A few days before the King of Castile arrived at Santarém, he sent ahead Pero Carrillo, his chief herberger, to ask Queen Leonor to make arrangements for accommodation and quarters to be provided for his troops. She consulted the nobles and lords who were with her, and they agreed that neither the king nor those who accompanied him should be accommodated in the town, rather that the king should be lodged in one of the monasteries, whichever he saw fit, and that his forces should find lodging outside the town as best they could. Realising this, the herberger did not return to the king, but stayed there to await his arrival. Those within Santarém began to keep better watch over the town than before, as though it were on a war footing.

Some relate that, although Queen Leonor had summoned the King of Castile and was very pleased that he had come, yet, as a wise and very perceptive woman, she was uncertain in her heart whether the king would demonstrate by his actions the approach which she so keenly desired. They add that, as she was afraid of many things and unsure of anything, she hesitated to emerge from the castle and place herself in the king's power, for fear of what, indeed, was to happen afterwards. Therefore she did not want to come out to speak to him. Instead, she wanted the king to take up lodging in one of the monasteries, and they would later agree on how they should meet to discuss matters. Indeed, Martim Gonçalves de Ataíde, Gonçalo Rodrigues de Sousa and other noblemen told her that in no way should she place herself in his power, because it could happen that the king would detain her until she yielded the town to him, along with the other places which had expressed their allegiance to her.

Gonçalo Vasques and João Gonçalves both told the queen that in no way should she do so but, given that it was her daughter and son-in-law, whom she had summoned from their kingdom by her very own letters, it would be highly discourteous and would cause the king to be deeply suspicious and irritated, were she not to emerge at once to greet and speak to them.