So we're pretty much getting to the end of the story now, people are starting to get old and people are going to start saying goodbye to old friends :'(
"Have you heard any word from His Majesty about how that war with the French is progressing?" Isabella asked the Queen one afternoon.
"I have heard very little from His Majesty but I believe that the troupes are advancing and will have taken Boulogne very soon." Her Majesty replied.
"That would be cause for good news if I knew what on earth it meant." Isabella laughed softly, Catherine also laughed.
"I know what you mean Lady Lockhart." Catherine replied. "His Majesty tells me of these things that he is trying to accomplish while in France and I know virtually nothing of what they mean or what their purpose is."
"I greatly hope that this campaign of His Majesty's is a successful one though." Isabella stated.
"Yes then he can return back to us." Catherine replied. "I greatly miss his presence here at court and hope that he will return safely. I hope to God that he is granted a safe and triumphant return – I long for his return more than anything."
"We all do Your Majesty." Isabella replied. "We all do."
"Lady Lockhart..." Catherine began after a short pause. "how is it that you came to know His Majesty?"
"Now that is a very long story." Isabella stated smiling nostalgically. "It all began when we were children – I met him when I went to Greenwich Palace with my mother, who was a ladies maid to his mother at the time. Without my mother's permission I went wandering off on my own and came upon His Majesty as a young Prince. When I was old enough I entered his mother's services myself, as my mother had done, and I have been a great acquaintance of His Majesty ever since."
"And you have stayed with him throughout all this time?" Catherine asked.
"He is a very dear friend of mine and I've found that once you have entered a King's presence it is very hard to want to leave." Isabella smiled. "I love His Majesty very much and wish to remain his servant and a servant to his family for as long as I am able to."
"And for that loyalty and truthfulness you will be greatly rewarded Lady Lockhart." Catherine said smiling warmly at her.
"Oh no Your Majesty." Isabella replied still smiling. "I have already been greatly rewarded just to be in the presence of such fine people as His Majesty, his children and yourself."
"I am glad that you feel that way My Lady and I could not ask for a more loving and kind friend as yourself." Catherine replied.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Isabella replied. "I am grateful to be here with you, while we wait to hear of news of His Majesty."
Out on the battlefield in France Henry's troupes had found themselves in the middle of an outbreak of the Bloody Flux – many were dying as they were infected with Dysentery. After being told that they would be unable to fight and should be sent home to England Henry said that were not sick with the Flux, they were sick with cowardice. Henry was determined that he was going to win this siege on the city no matter what the cost. He was going to take the city just as the Emperor had taken both the cities he had been waging war against. Henry was very angry to hear that the Emperor had advanced faster than he had and threatened to make a great number of his advisors a head shorted if they did not produce results soon.
Back in England Catherine was making great progress with Henry's children; she was loved greatly by all three of them and respected them as young people. She respected Mary's ability to stand for her faith and maintain her independence as a woman – for she had grown into a very fine young woman. She respected Elizabeth as an adolescent and she also respected the faith that her mother Anne Boleyn had maintained. She wanted Elizabeth to be brought up with the faith that her mother Anne had begun to reform.
It was a great pleasure for Henry's family when word finally came that he had captured the city of Boulogne. Henry was a hero for the English and he would hopefully be coming home soon and he would return a hero. It was also a great comfort to know that he was alive and well as the women of his family had feared for Henry's life while he was in France. It was shortly after this letter from the continent arrived that they heard of the King's plan to return to England, another letter that bought them all great joy.
"How was court while I was away?" Henry asked Isabella upon his return to England. "I trust that everything was kept in order."
"It most certainly was Your Majesty." Isabella replied. "Queen Catherine watched over the Kingdom with a great kindness and great love."
"She is a splendid woman is she not?" he asked.
"She most certainly is Your Majesty." Isabella replied. "Out of all Your Majesty's wives she is one of my favourites." Henry chuckled softly.
"And what of you Isabella?" he asked. "What have you been doing while I was away?"
"I have been helping Her Majesty and looking after Prince Edward and the Lady Elizabeth, living my usual life." she replied. "It has been lonely here without Your Majesty and His Grace the Duke of Suffolk as you are those who I keep the most company with but Her Majesty and the Lady Mary have been keeping me company in your absence."
"I am glad." Henry replied. "I would not like to think that you have been unhappy while I was away."
"Never Your Majesty." Isabella smiled warmly. "As long as I am in the company of Your Majesty and Your Majesty's family I am the most happy."
"That is good." Henry replied.
"And I am thankful to God that you have been victorious and have returned to us safely." she told him. She placed a hand on his arm. "I do not know what I would have done if you had not returned to me." Henry smiled at her and kissed her forehead softly.
"Fear not my sweet Lady for I am the King of England." he told her, smiling. "There is nothing that the French can do that will harm me."
"I certainly hope so, Your Majesty." she replied.
Shortly after his return to England Henry organised a banquet in honour of his victory – for it was truly a victory. He ordered celebrations to be held throughout the country and wanted everyone in England to remember their victory because news of a treaty between the King of France and the Emperor meant that it might be very short lived. During one of these banquets the Spanish Ambassador Chapouis came to the King and said that, with His Majesty's permission, he would leave for Spain.
Chapouis was old and had been suffering greatly with gout over the last few years; he wanted to retire to Spain having done his duty to both the Spanish and English sovereigns. The Lady Mary was particularly sad to see him go as he had been a great friend to her over the years especially following the death of her mother Catherine of Aragon. She felt as if he was abandoning her but Chapouis stated that she would be in good hands with the Queen Catherine and she also had Isabella as a companion if she needed her. The knowledge that she still had Isabella was a great comfort to Mary as Isabella was another who had been a long and trusted friend throughout her entire life.
It transpired that the ulcer on Henry's leg was grieving him again. This time was much worse than the others though as the infection coursing through him actually caused him to collapse. Even though Henry would never admit it to anyone (not even to himself) he had lost his youth. It was not just him; Suffolk and Isabella had both lost their youth and there was nothing the three of them could do to bring it back – they had gotten old and reached the winter of their lives. Henry could go to war and Suffolk could bring back a young French girl but they could not recapture what they had lost over the years.
Maybe Henry could sense that his time was coming; he seemed to have accepted that he was old. He seemed to have mellowed – he did not get as angry as he used to (even when he heard of Lord Surrey's defeat in France after Henry had specifically told him not to be rash and run into battle). He did not fly into tempers anymore and seemed a great deal calmer than he used to be. He was still as changeable as ever but he seemed different somehow.
There were still a number of problems Henry's church and council were facing with their reformation. Bishop Gardiner was adamant that he would flush all the heretics out of His Majesty's court (for there were many secret reformers within the King's court) and then out of the entire country. He was determined that he would bring England back to the true and Catholic faith with the help of the Lady Mary if she would grant him that help.
"I have heard word from Spain," Mary told Isabella one afternoon when the two were out walking in the castle grounds together. "Chapouis has died."
"When?" Isabella asked.
"Just after his return to Spain." Mary told her.
"Poor Eustace." Isabella replied, quietly.
"He is with God now. He is at peace and is no longer suffering." Mary stated.
"This is true." Isabella replied. "He has been suffering for a great many years now and he is no longer in pain. He does not have to deal with the hardships of this world anymore."
"Now that I have had news of his death I feel more alone than I did when he left – I feel as if I have very little true friends in this world." Mary said sadly. "I feel as if I have been abandoned by those whom I love the most." Isabella placed her arm around the Lady's shoulders.
"Do not despair My Lady." Isabella told her. "You still have me, you still have your family and your ladies."
"This is true." Mary replied, smiling at Isabella. "I do still have you and I would not wish to see you gone for all the world."
"Worry not, My Lady, for I am not going anywhere." she smiled. "Neither is your sister Elizabeth or your brother Edward."
"My father is an altogether different matter." Mary said sadly.
"It is true." Isabella stated equally as sadly. "It is widely supposed that the King's infirmities grow worse by the day. Many believe that he is not long for this world."
"I think my father believes it too." Mary stated. Isabella stood in front of her and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"If that is the case then you will have to look after your brother and sister." Isabella stated. "Help Edward to become the kind of ruler that your father would be proud of and, God forbid, if anything should happen to him you will be Queen in his stead. Be the Queen your mother would have been." Mary nodded, tears filling her eyes.
"I will," she replied when she was finally able to find her voice. "I promise to you now on my mother's honour that I will be a ruler that both she and my father and yourself can be proud of." Isabella pressed a kiss to Mary's forehead and hugged her tightly.
"I know that you will," she stated. "and I know that you will help your brother and sister to do the same when and if they find themselves in the same position."
"I will." Mary replied and Isabella smiled at her.
"And you will make both your father and you mother very proud. You will also make me very proud to have been a friend to you over the years and ever prouder to have been able to care for you in your youth." Isabella told her.
"I thank you Isabella." Mary smiled and took hold of her hand. "You have been a true friend to me throughout everything that has happened to me over the years – you partitioned my father to restore me to the succession, you cared for my mother when she needed it the most and you have helped in the destruction of some of the people who saw fit to try and destroy me. You are one of the greatest friends I have ever had."
"I would not have had it any other way, My Lady." Isabella replied, smiling warmly.