Date: December 25th, 1536<br/>Place: The Royal Palace<br/><br/>Braiden was looking forwards to spending time enjoying the Christmas celebrations this year and seeing some foreign friends he hadn't seen in a long time. Braiden always thought about how different things were for Princes and Kings during this time of year. How his mother used to tell him tales of friendships that spawned adventures and life threatening disasters, monsters and castles. He had always wondered why his father said friends of princes were only vying for a position in court, when his mother believed in the goodness of all hearts. It had always confused him as a child. Now as a man and husband he could see the flow of politics involved in friendship. Which is one of the main reasons he kept his friends and enemies close, but never really trusted any of them. Even his family was a hundred percent trusted. He was weary of them. Weary of betrayal and schemes. It felt more like navigating rough seas then it did a celebration. How he wishes he could be like his mother and see the world as a place of kindness and love. He sighed and pushed his mind away from these thoughts. He would enjoy the celebrations as he did every year, but it always served to remind him how lonely life could be. In the same light it made him grateful for his wife Esther. His light in the darkness.<br/><br/>Everything Braiden did was weighed and calculated and he didn't always enjoy the constraint this placed on him, but he silently did as he was expected. Present the king you want them to think you are, his father had always told him. Be the king they deserve you to be and always work for your people's greater good and not your own selfish desires. The lessons from the whole of his childhood rang in his ears. Why did he always feel the weight of ruling on Christmas?<br/><br/>The one tradition added to his household since his marriage was his wife coming to see him the morning of Christmas, regardless of tradition and dictate. He loved that about her. She did everything to be a wife worthy of the crown. He knew the gossip of the court that said she was barren. He didn't care. He wouldn't cast her aside for anything. There was other ways to get an heir even if he had to break tradition to do it. He wouldn't allow such a perfect Queen for him to leave his side.<br/><br/>He had just finished buttoning the thick rich deep almost black purple coat trimmed in maroon and silver. With silver embroidery spinning up to decorate the edges and panels of the top. Turning to his desk he picked up the missive he'd written last night:<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: #FFFFFF;background:#FFFFFF;"/></div><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic">Greetings and welcome to England Ambassador, <br/><br/>I offer you all blessings and warm wishes on this Christmas morning. Due to the traditions of our land I am unable to meet with you personally today, however, I would like to invite you to join my court in our celebrations. My servant who I sent with this letter will see that you are settled. Do not hesitate to inquire of him whatever you need to make your stay comfortable. <br/><br/>I have schedule a private meeting to hear your request with my advisors tomorrow at 10. A servant will come to your rooms to show you to the throne room.<br/><br/>His Majesty<br/>King Braiden Lesnar</span></div><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: #FFFFFF;background:#FFFFFF;"/></div><br/><br/>Turning to a servant near him he told the man, "Take this letter to the Italian Ambassador. You are to remain to insure she is settle and her needs seen to. Her mission here is one to further our alliance with Italy I require that she is shown all England's hospitality and especially the wealth of my kingdom."<br/><br/>"Yes Majesty," The servant said bowing taking the missive from his king and leaving quickly. Turning to his desk once more he regarded the crown that sat there. Deciding he didn't feel like wearing it right this second while he was still in his personal chambers. He left the crown he would wear for court later sitting on his desk next to the stack of paperwork he had been working on late last night when he heard the knock on his door. He looked over at one of the servants who were making his bed.<br/><br/>"Answer the door," he told the servant, by way of instructing him that he was awake and wished to receive visitors. The servant bowed and ran quickly to the door to open it and admit his guest. Announcing as he did so. He looked over at the table that held his small stack of gifts he had prepared specifically for certain people he cared deeply for. There was the gift for Esther, Isabel, Fernando and his nephew Cosimo in that pile to name a few who he had personally gotten gifts for. They were of course his immediate family. He couldn't help but laugh lightly at the thought of what Cosimo would do when he saw the golden wrapped box, never mind the books and toys that lay within. Though his duties kept him too busy to spend much time with his nephew he loved his nephew dearly and therefore wanted to insure the boy knew it.<br/><br/>"The Queen has come to see you Your Majesty," the servant announced his visitor while bowing her into the room. Braiden turned from his mirror to look over at his wife a wide smile spreading across his face as he faced her. She was<span style="font-style: italic">resplendir</span>in her dress.<br/><br/>"You look stunning my love," Braiden complemented her.