AN: I know that I promised that I would write a chapter for, 'A Death To Coronation' which I am working on but I am hooked on writing this story so in pleasing myself, I am writing a few chapters, just so I can be happy, and hopefully you will to. Anyway, this basically picks off where the last chapter starts (basically, when we all start to hate Dudley and worry about Bess's health). Anyway, I did say I would start off with Princess Anne, so the opening part is for all you Princess Anne fans out there. Also, we have some Mary, Queen of Scots, Alice (Dudley's illegitimate daughter) and her mother Frances . Please enjoy and review.

DISCALIMER: As I say every time, I in no way own The Tudors, Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen or even history (only the history I make though.)

Chapter Nine

17 February 1565

Princess Anne feared something was wrong and she wasn't off the money for thinking it. It could be a matter of days that she could become a Queen. No one had told her this though, they only told her that her mother was ill and that she could not come and see her. They also told her that she would not be leaving court, not until her mother was well, that is if she ever became well again. Who knows, if the Queen survived she might not be able to bear a child again and the Princess would preside over this empire.

Of course, everyone still prayed that the Queen would still provide England with it's much wanted male heir. Though everyone was not sure after the argument they saw between the Queen and King Consort, and over a woman like Mistress Frances Luke.

Anne was sitting in the middle of her cushions that were laid out on the floor for her. She held her two favourite dolls, one that was given to her from her cousin, Queen Mary of Scotland and the other that was given to her by her mother only last Christmas. She fell asleep cuddled with the latter doll every night, much to her governess's dismay.

Lady Mary Knollys walked over to her little charge who didn't truly understand why her mother hadn't come to see her. Mary knelt down and sat down on one of the cushions. Anne looked up into the hazel eyes of her charge. She hoped that it had been her mother. Her father had come once since her mother's confinement, he had matters of state to attend to, and her little sister was too young to do truly anything at the moment, she was less than two months old. Her mother had always doted on her, even when she wasn't with her. She just didn't understand.

She felt that she needed comforting. She walked over on her knees, a very unlady like thing to do but Lady Knollys wasn't going to complain considering the situation, and hugged her governess. The governess wrapped her arms around the toddler whom she had become attached to. She was important to her and could be extremely important for the whole of England. Knollys brushed the little pieces of hair off her charge's face; this was when the tears came from Anne.

"I want mama," shouted the infant through her tears. All of the ladies within the royal nursery looked at Anne. She had never shouted like this for her mother, even when at Hatfield. Anne knew though that she was at the palace and that meant that her mother visited her every day, no matter how busy she was with business of the realm.

"Hush now Anne," said Mary as she brushed the hairs and tears of her charge. "Your mama will see you as soon as she can." That was sincere. Elizabeth doted on her daughters with every limb in her body. As soon as she could she would want to see Anne and Kathryn. Whether that be here in the palace or up in Heaven, she wasn't sure.

Anne wouldn't take that as an answer. She wanted; no she needed her mother now. She wasn't going to let anyone stop her from seeing her. She suddenly got up from her hugging position and ran to the door. Mary didn't have the time to run up and catch but luckily someone had come into the door and stopped the Princess in her tracks.

Anne looked up at the man and her frown turned even sour. "I do not want my Papa," said Anne, crossing her arms across her chest. "I want my mama." Robert did not feel hurt by her words, she was but a child. She had always had her mother's attention, more than she did her father's so he could see where she was coming from.

Robert picked up his eldest daughter. She tucked her head into his shoulder and sobbed. Lady Knollys had finally gotten up and brushed out the crinkles in her dress. "Your majesty," she said bobbing a curtsey to the King Consort. He nodded in return while he was bobbing Anne up and down, trying to console her.

Lady Knollys decided to have a conversation with Dudley as he comforted his child. "Your majesty how is my cousin, the Queen?" asked Knollys. Dudley pulled a weak smile for her and from that she knew that she was no better than the last time she had asked someone. "Her highness is anxious for her mother's recovery, as are we all," said Mary, trying to talk about the welfare of the future heir.

Robert gently pulled Anne's tear stained face from his shoulder and looked at her. He stroked her hair. "Are you worried about your mama," said Robert gently to his daughter. He sat down at the nearest chair and rested Anne on his knee. She was surely becoming heavier each time he saw her.

Anne nodded her small head, making her hair bounce with it. Some pieces got stuck to her tear stained face. "I want to see mama. She has not seen me. I want my mama," cried out the little girl in sorrow.

Robert cuddled his daughter. "Your mama will not be pleased to hear you not acting as a Princess should," said Dudley, trying to get his daughter's attentions somewhere else. She needed to stop wailing. She was becoming a difficult child to try and control her emotions. She was just like her mother as a child and most likely just like her grandmother, Anne Boleyn.

Anne looked at her father. "I only want my mama," said Anne sweetly, a sweet little smile came to her lips as she said this. She did not like to displease her parents. Robert wiped some of the tears off of her face and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Just remember to say prays for your mama and I am sure she will come and see you as fast as she can," said Robert as convincingly as he could. He had almost left the palace when he heard of the Queen's fall. He blamed this on himself, just like the miscarriage of their son. It was always Frances Luke's fault. He didn't want to see her ever again but the fact that they had a daughter together made it difficult to do so.

"I promise Papa, I will, I will," said Anne.

Her mother loved her and her sister Kathryn, there was no way that she would not come and see them soon. She prayed for her mother. She wanted her to come back. Quickly.

Mary of Scotland was shocked to say the least when she heard of her cousin's condition, more so when she had just come out of the birthing chamber after the birth of the Princess Kathryn. She prayed for her cousin's recovery. They may have never met each other but she did care for her. They were family.

Elizabeth's rooms were filled with blurs of people moving around the Queen, attending to her and her physician.

"Keep the fire stocked," said the physician in a demanding voice towards Lettice. She hurried to add more wood to the fire.

Kat Ashley was a mess. She was running around trying to fix everything that the ladies in waiting were doing. "This water is cold. Isabella, go and get some warm water," she said to the youngest of the ladies.

Kat had stayed by her mistress's side since she had come down with smallpox. Elizabeth was sweating and the doctor was trying everything he could do. He had wrapped her in red cloth, in hope of extracting the poison that was weakening her.

Moans were all that could be heard from Elizabeth until a whisper came to her lips. "Kat....get..the......council," said Elizabeth weakly, barely audible.

Kat nodded. She didn't think it was the wisest idea but considering the circumstances, there must be a genuine reason why she wanted to see them.

Kat left her mistress's side unwillingly but swiftly and headed towards the council room. After a quick journey she reached it. All the councillors of parliament where sitting or standing there, including Cecil and Dudley. They were all wearing solemn black, understandable to say the least. As the door creaked open all the councillors looked towards her. "She is asking for you," she said.

The Queen's cousin walked up to Kat. "Has she named Anne as successor?" he asked. If she had, which was most likely, then she would need a Lord Protector. He did not think a traitor's son like Dudley was fit to rule, even if he was the father of the true sovereign who was in minority. He thought that he was best suited for the job.

Kat just stared at him. Was that all he was concerned about? Kat walked off without even bobbing a curtsey or nod towards him. She wanted, no she needed to get back to her Queen.

The councillors all sat around Elizabeth's bed side. Robert stood at the top of the bed, close to Elizabeth while Cecil knelt next to him, closer to her hand. No matter what had gone on between Queen and her husband, he still had a right to be there. He was her husband.

Dr Cowes, her physician, looked up, looking between Cecil and Dudley. "An ancient Arabic remedy for smallpox," said Dr Cowes, explaining his choice of treatment. "The patient is entirely wrapped in red, to sweat the pox out."

The Earl of Sussex, the Duke of Norfolk and Sir Christopher Hatton were standing on the other side of the room with handkerchiefs over their mouths. The Earl of Sussex turned around to the other two men and whispered to the other two men beside him, "Can she see us? Has it entered her eyes yet?" Christopher Hatton just looked at the two men and replied, "Please God, let's hope that it has not spread to her brain." Both nodded in reply.

Cecil was knelling at the side of the Queen's bed with his head in his hands while Robert gently stroked the top of her head. Suddenly, Elizabeth weakly spoke up, "My lords." They all turned towards their sick Queen. "I fear death possesses me."

Cecil became nervous. Everyone decided that he would be the one to ask the question. He grabbed the Queen's hand as he began to spoke. "A successor, your majesty, we must have a name."

Elizabeth gently spoke her eldest daughter's name. They all knew that she was the successor; they just needed the current Queen to confirm it. "And a lord protector, your majesty?" asked a still nervous William Cecil.

Elizabeth looked towards Cecil and then up towards Dudley before she looked forward and moaned in pain again. The anxious Norfolk pulled his handkerchief away and said, "Your majesty, we need a name."

Elizabeth knew who she wanted as Lord Protector, it was really obvious but as always she had to administer the actions of her parliament, even when sick. "The protector of the realm shall be....Robert Dudley."

All of the lords looked together, Norfolk was angry at the decision but it could be easily overruled once the Queen was gone. Lord Protectors had been changed before, in her majesties own brother's reign. Of course one of his protectors was Robert's father, the traitor John Dudley, former Duke of Northumberland.

Robert kissed the top of Elizabeth's head, even if it was an unwise move for his health on his part. Even though he was honoured by the position he didn't want his wife to leave him, there were still matters to resolve between them. He didn't want to leave things in this state, he would never forgive himself.

Mistress Frances Luke had to give it to her Queen. She knew how to keep a man by her side, even if it wasn't completely her fault.

Frances was angry at the Queen. It was to be her daughter Alice's first meeting with her father and if all things went well, he would throw a pension on them both for her up keep as for now she was just a whore that had the King Consort's daughter. No man was willing to have her, especially when she had fallen out of favour with the Queen.

Now she never knew when he would want to come again. He would want to be by his wife's side until she was well or until she died and then he would be surely governing the country in his eldest legitimate daughter's name.

She feared for her daughter. They lived in a small country estate now, given to them by the kindness of the toddler's father. At least, France thought, for all of my troubles I have a better home than I could ever have given myself or my daughter.

Suddenly, one of the servants kindly working here at the estate walked through the door and came towards his mistress. "A letter from his majesty, milady." She took the letter and waved the man away.

She quickly opened the seal and read the letter.

Mistress Luke

I wish for my daughter, the Lady Alice, to be brought to court. You are not permitted to attend the court as you are still banished as the Queen wishes it so. My daughter is an innocent and the Queen will be kind once she recovers from her most unfortunate illness.

My servant is waiting outside to bring her to court. I hope you will have your servants pack her belongings quickly and send her quickly forward her to the court. She will become a companion to my eldest daughter and I hope she will grow up with her sister's, the Princess Anne and the Princess Kathryn.

Yours sincerely, Robert Dudley, King Consort of England.

Frances scrunched the paper in her hand. How dare he take her daughter away from her? She that he would make sure that his daughter was treated with honour but what was to happen to herself. He was likely to throw her in the nearest gutter.

Nerveless, she summoned her servant in and ordered that the Lady Alice's belongings be packed for her arrival to court. After about an hour of packing, Lady Alice came to say goodbye to her mother, the only parent she had ever known.

She ran up to her mother but Frances did not bend down to hug her daughter. Alice must learn the ways of the court. She was illegitimate and must live off the mercy of the sovereigns, especially the Queens.

Alice had tears coming down her face and Frances scowled towards her. "Alice, do not cry. You are the daughter of the King Consort and you have sisters that are heirs to the throne. You must show the court that you are just as noble as them and if I hear otherwise I will order you to be whipped, do you understand?"

The little girl looked up towards her mother and nodded. She was then taken out side to the carriage by Dudley's servant. Frances was pleased that her daughter was finally getting recognised and that she was now off her hands. She had never been the motherly type but she was glad that she had Alice, to be able to wield some power and position through her offspring.

18 February 1565

The carriage had finally reached the palace and Alice wiped away any tears that still lay on her little chubby cheeks. For a child only of only a year old, she had the walk, talk and elegance of someone older, and it was only because her mother had beaten it into her.

The servant picked up the little girl and placed her on the floor. She looked up towards the grand palace. He was way bigger than Kenilworth, she was sure of that. This was a moment she was never going to forget.

Her thoughts were dispersed when a lady walked forward. It was Lady Mary Knollys, the Princess Anne's governess. "Lady Alice, please follow me."

Anne followed the much older lady through the corridors of the court. Alice was too young to understand the courtier's whispers about her. Some knew that she was the King Consort's illegitimate daughter while others were confused to why such a young girl was at court.

They soon made it to the royal nursery. Lady Knollys turned towards the little girl. "You will recognise the Princess Anne and Kathryn by the title of your highness. You must treat them with honour as they are ranked above you no matter of linage."

Alice didn't understand all of what she said but she knew that they were to be called your highness. The door was soon opened and Alice walked behind Lady Knollys into the chamber. Alice bowed to the Princess Alice and Kathryn, whom which the latter was being held by her wet nurse. "Your highnesses," Alice said, fumbling a little with the last word.

Anne smiled at the younger child. She had been told by her father beforehand that another child was to be with them in the royal nursery, and that she was her half-sister. She didn't believe it a first but she was glad she was to have a friend especially when her mother could not come and visit her. She also wanted someone to play with considering that Kathryn couldn't play yet.

Anne sat down and Alice got up from her bow – her blue eyes stared in envy at the Princess's dolls. Anne noticed that Alice was looking at her dolls. "Do you not have dolls?" asked Anne. Alice just shook her head. Her mother told her that dolls were beneath her and that she should not possess any. "You can play with my dolls if you would like," said Anne, wanting to help the little girl overcome her shyness towards her.

Anne walked slowly towards the place where the Princess was sitting with her dolls. She sat down and they started playing together. Lady Knollys was glad that the Princess had taken a liking towards her half-sister; the King Consort would be pleased. She hoped that this would be a start of a friendship between the two.

AN: I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. I don't mind if you hate Frances, I do to. The end of Elizabeth's illness will be within the next chapter. Also there will be more sister moments between Anne, Alice and Kathryn as well as the beginning of Queen Mary's relationship with Lord Darnley.

Thank you to all that review, your reviews make me smile and it is appreciated. Please review this chapter as well.

TBC