Princess Katherine was not desired. There were already two princesses, Mary and Elizabeth.
Small, frail, sickly Katherine should have been a boy. Everyone predicted a boy! Yet the had recieved a small child, tiny enough to fit in both cupped hands with a shrill cry and milk-white skin.
She wished herself a boy like Edward. It would assure two boys for the throne.
Little Princess Katherine- was she a princess? It was hard to tell, for sometimes she was a princess and sometimes she was a bastard child.
Katherine was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine Howard. Katherine was born a year before Catherine's death, and she was named Katherine after her mother.
Princess Katherine was expected to die. The doctors all predictated the babe's unfortunate death. Henry even made a small coffin for her.
Mary showed the small girl the coffin and made her touch it, telling her that Catherine Howard's head could fit right in. Katherine fainted and Henry worried! It was a great fiasco!
Katherine was a small little thing. Dark hair, large green eyes and milk-white skin. She showed much resemblance to Henry. She had his round face and his nose.
A small giggle was heard and it was noticed by her governess.
"Katherine? Katherine, I know you are there, child."
"No you don't, Muggie!" Katherine came out of the trunk.
"Katherine! You've become a dreadful mess!" Muggie rushed to her. Muggie's name was Lady Margaret Dare but Katherine loved to call her Muggie.
"Oh no, child!" Muggie's hands wavered over Katherine's dress. "You've ripped the only gown that fits."
"Oh, Muggie, you worry so much! I have a closet of gowns!"
"No, child. Those are from when you were smaller. Much too small for you now." Muggie's eyes shined with worry. Katherine frowned.
"Can we play now?"
Muggie frowned, "Child, I believe I asked you to work in your hornbook."
Katherine frowned as well.
A horn-book is a piece of parchment pasted on to a small wooden board with a handle, and covered with a thin plate of transparent horn. The horn-book displayed the alphabet in both small letters and capital letters. The Lord's Prayer in English was also included on the horn-book together with the mark of the cross.
"I was so trying to." Katherine had a shy smile, "But I grew so bored of it. Can we please play?" The four year old girl stuck a lip out, desperate.
Muggie sighed, "You may but only until I have finished my letter to your father. We may have better results if you write the King."
The Princess cocked her head to the side, "Why are you writing to Papa?"
"To beg, dear child." She replies.
"Oh. For what?"
"Child! You have no gown nor kirtle nor petticoat, nor linen for smocks, nor kerchiefs, sleeves, rails, bodystychets, handkerchiefs, mufflers, nor begens!" She exclaimed. "You have nothing!"
Katherine said nothing for a moment, "...we could asked Bess."
Muggie tsked, "Lady Elizabeth is in hardship herself."
"Princess." She corrected. "Princess Bess."
Muggie frowned once more, "Child, Lady Elizabeth has been once again considered illegitamate. Just like you are called Lady Katherine."
"Does that mean she's a bas...tard?" She paused to consider the word.
"Child, where did you learn this?" Muggie's lips were in a thin line, anger in her gentle honey brown eyes.
She blushes before mumbling, "When I was playing will my doll, the maids were whispering about me being a bastard child."
"It means illegitament." Muggie said carefully, "Do not care for their petty, vile words."
"I'll write my name on the letter for Papa." Katherine said, "So he knows I need this. Can we play now?"
Muggie gave a sign, "You remind me of your mother. All play."
Katherine cocked her head to the side as she always did, "Bess told me that Mama was very pretty."
"Yes. She was delightfully beautiful. Tis what got the King's attention." Muggie said.
"Was she kind?"
"She twas very kind. She sent my a necklace of diamonds the day I was assigned as your governess to thank me for my services for her when she was child and for you, whom I had just began to serve." Muggie told her, her eyes were gentle. Muggie's eyes clouded as she remembered the young woman.
"You cared for Mama too?" She said.
Muggie nodded, "You are as playful as her. Sweet and playful."
"...Did she love me?" The small child was intellegent. It was the truth. While playful and energetic, she was smart too. She watched and listened, taking careful to notice every detail.
Katherine had a wisdom beyond her four short years. Unlike her mother, who was childish and slightly vain, Katherine was wise and smart, even if she did not act it all the times.
"Yes." Muggie replied, "While she was in..." She paused to consider the word, "...trouble, she begged to see her angel of a daughter. She grew up just a bit when you were born."
"Am I Papa's little girl?"
The question caught Muggie off guard. She was silent, not sure how to respond.
"...Yes."
"Why do people at the court call me vile names?" Katherine asked. "They even say I'm not. And Papa says I'm not."
"When you were born, you're father, The King, held you with such tenderness, such admiration and love, and he called you his "True Tudor Rose" and kissed your forehead." Muggie admitted, "That is proof enough that you are certainly his. He just sometimes won't admit it, like with Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth."
"Oh." Katherine looked at her torn dress. "Oh." She repeated once more.
She slowly went towards a her small chair and picked up her horn-book.
Muggie was sure Katherine was Henry's daughter. She had his round face, his nose.
She had his temper and spirit. She had the same grin as him.
Not only that, she resembled her siblings. Edward and Katherine both had Henry's green eyes. Elizabeth and Katherine resembled each other. Katherine and Mary both had a strong faith.
Four Year Old Lady Katherine Tudor, even if she wasn't a princess at the moment, was a True Tudor Rose. She was and forever will be a Princess.