Hey everyone. I have read many Tudor fan fictions and decided I wanted to write my own. My story takes place on January 1, 1511. This is the year that Catherine of Aragon had given birth to Prince Henry. I have completely changed history from the moment Catherine went into labor. Here is my story and I hope you like it. Please review.
1 January, 1511
"Your majesty." Henry Tudor turned around and saw one of his wife's ladies standing in front of him. The King of England had a terrible headache after a long meeting with his Privy Council and just wanted some peace and quiet.
"What?" He snapped at the young girl. She was a pretty little thing, he thought in his head. She had to be no older than 16 years old, just the age that a woman would enter into the Queen's service. The girl rose out of her curtsy when Henry gave her the wave, and Henry could see that she had a round face, blond hair, and a pair of green eyes. He had to admit, she was very beautiful.
"Her majesty has just gone into labor." She said a little weary of his reaction. Not that he could blame her. Just about a year ago, Catherine had miscarried their first daughter at just 5 months of pregnancy. Henry was devastated. Even though it was a daughter, it was his first child. Now he was apprehensive about this pregnancy. Every day he visited Catherine and made sure that she had everything she would need.
"You're dismissed. Go back and help her majesty deliver our son." The lady just curtsied again and left. Henry called out for his page and told him to go get Charles Brandon.
Charles Brandon had always been his best friend when he came and was Henry's schoolroom companion when he was planned to go into the Church. Of course that changed when his eldest brother, Arthur, died from the sweating sickness.
Henry started pacing while he waited for Charles and the wait seemed to take forever. Whenever Henry was stressed, he liked talking to his best friend. Finally after what seemed like forever, his page announced Charles.
"Your majesty, Charles Brandon is here." Henry waved him away and Charles walked in.
"Charles, her majesty has gone into labor. I want you to start the preparations for the birth of my son." Henry wanted his son so bad, but he was still a bit nervous. "Then I want you to go and check to make sure that the Queen is doing fine."
"Of course Henry." He said, he bowed and walked back out. Henry paced again in his room and waited for news of his wife and child. He turned around when the door opened and instead of seeing one of his wife's ladies or Dr. Linacre, he saw his little sister Mary. She gave him a weak smile and went over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a silent hug.
"Catherine is a strong woman Henry," Mary started to say. "And I have a good feeling that this child will be a strong healthy boy." Henry smiled a bit at his baby sister, planted a kiss on the top of her head and rested his head on her head. She stepped back and walked to the window. "Edmund should be here soon. He was out riding, and I sent someone out to go get him and his party."
Edmund Tudor was their younger brother, 12 years old, and a very lively boy. He was the Duke of York and they all loved him.
"All Edmund does is go out and play. It's as he has no responsibilities." Henry growled as he started pacing again.
"Harry," Mary said coming up to him. "When you were his age you were running around too having fun. That's the difference between the Duke of York and the King of England. Besides, let him have his fun. Soon he will be getting married and settling down. This is his last few years of fun." Then the door opened and Edmund walked him.
He bowed at the sight of his brother and sister then walked forward. "Have you heard anything on her majesty?" He asked. When Catherine became Queen, she spent a lot of time with the youngest brother. Edmund loved his sister-in-law, and was worried about her. Many women lay their lives down in childbirth; even their own mother did when she gave birth to their youngest sister Katherine who died the same day she was born.
"I do not know." Henry said starting to pace again. It had been at least 15 hours and there was no word. All of the siblings kept quiet for more hours and they still hadn't heard anything.
They all looked up when the door opened, but again, instead of seeing one of Catherine's ladies, they saw their two aunts, Anne Countess of Surrey, and Catherine Countess of Devon.
"Your majesty. Your highness. Your Grace." They said as they went into a curtsy. Henry waved them out of their curtsies and they all went to hug their aunts who they haven't seen in many years.
"Aunt Anne, have you heard anything from Aunt Bridget?" Mary asked their eldest aunt. Their other aunt, Bridget, was in a nunnery and they have rarely heard from her.
"I have, she says that everyone prays for the delivery of a healthy prince." Anne said and went over to Edmund. "Young Edmund, you look so much like your mother. Elizabeth would have been very proud of you." Catherine came over then at the mention of Elizabeth, and put her hand on her nephew.
"Yes, you have so much of Elizabeth in you." Catherine bent down and kissed her nephew on the head. That was the last thing that was said because it got quiet and Henry started pacing again.
"It has been 23 hours!" Henry exclaimed and he was getting frustrated. No one had anything to say. The only ones who have gone through child labor was Anne and Catherine and the longest either one of their childbirths was under 10 hours.
Finally Dr. Linacre came in. "What has happened?" Mary said going up to the doctor.
"Her majesty is having a hard time and I fear if the childbirth continues for two more hours, then his majesty will have to choose between the life of his child or the life of her majesty." The world seemed to stop for Henry. How do you choose between your wife or your child?
"Thank you." Catherine said when she noticed that Henry couldn't talk. "Please, go help her majesty." Dr. Linacre nodded and he went back to her majesty.
Henry fell down onto a chair and placed his head in his head. He loved his wife a lot, but he also loved the child that was in her belly. How could he choose?
An hour went by and he still couldn't choose. He just hoped that his wife would soon give birth to their child. At that moment he thought that, one of her ladies finally did come in. They all stood up and waited anxiously for the news of Catherine.
"Her majesty has given birth to a healthy son." She said when she rose from her curtsey.
"What of her majesty?" Henry asked.
"Her majesty has lost a lot of blood, but she is alive." Henry let out a sigh of relief and walked out heading towards the Queen's chambers. When he got there all of her ladies stopped washing the bloodied sheets and curtsied to their king. He walked by them and walked towards his queen. Her ladies got her cleaned up and she was wearing a fresh nightgown, her black hair was braided and she was very pale. It took away Henry's breath that even though those hours she was in labor and how paled she looked; she looked beautiful holding their son.
"Your majesty." She said hoarsely. He walked over and sat down on the bed. Their son was awake and Henry took him from her arms. "I was thinking of Henry." She said quietly and Henry looked down at their son.
"That's perfect." He said and he kissed his son on the head. "Prince Henry, Duke of Cornwell."
5 January, 1511
Today was the day that the little prince was christened. His aunt, Princess Mary carried the chrisom, his maternal grandfather, King Ferdinand was his godfather, and his maternal aunt, Queen Maria of Aragon was his godmother, but the ambassadors of Spain and Portugal stepped in as representatives.
After the christening, the procession led to Catherine's chambers and Mary handed her little nephew to her brother. He was sitting next to his wife on the bed. Catherine was still very weak and pale. Henry looked down at his little prince. He was perfect in every way. He had the Tudor eyes and looked a lot like Henry.
Everyone left to give the couple some time to themselves with their new son. Catherine soon fell asleep and Henry gave his son off to his governess, Lady Strasburg. He then bent down, gave his wife a kiss on the lips and then walked out.
The whole court was bright and happy for the birth of their new prince. Henry went to go say goodbye to his aunts. They both had to get back to their estates and their children. Both of them never liked living at court so they both lived at their husband's estates in the country.
Henry got to the stables and saw his two aunts talking to Edmund and Mary. When he got closer to them, and they both saw him, they went into a curtsy. He motioned them out of their curtsy and went up to both Catherine and Anne and gave them a hug goodbye.
"How is her majesty?" Anne asked when Henry stepped back from Catherine. "She looked very tired at the christening. I pray that she makes a speedy recovery."
"Catherine is doing better." Henry said to his aunt, "When I left her she was sleeping." Then the horsemen motioned it was time to go so Edmund, Mary, and Henry gave both of their aunts another round of hugs before they were helped into their carriages and they were on their way. When the carriages left the gates Henry decided that he should go back to the palace and get back to work.
Edmund wanted to go off and play with some friends so that left Mary all to herself. She decided that she would go take a walk through the gardens. When she left to go marry Charles, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, she would miss the gardens in England. Her ladies followed closely behind her as she walked by the fountain that she used to play around when she came to visit Whitehall as a young child.
She was busy looking at the fish in the fountain she didn't see Charles Brandon walking around with his nose in a book and they ran into each other. The book fell into the fountain and Charles automatically reached out and stabilized Mary before she went plummeting into the fountain after the book.
Once Mary was stabilized she just looked at Charles and noticed how warm the spot on her arm that he was holding onto was. After what seemed forever for the two, Mary finally got her voice back.
"Mr. Brandon, I am so sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. Forgive me." She said as she straightened out the pink dress she had on.
"Your highness, you must forgive me. I was the one who should have been watching where I was going." He said then once again silence. "Your highness don't do that!" He said alarmly and reached for her when she reached out and tried to grab the book. The sound of Charles voice scared her and she fell right into the fountain. Mary let out a loud scream before being totally submerged into the water.
Charles quickly reached over and grabbed her so her head was out from under the water. She sputtered out some water and sat in the fountain for a minute. Tears were starting to come from her eyes and all of her ladies rushed forward. Charles helped her get out of the water and her ladies were at her side.
Before either one of them could say a word the ladies started to usher her toward the palace.
"Come my lady," One of them, Elizabeth Sutton, her chief-lady in waiting said. "We must get you in some dry clothes before you catch a cold."
"Okkkkayyy." She stuttered. "Mmmiiister Brandon." She said bowing her head before her ladies helped her walk. Charles went into a bow and muttered 'Your highness' and watched her walk away.
Edmund was walking through the palace when he saw a lady being helped by many ladies. Looking closer he noticed that it was his sister Mary. He was holding a goblet which he dropped and ran to her. "Your grace." Her ladies said shockingly when they saw him running up. Mary was already looking very pale and like she was about to pass out.
"What happened?" He exclaimed as he went and helped support her. "Mary, don't worry sister." He shushed to her when she started rumbling nonsense.
"She fell into a fountain when she went to go help retrieve Mister Charles Brandon's book." Lady Sutton said. They continued walking through court and many courtiers stopped and stare at the brother and sister. When they finally got to Mary's quarters, her ladies thanked Edmund and promised him that they would get her into warm clothes.
He stayed there to make sure that his sister was alright. When Lady Sutton came back out to check on other things she was surprised to see the Duke of York still standing there.
"Your grace, I thought you had left." She said as she hurried into a curtsy.
"Where is Mary? I want to see her." Edmund stated waving her out of her curtsy.
"Her highness is currently resting." Lady Sutton said looking back into the room where her mistress was sleeping. "It seems that she must have bumped her head when she fell into the fountain. Lady Dumont is currently fetching Dr. Linacre."
"Thank you, Mistress-" Edmund felt bad that he didn't know his sister's ladies name.
"Sutton. Elizabeth Sutton your grace."
"Well Mistress Sutton, I bid you a farewell. Please have someone come get me when my sister awakens." He said and Elizabeth fell into another curtsy.
"Your grace." She said. He gave her a small nod before walking out of Mary's quarters. Edmund didn't know what to do because he didn't want to go out far from the palace not only because it was getting late but also in case his sister woke up.
"Edmund." Hearing his name he turned around and saw his brother walked towards him. Edmund gave his brother an elegant bow. "I've heard about Mary. Is she alright?"
"Yes, her ladies had to assure me that she was in warm clothes and is being examined by a physician before I left." Edmund said. "How is her majesty?"
"When I last left her she was sleeping." Henry said as the two brothers starting walking through the palace. Edmund always loved Whitehall the best. The palace he grew up in, Richmond was always dark and gloomy and very cold. Whitehall was bright and open and just welcoming. All over you saw Henry and Catherine's coat of arms and the Tudor Rose all over the palace.
"And Prince Henry?" Edmund asked. He was so happy that his brother got everything he has ever dreamed of. First he became the Prince of Wales after their eldest brother, Arthur, passed away. Then he became King and got married to a woman he did love. Now he finally had this heir. The Tudor line will keep going for a long time. Hopefully Catherine will make a quick recovery and soon be able to produce more princes. That is what everyone needs right now. Is for their beloved Queen to quickly return to court.
January 9 1511
Henry was in a meeting with his Privy Council when one of his pages came in and interrupted the meeting. The page went over to Henry and whispered 'It's her majesty' before Henry stood up quickly and started walking fast out of his chambers and to the Queen's chambers.
The head physician, Dr. Linacre met up with him and started telling Henry about Catherine's condition as they continued walking.
"Her majesty's health is quickly deteriorating. Yesterday evening she had a losing in the bowels and we felt sure that we could save her. But during the night her fever grew worse again. We have tried everything we know," By now they entered into Catherine's chambers. "But her majesty continues to weaken."
Henry was now standing at the doorway of her bedchambers and instead of seeing the woman that he fell in love with years ago was now replaced by a pale, sleeping, death-like woman. Her usual radiating skin was as pale as the sheets, her long flowy black hair was put into a side braid, and her flawless skin had beads of sweat all over it.
Everyone in the room curtsied and stared at him waiting for his reaction. "It's childbed fever. I know because my mother died of it." He took another deep of breath and stood there watching his queen. "Get out." He said to everyone, and he was on the verge of tears. "Leave." Henry stood there and waited till everyone had left before going over to Catherine's bed.
He knelt down next to her and took her hand. Henry brought to his lips and kissed it. Catherine stirred a little and mumbled something. "Don't go. Please don't go…Just because you have done everything that you have promised…please done leave me. You are the light in my dark dark world. The milk of human kindness. Without you life is a desert, a howling wilderness," Henry took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. "Please God, in your mercy; don't take her away from me. My son needs his mother. And I need my queen." Henry kissed her hand and cried out.
That night, Catherine of Aragon, slowly passed away in her sleep. Henry was there when it happened and he just let the tears fall. Edmund went to the chapel and prayed for his beloved sister and queen. Mary went to her nephew's rooms and held onto him as she cried.
The church bells rang every hour in the honor of their beloved Queen. This death shook up the Royal family all for a prince. Henry Tudor will never be the same again.
So this was my story. As some of you noticed I added a character that wasn't there originally. Edmund Tudor. He was the 3rd son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Edmund died a year after he was born, but I decided to keep him alive and add him to the story for some new ideas. Review and tell me what you think of this story and if you think I should continue. Thanks.