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Chapter Twenty-Five: Time to Let Go.

Edmund's door rattled in its frame as the hammering came again. He woke up with a start, and wondered where the fire was as the hammering came yet again. Slowly, he dragged himself out of bed, and kneaded at the residue of the previous night's wine consumption. 'Never again," he thought to himself as he tried to focus on one spot to stop the spinning. It was useless. The dog, his old friend Beowulf, gave him a condescending look from his sleeping spot in the corner. Then, to make matters worse, the hammering on the door came again.

"I am on my way!" he yelled at the door, hoping the visitor would go away and leave him alone.

Then, he remembered the day. It was the wedding day. He suddenly hauled himself up, and started splashing cold water over his face. He had allowed Louis to get him drunk in celebration of the big event. He pulled a clean shirt on over his breeches, and hurried to answer the door.

"What took you so long?"

It was Otto, with Philip at his side. His two older brothers stared at him indignantly. Edmund looked back at them, blinking through the haze of his baby hangover. They had barely spoken a word since Philip returned to London; there arrival rather an unexpected, and not altogether, welcome one.

"What are you two doing here?" he demanded. He hoped if he stood there blocking the door, they would get the hint that he was not in the right frame of mind for visitors, and leave him alone.

"Is that any way to speak to your brothers?" asked Philip, with a pout to emphasise his hurt feelings.

Edmund heaved a sigh of resignation, and stood aside to admit them both. As Otto pushed his way in, Edmund could see that he was struggling with a large, ornately carved, chest. Edmund looked at it questioningly.

"You didn't think we'd let you get married without a fabulously expensive present, did you?" said Otto.

"I never knew you cared!" exclaimed Edmund. "What's in it?"

He dropped to his haunches beside the chest and was about to unlatch it, when Philip strode over and slapped his hands away, like a child with his grubby fingers in the sugar basin.

"Ouch!"

"Its for after your wedding," Philip admonished him. "You might like to have your wife at your side when you open it."

"That's what its like when you're married," added Otto, knowingly. "You tend to do things together."

Edmund groaned as the teasing continued. He got up, affecting not to hear them, and started laying out his best clothes for the wedding. They had been tailor made, at the expense of King Henry. No one had bothered to make anything especially for him back in Luxembourg. The chatter of his brothers stopped as he was about to remove a new chemise from it's paper. He glanced over his shoulder to see what they were up to, and found them looking at him in silence, their posture oddly formal.

"Anything wrong?" he asked, nerves flickering now.

Philip sat down on the bed, and he wore that expression that Edmund recognised only faintly. He was trying to think of the right things to say.

"Otto and I must leave straight after the service," he said. "Our duty to you and our father is done."

"I see," replied Edmund. He had known this moment was coming, and tried not to think of it. He had always relished the prospect of freedom from his brothers and father, but now that the moment had come, he didn't know what to do with it. He had never believed that it would actually happen. "I suppose that this is it, then."

"What Philip is trying to say is," Otto interjected, from where he stood by the window. "Is that we know things have been difficult. Perhaps, even, harsh for you."

"Yes," replied Edmund, setting his clothes back down and turning his full attention to his brothers. No matter what had happened between them, this was the last time he would ever see them.

"But, in the end," said Philip. "You did us proud."

Edmund wasn't sure if he had heard that right, but he decided not to query it; just enjoy it.

"When father hears of everything you did for Lady Mary," Otto said. "We know that he will be proud, too. Whether you believe that to be true or not, I think he will."

Edmund had never looked at the situation like that before. He had not sought approval, or advancement. He just wanted to make Mary see him, and show the world he could hold his own. The atmosphere was heavily awkward, as it always was with men unaccustomed to paying compliments, and showing their true feelings. Otto and Philip looked embarrassed, and Edmund looked confused, as though it were all supposed to be happening to someone else.

"Still, we were proved right, were we not?" asked Philip, suddenly much more buoyant. "A damn good hiding was all needed, and look what you went out and did?"

Otto snorted with laughter; Edmund too rolled his eyes and groaned. The awkwardness and tension dispelled. For the first time in their lives, they helped Edmund. They got his hair under control, made sure his shoes were shined and he was turned out to his best for the wedding. They even managed to procure a white carnation for his jacket.

It was nearing noon when they left for the chapel. The three of them arrived there together, and paused at the door. Louis and Katherine of Bohemia were already inside. Most of the guests would probably already be inside. Just he, and the bride, were yet to enter. But for a moment, the three of them stood in a small circle. Each looked at the other.

"Good luck, Edmund," said Philip.

"Yes, all the best, brother," added Otto.

Edmund smiled through the pre-wedding nerves that now clawed at his stomach. His mind was starting to race ahead to the ceremony, now. The past was being left behind, and this was just the final tie he had to cut before moving on.

"Thank you, both of you," he said.

He turned away to face the doors of the chapel, and the Usher beckoned him inside. He walked away from Philip and Otto, who did not follow him; nor did he look back.

Queen Anne checked her reflection in the looking glass and smoothed down the front of her gown. It was a simple, but elegant, gown of silk and velvet. Blue and silver. On her head was a demure French hood. Nothing too showy; this day belonged to Mary alone, and Anne had no intention of upstaging her, Queen or no.

She checked Princess Elizabeth, who wore a matching, smaller, gown to her mothers, and a similar French hood. Anne had given her a necklace to wear, one that had belonged to Elizabeth Howard, her mother. Anne smiled as she looked at Elizabeth, and took her by the hand. Outside, they met King Henry, with the two Princes, Arthur and William at his side.

"You look beautiful," said Henry as Anne and Elizabeth emerged into the outer galleries of the royal apartments. "Both of you."

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he replied.

They exchanged a kiss on the cheek, and with their children surrounding them, the guards flanking them, they made their way to the chapel the moment the clocks struck noon. As they made their way through the Court, they stopped and exchanged greetings with many of the other guests as they all wended their way to the chapel. But, it was the sight of Katherine Howard, arm in arm with her husband that Anne stopped to speak with most eagerly.

"Lady Katherine," she called over to her cousin. "Still at Court, I see?"

Katherine looked rather abashed. She knew now that she was married she should be at her husband's home. But, the husband's home was part of the problem.

"You see, your majesty," she explained apologetically as they moved more slowly towards the chapel. "Louis' father still wants to cut off his head."

"That's a pity," said Henry, with a dry laugh.

Anne nudged him in the ribs, and ignored Elizabeth's suppressed laughter.

"Well, we can't have that after all he did for England," said Anne with a pointed, sidelong look at Henry. "Can we, Your Majesty."

"Oh very well," replied Henry with a sigh. "If his father executes him, I will be sure to declare war."

Katherine gasped in alarm, but Anne shot her a sympathetic look.

"He is teasing you, Lady Katherine," she assured her. "Perhaps, after the wedding, we will find a use for your husband here in England, even if it is just until this diplomatic spat has fizzled out."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Katherine curtseyed deeply to the Queen before returning to her husband's side.

Anne knew that she should be furious; Katherine and Louis had broken every rule in the royal book with their marriage. But, she believed in reward where it was due, and they had both gone above and beyond the call of duty, despite there being no obligation for them to do so.

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked Henry, just as they reached the entrance to the chapel.

"Not really," he replied. "Besides, that cousin of yours is a pretty little thing. I can't go sending her into any more danger."

"I'll ignore that," she retorted. She turned to the chapel. "Well, here we are."

"Here we are," replied Henry, as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I will join you as soon as I can."

Henry could see that the groom was already in place. His two elder brothers were preparing to leave already. He was about to ask if they were staying for the service, when a trumpet blast signalled the arrival of the bride. He whirled around to face the opening of the gallery outside the chapel. The crowds parted like the red sea, and Mary emerged from the heart of the gathering. Tears sprung into his eyes as he looked at her.

He remembered the little Princess she had been. Small enough to fit in the palm of his hand as a baby. She was none of the child she had once been. She was a bride, now. She wore a full length gown of white and cream silk and velvet. Her skirts were edged with gold and silver threads. Her bodice decorated with gold, interlacing patterns. Her face was veiled with a fine muslin, neatly arranged, net.

The trumpets sounded the moment Mary and her retinue appeared around the corner and entered the gallery. The people jumped aside immediately, forming a path to the door of the chapel. She glanced over her shoulder to where Susan Clarencieux, Lady Mary Lascelles, and Lady Katherine (who – late as always - only just made it in time), had taken up her vast train. She gave them the nod. It was time.

As she looked down the gallery, she could see her father waiting for her. She beamed brightly, in defiance of the nerves that shivered down her spine, with tears in her eyes. When she reached Henry, they linked their arms together, and stood side by side framed by the chapel door as the music filled the air.

There was a collective sigh from the congregation as Henry led the bride down the aisle. Mary was grateful for the veil, because her eyes were filling with tears already. Then, she saw Edmund waiting before the altar. When he turned to look at her, he didn't seem to recognise her at first. Then, he smiled brightly in recognition.

He stepped aside so that Henry and Mary could take up their place. The archbishop of Canterbury moved into place just as the music ceased, and he prepared to address his flock.

"We are gathered here today to witness the joining together of this man, and this woman," he said, gesturing to them both, before continuing with the marital preamble.

Mary's nerves intensified, and left her breathless as she and Edmund prepared to take their vows. She had spent her childhood dreaming of this moment, and the reality of it had yet to hit her. Her right hand trembled visibly as Henry placed it into Edmund's left. His hand lingered on Mary's for just a fraction of a second as Henry gave her away, this time for real.

As Mary and Edmund clasped hands, they repeated their vows after the prompts from the archbishop.

"I, Edmund, do take thee, Mary, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, to honour and to cherish, forsaking all others, for so long as we both shall live."

Mary's voice shook with emotion as she replied:

"I, Mary, do take thee, Edmund, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, to honour and obey, forsaking all others, so long as we both shall live."

Henry sniffed away the tears that were threatening, and stepped back towards his daughter. He took her hand out of Edmund's, and replaced it with her left hand in her new husband's right. Then, his job was done. He had given her away, and he went to stand to one side.

Edmund hastily wiped a tear from his eye as he produced the ring from his pocket. He slid it over Mary's finger, and followed the archbishop's cue.

"With this ring I do thee wed," he said. "This gold and silver I give thee, with my body I do worship, and with my worldly goods I do thee endow. In the name of the father, the son, and of the holy ghost."

A tear rolled down Mary's cheek as she repeated the gesture with the plain gold ring she had. As soon as she finished her final vow, the archbishop declared them man and wife. It was done. Edmund lifted her veil, and leaned in close to whisper in her ear.

"You look beautiful," he said.

Mary had no words for what she was feeling at that moment. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. All she knew for sure was that it was the happiest moment of her life.