It is the first of May, and I am jousting in the lists. King Henry is not participating. That I would expect with his poorly leg, but I know there is something else going on. Everyone must sense it by now. King Henry no longer visits Anne in her bedchamber and hasn't done since Easter. Even Anne is beginning to feel the strain.

Mummy has arrived from Hybrid Palace, but Esther is not with her. "She vanished," Mummy says. "No one knows where she is."
"Did she leave a note?" I ask as someone helps me into my armour. Mummy shakes her head. "Okay. We better stay alert."
"What about Catalina and Anne? Can we help them?"
I sigh. "Mummy, you know as well as I do that we cannot help them. I wish we could."

Mummy starts crying. "Please, Emma, there must be something we can do. If we..." Her voice trails off as King Henry enters the pavilion.
"Your Majesty," I say and bow. Mummy curtsies.
"The crowd is waiting for you, Mistress Smith-White. What is taking you so long?"
"I will be out there soon," I say. King Henry leaves the pavilion, and I turn to Mummy. "There is nothing we can do for Catalina and Anne until 1544. Please, do not worry about it. We have enough to worry about it."
Mummy nods. "All right. I will ask K-9 if he can scan for Esther while I am at Court."
I nod. "That is a good idea. Will you watch me ride?"
"Of course. I am so proud of you." There are tears in Mummy's eyes, and she pulls a green ribbon out of her pocket. "Will you wear my favour?"
"Definitely." I take the ribbon and place it in my gauntlet. Someone helps me onto my horse, and we trot out into the field.

I smile as the crowds cheer. I pass Anne, who is sitting on her throne. She gives me a small wave before I collect my lance. Today, I'm jousting with Henry Norris. It will be the last time he jousts. I blink and see someone wave the flag. I start cantering towards Norris. He aims his lance at my shield, and I aim mine at his. The crowd falls silent, and all I can hear is the pounding of hooves.

With a crash, my lance breaks against his shield. I keep a tight grip on the reins and remain on my horse. So does Norris, but he only got the edge of my shield. "Great job," I tell him as I ride beside him.
"I will get you next time, Mistress Smith-White," he says. "You have surpassed the other jousters."
"What? No, sir, there is no way that happened."
Norris starts laughing. "Yes, Smith-White, there is." We laugh, but I stop when I see King Henry riding towards us. Norris sees what I'm looking at and stops laughing. "Your Majesty." We both bow our heads as he stops before us.
"Sir Norris," King Henry says, "will you ride with me for a while?"
"Of course, Sire." Norris looks at me. "I will best you yet, Smith-White."

I watch them ride away. "If only, Sir Norris," I whisper, but my words are caught in the wind.

The rest of the day passes in a blur, and soon Mummy and I are getting ready for bed. "Do you think King Henry will really have Anne executed?" Mummy asks. "And what about Catalina? How does she die?"
"We know what will happen. We should not question it." I slip under the covers and blow my candle out. "Everything is hard enough already. Don't make it worse."
Mummy falls silent, then walks over and sits beside me. "I know, but... I know them as strong, capable women in the twenty-first century. It is horrible seeing them without power and the ability to live their lives freely."
I nod. "But everything we do will lead up to that." I place my hand on Mummy's arm. "It will turn out okay in the end."
"I hope you're right. Good night, Emma."
"Good night." I shut my eyes and wait for sleep to come.

I'm exhausted the next morning, and Mummy is the same. Neither of us slept and ended up staying awake, talking throughout the night until dawn came. Mummy looks out at the brightening sky. "It's going to happen," she whispers, "and there's nothing we can do."
I shake my head and shut my eyes. Tears sting my eyes and sobs shake my body. I feel Mummy hug me, and she starts crying. We cling to each other and weep.

We try to dry our eyes and get dressed, but we quickly remember what day it is and start crying. "I can't do this," Mummy says. "I can't stand by and watch them die."
"What else can we do?" I demand. "We already promised we will be there for Catalina when she's in the Tower. Are you going to back out of that now?" Mummy shakes her head. "She needs us, Mummy. We might get out of this alive, but Catalina and Anne won't. They need us to remain strong."

Mummy wipes her tears away. "You're right," she says, choking back tears. "Sorry."
"Don't be." I pull Mummy into another hug, and we finish getting dressed. By the time we are finally ready and leave our room, it is eleven in the morning. "We better find Catalina before we miss her." Mummy nods, and we make our way towards the Queen's chambers.

Anne is already there, sitting on a seat with her embroidery in her lap. Catalina is standing by her right, her hand on Anne's shoulder. Scattered around them are the ladies-in-waiting and maids-of-honour I had the privilege of serving with over the past few years. Some of them even served Catalina before moving to Anne's household. Anne looks up at us and blinks back tears from her green eyes. "The Privy Council told me to conduct myself to the Tower of London," she says. Her voice remains calm and stable. "We are waiting for the tides." She looks out of the window, looking at the Thames.

We wait in silence. Mummy and I join the circle of women and help with some embroidery, but it is clear no one is in the right mind to sew. Everyone is looking out of the window or at each other. How can we bear being left in limbo? It's bad enough that we know what's going to happen. Why is King Henry making us wait?

Eventually, the tide turns, and we are led to the barges to take us to the Tower. Instead of travelling at night, we are travelling at two in the afternoon. The river is busy with barges and row boats crowding the river. Anne sits on the chair and tries to act like she isn't going to the Tower as a prisoner. Catalina sits beside her and takes her hand in hers. "We will be all right," she whispers as Mummy and I walk onboard. We sit down, and Richard Rich and Thomas Cromwell join us. I glare at Cromwell. The oarsmen pick up their oars and begin rowing towards the Tower.

The Tower of London looms over the city. The white stone walls gleam in the sunlight, and water laps against the wharf. The barge rows towards the open gate leading into the Tower. It's not Traitor's Gate, but I do not know what it is called. Anne steps out first, then Catalina. Mummy and I follow Catalina. After we enter the Tower, Anne turns back. "Please, I beseech you, tell His Majesty of my love for him and that I am innocent of any wrongdoing." The gates shut behind us.

Anne turns back, and I notice someone waiting for us. "This way, Your Majesty," he says. When he turns away, I realise he is Master Kingston. He was here when Anne was crowned. At least, I think he was. He leads us through the Tower, and we emerge just before the White Tower and the new Royal Apartments. "Are we to be put in a dungeon?" Anne asks.
"No, my lady," Master Kingston replies. "You will be staying in the Royal Apartments."
Anne falls to her knees, and Master Kingston catches her. "This is more than I expected," she says, "and I am grateful for His Majesty's kindness."

It's not kindness if he is going to execute his wife. I should do something to stop this. My friends are suffering because I backed out of the plan! Had we stuck to it, Henry could be dead already! But it is too late. My friends are going to die because a tyrannical king is desperate to have a son. Tears threaten to spill over, but I blink them back. The last thing either Catalina or Anne needs is me breaking down. I know what is going to happen, and it's too late to change it.

"What about me?" Catalina asks. "Where am I staying, Master Kingston?"
"You are staying in the royal apartments in the White Tower," Master Kingston says. He turns to Anne. "My lady, your ladies are waiting for you."
"Then I will not leave them waiting," Anne says. She looks at Catalina. "Will you be okay?"
"I will," Catalina promises. "Do not worry about me."

The rooms prepared for us at the White Tower are more luxurious than they were in 1509. Tapestries hang on the walls, and a fire burns in the hearth. "At least it is warmer than it used to be," Catalina says. She sits on a chair by the fire and looks into the flames. "If only we could do more to help Anne."
"Focus on yourself," I tell her and place a hand on her shoulder. Catalina nods but doesn't meet my gaze.

The days pass slowly, and whenever Catalina asks for an update on Anne, Master Kingston says he cannot answer. At least we get to walk around the grounds and visit the Chapel of Saint Peter Ad Vincula. It looks as impressive as it does today, only the floor is different. The floor in place by my time is Victorian, and it honours the people who were buried here after Henry VIII executed them. Henry VIII wouldn't honour them. I kneel before the altar, and the priest comes out.
"You have been coming here a lot, Mistress Smith-White," he says.
"I have a lot to atone for."
"I am sure that is not true, my child."
"It is." My voice wobbles, and I struggle to blink back tears. "I know what is going to happen, and I cannot stop it. Millions of lives will be lost, and I don't know if it will be worth it." I start crying. "Forgive me, I can't..."
"It is all right, my child. Tell me what is going on."

I cave and tell him everything. The priest leads me to a pew, and he sits beside me as I tell him everything that will happen. While I try to keep it concise, we end up sitting there until the sunlight begins to dim. When I finish talking, the priest rises to light the candles. "I am afraid I do not know how to help, Mistress Smith-White. The only thing I can suggest is that you pray to God, or whatever it is you believe in, and ask them to help you on your journey."
"Thank you, Father." I rise and curtsey to the altar before I leave the chapel. Other people need to use it for worship.

When I return to Catalina's rooms, only Mummy is there. "Catalina asked us to wait here," Mummy says. "She doesn't want us at the trial." She sits by the fire.

What? The trial is still going on this late? Who in their right mind would let a trial go on this late? Well, King Henry is not in his right mind, and he probably won't be ever again.

It is some time before Catalina returns, accompanied by some of Anne's ladies. Mummy stands up, and we gather around Catalina. "How did it go?" Mum asks.
"I've been found guilty," Catalina looks away from the three of us and pushes past us to stare at the fire. "I will be imprisoned for the rest of my life."