August 4, 1503
Dalkeith Palace, Scotland
When James came back to Margaret, she looked up at him. Her hazel eyes, framed by voluminous ebony eyelashes met his hazel hues. There was a moment of understanding between them, seen by no one. It was as if they understood each other and only wanted to know more about the other.
"Is there anything you would like to do, my bride?" James took Margaret's small, soft hands into his own large, calloused hands. The Earl watched this with disdain. Archibald Douglas hated the English with every fiber in his body. He also didn't trust them, for he believed they were savages and barbarians much like the English thought the Scots barbarians. Margaret continued to look up at James but with a smile this time. She then snuck a look at Jamie Stewart, his younger brother. It was a common thing in medieval Scotland to give two brothers the same name. But it had also been assumed that the elder James wouldn't survive when his mother, Margaret of Denmark had been pregnant with the younger James. But the elder James had survived his bout with the flu and so the younger James had been made Duke of Ross, the Scottish equal of the English Duke of York.
"Would you give me a tour of the palace? I would like to see my first Scottish palace and how it differs from English palaces." Margaret asked with a small twinkle in her eye. It was true she wanted to compare palaces. But she also wanted to see why the English thought Scots barbarians. Surely they couldn't be barbarians if they had splendid palaces, right? "Of course Margaret, there are beautiful rose gardens here at Dalkeith." James offered his arm to Margaret and she accepted with another smile. Both entourages made to follow but James stopped them with a hand. Margaret also looked behind her. "I don't need to be followed every minute Alice, Charles. I'm not under my grandmother's care anymore." Alice and Charles stayed where they were but as soon as Margaret and James turned their backs, they were talking.
"Was your journey into Scotland enjoyable?" The first question was asked by James, in order to break the ice between them as they strolled in the gardens. Margaret looked up at him, stunned by how much taller he was than her. "Would you like to hear the truth or to hear a lie?" James laughed. "Well, I would hate for my bride to lie to me."
"Very well then. The journey was awful. I had no idea whatsoever it would be as awful as it was. I thought it would be like traveling from Eltham to Greenwich or something to that extent. But I'm happy to be here." A few seconds of silence preceded James as he began to speak, still stunned by her honesty. "I'm sorry to hear that. We're stay here for three days until we head to HolyRood Palace, which is where we will be married." As they continued to walk in the rose garden, James plucked a rose from its stem, removed the thorns and placed it snugly behind Margaret's ear. The rose only added to Margaret's beauty, bringing the red out in her auburn tresses. For a second, Margaret thought James was going to kiss her as they stared at each other for several seconds. But he cleared his throat and continued walking, Margaret careful to hide her disappointment.
King and Princess made their way out of the rose garden to waiting entourages. The first to greet them was the Duke of Ross, also the Archbishop of Scotland. He made his way over towards the Princess and kissed her outstretched hand. 'She's already acting like a Queen.' Nevertheless, he smiled. "My dear sister, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. My brother, The King has spoken often of you." The Duke paused to look at her, most notably her plump, full lips. Was his brother really going to marry her? She was old enough to marry James's bastard son! Jamie Stewart was mildly envious of his brother. The King would be marrying a young beautiful Princess while he wouldn't have such a marriage, if he married at all.
The second person to walk to the Princess was the Earl of Angus. "My Queen, this is Archibald Douglas, the Earl of Angus. He's been my chief advisor since I've been King." The two men looked at the Princess. They had known each other even before Margaret was alive. But that was the way of the world.
The first lady then stepped up, accompanied by a beautiful little girl. "This is Marion Boyd and she will be your chief lady in waiting." James then knelt and picked up the little girl who giggled in his arms. "And this beautiful little girl is my daughter, Catherine. You've already met her brother, Alex." Margaret nodded and smiled at Alex and then at little Cat. "Hello Catherine." At the mention of her name, Catherine looked up from her father's shoulder and looked at Margaret quizzingly. Then she smiled a toothy smile at Margaret before burying her head in James's shoulder again. "She's very shy around new people. But I think she'll like you very much." After giving Catherine back to Marion, James wrapped an arm around Margaret's slender waist. "You'll meet my younger children before the wedding. Marion agreed to be here so she could be the first woman in Scotland to meet you. And now, I think it's time we prepare ourselves for the banquet held in our honour. Marion will show you the way to your chambers."
The parties dispersed and Margaret was led by Marion Boyd. Marion had been James's first mistress when he was newly come to the throne. She had been with him more than any other of his mistresses and was one of his closest companions. "What do you think of the King, Your Highness?" Margaret looked at her and began to speak. "I think him quite dashing. He's obviously very close to his children, particularly little Catherine. I only hope I can make him happy." Marion smiled. "You will. I saw the way he looked at you. He's already very happy with you." When she finished, four ladies came into the room. "Your Highness, these will be a few of your ladies in waiting. Elizabeth Boyd, Kathryn Hamilton, Eleanor Hepburn and Anne Miller." Each curtsied when their name was mentioned and Margaret smiled at each in turn. Margaret noticed that each was very pretty especially Elizabeth with her blonde hair and green eyes.
Meanwhile, the King was with Alexander and Charles Brandon in his chambers. Charles was the first to speak. "What do you think of the Princess, Your Grace?" The room was silent while James thought. "I find her enchanting."She's not what I was expecting. I was expecting a haughty, spoiled girl but she was quite the opposite; Modest and humble even." At this, Charles let out a bark of laughter. "She'll surprize you, my Lord. When she's comfortable, she's rather bossy along with being spoilt and haughty. She's used to having everything her way ever since birth. If she doesn't get her way, she's been known to throw a very un-queen like tantrum." The two Stewarts looked at Charles, stunned at this information. "Well, I'll just have to be on my guard now won't I...?" As the sentence was finished, James's eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted, oblivious to the yells of the two young men with him.
Margaret was resting with her ladies while they told her about themselves. Little Catherine had climbed into Margaret's lap and had settled herself quite comfortably with her head resting on Margaret's chest. "What's England like, Your Highness?" Elizabeth Boyd was the first to ask about Margaret. This showed incredible bravery to Margaret and she smiled. "England is wonderful. Some of the palaces, such as Greenwich and Richmond are larger than Dalkeith. Richmond has over a thousand rooms! When I became Queen by proxy, my father gave me Windsor so I could have an estate of my own. When I came into Scotland, I had to be told. I couldn't tell the difference between England and Scotland! Imagine that." Before anyone else could speak, there was a loud knock at the door. Elizabeth opened the door and Alexander ran in, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Your Highness! The King has fainted! You must come now!" Everyone looked towards Margaret. She herself was shocked and her wide eyes showed it. Nevertheless, she stood up as Catherine ran to her mother, burying her face in Marion's skirts. "Lead the way Alex."
The two ran down the drafty corridors, Alex taking quick glances at Margaret. Would she know what to do? But as he kept looking at her, he realized with a jolt that she would. He thought of how quickly she had turned from lounging to running at full speed down a corridor she did not know. Or at least as fast as she could go in a heavy gown and heels. Finally, they made it to the King's chambers which were surrounded. "Make way for the Princess!" Alexander called out so Margaret wouldn't have to fight her way through the crowd. When they got to the front, Margaret had to hold back a gasp. Her bridegroom was spread eagle on the wooden floor, his black hair spread out around him. He looked like he had died, instead of fainting. Margaret composed herself before looking at the men, which included Jamie Stewart and Archibald Douglas. "We should lift him onto the bed and prop his head up." As she gave these orders, she was surprized that the men followed. As soon as James was propped up, the scene reminded her forcibly of her mother's death. Tears threatened to make themselves known but she blinked several times and they stayed where they were.
Sitting next to him, Margaret put a hand to his forehead. "He's hotter than Hades! Alex, get a wet cloth fast please." Alexander nodded and ran out the door, coming back several minutes later with a wet cloth. Handing it to Margaret, she took the cloth and dabbed James's forehead which thankfully had cooled down in the minutes that Alex was gone. After three minutes, though it seemed like a lifetime to those in the room, James awoke, looking very dazed about why everyone was there.
Looking around, James blinked. The last thing remembered was falling and then there was black. Everyone sighed when they saw his eyes open and Alex walked to the other side of the bed, taking his fathers hand in his own. "Father, can you hear me?" James blinked slowly as if to give the impression he understood. However, Alexander seemed happy James was up. "It's time for everyone to leave. Give The King some time alone." Jamie Stewart and the Earl were the last to leave, both looking back at the King and Margaret.
Once alone, the King reached out to Margaret, placing his hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes as his hand rested on her cheek. "My angel. You came." James said simply as he propped himself on one elbow and leaned in to kiss Margaret. She was sure that if her grandmother knew what was happening, she would drop dead at the sight. But Margaret didn't care anymore about her grandmother's reactions. She was far away from her and no longer under her rule.
August 8, 1503
HolyRood Place/Abbey
Edinburgh Scotland
The palace was in an uproar well before dawn. This was the first royal wedding in Scotland since the King's own father thirty years ago. Every servant, maid, lady in waiting was preparing something; Whether it was food, clothing, seats or the Abbey itself, everyone had a job.
The Princess was being fitted into her trousseau. A wonderfully expensive dress, it was a sign of how much Henry VII loved his daughter. It was also to show the world England was rich. Golden silk was layered over white fluffy petticoats, making Margaret look like a cupcake with two arms. The dress was several pounds and the train itself would require several ladies to carry it. The neckline was squared and embroidered with Italian lace. The sleeves rested at Margaret's wrists and had diamonds and pearls sewed into them.
Once Margaret was laced into the gown, her hair was now the focus. She had taken a bath before the fabric touched her ivory skin and so the fabric was snug against her clean skin. The Princesses hair was brushed until it shined like the North Star. It was also styled down her back like a waterfall, with little jewels resting against the back of her head. For the finishing touch, she wore no make up to emphasized her virginity and purity.
In another part of the palace, the King was pacing back and forth. He was too nervous to sit down. He was thinking of his impending marriage. This would his first marriage and hopefully his last.
Jamie Stewart couldn't watch his brother pace. He had to prepare himself, as he would be marrying the pair. The Archbishop scoffed. He should be marrying a Princess, not his brother. His brother had merely survived by chance. "However many children my brother and his young bride have, the farther away I will be from the throne." He observed to his mistress, Jane Ashton. Even though he was the Archbishop, he still had liaisons with women and the local pubs. "But you're second in line to the throne. Surely a child can't take precedence over you." James looked in the mirror at her. "Yes, you would think that. But it is not to be. Alas, if only my father had lived and not my brother! Then I would be King and I would be marrying the pretty Tudor." Jane took offence. "You could marry me."
"No, I couldn't. You are not royal."
"That didn't stop Edward IV from marrying Elizabeth Wydeville."
The Duke of Ross ignored this as he was finally ready. Turning to Jane, he remembered something. "You are to be a lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty. I implore you never speak of this to no one. If anyone knew of this conversation, we would be convicted of treason and sentenced to a punishment worse than death. It is time."
The King made his way down the aisle with his five grooms, an ancient wedding custom to ward off the evil spirits. James IV looked every inch a King in his attire. Clad in silver silk down to his toes, his long black hair tied with a matching silver ribbon. As he walked down the aisle to his place, everyone stood up and smiled. They had never seen the King look so handsome before. To those who had been there at the wedding of his parents, James outshined his father in every way possible. Now the attention turned to the Princess who would be walking down the aisle.
The Princess would be escorted down the aisle by Charles Brandon. For the son of a standard bearer to be given this honour said much about Henry VII, for whoever showed him loyalty, he would reward them or if he couldn't, he would reward the family. The elder Brandon had been knighted by the King when he landed at Milford before the Battle of Bosworth. Then, he was murdered by King Richard III before the third Richard was killed and Henry Tudor became Henry VII. And so, the young Charles Brandon became a ward of the King and a playmate of the royal children.
When Charles saw Margaret come out of her chambers, he had to lift his jaw off the ground. "Margaret, you look..." Margaret blushed but nevertheless smiled. "Your way with words astounds me, Charles," She jested. Charles only shrugged and offered his arm which Margaret accepted. The two began walking until Margaret stopped in front of the doors. "The next time I come out of those doors, I will be married and the Queen of Scotland." Alice who was behind her, stepped up and whispered in her ear, "You'll be a wonderful Queen. Your parents, especially your mother would be proud, very proud of you."
Once the doors open, Margaret could hear the choir boys and feel the sunshine upon her complexion. It was a magnificent day for a wedding, with hardly a cloud in sight. It was as if the weather was celebrating with the entire country. This surely meant that their union would be a happy and joyful one, a marriage blessed by the Lord Himself.
Margaret and James looked at each other as if they were the only people in the Abbey, in the country, in the entire world. It was a strange sensation that neither recognized. Was this unfamiliar emotion love? James had experienced love many times in his life. But this was different. He felt like he was making the right choice and that this young Princess, who was ready to be loved, would be his greatest love.
As she finally made her way to James, both smiled. The unfamiliar feeling was stronger now that they were close to each other. 'Will it be like this whenever I'm near him?' Margaret wondered. A minute after this thought, the Archbishop of Scotland cleared his throat.
"Dearly beloved, we have gather here today to witness the union between Princess Margaret of England and James, the fourth of his name, King of Scotland and the isles. As Archbishop I have had the pleasure of marrying several couples but none so as my brother and future sister-in-law. May I have the rings please?" Alexander Stewart and Lady Alice Grey handed the Archbishop the two gold rings who in turned handed one each to Margaret and James. The Archbishop cleared his throat again, preparing the vows.
"King James, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, for better and for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish him from this day forward, until death do you part?" James smiled. "I do." The Archbishop then turned to Margaret. "Princess Margaret do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better and for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish him from this day forward, until death do you part?" Everyone stopped breathing it seemed for the entire building was quiet. A pin could drop and everyone would hear it hit the floor. The weather stopped for an instant, waiting for Margaret. Charles Brandon anxiously looked at Margaret. "Come on Maggie. You can do it." He whispered under his breath. "I do."
A huge breath made itself known throughout the Abbey and the sun seemed to shine brighter than usual. Everyone was speechless, including the Archbishop. "By the power invested in myself as the Archbishop of Scotland, I now pronouce you man and wife. James, you may kiss the bride." James gently pulled Margaret over to him and kissed her wholeheartingly, happy to finally have the eldest Princess of England as his wife.
A throne, along with the Scottish Queen's crown, the crimson surcoat, sceptre and orb were brought forth. James fitted Margaret into the crimson surcoat, taking great care with her dress. She was then seated and watched as the other Dukes and nobility of Scotland walked around her in a semi-circle. James took the crown and presented it in all directions: North, South, East and West with the proclaimation: "To the North, I present, Margaret, former Princess of England, now the Queen of Scotland and the isles! To the South, I present, Margaret, former Princess of England, now the Queen of Scotland and the isles! To the East, I present, Margaret, former Princess of England, now the Queen of Scotland and the isles! To the West, I present, Margaret, former Princess of England, now the Queen of Scotland and the isles!" The Queen's crown was less lavish than the King's but still very impressive, with two half arches surrounding two fleurs de lys and two strawberry leaves. But the most impressive part of the crown was the twenty gemstones and twenty precious stones as well as Scottish freshwater pearls. The crown rested upon Margaret's russet coloured tresses. After this, a bible was brought forth. The speech conducted at the King's coronation would be different for the Queen as she didn't have power like the King. It would be shortened considerably. "Do you, Queen Margaret of Scotland and the Isles promise to be the model of a true wife, to never question your husband in his decisions, to uphold Scotland's honour and your own?"
"I do."
"Here is Wisdom. This is the royal law; These are the lively Oracles of God." With that, the sceptre and orb were given to Margaret. The sceptre was a gift from Pope Alexander VI with a golden head and small diamonds lining the middle of the sceptre. The orb was placed in Margaret's hand. She was stunned by how heavy it was. The sceptre was in Margaret's hands as well, as everyone took a minute to observe Margaret in her stately glory. And finally, the years of negioating her betrothal to the King had come to an end. She was now Queen of Scotland.
James helped her up and yelled, "GOD BLESS QUEEN MARGARET!" The crowd did the same along with cries of, "LONG LIVE QUEEN MARGARET! LONG LIVE KING JAMES!
Author's note:
Chapter seven is here! This chapter was very hard to write, as I wanted to be historically correct but I didn't want to write an entire book in one chapter. I skimmed it down considerably and used the British coronation as my reference. It took three months for this chapter to be written but I'm proud of it. Chapters will be slow coming but they will be coming. Please read and review!
