A Jewel in Henry's Crown

Chapter Forty-Two: The Madness of Morning Executions

.::*::.

Tower of London—February 13, 1541

Katherine Howard sat waiting in her prison cell for her destiny. All last night, she had practiced placing her head upon the block so she may not look like a fool in front of everyone who would watch her execution. Tears sprung in her eyes as Archbishop Cranmer had come forward and was to bring her to the scaffold that was built especially for her and Lady Jane Wallace. God damn that last name, she thought. She despised the Wallaces and now the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk even more. Charlotte Brandon had ruined her life. Katherine prayed aimlessly that Charlotte would be cursed with unhappiness for the rest of her pathetic and miserable life. How come she had kept the king's favour for so long? Thinking of Charlotte Brandon made Katherine grind her teeth in anger. Lady Jane Wallace was the first to be executed. As Katherine looked to the crowds, she could see Thomas Wallace running through the crowd and shoving people aside.

"PLEASE! DO NOT EXECUTE MY WIFE! SHE IS PREGNANT!" he bellowed. The guards standing by the scaffold blocked him and kicked him back to the crowd. "JANE IS PREGNANT! DO NOT KILL HER!"

"Restrain him!" Charles demanded. He was required to be at the execution that morning. "Lady Wallace, do you care to say a few words?"

"What?" she asked, blissfully. "Oh, I um, pray Jesus beseeches my soul. Please, pray for me."

She knelt down and lowered her head on the block. Charlotte closed her eyes as she watched one of her dearest friends being executed that morning. She could hear the crunch of bones and the swat of the ax as it came down. When Charlotte opened her eyes, she could see the blood spilling onto the wood and dripping down the cracks of the planks. Her face paled and she collapsed nearly on the ground, feeling nauseous. Few of the women caught hold of her and cried out.

"Your Grace!" they exclaimed. Charles saw this and stepped down from the scaffold and came to his wife just as Katherine was about to lose her head.

"I die a queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpepper." Katherine stated, before dropping her head on the bloody block. There were several murmurs of shock and crude comments in return. Charles lifted Charlotte into his arms and carried her back to the Palace.

.::*::.

Around seven thirty or so in the evening, Charlotte was sitting in her chambers dressed in black. Her dark hair was disheveled and flowing down to her mid back. Her eyes were red and cheeks stained with tears. She had lost her dearest sister-in-law and it was her fault. She could have spared Jane's life and kept quiet about it. More tears flooded down Charlotte's cheek as she thought of the execution. Jane had faced the same doom as her first husband, George Boleyn.

Charlotte eyed the little dagger that was lying on the table just a few inches away from her. She demanded that Philippa and her other maid removed the black mourning dress she was wearing so she was only in her corset. She dismissed her maids and took the little dagger into her hands. Charlotte fingered the edges with her thumb and the tip pricked her finger, causing it to bleed. She let out a sharp gasp as it happened and wiped the blood on her undergarment. Just as she placed the dagger on her hand with the sharp edge, Charles came in.

"Charlotte, what are you doing?" he inquired, as her back was to him. His voice startled her and she dropped the dagger, cutting the palm of her hand. Charles came up to her and grabbed her forearm and turned her around sharply. "Are you completely mad? What are you doing with that dagger?"

She showed him the palm of her hand and burst into sobs, dropping her head into his chest.

"Her death is not your fault." Charles continued, wrapping his arms around her back. "What brought you to this madness to even consider taking your own life? Do you realize how selfish that is?"

"Please, do not scold me, Charles. That is what I least want!" she yelled, pulling away from his warmth. "By telling the king about my sister-in-law, not only did I send her to death but I also punished my possible niece or nephew! You do not know how awful I feel about this! Because of me, two lives were destroyed!"

"No more lives need to be taken today! Think about Harry, Rupert and Eleanor! Our children will grow up not knowing who their mother was. Damn it, Charlotte! Think about me! Are you really going to be that fucking stupid and take the love of my life away from me?" Charles fired back. Charlotte reached out to smack him but he caught her wrist. "Do not do this to me, Charlotte. I love you. I have loved you from the moment I first met you in Norfolk and I will love you always…for better or for worse."

Fiercely, Charlotte kissed him and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He caught her and began to untie her corset.

.::*::.

Thomas Wallace stormed angrily to the king's study and burst through the doors, shoving the doormen aside as they tried pulling him back.

"Damn you, Your Majesty! You just executed my pregnant, insane wife!" Thomas bellowed. Henry got up and glowered at the Lord Norfolk. "You killed three lives today, not two! MY CHILD IS DEAD! DAMN YOU!"

"My lord Hertford, arrest this man for lack of conduct and disrespect towards the king of England." Henry demanded. "Thomas Wallace, you have been stripped of your title as Lord Norfolk and will follow your wife and endure God's punishment!"

Edward Seymour grabbed hold of Thomas and dragged him out of the king's study.

"DAMN YOU! DAMN ALL OF YOU!" Thomas shouted. "I BEG GOD TO SEND THE KING TO HELL!"

Charlotte had heard her elder brother screaming as he was being arrested. She watched incredulously from her chamber door and Charles came from the Great Hall.

"What's happening?" he inquired, taking Charlotte into his arms.

"I think His Majesty has just arrested my brother. He was furious of Jane's death." Charlotte bit back tears. "I wish she had never conspired with Katherine…that bitch. Now my brother has gone mad."

"Lottie, come, I promised Harry that we would go for a horse ride through the gardens. Would you come with us?"

"I suppose I shall. I cannot deny the request of my darling son or my husband." Charlotte gave him a weak smile. "But, do you mind if I ask the Lady Mary to join us? After all, she is a dear friend of mine as Jane was."

"Of course, Your Grace," Charles bowed and kissed her hands. "Will I meet you and the Lady Mary by the gardens?"

"Yes," Charlotte nodded and left. As she walked to Lady Mary's chambers, she saw the King storming down the hallway and stood aside by the wall. He had not even noticed her.

"Lady Mary?" Charlotte inquired. She knocked a few times on the wooden mahogany door before she heard shuffling. One of the maids opened the door. "I request an audience with the Lady Mary."

"Your Grace, the Lady Mary is at Mass. She will see no one at this time." The maid answered. Charlotte nodded and left to the stables.

.::*::.

Charles had pulled the horses out by the reins and the stable boys saddled the horses. He noticed his wife came alone and her features were stony.

"Is the Lady Mary not joining us?" he called.

"No," she said, wryly.

"How will you ride today, Your Grace?" he continued.

"The same as you, Your Grace, with one leg on each side," Charlotte smirked and jumped up on her chestnut brown mare. Charles chuckled.

"You know it is highly inappropriate."

"Well, it is much more secure…especially with a dress like this; I do not wish to ride proper."

Charlotte clicked her tongue and went off in a full gallop. Charles followed her lead and they raced through the gardens towards the edge of the forest. Charlotte then pulled on her reins to a trot. As the horse came to the river it stopped and panicked. It stood up on its hind legs and neighed frantically.

"Whoa, easy!" Charlotte exclaimed, pulling tightly on her reins again. Charles came over and settled the horse down. They looked over into the river and saw a few corpses drifting down. "What's happened here?"

"I cannot say. There was presumably an attack just north of this river. Protestants and Catholics, no doubt," Charles answered. "We should return to Hampton."

"Are you going to tell the king?"

"No, not right away,"

"But, Charles—"

"I said no, Charlotte!" Charles snapped. She shot him a fierce look and they rode back to Hampton Court.

"His Majesty must know of the rebellions!"

"He has too much on his mind as of this moment, Your Grace. I cannot poke a pin on his heating pressure as it is! His Majesty is in ill favour. We cannot make it worse."

"Very well, this may bode ill for all of us." Charlotte murmured.

"Pray it will not!" Charles chuckled, beside her.

"Come, my love,"

They walked back to their chambers and found the king waiting for them. Charlotte even more startled than Charles and slightly cowered behind him, fearing the king's temper. Henry watched them both and folded his hands behind his back and began pacing back and forth. He cleared his throat before beginning to speak.

"Your Grace, I must ask you to leave me to discuss this matter alone with your wife. It has matters with her family…her brother in most particular."

Charles bowed and kissed Charlotte's cheek before leaving their apartments.

"What is the urgency, Your Majesty?" she inquired.

"Your brother has no respect towards me like you do, Your Grace. I have always admired your devout nature and loyalty to me…and of course, your husband. But, it appears as though Thomas lacks those characters in his nature. He greatly insulted me and was highly immoral in my presence. Perhaps you can teach him some protocol here in this court." Henry seethed through his teeth. "His impertinence has suited me long enough and he has been placed under arrest. I am afraid to say the worst that an execution might be in his sentence."

Charlotte could hardly speak.

"He…" she started, "he went rather mad after my sister-in-law was executed. She was carrying his first child; and, it ate his mind away…the revenge I mean. I give you my word, Your Majesty; he would never do such a thing typically. This is a side of him I, too, do not know. You must show him clemency, please. I beg Your Majesty. At least exile him from your court, but do not murder him; that is all I ask. My mother…that is her only son and heir to my father's assets,"

"When I have come to a decision, I shall inform Your Grace immediately." Henry concluded. He bowed and left briskly. Charlotte sighed and went to sit by the little desk, feeling her knees weaken from under her. How many more people would he decapitate? Charlotte folded her hands together and began to pray. It was the best she could do in this dark time.