Chapter Number/Title: 10# Rule Me Out

Date: 26.3.13

Fandom: The Tudors

Rating: K+

Genre: Historical Fiction

Content Descriptors: Romance, Drama

Character Pairings: Princess Mary Tudor and Infante Luis of Portugal

Beta: Team Edward Rules All

Chapter IX

March 24th, 1548

I felt every pair of eyes on me as I descended the stairs as gracefully as my governess, Kat Ashley instructed me to.

It was my first official formal ball and I wanted it to be perfect.

All of us were lined in the order of precedence to pay obeisance to Mary I and Luis I before we could enjoy the feast, and afterwards, dance. At the front of the line was the Royal Princes and Princesses of England and Portugal (Princes before Princesses). After them, were my former guardians, the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, and their five children. Then it was Mary I's cousins, the children of the now deceased Royal Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, starting with Henry Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, his wife, Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, their children (Princes Charles and Louis and Princesses Mary, Catharine and Isabel), Prince Charles of Suffolk, his wife, Elinor Stafford and their only child, Princess Eleanor of Suffolk, Princess Frances, Marchioness of Dorset, her husband Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, their three daughters (Lady Jane, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary) and Eleanor, Countess of Cumberland and her children.

The last of the royal Tudor family was me. Everyone accepted Hal and his children before Charles Brandon and Mary, but still didn't accept me as a daughter of Henry VIII, bastard or not. Mary I allowed me to remain a Tudor, but I would always be last in line.

"Presenting, the Lady Elizabeth Tudor!" announced the herald.

I stopped in front of the royal couple and curtsied as low as possible.

"Rise," said Mary I calmly. "Lady Elizabeth. It had been a while since I've seen you. You've grown taller and seem more healthier. I had been told you were ill for quite some time. I'm pleased that you are well. I hope you enjoy your evening."

I curtsied again and joined the others in front of the table. Only a select few could dine with the King and Queen. Their own children had their own separate table with the royal cousins. I was placed with the higher nobility. My Howard kin were still in relative disgrace. They were silent when they ate their meal, and hardly talked to each other. Even Norfolk was subdued. I was delighted when I was seated next to my childhood friend, Master Robert Dudley (one of the sons of the Viscount Lisle).

"Lady Elizabeth," said Robert politely. "Such a pleasure to see you again."

I felt my cheeks flush in colour.

He was so kind and such a gentleman!

"It's a pleasure to see you, Lord Robert," I said shyly.

I felt a prickling sensation on my back. I looked around and saw Mary I staring at me, and her eyes darted a couple of times to Robert. Alarm signals alerted me from all over my body. Robert's father, John Dudley, Viscount Lisle, was a suspected Protestant. In Mary I's eyes, a suspected Protestant is a heretic, and his fate might be worse than imprisonment!

I liked Robert, but knew that if we were seen together, we both would've been safer dead than in prison, facing a trial of high treason. A suspected Protestant as my husband would seal our fates, but what if my husband-to-be was the son of a suspected Protestant?

I disliked the thought of marriage, but still…

Would Mary I allow me to marry him?

My instincts told me 'no'.

A messenger appeared next to me.

"Her Majesty, the Queen requests your presence outside," he told me. "She also instructed for you to meet her there at once."

I went outside to see Mary I.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner," said Mary I curtly, before I could curtsey. "No, please don't curtsey, ignore formalities. I'll be quick and to the point. Regarding our previous agreement, here is a contract with rules regarding it."

She shoved a parchment onto my hands and left back to the feast.

"Rules stipulating our agreement," I read. "Your are of marriageable age and a suitable husband is needed for you. These are the rules that help you choose the most suitable for a Tudor daughter. One. You must marry a Catholic. Two. He must be a member of the upper nobility. Three. He must not be an ally or related in anyway to the Howards. Four. His family must be known loyalists to the Throne of England with no direct claim. Five. You have to gain my permission and His Majesty of Portugal and England's permission to marry as man and wife."

My heart almost shattered from this.

I had hoped to use all my persuasion skills to convince Mary I that Robert is an ideal candidate to marry me, but this…there's no chance I would ever obtain legal permission to marry him. Would Robert agree to marry me, a Tudor bastard?

Robert isn't a full, devout Catholic, he is a member of the lower nobility, his family was rejected as allies by the Howards, his grandfather was loyal to Henry VII, but was executed by Henry VIII, and Luis I would never allow me to marry for love. If Luis I had his way, and Mary I wasn't as stubborn as she is, I would've been broken already.

Mary I had kept me alive and life was still full of hope.

A sudden thought occurred to me.

Could Robert and I have a…secret wedding?

"Elizabeth," said Robert, appearing next to me. "Feast's over. Everyone's dancing. Do you want to come for a walk with me outside? Mary I won't know you're gone. She's dancing with Luis I and talking the Chapuys, I think."

Feeling bold, I nodded, and the two of us walked casually out the doors and into the gardens right under Mary I and Luis I's noses! I glanced back, and none of them noticed us gone. They were too deep in conversation to notice.

The moon shone brightly as we strolled in the gardens.

Not many people were about.

"Elizabeth," said Robert quietly. "What are you? A Princess? A bastard?"

"I'd like to know that," I sighed. "I suppose a bastard."

"The Queen keeps your best interests at heart. For her own security. You know that, don't you? I think deep down, she cares about you more than she shows. The Court is full of lies and conspiracies, Elizabeth, you must know that. Everyone wears masks to conceal their true plans, and every man is for himself. Even if they have allies, it is all a dance. When fortune appears in front of one, he'll take it and leave his 'allies' to fend for themselves. You are already aware that Luis I hates you? I have a feeling that he didn't wish to marry Mary I in the first place. He must have a true love back in Portugal. It was because of you that he had to marry Mary I for duty to secure her succession to the Throne and to satisfy both Charles V and Manuel I of Portugal, who wish for Catholicism to be reinstated in England."

"Why are you telling me this? I doubt I'll remain in Court for long. It's only a taste, and I will probably return to the countryside on the orders of Mary I. She won't want me here to annoy her. It might ruin her festivities. I might as well marry a Catholic and die unhappy."

"Or you can marry me."

"What?! Won't your father object?"

"Why would he? My eldest brother John, had married Lady Anne Seymour, my other brother Ambrose, had married Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys and my youngest sister Katherine, is betrothed to Henry Hastings, the son and heir of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon. My father will be pleased if I marry you, even if you're an illegitimate child. He wants descendants will upper noble blood in them, even if his own children couldn't have that."

"If he wants that, he could marry his children off to Howards. Why me? I can't inherit anything, and my dowry will be small. According to this stipulation agreement, I can't marry without Luis I's permission, and he won't allow me to marry anyone I wish to marry."

I showed Robert the parchment.

Robert snorted.

"Ignore those rules," he advised.

"I can't," I said, shocked.

"Yes you can. You're a Tudor bastard. England's mostly Catholic, and there's been talk that it'll embrace the Pope. Your mother's marriage with the late King had never existed. Now, you're just an acknowledged daughter of the late Henry VIII and a demanding mistress. You aren't Luis I's problem. Mary I gave this to you, didn't she?"

"Yes, how did you-"

"Luis I dictated it. He's the fanatic Catholic, not your sister. Just forget for a minute that you're part of the royal family. Will you marry me?"

"Robert, if I do, it'll be the end for both of us. You will be executed and I will be imprisoned forever. It is high treason to ignore the orders of the monarch. You know that. We can only be together in our dreams and in feasts. You're the closest friend I ever had, and I do not want to see you dead. Besides, you don't meet anything on the criteria!"

"Really?"

"You check it!"

"Let's see…I'm not a strict Catholic, not a member of the upper nobility, and I doubt Luis I will give permission for our marriage. My family is loyal to the Tudors and we hate the Howards. No offense to your mother's family, of course."

"I suppose it'll be alright if I marry you. Mary I won't mind. Hopefully she'll support me against her husband in this marriage."

"She will! She's your sister!"

"She's a Queen first, a wife second, a mother third and a sister last."

"You know this how?"

"It's Mary. She won't relinquish her power for anything."

"I see. Let us hope she's in a jolly mood and will agree. To make our union legal, let us marry with only a few witnesses and consummate it. That way no one can doubt our marriage or break us apart. That is a good thing about a Catholic Queen. She won't go against the Bible. She's too devout and will think of it as against her sins. Come with me! We'll marry in front of the family priest with a couple of loyal and reliable witnesses! In ten months' time, we'll have a babe in our arms to prove our undying love and the proof that we are married. It's all ready, Elizabeth! Come! I don't care if you're not dressed in a wedding gown! Marry me! Please do!"

"Alright. I just hope we don't get separated because of this! Who have you chosen for our witnesses? I wished you told me earlier, and I would've asked my governess to be a witness. Are you proposing that we leave in the middle of the feast?"

"Yes! Come with me now!"

I laughed and the two of us stroded to a waiting carriage.

I couldn't believe what I've done.

It was a week later, and I was no longer the Lady Elizabeth Tudor, bastard daughter of Henry VIII. I had become Lady Elizabeth Dudley, wife of Lord Robert Dudley and the daughter-in-law of John Dudley, Viscount Lisle, and Jane Dudley, Viscountess Lisle.

I had broken rule two by marrying a man of the lower nobility.

Doing so, I had broken the last rule.

Luis I and Mary I will never forgive me.

Luis I already hated me, and this just gave him a deeper excuse to dislike me more. What have I gotten myself into? One way or another, the King and Queen will find out! Who knows? Maybe at this very moment, they are planning my marriage with my one-time betrothed, Sir Charles Brandon (illegitimate son of the late Duke of Suffolk), who ironically, is of the lower nobility, even though his father was a member of the upper nobility.

Once I was granted permission to leave Court, I lived in Kenilworth Castle, the Dudley family's main residence with only Kat Ashley and a few trusted servants and maids. No one could know about my secret marriage with Robert, or my head will be rolling down the hill.

"The Queen wishes to see you," said Kat, appearing at my door.

"She's here?!" I said, knocking down a chair in my alarm.

"It was unexpected," said Kat regretfully. "I tried to tell her that you're resting, but she insisted on

seeing you, and declared she would wait all night until she sees you."

Mary I can be extremely stubborn.

"Tell the Dudleys to leave for Dudley Castle in the West Midlands," I instructed. "Tell them to stay there until they receive my message. It's for their own safety. Tell them to prepare themselves for a possible siege or arrest. Mary I must not know about my marriage unless I tell her myself. Go with them. I don't want you executed."

"Very well," said Kat, curtseying. "Good luck, My Lady Elizabeth."

I stood up and calmly walked to the room where Mary I was waiting.

"Your Majesty," I said, with a deep curtsey.

"Elizabeth," said Mary I, looking around suspiciously.

"Lady Ashley informed me that you wished to see me? How may I help you, Your Majesty? I'm at your disposal and your loyal servant."

"I was surprised at your hasty request to depart from Court. I had always been under the impression that you wanted to stay in Court. Your former guardian had stated so too. I was even more astonished when I was told that you left for Kenilworth Castle instead of Pembroke Castle. You are aware that I have given it to you as insurance to issue a declaration that you will be the 1st Countess of Pembroke in your own right when you reach your majority and marry? In the declaration, the title and estates will pass along to any of your possible issue, whether they're daughters or sons. Now, I've come here to inform you of your marriage. His Majesty of Portugal and I have decided for you to marry Don Antonio of Trancoso, the King's illegitimate nephew by his brother, Infante Fernando. Isn't that an honour, Elizabeth? The King had assured the title Duke of Trancoso for him."

"Will I have to move to Portugal?"

"Of course! You will have to live there with your husband!"

"What about my title as Countess of Pembroke?"

"Ah yes. Of course when you marry, you'll be allowed to visit England any time you wish, and you'll always be welcomed in the English Court. Once you have your first son, he'll be brought to England and will have your title of 'Earl of Pembroke', and reaching his majority, will be elevated to Marquess. If you have any more sons, they will be brought here too. Your daughters will remain with you in Portugal until they are married off."

"What will my um, duties be in Portugal? You are the Queen Consort of Portugal, so wouldn't it be better if I serve you here?"

"You and your future husband will live in Spain."

"What?! You just told me-"

"I know. You will live in Portugal and serve Infanta Maria of Guimaraes once she becomes Princess of Portugal upon marrying my son, John. For now, you will go to Spain and be a companion to my Katharine while she settles in the Spanish Court. You will be a substitute sister for her, and make sure she is well-received and liked by her future sisters-in-law, Maria and Juana."

"I'm afraid, that is impossible, Your Majesty. You see, I cannot marry another, as such, I'll be committing the act of bigamy."

"Marrying another? What in the Almighty's name are you talking about?!"

"I am already married."

"To Sir Charles Brandon? Weren't you a little hasty?"

"No, Your Majesty. I'm now Lady Elizabeth Dudley. My husband is Lord Robert."

"Lord Robert Dudley? Viscount Lisle's younger son?! Please tell me this is all a mistake and a bad joke of yours, and you are not really married to him! Please tell me you two are not truly married in the eyes of God and all will be forgiven!"

"I am married to him in God's eyes."

Mary I stared at me, shocked.

At first, she was pale, but then as she recovered, her cheeks slowly turned red. I had consummated my union with Robert, and was witnessed by Kat, if Mary I demanded our marriage to be annulled. She wouldn't dare question the Will of God.

"I don't know what to say!" Mary I said angrily. "I thought you had more common sense than to rush

into a lowly marriage without seeking consent from me or Luis I! Have you even read the stipulation contract I gave you last week?! I do not doubt your marriage, but look what you've done! Now we have to substitute you with another wealthy English noblewoman!"

"Lord Robert and I were married before the stipulation contract," I lied. "Thus being a legal marriage, not high treason."

"If that is the case, why was I not informed earlier?!"

"You were engaged with foreign matters, Your Majesty."

"You have broken every rule! What can I do with a disobedient subject?! Is Lord Robert a Catholic, a loyal supporter and without claim to the Throne?"

"I'm uncertain about his religious leanings, but I know with confidence that he and his family is loyal to you fully. His grandfather was Sir Edmund Dudley, a trusted Councillor of Henry VII, and he doesn't have direct blood from English Kings. I thought that Lord Robert would be a suitable match because of his lower origins and loyalty. We have agreed earlier that I may choose my own husband. I had thought not to bother you because you were busily engaged in other, more important affairs. We cannot annul our union, as it was consummated before God's eyes."

Mary I clenched her teeth.

I shouldn't have been so reckless…

Marrying Robert was more turbulent than I thought.

"I know what to do," said Mary I, after a while. "I will not make you annul your marriage. I want you and Lord Robert to be married again in a public ceremony in front of the royal family. I will give Viscount Lisle the title '1st Duke of Northumberland', your eldest brother '1st Earl of Warwick', your second brother will be 'Baron Tailboys' by the right of his wife and your husband will be '1st Earl of Leicester'. The heir of your brother will be 'Viscount Lisle'."

"Thank you," I said, still unsure what'll happen.

"I cannot have my half-sister just a daughter-in-law of a Viscount, now can I? You will be Countess of Leicester and 1st Countess of Pembroke in your own right! Your future child be will the 2nd Earl of Leicester and Pembroke."

"Will my husband and I have to pay a fine? I can assure you that we are willing to pay for our crime through money, and-"

"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"A fine is not necessary just yet. Yes, you two have committed a crime by marrying without permission, but a fine is too lenient. I should have the both of you executed, and your possessions confiscated, but I decided not to. A week after your marital ceremony, you will be sent to Spain with Katharine, and will stay there for at least a year or until Katharine gives birth to an Infanta of Spain. Lord Robert will pay a hefty fine and will spend his time in the Tower. In the royal apartments of course. He will be permitted to visit you thrice a year in Spain."

"Yes, Your Majesty. What if I have children? Will they remain with me in Spain, or will they be allowed to return to England? I would love to have my children with me in Spain, but it's their right to be in England with their father."

"Your future children will be sent to England."

"When they're just born?"

"Of course not! The journey will kill them! When they're three or four."

"What if Princess Katharine already has her first child by then?"

"You and your children will be allowed to leave for England together. Do you think you're with child, or is it too early to tell?"

"It is too early to tell."

Mary I nodded and ordered for a cup of tea.

I was secretly happy and relieved that matters weren't as bad as I thought they would be. I would no longer be a mere Lady. I would now be a Countess in my own right and as a consort! Of course there will be other Countesses in front of me, but at least neither me nor Robert would be beheaded! Travelling to Spain would be an adventure, and I would love to explore a new country and bring my knowledge of Spain and the Spanish language into good use. The trouble would be pretending to be a pious Catholic like the other religious Spaniards.

Even though I had broken every rule, at least I was still alive!

Deep down, I knew that the Dudleys were Protestants, and after my marriage with Robert, they had closer ties with various prominent Protestant families (like the Parrs and de Veres) and my maternal family, the Howards. I heard pieces of gossip regarding me and the Throne, and suspected they formed some sort of alliance involving deposing Mary I and placing me on the Throne as a puppet Queen with the Dudleys and Howards being the true rulers.

That meant I lied to Mary I, and unknowingly became the Dudley with the claim to the English Throne, and when I have my first child, he (or she) will be the undisputable figurehead for the Dudleys and the Howards in their political game.

In my subsequent marriage, I lost Mary I's trust via:

Marrying a strongly suspected Protestant.

Becoming the wife of a lower nobleman.

The Dudley family allied themselves with the Howards by using me as a vital link.

By marrying into the Dudley family, they have a claim to the Throne.

I hadn't asked permission to marry Robert.

I had a feeling that from now on, Robert and I will be closely watched-more closely than before-and a single wrong step will send us to the executioner's block.

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