June 15th, 1562

St. James ' s Palace

It had been days since Edward had left to find Isabella. Ruth doubted he would find her, he had been foolish to believe Isabella would never discover the affair. Thomas was staring out of the window nearby, waiting for Edward's return. Elizabeth and Rebecca were playing on the floor near his feet. Rebecca and Elizabeth both looked like her, same green eyes, same curly brown hair. The sight of her daughters always made her smile, yet she wondered if Thomas ever thought of his daughter Angelique. The girl was still in the country, being brought up on her uncle's estates. Mariana never spoke about the girl to Ruth, fearing her wrath. Angelique's very existence tormented Ruth, she always wondered if Thomas felt love towards the child. She had heard snatches of conversation between Thomas and his brother Henry. Henry had mentioned that she had blonde hair and blue eyes, she was tall for her age and that she loved dancing. Henry would ask if Thomas wanted her at court and her husband would decline. Ruth wanted to see the girl, to know if she compared to her own daughters. Ruth knew Isabella probably felt the same way, except Isabella had seen Marie's daughters. Ruth could only watch as Isabella smiled and told Marie how beautiful they were. Marie would graciously smile back and thank Isabella for her kind words and Ruth would ball her fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms. She could barely imagine how embarrassed she must have felt when she saw Marie in Edward's arms. In Isabella's absence Marie had been given her own ladies as if she were queen. It disgusted Ruth to no end.

Thomas jumped to his feet. "I see men bearing the king's livery."

Ruth got up from her chair and joined her husband by the window. She saw Edward in the middle of the procession, but she didn't see Isabella.

"Thomas, do you see the Queen?" Ruth stood on her tip toes so that she could see better.

He shook his head. "I see the children. No Queen. "

Ruth furrowed her brow. "Do you think she's retired from court?"

Thomas shrugged. "It is possible. Perhaps she's even agreed to a divorce."

Ruth shuddered. "That means I'd have to serve Marie on bended knee. You and I both know Edward would put me in her household."

Thomas kissed her forehead. "I am only jesting my dear. I know she would never agree to a divorce. Come, let's meet the king."

Ruth took Elizabeth's hand and Thomas picked up Rebecca, and they proceeded to meet the king at the palace entrance. Edward was carrying Constance in his arms and had Jane by the hand. It was almost as if he had never cheated on Isabella. Isabella's ladies were following behind Sancha. Suddenly, Marie shoved Ruth aside and sauntered up to Edward, kissing him as if she were his wife. Edward had truly gone mad.

Ruth returned to Isabella's rooms with her friends following behind. She needed to know was going on. Immediately.

Once she closed the door she turned to them. "When is Isabella returning to court? "

Sarah Veldon spoke first. "The Queen will not be returning to court unless the king allows it."

Ruth wrinkled her nose. "I do not under-"

Charlotte gave Ruth a sympathetic glance. "The Queen has been imprisoned in the tower."

Ruth was enranged. "On what charge?"

"Kidnapping the Prince of Wales." Charlotte was twisting her handkerchief.

Ruth huffed. "Our king has gone mad. All for a harlot that does nothing but fill our court with useless bastard daughters."

Ruth turned to leave, Edward would have Hell to pay if thought that Ruth would just accept Isabella being arrested on the mist tenuous charge - kidnapping her own son.

"Lady Norfolk, wait! " Sancha pulled her back into the room and Mariana closed the door.

Ruth eyed them peculiarly. "I am going to speak with the king. Do not believe you all will stop me."

Mariana averted her eyes under Ruth ' s sharp gaze. "There is more that you must know."

Ruth nodded for them to speak. Her heart was pounding with anticipation as she waited, a few moments feeling like an eternity of fear and suffering.

Sancha sighed before she began. "His Majesty has rescinded his promise to keep the children at court under your care. He believes it to be fit that each child be sent to stay in separate households with new governesses that he hath chosen himself from his various female relatives."

Ruth could feel her heart shatter. Isabella's children were like her own, she could not bear to separate from them. It was normal for children of royal status to have their own households, but Edward had decreed that his children would remain with him so that he could be involved with their education more directly.

Ruth grew cold. "He is trying to break Isabella. He knows those children are her light, now he takes them and scatters them throughout the country side. He must want to parade his whore around more openly."

Idiot. Blundering idiot he is.

She pushed her way past her charges and stormed to Edward's rooms. Richard appeared to be dreading her approach and he quickly stepped aside as Ruth reached the door. She wanted barge right in and scream at him but she decided to be ladylike with her approach.

"Richard, would you kindly inquire if I may have an audience with His Majesty?" She offered the boy a pence before he disappeared into the chambers.

Ruth had to stop herself from laughing at Richard's expression. After years of abuses from Ruth, hearing kind words and a bit of money from her was very strange to him. When he returned he still eyed her warily but gestured for her to enter. Ruth nodded gratefully and quietly enter Edward's privy chamber. She curtsied to him and waited for him to speak.

He looked up from his papers, his spectacles balanced on his nose comically. "Lady Norfolk I am quite busy. What is that you need?"

Ruth smiled sweetly. "I need for my sister to be released from the Tower, Your Majesty"

Edward nodded. "I planned to release her soon. It pains me to treat her so harshly but she cannot just leave court with our children without requesting permission first."

Ruth smiled. "Of course, Your Majesty. It was only natural for me to intercede on her behalf."

Marie soon walked out of a deeper chamber, wearing nothing but a thin shift. She was heavily pregnant and it was obvious that she had been sleeping in Edward's bed while he worked. She ignored Ruth's presence, although she was inclined to bow to Ruth, being an unmarried woman. Instead she sat on Edward's lap, holding his large hands in her own and smiling at him as she placed it on her large belly. The scene before her made her sick. Everything about Marie was wrong. Edward waved the mistress off, focusing back on Ruth.

"I am sure that is not the only thing on your mind, Lady Norfolk. I can tell there is something else you require, you are being much to docile."

Ruth smirked. "You know me well. I would like to know why you have decided to dissolve the nursery and remove me as governess."

Marie laughed. "I asked him to. They are royal children, why should they be at court? The country air is better for their health anyway."

Ruth restrained herself from choking her. "It will distress Isabella severely if you separate her from her children, Your Majesty."

Edward frowned."It will also stop her from taking them all and trying to poison them against me. I love my children Lady Norfolk."

Marie grinned. "Besides, you will be much too busy being the governess to my children."

Ruth turned to Edward waiting to confirm what Marie had said.

He looked a bit uncomfortable. "Yes, Marie insisted that you be governess to our daughters."

Ruth spoke through gritted teeth. "Why would Marie request me of all people? We haven't the most agreeable relations."

Marie laughed. "You were the obvious choice, Lady Norfolk. There is no other person I would ever want to be governess to my children."

Ruth was outraged. Marie was exerting too much influence over Edward, it was the biggest slight she could have thrown in Ruth's face. Governess to the bastards of woman she loathed. Ruth turned to leave but she could hear Marie following her. Once they were outside the Privy chamber door, Ruth turned back to glare at her.

Marie had a smug look upon her face. "I'm going to ruin you, Lady Norfolk. Your precious sister's escapade hath cost her the king's affections. I have influence, all I need is the crown and Isabella is throwing it away. The Princesses Eleanor and Bridget will be happy to have you wait upon them."

Ruth chuckled. "Au contraire Marie. Edward will never forsake Isabella for you. He still loves her, I can see it in his eyes. Once you deliver your next daughter all of of your mystic will vanish. Your looks are fading my dear. You are nothing more than a fling. All mistresses are discarded for newer, prettier ones. Do not fancy yourself above them, many of them were much more interesting than you. Oh, I know of no Princesses Eleanor and Bridget, only two bastard girls with a delusional whore of a mother. Poor things, maybe I can turn them into something useful to society '

With that, Ruth walked down the corridor smiling. Marie may have convinced Edward to make her the governess of his bastards and imprisoned his wife but Ruth know that with all things negative, it too, will soon pass.