Chp 2

Mary was confined in her room until the end of the Borgias' visit. She remembered yesterday she bumped into a Juan Borgia. She felt attracted to him. He looked dashing in gold and red and the way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her, his charms and his curly brown hair. She hoped that he felt the same as well.

One day, King Henry came to greet his guests and his daughter. After a brief meeting with Elizabeth, King Henry was about to leave when Mary walked out to the porch. He gave an acknowledgement bow and Mary returned the bow, but her face showed no expressions at all. When Mary was about to walk back in, she saw Juan on his horse, gazing at her. She bowed slightly and he did the same. As he galloped away, behind his father and the king, he gave her a warm smile and a wink. For the first time in years, Mary smiled to his gestures.

Mary locked herself in her room. She kept replaying back at the memory, where Juan smiled and winked at her. She sat on her bed, smiling like a total fool. When she wanted to pick up her rosemary, she found a folded letter beneath it.

Dearest Mary,

You never have formally introduced yourself, so I took the liberty to ask around. After our encounter, I have this strange and loving feeling towards you and I hope I'm not being too forward. I find it so hard to forget you and your soft dark curls and the eyes that are as blue as any ocean that I have crossed.

My mother and sister are so eager as to want me to introduce you to them. I find it very awkward and as I have said, I have this strange and loving feeling towards you. I never had these feelings inside of me. Most women in Vatican court are either full of lust, witty or cruelty. You are so different from those women there and you would be a rare jewel there. Your beauty is exquisite. Only if you are mine to behold, but being a king's bastard even if you are his true born daughter will not stop me from having you.

I find myself to want to say these words to you, Lady Mary. I love you, but if I'm being too forward, perhaps we can start of being friends? I want to have you in my arms and forgive for intruding because as I was wondering in the house, I saw your room slightly open and I saw you crying. You were in such a vulnerable state and all I wanted to do was to hold you and comfort you, but alas I don't want us to be caught in a scandalous state. With your angelic face, I don't want to taint it.

Alas, my fair lady, I have to end my writings, but this is neither a goodbye nor a farewell. I will see you and I will find you. Nothing in this world will ever separates us.

(PS: keep this to yourself. We don't want to have Lady Bryan to report to the king now, would we?)

Yours truly,

Juan Borgia

Mary smiled from ear to ear. She held the letter to her chest, by her heart. 'Is this love?', she asked herself. She kept the letter in her diary. Then, she resumed her daily chores.

(That night)

Mary was busying herself cleaning the kitchen. Then, she heard a knock from the back door. She hesitant at first, then she braved herself and went to opened the door. There, she found a woman in a hooded cloak. "I've come bearing message from Lord Juan Borgia", said the woman as she handed Mary a tiny pouch and a piece of folded letter.

"And you are?", Mary asked as she hid the letter and the pouch in the sleeve of her dress. "I'm an old friend of his. I'm Lady Isabella Marianna De Luca. I owed him a favour once, now returning it by becoming…, a middle person in your situations", explained the woman. "How are you to be a middle person? I'm not even a noble woman, just a maid in this situation. We are not of the same social status", said Mary as she tried to be realistic.

"On the contrary, my lady, you are of royal blood, hence the suitable social status. Even His Holiness the Pope has been asking of you. No one has made Juan this smitten until he had to send me personally to deliver this letter because he did not trust his messenger", said Lady Isabella. 'Smitten? By me?', she thought. "Now, my lady, I suggest you hurry back in before Lady Bryan catches us and report back to the king. I bid you good night, my lady", said Lady Isabella as she bowed and left.

Mary locked the door and hurried back to her room. She locked the door before reading Juan's letter.

My dearest Mary,

I can't help myself but to write again. My mother and sister insist on it. I have never seen them so keen about my personal life. They say you have had me smitten. It's something new for me. No woman has ever had me attracted to her this powerful. Lately, I daydreamed a lot, even when the king blabbered at the front about some treaty, all I could see was you. All I thought of was you.

During our dinner with the king and Queen Anne, my mother had mentioned you. The look on the queen's face was beyond unimaginable. She said the worst of you. I wanted to contradict, but for father's sake, I would not. England plan to betroth their daughter to one of the Borgia's sons. Clearly can't be my older brother Cesare as he is dedicated to his work as a clergyman and it was tied between me and my younger brother, Gioffre. The queen had her eyes on me, but thank god my mum had given out a lie that I was already engaged.

The queen was too forward. Immediately after dinner, she came into my room and made sexual advances to me and will not leave until I have submit myself to her. I was widely known in Vatican court for fidelity, but after meeting you, I just can't. I wanted you, not her. Surely, the Borgias will never step foot in England after this and I'll never see you again.

Then, my miracle came. An old friend of mine, Lady Isabella Marianna De Luca happened to stay here with her uncle as a ward after the death of her parents. I told her if you happen to be welcomed back to court; I want her to be by your side. I don't trust anyone else but her. Even if the king tortures her to death, she will take our secret to her grave. In the pouch, I have given you two rings. First, the one I bought for you when I accompanied my sister in town. She picked it out and told me to give it to you as a promise ring. The other one has the seal of the Borgia. Should anything happen, write to me and seal the letter with it and have Isabella delivered it to me.

I am not certain how long either will I be here or if I ever returned to Rome, when will I ever see you again. I hope that I can see you again. I shall have it arrange with Lady Isabella.

I love you, Mary. Good night and dream of me.

Yours truly,

Juan Borgia

Mary smiled to herself. She took out the first ring, the one that Juan's sister picked out. It had a ruby stone in the centre of the golden ring. The ring came along with a long chain. Mary wore the chain with the ring as a pendant and slipped in under her dress so no one can see it. The second ring was a simple gold ring and on top of it had the picture of a bull, the Borgia's sigil. Mary kept the second ring in the pouch and hid it in her dress. She placed the letter in her diary and went to bed with a smile.