qzeebrella (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
qzeebrella) wrote2007-10-20 08:58 pm
qzeebrella) wrote2007-10-20 08:58 pm
Fic: Her Royal Highness
So, I went to see Elizabeth: the Golden Age today and the following fic is a result of watching the movie.
WARNING contains a lot of spoilers for the movie.
Title: Her Royal Highness
Author: Qzeebrella
Author's e-mail: Qzeebrella@gmail.com
Author's URL: none
Date completed: October 20, 2007
Archive: is there anywhere I could archive this?
Fandom: Elizabeth, the Golden Age
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: G
Pairing: Queen Elizabeth I/Elizabeth (Bess) Throckmorton, Queen Elizabeth/Sir Walter Raleigh, Throckmorton/Raleigh implied.
Summary: Queen Elizabeth, the first, reflects on how two people have touched her through their actions.
Warnings: I’m messing with history, more than likely.
Beta:
Spoilers: The movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Disclaimer: The show and its characters belong to William Nicholson, Michael Hirst, Studio Canal, Working Title Films. No profit is being made from this story and no infringement is intended.
Author's notes: I imply that Elizabeth had lesbian urges, which is likely not supported by historical records. But, then, most of what people assume about Queen Elizabeth the first and Sir Walter Raleigh does not have any historical records to back it up.
***
Elizabeth/Bess
The feel of her fingers gently caressing my short, thin hair. The soft brush of her hand along my shoulder as she assists me to remove yet another layer of clothing. I keep wishing the touch would last a little longer, dip a little bit further down my body. Her touch makes me tremble, though I try not to show it outwardly.
I wish she could touch me all over. I wish her fingers could brush slowly over my body, exploring it’s secrets. I wish I could show just how much her touch affects me, but I can not, for it is forbidden. It is worse than forbidden. I would condemn her to the fiery pits of hell should I ever encourage her to touch more. Yet, I would condemn myself willingly if only she ever indicated a desire to touch me where no one has ever touched me before.
My sweet Bess, the only one who touches me so intimately, who can affect me so deeply with just a glancing touch of her fingers on my skin, her lips on my cheek.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
He is brash, presumptuous, and dares to reach beyond his station. He is a commanding, electrifying presence, even if he is far from being anywhere close to being king. Yet, there is something about him that captivates me, interests me, as no man has ever been interested in me before. His words move me and somehow touch me in ways nothing else ever has. They touch me more intimately than even Bess has managed to do.
Elizabeth/Bess
The astrologer calls me the prince of feminine persuasion. If only I was a prince. Then perhaps I could truly just take what I want. Perhaps then I could have Bess as my own. My wife and companion. The one to share my life with and to have heirs with. But I am a woman and thus can never take her as my own, though it would be close to a dream come true if I could.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
His words affect me more than they should. They make me tremble and think for the first time what it might like to be with a man. To allow myself to be vulnerable to another. To allow another to have a hold on me, a power over me and it frightens me. He has the ability to make me question myself, to make me question my own strength, and to test my resolve. But I am the queen, and, as such, my responsibility is to England and her people first and I must always remind myself that England loves her queen and that love must be enough for me. That love must sustain me and fulfill me, for just as England should be ready to live for me, I must be ready to live for her. So, I can never succumb to my desires, to the subtle irresistible force pulling me toward Raleigh, for if I submit to it, I would lose England’s respect and my own.
Elizabeth/Bess
She is so full of life, vitality and beauty. She captures attention wherever she goes, just by being. She is graceful in everything she does. The way she sits beside me, walks alongside me, and her every movement captivates me.
The way her hair curls gently over her face and one ringlet caresses her cheek makes me long to touch her there. To cup her face in my hand, raise it up and kiss her. Yet, I know it is forbidden. Which, possibly, makes me want it more.
It has been ever so long since I have kissed anyone. All too long since another’s lips have pressed against mine. Perhaps this is why I long to feel her lips touching mine, her fingers brushing my skin, as she trembles into the kiss and allows herself to be vulnerable with me.
It is impossible. For I am the queen and thus can never have her in the way I want to have her. The way I could have her, if only I was a king.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
I dare to ask him if he could love me if only we lived in another time, under other conditions and he tells me that he only knows this time and that he can and does love me now. It moves me and makes me yearn. I ask him for the kiss that I can never ask Bess for and his lips touch mine. It is lovely and sweet, it is compelling and delicious, but it does not make me tremble.
It does allow me to make myself vulnerable, for a few minutes. To allow myself to be just me for a short while, instead of her royal majesty, the Queen.
Elizabeth/Bess
I wonder if Bess’ kiss would make me tremble.
I think it would. Even though I am beginning to fear that we are drawing away from each other. She is distracted and anxious and yet she is not entrusting me with whatever is troubling her. It used to be that she would use the time she has alone with me to tell me of what she is thinking, dreaming, of what she has done during the day when not with me and other things. Now, though, she speaks only of abstract things.
She is hiding behind a pane of glass with me. Something I never thought she would do. Why is she hiding from me? Why is she keeping herself apart from me?
I wish I could tell her that she can confide in me, regardless of what it is. That I hold her in the highest regard and will help her with it. However, I fear it may be that she is hiding something that I can not condone, no matter how much I care for her.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
He is the only man who has ever touched the real me. The only man who has moved me. The only man who I may have been able to give myself too and the only man who has ever betrayed me so grievously.
He has taken one step too far. He stole Bess from me and I do not know how I will bear the loss. She was my treasure, and now, now she is his.
Elizabeth/Bess
How can I forgive her betrayal? This hurts just as much as my cousin Mary’s treason, perhaps because I consider it a treason of another kind. She knows she must have my permission to court and to marry. She knows she must have my permission for almost every step she takes and she ignored that. She knew how I felt about Raleigh. She knew she had my confidence, my respect, and my favour. She knew I relied on her, that she was my closest confidant and that she had a special place by my side and she threw that all away.
This perfidy has torn my heart to pieces and caused me to ache in ways I did not know I could ache. I wish I could cry and scream, that I could rant and rage, and that I could react as other women may do, in the face of a similar situation but I can not, for I am queen.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
We must put the past behind us if we are to prosper. We must be strong and invulnerable. We must be gracious and brave enough to do what is necessary. We must set all prisoners free, to protect Our country, to defend Her in Her time of need. We must even set Raleigh free to fight for us, for he may be the pawn that will make the difference. Or the knight that is able to make the aggressive move necessary to win the game.
We must forgive him, for Our countries sake. We must allow him to have his wife, should he survive, for it may be what is necessary to save the kingdom. This means that I must also forgive his wife for her betrayal, otherwise the ties We have cut in order to move forward and do what is necessary to ensure that England survives.
Elizabeth/Bess
She is beautiful to Us even now. She looks weary and dishevelled, yet there is a certain something in her eyes. They glow. With love and happiness and a serene knowledge. She is a mother now and that has added a joyous depth to her eyes. One that We wish could have been put there by Us.
Her child is fussy and restless in her arms, We ask if We may bestow Our blessing upon it and she hands it to Us. We hold the child in Our arms and he quietens. He looks up at me and We can tell by the look in his eyes that he is aware of what is going on. It is almost as if he knows Us. We are honoured to hold this boy, who may have been Ours and Bess’s if only things had been different. If only We were King instead of Queen.
However, all the what ifs in the world will not change what is and We must accept what actually is. So, We must let Bess go. We must let Raleigh go. It is the only way to move forward. The only way to reward England for her immense love for her Queen. The only way the Queen has to show Our love for England and all those in her.
We must set aside all personal ties and remain faithful to England. We must divorce ourselves from weak emotions. We must stand strong and inviolable and to do this We must be Her Royal Highness and never Elizabeth from now on.
The end.
WARNING contains a lot of spoilers for the movie.
Title: Her Royal Highness
Author: Qzeebrella
Author's e-mail: Qzeebrella@gmail.com
Author's URL: none
Date completed: October 20, 2007
Archive: is there anywhere I could archive this?
Fandom: Elizabeth, the Golden Age
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: G
Pairing: Queen Elizabeth I/Elizabeth (Bess) Throckmorton, Queen Elizabeth/Sir Walter Raleigh, Throckmorton/Raleigh implied.
Summary: Queen Elizabeth, the first, reflects on how two people have touched her through their actions.
Warnings: I’m messing with history, more than likely.
Beta:
Spoilers: The movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Disclaimer: The show and its characters belong to William Nicholson, Michael Hirst, Studio Canal, Working Title Films. No profit is being made from this story and no infringement is intended.
Author's notes: I imply that Elizabeth had lesbian urges, which is likely not supported by historical records. But, then, most of what people assume about Queen Elizabeth the first and Sir Walter Raleigh does not have any historical records to back it up.
***
Elizabeth/Bess
The feel of her fingers gently caressing my short, thin hair. The soft brush of her hand along my shoulder as she assists me to remove yet another layer of clothing. I keep wishing the touch would last a little longer, dip a little bit further down my body. Her touch makes me tremble, though I try not to show it outwardly.
I wish she could touch me all over. I wish her fingers could brush slowly over my body, exploring it’s secrets. I wish I could show just how much her touch affects me, but I can not, for it is forbidden. It is worse than forbidden. I would condemn her to the fiery pits of hell should I ever encourage her to touch more. Yet, I would condemn myself willingly if only she ever indicated a desire to touch me where no one has ever touched me before.
My sweet Bess, the only one who touches me so intimately, who can affect me so deeply with just a glancing touch of her fingers on my skin, her lips on my cheek.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
He is brash, presumptuous, and dares to reach beyond his station. He is a commanding, electrifying presence, even if he is far from being anywhere close to being king. Yet, there is something about him that captivates me, interests me, as no man has ever been interested in me before. His words move me and somehow touch me in ways nothing else ever has. They touch me more intimately than even Bess has managed to do.
Elizabeth/Bess
The astrologer calls me the prince of feminine persuasion. If only I was a prince. Then perhaps I could truly just take what I want. Perhaps then I could have Bess as my own. My wife and companion. The one to share my life with and to have heirs with. But I am a woman and thus can never take her as my own, though it would be close to a dream come true if I could.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
His words affect me more than they should. They make me tremble and think for the first time what it might like to be with a man. To allow myself to be vulnerable to another. To allow another to have a hold on me, a power over me and it frightens me. He has the ability to make me question myself, to make me question my own strength, and to test my resolve. But I am the queen, and, as such, my responsibility is to England and her people first and I must always remind myself that England loves her queen and that love must be enough for me. That love must sustain me and fulfill me, for just as England should be ready to live for me, I must be ready to live for her. So, I can never succumb to my desires, to the subtle irresistible force pulling me toward Raleigh, for if I submit to it, I would lose England’s respect and my own.
Elizabeth/Bess
She is so full of life, vitality and beauty. She captures attention wherever she goes, just by being. She is graceful in everything she does. The way she sits beside me, walks alongside me, and her every movement captivates me.
The way her hair curls gently over her face and one ringlet caresses her cheek makes me long to touch her there. To cup her face in my hand, raise it up and kiss her. Yet, I know it is forbidden. Which, possibly, makes me want it more.
It has been ever so long since I have kissed anyone. All too long since another’s lips have pressed against mine. Perhaps this is why I long to feel her lips touching mine, her fingers brushing my skin, as she trembles into the kiss and allows herself to be vulnerable with me.
It is impossible. For I am the queen and thus can never have her in the way I want to have her. The way I could have her, if only I was a king.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
I dare to ask him if he could love me if only we lived in another time, under other conditions and he tells me that he only knows this time and that he can and does love me now. It moves me and makes me yearn. I ask him for the kiss that I can never ask Bess for and his lips touch mine. It is lovely and sweet, it is compelling and delicious, but it does not make me tremble.
It does allow me to make myself vulnerable, for a few minutes. To allow myself to be just me for a short while, instead of her royal majesty, the Queen.
Elizabeth/Bess
I wonder if Bess’ kiss would make me tremble.
I think it would. Even though I am beginning to fear that we are drawing away from each other. She is distracted and anxious and yet she is not entrusting me with whatever is troubling her. It used to be that she would use the time she has alone with me to tell me of what she is thinking, dreaming, of what she has done during the day when not with me and other things. Now, though, she speaks only of abstract things.
She is hiding behind a pane of glass with me. Something I never thought she would do. Why is she hiding from me? Why is she keeping herself apart from me?
I wish I could tell her that she can confide in me, regardless of what it is. That I hold her in the highest regard and will help her with it. However, I fear it may be that she is hiding something that I can not condone, no matter how much I care for her.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
He is the only man who has ever touched the real me. The only man who has moved me. The only man who I may have been able to give myself too and the only man who has ever betrayed me so grievously.
He has taken one step too far. He stole Bess from me and I do not know how I will bear the loss. She was my treasure, and now, now she is his.
Elizabeth/Bess
How can I forgive her betrayal? This hurts just as much as my cousin Mary’s treason, perhaps because I consider it a treason of another kind. She knows she must have my permission to court and to marry. She knows she must have my permission for almost every step she takes and she ignored that. She knew how I felt about Raleigh. She knew she had my confidence, my respect, and my favour. She knew I relied on her, that she was my closest confidant and that she had a special place by my side and she threw that all away.
This perfidy has torn my heart to pieces and caused me to ache in ways I did not know I could ache. I wish I could cry and scream, that I could rant and rage, and that I could react as other women may do, in the face of a similar situation but I can not, for I am queen.
Elizabeth/Raleigh
We must put the past behind us if we are to prosper. We must be strong and invulnerable. We must be gracious and brave enough to do what is necessary. We must set all prisoners free, to protect Our country, to defend Her in Her time of need. We must even set Raleigh free to fight for us, for he may be the pawn that will make the difference. Or the knight that is able to make the aggressive move necessary to win the game.
We must forgive him, for Our countries sake. We must allow him to have his wife, should he survive, for it may be what is necessary to save the kingdom. This means that I must also forgive his wife for her betrayal, otherwise the ties We have cut in order to move forward and do what is necessary to ensure that England survives.
Elizabeth/Bess
She is beautiful to Us even now. She looks weary and dishevelled, yet there is a certain something in her eyes. They glow. With love and happiness and a serene knowledge. She is a mother now and that has added a joyous depth to her eyes. One that We wish could have been put there by Us.
Her child is fussy and restless in her arms, We ask if We may bestow Our blessing upon it and she hands it to Us. We hold the child in Our arms and he quietens. He looks up at me and We can tell by the look in his eyes that he is aware of what is going on. It is almost as if he knows Us. We are honoured to hold this boy, who may have been Ours and Bess’s if only things had been different. If only We were King instead of Queen.
However, all the what ifs in the world will not change what is and We must accept what actually is. So, We must let Bess go. We must let Raleigh go. It is the only way to move forward. The only way to reward England for her immense love for her Queen. The only way the Queen has to show Our love for England and all those in her.
We must set aside all personal ties and remain faithful to England. We must divorce ourselves from weak emotions. We must stand strong and inviolable and to do this We must be Her Royal Highness and never Elizabeth from now on.
The end.
no subject
I love that line and the way that Elizabeth doesn't throw a fit over the sexism of the time, she just works within it. Despite the costs to herself. For her people.
I take it you haven't seen the first movie? If you liked this one, you should definitely try to see the first. It was even better. Elizabeth has a steamy hot relationship with a man who looks like Raleigh and their is a very intense friendship with her chief lady.
No bathtub scene, tho. :D