A/N: Huge apologies for this taking so long once again and for me not replying to reviews yet again. The only thing I can say is I was being a lazy bitch. This chapter is shorter than usual I think but I hope the next one will be much longer.

Some of you wondered why King Edward just sent Lady Renee from the room. He did not hear her threaten his daughter, nor did he actually see her slap Bella. He just noticed that she was frightening his wife and wanted her gone.

Some of you were also quite inventive with things to do with a midwife who used her dirty fingernails to burst your waters. Thank you for providing me with such a laugh. Quite a few people did bring up the fact that labour is sometimes still induced by the bursting of the woman's water either by some implement or a doctor's finger. It differs greatly though as there was not the same understanding of germs and bacteria or cleanliness during the 16th Century.

Anyway, on with the chapter. Again apologies for the length. I hope you enjoy it…tissues may be required.

~Anna-Margaret

xx

Chapter Ten: Dying

As King Edward departed from the room he realised he hadn't spoken with his wife in regards to what he had seen when he walked into Bella's chamber. He turned around and walked back in to find Bella cooing over their newborn daughter. He watched her for a few moments before clearing his throat, causing her to jump in fright.

"I meant to ask, what was happening as I walked into your chamber?"

"What do you mean?" questioned Bella, her lip trembling in fear.

"When I saw your mother's hand upon your face. You looked terrified."

"She was…she, um," mumbled Bella.

"The truth Isabella!" growled the king.

"She was displeased that I had birthed a girl," whispered Bella.

"Why was her hand upon your cheek?" questioned King Edward, causing Bella to duck her head in shame. Realisation flooded the king resulting in him gasping, "She struck you?"

The king immediately turned on his heels and stormed out of his wife's room and went in search of Lady Renee. Upon finding her amongst some of the other ladies at court he pushed her against the wall, his arm pressing against her throat.

"If you dare to touch my wife ever again then you will learn how dangerous my wrath can be to your health. Do you understand?" he spat at her.

Lady Renee gave a frightful squeak and quickly nodded her head. The king dropped her to the floor and, without sparing her a second glance, he stalked past her prone body.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

As the days passed King Edward grew more and more concerned with his wife's behaviour. The wet nurse and midwife remained in her chambers and informed King Edward of her progress. His concern was the bond developing already between mother and daughter. It alarmed him to receive reports where the queen had to be physically restrained whilst the wet nurse settled the little princess by feeding her. The king decided that the best course of action was to speed events up. Within four days of her being born, Princess Helen was baptised and her mother was churched.

Bella had attended the feast being put on for her daughter's baptism, however left early in order to put the little princess to bed. Bella had put her foot down on the idea of Helen sleeping separately from her mother. The king's mother had designed a small antechamber for the wet nurse and baby to reside in, however upon the queen's insistence only Frances slept in the room.

Bella gently rocked her little baby in their luxurious room. A four-poster bed dominated the room with a small oak cradle sitting next to it. Upon the walls were rich tapestries and the floor was covered with a thick carpet. Night had fallen and so the room was only dimly lit by beeswax candles that had been placed all around the vast room. As her mind wandered she thought back to the night of Helen's birth. She flinched as she remembered the sharp force against the back of her head. A low, startled gasp escaped her as finally her mind revealed the identity of her attacker. She had said not a word to the king in regards to what had happened out in the forest, however she knew it would only be a matter of time before he questioned her on the matter.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

Whilst Bella tended to their child, the king had departed to his rooms and lay in wait for his queen to appear. Having been churched they could now lie together and try at making a boy; an heir to the throne. However time passed slowly and still there was no sign of his wife. The king quickly became impatient but forced himself to wait just a few more minutes.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

Two hours had passed since both the king and queen had departed from the feast. Lord and Lady Stanley had ordered their daughter Lauren to follow the queen and watch her. Lauren watched from a hidden eyehole as Princess Helen began to fuss. Lauren knew that the wet nurse had remained at the feast, thoroughly enjoying the lavish attentions of her drunken husband. She stood in wait until she saw what she had been waiting for. Not seconds had passed before she rushed from the queen's apartments in search of the king.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

King Edward was accosted by Lady Lauren has he left the privacy of his apartments in search of his queen.

"My king, sire, I bid you hurry. I just saw a frightful sight in the queen's chambers!" gasped Lauren breathlessly.

The king immediately rushed to his wife's chambers and burst through the doors into her bedroom. His eyes narrowed in disbelief as he took in the positioning of Princess Helen in Queen Isabella's arms. His wife's dress was loosened and one of her breasts was free.

"You dare to disregard my command that the wet nurse would feed the princess?" questioned the king in a cold voice.

Bella stared up at her husband in fear before shrieking like a wailing ghost when the guards entered upon command. Three of the guards held the queen whilst another lifted the Princess Helen from her arms.

"This will be the only way you will heed my word it appears. You gave me a daughter when I wanted a son. What use is a daughter to me? What use is a wife who will coddle a girl rather than help make a son? Princess Helen will be taken to Richmond Palace and remain there until she is of age to join our court in its processions. Frances, her husband and children will be moved along with her and will take charge of her care until a governess will be required," proclaimed King Edward.

A single cry issued from Bella at the king's decree. The guards released her as the king and Princess Helen left the rooms. Bella rushed to her feet to run after the procession but was quickly restrained by her father. Bella wailed and trembled as her tears shook her entire body. Her eyes never left the tiny form in white that was being taken slowly away from her.

Bella fought against her father's hold as the procession in the hall turned a corner and her baby disappeared from her view. Lord Charles grasped her small, white neck and slammed her back against the door frame. His fingers tightened around her neck, making her breathing become shallower. She clawed against his hand as he choked the breath from her.

"You stupid whore! You are a disgrace to our family. I should have known entrusting any advancement for our family in you was a bad idea. It would be a pleasure to just kill you and be done with it. You are nothing, you have nothing and you never will amount to anything!"

"Release her!" roared the king as he launched himself at the older man.

Lord Charles tumbled to the floor and was immediately seized by the guards who had returned with the king. Whilst he was dragged from the room Bella gazed unseeingly out the window across the room. She watched as the carriage drove away from the Hever and was swallowed up by the night. No tears fell. No emotion showed. Bella was stooped on the floor, where she had fallen upon being released from her father's grasp.

King Edward cautiously approached his wife and bent down to look at her. A speech was already prepared in his mind how this would be the best course of action. The words died before they fell from his lips as he noticed her brown eyes. Once he had admired them for the light they emitted and how they had been almost like a window to her soul. Now as he stared into the dark pits that was all he could seen. There was just emptiness inside her. King Edward reached out to her and became even more worried when she neither spoke nor showed any realisation that he was before her. As he stared at her dispirited form on the carpet he panicked that this ultimate action had broken her completely.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

Days trickled on with no change in Bella. She had fallen asleep where she sat when she had grown too tired to keep her eyes open. The king had taken his chance to move her to her bed. Since then she had not moved at all. Neither had the king. He sat by her bed as if sitting a vigil. Voices were hushed in the room as if she were truly dead. Princess Alice and Sir Jasper spent much of their time with the queen; however it was disconcerting to see her empty gaze.

¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•

King Edward's manservant had been tending to Alcippe when he noticed the single rider in the horizon. Dawn was breaking in the land and the sun silhouetted the rider against the hills. As the rider approached the palace, Nick realised he recognised both the horse and the form of the person riding it. Dropping his tools he rushed into the palace and straight to the queen's chamber.

The silent vigil was disturbed by Nick's scurrying feet as he rushed to the king's side. After giving a bow he whispered to the king what he had seen. Princess Alice and Sir Jasper were perplexed by the activity and even more so when the king's brow darkened and his eyes became like bolts of lightening.

The doors to the queen's bed chamber suddenly flew open and there stood the Dowager Princess Tanya of Wales accompanied by several of the king's guards. Tanya ignored all those in the room and those behind her as her blue gaze fell upon Bella's form. She rushed to her side and placed a comforting hand upon her cheek before whispering to her.

"Sh my sweet little girl, I'm here now."

Tears erupted from the queen as her frozen form thawed and she launched herself into Tanya's awaiting arms. Bella clutched to Tanya as if she was her saviour. Tanya rocked the young queen as if she were a young child after having a nightmare.

"It feels like I've died," mumbled Bella hoarsely.

"Being parted from your child does that," replied Tanya simply.

Her eyes lifted to the king's who remained sat at the bedside, staring in shock at the two women upon the bed. Tanya's blue gaze was piercing and resulted in the king bowing his head in shame. Without words he knew what she was saying in her mind: he was to blame for Isabella's state of mind and body. He had caused her to be almost lost forever inside the dwelling of her mind.

"You are not the only one to blame," said Tanya quietly and mysteriously as Bella drifted off into a much more peaceful state of slumber than she had had these four days past.

A/N: I know it's too short, but next chapter will reveal all and also be the gruesome fate for all those that have plotted against the royals. Again apologies for taking so long and still not having replied to reviews, I've just been lazy. I do read them all and will eventually get them all replied to. Promise.

Information:

Only in rich houses did they have carpets, oak furnishings, four-poster beds, tapestries on walls and beeswax candles.

I chose the name Princess Helen because I was watching Troy earlier and it was the only 16th Century name that was popular from all the women mentioned throughout the movie. Eric Bana is delicious as Hector; Tamer of Horses; Prince of Troy.

Question: What name would you call your baby girl?

Please review!

~Anna-Margaret

xx