Cecily sighed as she looked at the four walls surrounding her. She was only on her third day of her confinement and she was already miserable. How had her sister, Mary, survived this misery already twice. Margery glared at her from her chair by the fire signifying she could read her twin's mind. Margery was only 4 months into her own pregnancy, it was a relief that the Scottish Queen became pregnant first. Margery and Alexander were very much in love, but Cecily was still trying to figure out her true feeling about King James.
"Margery, have we had any letters from Mary?" Margery shook her head. Most of the time it Anne Percy or Jane Smeaton who would write to the twins. Mary seemed to grow sadder in the few letters they did receive. It seemed their mother still treated George with disdain, and rarely even wanted to interact with George and little Henry. Margery kissed her sister on the head before she left the Queen's chambers. She worried about Cecily, she seemed more shut off then she did back in England. She was well loved as Queen, and actually loved Scotland. But there was something that Margery could not pinpoint causing a melancholy.
"Alex" Margery called out as she entered the chambers she shared with her husband. She placed her hand on her belly as she curled up in the chair in front of her roaring fire. She fell asleep, her ladies not wanting to disturb her. When she woke, it was in the middle of the night and Alexander was still not back. She began to worry. Was he hurt? Was he whoring? Suddenly there was a loud knock on the her door. Lady Dorothy Seymour slowly opened the door. "May I ask why you are waking my lady in the middle of the night."
"This is of a most urgent matter. I must speak with my niece." Margery wandered into the outer chamber, still dressed from the morning. "Uncle Edward." Edward Fitzroy, the youngest son of the late King Henry VII with his mistress taken years after his most beloved Queen had died.
"Princess, you must come with me." Margery pulled away from her uncle. "No, tell me what happened." He sighed, she was as stubborn as his half-brother. "Margery..." He looked deep into her eyes, he was trying to be as delicate and calm as he could be before telling her.
"Alex...is he ..." Her mind began to race as she wondered what was so important to wake her in the dead of night.
"Sweetheart, Prince Alexander..." He took another deep breath. "Fell from his horse on the hunt, he is recovering but he is asking for you." Margery fainted, and Edward caught her lifting her up in his arms. "Quickly, fetch the midwife." Edward ordered.
Margery woke up to the midday sun, this time she was tucked in her bed. Her ladies watching over her, including Lady Margaret McGregor, her midwife. "My baby..." she placed her hand on her stomach.
"The bairn is still strong, your highness." Margaret comforted her. "Your Uncle Edward took every precaution for your safety and the wee bairn." Margery nodded. She learned her sister was not told of her scare, as she would not need the added stress. She began to cry, she needed Alex. Suddenly the doors of her chambers burst open. Alex ran to Margery. "My love" He kissed her passionately. "The bairn?" He asked cautiously. "He is well, my love." Margery ran her and over Alex's face along the tiny scar over his eye. "Uncle Edward told me you were injured."
"Did he frighten you, my darling?" He pulled him to her, holding her lovingly on the bed. She didn't know how to answer, it was true that the thought of Alex severely injured worried her, but Edward was calm and caring when he was telling her the news.
"No, my love. He he is the most caring uncle, he didn't want me to worry. It was my own imagination that caused me to faint. I shall be much more careful." She pressed herself more against Alex, pulling his hand to her stomach. He nearly jumped as he felt a slight flutter beneath his hand. "The bairn?" He asked.
"It is the most wonderful feeling. He began moving early yesterday morning." Alex stayed with Margery the rest of the day, the two fell asleep, not waking until mid-afternoon.
Before the sun rose, on the 17th of April in the year 1532, the Scottish court was buzzing with excitement. Queen Cecily was in labor. James secluded himself in his chambers witth Alex and Edward Fitzroy the long hours waiting on his first child to be born. Margery was with her sister, holding her hand. Ten hours after her waters broke, a small cry could be heard in the Queen's chamber.
"Is it a boy?" She asked softly. Before the midwife could answer, Cecily cried out in pain again.
"You must push, Your Grace. Are belief that you were carrying twins was true." So this is the pain their mother went through to bring her and her sister into the world. She was beyond tired by the last push. She had fallen into sleep.
"My sister is exhausted, use caution when moving her." Margery ordered. "Lady Mary, inform the King his beloved Queen and children are well." She didn't want him to be told the genders, not until Cecily herself was awake and holding them. James became inpatient, as he was asked to wait for Cecily to be ready to be presented. When he entered her chambers she was holding one of their twins, her sister in a chair beside the bed with the other. The children where christened James and Margaret.
Cecily had finally been allowed to leave her chambers, she was now the the mother of the future King of Scotland. Her beloved little James. Margaret she noticed looked much like her namesake, her Aunt Margaret, the Queen Mother. Soon she would be an aunt again, on September the 1st, little Princess Cecily was born. The Tudor legacy was growing stronger each year.