November 8th, 1555
Greenwich Palace
"Your Majesty, I find the Lady Isabella quite insufferable and I disapprove of a marriage between yourself and the German brat,"Northumberland spat as he entered Edward's chamber.
Edward frowned at Northumberland, "She is quite kind to me, a great comfort. How is that you find displeasure in her?"
Dudley sniffed, "She has a temper as fierce as that of Anne Boleyn."
Elizabeth visibly stiffened as Northumberland pointed out her mother's vicious temper that eventually led her to fall from Henry VIII's favor.
"I have known the Lady Isabella for many years and she has never displayed any sort of distasteful acts so which you proclaim," Edward's sister protested from where she sat beside his desk.
Edward nodded at his sister's testimony, "You must have done some misdeed to anger her."
"Your Grace, I only inquired if she had been bedded," The duke's eyes were almost innocent.
How dare he try to maintain the image of an innocent?
"It was not your place to implicate such accusations!" Elizabeth was appalled.
Edward glared at his outspoken sister before turning his icy gaze on Northumberland.
"You will leave the Lady Isabella in peace. I have already made the official betrothal. Duke William of Cleves has already set sail for England to discuss the dowry. There is a banquet being planned to honor our betrothal. It has already been made official that she will be my bride. You will not even attempt drive her away from this court or it will be your head, Northumberland." His tone was harsher than any had ever heard.
He will not overstep his boundaries again. I am the king, not him.
"As you wish, Your Grace." Northumberland faltered as he realized that Edward was no longer a boy but a man and a king.
"You may dismiss yourself," Edward growled as he walked back towards his desk.
Elizabeth smirked at Northumberland, he may have gotten Edward to marry her off but she could still watch his downfall begin with her excellent suggestion of a bride. The Lady Anne's niece had been perfect for her brother, she was lively and well-educated just as he'd wanted. She may have once loved his son but her disgust for Northumberland himself was evident.
Edward sat in his chair with a sigh and rubbed his temples.
"May I fetch the Lady Isabella to soothe you, Your Majesty?" Elizabeth suggested.
"Please do, sister." He grumbled like he did when they were children.
It will be a shame when Elizabeth leaves for Sweden.
Edward watched his sister leave his chamber and he opened a letter from the king of France.
That Henry II should not be bringing Elizabeth of Valois and yet he is. I pray Northumberland can remain quiet.
He was nearly done reading when Elizabeth returned with Isabella.
Ah, such a comforting sight.
His betrothed bowed before him, "Your Majesty,"
"Ah, Lady Isabella please come hither. It would much please me for you to do so," His eyes were alight when she entered the room and he was much delighted to embrace his wife-to-be.
"You do not look well, Your Grace. Are you alright?" She inquired and caressed his face with her fingers.
"I feel rather light-headed but much more so annoyed. I hear the Duke of Northumberland had inquired whether or not you had been bedded." His lip curled with annoyance.
Isabella waved her hand. "That he did and he was swiftly dismissed . I am much more concerned with your health for England needs a strong king ruling. Did you not eat?"
"I promise I will eat as soon I make some arrangements for the banquet I informed you of." He knew he must have appeared as a babe to her, he had not eaten much the day before or anything at all on this day.
"Elizabeth is quite capable of looking over things for a moment," Elizabeth looked up at this. "you must feed your body so that the mind works. I noticed you did not eat nary a morsel when you were with me." Isabella grabbed Edward's hand and pulled him to his feet.
Elizabeth observed from a distance as she always did and nodded to her brother, "I promise you that everything will be the most elaborate spectacle that shall so much please thee, Your Majesty." Elizabeth promised as she began to read through the papers upon his desk.
"I am willing to trust you Lady Elizabeth." Edward warned.
Elizabeth nodded and Isabella dragged him down the corridor. He had to admit he preferred being with her, however he had work to do. It was true that Elizabeth was a minor adviser to him while he worked out her marriage plans but he wanted to oversee what she was doing with the banquet plans.
"You worry so when you need not to." Isabella began rubbing his shoulders as he slid down into a chair at the head of the table.
"It is quite difficult to be king of England and not have a care at all," His attempts to defend himself were feeble.
"I am aware my dear and I am going to keep my strong husband well so that our people may have a protector against the other kingdoms." She cooed as food was piled onto plate by a servant.
At least she has not left me to starve myself over trivial matters.
The scent of cooked meats reached his nose and he finally became aware of the nagging hunger in his belly. He hadn't eaten a full meal in days and he was grateful to Isabella. He ate the food greedily while his fiancé quietly sipped wine. It was much too soon when the meal ended but he was not quite ready to assume his duties.
"I must thank you for being concerned after my welfare. You have once again proved to be the rightful queen of England." He held her hand and kissed it.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Now shall we spend this afternoon hunting?" Her eyebrow was raised as if she was challenging him.
He chuckled. "If that is what you wish, then aye we shall go out for a bit of hunting. Are you skilled?"
"Aye, Your Grace. I have acquired skills that would rival those of any man." She sipped her wine mischievously.
He held back a laugh. "You certainly jest, My Lady."
"I am afraid I do not. I have taken down bucks larger than myself afore I was a gal of nine years." Her blue-grey eyes flashed.
Edward brought himself to his feet and offered his hand to her. She rose and Edward again marveled at how he easily towered over her. He felt like a man when he was with her. Not a king or a boy but simply a man.
"I will get my riding gear and we shall be off." Isabella curtsied and hurried down the corridors to her own chambers.
Edward contemplated following her but he restrained himself. He would only have to wait five more days to marry her. Then afterwards there was of course her coronation, she would be his anointed queen. He began to think of their children. He could imagine strong sons to succeed him. Lady Anne had already informed them of her family's ability to bear children.
She will have not a trouble of bearing me a son as well as daughters. The Tudor dynasty will be highly valuable, more powerful than the Spanish monarchs.
Isabella returned in her riding clothes and roused him from his thoughts of the future.
"Well I guess we should be heading towards the stables and you may pick your steed." Edward led her away from the palace for the first time to the stables.
As they entered he noticed she had a bow and arrows in her satchel.
Always prepared for anything I see.
Isabella turned to him and winked. "I am sure you must prefer a summer hunt, would you not Your Grace?"
"Lady Isabella I shall hunt in any season. I am no weak man," He let out a hearty laugh.
"Aye, that is wonderful to hear. A winter hunt is quite fine to pass time." She immediately went to a stallion that was pacing his stable impatiently.
She is never deterred. That stallion has barely been broken.
"A stallion, My Lady?" He signaled to the stable hand, a young boy named Richard.
The horse was taken from the stable and Isabella deftly climbed onto his back and rode the horse in circles for a moment.
"Aye, he rides well. I want him as my personal horse if that is alright with Your Grace." She gave him a childish pout and he couldn't refuse her.
"Only the best for my queen-to-be." He was growing more and more fond of her, he was beginning to believe that he could find what most kings never found: love.
If this feeling is in fact that of love I will have the rarest of all jewels and by that I will also have to most valuable of them.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
He mounted his horse and began to lead the red-haired woman into the woods and she kept in step with him for the ride until she suddenly stopped her horse and drew her bow. Edward spotted her quarry yards away, a bright orange fox. Her arrow whistled through the air and hit the fox directly in the throat. She rode over to her catch and held it up to him.
"Good catch, Isabella" He called to her, reveling in her name on his lips.
She flashed him a smile and sent her horse into a gallop. Edward smirked and set out on his horse behind her. He stopped once they reached a clearing. His fiancé was perched on her horse and nodded to a large buck grazing not too far off. He knew she wanted him to take it down but he wanted to see if her words had substance. He nodded to her then the buck. She dipped her head and drew her arrow.
The buck fell with a thud and Isabella smiled widely. "I warned you it was no jest."
"I see that your skills surpass that of many men. However, I assure that I can take down a much larger buck," He laughed again and rode ahead.
"Oh Your Grace I am sure you could catch one but I do believe that you could not reach the top of the ravine before I." She giggled as her stallion began to outpace his own horse.
He urged his horse into a canter and Isabella soon threw hers into a gallop. As the ravine grew closer he realize just how skilled she was at riding. Soon she was at the top of the ravine looking down at him, her hair blown in various directions. The sun was sliding lower in the sky and light hit her hair, turning it to flame. She was more beautiful than the goddess Diana and for a moment Edward had forgotten where he was.
He eventually reached her side. "Ah, you are truly skilled in your riding."
"Thank you, Your Grace-"
Edward interjected. "You may call me Edward when we are not in court."
She nodded. "Well Edward it is getting late. Why don't you make a catch so that we may make our journey back."
He noticed a herd just ahead of them, grazing. He reached for his own arrows and took aim.
Lord do not allow me to miss this buck.
His arrow hit the shoulder and herd scattered in frenzy.
"We must follow it!" Isabella galloped after the injured buck and Edward followed.
When he went hunting there was simply a hit or miss but he had never pursued an injured animal. He had to admit he felt free and with Isabella by his side he couldn't think of anything else in the moment.
I can only thank God and Elizabeth for sending me this perfect companion. She is much more than an alliance and soon Dudley will see that I have made a remarkable decision.
He watched Isabella dig into her stirrups and shoot an arrow at the frantic creature. Her arrow pierced it directly through the neck and yet it still fled from them.
She is quite extraordinary.
"You shall have to shoot him in his heart. He is a lively one yet." She laughed and continued her pursuit.
He drew another arrow and followed behind, trying to mimic her hands-free riding.
She seemed to have noticed, "Do not fall."
He gave a short nod and focused in on his quarry. With a snap the arrow whizzed through the air and the buck fell.
Isabella clapped and gave Edward a rush of pride. "Aye that was an exciting hunt do you think not?"
"That it was Lady Isabella but we must be heading back now." He turned to leave and Isabella's horse trotted steadily next his own.
"Most men fall when they attempt to ride while shooting for the first time. You must learn easily." she said quietly.
Edward beamed at her praise. "I learn easily through observation. You must tell me how you became such a skilled archer."
She seemed to brighten at this. "I was reading an account on the Mongols and then imitated it. I was a impressionable girl of eight and I fell from my horse many a time before I perfected it."
Quite intelligent and tenacious.
"Why on earth would you emulate barbarians?" He gave a hearty laugh.
"I cannot quite remember," She paused. "I simply wanted to be as skilled. I would never besiege a city nor would I burn innocents."
"That is valuable information. The people of England would not accept a Mongol as queen." He winked at her.
They had reached the stables and Edward helped Isabella from her horse while Richard put them in their stables. Isabella curtsied and retreated to her chambers while Edward went to his counsel room. Elizabeth hadn't moved from her seat.
"You are dismissed Lady Elizabeth." Edward slumped down to reassume his work.
"Every detail pertaining to the banquet has been arranged, Your Majesty." Elizabeth curtsied and turned to leave.
The heavy wooden door slammed and for once Edward felt lonely. He wanted company and only one person came to mind.
Do I want to combat the temptations of having Isabella lying beside me?
He decided to test himself and sent for her.