"Mary, Francis, I have a wonderful idea!" Catherine cried, walking into the room. Bella—as her parents call her—was asleep on Mary's lap. She was five, and already loved and spoiled by everyone. No one dared to harm her in any way.
"What is it?" Francis asked, reaching over to stroke his daughter's curls.
"What if we engaged Bella to Prince Edward of England?"
"And why would we do that?" Mary demanded, tearing her eyes away from her daughter.
"Think about it. Elizabeth named Edward her successor. If you engaged Isabella—a princess of Scotland—to Edward, then there would be an alliance, and no more fighting between England and Scotland."
"Mary, you have to agree. It's a good idea." Francis said.
"I can't bear the fact of giving my only child up."
"Mary, if you want the war and fighting to end, this is the best way." Catherine urged.
"Okay, fine."
After the alliance was arranged—Elizabeth was eager to end the war between England and Scotland—Mary and Francis headed back to France. It was decided that Catherine and Mary would tell Bella.
Bella was in her room, playing with her new dolls. She got anything she asked for without a second thought.
Catherine and Mary walked into Bella's room. Isabella looked up at her mother and grandmother with a smile—her father's smile. She also had his curls and ears.
"We're engaging you to the Prince of England." Catherine told Isabella.
"But isn't England our enemy?" Isabella asked.
Mary smiled at her daughter's intelligence. "Well, we're hoping that this alliance will stop the war between our two kingdoms."
Isabella smiled. "Oh. Well, I'd be happy if I'd be able to make that stop."
"So intelligent." Catherine said.
Isabella giggled. "So, when do I get to meet him?"
"On your wedding day."
"Mommy, when were you and Daddy married?"
"April twenty-fourth, 1958." She touched her daughter's nose before leaving the room.