Hey I'm sorry for those who have waited to see this story again. The re-write is coming slowly but surely. Not much has changed for the first chapter. But some things are different.

Thanks for being patient with me.

So here it is again.


Hatfield House, 2013:

Man this dress is real hot. I know this is the style of the Tudors but come on! All my life I've dreamed of dressing like this and now I'm complaining that I'm hot. Why did the weather have to be 80 degrees today?

Today of all days when my school is participating in a Larp (Live Action Role Playing) at the Hatfield house, a place where a young Queen Elizabeth the 1st stayed. And it's a place not far from my ancestors home from the Tudor era. The house is in ruins but it is still part of my family's history. Our family even has our own crest. The picture was old when I saw it but it was the picture of an owl perched on top of a dark ball I think, but it was too dark and faded to tell. It's sad that my ancestors home is completely demolished but it is fascinating to see and know that my lineage comes from that grand home.

Unlike my ancestors home, this house is amazing and so elegant. The gardens are to die for; and I'm standing where some important figures in history walked. Oh how I love the Tudor era, of course that's why I'm studying the 16th century in college, to learn more of my family line and to study my favorite figures in history. And now our class is taking part in this role playing. Which I was completely excited for, and I got even more excited when I learned we would be dressing up in a genuine Tudor costume. But now I'm beginning to regret it. The dress I'm wearing is a plain blue gown, with a square neckline lined with white. The bodice has a simple pearl design, nothing fancy. But these long sleeves are killing me! I was so excited for this, now I can't wait to get it over with. Seriously I'd like to know, how all noble men and women survived during the summers in 16th century? But I guess I need to ignore it for a few hours. If I don't die of heat exhaustion first.

I look around and recognize a few of my class mates and my teacher. Mr. Williams is so wonderful. He really loves history and he does his best to make history come alive for us. A few months ago he had us act out the life of King Henry the 8th in under 10 minutes. It was funny, I got the role as Anne Boleyn. My part was short but in history she is the most infamous of King Henry's wives. I did a lot of research on her before going to college. I really admire her for her rumored intelligence, and I know in my heart that she was innocent of all her crimes. There is no solid proof but I just have a strong feeling about it. No woman that was rumored to be as smart as she was would make the mistake of committing adultery.

Oh god the heat is really starting to get to me. Maybe I should just walk around. I walk over to Mr Williams.

"Mr. Williams do you think I have time to walk around a bit before we start?"

He glances at his watch. Funny I thought we were supposed to be playing as authentic Tudor people. Which means no modern technology. Shoot! I guess I could have had my phone with me. Well too late now.

He gives me a nod and then I'm off to the gardens.

It's so lovely here. I just can't believe that here was where England's most famous queen stayed for part of her life. I also believe that Bloody Mary stayed her too. I can just see it all now. And it helps me imagine myself there to in this dress. I decide to just fool around. So I straighten my back and level my shoulders and I begin to walk like a lady of court.

I reach the end of the garden and I'm faced with a wooded area. It's not very large because through the trees I can see the ruins of my ancient family's home. Maybe I can just talk a quick look. I shouldn't be gone long.

I walk fast to the house, careful not to let the costume get snagged or dirty. In just five minutes I'm standing before the house. Actually up close it's very large. But I shouldn't be surprised, according to our family's documents our family was full of wealthy nobles. I believe that this house was owned by a duke in our family. Of course we aren't wealthy today but we still hold the family name. Kingston. Duke of Derby. (A/N: I want to point out that this is totally false and I am just making this up). And here I am hundreds of years later carrying the name Kingston, Christine Kingston. According to old documents Christine was the name of one of the Duke's daughters. Which is funny because I believe that Christine wasn't a common name at the time.

I see the family's crest on the stone above the door. But it's still hard to make out.

After a few minutes of looking around the grounds of the castle I decide to head back before they begin a search party. I take my time going through the woods. I really have to be careful with this dress. But I suddenly hear something.

Crack! A twig broke.

I turn and see a little girl, with bright red hair, poking her head out behind a tree. I stare. Where did she come from? The shock wears off before I speak.

"Hello." I say cautiously. Hoping not to scare her. She slowly comes out of hiding and I see she's dressed in tudor clothing too. Is she here for the role play?

She curtsies before speaking. "Hello." I smile at her. Very into acting are we? I decide to humor her and return her curtsy.

"Who are you?" She asks.

"I'm Christine Kingston. Who are you?" When I ask this she seems confused. Like I should know who she is.

After a few seconds of awkward silence. "I'm Princess Elizabeth Tudor." Now I'm confused. For a second I'm struck dumb till I think she is part of the role playing. Well she certainly is committed to the acting. Again, since I'm here for some serious role playing, I decide to play along. So I lower myself into a deep curtsy.

"It is an honor to meet you your highness."

"Why are you here?" She asks.

"I was taking a walk. Enjoying the day." This girl is cute. She really does act like a princess and she looks very much what you would think princess Elizabeth to look like.

"May I join you. My mother is coming today so everyone is preparing for her visit. They said I could walk in the gardens but it's no fun alone. None of my ladies cared to look after me."

"Alright." She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the gardens at Hatfield. We make it out of the woods, surprisingly unscathed. But what I see at the house freezes me to the spot.

All the cars that were in front of Hatfield are gone and have been replaced with horses and a carriage with a crest on it. Which in all my studies I know it to be the royal crest of King Henry the 8th. What is going on!

The little girl tugs on me again to get me to follow her to the gardens. Ok this is weird. Where did the cars go? We make it to the gardens, so we are closer to the house. From where I'm standing I look in the windows and see a room full of people in Tudor clothing. But they seem much more authentic than the ones that everyone else was wearing.

Ok now I'm starting to panic. It's almost like those movies where a person goes back in time... Oh shit!

No that's not possible. I decide to ignore it and figure out about the cars later. I follow little girl 'Elizabeth' around the garden. She stops at a bush ahead of me and picks one of the flowers and hands it to me. I smile and thank her.

I keep thinking over in my head what may be going on.

'Elizabeth's' shriek makes me snap my head up.

"MAMA!"

I turn and there is a woman standing at the edge of the garden. Its her. It's Anne Boleyn. In all my research I found a few sketches and paintings of Anne and the woman before me is exactly how she is depicted. She's so lovely. And on her is the signature 'B' pearl necklace. Which now confirms once and for all. That I'm in the 16th century. How did this happen? I was just walking through the woods. How did I come here to the 16th century? But most of all how do I survive and get back home?

As Elizabeth runs to her mother I notice her mother looking at me for a brief second then bends down to hug her daughter.

I can't hear them but after they chat for a few seconds they begin to make their way towards me. Oh god.

Once they are a yard away from me I lower into the deepest curtsy I can.

"Your majesty." I say and my voice betrays how scared I am right now. I'm freaking out right now. I have somehow gone back in time to the 16th century and standing before me is Anne Boleyn. The infamous queen that will later be beheaded.

"What is your name young lady?" She says in a soothing voice. Wow she's beautiful and has a calm voice. No wonder King Henry tore the country apart from the Pope to marry her.

"Christine Kingston your majesty." I'm still in my curtsy and its beginning to hurt my legs.

Sensing my distress. "Rise Lady Kingston. My daughter was telling me you acted as her companion while the other servants couldn't care to watch the princess of England." I rise.

"Yes your majesty."

"I thank you for keeping her company. I haven't been able to see her for some time and it is nice to know now that she can have someone to be with beside her governess and tutors. Someone who will actually look after her."

"Your welcome your majesty."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you one of Kingston's daughters, Kingston the Duke of Derby, that lives in the castle through the woods?"

I move to say yes but I hold back thinking if I could even convince the Kingston family that I'm a distant relative of theirs. I open my mouth to say that, but I hear someone from the woods.

"Christine!" I turn and see a young brunette woman coming out of the woods running towards me.

"Christine oh there you are papa and I have been looking everywhere for you." The lady now takes the time to see who I'm talking to. Her eyes widen and she drops to a deep bow.

"Your majesty! Please forgive me I did not see you there."

Anne chuckles and grabs both of her arms and pulls her up.

"It's alright. I was just talking with Christine." She turns to me. "I'll let you be on your way. It was a pleasure to meet you lady Kingston."

"The pleasure was mine your majesty." I curtsy once again and move to walk with the other woman, who apparently knows me. But a small hand holds me back. I turn and look down at the small girl Elizabeth.

"Will you come and play tomorrow?" I smile at her. She's so cute. And to think in the future she will be England's greatest monarch.

"If it is alright with her majesty and your governess, then I would be glad to." She turns to her mother and silently begs her with her eyes. Anne looks at her daughter and smiles.

"Well I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to have a companion. I'll make arrangements with Lady Bryan." Elizabeth face is covered in a huge smile aimed at me. I smile back, then look to Anne and curtsy once more and turn to follow the other woman.

As we are walking through the woods. She's going on and on talking.

"I can't believe it Christine, the queen! You met Queen Anne! Oh father won't believe this! Which reminds me you had us all worried! Where were you?"

"I...I..was just, um, walking and her highness came upon me in the woods and she wanted me to walk with her. I wasn't about to refuse the princess." Choosing my words carefully. One false step and everyone may think I'm a witch. How can a person from the 21st century talk in a place like this.

"Well don't do that to us. We are all trying to prepare for your party. And we can't have you running of now can we?"

"Party?" I ask.

"Your farewell party before you go to court, silly!" She explains and I nod. I guess I will be going to court. But right now in this time period I want to stay far away from the court, and the King.

As we are walking I'm trying to think of my family line. I know that I'm named after Christine the youngest of the children of the Duke of Derby. I remember reading so documents stating that Christine was the youngest of four children. There were two brothers named Charles and William and the eldest child, a sister, named Bethanny. I'm guessing the woman in front of me is Bethany.

We make it to the house and I stop. The house isn't in ruins. It magnificent! The stone walls are perfectly in tact and the family's crest is now complete with colors. I can clearly see the owl but the dark ball that is on I still don't know what it is. I shrug and continue to follow Bethany. Once we are in, I take a moment to admire the inside of the house while Bethany continues on into another room. Voices pull me out of my admiration.

"Bethany! Did you find her?"

"Yes papa she's in there."

A man walks in and spots me. I guess this is the Duke of Derby.

"Christine where have you been?" He crosses his arms and looks down at me with a scolding look. Wow I feel like a kid all over again. Except as a kid I got scolded by my mom. My dad died when I was still a baby. I never knew him and my mom never remarried. And I've always wondered what it would be like to have a dad. So I guess it couldn't hurt for now to pretend that I do have a dad for once in my life.

"I'm sorry papa. I was walking in the woods and I lost track of time." I lower my head trying to feign being ashamed of myself.

"Alright but please don't go anywhere without my knowing of it. I was worried sick." He sighs.

"Yes papa." And he pulls me into a hug. I'm at first stunned but relax and embrace him thinking that this is what it would have been like for me and my real father. The moment is broken by Bethany's voice.

"Tell him what else happened in the woods." He pulls back and looks back at her then at me.

"What happened?"

"I..I..uh.." I stutter.

"She met the princess and her majesty the Queen!" Bethany bursts out.

My 'father' looks back at me stunned. "Is this true, Christine?"

"Yes papa."

"Oh tell him the other thing!" He holds up his hand to silence her and then looks towards me, motioning me to continue.

"Her Highness asked her Majesty if I could be her companion. And she said yes." He looks stunned.

"Well that is certainly a great honor my dear. I guess this companion position may delay your debut at court. Will you be alright with that?"

I nod. "Yes papa." I think of the court of King Henry the 8th, no I definitely do not want to get involved in that crazy place.

"Well this is cause for good cheer and soon your brothers should be back from court soon. We can still have your party it will just be a simple celebration for your new position. Why don't you and Bethany go upstairs and prepare for dinner." We both nod and head upstairs. Now the next problem. Which one is my room?

As if some miracle happened. Someone taps on my shoulder. I turn to see a maid standing behind me.

"If you'll just follow me miss we can get you ready for dinner." Oh thank you god. She leads me to the end of the hallway to that last door. So this is my room.

I walk in and see the grandest room I have ever seen. This room make my room at school seem like a cardboard box. A full size poster bed. Is in the middle of the room with an armoire and a vanity to the left. On the right are a few lounge chairs a fainting sofa in front of a huge fire place. Wow! Yeah I think I could live here for awhile.

After getting changed, into another simple gown similar to the one I had on before except it's green, and doing my hair up in a tight bun, the maid, who I learned is named Bess, leads me downstairs for dinner.

At the table, it's just my 'father', Bethany, and me. 'Father said that my 'brothers' were currently at court. Although I have no desire to go to court and be in the middle of the madness that is King Henry the 8th, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to be in his presence and talk to him. I'm a history student, so even the most dangerous men in history, I just have the urge to meet them.

"You're awfully quiet tonight Christine. Is something wrong?"

"I'm just nervous about serving the princess."

"Yes and it is an honor to have such responsibility to yourself. It is good to see you finding your way in the world. It seems like only yesterday your mother, God rest her soul, presented you to me after she gave birth to you." I look to see he has tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh papa, I'll always be your little girl." I don't know why I said that but in my mind and in movies it always sounds good. I guess it worked because he smiles and wipes away his tears.

When dinner is over we all go to bed. I change out of the dress and change into a satin chemise. Man I've always wanted a chemise for a night gown. It feels nice. I climb into what I can say is the most comfortable bed I've ever been one. Well it's define lately more comfortable than my dorm room bed. After laying for awhile my eyes grow heavy. As I fall asleep I hope that when I wake up I can be back home where I belong.


Please PM me if you guys think there is anything I should tweak.

Sincerely yours,

Steelegirl19