Chapter 36
Here is another Chapter for you. I am trying my best to crank these chapters out as soon as I can. There will be much more to come. As I have said before, this story will be ending in 1603. There are many more things to come that will surprise you all. There will be tears and some characters will die as the story goes on, but I hope you all love it. Please Read and Review! Enjoy Chapter 36!
February 23, 1554
Border Between Navarre and France
Castle of Xavier, Javier, Navarre
Infante Luis of Spain's Bedchamber
Luis was practicing with his sword, without wearing his shirt. He was feeling lonely, now that Juan was in Aragon, but he was happy that he was married. Luis prayed daily that this war would end and that he would rejoin his beloved Elizabeth and little Isabel. He missed them dearly. It saddened him that he hadn't seen his wife and daughter in almost two years. He knew his daughter would not recognize him.
Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.
Luis looked up.
"Come in." she said.
A beautiful woman walked in, wearing her nightgown. Luis rolled his eyes. This woman had been pining for him for awhile now and it was exhausting.
Luis sighed.
"How may I help you?' he asked.
The woman disrobed herself and let her nightgown fall to the ground.
"I want you, Alteza. I want to feel our flesh as one. I want to bring you pleasure. No other woman is better than me.' she said, as she stepped closer to him.
Luis laughed.
"No woman is better than my wife. I am hers and hers alone. Perhaps one of the other soldiers will like your company tonight." he said.
Suddenly another voice was heard.
"Or I think I may cast you out of this castle, you filthy rat."
Luis looked behind her and there stood Queen Juana, her blue eyes blazing.
"Lady Grandmother, is all well?" he asked.
Juana smirked.
"I should be asking you that exact question, Luis." she said, looking at the woman, who she recognized as a chamber maid.
The woman bowed and almost ran past Juana.
Juana looked at Luis.
"Are you bedding that wench?" she asked.
Luis shook his head.
"Of course not. You know there is only one woman for me in this world. I wish my Elizabeth was by my side everyday. This war seems like it will never end." he said.
Juana cleared her throat.
"This war is nearly over, Luis. I assure you. The French are running out of options. Our spies in the French camp say that they are suffering. They will either die out or retreat." she said, confidently.
Luis scoffed.
"How can you be so sure of that? Is Navarre even worth all of these problems?" he asked.
Juana glared at her great-grandson.
"Yes it is. My father left it to me. For forty years , I have neglected my birthright and not defended my people." she said.
Luis looked at his Juana, in admiration. This woman was in her seventies and still rode into battle with her men. He knew that she would go down in history as a true Queen, a proud testament to her parents, the Catholic Monarchs.
February 28, 1554
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
Dowager Queen Margaret of Scotland's Bedchamber
Margaret was sitting by her fire, with red in her eyes. She had been crying again over the loss of her daughter. Margaret had now buried three children and two grandsons. The pain was terrible to her and she didn't know how she was going to survive this. She knew she had to survive to Mary's majority, but she was very tired.
Suddenly, her son, Prince Arthur walked in. He placed his hands on his mother's arms and kissed her cheek.
"Mother, I know you are sad, but shouldn't you rejoin the Court? Mary doesn't know what to do. She's only a child and you don't want that French bitch of a mother to influence her do you?" he asked.
Margaret sighed and shook her head.
"I don't. However, this pain is too much to bear. Three of my children have departed this world before me." she said.
Before Arthur could say anything, Margaret's maid came in.
"My Lady, you have a visitor. They say it is urgent that they see you." she said.
Margaret stood up, smoothed her dress and nodded.
The maid stepped aside and a young woman in her early thirties walked in. She was gorgeous and had beautiful light auburn hair.
Suddenly, Margaret began to cry.
"Oh, my dear Sophie! What are you doing here?" she asked, as she embraced her youngest child.
Princess Sophie, the Duchess of Guise, smiled at her elderly mother. At thirty-three years old, sh3e was the youngest surviving child and now the only surviving daughter of Margaret and King James. Sophie was very close with her mother, since her father died when she was only seven years old.
"When I heard about my sister, I had to come here to see how you were doing. How are you, Mother?" she asked.
Margaret sighed.
"I won't lie. Your sister's death has pierced a hole in my heart. I am trying my best to heal." she said.
Sophie looked at Arthur.
"Big brother, why do not hug your sister?" she said, in a playful tone.
Arthur walked up and hugged his baby sister.
"I wanted to make sure that you were real. It is wonderful to see you, Sister." he said.
Margaret smiled.
'Oh wait until Joseph and Victor see that you are here. Do you need rooms prepared?" she asked.
Sophie nodded her head.
"I am staying for awhile. I hope that is fine." she said.
Margaret nodded her head.
"Of course. Now how are my grandchildren?" she asked.
Sophie smiled.
"They are wonderful, Mother. I really want you to visit." she said.
Margaret touched her hand.
"I will someday, sweetheart." she said.
Suddenly, Marie of Guise walked in. She bowed to Margaret and was shocked to see her late husband's younger sister, who was also married to her younger brother.
Arthur scoffed.
"Mother, sister, I believe we should open the windows. There is a foul stench in here." he said.
Marie glared at him, before turning to Sophie.
"Your Grace, I cannot believe you are. I hope my brother is in Good health." she asked, with a fake smile on her face.
Sophie smiled.
'Dear Marie, we do not have to pretend to like each other. You do nothing but cause grief for my mother and you try to corrupt my niece, The Queen. I would rather wake up with ten daggers sticking my back through my mattress, than to stomach your grotesque appearance. God rest my brother's soul, even though he frowns upon you now." she said, as she stood up.
Marie walked up to her sister-in-law.
"At least James was kind to me. My brother was only kind to you when you gave him a son on the first try." she said.
Sophie laughed.
"If you think my brother actually loved and needed you, then you are sadly mistaken. He didn't marry you, until little Jamie died." she said.
Margaret sighed. Her eldest son son the late King James, had been married to an Italian Noblewoman by the name of Isabella de Medici. They feel deeply in love and produced a son named James, but they nicknamed him Jamie. Unfortunately, Queen Isabella died at the very young age of twenty-four from illness, leaving King James and their six year old son, devastated. King James decided not to remarry, since he already had a son and heir, However. after Prince Jamie died at the age of thirteen, James had to marry again, as he had no living heir. Therefore he married Marie and her brother, Francis, Duke of Guise, married Sophie.
Marie glared at Sophie.
"I hope you return to Guise as soon as possible." she huffed, as she walked away.
March 12, 1554
Pembroke Castle
Lady Catherine Grey's Bedchamber
Catherine was sitting in her bed and was silently crying. She was feeling rather lone and now she had finally discovered who her eldest daughter, Jane, was going to marry. She was happy that her late husband's actions wasn't affecting her daughters' marriage prospects, but it still hurt her to lose her daughter.
Suddenly there was a knock at her door.
Catherine looked up.
"Come in." she said.
Adrian Stokes walked in, wearing his robe. Catherine tried her best not to noticed his slightly hairy, but muscular chest.
He cleared this throat.
"I am sorry to disturb you, My Lady. However, I just thought I would check on you, especially since there seems to be a storm heading our way." he said.
Catherine smiled.
"Thank you so much Mr. Stokes. You have been very kind to me and my daughter since...well since you've been apart of our household." she said.
Adrian smiled.
"You all have been very kind to me. My life has been about serving your beautiful family. I am sure a new Lord of the House will come along shortly." he said.
Catherine laughed.
"I am not young anymore, Mr. Stokes and I have three daughters to care for. I would love to marry again, but I do not know of any man that would want me." she said.
Suddenly, he blurted out:
"I would , My Lady." he said.
Catherine looked up.
"What did you say, Mr. Stokes?" she asked.
Adrian looked up and was terrified after what he said.
"My Lady, please excuse me. I didn't mean anything by it. I never speak out of station and..."
Catherine stopped him, by pulling him into a deep and passionate kiss. Adrian, though he was very hesitant, he responded with the same kiss. he pulled her against him and he ran his hands through her long dark brown hair. Catherine dropped his robe to the ground and held his naked body against hers, squeezing his firm buttocks.
Catherine looked into his eyes.
"Stay with me tonight." she said, before pulling him into another kiss.
Adrian picked Catherine up and laid her on the bed. He kissed her neck and she caressed and slightly scratched his back. As the powerful thunderstorm raged outside, Adrian and Catherine made passionate love all throughout the night, until they collapsed from exhaustion.
March 25, 1554
Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden
Princess Matilda of Sweden's Bedchamber
Matilda sat by her window, watching it rain. Her hand was resting gently on her eight month pregnant belly. She had been feeling slight pains now for a day or so, so she decided to stay close to her bedchamber. She didn't want to jeopardize her unborn child. She and Eric had not been close, ever since he had taken up time with his new mistress, Agda Persdotter. The woman was a little older than Matilda was, but she was also a pale blonde beauty. Matilda did her best to endure it, because she knew that it would not last, especially since the girl was in Matilda's household.
One of her favorite ladies-in-waiting, the kind red-haired, Karin Hansdotter, walked in bowed to Matilda.
"Are you well, My Lady?" she asked.
Matilda nodded her head.
"I am. I think I shall rest for the rest of the day." she said, as she stood up from her chair.
Karin nodded.
"I will get you a clean nightgown, My Lady." she said.
Suddenly, Agda Persdotter walked in, wearing a low cut gown and expensive jewelry. Matilda glared at her. She set a specific dress code for her ladies and she expected all of them to follow suit and she didn't care if Eric was having relations with her. Her rules were going to be followed.
Matilda walked up to Agda. Agda smirked at Matilda, before setting herself into a low curtsy.
Matilda cleared her throat.
"What are you wearing, Lady Agda?" she asked.
Agda smiled.
"A new gown. It's French." she said, haughtily.
Matilda looked at the gown, that almost made the woman's pale breasts pop out of her bodice.
"I do not care where it is from. You are apart of my household and we do not dress like common harlots. Now, kindly change back into the gown that you were given to and kindly go about your duties for the rest of the day." she said calmly.
Agda shook her head.
"No. I like this gown and I can perform my duties, with or without the gown. The Prince can tell you." she said, with a smirk.
Karin gasped.
"How dare you speak to the Princess like..."
Matilda held her hand up.
"Lady Agda, if you do not want to follow the rules of my household, then you are no longer welcome in it. You are hereby dismissed. You may gather your things and leave." she said.
Agda gasped.
"You cant dismiss me. I am going to tell the Prince!" she said, as she rushed out of Matilda's chambers.
-Several Moments Later-
Prince Eric walked in Matilda's chambers. Lady Karin bowed to him.
He looked at her.
"You may go, Lady Karin. I wish to speak to my wife, the Princess alone." she said.
Karin bowed and left.
Matilda looked up at Eric and smiled.
"What can I do for you, Husband?" she asked sweetly.
Eric sighed.
"Did you dismiss Lady Agda from your service?" he asked in a low voice.
Matilda nodded her head.
"I did. She was very disrespectful to me and she was speaking to me in a cruel manner. I did what I had to." she said.
Eric shook his head.
"Take her back into your household immediately. You need to be more merciful towards your ladies." he said.
Matilda looked at her husband, in shock.
"I will not let her return to my service. She is disrespectful and haughty and I do not need that around me." she said.
Eric frowned at her.
"You dare tell me no?! I am your husband and you will let her in your household." he said.
Matilda stood up.
"She doesn't need to be in my household for her to find her way into your bed at night, so take her into your household, but she will never set foot into mine again.' she said, in rising anger.
Eric began to shake in anger.
"YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!" he screamed.
Matilda turned red.
"YOUR WHORE IS NOT WELCOME IN MY HOUSEHOLD AND I AM DONE WITH THE MATTER!" she screamed.
Suddenly, Matilda felt a sharp pain in her stomach and grabbed it.
Eric immediately grabbed her.
"Darling, are you alright." he asked.
Before she could say anything,. Matilda was hit with another wave of pain and this time fell to her knees and cried out.
Eric grabbed her, as she screamed out.
He looked to the door.
"HELP! THE PRINCESS NEEDS HELP!" he cried.
-Eight hours later-
Matilda was sweaty and laying in her bed. Her labor had been difficult and premature and what was worse was that her beloved child, a girl, had been stillborn, despite just being weeks away from her due date. Matilda seemed t be in shock, as the tears rolled down her face. She had lost a child, her precious baby girl and she felt that it was her and Eric's fault.
Eric walked in, with unshed tears in his eyes. He saw the midwives cleaning the baby and wrapping her lifeless body up to be buried.
Eric walked over to Matilda.
"Sweetheart, it is alright. There will be more children. God just wanted her back is all. I am sorry you had to go through this. Please get well soon. If there's anything I can do, please ask me." he said, as he kissed Matilda's tear-stained cheek.
As he rose to leave the room to return to his bedchambers, Matilda reached out and grabbed his hand.
"I hope you know that when you are laying next to that...whore, that she is partly to blame for our daughter's death. I hope you can lie with that as you bounce her on top of your member." she said, before she turned over in her bed, bot wanting to look at Eric any further.
Eric wanted to retort, but he knew his wife was grieving and she had been through enough, so he just decided to leave the room, quietly.
29 March 1554
Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, Germany
Prince Karl entered his wife's chambers to find her sitting on her bed with a book, cuddled up with Maximillian, the Cocker Spaniel he'd given her as one of her wedding gifts. She looked like an angel surrounded by the light coming in from her windows and he hated to disturb her, but this was important.
"Sweetheart," he said softly, "we have received a letter from the Spanish court."
Juana looked up from her book and smiled. Though they had only been married two months, she had come to admire and respect her husband, who treated her with every kindness. She could not say that she loved him, not yet, but it looked as though their marriage could be a decent one, if not grow into a loving relationship for them both.
Karl moved towards her bed and sat on the edge. "Shall I read it?"
Juana nodded and put her book down, showing that he had her full attention.
"To their Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst from her Grace, the Infanta Elizabeth, Princess of Asturias. Greetings from the Spanish Court. I hope this letter finds you both in good health and high spirits. I am writing to inform you that your presence is requested at Court during Christmas Tide to celebrate the holidays with your family here, as well as to receive letters patent granted to you by her most gracious Majesty, Queen Juana of Castile and Aragon, as a belated wedding present. I look forward to seeing you at the festivities. Your loving sister, Elizabeth, Princess of Asturias."
Juana looked at Karl with awe. "Can we go?"
Karl saw the excitement in his young wife's face and couldn't resist her plea. "Of course, we can," he replied. "We've been ordered to go." He chuckled at the later part of his statement. "Besides, I would love to finally meet your family that you speak of so fondly."
Juana leaped from her place on the bed and hugged her husband ferociously at this gesture. Karl responded by kissing her softly, then slid his hands to her waist and increased the passion behind his kiss. Juana responded in kind, and after moments they were both undressed and under the covers, where they spent the remainder of their day, making love.
April 7, 1554
Sada Palace, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Infanta Catarina, Duchess of Franco's Bedchamber
Catarina was reading one of her favorite books, while it rained. It seemed to be raining all over nowadays. She was happy, because she knew that the garden would be in full bloom. She couldn't wait until the neglected garden was full of colorful flowers.
She glanced over at her bed and saw her naked husband, sleeping under her blanket. Catarina smiled. Juan had been nothing but good to her and even though she had only been married fro nearly three months, she was truly happy. She still missed Portugal and her family, but she wasn't sad anymore. She thought it was adorable how Juan dismissed her ladies-in-waiting for an afternoon of lovemaking.
Juan stretched in bed and woke and smiled at his wife.
"Sweetheart, I need wine. I have no energy." he said.
Catarina smiled.
"I wonder why. Maybe after an afternoon like this, you will need an entire feast to remedy yourself." she said, jokingly.
Juan stood up, completely nude and put his robe on himself and went to sit nest to his wife, planting a gentle kiss on her lips.
Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door.
Juan groaned, in aggravation
"I said you were off duty for the afternoon." he said, as he continued.
The banging happened again.
"Alteza, I have a message from Queen Juana." the voice said from the other side of the door.
Juan stood up and went to the door to receive the message from his grandmother. After receiving the document, Juan began to read it. Catarina studied her husband's face and she knew whatever the Queen of Spain had to say, it wasn't good news.
Juan looked up from the letter and looked at his wife.
"I have to return to battle. The French attacked one of our camps." he said.
Catarina stood to her feet.
"Those blasted French. Alright, I will get everything prepared. You get dressed. I will have some food and wine packed for your journey." she said, as she began to walk out.
Before she left, she turned and ran at Juan and hugged and kissed him.
She looked him directly in his eyes.
"Don't go out there being a hero. Please return to me." she said.
Juan passionately kissed her.
"I will always return to you." he said.
April 12, 1554
Westhorpe Hall, Suffolk, England
Lady Mary Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk's Bedchamber
Lady Mary Brandon was being examined by a midwife. She had missed her monthly bleeding three months in a row and she noticed she was always tired and her appetite had picked up. She suspected she was with child again, since she and Charles rarely spent a night away from each other, even when she was waiting on Queen Anne at Court.
The midwife smiled at Lady Mary.
"Your Grace, you are indeed with child again. You are three months along and you were absolutely right." she said.
Mary smiled. She didn't expect to have another child so soon.
"Thank you so much, you may leave now. Please see the housekeeper for your payment." she said.
Suddenly, Charles walked in.
"Well, what did she say?" he asked.
Mary smiled.
'You are going to be a father again." she said, as she smiled and placed her hand on her stomach.
Charles laughed and kissed his wife and hugged her. Their little Hal was only 8 months old and now they were expecting a second child. Charles deeply loved his wife, but he was also glad that she was proving herself to be highly fertile. He had chosen to get married later in life, so he was happy to have as many children as he and Mary could. She was only twenty-one years old, so they had plenty of time to fill the nursery up.
He looked at his wife and smiled.
"My Mary. You continue to make me smile everyday." she said.
Mary smiled.
"Just remember that when you have to escort your niece to Scotland. How long will you be gone?" she asked.
Charles kissed her forehead.
"I wont be gone long. Maybe just two weeks. My sister wants me to attend the wedding." he said.
Mary nodded.
"At least you don't have to go very far. Scotland isn't far. I know you are fond of Jane. We could always visit her." she said.
Charles nodded.
" know we can, I just don't understand why Harry would betroth Jane to someone in Scotland and not here in England." he said.
Mary touched his shoulder.
"No one here would marry someone who's name is tied to a scandal, even if we all know she is innocent." she said.
Charles knew his wife was right. He just hoped that Jane would be happy with Lord Duncan Stewart, the grandson of his aunt Dowager Queen Margaret.
April 23, 1554
Alcazar of Segovia, Segovia, Castile, Spain
Infanta Elizabeth of Spain, Princess of Asturias's Bedchamber
Elizabeth, Liliana and Sancha Guerra were all in Elizabeth's room sewing, listening to the rain that poured over all of Castile. Elizabeth and Liliana were engaged in a conversation, while Sancha was quiet and looking rather pale.
Elizabeth looked at her new favorite-lady-in-waiting.
"Sancha, dear, are you ill?" she asked.
Before she could answer, Sancha collapsed out of her chair. Elizabeth rose form her chair and held Sancha.
Elizabeth looked at Liliana.
"Fetch a physician. Quickly." she said, firmly, but calmly.
Liliana did as she was told and ran from the room.
-One Hour Later -
Elizabeth, Lilliana and Sancha's husband, Lord Carlos de Mendoza, were waiting as the physician was examining Sancha. Carlos was holding his rosary close and filled with fear. Elizabeth felt terrible for him. He was still getting over the loss of his mother. If something happened to Sancha, he would be devastated, especially, since he was growing to love his wife.
The physician walked out and looked at everyone with a smile.
Carlos lost it.
"Are you going to stand there smiling or will you tell me what's wrong with my wife?" he asked.
The Physician nodded.
"The Lady is with child. That is all. She shall be fine after just a few months." he said.
Carlos smiled and ran in to see his wife, leaving Liliana and Elizabeth alone. Liliana was smiling , while Elizabeth looked slightly sad.
Liliana looked at her, with concern.
"Elizabeth what's wrong? This is wonderful news. Sancha is going to be a mother." she said.
Elizabeth nodded her head.
"I know and I am happy for her and Carlos. I'm just sad. It's my duty to fill the nursery and because the French will not let go of Navarre, my daughter is growing up as an only child." she said.
Liliana hugged Elizabeth.
"Please do not let that cloud your happiness. In due time the war will end, Luis will come home and you will give him many children." she said.
Elizabeth smiled and prayed her cousin was right.
April 30, 1554
Scottish Court
The heralds had announced her arrival and as she was being helped from her carriage, a young man approached her and extended his arm. The lady took it and stepped down. The journey had been tiresome and boring, but she had to admit that the Scottish countryside was some of the most beautiful land she had ever seen in her young life.
"Greetings, Lady Grey," the young man bowed and kissed her hand. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I am Lord Duncan Stuart, your betrothed."
Lady Jane Grey was stunned. She did not expect that her betrothed was quite so handsome, and from what she had heard in England, the Scottish court was rumored to be full of ill-mannered men who drank and swore. Lord Duncan was just the opposite, or at least he had been in the ten minutes since she first saw him.
He offered her his arm and she accepted, walking through the doors of the palace into the inner courtyard, which was elegantly decorated with flowers and torches, and there was a huge fountain in the center of the land, surrounding by what looked like ancient stone archways leading to other parts of the huge castle. Lord Duncan directed her to a bench on the right side of the gardens and then motioned for someone to come closer. "Our chaperone," he explained, and Lady Jane nodded. It was customary that someone be present when an unmarried couple, even one that was betrothed, were spending time together, so that the lady's reputation did not suffer. Jane noticed that the woman, who was about her mother's age, did not come so close as to hear what they were going to say, but she was close enough to keep an eye on the young people.
"I know you are probably tired from your journey, but I wanted to meet you and get to know you some before the coming weeks. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Lady Jane replied, after all, he was going to be her husband soon.
"I am not sure where to begin exactly, so I will tell you a few things about myself, and when you are comfortable, I hope you will share some things with me as well. I am Lord Duncan Stuart, the eldest son of Prince Joseph and Princess Isabel, Duke and Duchess of Ross. I believe we are about the same age. I will not lie to you and tell you that I love you yet, because in truth, I do not, but I do believe that this marriage will be beneficial for us both, as I lost my betrothed six months before we were to marry last year, and I understand that the situation with Prince Edward made things difficult for you in England," he said. Jane only nodded, but felt like she was a burden already with the way he spoke about her situation.
"Do not worry, my lady," Duncan started again, as if reading her mind, "your situation is difficult, and it is understandable that your mother would want you to marry abroad to keep you out of danger there. I hope, that in time, we will come to love each other, but if we do not, know that I will always respect you and your position here as both my wife and the future Duchess of Ross."
Jane was comforted by the fact that he spoke openly about respecting her. She almost adored the fact that he seemed to speak openly about everything so far. Her Aunt Margaret used to tell her that a man who was bluntly honest had nothing to hide and therefore could always be trusted. Jane felt that she could possibly trust Lord Duncan, even now, though they had just met.
"Once you have had a chance to rest, my parents would, of course, like to meet you, as well as our Queen, who is my cousin."
Jane nodded again at his requests. She was immensely curious about the young Scottish Queen who was the betrothed of William, the Prince of Wales. No one in England had laid eyes on her directly that Jane knew of, not even William himself.
"Lord Duncan," Jane began, but was interrupted.
"Duncan, if you please my lady. After all, we are to be husband and wife."
Jane smiled at this and began again, "Duncan, what are the customs at court here when it comes to this type of situation? No one has told me yet, and I do not want to appear completely ignorant to your ways of court life."
"May I call you Jane?" He asked.
"Of course, after all, we will be married soon."
"Jane, to be honest, I have only been to two courts in my lifetime. This one, and the court in Saxony, just a few months ago for the funeral of my Aunt Elisabeth. However, both courts had more or less the same customs. The dress and the dancing were different, of course, and there we spoke more French than English or Gaelic, but the traditions were very similar. Don't worry about it for one moment more. I will be by your side the entire time and will subtly let you know if something you are not aware of needs to be done or said."
Jane breathed a sigh of relief. Duncan did not seem like the type to become her master, though it was his right, as her father had been to her mother for their entire married lives. Jane's thoughts were interrupted by distant bells ringing, and she looked in the direction they were coming from, though all she could see were the walls of the courtyard and the castle around her.
"Those chimes remind us that the dinner hour is coming," Duncan explained. "They are coming from the Abby next door to the castle. I will have the servants take you to your rooms here at the palace, then I will let you rest before dinner, and with your permission will come to your rooms to escort you to the hall when it is time?"
"That would be most appreciated," Jane replied.
"May I kiss your hand, Jane?"
"Of course," she said calmly.
After doing so and another quick bow, Duncan signaled a servant and the young maid led Lady Jane to her rooms and the start of her new life in Scotland.
11 May 1554
Pamplona, Navarre
King Henry II of Navarre sat along in his war room writing to the French King, Henri II. The war was not going well, and the Spanish armies had gathered outside of the city and were besieging the castle. Navarre had unsuccessfully tried to get food into the castle just to have it captured by the Spanish guards that surrounded their walls. Without French aid, there was no way Navarre would avoid being captured, and he knew, if that happened, his life would be forfeit, if not that of his wife and daughter as well. He could only hope that the letter reached French court in time for aid to be sent.
As he signed and sealed the letter, he contemplated which of his trusted spies to give it to, for that was the only way he would be able to get it outside of the city. It dawned on him that the best idea would probably be to send Jeanne herself, his only child, dressed as a nun, along with two priests to the French court because if they were successful, her life would definitely be spared, as she would be in France. If they were not, then she would be at rest within the arms of their God long before he and her mother were tortured and killed by the Spanish government. As he was debating what to do, his wife walked into the room and startled him.
"Henry?" She began questioningly.
"Yes sweetheart," he replied, turning so she had his full attention.
"I have spoken with the kitchen staff. They say that we have just enough food left for two weeks of meals for everyone here, unless we begin to ration. With a ration, they think they can make it last for a month instead. Should we start the rationing, or do you think King Henri of France will be able to send help in time?"
"No, do not ration the food. It will cause a panic. Besides, if you want the truth of the matter, if help has not arrived in around ten days, I will have no choice but to consider surrendering to the Spanish. We cannot keep this war going without French assistance, and who knows what they are currently doing in that regard," he replied with a sigh. "I do not want you or Jeanne harmed in the process and it will go better towards that end if I surrender voluntarily. Perhaps Queen Juana will even spare you both if it comes to that."
"Oh no!" the Queen of Navarre exclaimed. "Surely it hasn't come to that yet?"
"Unfortunately, my dear, it has," he strongly replied. He could see the fear in his wife's eyes, so he reached out to comfort her. "Know this, that no matter what happens here, we will be together in heaven once God's plans for our lives have come to a close."
"I know, but Jeanne is so young. She is supposed to become Queen when we are gone."
"That may not happen now, but I will do everything in my power to make sure the Spanish are kind to her regardless. I have toyed with the idea of sending her to France under the protection of the priests to deliver a message, so that even if Queen Juana is not of a mind to spare her life, she would have to venture into the heart of France to find her."
"That could be just as dangerous, if not moreso, to our daughter, Henry."
"I know, but if it works, Jeanne would be safe, and she would be spared watching our deaths at the hands of the Spanish."
His wife leaned into him at the concept of her own life ending. She did not care if she was Queen, only that her family survived. The Queen of Navarre silently prayed as she leaned into her husband, asking God to spare their daughter's life and to put mercy into the heart of Queen Juana.
May 18, 1554
Sada Palace, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
The Gardens
Catarina was walking in the gardens, admiring all the work that had been done. Ever since Juan had returned to the battlefront, she had kept herself busy by doing little renovations on Sada Palace. The palace is where her great-grandfather, Ferdinand II of Aragon, had been born and the palace had been uninhabited for over one hundred years. So far, she had made the Palace beautiful, she even invited her aunt, Infanta Elizabeth, to hold Court there and everyone was amazed at the beauty of the Palace and they owed it all to a newly married sixteen year old Portuguese Princess.
As Catarina walked, she noticed that she felt a little queasy and slightly ill, but she figured it was because she missed her husband, who was away at war.
Suddenly. one of the pages ran up to Catarina, with a letter in his hand.
"Senora! Senora! There's a letter from Queen Juana here for you." he said.
Catarina took the letter and slowly opened it. She began to read it and as she got down the letter, her hands began to shake.
Catarina looked at her ladies-in-waiting, who were not far behind her.
She swallowed hard.
"The Duke of Franco has been injured in battle." she said.
The ladies made the sign of the Cross, when suddenly, Catarina fainted to the floor. Her ladies swarmed around her and one of the guards carried her to her bedchamber.
-One Hour Later-
Catarina woke up in bed, with the physician and her ladies tending to her. She wondered how she made it into her bed.
The physician walked up to Catarina.
"Senora, how are you feeling?" he asked.
Catarina took a deep breath.
"I am not well. I feel queasy and I really want to ride to my husband. He has been hurt and I want to care for him." she said.
The physician shook his head.
"I am afraid I cannot allow that. Your condition will not allow it." he said.
Catarina rolled her eyes.
"I fainted. I will be fine. I am going to travel to my husband's side." she said.
The Physician came closer.
"Senora, there is something that made you faint, other than being worried about the Duke of Franco." he said.
Catarina glared at him.
"Like what?" she asked.
The physician smiled.
"You are with child, Senora. You are going to become a mother." he said.
Catarina looked at the physician, in shock. She was pregnant. She had a life growing in her womb.
Catarina sighed.
"I will take a litter if I go, but I must see my husband." she said.
The physician knew that the young woman was going to do what she felt was right.
"You may take a litter, Senora." he said, with a sigh.
Catarina nodded her head. She needed to see her husband again.
May 22, 1554
A campground between Spain and France
Infante Juan, Duke of Franco's Tent
Juan was laying in his bed, battling a fever. He had been hit with a poisonous arrow and he was in excruciating pain and was very ill. He was sweating profusely and held a cross in his hand. He was attacked by King Henry of Navarre's army and they would have all been slaughtered, if it weren't for Luis and his company coming to the rescue.
Suddenly, an attractive woman came into the tent. Her name was Maria de Esperanza. A week after returning to war, Juan had several torrid sexual encounters with her. He loved Catarina and greatly missed her, but his sexual needs overcame him and he betrayed his new wife.
Maria tried to kiss Juan, but he turned his face from her.
She looked at him in surprise.
"My Lord, why do you not let me kiss you?" she asked.
Juan glared at her.
"You will leave me. I am being punished for my sins. I have a beautiful wife and yet I allowed myself to fall into your bed. I killed your husband and yet you find yourself in my bed. I was a fool to ever get involved with you." he said, as his fever raged his body.
Maria shook her head. It was true that her husband was killed by Juan personally, outside of Pamplona and she was spotted by another soldier and slept with him as well, but she wanted to survive and have her children cared for, since most of Navarre knew Queen Juana would be victorious, unless the French stepped in.
"My lord, I have grown to care for you. Let me heal you." she said.
Juan pulled away from her and began to cough.
"You will leave me. Go to another soldier, I have the love of my life already. I hate that I fell under your spell. Let me die in peace and repent to God for my sin of adultery. You should pray for your husband's soul as well." he said.
Maria began to tear up. She didn't love Juan, but he was a Prince of Spain and could offer her security, if she was his official mistress.
She shook her head.
"You are delirious with fever. You must rest. I will be outside." she said, as she left the tent.
Juan began to cry from guilt. He cared for his wife and didn't want to hurt her and he couldn't believe he betrayed her. He hoped that she would never find out.
May 25, 1554
Pamplona, Navarre
Citadel of Pamplona
It was clear to all involved that the Spanish army would succeed in taking the castle in Pamplona. Soldiers had been storming the palace walls for days and the Royal family of Navarre were locked inside the main structure, unable to leave and unable to receive help from anyone on the outside. Their food supplies were starting to run low, as they were feeding themselves, the staff and a quarter of their Army who had been besieged with them in an attempt to protect the city. At first the d'Albret's believed they had a chance to defeat the Spanish who were attacking them, but now they knew it was only a matter of time before they starved or were captured. King Henry II of Navarre knew he could not let his family die, so he did the only logical thing he could at this point; he sent a messenger to concede defeat on the condition that his children's lives be spared.
That was one move that even Queen Juana of Castile did not see coming. When the courier reached her with a white flag in his hand and gave her the message from the usurper King, she never imagined that it held the terms of his surrender. However, her parents time in previous battles had taught her that terms of surrender had to be met with as much grace and dignity as the battles themselves, and that was precisely what Juana set out to do. She would accept this surrender with grace and would be as kind as possible to her enemies who had, with their humble actions of acknowledging their own weaknesses, spared many lives today, on her side as well as their own. She replied to King Henry that she was here to assert her father's claim to the throne of Navarre and that they would meet under a cease fire to negotiate the terms the following morning. That morning had come with splendor and they were on their way to the palace at first light.
The Spanish contingent consisted of Queen Juana herself; her eldest son, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V; her great-grandson, Luis, the Prince of Asturias; her only other surviving son, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria; the Generals of various national armies who were serving under her command; and twelve of her personal guards. The party was led into a room, presumed to be the war room of the palace as it held maps of fortresses and other locations, and a large table with maps that had positioning techniques drawn on them. Juana couldn't help but be impressed at some of the strategies she saw outlined while they waited for the King and his entourage.
King Henry walked into the room from double doors on the opposite wall from where Juana and her party had entered moments before. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days. Juana felt sympathy for the man almost immediately, but then regained her iron will and stepped into the role of Queen and commander as her mother had so many years before her.
"Your Majesty," King Henry said as he bowed to Queen Juana and then to Charles. They returned the polite gestures, as was customary, and he extended his arm to the chairs in the room, offering them seats. "Thank you for responding to my message and for coming here to discuss the terms of our surrender. We acknowledge the Spanish victory here, and as we cannot continue fighting, we are willing to surrender our claim to Navarre provided that certain conditions can be agreed upon."
Charles V spoke and asked, "And what are these conditions, your Grace?"
"First, the lives of the current Queen and Princess are to be spared and they are to be unconditionally pardoned for any alleged crimes that they might be accused of, in relation to the war. They are to be released and allowed to live out the remained of their lives in exile in France, as it is the Queen's country of origin, with enough money and income to provide for them for the rest of their natural lives, or until the Princess marries and can support her mother through her husband's generosity. Second, the people of Navarre will unconditionally support the previous claim held by the late King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Castile, provided that one of his descendants is placed on the throne of Navarre and that this descendant be female in gender, as the current Princess is heir to the throne and the people expect their next ruler to be a Queen, not a King. We acknowledge that Queen Juana holds the claim, but there are many hard feelings among our people towards Queen Juana due to the amount of lives this war has cost. They will not easily forget that, so we demand that as part of the terms, the new Queen be married and of a majority age to rule should her husband become incapacitated for any reason, so Queen Juana would not act as regent for the new Queen in any capacity." King Henry paused to switch pages of his notes for this meeting and Charles was about to object to his mother being excluded from holding the Crown of Navarre as her own, when Juana put her hand on his arm, indicating he should not speak yet.
"Third, we demand that the French soldiers currently aiding us here be given the opportunity to return to their homes without consequence, provided that they leave peacefully. Finally, we request that any persons receiving judgement as traitors be offered the mercy of a swift death, via beheading, and that for the purposes of this surrender, the tradition of being drawn and quartered be sidelined," King Henry said, knowing that this judgement would apply to himself as well, for as King, he could not hope to escape it. He closed the book containing these papers and then folded his hands in his lap to await Juana's reply.
The aged Queen thought for a moment, sitting back in her chair. Charles was about to raise his previous objections, but once again, his mother stopped him with a touch of her hand to his arm. "Is there anything else, your Grace?" Queen Juana said politely.
"We would like to request that these matters be settled within the coming month. Our people need to know what's happening and what to expect, and the sooner their lives can return to normal, or the new normal, the better off they will be. This would naturally include an announcement of who their new Queen will be."
Juana could respect that statement. He wasn't thinking of himself, but showing the foresight that many rulers overlooked. "If you have these demands written down for us to consider and have them delivered to our command tents, we will take them under consideration and will let you know if we accept the terms by the week's end. Until the end of this week, at the very least, the terms of the cease fire will stay in affect."
The aged Queen rose from her seat and began to walk out the door, her party following her close behind, when she stopped and turned to King Henry once more. "Your Grace, if I may ask you, typically, the deaths cause by war are not a reason to stop a King or Queen from taking the throne. What is the real reason behind this request?"
King Henry smiled, acknowledging Juana's obvious intelligence in the ways of warfare. She was indeed her mother's daughter, as many had commented when her strategies were able to overcome theirs. "A newly established monarchy, even one with the power of a united Castile and Aragon behind it, needs stability for years to come in order to gain the people's trust. I mean no offense, your Majesty, but as you are older, your sudden death could cause instability if you were to be named Queen."
A wave of gasps echoed in the room, as it was treason to imagine or speak of the death of a reigning monarch and her guards turned as though they would kill the King then and there. Juana raised her hand to stop her guards and to silence everyone.
"Do not be shocked at his comment. I am not. King Henry, in his terms, acknowledged that he considers his life at an end because he did not make a single request for himself, save the mercy of a quick death. Although it is treason for anyone to speak of or imagine my death as a Queen, he has nothing to lose, as he knows very well that he cannot die twice." she said, while looking at him
King Henry smiled once more at the Queen. She definitely was one of the most intelligent women he had ever met, and the rumors he had heard of her intelligence were proving true each time she spoke. These were his thoughts as the Spanish contingent left the room. He retired to his chambers to contemplate the situation and wondered if the Queen would accept and meet the demands he laid out for her.
A/N I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was a little longer than I anticipated, but it has a lot of facts in it. There are three pregnant ladies again! I will take votes on Lady Sancha's baby and Catarina's as well and also Lady Mary Brandon's. And in case any of you are confused, Lady Sancha is a niece of King Carlos of Portugal through one of his sisters. There is a family tree that is up, thanks to the assistance of one of my dear readers. Private message me for the link if you need it. Please Read and Review! Chapter 37 will be up soon and is currently in the works!