Winter On The Weekend
'Never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled'
Everybody's Fool by Evanescence
2nd April 1502, Ludlow Castle, Shropshire
"Your Graces" greeted Catalina, delicately dipping into a slight curtsey. She was dressed sombrely in black, her gown modest, her auburn hair unadorned. Her tired blue eyes carefully watched her in-laws.
Elizabeth looked like any mother would, terrified. For the first time since Catalina had met her, she did not look like a Queen. Her hair was mostly hidden by her black steeple shaped gable hood, although golden-red strands escaped the headdress, betraying the fact the Queen had rushed here without taking care of how she looked. Her thin lips were drawn into a tight grimace and her eyes were bloodshot.
Arthur's father, Henry, stood tall, one hand holding Elizabeth's, unashamed of their public display of affection. He was in black and he looked exhausted. His small sea blue eyes, so alike Arthur's, were red-rimmed and decorated by heavy dark shadows. His dark hair was flat and greasy. He looked as though Arthur had already been pronounced dead.
"Catherine, we are going to the Prince's room. Are you coming?" inquired King Henry, his voice betraying his impatience to his favourite child, the child he had such high hopes for, the child who was now dying.
"Yes, I wish to see my husband, they had quarantined us" said Catalina, her voice ringing out, sounding much stronger than she, herself, felt.
Following the King, who was comforting his tearful wife, she found herself worrying about what would come of her if Arthur left her here alone. She knew it was selfish, but she couldn't help herself.
Suddenly she came to the strong oak door that guarded Arthur's room. She saw the physician walk up to the King and heard him talking but she couldn't understand what he was saying. His English was far too rapid for her to follow but she heard Elizabeth's sob and she guessed the worst.
"Arthur's dead. He left me. He promised me we'd rule England together".
They had spoken long into the night about the way they wanted to run their court, their England. They had even picked out the names of their future children. Catalina had wanted five, but Arthur had wanted six like his own parents. They had agreed on six: three strapping Princes and three beautiful princesses. The boys would be Arthur, Henry and Ferdinand, The girls were to be Isabella, Mary and Katherine.
"Arthur, you can't leave me here alone" she felt herself whisper.
"Catherine, wait here. We shall call you in in a moment" Henry said, his hand squeezing her shoulder comfortingly.
Catalina nodded, numbly. She felt empty. Arthur was dead. She was alone.
XX
Disclaimer - I do not own Showtime's The Tudors nor do I own History.
