King Henry

Chapter 15 - Henry's Confession

Henry pulled the face shield of his shiny iron helmet down and lifted his lance.

"Riders ready!" the announcer shouted. "On your marks! Get ready! Get set! Go!"

The horses both took off furiously, kicking up dust behind them and creating a rumble from the sound of their hooves beating so hard against the ground. Eleanor had her hands up to her mouth, holding her breath as she watched Henry leaning forward, his lance positioned straight out in front of him and his other hand gripping tightly onto the horse's reins.

The riders got closer and closer to each other and then a loud bang erupted, echoing through the stands as they collided. Henry was struck in the center of his chest and his body leaned far back on the horse but he somehow managed to stay on. The other rider was hit as well, hard enough to knock him completely off his horse and he hit the ground hard, creating a cloud of dust where he fell.

The entire crowd erupted and Henry rode a lap around the track, raising his lance in the air in victory with a smile on his face before leaving the field.

They all took their seats again and Eleanor let out a sigh of relief, feeling her heart still pounding from adrenaline. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Henry's mother glaring at her so she turned her head and looked at her.

"Do you understand that a commoner sitting with the royal family at a public event like this is extremely inappropriate and scandalous?"

Eleanor swallowed hard, trying to gather her courage.

"I do, but Henry actually insisted that I sit here. I told him I could sit up in the stands with the other commoners, but he refused. He said it was safer for me here."

His mother narrowed her eyes at her with her jaw clenched before she leaned in and whispered so that only Eleanor could hear, "You may share his bed and have his favor for now, but with Henry that's fleeting. It comes and goes like the tide of the ocean. He may profess his undying love and devotion to you now, but don't let that fool you into thinking you're special. Many beautiful women have shared his bed and thought they had his heart, but do you see any of them around?" she asked with a gloating smirk.

Eleanor sat there taken aback and finally said, "You assume far too much your majesty. I have never shared Henry's bed and he hasn't told me that he loves me. We are merely close friends. Nothing more."

She threw her head back and laughed before finally looking back over at her. "Friends?" she scoffed. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

Eleanor narrowed her eyes at her and said, "Yes, actually I do, because it's the truth."

Henry's mother laughed again. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I know my son. He could never be merely friends with a woman as beautiful as you. Even though I dislike you Eleanor, I must admit that I've never seen a more beautiful woman in my lifetime. But unfortunately for you, beauty isn't enough to become a Queen. You can put lipstick on a pig and dress it up, but underneath, it's still just a pig."

Eleanor had never felt so insulted, being compared to a pig.

Then his mother leaned in close and whispered, "I wouldn't get too comfortable in that seat. Soon enough Henry will be married and his wife will be taking her rightful place here beside me and it will be as if YOU .... never ..... even ..... existed," she whispered slowly before pulling back. "Oh what a wonderful day that will be," she gloated, with a smug smirk on her face.

Her words cut through Eleanor like a knife. She was suddenly picturing a woman sitting in this seat, being married to Henry and him being so happy and in love with her. Her stomach ached with a feeling she couldn't explain.