As a result of these events the queen began very much to blame herself for what she had set in motion, not only for inducing the king to invade the kingdom, but also for renouncing the governance of the realm and bestowing it upon him. So, leaving to one side her original thoughts about this, it is said that she secretly sent letters to several places which the King of Castile planned to win over to his cause. In these letters she urged them, even if the king went there in person and she went along in his company, that they should not be handed over to him, however many arguments she might advance, or which she might get others to put forward. Among these places was the city of Coimbra.

At this point there came back a reply to the first message which she had sent to Count Gonçalo and Gonçalo Mendes, which you have already heard about. In his reply the count stated that he was very pleased at what she had written, but that her proposal could not be put into effect in any way, unless the king were to go there with his army, threatening to lay siege to the city with a view to its capture. That was because, otherwise, he doubted whether those who were there with him would agree to it; moreover, she should in any case accompany the king and not do anything else. Having noted this message, the king was very pleased with it and decided to leave with his army at once, taking both queens along with him. That day he reached Torres Novas, where he spent the night. The king and his wife lodged in the outskirts, whereas Queen Leonor took up separate lodgings and was guarded throughout the night by Castilian men-at-arms. The next day, when she realised this, she exclaimed to those who accompanied her, ‘What's this? Am I to be guarded by Castilian troops? I can see that from now on I’m a prisoner.’ On hearing of this, the king declared that he was doing it for the best and in order to ensure her safety, along with other disingenuous arguments.