

"Shouldn't you? If I remember rightly you and Catalina are engaged aren't you?"

Arthur smiled, his face going distant for a few moments before he regained himself "Yes, we're still engaged, and soon enough I'll be married to her"

"Who're you being married to again, Margaret?" Henry asked his older sister, rubbing his chin in confusion

"James IV of Scotland" she replied, smiling herself "And we'll always come to your side if you need us, Arthur" she informed him, smiling still as she pushed some of her hair out of her face

"Good, and what about you, Harry?" Arthur asked, looking over towards his younger brother

"Father plans to send me into the church" He replied, solemnly

"Well, while father is king, perhaps, but once I am king, I want you on my council" Arthur informed him, smiling as his brother almost jumped with excitement

"You do?"

"I do" Arthur replied, smiling as he hugged his brother

"That is enough, Your Highness you're meant to be recovering in bed after your bout of illness" one of the ladies interrupted

Arthur sighed as he turned to her "Thank you, milady" he then turned to Henry and Margaret "You two had better be leaving now"

The two of them smiled before Henry bowed, Margaret curtseyed and the two of them left closing the door behind them and leaving down the hallway

[TBC]