January 3rd, 1565

Palace of Placentia

Anne nodded to her grooms as they began to unload her trunks from the coach and turned back to the palace. A harsh wind made her bring her cloak closer around her body and quicken her step towards the Palace of Placentia where she knew her husband was awaiting her. She had delivered twin daughters Rose and Sophia on the 21st of September, but her midwife suggested remaining on her estate until the new year. George returned to court when Parliament opened, leaving her at Bletchingly Palace with her daughters and her past demons. It was her childhood home, but she had more tragedy in her youth than happiness. She was greeted, not by her husband but by Ruth.

"Oh, have you had enough of your girls, Nan? George tells me they are precious." Ruth said, grabbing her by the hand.

Anne nodded. "They are precious but I doubt they need me more than my sister. Two children lost within a week, I cannot even begin to fathom..."

Ruth shook her head. "Neither can I. She was so proud of Arthur, that was her golden prince. She has not left her chambers since, which is a concern as the King of Spain is due to arrive quite soon."

Anne giggled. "Ah, yes. Nothing to sooth her better than seeing her former betrothed."

"With the marital woes our sister is having, you would be surprised." Ruth shrugged.

They continued towards Isabella's chambers in relative silence, but once they arrived they saw Edward standing outside of her apartments.

He nodded to her. "Lady Exeter, good to see you back at court. Your daughters are in good health I hope."

Anne and Ruth both gave a curtsy. Anne noticed that the king looked older than he had when she last saw him. He now had dark circles forming around his eyes and lines at the corners of his mouth. She could also tell it had been a while since he had been shaven.

She smiled. "Yes, my daughters are very healthy. However, I hear that my dear nephew has gone to join God and a sister joined him. I am sorry for your loss, Your Majesty."

Edward smiled tightly, the grief evident in his eyes. "Thank you, sister. It is good to have you back."

Anne refrained from hugging him due to court protocol, instead giving another curtsy. "I am happy to be back, sir. I only hope that I can bring happiness to my sister."

Edward's facial expression remained tensed. "I only wish to do the same."

"It may be a long while before you are able to do so, Your Majesty." Ruth interjected as she pulled Anne towards the door.

"Good day, Your Majesty." Anne said hastily as she followed Ruth into her sister's chambers.

The first thing she noticed was that her ladies were wearing a different badge than before.

"She has changed her device?" Anne inquired.

Ruth nodded. "It reflects her feelings about her marriage. Fitting, if you ask me."

Anne looked at the badge Ruth was wearing. When Anne had first arrived, Isabella's badge had been a falcon holding a torch with a crown. The falcon had represented tenacity when trying to reach her goal, while the torch signified truth, knowledge, and love and the crown implying her royal status. She had adopted the badge following Edward's promise to remain faithful to her and Anne knew that her sister would look at it from time to time after praying for Edward to return to his vows and praying for his deliverance. The new badge was a thistle held by a pelican, only the crown remaining from the original badge.

"So a thistle, which represents pain and suffering held by a pelican, reflecting her piety and sacrifice as a mother. Which is reinforced by the crown which means she was chosen in this role by God himself." Anne muttered with an annoyed look at Ruth.

Ruth glared back. "Do not blame this on me, I blame her husband for her suffering."

"Ruth," Anne took a deep breath. "You and I both know that is not fair. He could not have stopped Arthur from dying nor could have kept the babe in her belly."

Ruth rolled her eyes. "Her problems began when Marie died. That is when-"

"When Marie died?" Anne frowned.

Ruth nodded. "Yes, when Marie died...oh, God this is my fault."

"I told you it was a bad idea." Anne snapped.

Ruth's eyes widened in rage. "You knew that whore had to die!"

"You two wanted her dead for your own reasons now Arthur and the babe had to suffer for it." Anne pointed out.

Ruth raised a hand but put it down. "Anne, you are too kind for your own good, I guess that is why I need you around. What is done, is done. All we can do now is put our hopes into Alexander and cheer up our sister."

Anne laughed. "Honestly, I do not mind not having Marie around."

Ruth nodded. "Not even Edward misses that wench."

Anne looked at Ruth with uncertainty. "I heard he was dressed in mourning clothes."

Ruth shook her head. "I spoke with him about it, he was dressing in the Spanish fashion for the ambassador. We may see Princess Constance on the Spanish throne."

January 3rd, 1565

Palace of Placentia

Isabella heard voices in her presence chamber, but she made no effort to see who had arrived. She had only left her chambers when she and Edward had went on progress to the palace in Greenwich and even then she remained inside of her litter. Ruth had told her the commons was disappointed that they hadn't seen their queen as Isabella usually distributed coins to the poor as she passed. She waved Ruth off, not wanting to be bothered. She spent the hours long journey in complete silence. The only industry she had undertaken was to change her device, adopting the pelican and the thistle as her symbols. She hadn't been able to attend Arthur's funeral due to convention and her confinement after losing a baby girl. She had named her Mary in the hopes that she would receive penance for Marie's death. She looked up when the door to her private chamber opened. Ruth appeared first, followed closely by Anne.

"Nan, you are back at court? How is your babe?" Isabella inquired, though he voice sounded thin and tired.

Anne frowned. "You did not receive my letter?"

Isabella lazily pointed at her table, where several letters were strewn about.

Ruth picked up one. "This one is from Portugal, it could be about Nanette's betrothal."

"Nanette?" Isabella raised an eyebrow.

Ruth chuckled to herself before responding. "Jane gave her the nickname so she would not be confused with the Princess of Wales."

Isabella rolled her eyes. "She is no longer the Princess of Wales as there is no Prince of Wales. Alexander has not been invested with title and there has been no betrothal made."

Ruth opened the letter and skimmed it. "The Portuguese are very eager for this match."

"I suppose that is good for now, though Sebastian will reach his majority before the marriage can take place and he may back out the marriage." Isabella snorted cynically.

Her sisters were watching her, confused by her commentary but Isabella couldn't bring herself to care. She had been almost numb to the world since Arthur had died, the birth of Mary was a blur. It had been her son Arthur that had lodged himself deepest in her heart and it had been he who Isabella had placed her fortunes. It was because he represented the stability she had been seeking, Edward could never discard her as long as he lived. Though she had four other sons, Arthur had been the first.

January 10th, 1565

Palace of Placentia

Edward was grateful Isabella had left her rooms for the state meeting between himself and Philip of Spain. He noticed his wife's eyes remain hollow, but he said nothing, for the last time he had tried to comfort her had ended in her blaming him for Arthur's death. The herald announced the Spanish king and Edward's former brother-in-law entered his throne room.

"Brother," he greeted.

He used the term diplomatically as Philip had just been apart of an alliance with the French, which Edward was currently against.

Philip nodded. "Brother,"

Philip then bent to kiss Isabella's hand. "My lady."

Isabella's face lit up as she gave a wide smile. "Su Majestad."

Edward bit his lip. His wife had been depressed since their son died and he had made several overtures to her to cheer her up, all of which she returned or refused. Yet, the Spanish king had managed to brighten her mood by simply greeting her.

"Philip, come. We have rooms for you in the east wing."Edward led the foreigner through the corridors of the palace with Isabella at his side.

Philip was on Isabella's other side and his eyes never left her. He seemed to be hunting her, and it made Edward's blood boil.

"Are you ill, Your Majesty?" she inquired passively, the hollow look in her eyes had returned.

Edward nodded curtly. "I am well, madam."

Philip seemed oblivious to the tension between Edward and his wife. "Your Majesty, would it be fine if I took the queen for a stroll this evening?"

Edward nodded. "Of course, anything to make your stay in England more pleasurable."

Edward was in his privy chamber, staring out of the window. Philip and Isabella were walking the gardens, Lady Norfolk and Lady Exeter walking a distance behind. From where Edward was watching, he could see Isabella laughing easily with the Spanish king. Though he was once her betrothed, Philip had met Isabella only one other time and that was the celebration of Edward's marriage to her. Since he had arrived in England, Philip had been watching her with a predatory gaze and he was afraid that Isabella would fall for the act and follow Philip back to Spain. Edward was aware that he had wrong his wife, but he wanted to move past the pain they had both experienced in the past few years and get back to how they used to be.

"He covets my wife!" Edward hissed.

"Majesty?"

Edward turned back to Pembroke, who was doing the accounting for the kingdom. The man removed his glasses and joined Edward at the window.

"You believe the King of Spain covets the queen?" Pembroke's expression was bemused.

Edward glared at him. "She will barely look at me. Yet, she seems completely at ease with him and he with her. I noticed how he looked at her, he wants her."

Pembroke nodded. "I doubt the queen feels anything for the King of Spain. He is in search of a new wife, but Isabella is already married to you. Only you have the power to end the marriage."

Edward shook his head. "Surely Philip can get the Bishop of Rome to dissolve the marriage."

Pembroke chuckled quietly. "Forgive me, sir. Your queen is a good Protestant woman and she would never listen to any edict from the Bishop of Rome. There are not even any grounds in which he could declare the union between the two of you invalid."

"What of affinity? My father married her aunt, it would make us cousins in their church." Edward retorted.

Pembroke shook his head. "The marriage was annulled so there is no relation, there is no marriage more lawful than that between you and the queen."

January 10th, 1565

Palace of Placentia

Philip was in England on diplomatic business. He had married three times and was a father to nine children, however only two survived him presently: his daughter by Elisabeth of Valois, Catherine Michelle and his son by Maria Manuela, Don Carlos. His son was mad and Philip knew he was unfit to rule, yet Catherine Michelle was an infant as well as a girl. If she was to be his heir, she would need to marry a second son of some nation and Philip believed that the Duke of York would be a good match for his infant daughter. Though he also believed that Isabella, his former betrothed, would make a good match for him. She had given Edward nine children, including five sons and her record proved promising for his dying dynasty.

"Have you ever considered returning to Guelders as their Duchess?" he inquired.

The light left her eyes, leaving her cold and political. "I have not, considering that in order to do so I would have to marry you."

Philip chuckled. "Then why not do it?"

The English queen stopped cold in her tracks. "I am not sure I understand."

"I am saying that you can get your marriage annulled, then come back to Spain with me as my Queen." Philip produced a ring from his pocket.

The ring was a ruby set in gold and silver, a small pomegranate engraved into the band. He offered it to her and she looked down at the sapphire that now adored her ring and tied her to man and kingdom. He noticed how the ring had become so tight around her finger so that it would have to be sawed off, essentially becoming the noose around her that kept her away from him and Spain.

She shook her head. "My marriage cannot be annulled. It is valid on all grounds-"

"Even our pre-contract?" he pressed.

"Why do you wish to marry me now? You cared not to wait for me to come of age, you were so eager to marry Maria Manuela and Edward's sister in my place." Though her voice was quiet, he could hear the hurt and rage in her voice.

"Why now?" She inquired.

Philip sighed. "I was young and foolish then Isabella. Imagine being eighteen and having to wait another seven years until your bride is marriageable. I am my father's only son, I simply could not wait."

He brushed a stray tress of flame red hair behind her ear. "Now we can marry and rule Spain and Guelders together, just as your mother would have wanted. If Edward will not free you, then the Pope can free you. I can assure you that no French mistress will ever be treated as your equal. Isabella you were raised to be my wife and I do believe it is time for Guelders to have her Duchess."

He held out the ring to her. She reached for it, then pulled her hand back from him.

She glanced back at her two ladies and then back at him. "I will consider your offer, Su Majestad."

Philip smiled gratefully. "That is all I can ask."