Disclaimer: I do not own The Tudors.
Chapter 3 – A Royal Birth
Mary's grief did not abate for weeks following her mother's death. A mere two days after they arrived at the More, Mary, Charles, and Lord Rochford departed for court. They would carry the news of Katherine's death to the King and send men back for her body, which Dr. Butts remained to prepare for burial. Katherine's body would be brought to London and buried beside her true husband, Arthur, with the dignity befitting a Dowager Princess. Though Henry did not openly mourn Katherine, he made it clear that any celebration Anne might have planned was not to be carried out. Apart from this one concession, Anne got everything she wanted as her time drew nearer. Mary made herself scarce at court during those months, choosing to remain in Suffolk with Edward. In September, Anne delivered of a healthy baby girl named Elizabeth. Henry was displeased, naturally, but said they were young, and sons would no doubt follow.
Charles traveled often between both London and is country home, never staying more then a month in one place, though he often found his time at court extended at the King's pleasure. It was on one of those trips home, his last before he, Mary and Edward would leave for court for Christmastide of 1533, that he came home to an ill wife. The morning after his arrival, he was woken by his wife retching into a nearby chamber pot.
"Mary." He said, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "Are you ill?" Mary shook her head before emptying the contents of her stomach. "You are ill." He said. "I shall fetch a physician."
"No." she said. "I know what is wrong, and I promise to tell you once I've cleaned up a bit. Why don't you go down and break your fast and I will join you there." Charles simply nodded, unsure what to make of what was happening, but obeyed his wife. Charles ate little as he sat agitated at the table in the dinning room. He listened intently for the sound of footfalls heading his way. Finally he heard his wife making her way to him and gave up all pretences of eating as he awaited her answer. When she had seated herself in the chair next to him, he turned to her expectantly. She merely smiled and laughed at his serious expression.
"You think my concern laughable?" he asked, only half seriously.
"No, I am quite happy and grateful that you are concerned for me. However, the way you show your concern amuses me." He cocked an eyebrow at her and she laughed again.
"Well, wife, what is wrong with you? Speak now before I am tempted to wipe that smile off your face."
"Nothing is wrong with me, Charles."
"That upstairs was nothing?" he demanded.
"Will you let me finish?" At his nod she continued. "What happened upstairs is perfectly normal for this stage of pregnancy." Charles' face lost all emotion and colour.
"What?" he said. Mary smiled at him, only slightly condescendingly.
"I am with child." She said. When he remained in his state of shock, Mary grew worried. "Are you not pleased, Your Grace?" Hearing the worry in her voice combined with the returned formality, snapped Charles out of his reverie. He stood from his chair, turned Mary to face him and sank to his knees before her.
"I am pleased." He said. "Greatly so. Never doubt my happiness should you find yourself with child." Mary relaxed a bit at his reassurance. "Are you pleased?" he asked. "You are young, only seventeen-"
"And am a wife and soon to be mother. I am pleased, Charles. And seventeen is not so young." She defended. Charles laughed, quickly joined by Mary. He stood up and, took her into his arms, and spun her around, the sound of their laughter carrying throughout the house. Their laughter brought on the arrival of Edward. Charles joyfully informed his son that he was to have a baby brother or sister. Edward seemed pleased with the news and became even more pleased when Mary assured him that the new baby would not displace him in their hearts or their affections, to which Charles was quick to re-affirm. It was with happy hearts and spirits that the Brandon family departed their country estate for court, bearing news they hoped would please the King.
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As per usual, court was overly crowded at Christmastide. Mary, Charles and Edward were received with great joy from the King, and even, apparently, from the Queen. The Princess Elizabeth was at court for her first Christmastide and Anne took great pleasure in showing her off to Mary, proclaiming loudly that the King now had a legitimate heir to the throne. Mary remained undisturbed by Anne's attempts to bait her and instead of rising to her taunts, Mary proved to Anne once again that she was a true princess by exclaiming over how precious her new sister was, how she couldn't wait to see the beautiful woman she would become; and adding in a jibe of her own, saying how she just knew that next time the Queen would bear a son. Charles found the entire exchange hilarious, taking pleasure in how his wife had mastered the game while Anne had not; though she had been alive some fifteen years longer then Mary, and had traveled to more courts in Europe than Mary ever would.
Three days later, on Christmas day, the celebrations reached their peak in the court of Henry VIII, for Henry loved nothing more then receiving gifts. Mary and Charles were seated in the presence chamber with the King and Queen as they received gifts. Edward had been excused from the tedious task of sitting watching others receive gifts, and instead had been given the all too important task of entertaining the Princess Elizabeth. A task Edward took seriously when the King gave it to him.
Finally the gifts Mary and Charles were to give the King and Queen made it's way into the room. A groomsman held out a box to the King and Queen containing two dresses and a number of shirts that Mary had sewn and embroidered herself. There were also a few garments for the new Princess as well. Directly following was a chest that contained a pretty new chess set; the pieces of ivory, inlaid with gold and the board made of marble.
"It is exquisite, Charles. And it comes just after my favourite one broke." Commented the King.
"Yes, I seem to remember that happy occasion resulting in the unfortunate destruction of your favourite chess set." Mary and Charles tried to contain a smirk when the King himself let one loose. All three knew that it was Henry's anger over his child not being a son that had destroyed it. Anne, however, had no idea what the inside joke was, and so ordered the next gift to be brought in.
"Hold a moment." Said Charles as the next groom came in the door. He bowed in acknowledgement and backed out the door, waiting to be summoned. "Your Majesty, we have another gift for you."
"I am curious, Charles." Said Henry. "What more could you possibly give us?" Charles looked to Mary who smiled in response.
"A grandchild, Your Majesty." He said. Henry's face took on a look similar to Charles' when Mary first told him, however the King recovered a lot faster.
"A grandchild." He turned to Mary. "You are with child?"
"Yes." Mary said smiling. She placed a hand on her belly, pulling the fabric of her gown taut. While her belly was still quite small, it was undeniably growing. Henry laughed loudly, drawing the attention of both the servants and courtiers milling about in the common chamber. When they looked, they saw their King smiling brightly, raising his daughter to her feet and pulling her into an embrace, before clapping the Duke of Suffolk on his shoulder. Some courtiers also took note of the ashen, murderous look on the Queen's face. The King seemed to know they had an audience and so turned to his court.
"We are to be made a grandfather!" He called. "My daughter, Her Highness the Duchess of Suffolk, is with child!" Seeing his obvious joy the court broke into applause. The King raised her hand high, presenting her to the court and Mary was positively beaming. After the applause and cheers died down Mary, the King and Charles took their seats once more.
"A child!" said the King, obviously not used to the idea yet. "You could not ask for a higher blessing." He took Mary's hand and kissed it.
"Yes, it is wondrous." Said Anne. "But we are keeping people waiting." She indicated for the next gift to be brought.
"Yes, a child is a wondrous gift." Agreed Henry. "Let us hope you are blessed with a son. A grandson of mine with the Tudor blood may become the next King of England, should I not be blessed with a son of my own." He glanced at Anne as he said that. Anne stiffened but gave no other sign that she was troubled.
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The months following the announcement of Mary's pregnancy went fast for Mary and Charles. They spent much time at court, for the King liked to keep Mary even closer now as her pregnancy progressed. He wanted her to have the best care possible and his own physicians close at hand should something happen. Mary could do no wrong in her father's eyes. He was convinced the child she carried was a boy, and both Mary and Charles hoped dearly for a boy if only for the King's sake. Shortly into the New Year, the King's spirits lifted even more as Anne announced she was once again with child. With the prospects of both a son and a grandson, the King was positively euphoric, and the entire court capitulated on his good humour.
In the middle of February, shortly after Mary's eighteenth birthday, when she was around six months along, she was sitting in her apartments with her ladies sewing clothes for the babe, when she felt a pain rip through her belly.
"Oh!" she cried, grasping her belly and nearly falling off her chair. Her ladies sprang up with cries of 'Your Highness' and 'Madam.' When the pain did not immediately subside, her ladies helped her to her bed calling out for the groomsmen standing guard outside the door.
"Fetch the physician!" Called one lady when they ran into the room.
"Fetch His Royal Highness!" Cried another. Both groomsmen took one look at Mary and nodded, running off to their respective tasks.
Charles was in a meeting of the Privy Council when a commotion was heard outside. The King looked up in both confusion and anger. He nodded to one of guards to see what it was all about. The guard opened the door and the Council looked to see a frantic young groom being restrained by two guards.
"I must speak to His Highness!" he cried. Seeing the door open, he quickly found Charles. "Your Highness! Your Highness please!"
"What is the meaning of this?" Roared the King. He motioned for the guards to release the groom who ran forward and fell to his knees before Charles and the King.
"Your Majesty forgive me, but I have an urgent message for His Highness the Duke." He said, lowering his eyes respectively.
"Then speak." Said the King. The groom raised his head and looked to Charles.
"Your Highness, I come bearing news of Her Royal Highness the Duchess."
"Yes and?" He asked impatiently. When the groom hesitated, Charles snapped at him. "For God's sake boy, speak up!"
"Something is wrong with Her Highness, with the babe. Forgive me, Your Highness, for bringing you such bad news." He said in a rush, lowering his head once again. All colour drained from Charles' face, as well as the King's.
"Dear God." Muttered Charles as he jumped to his feet and ran from the room, yelling for people to move and shoving aside those who did not do so fast enough.
"Council will resume on the morrow." Said Henry, as he too tore out of the room, though at a slightly slower pace.
It did not take long for Charles to reach his apartments. He nearly knocked into one of his wife's ladies as he burst into the room, pausing only long enough to ensure he did not hurt her and also noting the physician had been called.
"Mary. Mary, sweetheart, what is it?" He asked as he entered his wife's bedchamber and came to her side. He was glad to see that she was sitting up and that there appeared to be no sign of blood anywhere.
"It's alright, everything is alright." She said calmly, grabbing his hand as he came closer. "The babe moved." She said, placing his hand on her belly. "Can you feel that? The babe is moving." Charles smiled as he felt his child move. He sat next to her and kept his gaze to her belly. Neither Mary nor Charles noticed when the King entered and stood in the doorway.
"He's strong." Said Charles as he felt the babe give a series of kicks.
"Like his father." Said Mary, placing her hand over his and smiling at him. He smiled back at her adding, "And his mother" before they both turned their attention back to the child. After a few moments the babe stopped moving and Charles looked up to Mary once again.
"I was so worried that something had happened to you; the way that groom came tearing in on a Council meeting."
"They should not have sent for you, or the physician." She said.
"They did exactly what they should have done." Spoke Henry, making himself known. Charles and Mary turned swiftly to face the King, Charles standing in his presence.
"Your Majesty." They both said.
"Forgive the intrusion." Said Henry, walking into the room and over to Mary's other side; sitting next to her and waving Charles back down. "As His Grace said, the groom was so very frantic, we were worried."
"I am quite well." Said Mary. "And so is the babe."
"He is strong, I heard."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Said Charles. "He is very strong."
"Good. We are glad our grandson is healthy and strong." He said. He stood and kissed Mary on the forehead before taking his leave of them. Arriving back at the Council Chamber, he saw that no one had left; the groom was even still kneeling on the floor.
"Return to your post, boy." Said the King. "Your mistress is well, you need not fear." The groom jumped up in relief, bowed to his King and fled. The King took his seat and looked to the Lord's still gathered.
"Our daughter is well." He said. "And our grandson is strong. It was a misunderstanding, though we thank you for your concern, as we are sure His Highness thanks you as well." The Lords bowed, some sighing in relief, and others setting their faces in a cold smile, though disappointment was evident on their eyes.
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The rest of Mary's pregnancy went on without problem and as Mary's time grew nearer, Anne too grew larger with child. Mary and Anne had developed a shaky relationship, which was cold at best. Anne still thought Mary and her child to be a threat to her, though as time wore on Mary began wishing that she would not be Queen; at least not for some time. Mary knew what it meant to be child to a King and Queen; and as she grew to love Edward as well as her unborn child she did not wish that life on them. Being a Duchess, and not heir apparent, allowed Mary the freedom to be with her family; a luxury she would not have as Queen. Though however much she wished not to be Queen just yet, she could not wish Anne delivery of a healthy boy. Anne was her enemy and would remain so for forever.
As April began, Mary went into confinement at Hampton Court for the last month of her pregnancy. Charles visited her often and frequently brought Edward with him. Edward was excited to meet his new brother or sister and made a big fuss when his father wished to send him away during the final months of Mary's pregnancy. While Charles would normally never yield to such tantrums, both Mary and the King asked him to. It was Henry reminding him that Edward was not just his son, but son to Margaret, a Tudor with the temperament to go with the blood, that convinced Charles to allow his son to remain at court.
It was during that month that crisis struck outside of Mary's birthing chambers. Queen Anne lost the child she carried. Charles informed Mary of the news with a calculated sorrow, though Mary could tell that he was glad, for like her, Charles bared no love for Anne. The King, naturally, was furious. He stormed into Mary's room, just as Charles was giving her the news. When he laid eyes on his daughter, her belly large with child, his anger abated somewhat. Not on the matter of the Queen's miscarriage, but knowing that his anger might excite Mary and hurt his grandson. Henry smiled and enquired about her health. He then begged her to take care with his grandson, for losing them both would be too much for him to bear.
Late one day in early May, Mary's labour pains began. The physicians and midwives were called, Charles and the King were informed and heralds were sent into the city to announce the good news. The labour was long but thankfully not difficult. After nearly ten hours Mary was delivered of a healthy baby boy. Charles and Henry had sequestered themselves in the King's apartments awaiting news of the birth. They both had remained awake long into the night, however as morning approached they began to drift off and were startled out of their shallow slumber by a groom barging into the room.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness." He said bowing before them. "Her Highness, the Duchess of Suffolk has delivered; of a healthy son." Both Charles and Henry were overjoyed. Much laughter and joy was heard through the corridors as they made their way to Mary's chambers. Heralds were once again sent into the city proclaiming the birth of a boy and celebrations began that would last several days.
When Charles and Henry entered Mary's chambers, they were met with the sound of a babe crying; a sound which brought smiles to their faces. They were met by Mary's ladies and shown into her bedchamber where they saw Mary seated in the bed and a maid holding a squirming baby. The maid handed the babe to Mary and he stopped crying, as if he knew it was his mother's arms he was in. Mary smiled seeing her husband and father and turned the babe a bit so they could see him better. Henry waited by the doorway as Charles approached his child. Mary handed him over and Charles held his son gingerly, not having held a baby this small since Edward was born.
"What shall we call him?" asked Mary.
"Henry." Said Charles. "We shall call him Henry. Harry." He turned to face the King and smirked. "Though we call him Henry not for our King; there are too many Henrys named for the King, England does not need another." Henry let out a laugh and Charles continued. "We call him Henry for our friend and father; for who if not forced our hand, this little one would not be here." Henry smiled and approached the new parents, going to kiss his daughter on the forehead.
"Sweetheart are you well?" He asked. Mary nodded.
"Yes, father, I am quite well. The midwives say that while it was a lengthy birth, it was not a difficult one."
"Good, good." He moved to Charles and clapped him on the shoulder, then bent to kiss his grandson on the head. "He is beautiful; a true Tudor prince. And he will grow up as one; beside our own sons, God willing." Henry then left Charles and Mary, returning to his apartments where Anne awaited him.
"I heard it was a boy." She said.
"Yes, a healthy boy, my grandson Henry."
"This changes nothing." She continued. "Elizabeth is still heir apparent until we have our son."
"If you can give me a son." He said. "You recently lost my boy. And Elizabeth is but a girl, Henry is a boy of the Tudor blood."
"You would put the child of your bastard on the throne before your legitimate daughter?" she asked.
"You overstep yourself, Madam. Tread carefully on the subject of my grandchild. There are many people, learned men, men of God, the Pope, the Emperor and King Francis all who deem my marriage to you invalid and Elizabeth nothing but a bastard. That opinion will only grow now with a healthy son born to Mary and with your miscarriage. So you had better hope, Madam, that you bear me a healthy son and soon."
A/N - Review please!
