❝ Tell me losing everything is what saved you,
Tell me you finally tasted freedom.
Can you even imagine yourself in paradise?
Even the daughter of gods must know loneliness, must sometimes want nothing more than to be trapped in a hell of forevers...
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Alhambra Palace, Granada, Castile
Henry and Lily watched as a group of Spanish nobles made their way towards them in front of the castle.
"King Henry. Queen Cecily. I am Rodrigo de Puebla," the man introduced himself in a slightly broken English, bowing to the foreign monarchs. "Welcome to the Alhambra."
Lily smiled politely at the man, before they followed him inside. After a few confusing turns, they reached the Great Hall and Rodrigo bowed to the King and Queen, who were sitting on their thrones which were hidden behind a curtain.
"Your Graces," Rodrigo called out to Henry and Lily. "Infanta Catalina."
Lily's eyes widened, watching as a group of people began to clap in sync as a girl no older than Arthur made her way through the crowd to stand in the front.
As the courtiers performed a choreography, little Catalina ran around and between them.
The dance soon ended and Catherine fell to her knees, her arms extended outwards as the others left.
Lily and Henry turned to look at each other, both of them smiling.
With that, Catherine turned on her heel and walked out of the room while Rodrigo stepped forward. "Your Graces. I present Queen Isabella of Castile and King Fernando of Aragon. Protectors of the Catholic Faith. Our country's beloved mother and father."
Slowly, the curtain was pulled back, revealing Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.
"Your Graces," he gestured toward Lily and Henry, slowly stepping back so the four monarchs could speak. "I present King Henry VII of England and his Queen, Cecily of York."
Henry smiled politely as he inclined his head while Lily maintained as emotionless expression as she lowered herself into a small curtsy.
"Thank you for the wonderful dance. We are most charmed by your daughter. We are honored to visit your most beautiful palace," Henry spoke up and Lily sighed. Her husband had not grown up in a royal court and that resulted in him either being too blunt or failing at flattering others.
"It has long been our wish to form an alliance between our two great nations with the marriage of our son and heir, Prince Arthur, and Infanta Catherine," Henry spoke again after an awkward pause.
"Hablemos castellano," Queen Isabella suddenly snapped at Henry in Spanish, causing him to frown since he didn't know the language. Let us speak in Spanish.
Rodrigo sighed, wasting no time stepping forward with an uneasy look on his face. "Su Exelencia, el rey solo habla ingles, frances y flamenco." Your Highness, the King only speaks English, French and Flemish.
"You saw our daughter, Catalina," Isabella spoke up in English in a calm tone, glancing between Henry and Lily. "She is beautiful and rich. Daughter to the mightiest land in Europe."
