my house, built on gold: i. a wedding (axis powers hetalia)
Title: My House, Built on Gold: I. A Wedding
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Characters: Spain, Isabel of Castille
Rating: G
Author's Notes: So I have been planning a fic series that follows Spain from the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabel all the way to the War of Spanish Succession for about two years... I now just finally got the time to start writing it.
Summary: Today a wedding is happening, and nobody knows it. Except for Spain.
October 19, 1469;
Today a wedding is happening
Though no one knows it. Which is just fine, in fact, it's preferable that way. The less people who know, the better. This is the sort of wedding that is better announced once the vows are made and the couple has left the church. Spain feels bad keeping a secret from all those who care for him and who say that they only wants what's best for him, but he has to. He knows that they only want what is best for them. People think him stupid, but he is smarter than what they give him credit for. He prefers it that way. Spain has his wants and he knows what he needs done to get them.
He rose with the sun. Or rather, he rose before the sun. Today is an important day after all, and he needs to be ready for it, and that means waking up early when he would really rather sleep in. One day he’ll be able to sleep in again, and he’ll cherish those extra minutes of sleep dearly, but now is not the time to think about sleep. Now is the time to make sure that everything is proceeding as they should.
Light barely enters the windows as he walks down the hallway, carefully, trying to not make a sound. He thinks he accomplished that feat quite well, even if he sneezed once or twice.
It gets rather dusty overnight.
But no matter, no one woke up either time, so everything is still working according to plan. Spain pauses in front of a door. A hand is raised to knock, but it stops. He wonders if it is too early, if his princess is still asleep. The sun has just barely risen, so perhaps she still dreams. Dreams of her future husband, of past memories, dreams of something. If she still dreams, then perhaps he'll be able to watch her sleep if only for a minute, it has been a while and she is so cute when asleep.
It is while he thinks that the door open, showing a bemused girl.
"Were you just going to stand there, thinking of how you used to watch over me as I napped, or were you going to come in?"
A smile tugs at Spain's lips as he bends forward to offer a bow, before leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek.
"You know me too well, Isabel."
"Yes, well, you are not too hard to figure out, if one knows how to."
A laugh. "Buenos días, Isabel. Are you almost ready?"
Isabel waves a hand and gestures Spain to enter her room. He closes the door shut behind him and takes in Isabel’s appearance. She is dressed entirely in black, on her bed lays the black veil. Her back is turned towards Spain as she beings to fix up her hair.
“Would you mind putting that on for me?”
Spain simply smiles and takes the veil in his hands, letting the cloth slide over his fingers slightly before placing it in Isabel’s hair.
“Anything for you. So what are you telling Enrique?”
“That I am off to Álvila, to visit Alfonso’s tomb.”
Spain nods and steps away, to make sure that Isabel truly looks like someone who is off to mourn her brother.
“And Fernando, he will meet you in Valladolid?”
“That is the plan, sí. He should be on his way there as we speak.”
“Really? What if people see him and wonder why Aragon’s prince is in Castilla?”
“Do not worry, he is in disguise.”
“Good, then, hopefully, everything will turn out as you hoped.”
Isabel pauses in her movements and studies Spain closely, tilting her head as she looks at him. Spain simply smiles at her. There is a questioning look in his eyes, but Isabel is ignoring it, in favor of trying to get a better read of him. She does indeed know him too well. She knows that Spain is greatly capable of hiding things, hiding anything about him that he does not want known.
“You are truly all right with what I am about to do? I am marrying behind my brother’s back to help insure that I become Queen of Castilla. Is this truly what you want?”
Spain hums slightly before sitting on Isabel’s bed. He looks up at her, smile never leaving his face.
“Yes, I am, because this is what I want as well. Enrique hasn’t done the best job as king, and I think you will be far greater than him as ruler. I think you’ve already proven that, and there’s going to be so many more problems you’ll face as queen, that I know you’ll solve, showing everyone that you are the right queen. Also, Enrique promised to allow you to marry whomever you want, so long as you get his permission, and broken it by trying to force you to marry Alfonso, so Castilla can become one with Portugal, and Charles, so Castilla and France can become better allies and get you out of the picture, so I think it’s fair that you get to break your promise to him as well.”
Spain takes a quick pause before continuing, “Better relations between Castilla and Portugal or France would be good for me, but they’re not what is best for me right now, and I know it. I know that I need for Castilla and Aragon to unite. Then we need to finish the Reconquista; we are so close to being done. I’m tired of not owning the entirety of my home, and just want everything back.
“… Plus, Enrique did break his promises, not only to you but to Fernando’s father as well, and that was rather rude of him.”
Spain ends by giving a small nod. Isabel gives a small laugh, and finishes adjusting her veil.
“Yes, that was rather rude of him, and I am glad that you feel that same way that I do about my promise to him.”
“Of course! Don’t you remember who taught you how to be polite?”
“I am not sure that the lessons you gave me count as teaching me how to be polite.”
“Well, they count for something.”
Isabel lets out a small laugh as she finishes getting ready. Spain continues to sit on her bed, bouncing slightly, trying to contain his excitement. The thought of his Isabel sneaking away to marry Ferdinand, behind her brother’s back. It all sounds so... passionate that Spain feels as though he should tell everyone, so that they all may know and watch as they exchange vows. Yet he can’t, or else that would ruin everything that she has worked so hard to get. No, it is better if he keeps quiet.
Spain abruptly stands up and walks towards the door. He turns and looks at his princess, on her way to becoming his queen. Keeping quiet means that he should not be in attendance at her wedding. As much as he would love to see it, too many questions would be asked as to why Spain was traveling with Isabel to make a visit to a tomb. Questions that may take up too much time or may be answered wrong, leading to everything being discovered. He needs to stay in the castle, with Enrique, to make sure that everything appears as though nothing is happening.
“I will be there to see you off, Isabel.”
She looks at him, a sad smile on her face.
“And you will be there in spirit with me, correct?”
“Yes, no matter where you are, I am always with you.” Spain offers one more bow before leaving Isabel’s room. He makes his way to the kitchens. It is morning and the morning meal should almost be ready by now. He needs something to eat. Today is going to be a busy day and he needs his energy. Spain whistles as he walks, setting the mood of how the days is going to turn out.
A wedding is happening, and nobody knows it.
----------------------
A wedding - As a part of an agreement to stop a rebellion, King Henry (Enrique) IV of Castile named his sister, Isabel, his heir. This had two conditions: Isabel would not marry without Henry’s consent and Henry would not marry Isabel against her will. However, Henry attempted to marry Isabel against her will several times. Isabel made a secret promise to marry Ferdinand (Fernando), her original fiancee, with his father, John II. Since they were second cousins and within the prohibited degrees of consanguinity, they could not marry until they received a papal bull from Pope Pius II. This was given to them on October 18, 1469, with the help of Rodrigo Borgia, who later became pope. They were married on October 19, 1469 in Valladolid, Spain, paving the way for the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile to be united.
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Characters: Spain, Isabel of Castille
Rating: G
Author's Notes: So I have been planning a fic series that follows Spain from the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabel all the way to the War of Spanish Succession for about two years... I now just finally got the time to start writing it.
Summary: Today a wedding is happening, and nobody knows it. Except for Spain.
October 19, 1469;
Today a wedding is happening
Though no one knows it. Which is just fine, in fact, it's preferable that way. The less people who know, the better. This is the sort of wedding that is better announced once the vows are made and the couple has left the church. Spain feels bad keeping a secret from all those who care for him and who say that they only wants what's best for him, but he has to. He knows that they only want what is best for them. People think him stupid, but he is smarter than what they give him credit for. He prefers it that way. Spain has his wants and he knows what he needs done to get them.
He rose with the sun. Or rather, he rose before the sun. Today is an important day after all, and he needs to be ready for it, and that means waking up early when he would really rather sleep in. One day he’ll be able to sleep in again, and he’ll cherish those extra minutes of sleep dearly, but now is not the time to think about sleep. Now is the time to make sure that everything is proceeding as they should.
Light barely enters the windows as he walks down the hallway, carefully, trying to not make a sound. He thinks he accomplished that feat quite well, even if he sneezed once or twice.
It gets rather dusty overnight.
But no matter, no one woke up either time, so everything is still working according to plan. Spain pauses in front of a door. A hand is raised to knock, but it stops. He wonders if it is too early, if his princess is still asleep. The sun has just barely risen, so perhaps she still dreams. Dreams of her future husband, of past memories, dreams of something. If she still dreams, then perhaps he'll be able to watch her sleep if only for a minute, it has been a while and she is so cute when asleep.
It is while he thinks that the door open, showing a bemused girl.
"Were you just going to stand there, thinking of how you used to watch over me as I napped, or were you going to come in?"
A smile tugs at Spain's lips as he bends forward to offer a bow, before leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek.
"You know me too well, Isabel."
"Yes, well, you are not too hard to figure out, if one knows how to."
A laugh. "Buenos días, Isabel. Are you almost ready?"
Isabel waves a hand and gestures Spain to enter her room. He closes the door shut behind him and takes in Isabel’s appearance. She is dressed entirely in black, on her bed lays the black veil. Her back is turned towards Spain as she beings to fix up her hair.
“Would you mind putting that on for me?”
Spain simply smiles and takes the veil in his hands, letting the cloth slide over his fingers slightly before placing it in Isabel’s hair.
“Anything for you. So what are you telling Enrique?”
“That I am off to Álvila, to visit Alfonso’s tomb.”
Spain nods and steps away, to make sure that Isabel truly looks like someone who is off to mourn her brother.
“And Fernando, he will meet you in Valladolid?”
“That is the plan, sí. He should be on his way there as we speak.”
“Really? What if people see him and wonder why Aragon’s prince is in Castilla?”
“Do not worry, he is in disguise.”
“Good, then, hopefully, everything will turn out as you hoped.”
Isabel pauses in her movements and studies Spain closely, tilting her head as she looks at him. Spain simply smiles at her. There is a questioning look in his eyes, but Isabel is ignoring it, in favor of trying to get a better read of him. She does indeed know him too well. She knows that Spain is greatly capable of hiding things, hiding anything about him that he does not want known.
“You are truly all right with what I am about to do? I am marrying behind my brother’s back to help insure that I become Queen of Castilla. Is this truly what you want?”
Spain hums slightly before sitting on Isabel’s bed. He looks up at her, smile never leaving his face.
“Yes, I am, because this is what I want as well. Enrique hasn’t done the best job as king, and I think you will be far greater than him as ruler. I think you’ve already proven that, and there’s going to be so many more problems you’ll face as queen, that I know you’ll solve, showing everyone that you are the right queen. Also, Enrique promised to allow you to marry whomever you want, so long as you get his permission, and broken it by trying to force you to marry Alfonso, so Castilla can become one with Portugal, and Charles, so Castilla and France can become better allies and get you out of the picture, so I think it’s fair that you get to break your promise to him as well.”
Spain takes a quick pause before continuing, “Better relations between Castilla and Portugal or France would be good for me, but they’re not what is best for me right now, and I know it. I know that I need for Castilla and Aragon to unite. Then we need to finish the Reconquista; we are so close to being done. I’m tired of not owning the entirety of my home, and just want everything back.
“… Plus, Enrique did break his promises, not only to you but to Fernando’s father as well, and that was rather rude of him.”
Spain ends by giving a small nod. Isabel gives a small laugh, and finishes adjusting her veil.
“Yes, that was rather rude of him, and I am glad that you feel that same way that I do about my promise to him.”
“Of course! Don’t you remember who taught you how to be polite?”
“I am not sure that the lessons you gave me count as teaching me how to be polite.”
“Well, they count for something.”
Isabel lets out a small laugh as she finishes getting ready. Spain continues to sit on her bed, bouncing slightly, trying to contain his excitement. The thought of his Isabel sneaking away to marry Ferdinand, behind her brother’s back. It all sounds so... passionate that Spain feels as though he should tell everyone, so that they all may know and watch as they exchange vows. Yet he can’t, or else that would ruin everything that she has worked so hard to get. No, it is better if he keeps quiet.
Spain abruptly stands up and walks towards the door. He turns and looks at his princess, on her way to becoming his queen. Keeping quiet means that he should not be in attendance at her wedding. As much as he would love to see it, too many questions would be asked as to why Spain was traveling with Isabel to make a visit to a tomb. Questions that may take up too much time or may be answered wrong, leading to everything being discovered. He needs to stay in the castle, with Enrique, to make sure that everything appears as though nothing is happening.
“I will be there to see you off, Isabel.”
She looks at him, a sad smile on her face.
“And you will be there in spirit with me, correct?”
“Yes, no matter where you are, I am always with you.” Spain offers one more bow before leaving Isabel’s room. He makes his way to the kitchens. It is morning and the morning meal should almost be ready by now. He needs something to eat. Today is going to be a busy day and he needs his energy. Spain whistles as he walks, setting the mood of how the days is going to turn out.
A wedding is happening, and nobody knows it.
----------------------
A wedding - As a part of an agreement to stop a rebellion, King Henry (Enrique) IV of Castile named his sister, Isabel, his heir. This had two conditions: Isabel would not marry without Henry’s consent and Henry would not marry Isabel against her will. However, Henry attempted to marry Isabel against her will several times. Isabel made a secret promise to marry Ferdinand (Fernando), her original fiancee, with his father, John II. Since they were second cousins and within the prohibited degrees of consanguinity, they could not marry until they received a papal bull from Pope Pius II. This was given to them on October 18, 1469, with the help of Rodrigo Borgia, who later became pope. They were married on October 19, 1469 in Valladolid, Spain, paving the way for the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile to be united.