5 weeks and 3 days after Francis Bryan was executed Mary began to feel lightheaded. It was nothing new for her, after all, she had never enjoyed the best of health, but this felt different.
Soon she began to feel nauseous in the mornings and she realized that this was no ordinary illness.
She would have to consult a palace midwife to be sure, but it appeared as though Mary was with child.
It took Mary a moment to comprehend the news that she was most likely carrying a potential heir to the throne of England in her belly.
****
It was the dead of night when Mary slipped on her cloak and left Philip in a deep sleep. So far, Ambassador Chapuys was the only one that knew of her condition, and after several minutes had passed when she thought he might have a heart attack, he had told her to tell no one, but to see a midwife that very evening.
So here she was.
When she met the midwife in her small rooms, within minutes, she had indeed confirmed the news.
Princess Mary was with child.
****
Philip's heart skipped a beat.
"With child?, are you sure my love?" he asked her.
Mary nodded, watching for his reaction.
" Mary this is the best news!" he grinned.
" And you do not mind whether it is a boy or a girl?"
" Not at all. As long as it is healthy. If we are meant to have a son, then we shall, but I will be just as happy with a daughter, as long as she is the splitting image of her mother." He assured her, kissing her softly.
" A child." Mary whispered to herself, placing her hand upon her stomach. "I never thought this would happen."
" Mary, sweetheart." Philip said gently, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Have you told the King?"
As soon as he said those words, the smile that had come onto Mary's face was wiped away.
Yes, what would her father say indeed?
****
" Mary, sweetheart what is it?" Henry asked her anxiously, his daughter never asked for a private audience unless it was important. "Mary, Philip? Is everything alright?" Anne of Cleves asked the couple, concern showing in her eyes.
" Father, Anne, I am…." She hesitated for a moment.
" I am with child."
Anne was the first to recover from the shock. " Oh Mary, Philip, zis is zee best news. I am most happy for you." Anne was so excited that her accent slipped back into her words as she spoke.
Henry stood there for a few moments longer, trying to comprehend the situation.
"Husband?" Anne, asked, looking at him worriedly.
" You mean… I'm going to be a grandfather?" Henry questioned Mary again, just to make sure.
She nodded nervously. Was he upset? Angry?
"My darling Mary, I am most pleased." He said happily.
" Congratulations" he said, turning to Philip.
Philip dipped his head in aknowledgement of the King's words.
"Thank you Your Majesty." He said.
" When is the child due?"
"Not until April father." Mary said softly.
" I shall announce this momentous news to the whole court tomorrow." Henry said giddily, it was almost as though it was his own child he was that excited. In truth he was just happy at this clear proof that the Tudor line was indeed fertile, Mary was certainly more fertile than her mother at any rate.
" We shall all pray for a son." Henry said thoughtlessly.
Seeing how uncomfortable Mary had become at Henry's thoughtless statement, Philip stepped in.
" Actually Your Majesty, although a son would be nice, Mary and I would be equally as happy with a daughter."
Henry frowned, realizing what he had just said.
" Of course I would still be pleased if you had a daughter Mary." He said, fooling no one.
Mary just nodded.
She knew what he would say if she had a daughter.
After all, her own mother had been put aside because none of her sons had survived.
Elizabeth had been left without a mother because she couldn't provide a son either.
He would be disappointed indeed.
****
Life passed in a blur after that traumatic event.
Elizabeth and Edward returned to court.
Elizabeth was fast becoming a real lady and proudly showed off her glittering gown of Tudor green that Queen Anne had commissioned for her.
Edward celebrated his fourth birthday, with much celebration, since the King and Queen had (after nearly a year) finally consumated their marriage.
Mary recalls, in amongst all the happiness of her marriage, having her entire family at court, expecting their first child as well as improved relations with the Emperor, January 7th comes around.
There is no official mourning for her mother, the fallen Queen, the true Queen, who was, for so long, the only Queen of England.
She does, however, notice that her father's eyes look red, almost as though he had been weeping.
Everywhere she travels that day, people of the court whisper amongst themselves, Queen Anne speaks softly to her, as though Mary was made of glass and would shatter into a thousand pieces if she spoke to loudly.
She visits young Edwards nursery, just as she does everyday, and plays with him for an hour or more. He is her distraction, he is her comfort, he is her sunshine, England's only Prince, the Golden boy.
Just as his mother was a comfort to her, when the pain of her mothers untimely death was still raw.
It goes without saying that Mary will avoid Elizabeth today.
Elizabeth's uncanny resemblance to her mother is something she can deal with.
But not today.
It takes all of her effort to walk through the court with her head held high as though nothing had happened on this day that had changed her world forever.
Only once does the happy facade that she puts on slip.
" Mary, sister?" Elizabeth approaches her as she enters Edwards nursery.
Mary cannot stop a gasp from escaping.
Those dark, calculating eyes.
The hair that is almost completely brown, with a touch of Tudor red.
Her features.
" Will you play with Edward with me?" she begs, focusing the full force of those dark eyes upon her until she cannot stand it any longer.
Silently, Mary shakes her head and almost dashes from the room, ingnoring Elizabeth's hurt expression.
She simply cannot do it. Not today.
Mary retreats to her chambers, telling everyone she is ill.
Despite her pale skin, they can easily see through this facade, but they do not question it.
She clutches her growing belly and buries her head in a pillow, as silent tears drip down her cheeks.
Her father was wrong.
She always cries.
She just doesn't let anyone see.
****
Elizabeth knows something is wrong. The court is more subdued than usual. Some people were even wearing black. She didn't understand why. It wasn't as though someone had died. Elizabeth wondered why her sister left so suddenly. Didn't she want to play with Edward? Why Mary looked at her as though she hated her?
Elizabeth was so confused. Mary loved her, she was sure of it. After all, Mary always came to visit her at Hatfield when she wasn't in court, and she was always bringing her sweets or presents. Mary's husband Philip liked her too, and always spent hours playing with her.
Her father was nowhere to be found, so she asked Queen Anne when she too came to visit Edward.
" Queen Anne" Elizabeth tugged on her dress gently.
"Bessie, how many times must I ask you to call me Anne, when we are not in public?" Anne said, smiling.
" Sorry… Anne." Elizabeth replied sheepishly.
" Anne, why are people so sad today and why didn't Mary want to play with Edward and I?" Elizabeth questioned her.
At once Anne's cheerful mood disappeared.
" Ah… Bessie, today is a very difficult day for Mary, you see…" Anne paused for a moment, trying to phrase this delicately.
" Mary's mother, the first Queen of England, died today."
Anne left out the part where many people including the King himself had thought that Elizabeth's mother had poisoned her.
Elizabeth frowned; she didn't like to be reminded that there had been another Queen before her mama, nor that she was now a Lady, while Mary was a Princess.
Though that explained why Mary was so sad.
Elizabeth didn't understand what the big fuss was, after all, her papa must have loved Elizabeth's mother more if he married her mama, and besides, it wasn't like anyone mourned her mama's death. Especially since Mary's mama must have been very old, since Mary was old too.
It was stupid to make all this fuss over something that happened ages ago.
Even Mary must have practically forgotten it by now.
After all, Elizabeth knew that no mama could've been better than hers.
Or at least she thought so.
AN: Pregnant! Kinda obvious I thought but oh well. Anyway I need name ideas so feel free to PM me. Also sorry for the slow update and the time jump. Just to let you know, I like KOA more than Anne Boleyn so sorry if I am bias, I try to be fair.