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

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and put this fic on their alerts and favorited it. I appreciate it a lot.

Though, I have to say I am very disappointed, I know everyone must carry on with their lives, but last chapter I saw less readers and reviews in the graph than usual. Please Read and Review and give your comment, is the only way I can know what you think.

Sister Queens by Julia Fox, The Function of Ceremonial in the Reign of Henry VIII by Jennifer Loach from the Journal: Past & Present, No. 142 were used for this chapter as other sources books, journals and articles for trivial but important things to be considered in all fics such as where Queens are seated, why, and battles and etiquette. Philip II by Henry Kamen which I've just finished helped me a lot more in the Duke of Alba's character and his warring interests and Philip's foreign policy.

Chapter 62: Immortality

"A King Has His Reign And Then He Dies. It Is Inevitable"

Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron); Prometheus trailer

1575, June 20th

Spain, Madrid

Escorial Royal Palace:

Three months later Juan, Carlos, and others followed –victims of the plague. Feeling very old, Philip locked himself refusing contact with the outside world except for the funeral processions, which he had to attend. Carlos blamed his father for his misery, Catalina for the death of their children -especially little Carlos who was not even fifteen when the plague took him- and their second oldest son, Fernando Enrique, the boy's twin brother, took it the hardest.

Carlos was his only brother. He had stopped considering Ligo and his younger siblings are his true brothers, they never shared a bond, it was useless trying to form one, most of all now. He loved him. They had been one entity. Now, his brother was gone and a part of him died. He literally could not feel his heart beat anymore though his grandfather's physicians assured him it was not true but he knew it was. Carlos had been the emotional one, he the brains, now his heart was dead and he no longer felt, not for his parents not even for his favorite sister, Maria.

His father tried to comfort him but to no avail. With his return to his father's court came another grim foreshadowing. The war had taken its heavier toll on the population. Invested in the welfare of his people Philip did his best to stimulate the economy and the local industry but there was no one buying and the magnates controlled much of the lands and the municipalities –that at this point and time were hereditary and, not even, the King could change this- that it became impossible to accomplish this.

Carlos no longer levied against his brother and welcomed his reception, even if meager, at his new court palace. His architects were still working on it. The King wanted to give an impression so the main wing of the palace and of the colossal monastery next to it, was finished with great haste. It was a boast of his ego and idolatry to his Hapsburg and Tratasmara ancestry, though he did not see it that way. He saw it more as a way to honor the dead, his loved ones but above all to honor her. Annie, the woman his heart belonged to, he swore he would never love again. He swore, as his father after Philip's mother died, that he would also not take another wife.

So as long as he lived his life would be devoted to his people, his family, and to preserve her good memory.

Her burial took place less than a week after she died. Their child Lazaro, was placed at the center of her body, between her breasts and her abdomen. Death had kept them apart in life, but that same death had done them a favor, liberating from the pains of this world. He should be joyful therefore but somehow it brought him no joy.

But not all were sad news. Weeks later after the death of his son and grandsons, he received a letter from his Ambassador in England. His stepson, the King of England, was now a proud parent of a sturdy, healthy, bouncing, baby boy.

Philip wanted to rip his stepson's throat apart and kill the Spanish Ambassador. The news could not have come at a worst time. He was still suffering from rebellion in Aragon and small remnants of the Moriskos that would just not live him alone and continue to plague him with more demands and on top of it all he had this war to fight, and his stepson's men were not let's say the best men to put your trust in. They took advantage of his Generals' strategies and claimed it as their own and if that was not enough … his officers, the boy King's, did very little to aid his wounded soldiers, keeping all the supplies for themselves instead.

Damn him. And damn hisHe wanted to strangle William, but for her, it was only for her … Part of him lives in her

Life resumed shortly after receiving the news. Philip reappeared, no change in his expression or attitude except for his choice of wardrobe –he wore always black and this became his trademark. He worked endlessly, bringing Ligo and Fernando with him to oversee matters of state. Ligo was proving to be a better assistant, he felt he owed it to his Aunt and the late Queen who was the only one of his family who ever believed he would amount to something. Fernando on the other hand was all the opposite, he was hardly seen and was the first to leave the Cortes and other assemblies, rushing past his father's courtiers.

Philip shook his head. He would not do to be his heir, but he could not go back at his decision. Should anything happen to Ligo, Fernando would be his heir.

"At least he is not screaming 'Oh Dear Lord Swallow Me Whole'" Ligo commented, chuckling as Fernando fled the room.

"A week in the front will kill his arrogance right away." –And, he believed, down his interest in music, poetry, dancing, sketching; all things that were useful for a Prince when they did not became his only interests.

They went t his study. Philip sat behind his desk, Ligo opposite him facing him.

"Could be worse you know." He said.

"Ligo stop justifying everyone, it does not become a King to be justifying everyone's conduct." He said softly with a tinge of scolding.

"I am just saying but if you wish me to be frank then I will be. Fernando is not cut out for statecraft."

"He is my son and one of us, he is well cut out for it."

"Grandfather you just saw how he fell asleep in the middle of the assembly, I had to nudge him several times not to fall from his chair. It was an embarrassment for all of us, imagine what would have happened if the English or Venetian Ambassadors were there?"

"Then what do you suggest? The other Fernando?" Philip laughed. "Your father could not wait to see that. Your uncle will be the one to do the job and you will guide him, right after he returns from Bologne."

"Grandfather!"

"No buts Ligo, that is my wish, it is my will. Now please leave me son, I have a lot of papers to sign, shut the door on your way out, I will send you the copies so you can check everything is in order."

Ligo left and worked all night on his grandfather's papers. It was not exactly how he wanted to spend his nights … but he had a duty to the Hapsburgs and Spain.

Fernando on the other hand … Ligo was concerned what would happen to him in Bologne. So many had been killed in this war and the French monarchy was soon going to be replaced by the upstarts Bourbons of Navarre –Diana as Queen of France promised to be a dutiful wife but first a dutiful daughter and keeping her stepfather's interests at hands. It would not be long before England was forced to leave but knowing the English from what his late Aunt and Diana told him, they would not and they would surely have another war on their hands with Spain forced to be the aggressor or intermediate again.

What was his grandfather thinking sending Fernando to the front? The boy had no experience and cared nothing for swords and violence of any kind. His heart was completely pure and his conscience clean, free of any malice and clean of bad thoughts.

He was ambitious though. He was hungry to prove his father that he was worthy of his attentions but deep down he saw the smile he gave to their old man and the court, never reached his eyes. Every day that Philip dragged him –sometimes forcefully pulling his ear- to the Juntas and Cortes, Ligo saw his patience beginning to wane.

June 22nd.

Bologne, N. French Border.

Fernando let out a loud yawn heard throughout all the camp that had grown silent as different priests, Lutheran, Calvinists (from the Queen), and Catholics, began to bless the bodies of their enemies they were about to burn. They ignored him because he was the King of Spain's son and second in line but his father's men didn't and the Duke of Alba pulled his ears just as hard as his father instructed him in one of his letters and dragged him to his tent where he began boxing his ears.

"His Majesty entrusted me with the task of your safety. Lesson number one Your Highness, never show weakness especially to your friends. You are no longer in Spain, you are in a battlefield and I can assure you –no one here is your friend and if chance comes to save themselves they will hand you over in a silver platter to Alfred."

Fernando said nothing until he heard the Duke's last words. "Albert is here?" He asked very shocked.

"Of course not Your Highness, he would not be a fool to come here but his generals are and they are not as merciful as we Spaniards, I am sad to say we are." After beating him, the Duke offered his hand. Fernando knew it would be dumb not to take it. He helped him to his feet and called his menservants to brush the dirt of his clothes.

"Know me better Your Highness, this is a rough land, you will have to drink from water stinking of shit and blood and eat your meals with your common folk if you want to gain their loyalty."

Fernando knitted his eyebrows. "But they already have my loyalty, my father is their King after all."

The Duke snorted. "Highness you just gave away your answer."

Fernando looked at him more puzzled.

"They are loyal to your father, to Spain, not to you. You are not Spain and for that I thank San Santiago that you are not for one look at you and the enemy would be encouraged to invade."

Fernando squeezed his fists.

"Just look at you. You are taller than His Majesty I will give you that but that does not make up for your lack of wit. Shape up, be a man, shoulders down and don't keep your eyes down, you are a Prince not a beggar."

"Yes Your Grace."

"See those men down there" The Duke signaled to the men outside the camp. He nodded. "Three months time the men will be gone, the machinery dismantled and you ..." he hesitated calling on his manservant to bring him wine and chicken, to ease the conversation "... you, Your Highness will return to daddy dearest, Madrid or Segovia, to be reared in government. A waste of time if you ask me, what makes a man are not words boy, but the family name. How good you are in the battlefield makes your family name."

Fernando helped himself to some of it. "Yes, Your Grace" He said with his mouth stuffed of chicken and his fingers all dirty from falling on the ground from the beating he received earlier. The Duke slapped his fingers when he was about to grab another leg. "It is dirty now." He said and ordered the servants to take the food and feed it to the army dogs.

"It is the family name that lives on, it is the only thing that lives on in this life. Not your personal glory, that is defined by your prowess and so far you have nothing to show for it but arrogance and recklessness. Look at your fingers, eyes up when people are speaking to you." Fernando looked up, biting his lower lip so hard he felt blood coming from it. He said nothing to the Duke. He was more afraid of this man than his own father -and his father had been to him lately too.

"That's better. Nobody here in this camp likes you. They fight for whom do you think? Your father, the glory of Spain? Aye, they fight for both and when they see you prancing around and whining about all the death and destruction, what do you think that does to their morale? Eh?"

"It lowers them." Fernando was compelled to answer.

"Exactly. Next time you go out into those fields you better tuck your fears and show a Prince that is worthy of being his father's heir, even if he is a spare." The Duke sighed and rubbed his forehead, it was no wonder the King had sent him here. He could barely deal with him himself, and he had been through worse. "Run along now Your Highness, go see His Grace, your uncle, Anthony Chapuys, the Duke of Sicily while you are here. I am sure he will be happy to have you in his tent. He only invites the lowest of the lowest so I am sure you will fit right there. And do show some respect on your way."

"Yes Your Grace. Thank you Your Grace." Fernando said in a solemn voice, but tight lipped as he was and his eyes showing no emotion, the Duke let this slip of emotion pass.

"Wave at them, give them a grin, a smile, something." He said on Fernando's way out.

Fernando nodded and did just that. He waved at the men and showed him his perfect smile, but not even that could compensate the arrogance the Duke of Alba told him he had shown earlier on his arrival.

Great father, send me here to the ends of Europe to prove I am your son.

He was his son indeed. When Anthony showed him into his tent, he behaved with the humility and grace as his own father, and in fact he looked more like his father in Anthony's opinion -even if there was more of Annie in him, in his facial features- than did his first heir Ligo.

The madman's son as they liked to call him in Spain. He did not know what was going through his sister's head when she convinced the King to nominate Ligo to the principality of Asturias and force his father to give up that title? It was marvelous the feats Annie had accomplished in such a short period of time as Consort of Edward VI of England and Philip II of Spain. She was ... extraordinary. There were no words to describe her.

He and Fernando talked extensively about his mother and how Annie had changed everyone's lives since the start.

"How was she? I mean, how was she like as a child. She hardly talked about that to us except to Diana and my other sisters." They never wanted to talk that with Fernando. His sisters did not trust him except Isabel but that was because she was his twin, and -even she- sometimes would refuse to talk about her mother's private conversations.

Fernando lived in a house ruled by a strong matriarch and there was no one he could go to except the only person strong enough to rival his mother's power, and that was his father. But his father always preferred Ligo over him and no doubt it was Ligo's prowess and how much he looked like him more than Fernando.

Anthony sympathized with his nephew. He reminded him of George in a sort of way.

"Your mother did not talk to us much about her life before she moves with my mother and our father. She came to consider my mother as her real mother. Her birth mother was terrible to her. She would keep her locked in her rooms, sometimes for days without anything to eat. It was by some miracle that God's light had reached your grandmother's first lady-in-waiting, Lady Clarenciux and she took pity on my sister and sneaked food into her rooms. She was the reason your mother lived."

"My uncle? I know this war is being fought over my cousin and his delusions of grandeur or at least that is what I am told. I want to know the whole story. Did my uncle Henry treat her well?"

Anthony snorted. "The boy was as much as a bastard as when he died. He always envied Annie and she was an embarrassment to him."

"Why? Wasn't my mother despite her obvious parentage, considered legitimate?" Fernando asked, completely intrigued by the story he had forgot there was food in the table. His uncle had given him the chance to wash his hands and his swollen ears so this time he would not be eating on dirty hands and risk an infection or a disease.

"Many who had eyes knew your mother was not the Duke's daughter. I beg your pardon, everyone knew she was not. Blame your grandfather for that, she got most of our father's good looks, the only thing that saved her was your grandmother because she knew one word that proved her intimacy with your grandfather ..." he waved his hand "that would be the end of her and her ambitions to see her dearest son Henry in the throne. Did not last long though, your mother was so in love with the heir of the Romanovs that as soon as your grandmother heard of it, she proposed an alliance, giving her daughter away, Isabella to Alexei Romanov. He was the Tsaritsa's nephew after all, and the Tsar's heirs had been dying so everyone thought he would be the next in line. Unfortunately for your grandmother, she calculated wrong."

"How so?"

"Edward was infatuated with your mother from the beginning. They met when they were children, our parents believed that was nothing and it would end and Edward would marry some German Princess or some English court lady. People were talking of Jane Grey but that never came to nothing. He intentionally agreed to the alliance, he cared nothing for Russia, or for their succession problem, he only wanted Alexei Romanov out of the way so he could get to Annie. He did and they were immediately married at Westminster and a year later your sister Diana was born then five years later he died and his death was followed by the birth of your half-siblings, Margaret and William." He said as he and Fernando did not see Diana as his half-sibling. "And then of course your father who was destined to marry your Aunt, but on seeing your mother, he fell under her spell too."

"She does sound extraordinary" Fernando admitted.

"She was the Queen of Hearts, there will never be anyone like her. You and your siblings are all that remains of her legacy."

July 1st.

Fernando sulked back in his seat, propped up so the men could see the difference in ranks between him and the Duke. There was nothing to do but greet the soldiers and give one of his most famous speech which only put them to sleep. "Have a safe sail and may the Good Lord be with you in your travesties" The soldiers barely smiled at him, they lookd up more to the Duke of Alba whom they considered Philip's true representative and savior.

"Well it could have gone better" Fernando said, (unknown to him this was the same thing his older nephew, Ligo had said during the Audience Chamber in Madrid), "I will leave you fierce, brave, gentlemen alone" He said to the soldiers who once more yawned.

God, he felt so embarrassed. How had this happen? He was the son of Annie the great of England and Spain and the King of Spain, he was not supposed to be dull, he was suposed to be brave and smart and inspire fear in men's hearts but all he inspired today was boredom and laughter.

They were laughing at him as he exit into his tent, he could hear them from here.

"Philippe" He told his personal manservant, a half-Turk slave from French origins. Unlike his other masters, Philippe liked this one since it was never a master-slave relationship but a friendly one.

"Yes Your Lordship?" He said teasingly nudging Fernando's shoulder.

Fernando was not in the mood to laugh, that much was seen and Philippe sighed. "Again the Duke of Alba?" Fernando nodded. "Listen Fernando you are going to go nowhere listening to that man, just be youself-"

Fernando cut him of. "Being myself got me in this mess and now it is going to get me out of it."

Philippe lowered his gaze. Oh good Allah. "Philippe" he heard Fernando say, "Pack my bags we are going back to Spain, and I don't care what the Duke and his roughnecks say we are going and nobody is going to stop us."

"But are you not afraid we could find pirates on the way?"

"Who cares if we do?" Fernando said frustrated with the whole situation, throwing his hands in the air. "I would much rather be captured by a band of misfits pirates than be stuck here all day discussing with the Duke or with His Grace my uncle, wallowing in my misery. Dear Christ I am beginning to sound like my father."

"Is that such a bad thing? He is only trying to be strong for the family"

"Yes and he is swallowing us whole with his orders and misery. I am sick of it, I can't wait to be married, I will not settle for less and if I do it will be to get me out of the country. Dear God Philippe listen just pack my bags please."

Philippe knew better than to say no to his 'friend' and master. In an hour they were done and sailed ship to Spain ...

"Finally" Fernando said dropping on his cold, hard bed. It felt just like in the barracks except the pillows were soft and he and Philippe had servants everywhere. "We are going back to Spain."

But the son of the Queen of Hearts would soon find that things rarely, if ever, went their way for the Tudors.

July 10th.

England, London Borough

Greenwich, Palace of Placentia:

"What do you mean he's been captured?" Eustace roared at his grandson, never mind that he was the King of England, at the moment he was his grandson and the fact he had lost his other grandson, his sibling infuriated beyond anything Bess and the others present had ever seen in him. And Bess had been around him in his worst moods.

"He has been captured by Turkish pirates and brought to the King of France, Henry III who in turn has him locked up in his dungeon."

Eustace grabbed his beard, if it was not for his wife he would have torn it off. "How did you let this happen?"

William was not going to put up with this insolence. Beth was right, he was his grandfather (uncle officially) but he was King and he was still his subject.

"Are you going to let him talk this way to you my King?"

"Excuse me My Lord but there was no part in the contract where it said My Lord's son, His Grace, the Duke of Sicily had to babysit my brother, the Infante Fernando. If he has been captured it has because of his own doing."

"William!" Bess chided, outraged at his behavior. She could not believe he had just said this. Sure Eustace had gone far but this was his brother they were talking about not just some royal.

Eustace looked a the Queen. She did not look away. William was standing his ground and he was right for doing so. This man had controlled him far enough. It was time for new administration. "I vote for a vote of no confidence against your Lord Protector" Beth said surprising everyone in the room.

Even William Cecil who hardly spoke unless it was in his best interest. "Your Majesty" He whispered in the King's ear. "His Lordship, your Lord Protector is your best asset and his youngest son is the First Duke of Scotland and his oldest is the ruling Duke of Sicily. We risk their wrath."

"Who do you fear more Cecil, my wrath or theirs? Need I remind you who you serve?"

Cecil backed off and eyed Eustace with a hidden glint of triumph in his eyes.

"His Grace, Anthony is innocent of the charges, you said it yourself-"

"You said it yourself Lord Protector that I and Anthony is responsible and since I am a King I cannot be subject to face the law alone. If I face the law so does our Duke and Viscount Rochford."

"Your Majesty reconsider"

"I have reconsidered" William snapped "Pray you reconsider too next time you speak out of turn." Eustace kept his mouth shut. "Neither my uncle or I are responsible to take care of another man's son. My brother's loss is a terrible loss to me as well, he is a person of high interests and our allies' loss is a loss to us as well."

Cecil and Bess hid a smile as they turned to chuckle. William had hijacked Eustace's government and taken the reins for himself for the first time ever and Cecil was there as his faithful servant, secretly aided by her, to help him maintain it. There was nothing Eustace could do but watch the turn of events.

"Cecil" William said to his Secretary of State and Lord Treasurer standing at his right, his wife was at his left as was the custom and belief that woman came from man's left rib.

"Your Majesty I am yours to command." He said almost immediately.

"Send a dispatch to France." The room went in uproar, he held his hand up, immediately everyone was silence. "I don't care that we are their enemies, let there be a truce with us for the time being and tell His Majesty, the King of France, Henri III that we come in good will and not to rescue a prisoner of war but to render assistance to my kind. The Infante is my blood brother, half brother but brother at that, after all and he should recognize that."

"If they refuse Your Majesty? What then?" Eustace asked, going back into his chair helped by his wife Bess and Fleming.

"Then we make them. They cannot refuse when we have taken half of the North of France, ancestral lands that we have rights to, more than the Bourbons, of my sister Diana's husband's family. Surely they would not want another hundred-years war."

Beth chuckled at his ingenuity. She felt the child moving inside her. Only one month pregnant, two since she'd given birth prematurely to (surprisingly) a healthy and bouncing baby boy, and her belly was already becoming noticeable. She suspected she was carrying twins, and helped by her heavy hoops in her dress, it seemed like she was larger than a whale. She folded her hands and congratulated William with her smile, that always won him over.

Foolish boy. Fernando Hapsburg had caused them enough troubles, now they would have to offer half of their conquests over to the French for his folly.

"Exactly" Cecil said. "I shall send a dispatch of our best men to France."

"We should send the Duke of Sicily, His Grace has a good record-"

"Based on what? On his blood and lineage? That is not enough My Lord. We need men who do not threaten the French. The Queen Dowager is very demanding of foreigners, being a foreigner herself she will know what type of man we send to this debate."

"What are you-"

Bess shut Eustace off stepping on his foot which hurt him greatly and he groaned in pain. He kept his lips pursed upon seeing the murderous glare Bess was giving him. 'Enough' she was saying. Enough of your follies that will cost us our favors and our grandsons' future. Scotland was not a safe province to deal with. England had a lot of interests there and it had feared -with good reason- that Mary Stuart might be sympathetic to Albert Stuart's claim just as long as to see William deposed. Bess had never been sure that Mary Stuart had truly converted to a policy of religious tolerance as her son claimed but they loved each other and for Bess who was both a woman, wife, and mother, knew that was enough to keep her loyal. The fall of William meant her fall as well.

"Your Majesty will have to safe-vouch for these men first. Half of court is wary of what to expect. The Queen Dowager, the Italian, is said to consult with the occult and cast spells against her enemies, it is said she has cast a spell against Your Majesty so your Queen shall remain infertile."

Beth laughed at this, so did William following her with a raucous laughter. "She failed then, all the dark magic in the world cannot keep me from filling the Royal Nursery." Everyone chuckled. William smiled approvingly at the Queen. The Queen loving party and merriment was not a spend-drift however. She was very considerable of others and built more schools and hospitals and donated half of her jewels to institute the poor relief fund instead of just focusing on good charity as the previous Catholic consort Queens had done.

She was an example for any woman, only Cecil did not approve of her ladies. It was too bad that his good lady, the King's Aunt, had insisted on putting her own family, the Boleyn-Careys and Knolleys in her party. Lettice a thirty five four year old woman who was old enough to be the King's mother exchanged glances with him and flirted openly, it was a good thing His Majesty hardly noticed her and whenever he did he laughed while he passed her by.

"Give me a list of our best candidates and send it to me tomorrow so I can approve." He dismissed everyone. Beth smiled at him once they all left.

"You did well."

"A King has his reign and then he dies, we are not immortal as my grandfather would want his heirs to believe. I am aware of my own mortality but what lives on is the name, our name which shall live for all eternity."

Beth shook her head. William was so full of illusions of grandeur and glory sometimes but she liked him that way, she would much rather be married to a magnate than a puppet. William let no one controlled him, he controlled his own destiny and appointed his own ministers and his image of a magnate was thanks to these men who were the smartest and more able bodies in England that carried out his orders. Because of these men alone that made up William's government, nobody would ever blame him if something went wrong. Beth was surprised that he thought of his own mortality.

William explained about his father's old saying "He swore before my grandmother died that she whispered to her favored lady in waiting, the former Lady Rochford that all Kings are made of clay and just as vulnerable as the rest of us, that there really is no difference what makes a King or not. He swore that when my sister was born, that she was my grandmother Jane Seymour reborn and he wanted to name her Jane in her honor but for some reason my mother opposed, she wanted to bestow on to their only daughter (then) a godly name so all men could cower before her."

"Sounds like your grandmother was a brilliant woman, I have heard infamous tales of your family before I came here and to be honest with you, I was never sure what to believe."

"Now that you are here. What do you believe?"

"Now I believe that the trouble with you Tudors is that nobody can ever be sure what to expects, what rules your hearts is a mystery even to yourselves."

"Not quite. I know what rules my heart sweeting." William leaned forward and kissed her. "You are lovelier when you are dressed in blue and gold, has anyone told you that?"

"For you especially, I wanted to celebrate your conquest of half of the Northern border of France. Now I can truly be Queen of France. If things go your way someday one of our future children can inherit the northern border of France."

"Someday could have been too soon if my brother was not foolish enough to let himself captured" Out of all the Chapuys-Tudor relations it had to be his younger Hapsburg siblings who were had to inherit the worst of their Tudor ancestors. If he was Fernando he would be ashamed of what had happened and that he was Annie's son and let himself be captured so easily.

Annie would never have permitted foolish behavior in any of her brood. In his stead, William was ashamed of his younger half-brother. How could he be so careless? Was he not told that he was not to leave Bologne? He had been told a million times, William had been sure he was guarded day and night, unknown to him. He somehow eluded their guard and not only disobeyed their uncle but their father now his poor stepfather was left to pay the price as well for his son's reckless behavior.

"If we do not bring him back, we will have a major war on our hands." Albert was a minor consequence compared to France. "I only wish I could be there when the King of Spain rings his ears."

"You have the Secretary of State to arrange for that but you must consider the possibility William that you cannot always get what you want. The King of France holds him captive and Cecil has told you himself countless times how far he is willing to go to get what he wants. This is not going to be an easy negotiation. The King of France will not let go of his most prized possession. You must offer his the Northern border or-" Hope that your brother dies -she could not bare to say.

"I could have had the North of France already."

"You could have but now you must be considering to give it up." William looked at her pointedly. "It is your only choice."

William growled and jumped from his seat and threw a piece of glass across the room, shattering into million pieces. The terrible Tudor temper of his had resurfaced. Beth could do nothing but stay put in her chair and wait for his tantrum to end. "You are only wasting your time acting like this" She said when she grew tired and seemed like his growls and barks would never end.

He barely heard Beth. The Northern part of France, he was not going to let that go just because of some hideous boy. No, he was going to negotiate for better treatment of his brother, but he was not going to let go of his conquered lands, where his family had ancestral claims through Katherine of Valois, the French Princess Henry V had taken for a wife after his conquest of France.

He wanted his family to be immortalized. Now that he had the chance his brother had blown it.

"Let him deal with his father. If my stepfather wants him out, let him negotiate with the King of France."

"As you wish Your Majesty" Beth said coldly. She did not like his judgment but she would live with it for the sake of the little one awaiting in her belly. They hoped it was another boy so their son Henry-Edward could have company.

He would negotiate for a better treatment of his brother and be transferred to greater apartments but that was it. Beth would just have to learn to accept his judgment. She said nothing during the whole day and played the part of hostess showing off her blue and gold gown with great pride, announcing their latest victory of another French city.