Dawn of Love

6 Vows

I've been tinkering so if you have already read this chapture you might want to give it another look. Tell me what you think! - Megan

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Berkhamstead Castle, Hertfordshire

Edward sat at his desk in the study, a warm fire blazing in the hearth, his dogs on the floor at his desk. The day he had dreaded was here. It was never easy to clean up the mess from your bad choices. He had rushed into marriage with Alyce De Bourgh because he believed his Joan to be lost to him. Alyce had rushed into marriage with him because she believed her husband to be dead, killed in the holy land in pursuit of Gods glory. De Bourgh had been gone 5 years when word of his death reached England. No one was saddened by the news of his death, except for the numerous women he kept in London. Poor Alyce was mortified when she discovered the bills for their upkeep.

Having loved Joan of Kent since he was a boy and having been faithful to that love until she wed another, Edward could not understand how De Bourgh could explain all the other women when he had the lovely Alyce as a wife. Well, no one had Alyce any longer and that brought him back to the problem at hand.

His daughter was turning 18 in a month. It had always been his intention to have his marriage contract with the Lady Alyce recorded and claim Katryn as his daughter publicly, but that was before De Bourgh came back from the dead. Now if he were to expose the truth Katryn would legally be De Bourgh's daughter because he was legally married to her mother when she was born, never mind the fact that he had been declared dead. There were some laws that Edward just could not understand. It was so hard making a law that would fit every person and every situation, if only men could live by principals instead. That would require the kingdom to be populated only by good honorable men, that was just not the case.

Taken from a locked box and placed on his desk before him he had some letters and the marriage contract between himself and Lady Alyce. The first letter, from his daughter. He smiled as he read her words, reminding him so much of her mother:

March 10, 1373

To His Royal Highness Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester; Duke of Cornwall; Prince of Aquitaine and esteemed Godfather.

It was brought to my attention recently that as I approach my 18th birthday you may do me the great honor of choosing a noble husband on which to bestow my hand in marriage. I have nothing to recommend myself save for your exalted patronage. I am no more than a servant to my lord. Your goodness in sending your most trusted knight to look after your god- daughter is unheard of for one such as I.

My lord, I beg you not to give my hand where my heart cannot follow.

For indeed, my heart is already given to a man who was not born into the nobility but whose deeds have seen him placed where his birth failed him. He is a man of valor, courage, strength and honor. He has proved himself many times on the battlefield and he is a man much like Your Gracious Highness. You could walk the world over 3 times and never find another such as he. Though there is a difference in our ages, my heart is complete only to him. Such is the strength of love and devotion I feel for this man if I am unable to be his wife in this life, this life has no meaning for me and I ask to be allowed to join a convent near my parents so that I may always be able to look after them. I am grateful for the kind influence Your Highness has used over my life, you have made me into a strong young woman who knows her own mind. If you bare me any love, I beseech you to consider my request.

I remain your Highness's loyal subject, rejoicing always in your continued health,

Lady Katryn Weston