Like Fire and Powder (Violent Delights Book 18)

Chapter 5: the engagement according to Elizabeth York and Henry Tudor

York

"Fuck Henry Tudor. You think a pretty York girl can't climb? Fuck you," I spent too much time in my father's court I curse like a sailor, Richard never let us curse so this is freeing. I'm currently halfway out my window. Not the first time us girls have been separated. I grew up hidden away in towers. And abby's. And then locked up with tutors day and night. One minute these bastards were deposing us. The next I was the eldest child and my father was saying the crown might have to go to me. So. Then I was locked up getting even more training to be perfect. Well I am perfect.
"I'm the perfect princess. And I can also climb up a bloody wall," I say, hauling myself onto the next window sill. Cecily knows me, she had the window open.
"They could kill us, Lizzie!" She cries, helping haul me in.
"I'll go back in a bit. I don't care. They can't know what they're up against," I say, as she  tugs me into bed. My bare feet are cold.
"We're two floors up you're mad!"
"It's a mad world," I say, crawling in next to her. She pulls the sheets over our heads.
"Well?" She asks.
"Well what?"
"What did you think your husband?" She asks.
"He's ugly. And old," I say, "You saw him as well."
"At least he was decent and asked after the journey. It could have been worse," Cecily points out.
"Yes, sister, it could have been worse Jasper Tudor could have had our throats cut," I say.
"He was terrifying wasn't he? Might as well have been made of stone, his eyes looked like a snake or something," Cecily says.
"I think that might be an insult to god's noble serpents."
"What are we going to do?" Cecily asks.
"I'm going to marry Henry," I say, quietly.
"You are?"
"Yes, because if I don't they'll make you. Or Mary or one of the little ones. Some other little girl. I'm not afraid of him. I can bear him. Perhaps this is god's plan. I am taller than him. I'll bear his ugliness, myself," I say, holding her hand.
"I don't want you to married to him. He was coughing he's probably got diseases."
"Well he might. He might not be able to have children he's so sickly," I point out.
"I want to marry someone I really love," Cecily says, "Like in a fairy tale. I know it's stupid. But it's what I want."
"I don't think about falling in love. We don't get to we're princesses. We just hope he's not too awful," I say, "And it so happens he is too awful. And I'll have to go on with it anyway."
"Why must we be beautiful and perfect and they get to be absolutely disgusting?"
"Because the entire exercise was their idea they want us pretty for them. So I'm the prettiest girl in england. And I'll marry him, and one day I'll be free. Because I'll die," I say.
"Don't do it. Don't marry him."
"Cece. I'm going to marry him."

Tudor

"I'm not even going to marry her. I'm king no one can make me," I say, taking a long drink of ale.
"Henry, she's the prettiest girl in England what exactly are you looking for, mate?" Roland asks, leaning on the back of a sofa. We're simulating being in a tavern in Brittany or Wales, using ale, and my fine rooms at Windsor.
"Something better? Nothing? I don't just want her it's the rest of my life she's—pouting. And tall, she's very tall," I say.
"You're—not tall."
"I had noticed, thank you," I sneeze, "Damn this smoke. These fires are terrible. She hated me I could tell. Probably have tall pouting children. She was all simpering in responses as well."
"Yeah she's a royal. Noble folk are all like that. You're forgetting you're fancy people now," Roland says.
"I want to be different. I want this rule to be different. England—deserves better. It's what my uncle was trying to do, educate the people. Stabilize the economy make things right. For all of us. So why should I have some pretty bird on my arm. Isn't that contradictory? You know isn't it some sort of betrayal? I should marry a commoner. That's what I should do," I say, taking another long drink.
"Oh my god. Is this all because you want to fall madly in love with some girl and marry her and since you didn't fall in love with her at first sight you've gone off it?" Roland asks.
"No," I say. He's completely right.
"I'm completely right. You wanted to fall in love with her."
"Is that so wrong?" I ask, "I have to spend the rest of my life—associating with this person."
"You can take a lover."
"Have you looked at me recently?"
"Yeah, I have but you're king I'm curbing those smart remarks," Roland says.
"Hm, well stop. That's the point we're two mates in a pub and you don't know me. And I'm saying the girl I'm supposed to marry is plain, and you're giving me advice."
"She's not plain."
"All right she's pretty but she knows it too much. She's arrogant. I can tell," I say, sullen.
"Oh my god you fancy her because she glared at you and got in some sort of punch up before meeting you."
"No. That is completely ridiculous why would you say that?"