AN: Welcome to a new chapter of 'The Mare & The Rose'. I would like to thank every one that has reviewed this story so far. The reviews of this story have surpassed my expectations and by far this is my most popular story by review counts. It does actually make the writing process more enjoyable when you know people are reading it. Also, I would like to make one thing clear, just a thing I picked up on in the reviews, my Henry (in my mind) looks like the one from the show, so he basically looks like Jonathan Rhys Meyers. To me, JRM doesn't look impotent and nor would I think that the 'experience' is a for Kitty. Just thought that I would point that out. In any case, I won't leave you much longer as I am sure that you want to read the next chapter!

A Big Thank You To LadyEleanorBoleyn who has been a great help and a great brainstorming partner. I recommend that you go and check out her stories as well as she is an amazing writer.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Tudors, never have and I never will.

Chapter Nine

6 March 1541

Henry had decided to organise his first grandchild's christening, with the help of Kitty. Even though his first grandchild was only a girl, not a son like he had thought that Mary would have, he was pleased nonetheless. Mary was still in her child-bearing years, she was only twenty-five, he hoped that it wouldn't be long until she did have a son, a son to take over his father's dukedom.

Maybe his happiness over the prospect of having a new son by the end of the year made him easily accept the birth of a granddaughter. He had received a letter from Anne and had given Kitty the pleasure of reading it. Though she received more letters now, she still seemed thrilled to read them for him, something that made him happy to see as well.

Anne had written that Mary had given birth to a beautiful healthy girl with dark hair and blue eyes, the image of her mother wrote Anne. She also said that Mary came through the labour alright and said that the midwife declared it quite a short labour. Henry was pleased to hear that Mary had come through alright. When she was younger, and even now, Mary had been plagued with ailments and illnesses, many times he had to worry for her life. Thankfully this wasn't one of those times.

His granddaughter's christening was to be a celebration he decided. He knew that Mary would have liked to organise it but he was sure that Mary would be tired and wanting to spend time with her new daughter.

He decided however that it was best to see his granddaughter before making plans for the christening. He had a small party assembled in the courtyard, mainly servants and gentlemen of the privy chamber, as well as Suffolk, Hertford, Norfolk and of course Kitty. He wasn't confident with Kitty riding her horse but she had insisted because Dr Linacre had said it would be fine to ride until the babe started to show, but Kitty had started her morning sickness in the last few days so Henry had organised a carriage for her and a couple of her ladies, as well as Anne Stanhope, Hertford's wife, who was also excepting a child.

"Henry, please," said Katherine before Henry got onto his horse. "Can I not ride my horse? I am perfectly fine now and Linacre said..."

"No sweetheart," said Henry before kissing Kitty's forehead. He got onto his horse with some help from a couple of his gentlemen. He looked down at Kitty who was now pouting. "I know that you would like to ride your horse but for the safety of yourself and of someone else, I would prefer you to not. For my sanity, do as I say."

Kitty nodded and then Henry rode on towards Norfolk, Hertford and Suffolk who were on their horses waiting for Henry to ride up and lead the party. Katherine walked over to the carriage and got inside. Anne was sitting beside Joan Bulmer while Katherine placed herself next to Lady Rochford. No one spoke until the carriage and the party were on its way.

"Congratulations Lady Hertford," said Katherine. "I hear you are expecting another child with his grace."

Anne nodded. "Yes, this will be our fourth child though God thought it was right to take my eldest child and son away from us before he was even two. I have two healthy children however, Edward and Anne."

Joan had a little laugh to herself. She thought it was quite funny that their graces should name their children, especially their first children of each gender, after themselves. She thought that they were quite vain. Joan then looked away from Kitty's spaniel which was in her lap and then looked at Anne. "Will you not congratulate the Princess Consort on her own pregnancy?" said Joan who was then given furious glances from both Kitty and Jane. "What did I say?" asked Joan bewildered at why they were looking at her that way.

"You know that you weren't supposed to say anything to anyone Mistress Bulmer," said Jane reproachfully. Joan looked back down at the spaniel and sighed. "Do you realise that the King would not be pleased if he heard of this."

Kitty shook her head. "Leave her be," said Kitty sadly. "Everyone will find out eventually, I can't hide it forever. Anyway... why shouldn't everyone know? I know that Henry wants to gloat about it but I feel sorry for Queen Anne if we do. She really doesn't deserve to put up with any of this."

Anne was the one who sighed now. "You should not be upset. This is wonderful news, news that I am sure the whole country will rejoice in. You are the mother of a future heir of England. You should not be worried what Queen Anne thinks, especially when this whole two wives idea was her idea to begin with."

Kitty looked bewildered at Anne's comment. "Surely you are mistaken?" said a confused Kitty. "Surely Henry was the one that decided to take me as his second wife, why would Anne wish for Henry to take another wife?"

Anne laughed. "How naive you are your majesty, how naive you are. Women are the true deciders of this world and Queen Anne happens to be a very good one. She was able to keep her position while giving Henry what he wants, which is you and heirs, mainly sons however. She knew that she wouldn't be able to give them to him when he never shares her bed. In a way she saves her own neck and possibly even yours."

Katherine couldn't believe it. She had to say Anne was smarter than she gave her credit for, if she had been in Anne's position she would have freaked out and panicked like you wouldn't believe. She would never have the smart's to concoct such a plan.

Maybe she needed to thank Anne more often and maybe she should consult her, maybe she would know what to do if Henry wanted to ever discard her, especially if she gave birth to a daughter.

"You are perfect," said Mary to her little daughter in her arms. "You are perfect my little Sybilla." The name she had chosen for her daughter was an unusual one but also a special one, a special one for a special girl.

In truth it wasn't long ago when she thought she would have none of this.

Anne watched on as little Sybilla held onto her mother's finger with her tiny little hand. She was a tiny baby but a healthy baby nonetheless and she was sure to thrive with her mother's nurture and care. This little girl was truly well loved and cherished.

Elizabeth soon walked in and placed herself next to Mary on the bed. Mary looked over at her younger sibling and smiled. Elizabeth looked like she had had enough of her studies for today, probably due to the excitement that their father and his 'princess consort' were coming to visit them. Elizabeth had been unable to stop speaking about it once she found out.

Little Sybilla noticed the presence of her Auntie and smiled. Sybilla seemed to already like Elizabeth and put on a gummy smile whenever she was around, though this was the same when Mary, Anne or Philip were around. A couple of the ladies designated to serve little Sybilla could get a smile out of her but the wet nurse couldn't. It was like she knew that the wet nurse was replacing the job that her mother should do.

Elizabeth smiled back at her niece, it was hard not to. "Hello Sybilla," said Elizabeth though she had trouble wrapping her tongue around her name. "Mary, why did you have to give her such a hard name?"

Mary laughed. "It is a special name, a name that not many if any little girls in England have. It also suits the name of a Bavarian Princess as that is what she is as well as a daughter of the house of Tudor." There was also another reason why she had named her daughter Sybilla; it was to honour Queen Anne. She would have named her Anne but the reminder of Anne Boleyn was always in the back of her mind so she decided that she would name it after Anne's elder sister, Sybilla. This was something Anne knew and was honoured and was understanding to the situation but she did not dare say it to Elizabeth, who never spoke of her mother but was sure to be defensive about her.

Elizabeth nodded but she still thought the name was a bit much especially for a baby. "Ok, I understand why but do we have to call her Sybilla all the time, it is such a long name." She knew her own name was relatively long as well but she knew that it was easier to say. "Could we not call her Bella?"

Mary and Anne looked at each other with amused expressions. Mary thought it would be a good nickname to call her daughter, in a way it would honour her grandmother, Isabella of Spain and would tie to her daughter's Spanish heritage as well. Come to think of it, Sybilla and Isabella weren't that uncommon. Mary smiled down at her daughter, "You don't mind being called Bella do you?"

Sybilla made a gurgling sound and all three of the ladies laughed. "I think that she likes the name Mary," said Anne, happily looking on at Mary's happiness. "You have picked an excellent name Elizabeth." Elizabeth smiled at the compliment but the three women were soon interrupted when Philip walked into the room.

Philip was a little anxious as he had just seen and greeted his father-in-law, the King and his other wife, Katherine, and had asked to be given a moment with Mary before they came up. He wanted Mary to be prepared and remind her that this was a happy occasion and not to give the silent treatment to Katherine.

They should all rejoice in the birth of Sybilla, not create arguments.

None of the ladies stood when Philip walked into the room, not that Anne had to as she was Queen, but in any case, Philip liked it to be informal when it was just his family. Mary was his wife and Elizabeth he considered to be like a daughter herself and he would never want them to be uncomfortable.

He walked straight over to Mary and kissed little Sybilla on the forehead and then Mar on the cheek. "My love, ladies," he said quickly looking towards Elizabeth and Anne before looking back at Mary. "Your father, the King, is here and shall be up in a moments time. He is anxious to see his first granddaughter he said."

Mary nodded and Elizabeth quickly got up and brushed out the creases in her dress with the help of Queen Anne. Elizabeth wanted to look good when her father came in as she wanted to make him proud. She also wanted to show off her new dress that Kitty had sent her.

Anne, Elizabeth and Philip stood at the end of the bed as Henry and Katherine walked in. The three of them bowed and curtsied towards them. Henry motioned for them to rise and then walked over to his younger daughter first. "My Elizabeth," he said kissing Elizabeth on the cheek. "I believe you have grown more beautiful since the last time I saw you." Elizabeth smiled at the compliment. "Thank you Papa," she said dipping another small curtsey.

Henry nodded towards Anne and Philip before they parted to the side of the room where Kitty made her way over to as well while Henry walked over to Mary and his granddaughter. "Hello Mary and congratulations," he said with a smile on his face. "I believe that you have someone to introduce to me." He looked down at his granddaughter that looked up at him with big blue curious eyes.

Mary nodded. "Thank you father," she said smiling up at him. "And may I present to you Lady Sybilla, your granddaughter." She held up little Sybilla for Henry to hold and he took her carefully, not wanting to drop the baby. Though he had become tougher now that he was older, babies did seem to melt his heart somewhat, especially when they were a part of the family.

Sybilla was not the name that he had thought Mary would pick for her daughter, in fact he had thought that she would call her daughter Catherine after her mother but maybe she had thought against it in case he was not pleased with the name. He would have accepted it and then told her that it was kind to offer his wife, his rose, the namesake to her new daughter. In any case, the name didn't truly matter when Sybilla smiled her gummy smile up at him.

Henry kissed his granddaughter's forehead. "Another true Tudor Rose, congratulations Mary," he said handing Sybilla back to her mother. "I am sure that she will have many brothers to follow her."

Mary felt a pit in her stomach that she hadn't felt since before the birth of her little Bella. She had known that her father would have liked that her child was a boy but it had been erased from her mind when Philip was proud to have a daughter. All of this reminded her that in the eyes of her father, she wasn't completely out of the clear yet.

Kitty also looked in on with worries on her mind. While Mary was only Henry's daughter, he could accept the fact that Mary had had a daughter but as she was his wife, there was no escaping the penalties that if the child in her belly was a daughter, it would be considered a failure in Henry's eyes as he only wanted a son. She would be done for.

Soon everyone filed out of the room to give Mary some privacy as the wet nurse had taken Sybilla and Mary had looked tired. Kitty was the last to leave the room but turned around to see Mary before she left the room. "Congratulations Mary," she said half-heartedly. "You are lucky to have a husband that will love either a daughter or a son, either of equal value. I am not so lucky."

She left the room and left Mary stunned that Kitty had even talked to her and for the first time that she had known the younger woman, she actually felt pity for the girl, hoping that her father wouldn't resort to desperate measures if Kitty only gave birth to a girl, when the time was right for God to grant Kitty a child.

AN: Well I hope you guys liked that chapter. I actually quite enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope I didn't make Henry seem to pleased with a granddaughter in this chapter. Being a granddaughter it is easier for him to accept but if Kitty gives birth to a daughter then we will all be in trouble. Henry doesn't like his wives giving birth to daughters when they haven't given birth to a son first. Oh well, we will have to see what happens with Kitty's pregnancy later on. I also hope that everyone can accept the name. I kind of had my heart set on calling this little girl that. Anyway... just thank you one more time for the reviews, I really do appreciate it and I hope that you review this chapter as well.

TBC