An Endless Supply Of Rubies

The Definition of Love I

Fanfic: An Endless Supply of Rubies Ch 10, Tudors | FanFiction

A/N: A History Lesson – Among royal families and nobility, families started to plan marriages from a very early age. Some marriages were planned before a child was even able to talk. During the courtship period between betrothal and marriage, it was vital that both parties gave consent to the marriage. Otherwise, the marriage would be declared invalid.

July 1535

Marriage for Elizabeth was on the forefront of Henry's mind. He had arranged Amelia's marriage to Hans when she was about Elizabeth's age, and Mary's to the Dauphin (although the engagement was later broken) as well. It made sense to begin to look for someone for Elizabeth to marry, someone who would one day rule after his death.

Enter the French ambassador. Henry knew that his relationship with the French had been rocky at best, but Anne had been a beloved figure at French court, and held many strong ties. He believed that Anne's child would without a doubt be accepted by the French as a true heir to the throne.

He turned to face the portly man, a smile on his face. "Exellency," Henry greeted warmly.

"Your Majesty wanted to see me?" the ambassador asked with a bow.

"I wanted to ask after my brother, the King," Henry replied, trying to make conversation.

"His Majesty is very well, except for his hatred of the Emperor, which is like a disease."

The King smiled. This was a good sign, a very good sign indeed. "So he still wants our friendship?" he implored.

"Mon dieu!" the ambassador replied. "He loves you above all the princes in the world."

Henry stepped closer. "Then make to him this proposal," Henry said, his voice lower, "that his son, Charles, Duke of Angouleme, should be betrothed to our beloved daughter, Elizabeth."

The ambassador's eyes widened, and he simply bowed and exited. Henry inhaled sharply. The lack of response was not a good sign. It was not a very good sign at all.

Over the past few months, Amelia had stayed busy. Charles had remained at court, unable to move back to Westhorpe with his wife because of his station. Because they weren't able to see one another, they wrote frequently. Charles told her of Mary Boleyn, the executions of Fisher and More, the Queen's rumored miscarriage, and the marriage of George Boleyn. Amelia responded with news of John and Constance (who the King had decided to send to Suffolk with Amelia), as well as stories of the garden she had started, volumes she had purchased for the library, and the stitching she had been doing. She even wrote about how she had celebrated her eighteenth birthday.

Henry decided, following advice from Cromwell, that he needed his daughter back at court in order to promote his supremacy and the new English church. If Amelia, the daughter of the aunt of the Holy Roman Emperor, could support her father's supremacy in public, then what would stop his subjects from giving their support as well? In July, shortly before Cromwell's play opened, Henry called his daughter back. The move had its risks, he knew, but he vowed to place extra guards on her and her son.

Amelia both welcomed and dreaded the return. She missed her husband deeply, and knew that John missed both his father and grandfather. It would be nice to be back at court and surrounded by her family. On the other hand, she had developed a great love for the quaint charms and quiet atmosphere of Suffolk. Amelia also feared for the life of her son, and vowed that she would never leave him alone until the still-unknown assassin was captured.

This led Amelia to one of the courtyards of the palace on a bright July day, standing next to her husband. She had arrived only hours ago, and spent most of the morning with her father, who had been filling her in with all of the details of court that she had missed. John had sat on his knee the entire time, just as Amelia had done when she was his age.