Son of Hope

Chapter One - House of Tudor

Henry and Hope Tudor had several children in their marriage. Arthur their first born was lost after 15 years which then left the line of succession with a little bit of a question mark. This was because after giving birth to Arthur, Hope had her twin boys Henry and Edward but it was unclear to everyone but Hope who was actually born first, not that she could be questioned now but we'll get to that. Arthur, Henry, Edward, Margaret, Mary, Betty and little Faith who had past along with her mother. Those were the Tudor children. Life had been pleasant and somewhat peaceful for the Tudors in their reign. But the walls came crashing down around them when death came knocking.

Arthur was the first to go. After catching the sweating sickness he did not survive and made a widow out of his barely a year bride Catherine of Aragon. Then came Hope and Faith. Mother and newborn daughter. This crippled King Henry, he sunk into a deep depression after the death of two of his children and his most beloved wife who became his strength and solace in every way. Though England mourned for their Princess turned Queen, life moved on as it always did. All except Henry and Edward.

Edward, more lovingly known as Ned was the fair headed of the eldest twins. Where Harry loved to cause trouble and was the prankster of the two. Ned took pleasure in simple things. That was not to say he didn't find his brother and Charles Brandon's antics funny, but he was never to usually start something. After the marriage of his older brother Ned began experiencing the sight, something that caught his mother off guard since the females of their line were the ones usually blessed with such a gift or curse depending how you look at it. The visions had turned into nightmares and since his mothers death and he had barely gotten a decent night's sleep.

He walked about the halls and into the gardens barefoot and only wearing his trousers and tunic before sitting himself down on a bench and sighing. Near on a month this had been going on and he was near insanity. the nightmares of what could happen on repeat.

"When I first noticed you walk about the grounds, you had me at curious." Ned's head snapped to the left seeing the outline of a figure coming closer "Now it is concerning." the figure turned out to be Catherine.

"Why do you walk about bare foot in the middle of the night?" she questioned bluntly "Is this some English custom?" Ned chuckled for the first time since his mothers death.

"No." he answered "Quite the opposite, it could be seen as grounds for insanity. Especially these days." he turned away

"Then why do it?" Ned glanced back and his head tilted slightly

"Why so curious? Out of the duo I know your attention is more directed to my brother." Catherine went to respond "There is no point in denying it, you two are hardly subtly. You haven't been since you found out it was Harry who sent you those letters and not Arthur." Catherine clutched her hands together in front of her.

"People forget that i've known my brother a lot longer than anyone in my family. The way he acts around you and you him...." he trailed off standing up "May I ask a question of my own?" he wondered

"You may?"

"Do you have a fascination with heirs to the English throne or is it your natural charisma?" he clicked his tongue.

"How dare..."

"Because if you do have some thing for the heir then I suggest you bide your time till father makes his decision." he cut her off "The obvious statement that Harry and I are twins is well... obvious. But what no one knew apart from our mother was who was the eldest. She gave birth with those you would expect but she never declared which was which. She sought not reason too since Arthur was expected to be King. he was the first born clear as day. Many assume its Harry, even Harry assumes that it is him mainly because he struts around acting the part even compared to my late brother the mistake would be easy to make. But no one is quite sure. So now there is no Arthur or mother to confirm who out of the two of us was born first. Papa must eventually make the decision. Just so you know." The toll of his nightmares had made him more snappy and a little bit of a asshole.

"Are you always this cruel? I was told you are the more gentle brother."

"Well, one is expected to be snappy when one can't get a decent night sleep since the death of one's most beloved mother. That is why I'm out here and that is why I am just as blunt as you at this early hour. Now i shall bid you good night." Ned stumbled past his former sister in law and back to his own chamber trying to rest once more.

-----

The next day Ned went to see his Aunt Elizabeth, who watched on with Alexander as the children played amongst themselves.

"Aunt Elizabeth." Ned bowed his head "Uncle Alexander." Elizabeth smiled sweetly towards her nephew.

"Sweetest nephew." she chimed but then saw that he did not look as he always did growing up. "You look terrible, whatever is the matter." he tone turned to one of concern

"Why must something be the matter my love?" Alexander questioned his wife.

"Because i have watched my nephew grown more than our own babes. You look exhausted. Are you sleeping you look as if you haven't" she took his face in her hands and then Ned took her hands

"I wish to speak with you dearest Aunt...alone if possible." Elizabeth glance back to her husband who nodded and went to join his children. Ned and Elizabeth walked away from the squeals of delight.

"What troubles you my dear nephew?" Elizabeth questioned

"Did mother tell you anything about me before she passed away?" Ned wondered as the two walked through the palace gardens "About how the two of us more alike that she first presumed." Elizabeth sighed

"She did tell me that you had the sight, yes." Elizabeth nodded. "There was not much that I didn't know about my sister. When she kept a secret, it was for a reason which I never questioned her on. Is that why you look so tired? You've been having visions?"

"The visions have turned into nightmares." He admitted "When I had my first, things were blurry and unclear. Now they plague me demanding that I do something but I don't know what." Elizabeth stopped her nephew mid walk.

"What do you see?" she questioned and Ned took a deep breath.

"I saw fathers grieving due to mothers death. I saw Catherine on the throne of England with Harry beside her. There was light and a joy to it but it quickly turned dark and fearful. Harry..." he trailed off not wanting to speak ill of his twin brother

"Tell me."

"Harry's life doomed to illness and failure, it was like something in him and his marriage to Catherine is cursed. He tries to rid himself of it but it is already been rooted deeply. The Tudor line will not last through him. There is so much pain and death, Lizzie if you could see it...." he choked up "If Harry becomes King we lose everything." Elizabeth saw the unfiltered and pure fear in his eyes.

"Edward."

"Lizzie, what do I do? He's my twin brother and he loves Catherine. He's willing to fight for her like father did with mother. But if does....if he does our family will not survive it. He will destroy us trying to obtain that which is curse to avoid him." Elizabeth took Edwards hands in hers and clutched them tight."

"Edward listen to me. The gift you have, it is a fickle thing. But one thing I have learnt from both my parents and my sister is that you have it for a reason. Melusina chose you because she believes you have the grit and the power to hear the message to her calling. She spoke to my father, about your mother and she spoke to your mother about her fate. Now she speaks to you, but you have to be willing to listen. You have to be willing to let her guide you. Only then will the nightmares stop, Edward, only then will you find peace and resolution." she reached up and kissed his head.