Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors.

Chapter Fifty-Four: Royal Connection.

2nd of May 1534 - Hampton Court Palace

"May I present my aunt, Lucrezia de' Medici and her son, Lorenzo Salviati," Clarice stated with a smile, it had been a few days since she had arrived and after resting a little had been more than ready to meet the King of England. The older woman had completely refused to discuss why she had come to England, insisting on speaking only with the King on such matters before anything else could be said or done.

"Your Majesty, it is an honour to meet our most royal cousin," Lucrezia de' Medici greeted with a bow of her head to the King, a smile gracing her lips knowing that she would be most welcomed here at the English court. The King did not have much in the way of family anymore, if she recalled correctly then his parents had both passed on as had his favourite sister while he was not close to the remaining one.

Any other relatives he had were potential threat to his throne and Lucrezia was not a fool, her family could claim no such thing and while her trip here was more to do with Ippolito, it would not hurt for her to make sure that Clarice was more secure in her position. The confused look on King Henry's face only sealed her decision, she smiled pleasantly knowing that such knowledge might have been lost here in England but it had not been lost to the Medici family.

"We are both descended from King John are we not? I believe we are also related through your great grandmother Jacquetta of Luxembourg, she had an Orsini grandmother just as my mother was," Lucrezia explained calmly, she did not been to look behind her to no such revelations would unsettle some. It most certainly improved the market for any children that Clarice and Ippolito had, who would not wish to marry those with a royal pedigree and connections to the English throne.

Thomas Boleyn stared at the woman taking in her words, his eyes slowly drifting to Clarice knowing that they had certainly done well to marry her to George. He had been most sure that from nothing more than a banking family, he had not really cared for her connection to the French King since it was of little use for them here in England when he had taken her title from her.

"Then I am most pleased at my newfound family, it is a great honour to welcome you and yours to my court," Henry boasted thrilled at such revelations, for the longest time he had found himself rather alone without his family. He may have his wife and children but that was not the same as having family of his own, he had so little in the way of cousins that he may trust without them grasping power while he had lost all his siblings but Margaret. His elder sister lived in Scotland and the two of them had never really gotten along, the fact that he may have others to turn to delighted him greatly.

"We shall also forget that your grandfather borrowed quite a bit of money from our bank here in London," Lucrezia added knowing that it had been part of the reason that the London branch of the Medici bank had failed. With total losses of 51,533 gold florins, the bank had gone into liquidation and it had been the beginning of the end for the bank that had been started by great, great, great grandfather.

"What brings you to England cousin?" Henry asked with a grateful bow of his head, neither he nor his father had been inclined to repay the debts that had been built up by the York Kings. It matter not to him that they might be family, he would admit no fault and just be thankful that such a debt did not lay at his feet; he sat back in his throne at ease with his decision.

"I have a proposition that might please you, Your Majesty," Lucrezia mused simply, her eyes moving from the King so that she might admire the Queen that he had chosen for himself. They were kin now because of Clarice's marriage and no doubt would be made that she was preferable in this situation to the traitor Queen; there would be no doubts that Queen Anne was loyal to the English throne. Through her, her children would inherit English blood and a fresh injection of that was needed; one could only hope that she was more prepared for her throne than the Woodville Queen had been.

"You intend with the help of the French King to install my nephew and his wife as the Rulers of Florence, the Duke and Duchess of Florence. I am here to aid you with such things," Lucrezia stated her intentions, she would have no regrets about this and the issue could not be one that they would forget. After everything that had happened, Lucrezia had no doubts that she did the right thing this day; she would make sure that her beloved Florence would have a ruler that it deserve.

"Alessandro has no right to his position, it was gifted to him by His Holiness and in doing so it was removed from its rightful heir," Lucrezia continued after a pause, she stared up at the King knowing he would understand. It would not do for anyone to think they could mess with a line of succession, if the Pope thought he was above such things then what would stop others thinking they could place whoever they liked on the throne.

"When my family was cast out of Florence, it was not my brother Piero or his son that returned us home; it was Giovanni and when he became Pope Leo X, he left it our brother," Lucrezia murmured softly, she was the last of her siblings who had all been reunited with their parents by now. Only she remained and she wondered what sort of welcome she would get, she longed for her parents embrace but first she had to make right the wrongs that had been made.

"My dearly departed brother would be rolling in his grave if he could see what our cousin had done to his children. It is my wish to set things right," Lucrezia declared with a shake of her head, he had taken everything from them and gifted it to others that were unworthy of such things. When he had died, he could have at least been sure that his children would have been well cared for; Giuliano would have never imagined that everything that he had left for them would be stolen by a man he thought of as a brother.

"His rule is harsh, depraved, and incompetent, the people hate him and have overthrown him once already. He rules now because the Emperor allows it," Lucrezia explained knowing that if they wished to save the Medici legacy then they would have to deal with Alessandro. Everything that her family had worked for would be destroyed because of Giulio and his actions, his decision to take Ippolito's birth right and gift it to another was just the beginning.

Listening to what Lucrezia had to say, Henry sat silently on his throne knowing that it was almost too good to be true; they already had plans to install Mary and Ippolito in Florence and any help that they could have in doing so was welcome. Removing Mary from England was important and he had no doubts that if she remained then she would be used as a figure head to oppose her brother when Henry passed on.

"My family and that of my dearly departed sister are willing to back Ippolito's claim, the House of Medici shall be united again," Lucrezia insisted, she had already spoken to Maddalena's children and they had assured her of their support. Lorenzo Cybo, the Duke of Ferentillo and Caterina Cybo, Duchess of Camerino were most eager to see an end to Alessandro's rule and his riotous escapades along with their cousin, Lorenzino. The main branch of the Medici tree was already running thin and if it was not for Ippolito's fine match with the daughter of a King then Lucrezia would have feared the Medici family as she knew it would die out and the junior branch would take over.

"What do you seek in return?" King Henry asked knowing that restoring peace and the rightful order of things were not the only things that occupied Lucrezia's mind. He could not see what was in it for her, her family had nothing to gain if she installed his daughter and her husband as rulers of Florence.

Lucrezia was silent, she knew what needed to be done and she was certain of her path even if there were those who did not agree with her course and turning away from the Emperor. The whispers of madness that ran down the Habsburg line were hard to ignore, even Lucrezia knew that having two women accused of such things and locked up spelled disaster for the Emperor.

News that King Francis now sought to have himself divorced from his Habsburg wife was spreading through Europe and Lucrezia intended for the Medici to be on the winning side of such things. England and France were aligning against the Emperor, no man would risk marrying a Habsburg bride in fear of the madness that might be passed to children. A new world was starting to developing and Lucrezia would not see her family washed away as it developed around them.

Highly recommend Athenais Penelope Clemence's story, Chained by Love and War as well as the short prequel An Enchanting Dance in Calais by Countess of Sherwood. I also recommend For Even as Love Crowns You by wizardfantasy and Sanctuary by Cattyfan.

Please Review, Favourite and Follow x