February 23rd, 1557
Richmond Palace
Isabella rubbed her hands over her swollen belly. All of her ladies seemed to notice she looked more like she was nine months along rather than five, but there was no definite reason why. Sancha and Mariana were playing cards on the floor across the room, with Ruth doing needlepoint in a chair. Catherine and Marie were whispering to each other, taking glances back at Ruth and then giggling with each other. Whether the Duke of Norfolk had fathered Catherine's child had never crossed Isabella's mind until that moment, and the thought still made no sense to her. Thomas adored Ruth as far as any courtier could see and it was said he doted on their little daughter Elizabeth. As Isabella thought a bit harder she reminded herself that love did not necessarily mean faithful.
"Ruth!" She motioned for her 'sister' to come to her.
Ruth set down her wooden frame and joined her on the other side of the room. "Yes, Izzy?"
Isabella bit her lip not knowing how to ask her question, so she asked in German. "Did Thomas father Catherine's child."
Ruth laughed, it was a cold and bitter sound on Isabella's ears. Ruth replied in German. "I have only known this for five months. I never thought you would figure it out."
Isabella looked between the French woman in the corner and her best friend. There were no words that would come to her to comfort Ruth.
"If he thinks he will get a son quicker this way, I hope he has a good case for Edward. We both know how he feels about granting annulments." Ruth had a devious smirk on her face that frightened Isabella.
"Do not worry, Izzy. No one shall get hurt, yet." With that, Ruth rose from her chair and began her needlepoint, her eyes fixed on her work.
Isabella rested her hands on her belly, feeling a kick on both sides, something that was different from her last pregnancy.
"Sancha, I feel kicking on both sides. Is that normal?" She inquired nervously.
Sancha didn't look up from her card game with Mariana and replied absently. "Yes, it is quite common with twins."
Isabella saw her eyes widen.
"Your Majesty, you are expecting twins!" Sancha exclaimed.
"Gemelos?" Mariana murmured.
Ruth clapped her hands together. "Isabella, God has blessed you and Edward. He truly has."
Isabella felt the kicks again and realized that providing Edward with an heir would be the least of her worries.
June 30th, 1557
Richmond Palace
"Mary! Fetch the king. I do believe he wishes to see his wife and babes," Lady Norfolk ordered, speaking in a dignified tone as she cradled one of the royal babes in her arms, the girl, of course. Isabella, was holding the heir, a small boy.
The queen stared down at her little son with amazement before glancing at the daughter being held by her dear sister. "The girl is much larger and healthier than the boy. Ruth should I be worried?"
Ruth shook her head. "They are both healthy, Isabella. One babe is always larger than the other. This will not be your last birth either."
Isabella remembered all the long nights she had spent on her knees praying for a healthy child. Sancha and Ruth would often come to her, pulling her to her feet so that she would rest. She had been ill often, sometimes to the point where she could not leave her rooms, much unlike the first pregnancy. Her first pregnancy gave her no hardships, she only gained weight and then the child was stillborn. She welcomed the ceaseless retching and headaches as a sign of a healthy pregnancy.
The heavy door creaked as Mary Sidney, the wife of one of Edward's favorite courtiers, led the king into the room.
Edward's eyes immediately fell upon his wife. "You have given me two healthy babes? God hath truly blessed us, my love. Which is my daughter?" His green eyes darted between the two children being held by Ruth and Isabella.
"I am holding her, Your Majesty." Ruth stepped forward, slightly confused, and placed the baby girl in the king's arms.
Isabella watched her husband curiously. He didn't seem to be interested in the son she had borne him to succeed the throne. He dallied with the baby girl, laughing whenever the child wrinkled her nose. Isabella craned her neck and finally got a good look at her daughter, wisps of blonde hair covered the babe's head. Her daughter was quite fair, reminding her of portraits she had seen of Edward's mother, Jane Seymour. She looked back down at her little son, his hair was undeniably red like both of his parents.
"I believe we should call him Arthur," Isabella murmured, her eyes not leaving her son.
Edward chuckled softly. "Arthur? Yes that would be a good name for our first son. What about our little daughter? I want to call her Isabella or Margaret."
The queen shook her head. "I have a better fitting name for her, my dear."
He turned to her. "What would that be, Izzy?"
"We shall call her Jane, after your mother. She is fair, as was your mother." Edward appeared to muse over this, looking between Isabella and the babe in his arms.
He stared off into space for a moment and turned to his wife. "Prince Arthur and Princess Jane of England, I approve of this."
He gave his daughter back to Ruth, governess apparent, and picked up his son. He frowned a bit as he held the boy.
"What is it Edward?" Isabella's eyes were wary as he held their son.
Edward shook his head. "I am just noticing that the boy is much smaller than his sister,"
"Aye, I noticed the same. He will grow, for he is strong." Isabella tried to comfort her husband as well as herself. Edward didn't seem to be interested in his son at all, he appeared to favor Jane more, which was strange. Most kings rejoiced profusely at the birth of a son and heir, but Edward didn't seem to care at all.
As he placed the babe back into his mother's arms, Edward smiled down at Jane once more before turning to his wife. "I have to plan the jousting tournament to celebrate the birth of my son," He smiled as he said it, easing Isabella's fears.
She smiled weakly at him. "Farewell my love. I must rest, for I am tired."
Sancha took Arthur in her arms and followed Ruth to the nursery. Mary and Charlotte lifted the basket of soiled sheets and carried them off to be cleaned. As she watched them all leave she realized her role as queen had just begun. She had fulfilled her duties of providing the heir, next was the spare. One son wasn't enough to secure a dynasty and little Jane surely couldn't take the throne, but Isabella knew that as long as Arthur survived infancy and she could produce another child she was finally secure. Anything Northumberland tried to do to get rid of her had been in vain, for she had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl. With the last of her strength Isabella slid to the floor for a prayer.
Dear God, I am truly blessed for the gift you have given me of twin children. I ask that you keep my womb fertile so that more children may follow them.
Amen.
It was a short prayer as Isabella's words failed her, exhausted, she climbed back into her bed. Nothing was on her mind except her children, until she heard footsteps outside her chamber door and hushed voices.
"I cannot tolerate the king anymore!"
"I agree he must be killed."
"A rebellion against the king is serious business."
"We must wait until his support is low, the queen has given birth to twins. No one would naysay him now."
"Damn German wench. I hoped she would have been infertile."
The voices and footsteps faded, and at first Isabella thought she had been hallucinating. She could not make out the voices, but there was fear in her heart. Some faction at court wanted to see her beloved husband dead.