Hello everyone sorry for the long "draught". It has been more than a year since my last update. In the meantime I have been busy with my (now finished) BA, my recently started MA and some personal trouble. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story and I apologize for not being able to update earlier.
So this is a small scene that I have been playing with in my mind. It's more like some sort of prelude or premonition of what will happen later in the story. I hope it makes sense to you.
"Everything is perfect" Kitty sighed as he looked at her reflection in the mirror one more time. Her blonde hair was exquisitely decorated with pearls, her elegant figure was outstanding in that dark red dress, and the Tudor rose that shone on her brooch was made especially for that occasion by the realm's most gifted goldsmiths. Around the petals they had engraved her motto, Non autre volonté que la sienne. No other will but his. No other man but Henry.
This was a lie, of course, a well kept lie that Katherine and Jane shared. No one else needed to know about Culpepper. It was true that Katherine had wondered more than once how her life would be if she was not Henry's beloved, but only Mrs. Culpepper. She would be loved and valued, that was granted, but she would not be happier, or at least that was what she kept telling herself. Love and feelings were not enough to make a woman go ahead in this life. If Henry had not chosen her, she would not be able to possess all the things she had: maids to respond to her tiniest whims, men to flatter her everywhere, money to buy all the latest French fashion and liberty to do as she pleased in her own quarters. What would she have then? The love of a fool and her old life as a neglected young lady, forever apart from Court. No, it was better that way. She would marry Henry and love Culpepper. She would lie to Henry about her son and bed Culpepper with no fear of being caught. It was indeed risky, but one had to make decisions in this life and to establish priorities, and Katherine was not going back to her former life. Not anymore.
Jane peeked through the door. "Are we ready, Majesty?"
Kitty turned to her and smiled nervously. "What do you think? Am I forgetting something?"
Jane looked at her from head to toe and smiled approvingly. "Absolutely nothing. You look as splendorous as the occasion requires".
"I can't believe we are finally here, Jane" Katherine giggled. "Can you imagine? Me, Kitty Howard, as Queen of England? I mean, truly Queen and not a consort?"
Not in my wildest dreams, Jane snorted to herself. Nevertheless she kept her smile. "Indeed, life is full of surprises and unexpected events".
A nervous knock was heard on the door and Catherine Carey appeared beside Jane. "Your Majesty, the carriage is ready." Kitty made her best effort not to jump with excitement. "We shall be there in a moment".
Indeed they were. As Katherine rode to Westminster, the crowds gathered to watch her carriage pass by as some of her ladies threw alms to the poor as they passed. The occasion was joyful: the Queen consort was to be anointed. The mother of the Duke of York was to be crowned. The savior of the Tudor Dynasty was to be rewarded.
When she arrived to Westminster, she was informed that the King would be there in no time. Actually, she had to wait almost an hour for him, looking vaguely around and recognizing some familiar faces in the crowd.
Her uncle Norfolk was there with Jane, of course. Francis Bryan was there as well. Edward Seymour was there with his wife, looking at everyone with that arrogant stare that had never left him since the birth of his nephew. Chapuys was there, in a corner, looking ever so old and weary, at least to Kitty. Mary and Elizabeth were in the front benches. As much as Katherine would like to give Elizabeth more prominence, the young princess refused to leave her sister. The youngest of the Tudor daughters gave her stepmother a smile of encouragement when their eyes met. The same could not be said for Mary, who kept her eyes stubbornly in the Holy Cross. Where she was praying for her happiness or secretly cursing her marriage Kitty would never know.
In the front bench as well were the Lord Cromwell and the Lady Anne. Kitty would never expect to see Anne of Cleves attending her coronation ceremony. As usual, she tried to shake her mind off her supposed son when she eyed the German duchess. It was for a greater good. There was nothing she could have done.
Her thoughts were distraught by the sound of trumpets. "The King!" said the royal herald. Everyone bowed in an instant. Everyone but her.
Henry VIII's steps echoed down the aisle. He took a long time to meet the Queen, since he had refused to wear a cane in such an important event. Kitty bowed to him deeply, noticing that the smell of his leg had been carefully masked with herbs and spices.
"My rose" his tired voice whispered. "You look splendid this morning".
"Thank you Your Majesty" Katherine purred. She endured the whole length of the long ceremony, pronounced by Archbishop Cranmer. When Henry turned to the crowd and sat in St. Edward's chair, she followed his example by sitting in a richly ornamented chair beside him under a canopy. She was blessed and anointed with scented oils and then she heard Cranmer speak loud and clear above her:
"WITH THE POWER INVESTED IN ME BY GOD ALMIGHTY I CROWN THEE KATHERINE, QUEEN OF ENGLAND!"
Katherine gulped slightly as the Crown was put on her head. It was not as uncomfortable as she had thought. From the corner of her eye she saw Norfolk looking at her with a relieved expression and Jane smiling slightly. Then she looked to Cromwell and Anne to study their reactions and it was then that her pains started.
The crown was getting heavier and heavier, with its encrusted jewels weighing like a thousand stones on her head. Desperately trying to get rid of it, she turned to Henry, who was now with a devious expression in his face. "Your Majesty, what is happening?" she managed to utter. "What is this?"
Henry smirked devilishly and leaned forward to whisper. "Pebbles, my rose".
Katherine felt the ground falter below her feet. "Pe…Pebbles?"
"Yes, pebbles. Pebbles like the ones that prevented you from getting pregnant after your licentious behavior. Pebbles like the ones you put in your fake belly in order to deceive me, YOU TREACHEROUS WITCH!" Henry's voice was now a thunder over her head.
"I… I never did something like that!"
"HOW DARE YOU TO IMPLY THAT I AM NOT TELLING THE TRUTH!" Henry shouted. "YOU CHEAP WHORE! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANTED, I FELL FOR YOUR CHARMS AND THIS IS HOW YOU PAY ME? BY STEALING CROMWELL'S SON AND PASS IT AS MINE?"
Everyone in the church started whispering frantically, while Cromwell stepped forward to look at Kitty more closely.
"You stole my son" he said coolly. "You and your filthy relatives stole what I loved the most."
"THEY OBLIGED ME!" Katherine shouted in despair as the she was being dragged outside the church. There was a wooden post nearby, and in that moment she knew what fate awaited her. She tried to fight, to kick and scratch everything she could reach, but to no avail. Strong hands kept her still while she was tied to the post by her hands. "Please" she said to Anne of Cleves. "Please, Anne… do something…."
Anne laughed coldly. "You showed no pity while I wailed in despair over my son. Why should I show you kindness now?"
Someone approached the post with a triumphant smile. It was Cromwell again.
"Your cousin" he whispered softly "had always thought she would be the one facing this end. Now you must live to her legacy". With a wicked smile, he lit a torch and started the fire. Katherine watched in horror as the flames consumed everything, screaming hysterically when she felt them closer. "I don't want to die!" she shouted desperately at the crowd, praying for the salvation that would never come.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" shouted Kitty, sitting up straight in her bed. Jane Boleyn woke up from the small bed placed beside the Queen's bed in a hurry. Katherine was frightened, breathing erratically and sweating profusely.
"Shhh, Kitty" she said, climbing to Katherine's side. "It was just a bad dream. Nobody is going to die" she said, rocking her back and forth.
"But… I saw it, Jane. I saw myself burning… I saw Henry… he knew. He knew!" Katherine sobbed uncontrollably against her should.
"Hush" said Jane. "It was nothing, my love. Go back to sleep" she said firmly. "No one will harm you, we won't let them. We won't get caught" Jane said, trying her best to believe her own promises.