Finally, the Tudor Rose arrived in Spain. The ship docked at the port in Santander. During the morning, as Mary and Charles dressed and broke their fast, the Princess couldn't help but wonder who would meet them at the port. Would it be The Holy Roman Emperor himself or someone else?
While the servants carried the trunks out of the rooms, Mary gave a final once-over to the suite. She checked every nook and cranny to ensure they left nothing. Charles came behind her as she double-checked the wardrobe and placed his hands on her shoulders. His skilled fingers began massaging the tension in her neck.
She stilled and leaned into the massage. His voice spoke in her ears. "You've checked our suite at least a dozen times this morning. Everything has been taken to the carriages waiting for us. I need you to try to relax. We're here, we're healthy, and we'll make a good impression, especially you in that yellow dress you're wearing."
She turned around in his arms and asked, "You don't think it's too much? It's very bright and vivid. Maybe I should recall my trunk and wear something muted."
He kissed her forehead. "No, change nothing. I think yellow is perfect for you because you leave a little sunshine wherever you go." They embraced. His strong presence helped calm her anxious nerves, as he took her hand to lead her out of the suite. On deck, he felt her tense at the gangplank. "I'm right beside you. There's nothing to fear." She nodded, and they continued to disembark.
Regarding first impressions, Charles and Mary make a striking couple. She, in her sunny yellow dress with an embellished bodice of beadwork and full chiffon skirt. He, in black breeches, black and gold brocade doublet, and a black velvet overcoat with gold Tudor roses burnt into it the fabric. The coat is outlined in gold thread. They very much look like a Prince and Princess leading the way for their retinue.
The couple greeted the other lords and ladies from the smaller ships in their party. They inquired as to their health and journey. Charles spent some time conversing with Edward Seymour, Lord Hargrove, and Lord Shively. Mary, in turn, spoke to their wives.
Soon it became time to board the Royal carriages that awaited them. The Prince and Princess were thankful no one of importance met them at the docks. It allowed time to themselves on the trip to Madrid. During this leg of the journey, they relaxed in each other's company. Mary reviewed with Charles the schedule for the day.
She opened one of his folders and pulled out the agenda. Holding it in her hands, she read aloud. "This is the plan for the day. The Emperor's Secretary, Lord de Los Cobos, sent this schedule ahead. Once we arrive, the Royal Family will greet us. Then we'll be shown to our rooms and left alone to rest and gather our senses. The main thing to note is the arrival reception this afternoon prior to the welcome banquet tonight." She put the schedule back into the folder and sighed.
Her self-doubt and anxiety is creeping back in. She hates being on display and dispises making polite conversation with people she's never met before. Plus, that means two dress changes this afternoon. Instead of resting, she will have to put two outfits together for herself and her husband.
Charles held her hand. "I suppose we'll have to make a good show of ourselves today. You will have no problem with it, but everyone in your cousin's court will be scrutinizing me. In their eyes, I'm not really royalty."
That's all the more reason she has to think through his outfits. She can't allow her mother's family to see Charles as anything less than the Prince he is. She gripped his hand tighter. "Never apologize for who you are, My Love. Let the Spanish Court see the real Charles Brandon. The one who's as smart, intelligent, and capable as the Emperor himself. Though not born into royalty, you're a born leader who is trustworthy of the title and office of Prince. In all the meetings you have with my cousin, remember that."
Her words brought a balm to his spirit. "Thank you, Sweetheart. I couldn't do this without you," he told her. They rested their foreheads on each other in a quiet, tender moment.
The remainder of the ride saw them organizing Charles's folders and gathering their wits about them. They turned to their books once they felt sufficiently prepared for the Royal Family. Henry had given Charles another boring book on Kings. He figured now would be as good a time as any to read it. Mary continued reading about King Arthur's knights. Having finished Sir Lamorak and the Grouchy Giant, she is now reading about the ungentlemanly Sir Agravain. Though the last leg of the trip was quiet, it was no less content.
When the carriages pulled into Madrid, the air in the carriage seemed to change. A nervous sort of anticipation filled the area. The Prince and Princess put their books into her basket and resumed holding hands. Out of habit, Mary asked, "Do I look alright?"
To which Charles replied, "Always. You always look lovely." He kissed her cheek. Moving to her side, he melded himself to her slender frame, entrapping her with the window and his body.
Peering out the window, she wondered, "Have you ever been here to Spain before?"
A brief chuckle left Charles's mouth, and a fond smile of remembrance came over his face. "I escorted your Aunt to Portugal. We had to go through a brief part of Spain. But we didn't engage with any of the Royal Family, as you and I will. Once a long time before that, I accompanied your parents on a trip here. It was nice but so long ago that I hardly remember it."
She pulled back from looking at all of the sights Madrid offers. "Hmm, I've never been. I hope we can sightsee some, you and I. I want lots of memories to record in my travel journal."
This line of thinking amused Charles. Wrapping her in an embrace, he commented, "My Darling, you will have tons of memories to write about in that journal of yours. And the two of us will spend plenty of time visiting the countryside together, especially when we go to Alcazar Castle."
She smiled at the thought of them touring different points of interest. Leaning back into her husband's arms, she resumed gazing out the window. When the Royal Palace came into view, she couldn't help the gasp that left her mouth. It is massive and will completely engulf every one of her father's palaces. In fact, it is the largest palace she's ever seen.
The Tuscan influence is captured on the main facade of the palace. The rusticated stone base and iconic column pilasters represent this architectural design style. A cornice encircles the upper story of the building and is capped with a colossal balustrade.
The carriages pulled into the plaza and slowed to a crawl. Mary began straightening Charles's doublet and overcoat. She took his royal blue riband and draped it over his shoulder. Then the Princess took his Order of the Garter and Order of the Rose badges and affixed them to the sash. Finally, she admired her handiwork and esteemed her prince with much affection. They gave each other a sweet peck on the lips as the carriage pulled to a stop.
Before Charles got out, he produced a red velvet pouch from inside his coat pocket. As it sat in his hands, he told his wife, "I had something made for you."
Mary's eyes looked up from the pouch and to her husband's. With a catch in her voice, she remarked, "You didn't have to."
His fingers played with the pouch's string. "I know, but I wanted to." Then he opened it and took out a ring. But not just any ring, a ring fit for the daughter of the King. She inhaled sharply at its sight.
A stunning rose gold and diamond cocktail ring sat in his hand. Each diamond fits the shape of the Tudor Rose. He took it and put it on the ring finger of her right hand. A few tears left her eyes, and her quiet, strangled voice spoke the brief words, "Thank you." She can't keep her moist eyes from admiring it.
Then Charles also spoke softly. "So you won't forget who you are. The daughter of a King and Queen."
She shook her head. With tears pooling in her eyes, she reminded him, "I may be the daughter of the King and once Queen of England. But I'm yours in every way that counts and matters."
Their foreheads touched again, and her hand caressed his cheek. Again they gave each other a peck. Then Charles exhaled a breath and pounded once on the carriage door. The coachman opened the door for His Highness, and he exited. Around to Mary's side, they went and opened the door for her.
Before she got out, she inhaled and exhaled a few times. Charles locked eyes with her and extended his hand. She took it, and he helped her down. Whispering in her ear, he suggested, "Smile, Darling. Everyone is watching us." Though nervous as a boisterous child in a china shop, an elegant smile graced her face. Sensing her unease, Charles held her hand. His thumb rubbed a series of soothing strokes on the top. The gentle back and forth motion provided the comfort that she needed.
Her eyes surveyed the surroundings and came to rest on her cousin, The Holy Roman Emperor. In the dead of summer, the man is wearing a white long-sleeve overcoat draped in fur. In Spain, it's noted that the hose is still popular instead of the breeches men wear in England. Mary prefers her husband's pants because the hose leave little to the imagination, even with the codpiece. It's unseemly.
Once the rest of their traveling party exited their carriages, the Prince and Princess of Wales led the way to the Royal Family. Lined up along the outside entrance of the palace, the Royal Family of Spain stood tall and proud. In front of the Emperor, Charles bowed, and Mary curtsied. It was, of course, flawless.
Emperor Charles V greeted his cousin and her husband. "Princess Mary and Prince Charles. Welcome to Madrid. We've been looking forward to your visit. Allow me to introduce my family." After kisses on the Princess's cheeks and a hardy handshake with the Prince, the Emperor introduced his family.
The introductions started with the man's eldest daughter, Infanta Maria, and continued through his other two children. Noticing Infanta Juana's wandering eyes, Mary did not care for the way the woman eyed her husband. She stood a little closer to Charles as they made their way to Infante Philip II. Ironically, His Highness did not like how Philip looked at Mary either. His hand retook hers because of it.
After the introductions, Infanta Maria reminded the Engish party of the arrival reception. "The arrival reception will be held this afternoon in the Campo del Moro Gardens. We look forward to introducing you to integral members of our court and more of your family, Mary. The Imperator and I hope you will have a restful afternoon until then. His Secretary will guide you to your rooms." She smiled a beautiful, kind smile and motioned for the Secretary, who bowed in her presence.
Mary thought the lady seemed elegant and charming, despite her stern-looking face. She heard through Chapuys that after her mother, Queen Isabella passed away, Maria took over the majority of the Queen's duties. Playing hostess and diplomat to envoys is one of them. Mary's respect for her grew ten times.
As the Royal Family took their leave, the Emperor's Secretary Francisco de Los Cobos, bowed to Charles and Mary. He showed the English party to their rooms with a lightness of foot and kindness of face. The Secretary started by giving them a brief tour of the Royal Palace, pointing out architectural details. A few of the things he showed them, with pride brimming from his face, are the Crown Room with the various crowns and Royal scepters on display. Each Lord and Lady in their party clambered to get a good look, even the Duke and Duchess of Somerset.
Next, he took them to the Royal Chapel and showed them the Royal Pharmacy. "I think you may find this helpful, Your Highnesses, with the children present. Infanta Maria wanted me to point this out, as she's empathetic and compassionate to the needs of children."
This made Mary smile as she thought about her sister, who is still puny from the voyage. From there, Secretary Los Cobos showed them the Grand Staircase. And boy, is it grand! The marble and the two carved lions gracing the landing put King Henry's staircases to shame. As the group ascended the stairs, the Secretary finally showed them to their rooms for the trip.
The Secretary's assistant led the noble Lords and Ladies to their rooms. Los Cobos showed the Prince and Princess to theirs, along with their personal retinue of Lady Paisley, Lady Agnes, and Charles's valet. It started with the children's chambers, which were light and airy. Bunches of toys filled the room, and all four children were thrilled at the sight. No sooner had they seen the toys than they wiggled free of Lady Agnes and Gwyn.
In a rather interesting turn, Lady Agnes's room adjoins the children's suite. Mary and Paisley thought this clever. Charles could see the wheels in his wife's brain working away. No doubt she's thinking of how to make a similar setup with their house in Wales.
Next came Lady Paisley's room, which was more space than she knew what to do with. She stated, "I thought my rooms in Hapus House were large, but this is gigantic." She then began checking everything over. The Secretary, Prince, and Princess left her to explore.
Finally, the older man directed Mary and Charles to the end of the hall. As they passed room after room, palace servants bowed or curtsied. Los Cobos explained, "These servants are yours for the stay of your trip. Her Highness Maria wants to extend all the courtesy of home to you, including some of the family's servants. Each of these outstanding ladies and gentlemen volunteered to be at your service."
Both the Prince and Princess shared a look of awe. Neither were prepared for such gracious hospitality. It left them grateful, and a bit humbled. But then the Secretary showed them their suite, and the wonder of hospitality continued. He opened the wooden door and guided them in. Mary's hand flew to her mouth.
Before them is a massive sitting room fully furnished with all the comforts of home. There are even trays of fresh fruit, cheese, and sliced meats. Along with that are pitchers of fine Spanish wine and fruited water that Mary is fond of drinking. Around the room are all sorts of grand details like the floor. The same ornate marble detailing on the downstairs floor is replicated in the room here. Covering the floor space is a humongous Persian rug in varying shades of yellow, blue, and red. Placed strategically on the walls are tapestries to add decoration. Not to mention there are gilded golden candelabras and sconces positioned around the room for light.
The Secretary smiled and stated, "I hope this meets your approval. It's one of the Infanta's favorite rooms in the palace. She chose it specifically on that basis."
Speaking on behalf of herself and Charles, Mary declared, "Truly, this is a gracious welcome and a magnificent room. Please tell the Infanta we are thankful for her kind thoughtfulness."
With a bow, Los Cobos began to exit. "I will forward your words to her and take my leave. Please rest, for tonight we feast, and you'll see a true Spanish welcome. Ask one of the servants if you need anything or call for me." The older gentleman left the couple alone.
The minute he exited the room, Mary turned to her husband. "Charles, I want a rug like this for our home. Actually, I want several rugs like this. It's massive! I didn't know they came in this size." Her eyes strained to see it all.
He laughed. "I knew you would want one the minute we stepped into this space. I could see your mind taking notes of things. Why don't we check out the bedroom while the servants continue to bring in our trunks."
Charles had to pull his wife away from staring at the rug to explore the bedroom. When he opened the door to it, he let out a gasp. Mary squeezed his bicep. The bedroom is equally as massive as the sitting room.
On the back wall stands a stately wooden mahogany four-poster bed, draped in bedcoverings of the best Spanish silks. The bed linens and comforter feature a beautiful large-scale frame design with golden embroidered accents. These accents complement the neutral soft sandy-colored background of a damask pattern. It's a mixture of classic designs with modern accents. The decorative pillows have beautifully coordinating trims with gold embroidery, beige, bronze stripes, and pleated texture. Both the mattress and pillows have down-feather fills. It's a marvel.
A row of floor-to-ceiling windows frames the room, off to the right. Eye-catching embroidered silk curtains hung over the windows and are pulled back by the tassels Mary claims to hate. The wood carved wardrobe, dresser, and chest of drawers are just as much of a masterpiece as the bed. And, of course, another enormous Persian rug covers the floor.
But then Mary discovered the bathroom. Just like their bathroom at Hapus House, there's indoor plumbing. It's a true feat itself for a palace this large. Even her father's palaces don't have indoor plumbing yet, only in the King's personal quarters. It's as Charles says, "What your father doesn't know won't hurt him."
However, this bathroom puts hers to shame at Hapus. It's just as immense as the other two rooms with marble everything- the floor and vanity cabinet. The room has something they do not have at home, "A sink, Charles! Look! They have a sink to wash your hands with. And gold fixtures with a large clawfoot tub." She went and sat in the tub with her dress on.
Smiling and shaking his head at his wife's antics, Charles stated, "I take it you want a sink now too?" He moved over to the tub and extended his hand to help her out of it.
She patted his face. "You know me so well. Yes, can we get one? I promise to be a very good girl."
He told her he'd think about it. Then the two reclined on the bed and napped before the reception and banquet.
They awoke just after four and began dressing for the reception. Mary had not meant to sleep so long, having intended to pick through Charles's clothes. Instead of getting herself dressed, she rummaged through his doublets, breeches, and overcoats. He needs two outfits for this afternoon and tonight. For the banquet, he would wear all black and gold. But this afternoon has to be different and lighter somehow. Then her eyes wandered to his cream-colored brocade doublet and maroon overcoat with golden burnished roses. It's perfect.
She called for Bruce and showed him the two outfits. She explained which to dress him in and for what event. Then she left to have Joan help her get ready. Joan held up a very daring dress. "Oh my! I had forgotten we packed this one. It's off-the-shoulders, and I already wear sleeveless. I don't want to shock the Spanish Court more than I already have in my yellow dress." But Joan insisted, and Mary admitted, "It is lovely. I'd hate for a good dress to go to waste."
So she wore the gauzy, off-the-shoulders, peach-colored dress. The Princess can also admit that the floral embellishments set the gown apart from others. In her hair sits a three-band pearl headpiece. It's made up of a row of large pearls at the back with two smaller rows of pearls at the front. On her wrist is a stack of diamond bracelets, diamond hoop earrings in her ears, and of course, her rings- wedding ring and the new Tudor Rose ring. The final touch is the sparkly crystal belt cinching her waist. Altogether she looks quite sophisticated and youthful.
She met Charles in the sitting room, where he stood fiddling with his riband. When his eyes beheld her, he sucked in a breath. He moved to stand in front of her. He said, taking her hand, "Turn around and let me see." Slowly she twirled, and he captured her lips in a kiss once she faced him again. A lot of ardent affection was felt behind it.
Before the kiss could get out of control, he broke away and placed one on her forehead. Then he whispered softly, "Please stay beside me."
Sensing her husband's unease, she held his hand. After placing a kiss to his knuckles, she told him, "There's no other place I'd rather be." They shared tender smiles and left the room, picking up Paisley on the way. The other members of the Royal party met them at the stair landing looking rested and fresh. Secretary Los Cobos met them there and escorted them to the gardens.
The Secretary pointed out other items of interest along the way. The group marveled at each one but stood still when they reached the outside area. Mary's mouth may have dropped open a wee bit. Before them spanned gardens the likes of which they've never seen. This is fascinating, considering they've all been privy to palace gardens in England. The only gardens that come close are those of Hampton Court Palace and still they may not be as large as this wonderland.
Los Cobos told the group, "Just wait until you see it from the ground looking up to the back of the palace." He led them to the bottom of the stairs and into the graces of the Royal Family. The Emperor and Infanta tended to the Prince and Princess. The other party members were left in the care of Juana and Philip.
The Infanta Maria saw Charles and Mary clutching each other's hands. Her soft face leaned in to whisper to them before the reception began. "I know you're both nervous, but try not to be. We're all family here." She placed a kiss on Mary's cheek.
Even though the Prince and Princess loosened up, they still didn't break from each other's side. Together they met Spanish Dukes, Duchesses, and many lords and ladies. They made smooth conversation and did not disgrace King Henry or England once.
Although Mary almost shamed her father because of her cousin Juana's wandering eyes. She's used to ladies noticing her husband. He's a handsome man. However, there's something devious about Juana. She senses it. The low-cut neckline on her dress adds suspicion to the girl. And to think, Mary's off-the-shoulder dress left her nerves a bundle of knots. No. Her own eyes will be on this woman from now on.
When the reception finished, they whisked away upstairs to make a quick change for the banquet feast. Together they braved that as well. All in all, the first day was a success, but the next day will tell the tale of the trip. For that's when Charles meets with the Emperor to discuss a new English alliance. He went to bed anxious about the meeting.