Author's Note: I have decided to change Claude's parentage she will no longer be the daughter of Anne, she will instead be the only child of Louis XII and his first wife Joan of France. Also I have decided to go with the two different plots I had decided for the story I will upload the new Story Anne Boleyn of Brittany 2, in that story line Anne and Henry will become betrothed after Arthur's death.
The character of Ambassador Pierre Milnôt is my own character as I have no idea who the French ambassador to the English court in 1494 was. Apart from him I do not own any of the other characters except Margaret, Anne's sister.
Also the way to pronounce Milnôt for this is (Mil-Know-wha)
"Italics" denotes speaking French
Chapter 1
26 Jan 1494 Richmond Palace, Surrey England
Ambassador Pierre Milnôt of France approached Queen Elizabeth's sitting room and asked the guards to announce him. He listened as the guards announced and he entered the sitting room and approached the Queen and bowed.
"Lord Ambassador Milnôt welcome how are you this fine day." Queen Elizabeth declared holding out her hand for the Ambassador to take.
"Very good you're Majesty and you." Declared Milnôt as he took the Queens hand and kissed it.
"Very well. But what do you wish to talk to me about."
Milnôt explained that his master King Charles VIII of France and Queen Anne wished to seek a betrothal of their daughter Anne Boleyn Valois of Brittany and France to their youngest son Henry and that as part of the dowry would be permanent English control of the Pale of Calais.
Queen Elizabeth smiled and told Milnôt that that was wonderful and that she would go tell her husband and invited him to come with her. What she had not noticed though Milnôt did was that after he had said his masters wished to seek a betrothal between their daughter and Harry a lady-in-waiting had got up and left.
As Milnôt and Queen Elizabeth walked down the hall and entered the hallway that would lead to Henry VII's study they were intercepted by Lady Beaufort.
"And what do you think you are up to." declared Lady Beufort looking at Ambassador Milnôt and Queen Elizabeth.
Milnôt scrunched his nose at the inappropriate attitude that the woman was showing to a Queen and a daughter of a King, even if she was the mother of King Henry VII it did not give her the right to behave so poorly to the daughter of a King.
Queen Elizabeth told Lady Beaufort that she and Milnôt were going to talk to the king. When asked about what the Queen said it was between her and her husband over their children. Lady Beaufort narrowed her eyes and said that the King was busy but if she told her she would tell the King and tell her his reply.
"Excuse me Madame but this does not…" started Milnôt.
"I am talking to Elizabeth so be silent." snarled Lady Beaufort.
Milnôt clamped his mouth and narrowed his eyes in anger at the utter disrespect he was just shown.
Queen Elizabeth frowned, "Lady Beaufort," she admonished. "YOU do NOT speak that way to a dignitary."
Lady Beaufort blinked at the anger in the tone of the Queen and looked at Milnôt and blinked at seeing the angry and disgusted look on the French ambassador's face.
"I apologize Ambassador Milnôt I was out of line."
The anger lessoned a little but not by much. Queen Elizabeth attempted to continue to argue but Lady Beaufort reminded about the work the Queen still had and that since she was available she could give the King her message and the Queen could get back to her work. Accepting this Queen Elizabeth told Lady Beaufort about the proposal from the King and Queen of France for betrothing their daughter Princess Anne to Harry and that part of the dowry would be complete permanent control of the Pale of Calais.
"I will tell him and get back to you with his discussion." Lady Beaufort said and turned continuing down the hall.
Queen Elizabeth sighed and turned and she and Milnôt returned to her sitting room with her Ladies-in-waiting and Milnôt noticed that the Lady-in-waiting that had disappeared during his talk the Queen had returned.
Half an Hour later
The guards announced to the Queen that Lady Beaufort was here and after she entered.
"Lady Beaufort, what did my husband have to say?" Queen Elizabeth said.
Lady Beaufort straitened and smirked. "He wishes to express his sincere apologies to Milnôt and to his and her majesties but we, he already has plans for Harry's future."
Queen Elizabeth blinked, "And that would be."
"The clergy, Harry will go into the clergy." declared Lady Beaufort with a small smile.
Queen Elizabeth blinked in shock, her husband decided to what, but why and to make a decision about their sons future without even consulting her and to reduce the available Tudor males to one, if he wanted to found a dynasty he was going the wrong way.
"What, but why. I would understand if we…" started Queen Elizabeth.
"Understand what, are questioning MY dec…MY sons decisions." declared Lady Beaufort.
Queen Elizabeth opened her mouth, but at the look from Lady Beaufort she closed her mouth and shook her head.
"No, if he has decided the clergy is were Harry should be then I will not question him." said Queen Elizabeth.
Lady Beaufort smiled and nodded, "good now he is very busy so do not go and interrupt him, understand." she said.
"Very well." stated Queen Elizabeth.
"Good, good day to you Ambassador." Lady Beaufort said and left.
There was an acquired silence for several minuets until Ambassador Milnôt turned and looked at the Queen.
"That is the final decision then, shall I report back to my Master?" inquired Milnôt.
Queen Elizabeth looked at Ambassador Milnôt then looked down after several seconds and then looked up.
"No, do not do anything yet sir. I must talk to my husband." She said after looking back up with a determined look on her face.
"Please wait here sir." added Queen Elizabeth.
Milnôt nodded and Queen Elizabeth left the room. After several minuets a Lady-in-waiting returned from the back room with more cloth and sat down then looked up and noticed the Queen was missing. This was the same Lady-in-waiting that had left after offer of marriage between Princess Anne and Prince Harry was brought up.
"Where is her majesty." asked the Lady.
Everyone blinked and looked at the lady after she spoke.
"What did you say Eleanor?" asked another Lady-in-waiting.
"I asked were her majesty Queen Elizabeth is." replied Eleanor.
The Lady turned to Ambassador Milnôt and asked him if he knew were the Queen went and after several seconds the ambassador replied that the Queen had just gone to talk to her husband. Milnôt noticed the ladies eyes widen and then she started to move towards the door and he intercepted her and requested if there was anything he could do for and she replied that no and that she just had to go talk to someone, the ambassador nodded and replied that if the young lady ever needed help that as a gentleman he would come to her aid, after kissing her hand and watched her leave through the door.
"Who was she?" asked Milnôt.
"Ah that was Lady Eleanor Woodsen, Monsieur Milnôt." replied another lady.
Ambassador Milnôt nodded and made sure to inform her majesty Queen Elizabeth about the girl being a spy for the Lady Beaufort.
Queen Elizabeth marched quickly to her husbands study and entered the hallway and marched up to the door and knocked and entered.
"Dearest." King Henry VII said looking up in surprise at seeing his wife enter the room.
"Henry dear I wish to speak to you." said Elizabeth.
Henry nodded then turned to his Chancellor and said that they would continue later and the man nodded and walked towards to the door.
"Your highness," Sir Thomas Lovell said as he left.
"Sir Lovell." said Elizabeth.
After the door closed Henry turned to his wife and asked, "What is it you want to talk to me about dearest."
"I wish to talk about your decision about having Harry go into the clergy."
"Very well what is the problem?" Henry said.
"I just do not understand your decision, why did you choose that." replied Elizabeth.
"I believe Harry would be very suited for the clergy, it would be a good place for him."
"And that's it." Elizabeth asked.
"Yes."
"but…"
"I have made my decision dear he will go into the clergy." Interrupted Henry looking at his wife not understanding what the problem was.
"Very well, I will inform Monsieur Milnôt to report your apologies to the King and Queen of France that you must turn down they're offer." Elizabeth said and turned towards the door.
"Yes." Henry said nodding and turned back to look at the papers then blinked as he realized what his wife had just said and looked up as he saw his wife reach the door about to leave, "wait…what offer from the King and Queen of France."
Queen Elizabeth froze at her husbands words and turned towards him and asked, "what do you mean what offer, you know the offer from King Charles VIII, I told your mother about it and she said she would tell you."
Henry narrowed his eyes and said "What do you mean, she never mentioned any offer from the King of France, what is this offer."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes as she remembered Lady Beaufort's words realizing she had been the one to want Harry in the clergy and had pushed the plan on Henry and never mentioned that the King and Queen of France had made a very bountiful marriage offer. Elizabeth then proceeded to tell him that King Charles and Queen Anne of Brittany were offering their newborn daughter Anne Boleyn Valois' hand in marriage to Harry and that part of the dowry would be permanent English control of the Pale of Calais. She also added that on her way with the Ambassador to talk to him his mother had stopped them and she had under request repeated everything to her and the Lady Beaufort had said she would tell him but apparently she had not.
Henry was shocked, he couldn't believe that his dear mother had kept such important information from him and had instead encouraged him to place his youngest son into the clergy, what she could have been thinking he could never know. Suddenly the door opened and his mother entered and she apparently was not very happy as she had a angry disgruntled look on her face which Henry could only suppose that she had heard about his wife coming to him and she intended to stop her so he would not know about her deceit.
"Elizabeth what did I tell you about Henry being very busy, so would you leave him…" started Lady Beaufort.
"Be silent Mother." declared Henry in a angry tone.
Lady Beaufort froze in surprise, did her dearest son just tell her to be silent he had never. She realized why, she was too late to stop Elizabeth from talking to her son.
Henry frowned at his mother "We will talk later mother," he then turned to his wife and asked "dearest is Ambassador Milnôt still in the palace."
Elizabeth nodded, "Yes I asked him not to do anything until I talked to you."
Henry nodded "Good, could you please send for him I would like to discuss the arrangement."
"Of course," replied Elizabeth. She headed to the door then stopped and turned to Henry "although you may need to issue a formal apology to him."
Henry blinked, "an apology, Why?"
"The Lady Beaufort was very disrespectful to him." She replied.
Henry blinked in surprise and looked at his mother who had an embarrassed look on her face. When inquired about what she did Elizabeth replied that he had been asking her a question when she told him that she was talking to her and told him to be silent. Henry frowned and nodded and looked at his mother as Elizabeth left the room.
Several minuets later Elizabeth returned entering the study with Ambassador Milnôt, as they entered the room Lady Beaufort turned and walked up to the Ambassador and formerly apologized for her disrespectful behavior towards him. Milnôt accepted the apology and he turned to and formally greeted the King, during which Lady Beaufort left the room. Henry stepped towards his desk and sat down as did Elizabeth while Milnôt sat opposite them and they began to talk.
After a half hour the door to the study opened and Henry, Elizabeth and Milnôt emerged. Henry thanked Milnôt who replied that he would be sending a letter to his masters about the agreement, at which Henry replied that he would also send a reply to both his and her majesties and his ambassador and inquire about when they could convene to formalize the betrothal.
21 Feb 1494 Château d'Amboise, Amboise France
King Charles VIII sat in his study along with his wife Queen Anne of Brittany reading over the progress letters about their son and daughters and how they were fairing when a knock came to the door and entered the English ambassador and the chamberlain. Both greeted the King and Queen and said that they have received a reply from his majesties King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of England, and the chamberlain handed the letters over.
The King and Queen read over the letters and smiled as they saw the agreement and after reading both turned to the ambassador of England and told him to reply to his majesties that a meeting in Calais on June 15 would likely work.
The English ambassador nodded and waited as the King and Queen composed a letter and after several minuets they finished and stamped the letter with their seals and handed the letter to the ambassador who bowed and he left.
After the door shut Charles and Anne smiled and got back to reading over the updates about their dearest children.
To be continued.
Please be kind in your reviews this is my second attempt at a fanfic.
Author's Note: I will also post an alternate story with a different plot were Anne and Henry become betrothed after Arthur died, I couldn't decide between the two. Also this story will go a little slow as I will have interactions between young Henry and Anne, similar to animated feature Swan Princess with Odette and Derek visiting each other each summer. The other story will move a little faster in Anne and Henry getting married.
