Chapter 2

November 1, 1665

The King was pacing along with almost the whole court waiting on word of how Bella was. Alice had told him that her birthday had come and it made her of age for baring children that was what the fight was about her Uncle and even her father had admitted to wanting to put Bella in his way and maybe in his bed, but her refusal to ruin her friendship with him just to get more favors for her Uncle, and father, she wouldn't do it. And today was the third day they had waited for her to come around, the King had Duke put on house arrest until he found out what Bella want him to do, he thought he'd send him from court for a while and given a couple of lashes, he was brooding when, the chamber door opened and a doctor stepped out. Her parents and sister as well as the King and his mother Queen Esme went to him.

"Two ribs broken and a strained back." The doctor told them. "You may see her but I don't know if she'll be awake, she comes back and forth in consciousness. If she comes around we need her to try and walk though she'll need her corset to support her ribs." The King just looked at his mom who looked much like the Duchess' pained but determined. When they enter her mother was sobbing grabbed her hand.

"Sweetheart, it's Mama. Can you hear me?" Barely perceptible nod was seen.

"It hurts, I can't believe he threw me through the door, all because he wanted me in the Kings bed, I told him I rather a friendship with the King, then that of a mistress, why can't I choose to be his friend rather than his mistress?" Her mom looked at the King and his mother the Queen, he just shook his head no as in don't tell her he'd heard everything.

"I don't know sweetheart the King had him arrested, I think the King was walking by and heard what you and your Uncle said to each other, would you like to see him?" The Duchess asked.

"I'd rather him not see me in such a state." She said which made his heart hurt a little. "I have feelings for him so I rather appear nice, then black and blue." The King and Queen Mother shared a look.

"I think you're pretty in any state you are in, even black and blue, though I prefer you standing and walking by my side then lying there." The King said stepping up to her side.

"I'm sorry your Majesty I didn't know you were here." She closed her eyes, as if curtsying to him.

"There is no need to apologize but the court is out there waiting for you to come out and believe me when I say we have a very sad court, I fear we may have scared our ambassadors' away but then I see even the Spanish ambassador is out there praying for you."

"I will try, I'd prefer just family and though well beanth her rank your Mother come and join us not in work but to talk me through the pain that will surly come."

As if in answer to her question my mother gilded in holding a gown fit for a Queen, I think because as my mother she knows me best and knows I want to make Isabella Swan My Queen.

"Ladies if you will just set up the bath, we can help with everything else I believe she only want a few of us at the moment." They curtsied and went to work within five minute a tub had been brought in, and fill with rose petals. He stepped out and didn't know what they were doing for the two hour, spare a few small cries from Bella, before the page boy summoned him. Standing as straight as rode when he stepped close she went to curtsy he grabbed her hand and lifted her up, and began to walk with her he'd asked for a few minutes for her to walk before paying court to her, and all had done so.

"I was coming to ask formal permission to court you the other night, and witnessed by both our mother." Went to a knee. "I kneel before you not as a King but as a man in love, and you would make me feel more a King I guess." He laughed as he looked up into a face that wasn't black and blue, but her normal beauty shown through. He raised a ring he had sketched and had made. "I designed this ring just for you. Will you marry me, be my Queen, and love my daughter as if she was your own?"

"Yes of course, I'll marry you. And the ring is beautiful. But I do have two conditions." He stopped fearing her condition. And once I nodded my assent she went on. "First you let me heal from my injuries before we're married?"

"I agree though we still have things to talk about. Go on lets finish it."

"I want to have children, but I fear after losing your last Queen you may not want to consider any more children." Her voice was trembling with the pain I knew she felt.

"My love, after a little while of getting settled into married life I want more children, just as certain young lady wishes to see her Mama, as she has decided to call you." He wave one of the wet nurses Jane maybe over he took her, the court came in and went around to pay court to the Queens, but her attention was on Christina, Bella standing in all her glory, the Future Queen of England said the word that all but signed our marital contracted. 'Mama.' And as best she could hold her in her arms with Edward behind her holding them both. "To me this is an Ideal life if we are never blessed with children so be it, if we are blessed with many then so be it. I Love you, child or no child we already have one and as you said months ago she will make an amazing Queen of England. But let us be happy for now, your wishes and mine connect in every way, my mother will help with planning a Royal wedding, I believe your mother is in fact my mother's cousin."

"I had wondered the ways they do most things are similar in many ways." She told him leaning back against him. "I think it's time for me to lay down, I can take her with me if you wish?"

"If you wish for her to stay with you that would be fine with me, just take a nurse with you." He said leading them back toward her rooms.

"Your Majesty, your Highness, My Lady, I want you to know the King of Spain wishes you great joy in your future marriage and says his sister would have loved you my Lady." He bowed. "When your Majesty has time perhaps we may talk."

"Yes of course allow me to escort the Queen Mother the princess and my future bride to her rooms and we can meet in my office, perhaps do me a favor a snag my King father and brother, and my Lord Jasper if you look toward my ladies room you'll probably find them."

"Of course your majesty I would be honored to, I will see you once you've settle the ladies in the room." He bowed and skirted the crowed and started by finding Jasper who nodded and follow till he peeled off toward the off most likely to make sure there were enough seat at the table for our meeting.

"I think I need to get out of this corset, I can't breathe." He helped her into her room and bowed to the ladies kissed her hand.

"I will see you later my lady, Mother." Bowing again and left.

"Please I can't breathe, help me out of this corset." She begged her mother and sister, The Queen Mother and Rosalie. Very quickly they had her on the couch in a soft gown that needed no corset, and brought Christina in as he had wished a few of her ladies were also on hand, the Queen Mother began to speak in a sweet but command and instructive tone it was one she was teach Bella she knew.

"When would you like your wedding Bella?"

"After I'm not black and blue and can walk through court without a corset to keep my ribs in the right place."

"Alright, so a month maybe two? And then the Coronation must take place right away to insure any child born from your union will be eligible to the throne. We must began how ever have a wardrobe made for you, as a Queen you must dress the part as well as act the part. Thankfully you carry yourself with a grace as Regal as if you yourself had been brought up to be Queen, nothing is ever said about you in bad term you treat everyone with the dignity of a station they are in and when I have seen talking to servants it's the same as if you are talking to a High Lord or Lady, this make you beloved by the people and that is what we want."

"So I am up to performing duty as a Queen? I would hate for him to find he has fail in that regard, he married a princess brought up to be the Queen of England, I am but a Duke's daughter, if not that I would have some humble marriage on a farm somewhere."

"You carry yourself much as Angela, in the sense God put her here to bring this child you hold in your lap into this world, but was snatched away in the night, you were the one who came a healed the broken heart of a King simple by being available to talk or walk or play with her, and raised to be Queen because the King and his court see you as the perfect Queen, and that is how it should be. Remember my dear I was married to a Duke not a King he was raised to that position and served this country well, we had Margret and then with all the stress I lost a prince the year he took the throne, it sadden both of us but he never shunned me or blamed me, the next year a stillborn princess, the same we had each other and Margret and that was enough, the next year we we're blessed with Edward our Prince of Wales, and the next year Emmet our Duke of York, we lost another two years later, but we still shared a bed and I know he never took a mistress, then I had Mary, Carlisle was there of course as with all of them, even the still born and miscarriage, holding my hand a wiping my brow and telling me to stay with him, I almost died that night, England had its last Princess, The King told me in no uncertain terms was I to try to get pregnant again he would not lose me for something the country wanted, we had our family and we were happy, I never fell with child again on purpose or otherwise, mine you we didn't take the care we could have I suppose but God had grated us our family and knew we need no more to make us happy. Remember someday Bella you may have to say or he will say no more, and that should be it, God grants us our children, it them who should bury us, not the other way around, he's already buried a Prince and a Queen, don't make him do it again until your old and wrinkled, perhaps burying him instead so he will not feel the heartache of laying someone in the ground again."

"I promise you and him and this little angel here I will die old a toothless dress as a Queen in my bed. As for who goes first I pray we may enter the afterlife together, so one won't have to bury the other. Someone else will."

"I believe I like that option a lot more." The King said from the door which had been left open so if Esme as Queen Mother had thing to take care of she could, and the curios on lookers from court to see the Royal Family Lounge around instead of stiff and formal at all times. He waved all the ladies who were standing to sit. Christina squealed and much to everyone's astonishment sat up on her hand and knees and began to crawl to him. "Dada, Dada." She said until she was picked up and a proud smile on her face. "You are getting to big." She smiled at him again and turned. "Mama." So Edward gentle sat her down on her lap and to everyone's surprise sat on the floor at Bella side.