24 April 1510

The chambers of the Queen Dowager, Elizabeth, normally filled with light and happiness, were dark, the lights were off and the curtains were drawn. Elizabeth was sat at her desk, a candle illuminating the letter below her, on the desk. It was the letter that her son, Henry, had wrote to tell her that Margaret Beaufort had died. It was the last thing she had of his.

She did not want to think that her son would die, but he had been unconscious for hours, it was getting dark outside.

"Your Majesty!" the cry from one of the men, that worked for her son, Arthur, the King of England, shook her back to reality

"Your Majesty!" The door, to Arthur's large, brown, candle lit, King's chambers burst open and the servant, almost loosing his footing, burst into the room, waving a letter

"Your Majesty! The Prince Henry is awake!"

"Oh, thank heavens!" Mary exclaimed, whirling from the room before anyone could stop her. Edmund, her younger brother, aged 10, smiled, happily before running after his sister

"What is going on?" Elizabeth asked as she appeared in the doorway

Arthur smiled, as did Katherine, as they turned to her, their chambers seemed to glow with a happy light. Arthur moved to his mother and took her by the arms "Harry's awake," he spoke, quietly

"Awake?" Elizabeth, with delight, felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes rolled backwards into her haed and she fell, with a thump, to the floor. Arthur caught her "Mother!"

Arthur shook Elizabeth, getting no response. He looked up to the servant "Take her to her chambers!" Arthur turned, and whirled from his chambers, the door thudding shut behind him.

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Henry groaned as the physician left the tent

"Harry!" before he knew what had happened, Mary had thrown herself at him, hugging him tightly, she was shortly joined by Edmund

"Mary, Edmund," Henry replied, hooking an arm around Mary, and the other around Edmund, before he pulled them close, into a hug, embracing them, tightly, smiling.

The flap of the tent opened and Arthur, crown askew on his head, appeared in the doorway "Harry!" Mary and Edmund pulled away as Arthur embraced his younger brother "I thought I'd lost you," he pulled away and gripped Henry by the shoulders "Don't you ever do that again"

"I do not plan too," Henry replied, sitting up, letting all his weight pass to his right leg, as to keep the weight off his jousting wound, which the physician had told him to do

He got up, off of the bed, and steadied himself, smiling at his brother "Now?" he asked "What has gone on while I have been unconscious?"

"Harry," Arthur began "You have only been unconscious for a day"

"Really?" Henry asked

"Yes, really. Mother was worried sick," Arthur began

"As were you," Katherine interrupted, entering the tent "You refused to sleep last night. I felt you tossing and turning for hours. Mary and Edmund were also worried"

Henry smiled, before striding past Arthur as best he could, before disappearing out of the tent

"His pride is hurt," Mary began, remembering the last time he had acted like this, when he was about 13.

"I'll go after him," Arthur replied, lifting up the flap of the tent, planting a kiss on Mary's cheek, then Edmund's. He leant in and kissed Katherine deeply on the lips before disappearing out of the tent

Henry fumed as he reached the pond. Picking up a stone, he toosed it, into the pond, where it fell, with a splash, below the surface. He repeated this process several times, ignoring the pain searing through his thigh. He had not bothered to watch which leg he was stood on, as he was too angry. Everything always went wrong for him!

"Harry?" Arthur entered the courtyard, where the pond lay, after following Henry.

"Harry," Arthur moved to his brother as Henry tossed another stone into the pond "Harry, look at me," Arthur turned his brother to face him, and what he saw, shocked him. His brother, his almost 19 year old brother, was crying!

"Harry, Harry, look at me, come on, calm down" Arthur took his brother by the shoulders and pulled him in close, rubbing Henry's back, lovingly, as befitted two brothers, who, despite being royalty, were in private.

While Henry sobbed, Arthur gave a small sigh to himself, his brother always had been never been afraid to cry, he had always been a sensitive boy - Man- Arthur corrected himself, Henry was no longer a child, even if Arthur wanted him too be.

"Everything always goes wrong for me," Henry replied, wiping his face with the sleeve of his doublet

"No," Arthur replied, smiling "You're a a headstrong, stubbon man, who will stop at nothing to prove yourself..." Arthur trailed off as Henry nodded in agreement, before Arthur continued "You do not need to prove yourself," Arthur placed a hand on Henry's shoulder "Especially not to me, I know that you're a smart man. Do not ruin that with stupid stunts... There is no need to impress anyone"

"But, Arthur, I-"

"'But, nothing', Harry" Arthur protested "I know that you are more than capable of looking after yourself, but I do not want you doing stupid stunts to show that!" Arthur snapped, gripping his brother's shoulders "You are my heir!"

"I-I am? S-Surely you'd want Edmund, as he's younger, to be your heir?"

"He is my heir, behind you, and he, despite the fact that he is my brother, is younger than you, thus making you, being born before Edmund, my heir" Arthur assured him

Henry smiled, this reassured him of his brother's love for him.

"So? When am I needed back at court?" Henry asked

"Not for a few weeks now, Harry," Arthur assured him "Court does not restart until late next month," Arthur gave a small smile, before continuing "Thank goodness, it really is tedious work"

"Now, come on," Arthur began again, slipping his arm around his brother's shoulder and the two left the courtyard "Mum wants to see you, and we had best go and show Edmund and Mary that you're alright"

Henry smiled as he, limping slightly, using Arthur as a support, and Arthur himself, left the courtyard

[To Be Continued]