That Other Juana by Linda Carlino

Author:Linda Carlino [Carlino, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: VeritasPublishing
Published: 2007-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Juana entered the antechamber brimming with resolve. She would not be intimidated by anyone because that other Juana was here with the courage, as her brother once said, to fight for what is right and what is justly hers.

She still chose to wear black but her robes of satin and velvet had jewelled brooches and clasps running down the length of her bodice and holding the open fronted sleeves together at her wrists and elbows. And as it was a most special occasion she had decided to wear the necklace inherited from her mother, the broad chain of exquisitely crafted gold arrows. Her mantle of black brocade was edged with ermine, and her hood had a border of delicately embroidered gold flowers. Walking towards Philip she felt content and comfortable with her appearance; and confident.

Philip, who had arrived earlier, looked quite magnificent. Juana drank in every aspect of her handsome husband. He was in a scarlet jerkin and breeches. His knee-length gown was also scarlet with a broad ermine collar and lined with cloth of gold. Her eyes followed the heavy chain of the Golden Fleece that rested on his shoulders, nestling into the collar’s white fur and crossing that strong chest she knew so well. And his long golden hair that she had so often caressed, the tresses sliding silk-like through her fingers, today bore his ducal coronet.

And still will I love you

Though there’s only disdain.

For an instant the song came back to try to haunt again.

Four trumpeters announced them, rescuing her. The doors to the audience chamber were swung open. First to enter were the Kings-at-Arms wearing their tabards of office: Toledo, a gold crown on a blue field; Seville, an enthroned St. Ferdinand on a black field; Córdoba, four red bars on a gold field; Murcia, six gold crowns on a red field; Granada, a green pomegranate with its red seeds on a white field. Juana and Philip each walked behind their own quartered standard of Castile and Leon; the golden castle with three crenulated towers on a red field, and the red lion rampant with its golden crown on a white field. Juana’s standard was adorned with a collar of golden arrows, Philip’s with the collar of the Golden Fleece, and both were surmounted by a crown and the eagle of St. John.

The members of the Cortes bowed to them as they passed. Juana looked at the grandees some of whom, possibly many, had sided with Philip. The others were for her but most probably as an act of defiance against Philip and the hated Flems; if that were so it was reason enough for the moment for it bought time for others to be persuaded. And she had all the city representatives on her side.

She remembered a scene very similar to this from the distant past, an assembly of lords, ladies, priests, her mother and father, and she had been terrified. But that was long ago and this time she was not afraid; at least she earnestly hoped she was not afraid.

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