Ashes of the Past

A New Crown

───── ❝ Chapter Nineteen ❞ ─────

As the wedding of King Henry and Jane Seymour approached, the castle was filled with mixed emotions. Some welcomed the prospect of a new queen with good morals, while others silently cursed the up-and-coming queen. Although he was to be married to her, Henry visited Jane far less frequently than he had visited Eleanor. When he did, his eyes were cold and calculating. He never kissed her, held her hand, or expressed his emotions to her. Instead, he would talk to her briefly about the wedding or trips they would attend after their marriage. Subtly hinting to her that he wanted her to make a connection with the English people.

Jane had yet to fully grasp these hints. With only a month left until the wedding, Edward Seymour finally returned to the English court, with Mary walking beside him. People began to realize the change: a bastard daughter walking in step, not behind, a duke. This new normal was unsettling to those accustomed to seeing Mary hidden and trailing behind. England was not prepared for this shift.

As Edward and Mary entered the throne room, the crowd gasped. Gone were the traditional English corseted dress and the Tudor masculine attire. Mary's dress evoked the look of armor, with chains creating pieces that dangled from the dress and formed the collar. Jeweled metal shoulder plates adorned her blue mesh sleeves, which also had metal pieces at the wrists. The bodice featured a metal plate that molded to her breasts and waist. A light tan skirt, with a thin blue mesh overlay adorned with metal vine designs, is attached to the bottom of the bodice. Blue mesh strips extended from behind her shoulders, looping around her ring fingers, causing the fabric to flow elegantly with her movements.

Edward's attire echoed the English court look but with a distinctive twist. He wore black pants and tall boots, paired with a white undershirt, a black button-up vest, and a black overcoat embellished with a gold leaf pattern along the inner edge and cuffs. The minimalist style stood out, marking a significant departure from the usual courtly attire.

They walked arm in arm to the edge of the dais, as they walked they stayed at the same stride and walked consistently on the same foot almost as if it had been practiced from birth. Then once they stopped instead of bowing right away to Henry, they turned to face each other; bowing first to each other. Maintaining unwavering eye contact, Edward brought Mary's hand to his lips. His kiss lingered a silent declaration. As his lips brushed the ring on her finger, the murmurs in the crowd grew louder. Gasps of recognition rippled through the room. The ring's opulent design and unmistakable grandeur marked it as the lost heirloom of the Russian Empire. Mary was no longer merely the King's bastard daughter; she now wielded the influence of an entire nation and its army.

After another moment, Edward removed his lips from the ring and took her hand, turning them to face Henry before bowing. "Your Majesty, it is good to be back in England," Edward said.

Henry rose from his throne. "Indeed. England has missed your counsel. Let us celebrate."

"Of course, Your Majesty. The Empress, Princess, and I congratulate you and your soon-to-be wife, may you be blessed with sons for the Tudor crown!"

The court cheered at his statement, but Henry raised a hand for silence. "The Princess? Surely you are aware of the past years of debates about my daughter's status."

Edward turned to Mary smiling, "In simplest terms, Your Majesty, the title Princess or Duchess is part of the royal family. The title Princess means she is high up in the hierarchy and not always next in line for the crown. Although I am sure you have noticed the heir ring on her finger. Duchess on the other hand is the status given to the Empress's ladies in waiting such as Lady Galina. She is the widow of the Duke of Estrerteira. Simply it means a close confidant to the Empress."