A/N: Seriously, Showtime owns the Tudors, history owns the historical facts, and I just own Elisabeth, her kids and my plot.
Summary:A princess inspired by another.

Katherine

She, unlike most her sisters, wasn't promised to anyone since, according to mother, "no one both eligible and worthy enough was found".

Kate took this in stride, and was secretly appeased by it. As Mary had bemoaned a few times to her, she had planned out what she wanted to do in life, with her grandmother's solemn approval. But she'd never told her mother, because as a princess, her governess had explained, it was her duty to marry and provide alliances, even if that part seemed to irk Mother.

And it wasn't like she was going to get any throne: she was fifth in line, and there was no eligible future or current king. Besides, her twin sister sometimes felt that Mother knew what was going on in their heads. Kate knew she looked like her namesake, Grandmother Katherine, which was one of the reasons she was Aunt Maria's secret favourite niece, not that her aunt showed it much, equality among siblings and all.

And, the thought of an unfaithful husband scared her.

In any case, Kate's piousness was enough to explain some people her future wishes, and Mother was probably one of those people. Perhaps that was why she stopped searching for a match after a while.

A few people even compared her to the "most illustrious Lady Margaret Beaufort", her great-great-grandmother. That was a good thing, she supposed, for unlike a few courtiers of that time, everyone held her in high regard, clearly because the Queen did.

After all, a woman who was partially responsible to get the Tudors on the throne would always be held in high regard in a Tudor court. Not to mention, she was one of the "noble ancestors of Her Majesty". Oftentimes, she wondered why Mother kept up the charade of this...place. Surely, no good queen's court should be this nefarious?

Kate knew that, sometimes, her wants were unrealistic. She'd read the story of King Arthur, and wondered why the courts were no longer like that, wished for them to be like that. Tori just believed that pure courts with only goodwill and virtue didn't exist.

Kate thought otherwise, and went to the one person whose word she'd never doubt: Mother.

"Mother, why isn't your court like King Arthur's court?" she asked one day with all the curiosity of a ten-year-old.

"That...is a complicated question. But I shall try my best to answer." Kate began listening on with rapt attention. "Perhaps, it was because more people preferred righteousness back then. That is not to say that people aren't righteous these days," she hastily added, "Just not many. Tell me, has your governess taught you all of the throne's significance?"

Kate nodded, "The throne or the monarch is the supreme authority of the realm." The dark-haired princess dutifully recited.

"Correct. Quite a few people these days covet power, power that the throne can give. There are three ways to get the throne's power: either they can flatter and bribe the monarch, or they could usurp the throne by force, or they use false claims and ancestry to say they are the rightful monarch."

"Mother, can I get examples?"

Her mother smiles, "Of course. First, Goneril from the story of King Lear: she flatters him by professing her deep love, but ends up plotting his murder for power. The second can be considered Stephen of Blois. After the death of Prince William Adelis, Henry I made his daughter, Matilda, next-in-line. Matilda was officially recognized by the barons of Britain, yet Stephen crowned himself before Matilda. The third is, in all honesty, the Cousins' War." Kate nodded, listening attentively. "The latter two ended up in long wars, which may be one of the reasons this court is not as you – and many others – would like it to be. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Good. I myself had some difficulty trying to answer this, but I hope it's a helpful answer."

"It is, Mother."

After that, she partially understood what was going on with the court. When Bedfordshire happened, she immediately classified it as someone trying the second method: usurpation. It was not that difficult to understand after her mother's little "lesson", but Kate still wondered why someone would want to have children killed and overthrow such a gracious ruler as Mother.

But Kate was even more horrified at what followed the uncovering of the plot. By the Queen's mercy, Henry Fitzroy had been spared because he had no idea what was happening under his nose, but still stripped of his title and honours, and given the rank of a viscount. Apparently, the only reason he wasn't a lowly baron was because of his blood relation to the royal family.

Just like every single one of her siblings who could understand what was going on, she decided to not be on the wrong end of the Queen's wrath – it didn't look like a pretty place to be.

Grandmother Katherine's funeral, however, was when and where she got a distinct dislike of traitors. How dare they kill her grandmother?!

Aunt Maria was also there, and ready to comfort her. Of course, her mother was the one who needed more comforting, and so she let the two sisters have their time, it would be rude and insensitive to demand her aunt's attention then. But the Queen of France did come to her later.

At seventeen, after her sister left for Spain, Kate finally decided to ask Mother her wish.

"Mama?" inwardly, she cursed herself for appearing so fragile at this moment, but could one blame her? Mary, her twin sister, had gone to another country, and was likely never coming back!

"Yes, my sweet?" somehow, her mother always, always, knew what her children needed, be it wanting to stay alone, or comfort, or practically anything. Mother's intuition, I guess.

"I wanted to ask you something..."

"Ask away, amica mea, ask away." It seemed Mother knew about her fascination with Latin...

"I- I," stop stuttering, Kate, it's unbecoming! "I want to become a nun." She finally blurted out.

She expected something: anger, surprise, contemplation...but there was none of that. Mother just looked- unperturbed.

"That's it? Of course you can, you children will always have my blessing doing anything but disgracing the family."

There was the hint of the warning: I already knew. You may, just don't disgrace our family name.

"Thank you, Mother."

Then, suddenly, her mother walked forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, and murmured: "Te amo, filia; aviam tuam fuisset cor vestrum." I love you, daughter; your grandmother would have been proud. It is very uncommon of her mother to say such things or behave so emotionally, so Kate cherished the moment, and would always do so.

Elisabeth Regina-Elisabeth Regina-Elisabeth Regina

And, even as a nun, Kate ran to her mother's bedside during her illness, and nursed her herself like she had done for her own children when they were overly ill. Even if Mother did die, at least Kate wasn't miles away from her.

A/N: Okay, that's the end of Chapter 12! Please review and give me feedback! I adore feedback.

Translations -
Amica mea: my darling (in Latin)
Second one is in the chapter itself.

Next up: Edmund. (Do review or PM for any ideas you have about him)

Again, I know this chapter is short, but I'd already warned that my updates for the kids would be short. It's mostly their relationship with Lisa, a few personality traits, and two incidents.