CAPTURING
THE
FALCON

Returning to a changed court, a heartbroken Queen and a King who suddenly finds her extremely attractive the fourteen year old Isabella Hunsdon must also choose a side

This story is based upon the characters portrayed in the HBO/BBC production the Tudors and has no basis in either the events in the television series or those that occurred in history. In short, I'm merely using them for my own entertainment and this is a fan fiction and nothing more.

A very big thank you to all those who've read and reviewed the story so far.

My name is Isabella Henrietta Catherine Hunsdon and I am a ward of King Henry the Eighth and his Queen Catherine of Aragon.

My Father, Lord Henry Hunsdon, a man of great wealth and power, died of the sweating sickness when I was seven and my poor Mother, Lady Isabella de Silva, a lady in waiting and close friend of the Queen died bringing me into this world.

Out of the goodness of their hearts they have taken me into their home and these past seven years educated and raised me alongside their only surviving child her Royal Highness, the Princess Mary.

But now as a girl of fourteen, a woman, and sole inheritor of all my Father's money and many vast estates throughout England and beyond I am one of the most powerful and richest women in all England.

A Princess of England in all but name.

But I am unheard by anyone but you.

Whether you choose to believe my story or what history tells you I'll leave up to you.

But know that I was there, that I lived and breathed amongst the greatest players on the stage of history.

I am the People's Princess and this, this is the story of my life.

Hampton Court Palace.
A favourite residence of King Henry the Eighth.

I have just returned to court after spending a month visiting Princess Mary at Ludlow Castle and after settling into my rooms I amuse myself by taking a walk around it's beautiful gardens with my beloved and faithful dog Lancelot running at my heels.

Suddenly the dog darts off barking happily into a hidden part of the garden and chasing after him I see the King passionately kissing the lips of a beautiful dark haired woman before noticing me and telling her to go.

Respectfully I curtsey to him and he in turn bows to me.

'My dear Bella!' He then says happily walking over to me with a smile upon his face like the sun breaking through the clouds after a heavy storm and sweeping me into his arms in an affectionate embrace before realising me to look me up and down appreciatively. 'It's good to have you back at court. I missed you.'

'I missed your Majesty as well. Queen Katherine too. But I must confess something...' I begin nervously as he has me take his arm and we walk together followed at a safe distance by his loyal guards.

'What must you confess?' He asks giving my hand a reassuring squeeze and gazing at me kindly.

'I miss Princess Mary very much. It was very hard to leave and I...' I explain trying to remain confident as his kindly gaze suddenly grows rather stern and the words tumble out clumsily from my mouth.

'You'd like to stay at Ludlow and be a lady in waiting to her instead?' He asks somewhat surprised at my wish to leave his court.

'With your Majesty's permission of course.' I answer politely not forgetting my manners and do my best to effectively ask his permission.

'For the time being you will remain in the Queen's service and then as these great matters progress we will see about returning you to Ludlow.' He says after a few moments have passed, having taken the time to think it over.

'Great matters? What great matters do you speak of your Majesty?'

'Come to my chamber tonight after supper.' He suddenly whispers in my ear and his intimate tone makes me blush.

'Yes, your Majesty.' I answer completely confused by the whole thing.

He smiles at me then, like the sun breaking through the clouds after a heavy storm as my little dog runs up to him wagging his tail and kneels down to pet him gently.

As i kneel down to snatch up the ribbon tied to the dogs collar one of his hands brushes mine and suddenly his lips meet mine in a brief, tender kiss.

To my surprise I find myself kissing him back until the sound of someone approaching makes us break apart and get to our feet once more.

The King, gazing at me seductively all the while, still holds my hand, brings it to his lips and kisses it gently before he departs leaving me very confused and all alone in the garden.

Later that day I am summoned to the Queen's chambers to resume my duties as a Lady in Waiting and while I am awaiting her to greet me I fight hard to stop remembering the way her husband, the King, had kissed me no more then a few hours before

Her ladies assemble before me first, my eyes locking with the beautiful dark haired woman I had seen the King with in the garden as she is the last to enter the room before Queen Katherine herself appears before me.

They all curtsey deeply before they go on about their business and I follow their example with my head respectfully bowed until I am commanded to look up.

'Lady Hunsdon.' She says sternly with great authority and I get the feeling that she all ready knows what had happened in the gardens no more then a few hours ago.

'Your Majesty.' I say nervously, too ashamed to even look up at her when i suddenly feel her hand on mine and find myself pulled into a warm loving embrace.

'My sweet Isabella. Oh how I've missed you so.' She whispers in Spanish into my ear, before moving back to look at me appreciatively and embracing me once more.

I motion to the nearest servant to bring forth a few small gifts and a letter I had brought with me all the way from Ludlow under strict instructions to show no one else, not even the King himself.

'Your daughter, her Royal Highness, the Princess Mary, sends her love and wishes you continued good health and happiness. I am also asked to give you a letter written in her own hand and tell you on her behalf that she is now happily settled at Ludlow Castle, her new permanent residence.' I say taking the gifts from the servant and presenting them to her each, in turn before I give her the letter.

'I'm glad to hear it.' She says happily before opening up the letter and beginning to read it's contents.

'Do wish me to leave you, your Majesty?' I ask as her face suddenly grows sad and her eyes fill with tears.

'No, stay. Pick up the lute and play me something cheerful...As you used to.' She answers her voice breaking with emotion, pointing towards the instrument in the far corner and turns her back from me to look out of a window near by.

I go to pick it up and begin to play a sweet little melody I'd written as a child that had always pleased her.

At the sound of her crying I begin to hum along to the melody, if she had been a normal woman I would have put down the lute and held her but this was a Queen and such things were not done unless an invitation was offered.

I move into the next room where her ladies in waiting are busy going about with their duties and continue to play.

No one looks at me or acknowledges I am there so I take a seat in the corner of the room and watch them work.

Suddenly, I am aware that I'm being watched and glance to the opposite doorway where my eyes intensely meet those of the beautiful dark haired woman I had seen the King kissing in the garden until she shyly blushes and looks away.

It was time for the game to begin...