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Chapter #47: Night Terrors

"Some said "that dutiful feeling towards a father, and the necessities of the State in which laws had then no place, drove him into civil war, which can neither be planned nor conducted on any right principles. He had often yielded to Antonius, while he was taking vengeance on his father's murderers, often also to Lepidus. When the latter sank into feeble dotage and the former had been ruined by his profligacy, the only remedy for his distracted country was the rule of a single man. Yet the State had been organized under the name neither of a kingdom nor a dictatorship, but under that of a prince. The ocean and remote rivers were the boundaries of the empire; the legions, provinces, fleets, all things were linked together; there was law for the citizens; there was respect shown to the allies. The capital had been embellished on a grand scale; only in a few instances had he resorted to force, simply to secure general tranquility.""

~by: Cornelius Tacitus, "The Annals"

1568, February 12th

Scotland, Linlinthgow
Linlinthgow Palace:

"That's a very nice chest you got there Master Hamilton" The Queen remarked taking the chest off her hands. A year ago George would have been appalled to seen such manners from his Queen. From all reports he heard prior to his marriage was that his betroth was a delicate and sophisticated woman, but soon as they'd eloped he'd learned there was anything but sophistication in the way she treated with her nobles ... and him.

"Tis my pleasure to present you with the riches the King of England has sent you, your royal cousin"

"Ah yes the King of England, such a small thing" She said putting the chest down and going to George "Such a small thing but your brother's wife even smaller and by what I hear of their little girl, smaller still" She teased. She turned to Hamilton "Leave us"

"Poor little thing" She continued saying "I know your brother George better than you know him, and what little you know him, you know he can't stay faithful for a week without his eyes wandering to the Duchess' maid"

"He is a Duke you forget my dear" George said licking the back of her ear, Mary hit him playfully on his head.

"Not here you idiot, the children are next door and can hear everything mummy and daddy are doing"

"That's too bad ... but on the other hand they can start learning for their wedding day" He said pushing her down on the floor. George was getting more savage after their youngest daughter had been born. Much to her chagrin the girl had been named Elizabeth, a name that only reminded her of the two that had kept obstacles to her authority from reigning supreme. She would have preferred to name her last child Marie or Mary, something to remind her of her mother but George and his mother would not have it, especially since it was the name of the Lady Mary Tudor.

"Strip me naked again and you will have my father's dagger at your throat"

He laughed "You could have killed me with that thing on our wedding day, face it you can't live without me"

How she hated his arrogance but the scoundrel was right, common as he was, she could not live without him. In that moment the door opened and ran in their children. They giggled at the spectacle, seeing their mother half naked and their father with only his trousers and his chemise half torn.

"Is mother fighting with father again?" Asked James Eustace, their oldest son and heir to Scotland.

Mary grabbed her cloak and covered herself right away while George remained with his sheepish grin beckoning his children to join them. "Come along ... that's it. Mummy and daddy were not fighting they were ar-ah ..." His mind went completely blank and his eyes looked desperately at Mary for help.

Mary covered her giggles, it was quite funny situation. But how could they explain it to such young minds? James Eustace and his younger brothers who were five and three respectively were all boys. With boys it was easier, it was expected of them to know these things. Girls on the other hand ... her mother never talked about it until she left for France to marry the dauphin and that had been a short lived disappointment since she was his wife in name only. Poor boy never possessed the strength to finish whenever they engaged in the act.

Girl are not supposed to know this. But they must, she argued with herself. They must or how else can they protect themselves against the evils of men?

"We were doing what all royal couples do" Mary finished for her husband.

James cocked his head slightly "You mean like having affairs of state?"

"S-something along those lines, yes"

"Oh" James said then slowly nodding as if he had suddenly understood, his face turned to a gross expression and he said: "Oh ... Oh, keep it to yourselves then!"

"James!" Mary scolded "Watch that tongue"

"Yes James watch that tongue some" George said covering his laughter "Someday you might need it"

"George!"

"Father!" Now all his children squealed.

"It seems as if I have six children instead of five" Mary said grabbing George's ear and leading him to the bed "You say there My Lord Husband while I try to push these images for our children's sake and take them to bed"

"But it is not even night" Little Elizabeth complained. She always complained. She was becoming more and more like her namesake. There were nothing but complaints brought to her by her tutors who said she spent more times correcting them about canonical and philosophical matters. "I want to know the whole details of what goes on in royal affairs of state, James has only explained to us so very little"

Mary shot a look to James. James smiled with the same sheepish smile that was to become their family's trademark. He raised his hands and showed them to his mother "My hands are clean in this ... figuratively"

Mary rolled her eyes and grasped James' chubby hand "One more word out of your sister" She threatened "I do not want her to start acting like a common courtesan"

"Would you like her to become like a royal courtesan"

"James!"

"What? You said common, I thought it was open to other interpretations"

She put her hand to her forehead. These children with their Tudor and their Stewart blood, it was no wonder why they were so outspoken.

"James mi bel amour" She knelt to his eye level and placed both her hands on his shoulders "Just listen to me this once alright?"

"Alright"

Mary satisfied with his answer and sensing no mischief, rose and walked the children to their respective chambers. James since he was the heir had one all to himself while the girls had to share one chamber. The boys had freedom that Mary envied when she was a girl their age, but it was the way of the world and the way the Lord Jesus Christ deemed it and she was not going to go against the sacred order of nature.

"Go on Petra ... Bessie, come on go on then" She said and her daughters immediately scattered around the room. Their governess was absent and their mother had dismissed their maids since she wanted to tuck them in bed personally. As a child she never had that privilege from her mother, being Regent of Scotland she had to put her daughter's patrimony first.
Mary did not want to do the same mistake. She believed a woman could be a mother and a Queen at the same time. Many Queens had done so before, consorts and not. And if she was to live by their example she had to set aside matters of state for her daughter's sake who were her most valuable possession. Someday they would leave her and she would be prepared because like her mother she knew it was part of life. So she spend more time with them so it would not be so hard when the time came to say goodbye.

"Sleep good Petra and my darling Bess" She kissed each of their foreheads. Their skin was as soft as hers but it was the color of olive oil like her paternal great grandmother through George's maternal side, Anne Boleyn. Bess took after her the most.

"Mama" Bess stopped her mother before she left, clutching her arm "Please sleep with us" She pleaded. Her mother was about to blow the candle and she didn't like it when the candles were blown. "I don't like being alone in the dark" She explained, her eyes looking pleadingly to her as before.

"But you are not alone, your sister Petra is here with you and she will protect you will you not my-" Mary stopped in mid-sentence. Petra had already fallen asleep.

"Please mama don't leave I promise I will be god but don't leave I don't want her to visit me again"

Mary's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Who dear?' She asked.

"There" Her youngest daughter pointed a finger towards the window "The woman... she is always there and she is always muttering incoherently"

"Obviously if she is muttering nothing she will say can be understood. But Bess dear tis just your imagination"

"You don't believe me do you?" Her eyes looked up defiantly at her mother. She also has that temper she got it from her father's side of the family. The Stewarts or Stuarts as she preferred now they call themselves, were known for their patience. Their ill temper was to be feared but it was such a rare thing whereas the Tudors were unpredictable in all their humors.

"I believe you but even the greatest of minds can see things when they are scared. Did James tell or any of your brothers, George or Robert tell you a ghost story again?"

Bess nodded.

"Which was it?" She showed no anger to her daughter, poor thing was scared but she would have a private chat tomorrow with James, George, and Robert.

"The story of Anabella Drummond. Do you know it?" She inquired.

Mary nodded her head. She knew the story very well, girls her daughter's age would use to dare each other to stand in the dark and whisper the late Queen of Scotland's name five times until she appeared to you. Mary had the highest record. It was only her stubbornness that did not made her run or cry back to her mother. But she was always more scared of others and believed that there could be possibility of the existence of ghosts even when it defied all canon law.

"She was a very sad woman but very in love with her husband. It is rumored that after she died her spirit would not leave the Earth until she saw David on the throne, but after his uncle killed him and her youngest son became King, she vowed she would never leave this Earth." Mary smiled kindly at her daughter petting her hair and kissing her forehead "Those are just stories love."

"So she will not come and get me?"

Mary embraced her daughter and took her in her arms. She was thankful she had the strong arms her mother boasted of her father, to carry her children whenever she wanted. Poor George's bastard sister was doomed to walk the Earth with a cane after her accident. It was unfortunate really. There was no comparison of caring for your children personally and carrying them around, showing them off to courtiers. Not even all the riches in the world could match that.

"No my child, nobody will come." She said stroking her shoulders. She took her to their bed. She explained to George what had happened and he agreed.

She lay in between them with her arms around her father's neck and her mother's wrapped around her. Her father's were wrapped around both mother and daughter.

"She won't come and get me right?"

George shook his head. "No one is going to get you darling, James is just being a buffoon as he always is"

"Really?"

"Would I ever lie to you?" He said leaning forward and rubbing his nose against hers. Bessie giggled and closed her eyes.

"Thank you" Mary said smiling before closing her eyes.

George felt happy. He never thought he would being married to a papist but he did. He didn't think he would have been this happy if he had married Katherine. Her family was incompatible with his beliefs and their personalities were so different. Although Mary's ideology was also different too, she was more calm, intelligent, and possessed more charisma than Katherine every would. He gave thanks to the Lord for his blessings to his family and he wished He would be kind to Anthony as well.
Growing up, it was no secret Anthony was the favorite, the more collected, calm, passive and true intellectual of their family. He'd envied him and now he laughed, finding it funny how the tables had turned. He was the Consort of Scotland's mighty Queen while Anthony was a simply Duke and his title and inheritance to his heirs depended solely on the base of his marriage to Anna.

He wondered if the rumors were true. If Anthony had taken already mistresses after finding out that his wife had birthed a girl? A girl would mean that he would not be free of her, since to the Salic law, women could not inherit so they would have to try again and just imagining the look on Tony's face when he'd have to bed that which he most despised ... he had to press his lips not to burst out in laughter.

Poor Tony, he really pitied him. His brother deserved better, he was after all the "Chapuys hope". And to their father, the old man could see no wrong in him. Anthony was like a god to him and no matter how many times he strayed, their father would always stand there by his side.

No ... He was not going to worry. That part of his life was over, he did not have to compete with Anthony anymore. He was happily married and he had what Anthony lacked, sons and a loving environment to raise them.

February 25th

Spain, Madrid
Alcázar Palace:

Catalina had a hard time adjusting herself with her new life with Her Majesty and her lord grandfather. It was all so different here. People were not screaming and the King did not have to hurt his subjects (physically) to reaffirm his authority. One command was simple enough, and his authority conveyed respect.

She wished her father would follow this model of kingship from his own father instead of having to having to torture his servants and steal their pets away and having thrown at them in pieces.

At first she didn't think too much of this. When the Queen inquired if she regretted living so long with her parents, Catalina had been angry she would ask that question since she considered it was the way all children lived, or at least she thought so until she came here. And realized that only her family lived that way.

Philip was heading the same way to the gardens when they bumped into each other. Catalina Michaela immediately curtsied and apologized: "Excuse me Your Majesty" and turned to move on. She did not hear her grandfather calling her to stop, she was too afraid of him. She heard all those nasty stories from her father and heard from some of her maids who she believed were heretics because they read from the Prince of Orange's propaganda, that he was evil and he was out to get the blood of Infidels and non-believers and was capable of even murdering his own son and his children except Ligo to make him his heir.

She grabbed her skirts and ran when she felt him approach her and hid in one of the mazes he had built for his Queen.

"Go away, go away" She said to herself covering her ears to vanish the sound of his voice.

"Catalina, Catalina ... child, it was not my intention to scare you, in which case I apologize if I did."

No matter what he said Catalina was unable to believe him. He sighed with frustration. Maybe bringing one of Carlos' offspring had been a mistake after all. What more could he expect from his hunchback son? Just then he turned around as he heard little cries. He followed the noise and found his granddaughter with her legs to her chest, curled into a little ball, her back reclined to one of the maze walls.

His heart softened immediately. "Catalina" He approached her and very tenderly he placed his hand on her head, removing her wild hair from her eyes."It is alright to cry when there is no one looking, there is no shame in it"

Her face came out of her knees and looked up at him. He wiped the tears from her eyes with his other hand. She felt so ashamed. Princesses were not supposed to cry, now he was going to make fun of her like her mother did when her father was not absent.

It didn't make any difference who he was now, she lunged her arms at him and his her head in his coat. "Don't tell anyone ... don't tell anyone ... don't tell anyone" She said and said until she became very weary and fell asleep in his arms.

She was not so heavy from a girl of seven. It surprised him how light she was when he carried her all the way to his rooms with Annie. She was still asleep in his arms.

"Was it another one of her nightmares?" Annie asked already expecting the answer. She'd pitied her oldest niece by Katherine so much that she never had time to reconnect with the poor child. And Ligo and Isabel were the only ones she seemed to trust as she was always around them, but whenever she and Philip showed up in their games she seemed to back away or run away crying.

Philip found it annoying and incredibly frustrating that he stopped in his efforts. Annie reminded him that he had a duty to all his family, and that included his other grandchildren besides Ligo. And Ligo had already bonded during his stay with Carlos in Valladolid. He would always be close to her first children by Philip, Fernando and Isabel, but Catalina was his sister and that was a bond that nobody could replace. It was like her and Anthony.

Philip nodded, by his grave expression she could tell that he had scared her again. Philip looked away and explained what had happened. "None of it was my fault, it is her father, my son again. His shadow always haunts me, it seems that I cannot expect any better from him"

"Do not say more, the child is asleep but she may still hear us"

"What more can I say Annie? You know it is the truth"

"I know, but does that make it any better. The child is terrified of you Philip and I can't blame her, you have not been exactly on your gentleman behavior lately. You have seen her more as a burden" Annie chided her husband.

Philip scoffed "Me?" He asked pointing a finger to his chest after he set the sleeping girl on their bed. "I have been cordial ever since you and Ligo suggested we bring the little critter here"

"Philip listen to yourself! Do you think the child does not regret our presence in her life as more than just meddling? She loves her father, whatever your son may be, he loves his daughters and not even you can deny that. I have seen it. Just give her a chance here, if you don't like it then we can send her back"

Philip sighed rubbing his forehead and switching glances from his wife to his granddaughter.

"Fine but keep her from Juan and Juana, she looks at them with her father's eyes and I don't like it, tis the look of envy"

"Tis also the look of longing to be loved" Annie shot back.

Philip rolled his eyes.

Contradicting his wife would prove to be a dire error so he settled on sleeping with their grandchild. She was surprisingly calm during the entire night and did not even stir.

One month later ...

England, London
Richmond Palace: Great Hall:

"I hope you don't mind that I took the time to mend some of your laces on the back of the dress sweetheart" Bess told her youngest child.

Roxy shook her head. She didn't mind at all. She was never fond of needles, when her dolls dresses broke or her own, she always had to ask for help from Kat or her mother. Kat covered for her on occasions when she missed her lesson that tended to do with needle and housework. She saw no point to it. Months ago she'd been told of her cousin's identity, that her father was really not her uncle's cousin but her father too and she her half sister. "So" she had argued "if my cousin can become a Queen of England and Regent at the same time in her husband's absence and mended the country all on her own, with little support and help from just few ... then can't I?" She posed.

Her cousin, or well, her half sister was now Queen of Spain and the way she heard it, had her husband wrapped around her little finger. It would not be long before there was another conflict in Western Europe and Annie was left Regent again.

It was not fair. She was going to meet her today and she had nothing nice to wear and the only thing her mother was doing was complaining about the way she walked.

"Stand up straight and no talking of cards or games or foul language. Your sister hates foul language, you understand?"

Roxy nodded then asked, once her mother finished tying the laces on the back of her dress; "Will the King of Spain be attending too mummy?"

"No sweetheart, the King will not be joining us"

Roxy turned to her mother and cocked her head in inquiry. "Why not?"

"Because he has Spain to look after and the Queen, your cousin requested she came here alone with her eldest children"

"Oh" Roxy said, nodding in understanding. Once their ladies left, Roxy asked freely "Will my half sister like me mother?"

"Of course she will, you have those darling eyes from your father. They are the same as hers, in fact you remind me a lot of her when she was your age"

Roxy never felt more nervous. When the time came to meet she shifted nervously in her chair where she, her parents, her brother and her sister in law were seated in the high table upon the dais. She bit her nails and her mother scolded her for it, she immediately stopped. Her mind was racing with so many questions she wanted the Queen Dowager of England and Queen of Spain to answer. How was the weather in Spain? Do you like playing cards? Oh that was right, her mother had said no talk of cards, games and above all no use of foul language.

So what was she supposed to do? She thought growling in her mind. It limited her possibilities of finding common ground with her half sister. If she was anything like they said, she would probably be like her upstart, arrogant daughter Margaret who loved nothing better than to show her latest jewelry and rubbed her knowledge in your face. No matter how much her parents tried, she and the Princess could not get along. She was impossible!

"Her Majesty, Queen of Spain, Naples, Duchess of Milan, Anna Hapsburg-Tudor-Wittelsbach and her sons, His Highness Don Fernando, Her Highness, Doña Isabel Clara Eugenia, Doña Diana Tudor" The herald's voice brought her to the present.

Eustace was surprised when he heard the last addition. He had not expected his oldest grandchild to visit. It had been so long, he wondered if she still remembered the time they had spent together during Annie's sleeping state. He still carried her rosary wrapped around his wrist wherever he went, he prayed to it above any other relic.

Roxy could barely breath. The Queen of Spain, formerly Queen of England had stepped in with her children, they were taller than every child she had ever seen, almost as tall as her uncle William who stood at the center of the hall bowing before his mother and his half siblings and sister, welcoming them to their humble land. Margaret was besides him. Around her face, her mouth formed to what seemed a smile but only when she turned and they were done greeting their guests, and walked up to the high table, did she realize it was fake.

"My Lord Earl, you have done a wonderful job with His Majesty, my son" She said leaning forward to embrace their father, since the man could barely stand on his own two feet now. Annie felt for him, it felt like a lifetime since they saw each other. Their embrace lasted longer than intended. They were overcome with emotion but they had to part lest they wanted to invite more gossip. She moved to her Aunt Bess who was formidable as ever, then her eyes fell to the little girl seated in between them. "You must be Lady Roxanna"

A/N: Sorry for the tardiness but as I know most of you are students you can imagine the workload I am getting as this is my last year, my senior year in college so. Anyway some might be confused why so many Alcázar Palaces? Because there was one in Seville (former Moorish Kingdon) and then one in Madrid. Both very stunning however the one in Madrid possessed major popularity. But for those of you that are interested, they were three more, one in Segovia, one in Córdova called "El Palacio de los Reyes Cristianos" (The Palace of the Christian Kings), and finally in Toledo.