I think that this is my favourite chapter so far, I hope you agree :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my plot

V

Groggily the sun poured through the window, splashing Dawn's face with light. She stirred slowly, her eyes fighting to keep shut until she heard the hurried whispers of her two maids just the other side of the curtains. She sat up, the fur trimmed cover falling from her shoulders. She ripped open the hangings around her bed, swinging her feet out into the crisp winter morning air. Her feet touched the smooth wooden floor and then padded across the room to the curtains. She threw them open, demanding to know what May and Misty were whispering about.

In her hands, Misty held a letter and a velvet pouch. Both of her maids froze when they saw her stood glaring at them, annoyance etched into her pretty features.

"Your Lady," Misty said, bobbing into a curtsey. "A gift from the Lord Privy Seal."

She extended her hands to show Dawn the letter and the pouch, waiting for Dawn to take them. Dawn glared at them for the longest time before she snatched them out of Misty's hands. She thought about burning both of them in the fireplace but curiosity won her over. She retreated to her room, threw herself on the bed and ripped the letter open.

Lady Berlitz,

Please forgive me for not calling on you today, however, I have been called away from Whitehall to the Tower.

"Oh, my cousin's arrested you already?" Dawn asked the letter.

I expect business there to keep me away from court for the entire day.

"Oh, business. Racking people again are you?"

I would like to talk to you about the preposition the King has put forwards to both of us. I imagine your reaction to the King's plans were, shall we say, surprised?

"Do you want me to take a swing at you, snotty nosed..."

If you would be so kind as to let me know when I would be able to call upon you.

"Never. I will never see you."

Please find with this letter a small token of the friendship between us.

"Ooo, friendship. Affection would have been better, sir."

I would very much like to start our acquaintance afresh, call a truce on our previous meetings.

"I'll show you a truce."

Yours, truly,

Paul Shinji

Dawn read the last line again, confused: "I thought his name was Lord Privy Seal, Master Shinji not... Paul. Really?"

She put the letter to one side as her fingers quickly unfolded the velvet pouch, revealing two diamond encrusted hair ornaments. The design was simple, white diamond on gold in a triangular shape, but they were beautiful none-the-less. She ran her thumb over the jewels.

"Not bad," she said. "There may be hope for him yet."

She sat up on her knees, pushing the two ornaments into her hair despite it being messy and needing a brush. She climbed off of the bed again, walking towards a mirror so she could check what they looked like in her hair. The diamonds popped out of her darkly coloured hair majestically.

"Misty?" she called. "Fetch me my quill and parchment. I should really reply."

i

Master Shinji hated the Tower. He had spent far too much time inside the pale stoned castle come prison. The daunting high rise outer walls then the looming White Tower beyond that, it gave the Lord Privy Seal a shudder. How many people had died here? Too many.

He made his way through the Norman built structure, looking round at the modifications previous kings had made. Once inside the walls, the White Tower almost looked pleasant with a neat houses on one wall, paths and garden greens darted here and there. Ravens flew around the grounds, scavenging food. He walked through the grounds, his feet hammering on the cobbled path, his clerks hurrying behind him. His feet knew where they were going so he could leave it to them to take him there while his mind dwelled on other things, namely Lady Dawn.

He wondered if she had burnt his letter and returned the gift he had sent her. Making amends was the first thing he wanted to do, then they could begin to build up a relationship, one that wouldn't drive them to an early grave, hopefully.

Doors opened for him as he approached until he was walking in the dark halls of the prisons. Now his brain engaged again and he chose a cell to walk into. The guard stood by the side of the thick, wooden and metal door, unlocked the latch to allow the Lord Privy Seal in. Once safely inside, the door closed and the latch put back on. The Lord Privy Seal was now alone with the prisoner.

The Lord Baron of Doncaster raised his head when the Lord Privy Seal had entered the room, hugging his thin woollen blanket round his pale body. It was a small room, a bed, a table and a stool lay close together. The Baron was sat in the corner on his stool, feet up on the wood, as he attempted to get warm.

"My Lord?" the Baron said through chattering teeth. "To what do I owe this honour?"

"I come with... tidings from the King," the Lord Privy Seal replied. He had always had a soft spot for the spiky haired Baron, his dark complexion due to his many months away in Spain when he was an ambassador there. He returned to England on King Gary's orders two years ago. Now he was sat shivering in the Tower. The Lord Privy Seal's tone softened at once. "How are you?"

"Freezing," the Baron said. "Could I have another blanket?"

"I'll arrange that for you," Master Shinji said.

"So I'm not going to be released any time soon?" the Baron asked.

"I'm afraid not," the purple haired man said sadly. "But I came to talk a deal with you. I'm going to see if the King would accept it."

"What's that?"

"You will be released from the Tower with your life as long as you return to the Spanish Court as England's ambassador, permanently,"

Here the Baron gave a cold laugh. The noise rung in the cell causing the guard outside to peer through a small peep hole in the door.

"How much power have you lost?" the Baron asked. He uncurled his feet from his body and stood up. He was taller than the Lord Privy Seal by three inches, his eyes squinting like usual. "If you're making deals with the King, I'd be more than happy to get out of the country. Before we were all safe."

Master Shinji gave a loud sigh, not bothering to deny that power he'd lost over night when King Gary had passed away.

"Power is such a fickle thing," he mused to the Baron. "It slips through your fingers then comes running back. It's like a tide: it comes, it goes."

"There's a cell next to this one that's up for rent," the Baron said coyly.

"I have no wish to end up in the Tower," Master Shinji said coldly. "Besides, I think my luck's changing again. Which way I don't know."

"How?"

"The King wants me to marry Lady Berlitz," he replied. He waiting for the Baron to start laughing at him, which he did almost instantly after he'd finished speaking.

"The Lady Berlitz? Marry you? She hates you," the Baron spluttered with laughter.

"I know," the Privy Seal said, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and finger again. "I can't make up my mind if this is a trap or not. Maybe it's a sentence. Maybe it's an apology."

"Has she accepted?" the Baron asked.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "I should be at court trying to speak to her but instead, I am here talking to you, trying to save your life."

"I am very grateful," the Baron said. "Tell the King, if it please his majesty for me to go into his service in Spain, then I have no wish to delay him."

"I will see what I can do," the Lord Privy Seal said. He knocked on the door to tell the guard to let him out.

"And my Lord?" the Baron said as the door opened. Master Shinji paused in the doorway, staring at the Baron. "Congratulations."

ii

As soon as he walked back into the safety of his office, a letter was stuck under his nose by one of his clerks. It wasn't unusual to have an urgent letter thrust upon him as he entered the room but this one was different. This letter smelled.

He took it from the clerk carefully, reading the elegant script of the Lady Dawn. He smirked at the letter, his eyes searching the clerk to see if he also had the gift he sent to the lady ready to give back. There was no such luck, the gift had been accepted it seemed. He hurried into his office for some privacy, closing the door behind him and standing by the fire so he could warm himself while he read the contents.

Dear Lord Privy Seal,

I thank you most earnestly for the gift you have given me. If it will please you, I will wear them to dinner this evening.

So far so good, he thought.

I find it very odd to see that you sign yourself as Paul on the bottom of my letter. I have never seen such a document before, it makes me feel most special. Shall I call you Paul or would my Lord Privy Seal do? Having such a name almost makes you seem human.

Here it comes. He smirked, idly walking over to his desk and perching on one corner so he could read but still feel the benefits of the fire.

I was disappointed that you gave me the gift as a token of our friendship, not your admiration or love for me. Am I not to be your wife, sir? Do I not get your love or must I first earn it? As for admiration, am I not handsome enough for you? I do hope your correspondence in the future will be more tender than the business transaction you passed to me this morning.

He let out a chuckle here, folding one arm over his stomach as he read on:

As you may imagine, I was shocked at my cousin's proposal over the marriage. Wounded too as I was the one to suggest you needed a woman in your life. Perhaps he thinks us a good match. I do not think he is correct in this matter but one does not argue with the King of England. I promise to be a good wife to you as long as you promise me to be a kind husband, that is all I ask. Given our past, I will not give you my trust so freely as any other man. You struck me, I will never forget it. You are also rude, arrogant and your temper is something to behold.

"Ha!"

You may visit me at your pleasure during the day when my ladies are present.

Yours, Lady Berlitz.

So this is how it was going to be, was it? A battle of wits? A battle of quills? Oh the King would be enjoying this, wouldn't he?

He took up his proper seat at his desk, pulling out a clean sheet of parchment so he could write a reply.

Forgive me, Lady Dawn, for the manner I addressed you in my last dispatch. I am a business man when all said and done, and as such do not usually take pleasure in writing to my others. I will be your humble servant in this matter and try to correct myself.

He smiled as he continued to write the reply, barely looking up when one of his clerks popped their head through the door. They edged into the room slowly, not making a sound until the Lord Privy Seal had finished writing.

"Yes, Kenny?" he asked, still not looking up at the brunette clerk.

"Sorry, my Lord," Kenny mumbled. "The Duke of Somerset requests an audience with you."

"Let him wait," Master Shinji replied with a growl. He finished the reply to Lady Dawn, sealing it with his personal wax seal then passing it to Kenny for him to take to the Lady in question. Kenny bowed and left, allowing the Duke of Somerset to barge into the room.

"Your Lordship, to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked the angry Duke.

iii

"Forgive me, Lady Dawn, for the manner I addressed you in my last dispatch. I am a business man when all said and done, and as such do not usually take pleasure in writing to my others. I will be your humble servant in this matter and try to correct myself. However, I find that your hypocrisy in the way your signed off your letter to me, Yours, Lady Berlitz, to be quite unforgiving. If you wish me to write to you as my wife to be, then I would like to learn how to be a suitable courtier by your example.

"I am humbled that you find my gift to your tastes, even if they are given out of friendship, not the admiration you so dearly request. My Lady should not fear, you already have a place in my heart. I will be waiting on baited breath to see you wear the ornaments in your hair later on this evening. When I walk into the great hall I will see you straight away for you are the brightest, loveliest creature in any room," Misty's voice trembled here as she read the letter out to the giggling May and Dawn.

"So sweet," May laughed.

"My business in the Tower has not kept me from my desk as long as I thought it would do. Would it be pleasing for me to come to your room after dinner? The rascal wants to come here tonight?" Misty sounded appalled.

"Perhaps he's too busy in the day," Dawn said with a shrug.

"Go on Misty," May urged her. Misty walked round the room as she continued to read the letter to her companions, smile well carved into her face now.

"I beg you to forgive my past behaviour towards you. My temper, my arrogance and my rudeness, alas, are the charms of my job: as you put it in your own words more than once, I am an asshole. Oh my, Lady, did you really call him that?" Misty asked. Dawn climbed out of the window seat, grabbing the letter from Misty's hands as May laughed like a little girl. Now Dawn inspected the paper, returning to her seat. May peered over her shoulder as she took on the role of reading out the letter.

"I still give you merit for naming me thus. I am sure I cannot surprise you with any of my behaviour. I may have shown you the worst aspects of my character, but I hope that I have also shown you tenderness, empathy and friendship as well. I know you to be a very kind and passionate woman, a lady whose beauty is only eclipsed by those two characteristics alone. That's laying it on a bit thick, isn't it? Alas, I may not be able to see you this evening, my dear, after all for the Duke of Somerset has decided to pay me a visit. By the expression on his face, I think the Duke means to kill me. Oh Lord, that would be amusing to see him try and kill you. Yours, lovingly, Paul." Dawn read the letter over again, biting her lip. "I think he is challenging me. I can practically see that devilish smirk as he wrote this at his desk."

"He did as you asked him," May said.

"Yes, at least he listens to you," Misty agreed with a bitter tone. Her husband was not one for paying attention to his wife. It was a shame really for she was the one with the sense.

"I have a place in his heart? He has a heart?" Dawn re-read a few of the lines. "I'm a hypocrite?"

"He got you at that one," May said. "You did sign off your letter like you were writing to one of the Duchesses."

"But... And my beauty is eclipsed by my kindness and passion? What lady in their right mind would like to hear that?" Dawn asked.

"I would like any complement that's as nice as those in that letter," Misty said. "He says you are the loveliest creature in any room then pretty much says that there is more to you than the way you look. How are you still stood here? I'd be running to him, begging him to marry me before he changed his mind."

"I don't think he will change his mind," May said. "It's an awful good letter, isn't it?"

Dawn didn't reply. She got to her feet, hurrying over to her writing desk so she could write a reply.

"Oh no," May whispered to Misty who nodded blankly. Dawn scribbled something on a piece of parchment, then rose from her chair and went into her bed chamber. Seconds later she reappeared, sprinkling something onto the paper before she folded it up and sealed it with her wax seal. She passed it to May.

"What did you write?" Misty asked as May hurried to deliver the letter. Dawn smiled, throwing her chin over her shoulder and turning her back to Misty.

When the clerk entered the room where the Lord Privy and the Duke of Somerset were currently having a shouting match at each other, he feared that his life may be at risk. He shuffled into the room, placed the blank letter onto the desk and shuffled out again.

"I will tell his Majesty just what kind of a man you are," the Duke was threatening. The Lord Privy Seal frowned at him, reached for the letter and ripped it open, not taking any care of its contents. "You are a money grabbing, power hungry-"

Then the Duke coughed. He heaved and wretched, much to the Lord Privy Seal's amazement. He looked down at the letter finding a fine dusting of something in the parchment. Poison? He read the note.

This should help.

He ran a finger through the dust, raised it to his nose and sniffed.

"Cinnamon?" he muttered. The Duke looked up at him, eyes watering, throat closing up. His cheeks started to turn pink as he wheezed for breath.

"Cin-a-mon?" he choked. He didn't wait for another word, clutching his throat he ambled out of the office leaving the Lord Privy Seal to smirk at the door way.

"Well, well," he said to himself. "That is most interesting."

He turned the letter over, looking at the wax seal. It was from Lady Dawn. Perhaps she didn't hate him after all.

Dawn saved Paul from a load of pain. See, she does like him really! It's the countdown to the big day in the next chapter :)

Let me know what you think!

RSx