After having the conversation with Anne, Elizabeth found herself becoming close friends with the woman who her father called 'Sweetheart' and the girl hated herself for it. The Princess was in the gardens when one of the pageboys came running towards her with the news of Cardinal Campeggio's arrival. Her heart clenched at the thought of a new trail. The trial of her parents' divorced had been placed on hold due to the plague and due to the fact that Elizabeth had caught the plague, almost dying from it. She made her way to the throne room of the Hampton Court and found her father in deep conversation with the cardinal. Before she could walk over to the two men, she was led away by one of her ladies-in-waiting with a frantic look on her face. Elizabeth said to the lady-in-waiting, "What's the matter, Lady Caterina?" The lady-in-waiting replied, "A letter from Prince James, Madame. The messenger said that it was urgent." Elizabeth took the letter from her lady-in-waiting's hand and opened it.
My Queen of my Heart,
I hate to bring these kind of news to you but it is a matter of importance. My father has decided to go to war with Spain to free our Holy Father, The Pope. I am to go to war with my father to lead one of his regiments. I will fight the Emperor to avenge the harm he had inflicted on you. I don't want you to fret and put yourself in any type of danger. Just know that if something was to happen, I will always love you and be there for you, my love.
With all of my love and happiness, Yours forever,
Prince James, heir to the throne of France and Dauphin of France.
After reading the letter, Elizabeth felt faint and collapsed on the ground. The sudden fall of the Princess caused the courtiers to gasp and rush to the princess. Henry was the first to reach his daughter's side and turned to his daughter's lady-in-waiting. He said to her, "What happened to the princess?" The lady-in-waiting replied, "A letter came to her from His Highness, Prince James of France and she read it then fainted, Your Majesty." Henry turned back to his daughter and picked her up onto his arms. He carried the unconscious girl to her bedchambers where her ladies-in-waiting gasped at her state. Lady Eleanor rushed over to the bed, moving the covers, and rushed to get a bowl of water and rag. Charles had fetched the physicians for his niece. Henry placed his daughter onto her bed then turned to look at Charles. Charles held the letter his niece had read and gave it to his friend. Henry read the letter and felt sorry for his daughter. Henry turned to Lady Eleanor and said to her, "Tell me immediately when the princess wakes up." Lady Eleanor curtsied and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Henry turned to leave the bedchambers, glancing back at his eldest daughter, then exited the bedchambers. Charles stayed put and kept his eyes on his niece while her ladies and the physicians did their best to make the princess comfortable. The head physician passed Charles but he stopped him. Charles placed his hand on the man's shoulder and said to him, "What is the princess' condition?" The head physician replied, "The letter sent Her Highness' body into a state of shock and her body reacted by making her unconscious. Her Highness will be unconscious for a good while. As long as she has some fresh air and is applied a cool rag to her head, Her Highness will be well by this evening, as long as she is not disturbed." Charles nodded and turned back to his niece. He felt awful that his niece's lover would be going to war with the possibility of him never returning. His wife told him, that from her conversations with their niece, the two lovers were head over heals for each other. He only wondered how Henry and Catherine were taking the news of not only their daughter's state of condition but of Francis' declaration of war on Spain.