Love Conquers All...

Chapter One:

Jane was having her hair brushed she hated having her hair brushed. The house was a hive of activity after receiving news that Henry VII and his gracious queen Elizabeth was coming to stay. Her father the Duke of Buckingham who was a man who had a great deal of power in the court of Henry VII was practically brimming with pride that the King along with his wife and if she was correct his second son and his best friend Charles Brandon were both going to be coming too.  

Jane also knew why her father was so excited about the Queen coming she was a relation to the Stafford family, a cousin, which meant that royal blood also ran through her own veins, the Plantagenet blood having her here was something that her father would be boasting about at court for many months to come.  Her mother Eleanor came to look at her. Her mother sighed, there was no way that she could ever squash the spirit that her youngest daughter had within her and if she was honest she was unsure whether she ever wanted to. She could still remember the birth nine summers ago, Jane’s birth had been harsh and she almost lost her. If Eleanor was honest with herself she expected great things for her youngest daughter who in her heart would always be her favourite child. She had the spirit that could match any man and was well taught without the need to practice a lot.

‘Jane, will you please sit still’ her mother chastised her. ‘Soon the King will be here and you will still be in your play clothes’

‘Mother why do I need to dress in finery for the King?’ Jane sighed, ‘Surely he will be much more at ease if I am comfortable’

‘Oh my dear child, you are to be dressed in your finery because the King wants to see what a beautiful young lady you are’ her mother kissed her cheek, ‘That and it would upset your father so if you did not’

‘And we cannot have father upset’

‘That we can’t my dear’ she stroked her daughters auburn hair. ‘Now next time I see you I want you to be the Lady that the name Stafford would be proud of’

‘As you wish mother’ Jane nodded.

Jane began to allow the maid to brush her hair back as she began to dream about being outside running and laughing, Being free from being a Lady and having to wear such restrictive gowns.

Standing at the front of the house of the home that her father was beginning to extend again which had been through the generations of the Stafford family for almost a century. Jane found herself becoming very nervous. She knew she should not as it was not the first time that she had met the King and his Queen, the Queen was actually her godmother. But something about today Jane had the feeling that something was about to change in her life forever.

The first thing she noticed was the royal banner coming closer in the distance the emblem of the Tudor rose which had the white rose of the house of York and the red rose for the house of Lancaster brought together by the marriage of Henry and Elizabeth. It was although a political match for many who saw it Jane had seen love between Elizabeth and Henry and she was sure that they were deeply in love for each other.

She watched as her father met the King, his angled face looking down at her father.  Jane knew that there was still some resentment that Henry had taken the throne. When his claim to it although being a Lancastrian descendent was a weak one at best, but he had made many people realise that God had appointed him as King for a reason and he was not doing a bad job at it.

‘Your Highnesses it is an honour to have you here’

‘It is an honour for you to say yes my dear friend Edward’ the king smiled.

‘Cousin’ Elizabeth smiled to Edward.

‘My lady’  

Jane was not interested in the formalities of welcoming the King and Queen she was much more interested in the two boys well, one a boy just a few years older than herself but the other a man. They were looking as if they were up to something that they really should not have been doing. It was the younger boy who looked to her; there was no mistaking who he was. Prince Henry even as the second son to the king and queen effectively the spare to the couple he had a grace and presence about him that you would think that he was the heir apparent and not his brother Arthur. The older man was Charles Brandon; Jane had heard tales of these two men, the terrible twosome they were known by many at court or those who frequented it often. She had to admit the Prince had a cheeky look in his eye like he was looking for the first opportunity to get into some mischief.