Son of Hope

Chapter Fourteen - The King is Dead...

Upon our arrival back to the palace. The council and the servants poured out. Stafford lead them as they bowed their head.

"Long live the king." He declared and the others followed then they bent the knee.

"Banners will be lowered to half station for my father. Do it now." the banner men did as I ordered. I dismounted and and then helped Catherine down. I took her hand in mine "Princess Catherine of Aragon is to be your Queen. Be sure it is known, Stafford." He gave a curt nod and I escorted Catherine inside

"If it pleases your Grace, I ask that Lady Pole and her children will be released from the tower. They are loyal to you." she requested

"Of all the things to ask me on our engagement Catherine. You ask me this? If my father had them arrested there must have been a reason. One I'm sure that my mother saw coming years ago. We will hear mass for his soul and then we will announce our wedding." I kiss her head and we entered the chapel our hands separating. My Aunt Elizabeth was here with my Uncle and cousins. They stood behind my sisters and one the other side members of the clergy. They knelt as we entered and I bent the knee before my departed father. For a moment I stayed before standing once more and stepping up to him.

"You are with mother now." I whisper "Tell her I will keep my promise." then I leant down and kissed his head before turning and everyone rose back to their feet.

"Your Grace." Boleyn addressed me "this is a time of great sadness but you should know of an unseemly justice that was made as you rode to London."

"Edmund Dudly was engaged to collect additional levies for the crown." Wolsey added and then proceeded to tell me what had happened while I was on my way here.

"This can't be true, Our grandmother? She wouldn't. " Harry denied

"Brother you know as well as I that this is not beneath our grandmother. You've heard the same stories as I and witnessed a few to boot." everything went quite as i noticed her enter "Lady Grandmother." I parted and stood in the middle of the chapel. She and Stafford bowed to me.

"Your Grace, God preserve you. Your father has ascended into heaven, and you to your rightful throne." I hummed staring at her but toying with my familial ring. "We should talk in private."

"I am in vigil at my fathers side." her eyes drifted behind me

"Princess Eleanor and Princess Isabella have been summoned" she declared coming further to me

"Splendid. She can attend my wedding to her Aunt, the Princess Catherine." I held out my hand for her to take which she did.

"Edward, my dear. you're in shock, and your grieving, but you pledged to your father that you would marry Princess Eleanor for the good of England. Besides she is in love with your brother."

"My future Queen and my brother once share feelings for one another, that is true. But with his blessing she has chosen me and I here, isn't that right brother."

"Yes, it is." Harry agreed

"Tell me Lady Grandmother. Was it grief that lead you to arrest, try and execute Edmund Dudley all in one day? No wait, my mistake, he didn't have a trial." I scoffed in front of her.

"Your father learned that Edmund Dudley had been implementing taxes that were not agreed by parliament, and he gave the order to arrest him." i covered my face.

"Your lies know no end do they Grandmother? I begin to think now that you were raised to do such. To get what you want and in self preservation. You cannot and will not pull the wool over my eyes like you did with my father. You forget, Lady Grandmother that I am my mothers son and I can see the truth that has been told. My father was already dead. You had him arrested and then you had him silenced before my return. As always the moment the throne even shows a hint of weakness you take it upon yourself to grab that power and call it a regency. Always in such haste Lady Grandmother."

"Edward please." Catherine put her other hand on mine diverting my attention for a moment "Be with your father now." I turned and walked to my father but stopped and looked back.

"What was cousin Maggie's crime?" I question

"Well, she...she was a traitor to the crown. She wrote to Edmund de la Pole to ask him...."

"He is her cousin." Catherine interjected "You took away all hope from her. Her husband dead, her children starving can you be surprised that she was angry." Catherine calmly fumed at her

"If you had your way you would have crushed me, too." Catherine then turned to me "Lady Pole would never harm you, Edward. She has been a friend to me and to you too." she insisted

"She's a traitor." Lady Grandmother insisted

"Please release her and her children. If nothing else, make this your wedding gift to me." Catherine continued and I turned my attention from my grandmother to my future wife.

"You cannot marry, not without papal disposition, and the Pope has not seen fit to grant one for this marriage." the two of them continued to battle it out in front of me

"He has refused? or is he still deciding?" i took Catherine and made her turn to me

"You understand what you ask of me? You know my feelings towards her."

"I do. And Edward if we are to truly have peace we must make friends, not enemies. Do not begin your reign on fear of the past and what could happen." I thought about it for a moment.

"Send a pardon to the Tower for Lady Margaret Pole and her children with my seal on it. Then bring her here to me with haste." I declare

"I will take it to her. Thank you, your grace." Catherine bowed her head

"I hope you know what you're doing." I whisper to my future bride then turn and go back to mourning. Those who were not my family left, Harry, Mary and Betty joined my side.

"What happens now Edward?" Betty wondered clutching onto my hand

"Now we wish our father well as he returns to our mother. The two of them reunited in heaven. Then the wolves descend and I must tame them." I tell her and then turn to Aunt Lizzie. "Thank you for returning."

"My family and I will always be there for you." she assured me

"Of that I am glad, but you have too long been in service. Be with your family, enjoy them as much as possible. You have earnt it." I kissed her cheek and greeted the others. Then a hour later Catherine returned with Maggie Pole.

"Leave us." I declared and the bowed before doing so "You too, Catherine." she looked to Maggie and curtsied

"Your grace." she left and it was the two of us with father behind me. We stood in silence for a short while.

"Your Grace I...."

"No." she became quiet. and I walked down the steps to her "Mother told me what happened all those years ago. She confided in me after she had her argument with you, the one where I had to escort her away. She told me that she had tried to play a slight of hand with the Spanish, the pretender was not really the pretender and she had to choose between her sons and her brother she chose her sons. She chose the path my grandfather had seen and she sacrificed her mothers wishes. But in your deluded wisdom you alerted them and forced her hand only saving Teddy."

"Your Grace I..."

"The three sons of York and the three sons of Tudor, I find the symmetry in that kind of Ironic. Only I know that my brother won't say or do anything that will force my hand either. You plot out of anger when you should count your blessings. Every breath you take has been given by my grandfather, my mother and now me. You are pardoned on this one occasion Maggie, and you may live here at court in service and friendship to the new Queen. But do not mistake my Pardon for trust. This is your last chance, you think or even put a finger nail out of line I will kill you. No worse than that I will subject you to the same forfeit of life that your father took. Then to make sure your line is eradicated, I will prison your children till they are of age and they will follow you and your hellish parents to hell, is that understood."

"Yes, your grace."