5th March 1550: Cumnor Place, Oxfordshire, England, Home of the Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth was bored. Being two months pregnant meant that there was not much that she could do. She could not go riding as it could harm the child. This meant that she was stuck in doors, all day, sewing. At least Kat was here with her.
"Have you seen Robert today, Kat?" Elizabeth asked, glancing up from her sewing "I couldn't find him anywhere,"
"His Majesty, The King, arrived this morning – before you were awake, My Lady – and asked Lord Robert to go riding with him," Kat replied "They had something to discuss about the new Act of Succession that the King is working on."
Elizabeth gave a nod of acknowledgement and returned to her sewing. She, Robert and the King, knew that she was pregnant, and she had fallen pregnant a few days after her marriage to Robert. She smiled when she remembered that Lord Seymour and Mary had not been happy.
5th March 1550: Whitehall Palace, England
Having returned from riding with his brother-in-law, The King glanced down to the paper in front of him. It was the new Act of Succession, which was due to be passed at the next meeting of the Privy Council. All he had to do now was actually put the succession in order. But that was where the problems began. If he put Elizabeth before Mary, then the Catholic forces would be attacking England within two years' time, but if he placed Mary first, then the Protestant forces would openly rebel.
Looking down at the parchment in front of him, he picked up his feather, dipped it into the ink, and placed it over the parchment. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before scrawling two words underneath his own name; Princess Elizabeth.
Underneath Elizabeth's name, he scrawled Mary's name. The Catholic forces could throw all the forces of hell at him, but he would not change his mind. If he died, without heirs, then Elizabeth was going to succeed him. No matter what…
7th March 1550: Hunsdon House, Hunsdon, Hertfordshire, England, Home of the Lady Mary
"The King has done what?"
Susan Clarencieux jumped, nearly losing the pile of linen she was carrying, as her mistress, Lady Mary, exploded with anger at Sir Thomas Seymour, and he too, jumped, for Mary rarely lost her temper, but, when she did, it was a formidable sight.
"The King, Lady Mary, has appointed the Princess Elizabeth-"
"-Lady Elizabeth," Mary swiftly interrupted, but Thomas Seymour carried on as if Mary hadn't even spoken "-as his heir, if he has no children, and has restored her to the title of Princess,"
Mary's eyes flashed from love for her brother to absolute hatred and the feather that was held between both of her hands snapped. She gave a small growl of annoyance, and turned. She strode off, towards her room. The door closed behind her with a loud smash, and the picture frame on the wall fell to the floor, shattering as it landed.
She sat down at her desk, and began to write on the parchment.
To my dear cousin, Charles.
My brother, King Edward VI, has removed me from the succession and placed that Bastard daughter of that concubine, Anne Boleyn, in my place! This was obviously done through witchcraft. It seems that Anne Boleyn's bastard daughter has been meddling in the same forces that her mother meddled in. In being removed from my place in the succession, there is no possible way that England can be restored to the true faith and they will be worshipping a false god and a false church.
Your cousin, Mary, Princess of England, Ireland, France, Spain, Aragon and Castile.
She folded the parchment up and handed it to one of her maids "Give this to the Spanish Ambassador,"
The maid dipped a curtsey, and left.
Mary smiled. Now her brother would find out what the Catholic Forces could do. She would be restored to her rightful place in the succession... no matter what...
To Be Continued
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