Disclaimer: Really? If I did I would be Goddess Supreme now wouldn't I?

Thanks to everyone who's made this possible! You know who you are ;) I want to thank them for all the help and support they given me, without them this fic would not be.

And thanks to my reviewers for given me more motivation!

please R/R!

Chapter #49: Hear Me Roar

"Who would ever want to be King?"

~from Viva La Vida by Coldplay

1568, March 27th

Richmond Palace:

Margaret's breath had caught in her throat. When she saw her, in all her splendor. She was speechless. She thought her mother to be an ugly whore but she was the image of magnificence in her gold and silver gown with white fur bell sleeves, very different from the ones she'd told the Spaniards wore.

Spain, she thought with discord. The seeds of discords had long been planted by her lady grandmother, who had cared for her more than her mother ever did. She always asked for William. William this, William that. She had to play along and pretend to be happy when she was in that cripple's arms. But she could not, even if she wanted, hate her. For how could she when she was so beautiful, so proper and so ... kind to her?

Margaret choked back a laugh, she promised she wouldn't. But she found she was also funny.

Annie turned to her daughter and gave her another one of her heartthrob smiles. That won her over. Then she nudged her shoulder playfully, which reminded Margaret why she hated her in the first place.

Annie continued smiling, even after seeing her daughter's frown.

"Why are you so quiet?"

She laughed a little to ease the tension "See your sister Diana there? She is 14, soon to be 15. Pray the Lord Margaret that one day you too will grow to be as beautiful and marry a great Lord"

Margaret nearly smirked, nearly. Her lady grandmother taught her well in the arts of deceit. Diana, beautiful? There wasn't hardly any woman in England who thought so. The poor girl was as pale and plain as their grandmother, Jane Seymour. Any of the court ladies was more beautiful than Diana. Their mother was the only one blind to that fact.

Mother and daughter, a beautiful feeling it must be, she thought. It was a pity she never known it.

"You mean marry a child" She said with giving away her haughtiness through her sardonic smile.

"The Duke of Savoy is no child"

"He is ten years younger, a child"

"Stranger things have happened then." She said as response stitching very diligently. Margaret smirked much to Annie's annoyance.

"Your stitches are getting bigger lady mother I see"

"Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was married twice to King Louis of France and Henry of Normandy when he was not yet King of England, and she was eleven years his senior. Your brother's Lord Protector is 26 years your Aunt Bess' senior. I am seven years your stepfather's junior"

"So I am to be married to a child. Poor child. Must be terrible being married to a child."

Annie said nothing.

"Imagine you are very young, so naïve to world of men and …" she looked at her mother "women" her laughter reached its zenith. Annie turned back, and gave her daughter a long hard glare. But for all the good it did.
"When one is young … you are very inexperienced in the art of combat, love, for a man to wed someone sooo old" Margaret continued, she gave a long, dramatic sigh waving her hand "I guess by the time he gains experience she will have gain it tenfold"

Annie dropped her stitching, gripped her cane, and stood up. In a blaze of anger she grabbed the slashed sleeves of her daughter's dress and made her stand up and had her pinned up against the wall.

"You are never, never to speak about your sister Diana again in that way you understand?"

The rest of the children that had been previously playing in their guest chambers at Richmond, stopped and looked. None of them dared to make a sound.

"Do you understand?" Annie repeated, her voice even louder.

"No" Margaret dared to say breaking free of her mother's grip.

Diana ran to her mother's side, Margaret's force had almost pushed her backwards. And she was so weak; more the reason for Margaret to hate her.

"I am the Princess of England, I am the King's royal sister, I am second in line to the throne. If someone here wishes to apologize it should be you, Your Majesty. In case you have not noticed this is not Spain, you are not in the land of the Inquisition anymore. This is England!" She growled and left.

"Margaret Tudor!" Her mother roared "Margaret Tudor don't you dare turn your back on me! Diana Tudor you come back here this instant" trying to run but the chase of last night had tired her. Diana guided her mother to the couch to rest her ailing limbs.

"Margaret!" She still screamed, but her screams were unheard.

Yet she never stopped and when night fell one name came from her lips before sleep overtook her, "Margaret"

The very next day she interrupted on her brother's apartments. He was busy with his lectures as always, she swore that was all her brother did!

"I need to speak to you."

"About what" He asked in a passive tone as he rose from his chair to greet her.

"About our lady mother, Her Majesty, the Queen of Spain and your Lord Protector. How can you let them treat me like this? Am I not the Princess of England?"

"Careful where you go with that sister, some might interpret it as an act of treason"

"What? To speak my mind?" She asked.

William sighed and gave a nod to his tutor.

"Your Majesty. Your Highness" He turned to the Princess and left.

"Now Margaret sister tell me does this have to do with what happened yesterday?"

Margaret did not answer this.

"Margaret I have to side with our mother on this one"

"You always side with her!"

"That is not true, when she speaks how ill behaved you are I always defend you"

"Because it is your duty, your obligation … but you don't mean it"

"Of course I do, you are my sister I love you, but I love my other siblings too, and I have come to love above all Fernando."

"And our mother" She finished for him, her tone full of disdain. Again that woman! She thought. Would there never be an end to her idolatry?

"It is natural that I do, she is our mother and I have always written to her. You know I had to beg the council to bring her here. I missed her"

"So you do care more about her than me" She accused and sobbed, turning her back to him.

William rolled her eyes. When it was theatrics, her sister was the best actress.

"Margaret … she is our mother, it is in my very core to love the woman who nearly died for me, for us!" He rephrased "Why do you hate her so much? If you only saw how hurt she is! I had to sleep next to her, just so she would not feel lonely. Please Margaret just apologize, one little apology, it shan't hurt" She continued sobbing "Look I will even promise I will speak to our grandfather so he can let our grandmother stay with you"

She looked to him. Dear God what have I done? She was surrounded by fools!
She was tired of being told what to do and above all, she was tired that she could not see her grandmother! Her grandmother, the only woman who ever cared for her, the only woman who ever asked how was she, who checked her every night to make sure she was alright and sang her when she couldn't sleep.

How could the Lord Protector do this to her? Was this punishment for not wanting to admit he was her true grandfather? Never! She was never going to admit it. But if that was so, he could at the very least let her choose to spend time with her mother or not.

"You are the King of England, you should not even be making that promise. You should enforce it!"

"I can't he is the Lord Protector and though she is head of your household, our grandmother still submits to his will"

"He has no business in our affairs brother. When are you going to take the reins of this Kingdom?" She demanded pushing her brother away when he attempted to calm her "I took you for a man, you are supposed to be a man. Our grandfather was a very great man and you are named after the conqueror"

William attempted to try and reason with his sister. Can't she see there is little I can do?

He looked back at his servants "Leave us" Once they did, he turned back to Meg and said "Understand this: While our grandfather is Lord Protector his powers are limitless and I am helpless to help you" Or myself, he wanted to say.

"But you are King of England!" She insisted "You are the most powerful man in this country. Of course you can demand, you can cheat, look how many times our grandfather did and no one ever said anything!"

"Yes but that was very different!"

"How so?"

He smirked. He beckoned to sit next to him. She did so.

"He was not a baby when the crown was placed on his bald head"

Margaret giggled. He tipped her chin with his two fingers. "Trust me sister once I am King I shall do what is necessary but for now, listen to our grandfather, he knows best"

"You mean you know best Your Majesty" She said and they both laughed. After it subsided, she saw he was more at ease and took the opportunity to ask: "When will you take charge, when? The Kingdom cannot wait eight more years." She wheeled and walked to the door, turned and curtsied and asked once again "When William?" and then left.

Diana stayed with her mother for the entire day until night fell and with sudden confidence she rose from bed like Christ brought from the dead by his angels and called on her maidservants to put on her best gown and went to Richmond Great Hall –where she sat opposite her father, between him and Bess. In addition she commanded as the Queen they once knew her to be, a chair be brought in between her and Bess for her second daughter to sit.

Margaret looked helpless at her brother. Do not let him do this! Her eyes cried, but as the weakling he was, he could do nothing but nod to their Lady Mother and abide by the Lord Protector's wishes. He had done nothing but talk how one day he would trump over their grandfather, but he had too much respect for the man and was not brave enough! Oh God I invoke you to unsex me! "It should be I that wears the mail and he the skirts!" She had complained to her lady grandmother but her lady grandmother, as always, emphasized on lady behavior and discretion above all.

Isabel placed her hand on top of Margaret's and leaned forward to whisper: "Rejoice for soon your brother will be no longer King in name"

"In eight years" Margaret or "Meg" as familiarity that grew between her and Isabel had called her. "I cannot wait eight years"

"Eight years is nothing. Time will fly by. Your grandmothers, the late Queen, Jane Seymour's motto, must in the meanwhile, bind you: To obey and serve."

Margaret huffed. Her lady grandmother's hand placed on her shoulder reminded her of duty.

"Very well" She said. Bound to obey and to serve. She had no choice. Her mother's chief lady in waiting was already behind hands on her hips, waiting to escort her.

Margaret behaved as the Princess she was and followed her to her mother. The chair was there and she sat on it.

She looked to Isabel who winked at her. It puzzled her why her sister was being so kind to her after the way she had behaved towards their mother.

"That does it. Much better" She turned to her mother. "I always say a good posture brings out the beauty in a woman. Cheer up sweetling for the night is young and you and I will have much to talk about while we watch your brothers and sisters dance." Annie then gave out a squeal, her hands joined in merriment as her sons took their sisters to the dance floor. Roxanna joined them, her dance partner being their brother, Anthony.

"Oh how precious they look." Auntie Bess said "Ha, my little Roxanna all grown up." She sighed "You must think me a fool hearing me like this, but Roxanna has changed me so. And you my dear niece? Who has changed you most?"

Annie gave her Aunt a wicked smile, her eyes gleamed with the same mischief.

"My Lady Aunt, you know thunder would strike me soon as I tell you who and why because I know you always are hungry for details"

"You still love him?"

"Aye I love him, always have, always will"

"And my father?" Margaret asked, feeling braver all of a sudden.

"And your father too sweetling, he has a special place in my heart."

"So who is it?"

Annie stroke her daughter's cheek "I love both of my husbands but Philip is my husband now and he has been very kind to me, you should come to Spain with me one day, I know you would enjoy each other's company."

The prospect brightened her mood. "When?"

"Whenever you wish, just say the word and we will tell the Lord Protector to ask Parliament to give its permission"

She then leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Margaret did not pull away this time.

"Your Highness should be very proud of having a double Queen for a mother, Queen of England and then of Spain. You are the Queen of Hearts and Diamonds Annie, and your husband is the King of Hearts." Bess said smiling "I have not heard of a King and Queen that loved each other so much, after all this time. It is such an oddity and forgive me to say it but it is a wonder. You redefined the word marriage."

"I redefined nothing Auntie, my husband is King and I am Queen. We are still the same sources of fluctuating power. I understand, he understands"

"What dear?"

She looked fixatedly at her Aunt "That a King without an heir is no King at all. I have given him my sister to his son. She has given us an heir. I love the boy as my own, but I have given him more heirs"

Elizabeth knitted her eyebrows in sudden understanding.

"I love my husband, I truly do but I am not blinded by it as my grandmother was."

"Annie I do not know if to call you cunning, worldly, ambitious, or a conscious romantic"

"Conscious romantic, sounds less harsh for a woman. I do love my husband Auntie, I truly do"

"Duly noted"

"Always Auntie" Elizabeth reaffirmed, her expression turning serious "I loved him then when he freed me from the shackles of that harpy" She said referring to her mother "and even now after everything"

Bess raised her goblet "Then let us drink to your happiness"

Annie raised her goblet as well.

"Aye, we are very fortunate to have each other." She said and drank from her goblet.

"I am truly blessed"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. Philip II like any man had mistresses but unlike any other King he was very discreet, and so long as he did not flaunt his mistresses in her niece's face they were on good terms.

Such a shame though. Annie was a woman to whom there was no comparison. Her daughters, educated and clever as they were (or at least Diana was) would never be able to imitate her. They who had grown with everything unlike their mother who had had to work for everything she had.

"Your optimism never ceased to surprise me Annie, I wish I could look on the world as you and laugh and smile all the time."

"I am but a simple woman Aunt Bess. The trick to be happy is smile, laugh at everything even your own misery. Just look at my leg, there is never a time when I don't laugh at it." She looked down at her daughter whose expression continued the same "Life it too short to be angry, laugh, laugh, laugh I always say.'

Laugh, laugh, laugh, indeed was all she did. For during the night, there was not a moment when the Queen of Spain and former Queen of England did not laugh or joke at her or her own mother's expense.

It was all she ever was good for.

April 2nd

More than a week had passed since they arrived and little things had changed to improve the relations between her and her mother. Margaret had insisted to William to do something.

"Do you want another papist running the country? Because that is exactly what he is turning you to!"

"Temper sister, this is not the local market place!" He chided "You are a Princess of England and my heir if God forbid I die, act like it please that is all I am asking."

"Ugh" Her brother and her riddles!

"Meg please sit down, sit down" He pulled a chair for her, she sat down. "Now I know you sister. This is not about faith so much as it is about my security … or should I say your security."

"You know I am loyal to the end."

"Did I say otherwise?" His sister rolled her eyes, he nudged her shoulder playfully. "You and I need not be enemies; we are twins after all,"

"Fraternal twins" she corrected, "Our souls are different, they will always be William."

"Bound to be rivals I see but yet you care because if I fall now you fall too. Our Lord Protector does its best to secure my power and the stability of my Kingdom, granted he could do better"

Meg decided to appeal to his vanity, "You mean a strong King could do better. You are wiser than any boy your age William. Surely you could barge into the council room and show him a million passages and examples of Kings who have defied their Regents times before. Our father did."

"And look how well that worked for him. He gained a powerful enemy in the Earl of Northumberland and gained the hatred of his family."

"So? A King's family is his people. You see William a King is a source of power and he needs placed and people he can draw more power on. Our Seymour family proved to be useful for one thing and that was giving our grandfather a mother for his heir."

"Careful sister your governess could be lurking in the darkest corners. She'd box your ears" They both laughed at this.

"I would not care too much of our lady grandmother, and she is not so sensible or close minded as other people think her. You'd be surprised brother."

"Sorry but no thanks. I would sooner have my eyes pry out by crows, I think crows would be far less hurting than her beak."

She laughed, "The things you say. You remind me of our founder when you speak like that."

"Well …" William said going on to tell a tale his tutor –who'd been his father's tutor as well –Master Richard Cox, had told him, "my old tutor used to preach that our father told him because his own did, the funny tale of when our great grandfather went on his York Progress."

"That the people wanted to kill him? I cannot imagine why" She said sarcastically.

"No. He said the people actually threw him sweetmeats at him and other kinds of treats." He laughed, "He said that the great Henry VII laughed so hard afterwards, in private when he told his mother on his way back to London, because he nearly fell of his horse because of a chocolate being thrown at him."

"Imagine that" Margaret mused, "Killed by chocolate."

Stranger things have occurred before in English history, she thought.

"It was funny. He was a great man nonetheless. He never took orders from anyone. His stepfather and the rest of the Stanley clan thought they could easily control him, but he proved them wrong."

"Just as you have yet to." She said stiffly.

"Margaret!"

"William you can't let that man appoint more guardians to you, the way he does it you'd think he would stage a coup to put himself on power! He had the means to you know. He shares claim to your throne through his wife. Who knows, after all this time he might put our Auntie Bess before us and name her Queen or replace you with his son, Uncle Anthony!"

"You are paranoid sister just like our grandmother. Shouldn't I be more worried about you?"

"What are you saying?" She asked with a hint of accusation "That I would usurp your power? Do you think so lowly of me?"

He wrapped his arms around her "Of course not sister but I know our grandmother if we were to take the battlefield against her, I would be too afraid to"

"And me?"

"And you too" He confessed. He kissed her forehead and let her go.

"I know that smirk; the Lady Governor has it when he has something up her sleeve." She said smirking too. "What are you plotting?"

"No, no, no, you got me all wrong sister," he said "I hate plotting, it makes enemies out of everybody but I recognize its uses and you were right"

"About?"

"The Lord Protector, he does have too much power and he plans to appoint his son, our uncle as another head to my household before his wife, but there is a way to keep them out of my affairs, most of them anyways until I reach the age of majority"

"Correct me if I am wrong but aren't you ten years, eight more and you are eighteen and old enough to rule"

"You are progressing on your math sister" He said grinning. Wit was something that run high in this family as well as plotting. But what would any country be without a good plot? "But you get me all wrong, I am not nearly that stupid as to taking the battlefield against" he lowered his voice as there were ladies and tutors still around, to whisper in her ear: "our grandfather naked."

"You have an ace under your sleeve, I knew it!" She said beaming. Finally, she thought, my brother is going to take on his inheritance.

When he summoned his lords to the privy council, half of them were still asleep. They were surprised his grandfather had allowed for such, but he wanted to give William a taste of what true government was without him interfering, yet things backfired when they got to the point of discussing how to put down the rebellions in the North, mainly Yorkshire.

"My Lord Protector" William paused. He turned around. The doors of the privy chamber had opened and in walked his mother. Everyone rose and curtsied to her as custom. He turned to his grandfather and carried on "should the Church be above the law" Eustace's lips moved; before he could answer, William hastily added "Any church"

"Your Majesty Kings and Queens are fluctuating source of power. This is your first time in this council-"He tried but William interrupted.

"And it shan't be the last"

Annie gave a secretive smile. He was so much like his father, but there was that toughness in him brought about, not by his scholarly mind, by his callousness which some believed made him a worthy heir of the first Tudor King.

"Your Majesty as I was saying, this is your first session. Never fear we will look after this kingdom for you"

"Here, here" All the men echoed.

William chuckled. He was about to give a lesson to these power hungry men.

"My Lord Protector all men are source of power, you spoken very well and a King is a very fluctuating source of power but," he made a pause. He watched all his men; he let it linger to the point of frustration.

"Well?" Northumberland grumbled.

Annie smirked, so did her son.

Northumberland could not believe this. Somehow, that bony boy of Henry VIII and that bastard wife of his–he looked to Annie- had sired a healthy son, and that boy pretended to know better than his elders did.

Did the King did not know that his kind depended more on noble support than popular?

Without the nobility and their money, William had nothing but a crown of dirt. A crown easily replaced. He thought to his own son married to Henry Grey's oldest girl. Shame, he thought. She might prove to be a good choice of monarch.

It was not a question of gender anymore but who proved more suitable to wear the crown of St. Peter for him.

"My dear Earl of Northumberland, your father was tax collector was he not?"

"Yes"

"And how did he die, do you remember?"

"."

"No? I will answer it then for you. Your father died because he proved useless to my grandfather. You see we are all expendable except for Kings. That is where you are wrong my Lord Protector. Kings are not fluctuating sources of power men can draw upon, they are God chosen and what God has chosen let no man put asunder."

"Your Majesty makes it sound like martyrdom" The Duke of Norfolk said looking away from William's cold gaze. He hated as his grandfather, the previous Duke of Norfolk, the way this new order was ran.

"Kings belong to their people not to Churches"

"And God" Cranmer added.

"Why yes of course but when you put the oils on a person, that person becomes God-chosen so therefore it is no longer a matter of whether he serves God or not for he is God's representative on Earth. It is more are people willing to give or not their loyalties to God's chosen"

"You summoned us here for a purpose Your Majesty, duly noted me thinks it was not about theology."

William grinned. "Why of course not my Lord Protector, you men know more about than me, enough to humble me. But there has been something that troubles me"

His nobles did not say a word, instead they carefully watched as the King's expression shifted to a dead seriousness some had not seen since Henry VIII and his father before him (those whose parents had once served under that monarch).

William's grin widened. The time had come to drop the bomb. "My Lord Burghley has come up with a solution to our problems up in the North, as my lords know these people have continued to rebelled against our saintly reign. Some of them, Catholic; seek to conspire against me. My Lord here tells me some of them might be within these walls"

"That is madness!" Norfolk cried. His face was scarlet red. He looked to Cecil with distaste. It was these men. New men, he thought with huge disgust. Where was the England of his ancestors? The land where men could rise based on the prowess of the battlefield and one's noble blood, not the greediness of below?

"Your Majesty you should know better than to listen to these rumors, we are all men who pledged our loyalty to you. Good honest men"

William laughed "Your Grace Norfolk, not even you believe that. Now" he clapped "I and Lord Burghley have discussed a simple solution to all of this, naturally it would mean reducing the power of the guilds and … the nobles"

As he expected all the old nobles were in outrage. Annie was sure as her son that if her father was not so tired and crippled he would have joined them in their outrage as well.

"You cannot!" They screamed.

"Cannot?" William asked in his usual, deadly smooth voice with a sardonic smile. "I already have"

"By who? Your Majesty needs the support of Parliament and what about the Bishops and Archbishops?" Norfolk asked. "You don't simply go around issuing writs without their supports as well. It … It …"

"It what Your Grace? Say it"

"It is simply irresponsible!"

Even Cranmer had to agree with the Duke of Norfolk. As head of state and the Church, the King had to consult him first in holy matters.

"God has anointed His Majesty to be the Supreme Head, a huge responsibility which entitles Your Majesty to carry out His will"

"You mean the true faith, your version of it Archbishop" William said. "When my grandfather condemned heresy did you pray for the souls of these so called heretics, our true martyrs?"

"I prayed for them" Answered the Archbishop.

"And the Catholics?" Archbishop did not answer. "Well?" He probed.

"I prayed for their misguided souls"

"Misguided souls?"

"Yes"

"Ah, so if a pagan were to be put on fire, a Catholic to be tortured if he refuses conversion or, one of these new puritans for refuse to acknowledge my authority … will you pray too for their salvation? They are misguided after all"

"God told us to forgive everyone" Answered Cranmer feeling he was no longer in the presence of a boy that once idolized him, but one whose eyes looked ready to kill.

"So we forgive our enemies"

"Yes if they are of pure heart"

"No, no, no Archbishop do not put words in the Lord Jesus Christ's mouth. That is blasphemy. As Archbishop you should know that." Many laughed at his little joke, including his grandfather who had felt very reluctant to attend this meeting.

"Do not worry old Thomas, we will never put you in the difficult position to judge, you are a spiritual man, consider yourself fortunate you will never have to issue writs or preside over juries. But my other nobles here will and as expected. These traitors are misguided fools, most of them are nobodies and no threat to me but those who command them will suffer full punishment."

"Your Majesty, cruelty does not do a King."

"I agree but force brings order, I intend to make my authority clear. I have not gone against the few Abbeys and other Catholic churches but if they shelter rebels, whether common or nobles, I don't care. Same goes for every man or woman who gives sanctuary with the cover of charity. I am the King of England, their allegiance is to me first and all nobles, what guards they have are now mine"

"The nobility has no private armies since Henry VII took the nobles' private liveries. Nobles have little power now" Northumberland said.

"Now? Are you so sure. I do not think it quite so. In fact many of you still have men and well trained at arms, they are now mine"

"Your Majesty even your forefathers did not go so far. You leave your supporters naked at the hands of rebels." Eustace said desperately trying to convince William from this madness.

He looked to Burghley. A smug smile danced on his lips. He was no fool. Eustace knew that this was not all William's idea. He had helped, from Burghley certainly, but also someone else, someone very close to home … Bess.

"His Majesty no longer needs the parliament to pass this. In times of hardship and when they are treasonous, the law may be put on halt."

"And who are you Lord Burghley to say it?" Northumberland asked. He'd much rather liked to be ousted by that lowborn Eustace Chapuys. At least he knew him. Burghley was greedy and capable of anything to stay in power.

"Baron Burghley has been made Lord of the Privy Seal and my personal Secretary, before you open your mouth to shout be mindful of who you speak my lord Earl"

Northumberland turned from a shade of scarlet red to deep purple. His eyes were ablaze with fire when they met the gleam of triumph in Burghley. Then he looked toward the Lord Protector. He must feel the most betrayed and not only for his grandson, but also for his wife who had taken part in this!

"You .. you" he had trouble speaking "you made him Lord of the Privy Seal?"

William nodded with a mischievous grin but pride in his eyes.

"Without consulting me?" Eustace looked like a dragon about to spit fire. "Without consulting me?" He squeezed his hand into a fist and hit the table with it. "I am your Lord Protector and the first to know what goes in this realm before anyone else, your Privy council itself was made for this purpose as well. What is a King without one?"

"And what is a King without will of his own? I agree I need you but just as Kings needs of institutions to be regulated if they prove to be unwise, the people NEED of Kings to enforce the will if the others are corrupt"

"It is against God"

"God you say. Let that be of Caesar what is of Caesar" William said. Annie giggled. Her father looked at her with reproach.

Although her father was right, she sided with her son. Parliament was necessary –at times- but Kings were more. A kingdom reflected on how powerful and just the monarch was.

"You will obey my commands uncle, you are my Lord Protector still and you are above me in all matters until I am of age, but in this because it needs my immediate attention and you have said so many times in publics, I stand unopposed. Agreed?"

Eustace had no choice but to say with melancholy "Agreed" and the rest did so.

Annie stayed after the rest had left. "I am so proud of you William. It takes a brave men to show these men"

He was no longer a boy.

But he was her boy and William swung his arms around his mother. "I feel so afraid mother, what if they decide to rebel against me like they did with my great grandfather, Henry VII? What if they pull a Perkin Warbeck?"

"If they do you will smite them as he did"

He looked up, his light gray eyes met her light gray eyes. The one trait gave them away as true Chapuys. "But what if I can't"

"You must William. You bear a heavy burden but you must never question it, if you do then you submit yourself to your enemies. I did not birth a weakling" She said kissing both his cheeks.

"You make it sound so easy"

"It is not easy. It requires wit and you have it but you doubt too much. A King takes advices from his councilors without favoring none just as you did and pits one against the other, but he is also watchful. I approve of what you did today but you must never appear to contradict your Lord Protector in public. Our family must always appear together." She said. "Always"

"Eustace" Bess said with a smile that was short lived when her husband burst in their chambers. "Come to hear your daughter and Diana and Isabel's at the virginals."

"I played a high note today papa"

"And I grandfather" Diana said. Eustace offered a smile for them, but only for them. It had been a while since Diana found out he was her grandfather as the oldest of her mother's children with Philip, Isabel and Fernando. It came as a relief really, when she began to put all the pieces together.

As he was close now, she took the opportunity to see more of the similarities they shared. They were so little, she only had his color of his eyes which her mother and all her siblings shared except for Juan and Juana, but it was something. Yet she also saw in his face a huge discontent.

She gripped her sister and little aunt's arm. "Grandfather, Aunt Bess" She said and took her companions out of the room.

"Why did you do that?" Roxanna the more outspoken of the two, asked her while Isabel tried to wiggle out of her grasp.

"Are you too really so blind?" Being fourteen gave her an advantage that made her notice things before the rest. She let them go when they reached her and Isabel's chambers. "Your mother" she said to Roxy "obviously did something to make your father angry, otherwise he would not look like a specter"

"Mama never does anything to displease papa, he must be mad at something else and he needs her help" Roxy said and Isabel nodded.

Diana looked to Roxy and Isabel as if they with an expression as if to say 'really, are you serious?'

"It is obvious why else would he be in the Marques of Pembroke and Countess of Hertford's presence sister?"

"For one he is her husband Isabel, second she is Marque in her own right, femme sole, never forget that …"

"Third?"

"Third –our brother His Majesty, the King, William III told us the day before, remember just the week after we came that he had consulted Burghley"

"So?" Roxy and Isabel said jointly. The way they acted you'd think they were twins.

Diana rolled her eyes at them. "So obviously, since he did not leave it clear if he told of his meeting with Burghley to Eustace Chapuys" she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Very easy if you were observant and had a quick mind. "It leaves only one conclusion"

"Which isssssss?" Roxy asked impatient.

"Obviously he did not tell him and you know how William went on to talk to Fernando he would never let anyone come between his Kingdom. Mind you he is not like Margaret, plotting little devil. He is smart but careful and has complained also about rebellions in the North, nobles refusing to pay, religious minorities refusing to submit …" she went on.

"That would be harsh, even Margaret would say so" Isabel said, she who was friends with everybody, including her half-sister Meg, could see no evil in everyone and was always surprised when she heard someone was against a member of their family.

"Margaret is a spoiled brat, William is not. I think there is genius behind his act"

"Oh really?" Diana asked intrigued. "Do tell"

"Well imagine you were playing that game remember, the one with jumping on one foot on blocks?"

"Oh yes but we have a different name for it in Spain" Isabel said.

"Well yes, here in England we tend to use it as allegory. William like everyone is stepping on one foot on every county in England, following the rules of the land. All his life he has been told what to do but now the beast breaks free but unlike an animal he uses his wits following the same laws of his protectors against him … Really clever" she said slowly, repeating –"Really clever"

Roxy and Isabel looked at each other, understanding dawning on them. To them, it seemed that she was pondering on the outcome of William's first act of King, as if she was Queen herself. If I was, she thought, I would do the same.

Really clever indeed.

While the girls were discussing about the Kingdom's future, Eustace and Bess were brawling.

"How could you not tell me about Burghley being made Lord of the Privy Seal?" Bess gave a playful smile. "You made me look as a fool in there! What use am I if I can't be a good Lord Protector. I made a promise to his mother to protect this kingdom and William's inheritance, I shall not let anyone stand in that boy's way"

Bess chuckled. She waved her hand dismissively "Oh come Eustace stop with your theatrics! The boy had to be King someday, you are just mad that you are no longer his knight in shining armor, his protector."

"He is ten years old!"

"Mary Stuart was a babe fresh out of her mother's womb when she was crowned"

"And look how well that turned out to be!" Eustace shot back.

"Temper, temper Eustace."

"Do not make war with me Elizabeth because I warn you I am not up for your little games" He warned as she approached and pushed her hand underneath his doublet all the way to inside his chemise, caressing his chest. "Do not tempt me" His voice was huskier.

"Do not make me" She said pulling out "I would never dream of challenging you, I am too smart for that and I have my power of conviction"

Eustace rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in despair. There was nothing he could do with his wife and grandson. Bess, William and Burghley (now the Lord of Privy Seal) were the most plotting and cunning people he knew, and he'd met many throughout his voyages when he'd been Imperial Ambassador.

"Eustace look the boy is growing up what more do you expect? That he'd put you on a pedestal? For God's sake husband wake up!" Elizabeth roared getting up from her comfortable chair, her legs were still aching from carrying Roxy and Annie's child, Bella around.

"Your grandson" she lowered her voice "is the King of England, there is no turning back now you must realize this"

"But Elizabeth-"

"But Elizabeth what?" She mocked, it both infuriated and aroused him, "You did not expect the boy would look up to your policies surely? Eustace the boy is going to be eighteen in eight more years and you know what that means. He wants to make his own choices, live by his own rules"

"The country woman, he can't turn this country into a nation of … of …"

"Heretics" Bess finished for him, laughing some more, "Eustace you have done the best to be mediator between both factions but it is not enough. England needs to be united under one religion, one language. We are one people man, understand it. This is not your complicated Savoy or your former master's sober Spain, this is England!"

"Did you know he entertains Lollard ideas?"

Bess had to fight hard not to roll her eyes. "You do!"

"Of course I do Eustace I introduced my grand-nephew to them and very proud I did for he has able to reach a state of simplicity that he would not have if you kept that tutor."

"He was a good teacher."

"He was a papist dear and the people have far turned their backs on the Roman Church to change back."

Eustace threw his hands in the air in despair. It was useless arguing. Bess ended having her way, not only did William strengthen the Anglican Church after his edict, he also oppressed the nobility further into submission by the confiscation of their minor lands. Though, much to the chagrin of the poor, their lands were exempt from taxation.

It was no longer you were taxed or not, you were simply less taxed according to your noble status and how much royal favored you had. People blamed Lord Burghley but soon as he announced improvements to the poor relief, the people forgot their anger and cheered him.

Annie was proud of her son. He was everything Machiavelli envisioned in a ruler and everything she had hoped for.

"When shall you visit me again lady mother?" William asked as he bid his mother farewell and kiss her hand.

"I am not sure my little lord" she said. She and Bess were the only ones in Court who were allowed to do so, "But sometime, mayhap soon after all the raucous in the Netherlands have ended."

"His Majesty the King of Spain you mean and his affairs with the Prince of Orange?" He asked slyly.

Annie cocked her head sideways and raised an eyebrow. He was extremely intuitive, immediately he said "I am sorry I did not mean to pry lady mother, I am just curious. Lord Burghley says it's the finest attribute in a King. What do you think?"

"I think a King is measured by the level of kindness he shows to his people, charity my little lord and the control he has over his subjects while commanding respect at the same time."

"Can both things be achieved lady mother? Love and Fear?" He asked "Machiavelli would disagree.

"Well Machiavelli was a very poor fellow who died in disgrace after he defied his betters, you should know better than to listen to his suggestions, take them into account but don't follow them. A King must follow his own heart and not others', not entirely"

"You correct yourself a lot, my lord protector says you did not used to"

"That is because I was a silly girl of eighteen when I married your father." She countered "I would do everything to turn back time now and use the experience I have acquired throughout my marriages to your father and stepfather to rethink my attitudes then."

William nodded. It was very smart of his mother to admit her faults. He knew it was not done purely out of some silly conviction she had. His mother was cunning as the other women in their family but she was more mindful. Spain was not England and if she had triumphed in her marriage so far, William knew it wasn't solely based on of the number of male heirs she'd given the King but her accepting of his religion.

He wrapped his arms around her, for a boy of ten he was tall, and it surprised her how strong he was. The rest of the courtiers were also surprised but not by his strength but by his show of affection which was very rare to see in their little King.

There were no sweet words or true farewell. William simply bowed to his mother and told her "I shall pray for a safe journey"

Annie nodded. She could not have asked for more. It was William's way of telling her he loved her.

Her other children took turns saying their goodbyes to their brother. Margaret gave them an even bow, her eyes fixated on her mother. The coldness of them sent shivers down Annie's spine. She never thought she would feel this way about one of her children.

They entered separate carriages, she, Fernando and Isabel in one, and Diana and her Dueña, the Duchess of Alba, in the other.

They reached Spain and disembarked on the port city of Coruña. They made several stops before they reached the Alcázar in Madrid.

Philip was there to greet them, "My Lord" Annie said formally greeting her husband, their children followed.

By his side was Ligo and of course their younger children Juan and Juana.

Annie eyed them feeling pride but pity. She had not been strong to carry them to full term and because of her leg and the constant pains she suffered, the babies had been born weak and their condition had not changed over time.

Philip assured her as they dined that it would, but Annie was not so sure but for her children's sake she kept a cool face and smiled when Juana demonstrated her music skills, playing the lute and singing before them at her father's insistence. They ignored the coughing part from her brother; Philip's doctor was by his side giving him his tonic. They all applauded when Juana was finished. She looked very satisfied with her achievements.