Catherine's eyes burned so terribly that tears couldn't possibly flow. She kept her head buried in her pillows and tried to muster any sort of prayer, anything to take her mind off of the unbearable feelings of grief and betrayal that were weighing her down.
She picked her head up just long enough to hear a soft voice behind her locked door.
"Catalina?"
The Queen dragged her feet to the door and unlocked it with strenuous effort. She opened it a hair, allowing Maria to slip in.
"I heard the news." Maria said, carefully watching Catherine's expression. All she could do was nod.
"Come here." Maria wrapped her arm protectively around her friend as they sat down together on the foot of the bed.
"I know this is all...terrible. No other way to put it. But surely there's a way around this, right? It's not like it's the first time Henry got another woman pregnant. Why should Anne be any different?"
"I think this time is different." Catherine said, hugging her arms to herself and staring down at the floor. "I think this was the last straw for him."
"What do you mean?" Maria asked, raising a confused eyebrow. Catherine finally met her eyes, her voice heart crushingly monotone.
"I lost the baby, Maria."
Maria's face softened as she pulled Catherine closer to her.
"Oh, my dear." She said with a heavy sigh. "I'm so sorry."
The Queen only rested her head on Maria's shoulder, using all her strength to not burst into tears.
The sound of soft footsteps coming down the hall caused both women to jump.
"Were you followed?" Mouthed Catherine, her eyes wide. Maria only responded with a shake of her head as the footsteps grew louder.
"Mama?" A voice called at the door, as Catherine breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mary. Come in, baby."
The girl walked in, closed off and anxious as she looked at her mother and Maria in turn. Her eyes were bloodshot and her shoulders shook as she sniffled.
Catherine wordlessly opened her arms, and her daughter fell into her lap. She kept a protective arm around her waist as she ran her free hand through the Princess's hair. What neither of them knew was that this would be the last chance they would be able to hold each other for quite some time.