Tweed Berwick, located at the mouth of the River Tweed on the east coast, 2.5 miles (about 4 km) of the Scottish border – Berwick as it is known locally, is a small town in the northernmost part of England. After the town was annexed by England in the 10th century, Scotland and England fought for more than 400 years over who could get the town.

Eventually, the Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III) recaptured the town in 1482. So far, the town of Berwick has changed hands more than a dozen times between the two countries over the past 400 years. Although England has owned the town for 62 years now, it is still full of medieval walls, fortresses, watchtowers and barracks.

During the reign of Elizabeth I in 1551, a further £128,648 was spent on the construction of new fortifications. Sir Richard Lee, a military engineer who had worked for Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I, personally designed the new defensive fortifications. The new fortifications not only had an Italian style, but also had the convenience of withstanding artillery fire and being easy to use.

On the morning of 23 August 1544, the knightly squire Ralph Earl led Isabel's cavalry squad to the town of Tweedmouth, on the south bank of the Tweed River, part of the town of Berwick. In the Middle Ages, the town was known as "Twipps" by the local English. As the procession trotted onto a stone road bridge connecting the land on both sides of the Tweed River, Sir William Ingleby, who had accompanied his wife-to-be all the way, was immediately stunned by the various fortifications on the other side of the river.

The young squire, who was riding in front, turned to look at Isabelle, the leader of the group, and pointed to the town on the other side of the river, and exclaimed, "Your Excellency, we will reach Berwick after crossing the bridge. ”

Isabel, who was on a horse, looked solemnly at the various defensive fortifications on the other side of the river, and nodded slightly, "Squire, I see it." ”

At this moment, a cold wind blowing from the Tweed River hit the horseback group, and Sir William could not help but wrap his clothes tightly. Shaking his head, he looked at his wife-to-be on one side, even though he could only see the side of a monk's hood, and said in an accentuated tone, "Madam, it's summer, why is it so cold here?" ”

Isabel turned her face hidden under the hood to the right and glanced at her betrothed husband-to-be, "Sir, our town is close to the sea, and the wind blowing from the sea can make summer as cool as autumn and winter. ”

Squire Ralph heard her and looked back at Sir William with a smile and nodded, "Sir, we have reached the northernmost town of the kingdom. If you're feeling cold, I can ask my brother to get you some jazz costumes. ”

William struggled to show a good-natured smile and glanced at Ralph, "Squire, you're good. I think I can tolerate the cold weather here. ”

When the cavalry squad passed the stone road bridge, they turned south and rode east. After nearly half a mile of riding, the team came to a building made of stones, also made of large quantities of stones, with a royal coat of arms hanging from the lintel and two flags on the roof. Ralph glanced at the iron gate between the walls on the right and the armed sergeants guarding both sides of the gate, and then turned back to Isabel and said, "Your Excellency, this is Berwick Castle. ”

"yes, I see." Isabel agreed, looking up at the two three-story stone houses on the left and right sides of the city walls. Although Berwick Castle is called a castle, it is only a "noble manor" consisting of three stone houses on three sides, east and west, a wall connecting the houses, and a large rectangular square.

Later, the cavalry squad slowly entered the castle and stopped in the huge square. At this moment, the infantry sergeants of three groups and five groups of three who had stopped in the square looked at this team with curious eyes, which had never appeared in the local area. As they dismounted, Sir William Earl, the Commander of the Border Guard, who had already been informed, walked out of the gate of the house on the south side of the square with several attendants.

Ralph, who stood on the side of the warhorse, looked at his brother solemnly until he came to see him. After saluting and greeting, he hurriedly introduced the commander of the cavalry squad behind him to his brother, "Brother, this is Lady Isabel, the privy counsellor of Her Royal Highness. ”

The captain of the guard, dressed in three-quarter armor, hurriedly saluted and smiled lightly, "Your Excellency, I didn't expect you to come to Berwick so soon, I mean I just received a letter from my brother. ”

Isabel took off her hood, reached out and gently brushed a strand of messy hair in front of her forehead, and nodded, "Chief Guard, you naturally can't be lazy in serving Your Highness." Besides, it's not too far from His Highness's castle. ”

Ralph then introduced Isabelle's husband-to-be to his brother, "Brother, this is Sir William Ingleby, lord of Ripley's Castle Manor. Well, Sir is here with you. ”

After nodding his head in greeting, the chief of the guard said solemnly, "Sir, it seems that His Highness is not only worried about the defense of the eastern border, but also about the lives of his advisers. ”

Sir William's slightly joking words made Sir William frown slightly, and Sir coughed lightly and looked at the head of the guard, "Sir, I am engaged to Lady Isabel. Therefore, coming to the border was not at the behest of His Highness. ”

"Well, engaged?! Don't worry, sir, the last time the Scots hit here was more than 60 years ago. So, it's safe for you to stay here. ”

"Very well, Sir."

The captain of the guard nodded, and glanced at Isabel again, "Your Excellency, I asked my brother to lead you to the conference hall, and I will come to the conference hall soon to talk to you. ”

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As Ralph led Isabelle, Sir William, and Wilson from Baldwin to the outside of the first-floor conference hall of the two-story building to the south, Isabel glanced sideways at her husband-to-be, "Sir, now, you can go and rest." ”

Sir William gazed at his wife-to-be with affectionate gaze and nodded silently, "Yes, ma'am. ”

After Sir followed a valet to the room on the second floor, Ralph whispered, "Your Excellency, I have never seen a Sir willing to accompany his betrothed wife to the border. ”

Isabel tilted the corners of her mouth, shook her head and said, "A knight who hasn't learned all the knightly skills can do all that." ”

Later, Isabel sat on the side of the long conference table in the conference hall and sipped a glass of wine. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door of the conference hall across from her.