1 The New World.

(bird's chirping)

(Catherine): The year of our Lord 1501

Spain is wealthy, but fear for it's political power.

Queen Isabella overthrew a thousand years of Muslim rule,and must have Catholic allies to maintain her sovereignty. And England faces poverty.

Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth have long needed rich allies to deter invasion from France and Scotland.

Both believe an alliance is vital to solve their problems,and so a match has been made between their eldest son and heir to the Tudor throne, Prince Arthur,and the Spanish Princess, Catherine of Aragon.

This alliance will eventually make Catherine the Queen of England. She have been promised this since she was a small child.

The fortunes of both kingdoms and the security of Europe rest upon Catherine's young shoulders as she leaves her palace home to make the arduous journey across Spain to the ship that will carry her to England. But achieving her God-given destiny comes at a price...

For Catherine may never see her beloved Homeland again.

(Arthur) "My own darling, my dearest spouse, I feel a strong desire to embrace you. Your letters have delighted me and your passion rendered so smitten, that your coming to me be hastened,that the love between us reaps its joy and proper fruit. Your Highness' most loving spouse, Arthur".

(Maid Lina): Highness?

(Catherine): Is it foolish to believe myself in love with a man whom I have never met?

(Maid Lina): You love God, and you have never met Him, either.

(Catherine): I hope God has not read my letters back to Arthur,or he would not think me so devout. (chuckles).

Good morning, madre.(Mother).

Queen Isabella: Good,(speaking Spanish)

You must always think in English now.

We must continue to the coast to catch the tide. There is still a dangerous ride ahead.

(horse huffs)

(Queen Isabella speaking Spanish)

Catherine: What is it, Mother?

Queen Isabella: Those Moors who say they have converted to the one true God rise up against us. They say Allah protects them. So they will meet the one true God this day and learn that they are wrong.

Catherine: I will fight with you.

Queen Isabella: Your duty to your country is your marriage. Protect Us, Catherine. You in England, your sister in the Habsburg Empire... From a Catholic ring of steel around our motherland for God.

Catherine: I will not fail you, Mother

Queen Isabella: You are my blood. A true daughter if Spain. And one day... Queen of England. (hugs)

Queen Isabella: For the one true Faith, your King, your country... and for me.

(soldiers shouting)

( horse neighs)

(Lina) : Highness!

(Catherine): daughter of Spain, Queen of England, Wife to Prince Arthur.

(soldiers cheering)

(Bell tolling)

WESTMINSTER PALACE, ENGLAND.

(Queen Elizabeth): Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women.

Hail Mary. Full of grace. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary. Mother of God.

Henry. Have you had news?

King Henry: (Sighs) First we're told her brother dies and her mother cannot spare her. Then the princess has a fever and again she is delayed, and now I hear some Moorish rebellion blocks her passage. Are you sure God isn't trying to keep her from us, Lizzie?

Queen Elizabeth: God tests her resolve and ours, but every threats is overcome, so it seems to me that God protects our princess and brings her to us.

Arthur: My bride has sailed, Mother?

Queen Elizabeth: She has, so you must leave for Dogmersfield House, where she'll break the journey and you may meet.

Arthur: Are you but coming with me?

Queen Elizabeth: Your new brother cannot bear the journey. Richard Pole will ride with you as always, and your Aunt Maggie will attend to you.

Arthur: (Bows and exit)

Queen Elizabeth: You are not sleeping.

King Henry: (sighs) We are beset with enemies on every side. Until wedding bells ring out and Spain becomes our ally, we have neither the funds nor the the men to save ourselves.. and all of Europe knows it.

Until that girl arrives.. we are lost.

(footsteps approaching)

Queen Elizabeth: Arthur, your aunt Maggie what does she say to you? you know you must relay it to me.

Arthur: he says nothing, Mother.

Queen Elizabeth: my cousin may know of plots against us.

Arthur: she cares for me, and that's all

Queen Elizabeth: you must tell me everything she says. Many are against us. god save you, Arthur.

BAY OF BISCAY

(waves crashing)

( man yelling)

(panting)

(men shouting indistinctly)

(parrot screeching)

(clattering)

(retching)

Lina: your Highness

(retching)

Princess Catherine: Tell me, are you afraid?

(gaps)

Lina: I have never been to sea.

Princess Catherine: it was God Himself who sent me to England. no wind or rain will stop us. Did they not tell you that when they choose you as my lady?

Lina: I was chosen when I was a girl. my father was Mauro de Cardonnes.

Princess Catherine: my mother's adviser on the Moorish issue.

Princess Catherine: ambassador.did you bring news of our landing?

Ambassador: we are blown a little way off-course.

Lina: I will fetch you something for your stomach.

(thunder rumbling)

(parrot screeching)

(women giggling)

(thunder rumbling)

Man: Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar

(speaking Arabic)

Lina: (speaking Spanish). You shame the infanta.

Man: we are not in Spain

Lina: You are of her guard. must serve her God.

Man: I am loyal to the princess. And my God is Allah. There is no contradiction.

Lina: No. Get your hands off of me. You know who I am?

Man: Yes

Lina: I will be a lady of the English court. and you are just a soldier. Remember that.

Man: My name is Oviedo, and I remember, my.. lady.

DORMERSFIELD HOUSE, ENGLAND.

Man: Arthur!

Arthur: My lords. Aunt Maggie.

Aunt Maggie: my brave hunters, Oh, Arthur. Oh Rabbit stew.

Arthur: Uncle Richard shot them. I hesitated.

Aunt Maggie: Well, then you are merciful to save a life when others are too quick to take one.

Arthur: my mother does hold you in high affection, Aunt Maggie.

Aunt Maggie: I do not like this house, Richard. I want to go home, I miss the children.

Richard: they will join us in Westminster. it's not long now (hugs)

Arthur: I know that Galahad has this..

Richard: that boys mind is all over the place.

(chuckles). in a fog of love I suppose. I nearly took an arrow in the backside.

Aunt Maggie: the girl is coming, then? I have hoped,

all this time--

Richard: her name is Catherine, and you must learn to use it, Maggie, for the boy's sake and our children's.

your heard Arthur. The Queen would like to put the past behind us.

Aunt Maggie: I would like that Spanish girl to sink down to the bottom of the ocean, because she is the cause of my pain and grief and so is Queen Elizabeth.

(sigh)

But we do not get what we need in this life, Richard.

Richard: King's Mother travels to Southampton to accompany her. maybe the princess will be so affrighted, she'll take the first tide home again.

(chuckles)