The Chambers of the Emperor at the Court of England

*Isabella knocks upon the door*

My dear, you need not knock!

Actually, I could use your advice on this- I've had a letter from Spain and apparently Valencia is feeling restless. *hands over the paper*

*Isabella strides in and firmly takes hold of the parchment*

Hmm..

Well, what is your current intention?

I have a few options, as I see it. To concede, to crush, to compromise. I'm inclined to the latter.

Not for the first time I find myself wishing for more sisters, so I could dispatch them to deal with such problems on my behalf.

*a knock upon the door is heard, and then one of the Emperor's Germans enters, bearing news that Don Juan waits without, along with the Queen of England.*

*Isabelle rolls her eyes*

Why not send ... Juan?

*deep bow to the empress*
Your majesty. Send me where, your majesty? I do not mean to interupt...

*Elizabeth, quite unsure of how to deal with the situation in which she doth find herself doth loiter in the doorway. She bites her lip at her annoyance at the Empress trying to send her husband anywhere, for she knows she cannot protest such a thing until the news of their marriage ist told. ..still, Elizabeth doth grind her teeth a little in annoyance that anyone canst try to send her betrothed anywhere when he ist meant to be attending her.*

*glancing at Elizabeth and seeing her discomfort*
Your Imperial Majesties know I am at your service- but now I must put limits on that service. Her Highness of England and I have entered into marriage as of this morning, and as my wife she must now have first rights upon me.
*sets his shoulders*

*Elizabeth sees fit to enter at the announcement, seeing fit to curtsey afore their Imperial Majesties as politeness doth dictate that she should.*

*Standing at her husband's shoulder she ist resoloute to silently let him take charge of the situation... but wilt jump in like a rampaging tiger with all the power of monarchy behind her if required.*

You...did....married? My. *pauses*
Ladies, please excuse us- I must speak with Don Juan in private.
*takes Juan's arm and pulls him bodily into the room beyond, closing the door.*

*Elizabeth doth turn as the Emperor and her husband do pass her by and opens her mouth to call after them but finds she doth not know what to say. Not having had to stand back in anything since her sister were Queen, she finds herself quite lost by the situation. Instead she doth turn to the Empress with an apologetic smile.*

Your Imperial Highness. I do feel we hath mayhaps not seen eye to eye in the past as regards...

*not knowing how to refer to her husband and deciding that all references wilt displease Her Majesty anyway, she doth continue*

...Juan. However, as he ist now rather off your hands, mayhaps thou canst consider him as Prince Consort of England and we may all begin anew?

Twud please me greatly if we could be friends your Highness, for I hath long admired thine intelligent and elegant manner. As well ast thine ability to advise and rule alongside thine husband. Had I not been placed to ensure the best possible position for mine husband to be, I think we would by now have been more fond of one another. I am sure thou canst understand the position I hath been in, as I hath understood thine own discomfort. As only a woman can.

...my lady, much as I am pleased for this rare chance to speak with thee privately I am most concerned by the noises from the other room and fear I must play the card of Queen and go join in.

*curtseying once again, Elizabeth doth head at speed toward the adjoining Chamber, entering the room masterfully and with a loud voice doth join the discussion*

Your Imperial Majesty! I would not see fit to enter thine chambers like this were we not in mine own household and were this matter not concerning myself... however, here we do stand!

Mine husband - the Prince Consort of England - hath seen fit to follow mine private wishes. And so cement our agreement in the only way I would see fit - in trusting mine own judgement above all other. Tis regretable that our marriage hast been done in haste, however politics didst dictate to me that I must take him as a husband immediately or never.

Now... I have said my piece. And shalt listen to thine displeasure, but I stand my ground aside mine husband.

*Isabella, looking rather lost amidst the powerful arguments exploding before her, slightly smiles from the side of her mouth at Elizabeth and nods her head silently, but knowingly.

Maybe Juan in England would be a good thing, she thought to herself.

After all, it meant Philip will be able to own what is rightfully his without threat from those who are illegitimate or unworthy of such a Kingdom.

Caught in her daydream, it takes her sometime to realize that she's now standing completely on her own.*

Please, understand both of you- I am not displeased at this marriage. I set it in train, sending Juan here. However, there is a correct way such things are done. Treaties must be negiotiated. Arrangements made. As you, my daughter and son, have seen fit to skip merrily past that step, I fear you will face problems in the future. What's done is done and cannot be undone, though- so such will be yours to deal with.

*Elizabeth calms herself and listens carefully to his words*

Your wise words are indeed noted and such matters would usually be at the forefront of mine mind.

...however I didst foresee that the current changes in France would place pressure upon me to give up mine choice of husband. I would not have our chosen future used as a bargaining chip by the French and so saw fit to remove such a thing from play afore the notion didst enter their heads.

The agreements had already been made between us your Imperial Majesty and we saw fit to take it into our own hands to ensure that no other outside this room could change them.

Also bearing in mind the Pope's interferance with royal marriage of late and the fact he hath ne'er looked kindly upon me, I didst see fit to take what ist rightfully mine afore he didst make plain his wish to deny me.

As for our good husband, we would have thee look well upon him for completing the seemingly impossibe task thou hadst set him of gaining our hand in marriage.

I admit that wedlock hath ne'er been at the forefront of mine wishes or plans and it would take some great effort to move me on this matter. Mine good husband's brave and lone decision to stand by and trust mine own judgement above all other didst prove to us that he was indeed chosen by God to be our most perfect husband and other self.

*Elizabeth doth look to the floor*

...with mine tendancies to delay and block all previous attempts at marriage I also think his decision to make haste afore I didst change my mind a most wise decision.

*smiles*
Yes, I am quite pleased with his tenacity. It is merely- I am not used to being taken by surprise.

*looking gratefully upon the Emperor, Elizabeth doth then convey an emotion of true sadness*

It was indeed our greatest regret in this matter that we could not have thee attend us at our wedding and be privvy to the secret... however when one such as yourself doth descend upon the court at haste it would be difficult to proceed with the secrecy required to have the marriage go ahead.

*taking the hand of her husband Elizabeth doth continue a little tearfully*

We are full grateful to thee for providing us with so true and good as husband as we could ever wish. We didst truly feel thine absence there at the ceremony more heavily than that of our own mother and father.

*a smirk of remembrance doth cross o'er her face*

However thou wudst have been most displeased at certain moments of our conduct. The placing together of two unsuspecting and astonished clergymen of both our faiths, along with our own nervous behaviour didst cause much distracting amusement throughout. However I do believe we didst both still take entirely to heart the meaning and consequences of the service.

...as for the future my lord, our haste may have sold us short of some which we may have gained from the marriage, but I myself have all I didst wish for.

I have a fine and supportive husband whom I may truly love and admire who wilt strengthen me in mine task as Queen without posing the threat of a foreign King or unworthy Englishman upon mine subjects.

And if God do see fit to grace us as such I would also find myself with a fine heir to mine throne who hath the richest and noblest of royal blood without claim from other realm to take their attention away from England. This ist mine dearest wish. Though I expect thee not to understand mine dismissal of other lands, thou canst surely see that I would always wish my England to have an attentive ruler.

We do hope our husband to find us half as worthy and place his own future greatness in his own hands with our full co-operation and blessing.

The only solution, obviously, is to do it again publically. With you present, your Majesty, and Her Majesty, and the nobles of the land.

Just as soon as Father Diego's nose is healed.