A Jewel in Henry's Crown

Chapter Twenty-Three: Acts of Murder

Charlotte had been with the queen all night. The physicians came in to check on the queen's conditions. "She will not be able to come out of bed. Her Majesty has been infected with a fever. She is not well. All we can do now is pray and keep her head cool, her body warm." The physician whispered. Charlotte nodded, feeling the tears prick in her eyes. "I am sorry, Your Grace."

Charlotte raised her hand and dismissed him. "Please, Your Majesty, you mustn't die." Charlotte whispered after the physician left. "You mean the world to the King. You cannot abandon your son. Your Majesty, you are the most sovereign queen."

The door had opened and it was the King. He saw Charlotte's distressed look. "How is she?" he asked, quietly. Charlotte shook her head and let out a staggered breath.

"Forgive me, Majesty," she whispered and left the room in a hurry. Henry stared after Charlotte. He then turned to his wife who lay in bed. The physician told him that Jane had contracted child-bed fever. Slowly, Henry walked over to Jane and kneeled down on her bedside and folded his hands. He buried his face into the white satin sheets of the Queen's bed. "Please, God!" he begged, feeling a knot tighten in his throat. He began to stutter for words as he looked at his bed-trodden wife. Her normally flush-coloured cheeks were white as the winter's snow. Her fair hair curled beautifully down her chest. "Don't take my wife away from me!" he hissed, staring up at the ceiling. "Please,"

Henry continued to pray for Jane to recover. Jane was his one true wife. He could not lose her now. Times were at stake and he needed her.

.::*::.

Charlotte had walked back to her apartments to find Charles putting on his armour. She wiped her tears and looked at him. "Charles," she had startled him. He turned around. "Where are you going?"

"His Majesty has asked me to ride out to the north to put an end to the riots against the Reformed Church."

Charlotte closed the door and sighed. "Why must you go?"

"It's His Majesties' orders!"

"So you have been commanded to murder innocent people?" Charlotte asked, wryly. Charles glared at her.

"If I do not, then I will lose the King's favour. We will be stripped of our titles and everything we own, Charlotte. Do you not understand? I cannot disobey orders; even if it comes to means of killing men women and children!" he yelled at her. He hated to argue with Charlotte. Charlotte sent him a glare before walking over to him.

"Think if they were your own children!" she screamed at him, with the tears filling in her eyes. "If they were the king's orders, would you murder them?"

Charles sat down, burying his head into his hands. "I know the situation, Charlotte! There is NOTHING I can do otherwise!" he snapped. "Out of my own reluctance, I would have to obey the King even if it was you or our children. I could not—"

"Do it then! Just do it!" Charlotte interrupted.

"Charlotte—"

She stormed off into her chambers, slamming the door and locking it. Charles hated this. He didn't want to argue with her. He had to do this. He had to give orders or be sent to the block. One false move and that could be the end of him or Charlotte. Charles was also assigned to arrest three men loyal to the Pope and the Church of Rome. He got up and went to their chamber door. "Charlotte," he began.

"Don't talk to me!" she yelled from inside. "You may talk to me if you return to Whitehall alive."

Charles blinked. She was truly furious with him for having to murder children. He knew Charlotte would never forgive him for what he had to do now. He wished there was a way out of this. "Charlotte, please,"

"Just leave me be, damn it!" she swore. Charles left it at that then, not wanting to pressure her or make her even more angry. He couldn't. He nodded, sighed and left their apartments. This would not turn out well, he thought.

AN: Thank you so much for reviews! I finally made it to three digits! WOOHOO! LOL, this is the first story that's ever gotten so many reviews. Thank you all so, so, so much! =)

Well, anyway, this chapter—anything you recognize was from The Tudors: Season 3 and I know Charlotte may have seemed like a bitch at the end; but, not every marriage is perfect. Charlotte just doesn't want to lose Charles. She doesn't want him to become a murderer. I hope you enjoyed it even though it's short.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Tudors, just Charlotte, her family—children and any other fictitious characters I may end up writing into!