Reine des Anglais

Her first marriage?

ᛁᛊᚨᛒᛖᚢ
Isabeau broke the wax seal on the letter that Geoffrey had brought her that morning. The seal was one with a crowned thistle on it- meaning it came from the Scottish royal palace. She'd had very little interaction with anything to do with Scotland, so she had no idea what that could entail. She unfolded it carefully- evidently whoever had written it knew about her because the letter was in French. It was from Gunnora- Queen of Scotland. She lamented the poor relationship that had been held between England and Scotland, and reminded 'the English Queen', as she referred to Isabeau, that Denmark and Scotland had always shared a positive one.
'I have heard of the coming child you and his highness, King Canute the Great, are to be blessed with in the coming months - and of the two daughters you have already. I pray that you are blessed with a son- however, whatever this forthcoming child will be, your daughters will need husbands, and I have grandsons in need of wives of their own. My eldest grandson, Duncan, has a betrothed already- but my other three, Meldred, MacBeth, and Thorfinn are all in need of their own betrothals. If you see fit, let us join our two proud houses together in holy matrimony. May God, the Almighty, grant you a safe and painless birth.
Yours,
Gunnora, Queen of Scots'
Isabeau read over the letter carefully. She didn't like the idea of consigning her daughters to marrying men so much older than they would be upon their marriage- she knew that the young MacBeth had been born in 1006, Meldred a year or so early, and Thorfinn was the youngest in 1009. He wouldn't be a bad choice for Wulfwynn, but Isabeau had hoped to make her a Queen as well. If they chose Wulfwynn to wed one of these Scottish princes, and they married her off at sixteen- Meldred would be twenty-five, and MacBeth twenty-four. She knew that the King of Gwynedd, Iago, had just had a son called Cynan just before Wulfwynn had been born and she had considered him for her oldest daughter. She would have a kingdom and a position and it would help keep relations between England and Wales smooth for a time.
There was a safety to her in marrying a man of a similar age, perhaps she only thought so because of the difference in her two marriages but she was lightly determined to push that boundary herself for her children.
Loud, almost thundering, footsteps sounded in the hall towards the Queen's drawing room- meaning Thorkell was on his way to her. She door opened and the viking stepped through it, ducking to fit inside the frame.
"Thorkell. Do you have something to report?" Isabeau looked up as the viking approached her.
"Not in particular." Thorkell said. "Your brother, Richard, was asking a few too many questions about the safety precautions regarding you. I thought it best to mention it to you."
"Of course he was." She sighed, setting the letter in her hands down, folding it carefully. "Keep a close watch on him, and tell your men too. He wants Emma to marry Canute and I think in the week he's been here he's realised there's no chance of me being set aside. So he's considering other options."
"We'll take care of him if he decides to try and harm you." Thorkell said, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall and looked out the window. "Besides that, the English nobles seem to have settled into having Canute as their king for the time being."
"Good. It'll make everything here smoother for us as we begin to set up our dynasty with the war over," she rested her hands on her stomach as she felt the baby moving. "It'll also help us keep Richard and Emma at bay. Will you help me stand, please?"
"They'll figure out how useless their journey has been soon." He said as he offered her a hand.
She took it and let him hoist her to her feet. "This is the part where I officially wish this were over, I can barely stand on my own and need assistance to climb down the stairs. I'm thankful, this time, to actually have the help and a stable place to live in. It makes things infinitely easier for me... I'd like to go see what my husband is up to, if you'd like to come."
Thorkell looked down at her as they left her drawing room, walking towards Canute's study. "I've begun helping to train the King on the sword, by the way. He shows promise. Seems he has the motivation of protecting those he loves."
"Thank you for agreeing to teach him." Isabeau smiled to herself. "Would you be able to have one of your men begin to train Frederick. He's still a little too young for it, but getting some of the basics in would help him when it's time to actually begin his training."
"Didn't his highness assign him a trainer?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Apparently the only thing he's skilled at is horsemanship." She replied with a look. "While I hope he'll never need to use the skill, he should still know how to wield a sword and wield it well."
"Agreed. Especially to rule his own country." Thorkell agreed, opening the door to Canute's study for her.
"Isabeau," Canute stood up from his desk as she walked in. "I wasn't expecting you." He walked over to her and lifted her chin to kiss her. "Richard actually asked for a meeting with me, so he's on his way here."
"I probably shouldn't stick around for that." Isabeau sighed, touching the scar on his cheek softly. "If the two of you speak alone, he'll be more likely to show his hand. He wouldn't want to risk me finding out and stopping him."
Canute nodded and kissed her again, tugging her closer into his arms for a moment. "Stay near Thorkell, alright? I'll come find you after my meeting."
She kissed him back and nodded. "I will. I love you," she kissed him again as the door opened behind them.
"Oh. I didn't realise you'd be here, as well." Richard said as he stepped into the door, eyeing his half-sister warily.
"I was just leaving again." Isabeau said. "I was just coming to say hello to my husband. Come find me when you're finished here, I'll probably be in my room with Frederick and the girls." She kissed him once more before stepping away from him. "Richard," she gave him a tight smile before walking out of the study and pulling the door closed behind her.
Richard looked after her for a moment.
"What did you wish to discuss?" Canute asked as he walked back to his desk.
"My sisters, actually." Richard sat at the chair just in front of it, folding one leg over the other.
"I thought you might be interested in renewing your treaty with England," Canute nodded as she shifted through a few papers, "seeing as one again you have my sister as its Queen. I have-"
"That is not what I presently wish to discuss, your Highness. Soon, hopefully." Richard cut him off. "I actually wish to discuss your current marriage."
Canute set the documents in his hands down and looked up at his brother-in-law. "I assume you won't be so bold as to ask me to send Isabeau away to a nunnery, especially while she's carrying my child?"
"How much do you know about her?" Richard responded immediately. "Her first marriage?"
"Enough." Canute responded coolly.
"How it ended, specifically." Richard's expression didn't change. Politics and secrets were nothing new to him- it was like a card game. You just had to know your opponent's tells to win the game.
"Her first husband died from some internal wound or illness he picked up on campaign." Canute said simply. "I remember reading about it when it first happened."
"That was the official cause proclaimed by his court physician, yes." Richard said, a smirk appearing on his face. "You never considered the timing, though?"
Canute raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond.
"He had come back from war just a few days prior, and he had forced her to be churched despite her protestations. They also didn't exactly have a loving relationship." Richard explained it all as though it were obvious. "It's clear to me my sister decided she wanted out of the marriage, and found a way to kill him to be free. Of course, that backfired on her quite badly."
"Why didn't you say anything at the time?" Canute tapped the surface of his desk.
"I was friends with Henry- so it was hard to see through the sadness of losing him." Richard looked away now.
Every move he made seemed to Canute to be rehearsed, like he had planned every motion he was making- every word he was saying.
"You were friends with him?" Canute asked, surprise in his tone. "Were you aware that he hurt her?"
"He was within his God given rights as her husband." Richard said simply, leaning against the back of his chair.
Canute's eyes narrowed. "I don't know the goal you had with this conversation- but it won't help your case of making me agree to divorce Isabeau to marry Emma. I'll forget this conversation ever happened for my wife's sake- I suggest you do the same." The King stood up. "I'll see you at dinner, Richard." He walked past him and left his study immediately.
He walked a few halls away and stopped, leaning against a window to gather his thoughts. 'I hate that his words are hanging on me. Clearly she has the strength to kill a man, both emotionally and physically, and beyond good reason. What bothers me is that she didn't tell me. She's always told me how much she loves me- she's stood by me. I assumed that meant that her trust in me was absolute. She's carried a lot of fear with her regarding this marriage, as well. So she may have been afraid to tell me. I don't want to push her, but with her siblings here I may need to ask to keep from having something like that sprung on me again.' He ran his hand over a piece of his hair as he considered his options. 'I'll just talk to her.' He continued walking, pushing the door to his wife's room open for her.
"Canute." Isabeau smiled at him from where she was seated on the floor. She was on the edge of the rug as Frederick and their daughters sat in front of her, playing with a small ball, rolling it between them. Frederick was smiling as his sisters each giggled and shrieked happily each time they got the ball. Sigrid being just a baby still would simply hold it up and let Frederick take it from her, but seemed to be enjoying herself nonetheless.. "How did your talk go?" She asked as she kissed her son's head softly.
Wulfwynn and Frederick looked so similar to each other now- the same red curls around their faces and the same ocean blue eyes. Sigrid was clearly Canute's daughter with straight, blonde hair and a more icey tone to the blue of her eyes.
"It was interesting," Canute said as he took a seat in a chair near them. "Can we speak alone, actually? We can take Frederick and Wulfwynn to the stables afterwards."
"To see the horses?" The toddler princess's face lit up, running over to hang on to her father's legs.
"Yes, to see the horses." Canute ruffled her hair as the nursery maids walked over and took the children's hands and picked Sigrid up, speaking softly with them about their excitement as they left the room.
"Would you help me up?" Isabeau reached out a hand towards her husband.
He took her hand gently, pulling her into his lap with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her.
"So," she blushed as she settled into his lap. "What did Richard say?"
"He said," Canute took a breath to gather his thoughts. "He said he thought you may have killed your first husband."
Isabeau's eyes widened as she looked at him. "I- he- how- how did he know?"
"So it's true then?" He searched her face. "He claims he figured it out because of the timing of his death."
Isabeau looked away, her hands trembling. "Yes. It's true," she whispered and closed her eyes.
"Will you tell me about it?" He watched her carefully.
"I've mentioned, I think, how difficult Frederick's birth was for me. I nearly died due to the physician's incompetence and my lady-in-waiting had to step in and instruct him. That's why I specifically want a midwife when I give birth and not a court physician." Her voice shook. "The physician recommended I not risk a pregnancy for at least a year. My husband didn't care, and first threatened me with taking a mistress- and then with keeping me from seeing Frederick- and then he threatened to kill both him and me if I didn't submit to him." Tears rolled down her face as she spoke. "I asked him to let me try something and to lay on his back- and I smothered him with one of his pillows. I rearranged his bed to make it look as though I hadn't been there and went to spend the evening with Frederick in his nursery to make sure I had an alibi if suspicion ever did land on me."
"Why didn't you ever tell me about this?" Canute asked gently.
"Fear. Many don't care that Henry hurt me, they wouldn't care that he threatened me. They'd say I should've given in to him. I tried to offer alternative solutions but he wouldn't hear of it. I was desperate to keep my son safe." Isabeau hung her head. "I was afraid it would be what made you hate me."
"I could never." Canute lifted her chin to look at her face. "The reason you took his life is beyond reasonable. If Richard speaks of it again, I'll have him thrown out of the castle. You are safe with me, Isabeau."
She took his hand and kissed him softly. He says that now, but my eldest brother has only ever sought his own benefit. He'll do anything he can to drive him from me.
Canute pulled her closer, running his thumb over her cheek. "Come on. Let's take the children to the stables."
ᛁᛊᚨᛒᛖᚢ
"Emma." Isabeau lifted her head as her sister walked up to her in the garden, setting her knitting on the top of her stomach. "What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to speak with you about my sons' inheritances." Emma said honestly.
"They won't be King of England." Isabeau said warningly. "We won't put them in the line of succession."
"I'm not asking for that." Emma sighed, looking over at the small orchard on the grounds. "At their father's death, money should have come to them. I know it won't be what it would have been- but my sons are innocent in all of this."
"I'll speak to my husband, see what I can do." Isabeau promised her. "If, and only if, you cease your crusade to replace me as his wife and Queen."
"As you replaced me?" Emma raised an eyebrow at her younger half-sister.
"I didn't set out to do so, Emma! I set out to survive. I'd have been just as happy to live with Canute in Luxembourg- but then, of course, Richard helped to unseat my son from his place there." Isabeau used the tree beside her to pull herself onto her feet. "I find it almost laughable that you speak so callously to me of your sons' stolen inheritances but don't even mention Frederick's. You make no offer to speak to Richard about it, or to help me win it back from him. You just come here to steal my husband from me and then demand money be given to your sons."
"Luxembourg being taken from a toddler doesn't even begin to compare to the Kingdom that was stolen out from under me and my sons, Isabeau." Emma snapped back to her. "Richard offered your husband asylum in exile and he chose not to take it. You had other options."
"I had very few options. Would you have consigned yourself to being a mistress just to avoid potentially upsetting me?" Isabeau asked her bluntly. "That has been the only time in my life I've been given a choice, and I made the only one I knew wouldn't end in my death before I even left the battlefield. I'm not going to apologise for that. I am sorry for you that you lost your husband and position- but I am not sorry that I'm Queen of England now and I'm not sorry that my husband and father-in-law won the war."
Emma's eyes narrowed. "Let's hope your fortune stays so high and lofty, Isabeau. I'd hate to see how far and hard your fall will be," the dowager queen turned away, "for the second time." She lifted her skirts and walked away.
Isabeau gritted her teeth and sat down, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They need to leave. We need to find a way to make them leave," she murmured to herself. 'I need to think like Askeladd with these people. Have a plan behind another plan, trust only those I'm absolutely certain I can trust. Use those I can't.'
"Iz." Geoffrey stood beside her. "We need to talk."
Isabeau nodded and gestured to the spot beside her as she resumed her knitting. "What about?"
"Richard's furious he's been unsuccessful at convincing your husband to leave you." He said as he sat down, shaking his head. He rested one hand on his sword carefully, the other he put on his sister's shoulder. "I'm worried he'll get desperate. If both of you die, especially before the baby is born- Edward becomes the only heir to the throne left known to the English people and Emma gets her power and influence back."
"They need to go home." Isabeau agreed. "I just told myself that. I'll speak to Canute about it."
"They may require me back with them, just so you're aware." Geoffrey told her gently. "Richard mentioned I've been missed in my county in the months since I came here. I'll try and stay but if they hang my title over me-" he hesitated. "Our father named me Count of Eu. I can't just let it go. I hope you understand."
"I do." Isabeau squeezed his hand softly. "I hope they don't, and that you can stay at least until I have this baby- but if they command it, I understand." She turned and smiled at him. "I'm glad you came, and that we got to know each other."
Geoffrey smiled back at her. "At least with Thorkell around I don't need to worry about your safety."
"Very true," she laughed and shook her head. "He's basically an entire army in a single man, and very loyal to Canute- and me through him."
"I couldn't go if I didn't know that you'd be safe," he admitted. "Write to me often, alright?"
"I will. I promise, as long as you will as well." Isabeau nodded and picked her knitting up again.