AN: Here is the first chapter but second installment of Sink Or Swim. I hope that you all continue to enjoy this story as I will update this story quite frequently, even if nobody even dares or bothers to read it. I will be writing longer chapters for this story however, unlike my other stories, so there will be a lot more story line within each chapter, not so much this one though but it will start the wheels in motion for a few things later on down the track.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this next chapter and remember that if you do, please review as you may even get your next update quicker! In any case, go on and enjoy this next installment.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own history of The Tudors, never have and I never will


Chapter One: The New Queen of England

14 February 1552

Her chief lady-in-waiting was Lady Mary Fitzroy. She did not know much about the lady, and since her own English was not that good, she didn't understand much of the things that the Lady said to her but she had vowed that she would learn English, so talking to the lady obviously had to improve her own English.

Mary was brushing the long brown hair of the Queen-to-be, as she sat patiently as her hair was being done for her wedding. Mary felt sorry for the young girl, to be married so young, it must be a great burden on the young girl's shoulders, one that had been far greater than her own when she had married the King's half-brother, Henry Fitzroy, a brother the King would never know.

She had lost everything when he had died. The late King had said that their marriage was never consummated, which was true, and thus invalid and so she could not receive any of her jointure. She had to live off of her father once again, but know he was locked up in the tower, lucky to still be alive, and her brother was dead. She still truly know how she had felt about that, she had never been terribly close to either of them, they were always using her in their ambitious games, even trying to remove the Queen at the time, Catherine Parr, to place her on the throne.

Luckily, the late King Henry wanted none of that and neither had she herself.

She was truly lucky to still have her life.

She was actually quite astonished that she had been chosen to become the chief lady-in-waiting to the new Queen. She was sure that John Dudley would have picked one of his relations, he sure had plenty of daughters and daughters-in-law capable of doing the job but they had somehow picked her, maybe because she had no family of her own to look after and could therefore be fully committed to serving the young Queen.

She wouldn't have mind staying away from the court, even though she was welcome because of her views on religion, unlike a large proportion of the rest of her family who were known conservatives. She had lived quietly in the country for the last few years but was slightly glad to be of use again, it gave her life some purpose she supposed.

As she put the brush down the young girl, who was nineteen years her junior, looked up at her. "Do you think…," Alberta paused, trying to think of the English way to say what she wanted to say. "Do you think that the King likes me?"

Mary smiled as she started to curl the girl's hair. "I think that he shall like you very much, my lady." Alberta smile, almost laughter, made Mary almost laugh. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen a Queen-to-be so happy just to here that he might like her over time on her wedding day.

Henry VIII's Queens, well, by the end they were all reassured of his love, other than Anna of Cleves, on the day of their wedding and did not fear the King's love, not until they could each see their demise heading towards them.

Mary carefully curled the girl's hair and placed it carefully into place. Her other ladies-in-waiting were attending to the future Queen's dress while other were doing over duties that were needed for today. One of the ladies, the Lady Jane Grey, was staring out the window instead of attending to any task and Mary noticed this.

Now all-in-all, she wanted to let the ladies have some freedoms and would usually let them day dream, at least for a minute or two, she was not letting that happen today. She knew that Jane was not entirely pleased to be here, she would prefer reading something in Greek or Latin but her father and mother thought it best that she have a place in the Queen's household, or at least one of their daughters, and since Catherine and Mary were too young to attend as a lady-in-waiting so Jane had to do.

Jane did her tasks and did them well but would prefer using her time to broaden her mind, not sit around sewing and doing tapestries. She knew that she was capable of so much more than that and didn't see why she was stuck here.

Mary snapped her fingers in Jane's direction, which startled the young girl out of her trance. "Lady Jane," said Mary sternly. "I would normally let such a distraction go but please, not today of all days. Go and do the duty that was assigned to you."

Jane curtsied and walked away from the window and went to do the task that was assigned for her while Mary did the finishing touches to Alberta's hair. "Perfect, my lady," said Mary, proud of the work she had done on Alberta's hair. "Just fit for a Queen."

Alberta smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror, not remembering one time when her hair had been so beautifully done. "Thank you," she said to the Lady Mary before smiling to another one of her blonde ladies-in-waiting, Lady Amy Dudley, who was standing with her sister-in-law, the Countess of Warwick, both waiting to attend the future Queen into her wedding dress.

To Alberta, the dress was beautiful, she had never worn something so grand in her whole life. Her ladies, though they thought the detailing in the dress was exquisite, it was a bit too German for their tastes but they wanted to see the young girl standing in front of them happy, so if it was to be this dress, it was to be this dress.

Once into the dress, Amy Dudley walked around to the back of Alberta to lace her firmly into it. Amy didn't mind living at the court, this way she got to be with her husband, but she did prefer the peaceful life in the country and hoped that one day when God finally blessed her with a child, she would live with her child in the country, away from the disease ridden city.

Alberta looked at herself in the mirror once she had been firmly laced into her gown. She knew that if her little sister Elisabeth could see her know, she would be entirely jealous. She had been jealous that Alberta was too marry the King of England while she would only be marrying the Duke of Saxony.

Pleased with how she looked, Alberta turned towards Amy and Anne. Both smiled pleasantly at the mistress who was smiling with glee.

Alberta spun around when Lady Jane walked back through the doors to the her bed chamber, who was smiling courteously towards the future Queen, and waited while the lady finished curtseying towards her. "My lady," she said politely. "It is time."

Alberta felt a rush of excitement and anxiousness at hearing these words but she knew that she was ready as she would ever be and with a final check over by her ladies, she preceded to head to the chapel were she would be married to the King of England.

By the end of the day, she would be the Queen of England.


Edward was not usually nervous and when he was, he truly hated the feeling. Luckily, once the marriage vows were said, the rings on their fingers and kiss to appease the crowd that was watching, his nerves were all gone, instead only dread was there… dread for what was to come later tonight.

But in the meantime, the court was happily celebrating the marriage between himself to Queen Alberta. The banquet had already finished and now the dancing had begun and out of choice, Edward had decided that he would not dance, only because he knew his new wife was not talented at dancing and had only been learning during her few weeks in England.

His sister Mary did not join in on the dancing either, even though she was a talented dancer herself. She just sat beside his wife in her somber black gown, looking out at the courtiers dancing, not even once striking a conversation with the Queen.

He knew that if he had married a Spaniard, her view on his Queen would be much different.

Not that he could congratulate himself on talking to his wife either. He knew that he had all but ignored her but he knew that if he did talk to her, all he would be reminded of was the fact that tonight he would have to consummate his relationship with the lady.

His friends, Barnaby and Robert, were dancing as was his sister Elizabeth. Edward did not recognize the woman that Barnaby was dancing with, probably one of the new maids that had been brought to court to serve the new Queen, while Robert was partnered with his wife, Amy.

Amy smiled at her husband as they moved through each of the dance steps. As they moved through the steps, she looked up towards the top table to see the Queen looking innocently out on her new court. "She is so innocent," she said as she turned to face her husband again. "I think the court needs some innocence."

Robert smiled at his wife's hopes. She did have a kind heart, he did have to admit that, in fact, he saw her as the best part of him, the part that didn't have ambition but only cared for the happiness of others. He did hope to make her happy, maybe even by providing Amy with a child or two.

"You have high expectations of the Queen, Amy," he said as he went through the motions of the dance. "You have only been serving her for what is, a week, and you have already much loyalty towards her." He paused, thinking whether he should say the next thing or not but decided he would, but he leant down to Amy's ear and whispered it. "Especially if their majesties destiny is to be the same as the late Queen and his first wife."

Amy stared at her husband. "He wouldn't dare do that…"

"Amy, please continue to do the steps," Robert interrupted when he realized that Amy had stopped dancing in shock to his last comment. "You wouldn't want to cause a scene would you?"

She shook her head. "No," she replied as she went back to dancing. "But this King is a different man to his father." If yet a man at all thought Amy to herself, still considering the King to be a young boy. "He is not as lustful and cares more for his studies than his father did. He would surely do the honorable thing by the Queen, and do not wish on their majesties the ill-fate of the Lady Mary's mother." Amy had always felt sorry for the Lady Mary's mother, Katherine of Aragon. She had been abandoned all for not giving the King a son and she just prayed that Robert would not do the same to her if all she could provide him was a daughter.

"For God, Amy," he said sighing. "I would never wish it on the King and the Queen to have that fate, I pray like any man that they will have many sons but…" He was cut off saying the rest of his sentence to Amy by the dance switching the partners of everyone involved, and was no longer partnered with his wife but was partnered with the King's elder half-sister, the Lady Elizabeth.

"My lady," Robert said smiling before placing a kiss on the Lady Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth nodded her head in response before Robert thought it fit to speak to his long-time friend. "Could have ever believed that your younger brother would be married? I suppose that it will you be you next that is betrothed."

Elizabeth laughed before turning like the dance required and it was only when that she was facing Robert again that she replied to his comment. "Why Robin, you forget that my sister, the Lady Mary, is still not married," she said, her eyes motioning for Robert to look up to the royal dais where the Lady Mary was sitting next to the Queen, who she was ignoring completely but was occasionally talking to the Lady Anna of Cleves. "She has to be betrothed before I can be, surely."

Robert shook his head. "My lady, I am sure that even you know that the chances of marrying the Lady Mary to anyone is very slim. No foreign King would want her, she is most likely to old to bare any children anyway."

Elizabeth hit is arm mockingly, but she did have a sad look in her eye. She felt sad for her sister. She was a woman who wanted nothing more than to have a child to care for and for that child to call her mother but marriage and childbearing years seem to have past Mary.

The only real possibility was if Edward married her off to a courtier who needed a wife and wished to seek favor with the King, and that just seemed cruel as that courtier would be a well known Protestant and Mary would live in utter unhappiness.

"You shouldn't speak like that about the King's own sister, it is just really rude Robin," she said before switching partner's again so that Robert was back with his own wife before the dance ended.

As the dances bowed and curtsied towards each other as the dance ended, the rest of the court clapped politely, including the King and the new Queen who both clapped and smiled, both knowing that with every dance ending, it would mean that it would be closer for them to consummate their marriage.


No one ever thought about the married couple's first night during the day, though Lady Mary Fitzroy. She had forever thought it was strange how the bride and groom always sat quietly and shyly on the day of their wedding, unless of course if they had married for love, in which case they were usually too caught up in the whole wedding and festivities. For couples who were arranged, they usually had only met their prospective partner once, they sat nervously awaiting what was to follow.

And this was the case for the King and Queen of England.

Alberta had already been changed by her ladies into her nightgown and had thrown a robe over the top while Mary brushed her hair. Mary noticed that she was looking at her hands and twiddling her thumbs nervously awaiting for her husband to arrive and then to be left alone with him.

Mary was thankful that she had never consummated her marriage, though she often wondered what life would have been like if she did.

She might have even had a child.

However, she had been left a widow, though the late King did not think so, saying that her marriage was never a true and lawful one because of the non-consummation, and had never remarried. She had no children and never had the prospect of looking forward to having one.

She did not mind this really, she would prefer serving the Queen than having to suffer endless hours in child bed, bringing a child in to the world who may or may not live, or was the wrong gender.

Alberta looked up for a moment, looking into the mirror but also looking at the Lady Mary standing behind her in the process. Mary smiled at the young girl. She truly wished that she could give the young girl some advice on what was to happen, but she couldn't. She also did not know what Alberta's mother, the Electress Palatinate, had told her daughter and what she hadn't told her daughter.

She couldn't imagine the Queen knew much, her innocence was proof of that, but she doubted the King knew much either, he was not one of those young boys who fooled around with the serving girls, not that he would have been allowed to considering his strict protection, which was even being forced onto his own marriage bed, with the Duke of Northumberland already making it clear to Mary that Edward would not visit his wife no more than twice a month, as to not let the King become over exhausted.

Of course, Northumberland had not even though of the Queen's wellbeing.

Mary already knew that the girl's welfare was her responsibility since no one else seemed to care, but she couldn't disagree with the Duke, she agreed with what he was planning. But, if she could have her way, that would wait a while before they consummated their marriage.

Alberta sat there patiently as Lady Fitzroy combed her hair, breathing in and out as she did. She knew that within the next few hours she would become a woman and this made her extremely nervous, she knew that it would not be an easy task and that it would hurt the first time, her mother had told her that, but she knew little else. She wanted to ask one of her ladies for advice but she did not trust any of them enough to open herself up to about such a topic.

In any case, the time to talk soon passed her and she would have to go in this unaware of the things she wanted to ask as the King, her husband, walked through the door that connected her bedroom through to a corridor that led to her husband's bedroom.

Edward sighed. He was as nervous as Alberta was but neither of them knew how the other was feeling. "My lady," he said, bowing his head slightly towards his new wife as she got up from her chair and curtseyed towards her new husband.

Archbishop Cranmer quickly blessed the bed before the Duke of Northumberland, who possessed a grin on his face that made Alberta shiver, ordered for everyone to leave the room and to leave the newlyweds alone.

Once everyone left, both of them stood their quietly, looking towards the ground, not once looking up toward each other. Both of them knew that they would get nowhere in providing England with an heir if they kept their relationship to just looks at the ground beneath them.

"Would you like some ale?" Edward asked, finally looking up at Alberta who had her arms wrapped around her chest as if for protection, not as if she was sheltering herself from the winter chill that was still in the air.

Alberta nodded and took the mug of ale once Edward had finished pouring it and had handed it her. "Thank you," she said quietly while dipping a little curtsey before taking a sip of the ale.

Edward sighed at this mark of respect. "You don't have to do that Alberta," he said. Alberta looked up at him shocked, unsure and afraid that she had done something wrong. "No, you haven't done anything wrong," he reassured her. "Just… when we are in private, you do not need to curtsey to everything, or anything."

Alberta smiled genuinely and nodded, clearly understanding what Edward was telling her. He did not seem mean Alberta thought and that was something she was happy with.

Once they had both finished their ale, Edward noticed that Alberta was shivering. He gently put his hand on her arm unexpectedly. "Are you cold?" he asked instinctively. Alberta nodded in response. Edward smiled. "Well… why don't we get you under the covers?"

Alberta nodded and walked over towards the bed before taking off her robe and getting under the covers, before Edward went and did the same.

Both of them knew that this was the moment, that it was going to happen but they were both just scared kids, unsure of what to do but they would both enter this unknown territory together, who knew, maybe one day it all wouldn't seem so bad.


16 February 1552

It had been two days since she became Queen of England and she still was not used to them addressing her as such but she knew that she would sooner or later be accustomed to be called that title. It was a big honor, especially for a girl of her background, a Princess of a German state, and she knew that she did not want to let anybody down.

Alberta knew that a lot of people already judged her and watched her, waiting to see if she would fill her duty by providing the King, her husband, with a son and heir. She couldn't believe that after only one night together, every courtier expected her to be with child. She knew it wasn't the case and she was slightly glad.

That night, two nights ago, wasn't as bad as she had expected. It was a little painful but not that bad, but then she had never known what good was so she wasn't sure if that was the right way to describe it. They had both been unsure of what to do but she was almost positive that the job had been done correctly.

It had been new for them both so she felt no need to be embarrassed by it.

But today was a new day and today she would be welcoming the Lady Mary into her chambers. She had already met the lady but they had hardly if ever talked. She did want to make a good impression on the King's eldest sister, it was important to her to have good relations with her husband's family, as they were now her family as well, and already had a good reproach with the Lady Elizabeth and the Lady Anna.

She had made sure that she was dressed well for the occasion, hoping that this would lead to a good impression of the Lady. She wore a light yellow dress which was embellished with small white pearls around the neckline and her hair was curled, falling halfway down her back and had a white pearl diadem in it to match the neckline of her dress.

She just hoped that her outfit was happy and cheery enough to make the Lady Mary like her.

Her ladies were fixing her dress when Lady Fitzroy walked into the room. "My lady," she said curtseying as Alberta turned to see her. "The Lady Mary is here."

Alberta smiled, placing her hands in front of her as the older lady, now her sister-in-law, walked into the room and curtsied before her.

Alberta sighed with nervousness before addressing her new sister-in-law, "Lady Mary," she said with childish anxiousness, waiting for the Lady to return her welcome by addressing her as well.

"Madame"

"It gives me such pleasure to be able to properly be introduced to you," she said smiling before dropping her head to look at her hands, afraid to look at the Lady's solemn face that was studying her. She had made sure to practice what she was to say to make sure her English was perfect for the occasion as to make sure that Mary thought that she was worthy to be Queen of England. "I have heard many grand… great things about you, Lady Mary, from many people." The Lady smiled at her but did not reply so Alberta thought she would go on with the rest of her little speech she had made sure to prepare. "I wish, Lady Mary, that you and I may be friends, with time, as we are now sisters."

Mary smiled. "I shall attend on your majesty, whenever your majesty chooses to invite me," she replied to the young lady who was obviously nervous. She knew that she should have nothing against the lady, who after all came from a much similar background to the Lady Anna of Cleves, a woman who Mary had grown close to during Anna's short time as Queen of England and afterwards. Mary felt sorry for the young girl who had so much responsibility thrown onto her not yet fully grown shoulders but she also couldn't help but feel some resentment and jealousy towards her, even though she knew it was a sin, because just like her father's ill-fated marriage to Katherine Howard, the girl was much younger than herself who was still not married and the girl would most likely have a child before she herself would have one, if she would ever have one.

Alberta smiled, feeling slightly less nervous around the King's eldest sister and she was glad of it. "I know, Lady Mary, that you have a long trip ahead of you," said Alberta, with more confidence than her previous words to the Lady Mary.

"Yes, Madame," Mary replied. "It is a long trip back to Hunsdon and I wish to arrive back there before nightfall, so I must bid you farewell." Mary curtsied towards the Queen before turning her back and walking out of the room with her ladies following quickly behind her.

Once the Lady Mary walked out of the room, Alberta turned back to face her ladies and smiled at them. She was happy that things had at least seemed to go alright with the Lady Mary and she seemed to not have made any outward enemy in the Lady and that was good.

She just hoped that everything in England went this good.

TBC.