𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐓

𝟐𝟒 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟗

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Six year old Alice has been a runner the moment she learned how to walk. She was always giving her care takers and siblings a run for their money, trying to search for her in their huge palace. Another thing about Alice, was that she was also incredible at hiding. On this day in particular, it came to good use, for her at least.

Henry was searching all over for his little sister, knowing he wouldn't be able to get through today without her bright, shining face front and center. Alice was his encouragement, one of the reasons he was ready to fufil his given right to become the King of England. He couldn't understand why today of all days, she would hide from him.

He stopped and thought for a moment before looking out at the window. It was a rainy day, so he was able to see the little foot prints in the mud that lead into the woods. It was then when he perked up and immediately ran outside, not caring about the state of his clothes. The crowd would just have to wait.

He finally found her inside of the little treehouse he had built for just the two of them, crying just like the sky was. He slowly climbed up the ladder in confusion, before crouching down and sitting next to her.

"My sweet Alice, what is upsetting you?"

She sniffled and buried her head into his chest, appearing to just cry even harder. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her and held onto his little sister, giving her a moment to calm down before he tried to talk to her again.

After a few minutes, she sat up and looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Please don't make me marry and send me far away."

Raising an eyebrow, he tilted his head to the side.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Well," she began and looked back down at her hands, "you're the king now. Kings make their sisters get married to other kings in other countries. That's what Minister Dudley told me."

Henry contained his anger, as he never really liked his father's minister and held her closer.

"Alice, I promise I will never force marriage on you. You will marry for love, a good man of your choosing. He doesn't have to be a king."

She held out her pinky, which he immediately hooked his with hers and gave their hands a small kiss. In all reality, he didn't have the heart to send his favorite little sister away.

Alice jumped up in horror and began to panic.

"You have to get to your coronation! Oh, our clothes are ruined!"

He laughed and helped her get down the ladder.

"The crowd waits for me, sweet Alice."

And so they ran back to the palace, barely making it in time to get to the church. Of course, everyone was questioning their disheveled appearance, but no one would dare ask the new, young king about it. Everyone in court knew better than to question him, especially when it came to Alice.

Sat between his two best friends, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk; and Marcus Jones, 1st Duke of Norfolk, he looked back at his smiling Alice, vowing in his head that along with protecting England, he would always protect her and her innocence. He vowed that anyone who hurt her or made her cry, would pay. No one was good enough for her, he decided, not even the king of a random country.

No one questioned Mr. Dudley's sudden arrest and execution two days later. If anything, it just set the rule further into stone: Do not mess with his Alice, ever.