"So remind me again why I'm being dragged to this" Anya sighed as she threw the newspaper onto Sophie's desk that was already littered with several different other broadsheets, each reporting the same story with the same brooding portrait of the recently crowned King of England. Sophie peered from behind her black rimmed glasses, another of Anya's strops was not what she needed right now, her report on Royal affairs was due in less than two hours and her boss had already lined up her next grand assignment.
"Anya, I invited you because you're my friend and I want to have at least one conversation with a sane person while I'm there"
"What do you mean sane person?"
"Come on, these folk must have a screw loose, people with money always do; Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, it's the ones that are born into a fortune that are the worst. Look, I have to get this finished so can we discuss this later?"
Anya didn't answer her disgruntled friend but instead collected another newspaper into her arm and left the study, feeling the air of tension lift from her shoulders. As Anya left her busy companion she could not help but skim the headline once more: PRINCE CHARMING TO MARRY. It was like a fairytale, young Prince Richard, charismatic and handsome succeeds the throne after the death of both his father and brother and decides, although some speculate his superiors had a hand in it, to hold a "great ball" in which he is to chose his future Queen. A great feat when the new King is but merely a man, just 23 years old with a country to his name, such power can lead to great downfalls yet many have put faith in the boy, some have gone as far as to say that he is the mark of a new dynasty of English Royals, an Obama for England as it were. Anya sighed, how much hope could really be put on one man? It was one of the questions she was sure Sophie would bring up for; low and behold she had received two exclusive tickets to the event as the new Royal reporter for The Times even though she loathed tradition and such occasions with a great tenacity. Anya however, not admitting it to her companion, was actually looking forward to the event. The party would last for a weekend and from spending most of her life in France with her mother she had missed out on Royal gossip, it would be an adventure to say the least for it indeed called for a new outfit or two.
"Both the Princesses of Jordan and Denmark accept graciously your invitations and several seamstresses have been sent to both countries"
"mmm" Richard replied, too lost in another article about himself and the hype circulating about his search for a bride. For Richard, marriage wasn't his main agenda; it was creating a stable country of trade and diversity in which harmony would prosper in a world where discord reigned supreme. It had been his mother's idea for such an event, a connection with another state would secure their chances of an alliance and time and again she reminded him that and heir was another important factor to a successful reign.
"Are you listening to me Richard?"
"Not really mother but when do I ever listen to you?" his sarcasm did not bode well with her and Mary sighed in response.
"Come now, this is important" she continued anyway, regardless whether or not Richard was really paying attention to her "Now, the invitations all remind guests that in light of Henry VIII's 500 year anniversary the theme is based upon the Tudors and therefore Tudor costume must be worn at all time throughout the weekend. A seamstress has been sent to each of the 6 princesses who will be dressed in white and shall be asked to wear veils..."
"Veils? Thats absurd! How shall I see their faces?"
"Natasha believes you shall simply know in your heart who is your true bride and when you have chosen you shall make this clear by pronouncing her as Katherine"
"Why Katherine?"
"Because she was the true wife of King Henry and you my dear represent everything that the young, ambitious Henry was!"
"Henry had 6 wives if you have forgotten mother and I am nothing like that man, I do not wish to be associated with such a monster"
"Nonsense it's a little bit of renaissance fun, it adds some theatre to the event"
"Alright, alright, I give up, so long as I can invite whom I wish?"
"Please don't tell me you wish that Thomas fellow to be there, honestly, I swear that boy has slept with every hooker in London"
"Not every hooker mother, only a select few." Richard chuckled; he could stand no more of his mother's witling and so kissed her hand and left with his servants chasing after him. It was not long before Mary was in the presence of another.
"Natasha, thank heavens" Mary remarked, taking the withered lady's hands into her own. Much conspiracy lied with Natasha. It was known by many that she was a confident of the King's mother yet none seem to know why. She had been picked from obscurity in Russia and not many knew of her background though several made up their own theories, claiming her blood line linked with that of Rasputin, however, only the members of the Royal court knew of her and the tabloids had yet to latch onto anything sinister or supernatural about the old mystic.
"How was Demark?" Mary enquired, seating herself upon a nearby chaise lounge though her tension could be spied in the drumming of her fingers.
"The Princess is as we suspected"
"Then, it is likely Richard will choose her?"
"If belief in the tale is correct then yes Ma'm, Princess Louisa will the Future Queen of England. However, the King may surprise us all and choose instead the Lady Amelia."
"Perhaps" sighed Mary "But it all depends on whether your visions are correct."
"I am never wrong your majesty"
Since Natasha had first come to England it had been her visions that had secured her place by the former Queen's side. It had been during the previous King's visit to Russia that the two trustees had meet when a bare footed Natasha had collapsed at the Queen's feet proclaiming that her Husband and first born would soon leave her side. At first Mary chided her, believing the prophecy to be no more than the ramblings of an old woman. But after that fateful day on December the 6th when an assassin took their lives the Queen at once, for her own comfort had the woman escorted to the palace of luxury and from that day requested a reading every week. It had been on Natasha's first encounter with Richard that she had realised he was an extraordinary boy, for not only was his heart pure but the spirit of a former King slept within him. This man was a reincarnate of another and if directed on the right path would bring about a great revolution of freedom and beauty, something that the dormant spirit had once aspired to but instead had become corrupted and tyrannical, turning brother against brother. Natasha at once admitted her beliefs to the Queen and the hunt began for the perfect match. If Richard was Henry VIII he needed his Katherine or Jane by his side, a suitable wife who would not only bear his children but aid him in his quest to nurture the country into such a reformation. Natasha had searched high and low before eventually finding the two candidates, Jane's modest behaviour oozed from the Princess of Denmark while Katherine's unyielding faith was apparent in the Lady Amelia. Both ladies had been found, both were attending the ball and to prove Natasha's theory both had been instructed to wear veils, after all if the King was meant to be with either woman, surely a veil would not hide his eyes from the truth. So the plot and preparations had begun, now all they had to do was wait.