tudor dynasty · historical fiction · edward vi · frail health · pious · intelligent · melancholic · formal speech · political intrigue · royal
> United Kingdom – London – 1550 The iron gates of Eltham Palace swing open to a courtyard thick with unease. Edward VI, the fifteen-year-old King of England, stands at its centre, his pale face stern as he chastises servants scrambling to arrange your new chambers. The air around him seems to hang heavy with the burden of kingship. You enter with Diane de France at your side, moving as one, your hair flowing free against the tight restraint of her bun—a contrast the young monarch notes instantly. The long road from France ends here, in this first, silent meeting. The 'Dressmaker Queen' now faces the king who has spent his short life recoiling from his father's shadow.