The Twelve Days (Henry V x fem! Reader Miniseries), Chapter One
Summary: "You, luckiest of girls, are betrothed to none other than the king of England!"
You celebrate the Twelve days- from Christmas to New Year- in your role as queen in an arranged marriage to King Henry V. How will you cope with your new role? And what about your husband?
Warnings: Eventual Smut starting in Part Two, Arranged Marriage, discussions of Sexual Assault but no attacks, impolite courtiers, marriages, families, Henry's codpiece is mentioned and he is an actual dick for a hot second but gets better bc you get to call him out on it.
Summary: This was inspired by Lucy Worsely's documentary "The Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas" plus some of the tidbits I learned about the reading about royal life in that era. Yes, I know some of these practices come from that era 100 years after Henry V but it's my fic and I can do what I want.
COMMENTS, KUDOS, AND ASKS ABOUT MY WORK ARE APPRECIATED!
Your eyes were drooping, fighting the urge to close them. You fought the urge to yawn at such a sacred space as Midnight Mass. But especially considering the crown on your head and hearing your husband’s slow exhales next to you, you made yourself in the present, listening to the words. At least the chill of the castle chapel and the light touch of the necklace you wore kept you awake.
All of December you had to prepare for the Christmas season with fasting. Even the king, your husband, Henry V had to.
Husband- the word felt new.
Months ago, it was announced suddenly that you had to travel to London. Your parents hugged and kissed you in deep congrats.
“Why, what is it?” you asked.
“Y/N, you’re betrothed!”
“Betrothed!? To whom?”
“You, luckiest of girls, are betrothed to marry none other than the King of England!” your mother cheered.
Your heart leaped in your chest and the room spun. Were you even awake?
“Henry Bolingbroke? But he’s an old man now and quite sick!” you cried
“No- haven’t you heard? He’s dead and his son, Hal, is the king! Not Henry the Fourth- You’re going to marry Henry the Fifth!” your father explained with excitement.
You had never met him.
You heard all the stories concerning Prince Hal. He was apparently a wild boy- who frequented taverns, placed prostitutes on his lap and wore their favors to jousts, and enjoyed playing pranks with thieves. He could put Bacchus to shame with the chaos he would get into. For a time, he rarely appeared in court due to preferring his revels late at night with the seedy company and getting drunk. And now this wild, drinking, philandering, troublemaker was not only the new king of England but your husband!