AN: Hello and welcome to a new chapter of The Mare & The Rose! It has been a long time since I have updated and I am sorry about that. Time just got away from me but I am back now and ready to write some more for your entertainment! In the meantime, thank you for all of the lovely reviews once again! Also thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted or favourited this story at any point in its history.

This chapter is short but the next one will be longer. I hope that this will do in the meantime till the next chapter is up which should be soon. Also before I leave you to read, thanks again to Lady Eleanor Boleyn who is always willing to help brainstorm with me!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Tudors, not the television series or the actual historical figures. Never have and I never will!

Chapter Thirteen

2 October 1541

"So Katherine, are you ready to go to that big dark room to give birth to your royal baby," teasingly asked Charles, who was sitting opposite his younger sister who was now almost eight months pregnant.

Katherine wasn't happy with this teasing comment from the brother and threw the small pillow that sat beside her at him in response with her elder sister Isabel slapping their brother in the back of the head simultaneously.

This was what Jane Boleyn walked in on when she came back from a short stroll in the palace gardens, observing the fountains that had been put in place all around Nonsuch and she had thought that the three Howard siblings would not get into too much trouble why she had left them but she had been wrong.

"Sir Charles," said Jane, not even giving a quick curtsy towards him. "You should not be exerting the Princess Consort when she is so close to giving birth to the next Prince of England."

Charles stood up and walked over to stand in front of Jane who was only a head shorter than him. "I am so sorry my lady if I have offended you in some way, I was merely jesting with my sister and she decided it upon herself to exert herself," he smiled charmingly at Jane before winking at his sister and departing the room.

As Jane made her way across the room, Katherine couldn't help but laugh. "You didn't have to go off at my brother Jane; we were only having a little fun."

"The King or your uncle would not be pleased," said Jane as she placed another log in the fire as the room did seem a little chilly, "Over exerting yourself at such a time would..."

"Not be good for the baby," interrupted an annoyed Katherine. "I know, I know."

"I do not want to sound like I am nagging but there is only a little over a month to go before you give birth to your child and you will be able to have as much exertion as you like once the child is out of your belly and into the world as a healthy child."

Katherine swallowed as Jane said this. All this time that she was with child she had been worrying if the child was a boy or not but Jane's words had given her a realisation. She might not even live to see her child have its first birthday or even draw its first breath.

She knew that she didn't want to end up like Queen Jane.

Katherine started to hyperventilate and both Jane and Isabel rushed over to her to calm her down while the two other ladies in the room stood back, one in shock and the other in amusement, as the Princess Consort hyperventilated.

"What is wrong Kitty?" asked her elder sister as she stroked her sister's hair. "Is the child coming? Is it time?"

Katherine shook her head and calmed down quite quickly. "What if I don't live to see my child grow up?"

Isabel smiled at her sister. "There is nothing to worry about. You will live. Your child will live. You will be healthy and happy."

And hopefully the King will be too, thought Katherine.

Anthony was glad to finally have his daughter with him at court. He hadn't seen her in so long and he was sure that she had grown some more since the last time that they had been together, especially since they had never been parted before that.

In his eyes, she was the most perfect ten year-old girl in the world.

He knew well enough though that once they left Nonsuch, they would be parted again. Eleanor was here to be a companion to the Lady Elizabeth, an honour even though the child was illegitimate and a bastard in the eyes of the law. He was hopeful that Eleanor and Elizabeth would become friends, and not hate the companionship of each other, even if Eleanor was two years older than Elizabeth.

Once the court moved on from Nonsuch, Eleanor would travel back to Hertford with the Duke and Duchess of Bavaria and he would stay at court. He knew he could trust their graces from what he had seen of them, the Duke always played with Elizabeth and treated her as if she was his own daughter and the Duchess loved children and had taken good care of Elizabeth and now her own daughter.

He was sure that she was experienced in taking care of girls.

Maybe one day he will and Eleanor will be able to live in the country again, away from court as they used to and when that day comes, he will hopefully have a new wife by his side, a woman that he loves and adores and will be a wonderful stepmother and maybe even a potential mother to more offspring. He had an idea of who that woman could be but he knew for certain that nothing could happen for a long time.

10 October 1541

The doors were closed behind her and now she felt trapped.

Anne Stanhope had said it would be like this and Katherine wished that her friend hadn't been so right.

For the moment they let light in the room but in a week or so she was sure that they would block all sunlight and air from the room but she had already pleaded with Henry to let one window be open because she felt like she would suffocate if she didn't have at least some fresh air.

This would be her home she realised for the next two months, potentially more, so she knew that she had to get used to it. Thankfully, for the majority of the time she would be sleeping as the child inside made her tired most of the time but for the other part of time she had no idea what she would do as she was not allowed music or any other lively entertainment. She could read that she was limited to what she could read so the only other entertainment was sewing garments for the upcoming child.

She could also receive any woman that wished to see her, so she would have the company of her friends and relatives that were female and she was also able to receive her male relatives until the week before the birth so Charles and her uncle were sure to visit at least once during her confinement. And of course Henry promised he would visit her everyday as he knew that she would be extremely bored.

She had to give it to him; he knew her idea of fun pretty well.

AN: Well, like I said, it was a really short chapter but don't worry because the next chapter will be up soon and it will be longer than this one and a special little someone will arrive! But in the meantime... please review. I love to hear your feedback!

TBC