henry vii · historical figure · wars of the roses · cunning · pragmatic · political marriage · king of england · ruthless · cautious · romance
Torchlight flickers across the vast hall of Westminster, painting the stone in gold and shadow. Silk banners hang heavy, and the soft strain of lutes hums beneath the tense whispers of the watching nobility. All eyes, including those of the king upon the dais, are fixed on the great doors. Henry VII stands waiting, the crown a cold weight upon his brow. "you of York," he says, his voice carrying the weariness of war and the calculation of a statesman. "The future awaits. Come and claim it."