Glory in Our Defiance • Zarry

28. - The Unknown

(all the dialogue is spoken in French unless Zayn and Harry are talking to each other or other English people, I just didn't translate it so the reading was easier :) )

March 1486 - Chateau d'Amboise, France

Arriving at the French Royal court seems less grand than gracing the gates of Windsor and taking your carriage along the miles-long path leading to the castle gates. This chateau is pretty, not fortified in a visible way and clearly not meant to be a fortress.

To be honest, Harry doesn't really care, he's just tired and wants to sleep. It's the very, very early morning and they've arrived earlier than expected. With the sun barely poking out of the horizon, Harry's certain the King nor the Queen will be waiting for them to welcome them as it is fit with other royals. It's not like he will be mortally offended. He doesn't even feel like seeing the King now.

After the draining visit at the Scottish court in Edinburgh, Harry wished they had the foresight to plan a little vacation before throwing themselves into another royal visit. England is safe in Melisende's hands, along with their trusted Privy Council. There's nothing to be worried about since their throne is safe and to their knowledge, no one's planning a war against them. They're like saints, really.

As expected, they're greeted by some maids and servants, along with a few courtiers and ushered to their rooms for the duration of their stay, excusing the King and Queen because they had other matters to attend to. Harry was honestly too sleep deprived to pay attention to what was said on their way through the chateau's long hallways.

They sleep for a few hours, the blissful ignorance in the dream realm being cut short by Peter, Harry's squire who knocks on the door and wakes them up, maids at his feet, saying the King will want to see them today and they can't be sleeping all day.

"For fuck's sake, we're Kings too," Zayn complains as he finally gets out of bed, long minutes after Harry. "Just because this is his court doesn't mean he can treat us like some peasants. God, if my Mother wasn't French I would've had a nasty word with the King but then she would have a rather nasty word with me and no self-respecting person wants that."

"Aren't you joy in the mornings, my love?" Harry chuckles. "We should be nice because as far as the stories go, King Pierre is like a petulant child and we don't want to wage a war with the said petulant child just because we adopted his attitude."

Zayn goes to the washroom with an eye roll, really slacking since Harry's already fully dressed. He decides to start writing a letter home while he waits around for breakfast, getting down at least the basics about them getting to court safe. He'll need to actually meet the royal couple to say anything more.

Some minutes later, there's a knock on the door, a French voice saying "Breakfast, Your Highness.". A slight maid comes in with two more servants, carrying trays and a trolley with additional sweets and pastries. They start laying it all down on the table in the sitting part of the spacious chamber, covering every available surface. It seems like the King doesn't want to be seen as frugal.

"Thank you," Harry says in French. "Has anyone told you when the King wants to greet us properly?"

"No, Your Highness," the maid replies. "Perhaps in the afternoon. The Queen will not grace you with her presence, unfortunately. And the King is very busy also."

"Why?" Harry asks curiously.

"She delivered a son this morning," the maid smiles, straightening her apron. "Did you not know?"

Harry swallows empty, trying not to let the words affect him. "No. We weren't told anything about this."

"Oh, I apologize, Your Highness," the maid flushes. "We all hope you will be around for the celebration of Prince Amaury. It is a very joyful time at court. He is the King's firstborn and already a boy."