King Henry

Chapter 14 - The Jousting Tournament

**** One Hour Later  ****

Henry stood in front of Eleanor wearing shiny silver armor from head to toe and it made him look even more handsome than he usually did. He had on an iron helmet but the cover was pulled up so she could see his face. He looked like a gallant knight, like the kind she learned about in the storybooks she read to her little sisters growing up. She wished they were here to see this.

"What are you thinking?" Henry asked.

She smiled and said, "I was just thinking about how handsome you look right now. I'm sure that French Princess is going to swoon when she sees you."

His smile faded and he looked down, letting out an exhale.

"What's the matter? Do you not like Jacqueline?"

"She's fine as a friend or someone to share my bed with now and then, but the thought of spending the rest of my life with a spoiled, demanding princess like her makes me want to never get married at all," he said, letting out an exhale.

"Well if not a princess, then what about one of the courtiers of noble blood?"

He shook his head. "They're all desperate, social-climbers that fight tooth and nail for any speck of attention they can get from me. They chase after royalty like it's a sport."

"Surely they're not ALL that bad. There's got to be at least a couple that could make a good wife."

"Well if there are, I have yet to meet one," he said with a sigh, looking defeated. "I've spent so much time with them and it's like enduring pure torture. All they do is brag about themselves the entire time, thinking I'll be impressed but it just bores me and most of what they say are lies or exaggerations anyway. It's impossible to get to know them for who they really are because they're putting on an act for me. It's all a competition to them and they'll lie, cheat, and steal to win. They gossip non-stop about each other and start rumors that aren't true to ruin each other's reputation. Spending a lifetime with one of them by my side is unimaginable."

She sat there and thought it over. "Well, you offered to help me find a suitable match, so I'm going to offer the same for you. At the ball, I'll talk to all the princesses and courtiers to see what they're really like when they're not putting on an act for you. They'll have no idea who I am so they'll be genuine. Maybe I can find one that would make a good match for you."

He searched her eyes. "You would do that for me?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Of course I would," she nodded with a smile.

A man walked up to them and cleared his throat before saying, "Your Highness, I'm sorry to interrupt. It's almost time for the riders to take their places."

Henry nodded. "Thank you. I just need to escort Eleanor to her seat first and then the tournament can get started."

He offered her his elbow and Eleanor slid her arm into it, feeling the cold metal of his armor against her skin. Then he led her out of the tent and through the crowd of people until they got over to the stairs that led up to an elevated wooden stage reserved for the royal family to view the tournament.

The stage had red and gold flags with a lion's crest emblazoned on them and she noticed his mother and Joan and Richard were already seated. There was an empty seat next to his mother and Henry gestured towards it and said, "You can sit there with my family."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Eleanor whispered, turning to face him. "Maybe it would be better if I sat up in the stands amongst the other commoners."

"No, you won't be able to see what's going on from way up there, and besides, it's not safe for a woman as beautiful as you to be alone up there in those stands. Trust me, you'll be safer here with my family."