238I know it's been a while, but I had finals and packing….I was actually in the process of moving out of my dorm when I forced myself to sit down and write this. The summer holidays though are coming and that means lots of updates: )
K
James silently made his way to his chambers that evening. Katherine watched him as he wordlessly got out of his cloths, blew out his candles and climbed into bed. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek and like always his hand found its way to her swollen belly. Katherine had been reading a book when he came in and she almost wanted to push aside his odd silence as tiredness from the days hunting, but the look in his face let her know everything was not okay.
Katherine closed the book she was reading and sat up straight making James's hand slide to her lap.
"What is wrong?" She asked him. He was looking at the ceiling and did not answer her immediately. After a minute of silence he sighed and turned to look at her.
"Would I be a bad person if I say I hate my brother?" He asked quietly. Katherine sighed. She had been meaning to talk to him about Henry. As much as she hated what he had done to her, Katherine could not find it in her heart to hate him, he was after all her first love. But James, she had noticed the tension when his name was mentioned. When she brought it up, he always cut her off, so she stopped, but now he was the one bringing it up, so Katherine knew she had to trend carefully
"You don't hate him, you are only angry with him and it is okay to be angry with him" James frowned slightly
"I am not angry with Henry, Kate. If I was, you would know" He scoffed "All of England would know"
Katherine was quiet. She wanted him to just talk and tell her everything he was feeling.
"Ever since we were young, Henry has always been so egotistical, so selfish and I always took it, I never worried about it, but now it's getting to a point where it is affecting the whole country." He sighed as he sat up in a rush
"Take what's happening in the north for example. Why did he break away from Rome? Why turn the lives of the English people upside down, just so you can marry your bloody mistress!"
It was quiet for a few seconds, before Katherine spoke. She put her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze
"What is this really about?" She asked him quietly and he looked at her with sad eyes
"Katherine, when Charles told me, Anne had miscarried; do you want to know what I thought?" Katherine nodded even though it was a rhetorical question. James looked down at his lap. He felt ashamed, he looked at his wife and with a wary smile he said "I thought 'good for him.' I felt like he deserved it. I did not pray for that Child's soul and I asked God to forgive me for that, but I don't feel bad for him"
Katherine did not know what to say. To be honest, she too had not been in tears when she found out Anne had miscarried. She said a simple prayer for the lost soul and that was that.
"It was probably all my fault too." He murmured and Katherine looked at him sharply. "Seeing you that night, seeing how sad you were, I might have wished something similar to him, I don't know, I don't think I meant it…"
"None of this is your fault, sweetheart." Katherine moved herself closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder
"You are a good man. Honest, brave and strong, but it does not mean you are not human. You are entitled to hold a grudge against someone that has done you wrong, you have every right to be angry and express that anger in some way, you just have to make sure that anger does not get the best of you" Katherine lifted up her head so he could look in his eyes
"Promise me, you won't partake in whatever it is Charles and Edward Seymour are doing" She smiled sheepishly and James mirrored her before he gave her a small kiss
"I already declined the offer" He said
"Good, because you would not have been able to handle my wrath" Katherine said and James laughed. His first all evening
"Perhaps I should tell them I've changed my mind just to take you up on that challenge" He said
"I dare you" James smiled at her and kissed her softly on the lips
"Thank you Kate" She beamed at him and settled her head on his shoulder again
K
One month later
Things had never been this tense between them before. For the life of him Henry was trying to feel anything other than contempt for Anne. He loved her once, he felt a fiery passion for her, but now it was all gone. There was nothing but a stagnant cool between them and Henry was getting very uncomfortable.
Anne dropped her fork on her plate signifying she was finished with her meal. Henry noticed she barely ate anything. Once her plate was pushed aside, Henry did the same with his meal. Her eyes burning holes on his head made him realize she wanted to talk.
"What is it?" He asked leaning back in his chair. Anne looked at him fiercely and Henry could tell she was angry with him. Of the two wives Henry has had so far, Anne had no problem showing her anger and irritation towards him. Katherine was more reserved in that department and it was times like these that had Henry wishing he was still married to her.
"You have not come to visit me in two weeks. I had to ask you to have supper with me." Anne complained and Henry rolled his eyes. "Henry, you are my husband and I have not heard a word from you in two weeks."
"I've been busy Anne, in case you don't know, the whole country is rebelling against me!" Henry snapped and Anne had to bite her tongue and force herself to calm down.
"Fine" She said quietly and looked at Henry who was now playing with his leftovers
"The doctors say I may try again" She said and when she saw no reaction from Henry she felt herself get angry again
"Did you hear me? I said_"
"I heard you!" Henry yelled
"And.."
"And we'll wait. Elizabeth is four months old and you have just miscarried another child. We should wait"
"I can't wait. Katherine is to have a child any day now. I need to give England a son" Henry looked at Anne as if she was insane. What did Katherine have to do with anything? He still did not understand his wife's competitive nature with Katherine.
"Katherine lost her child" He said quietly. He had been suspecting that was the reason James had not written to him in months. He blamed him for the loss of his child.
"She lost one of them. She was carrying twins" Henry looked surprised
"I assume the Duke did not inform you" She said bitterly. Henry did not respond. He could not believe no one told him and he was more that positive, Brandon and Seymour knew and if Edward knew then his Jane knew. Why would Jane hide this from him?
Without another word Henry stood up from the tables and Anne looked a bit surprised by his sudden movement.
"Where are you going?" She asked frustration clear in her voice.
Henry paused before turning to face his wife. Anger clear in his face
"Woman, you will remember your place!" He yelled. Anne sank back into her seat and with that Henry left her chambers.
K
Henry found the person he was looking for in the tennis court. It looked like Charles and Edward were playing against one another and Jane and Catherine Willoughby, Charles' wife were watching.
The game came to halt when they spotted the King at the threshold of the door.
"Lady Seymour a word please" Henry did not look too happy and Edward was worried his sister had done something to upset the king.
Jane quietly walked out with the king. She was nervous because he was not smiling at her like he always was. She tried to think of anything she must have done. She thought about how Edward and her father would be disappointed in her if she failed.
"I just found out that the Duchess of York is still with child" Henry said almost too casually
Jane hesitated for a second. The conversation was quite unusual
"Yes, I heard it from my brother, Edward" Jane said and Henry stopped walking and faced her
"And how long have you known?" He asked
"Two months I think. Why do you ask your majesty" She asked
"Why did you not tell me?" He asked ignoring her question.
"Your majesty, I assumed you knew. I would have told you if I knew no one had informed you, I am so sorry" Jane looked like she was about to cry and the sight of her blue eyes getting watery made Henry melt. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her head.
"I'm did not mean to upset you my love, I know you would have told me." Henry told her and Jane looked up at him, her chin still resting on his chest.
"It does not anger you, does it, your majesty? She asked
Henry thought about it for a second. Was he angry Katherine was still pregnant? Not really, because this way he would not have to feel guilty for the loss of the other child. He had his Elizabeth now, so he figured maybe it would be okay if Katherine had a child of her own as well, but he did wonder if the child would survive, especially since all the children Katherine gave him died within hours.
"No, I just wish someone would have told me I was to be an uncle again" He said and Jane smiled.
"We shall pray for a save delivery" She said. Henry smiled at her as she hid her face in his chest again. Jane had always been fond of Katherine. Through her he was able to remember the good times he had with his former queen.
K
The said former queen was presently trying to control her breathing. She had been moved to her lying in chamber at the begging of the month. She was only eight months along, but she had been experiencing waves of cramps for weeks, so the doctor's recommended an early bed rest.
Men were not allowed in the birth chamber, but James frequently defied the rules and came to visit her. At the moment, she had Lily here to entertain her. Moon, the family dog would have been in here as well, if the hired midwife did not think it was unsanitary for the dog to be anywhere near where the new child would be born.
Lily was telling Katherine about the new tricks she was teaching moon. So far, the dog could roll on it back when Lily did the same thing (this usually caused mistress Brume to pull her hair out).
"And when I throw sticks at him, he can fetch it" Lily was saying as Katherine shifted into a new position as she felt a heavy weight in her lower belly. "I feed him apples, he likes-"
"Lilyflower, please be mama's helper and go get mistress Hide. She's just outside the door" Katherine was taking short breaths now and Lily realized something was wrong
"Mama, are you well?" Lily asked looking her over. Katherine nodded and tried to force a smile the same time her water broke
"Yes, angel, the child is coming is all, now go" Lily's eyes widened at that and like a dog that had just been told to fetch, Lily ran out of the room looking for Madam Hide.
The minutes that followed consisted of the whole of York castle preparing for the birth of a new prince or princess.
James was in the middle of constructing his acceptance letter to the betrothal of his daughter to the Prince of Scotland, when Lady Darrell came into his office
"Her grace has gone into labor, my lord, the child is coming" She stood up from her curtsy and James quickly dropped his quill and followed her to the birthing chambers, only he had to wait outside.
Lily had been led back to her rooms, which was far enough so she did not have to hear the screams of Katherine.
James was beyond nervous. The child was early, which was not good. He prayed several times, Went for walks around the castle when his legs started falling asleep. It took hours; it was not until the very early morning of the next day did he hear a baby cry.
K
Katherine looked at the pink baby in her arms. It was a healthy child. For the first time in her life, her baby was not fighting for its life. Of all the children she had ever carried, this one was the strongest. And people say women are fragile.
James walked in quietly and just took in the beauty that stood before him. His wife, looking weary and tired was smiling wildly at the small bundle in her arms. James could not feel any prouder at that moment.
"You did it" He said quietly as he walked closer to them. Katherine looked up at him and her smile widened
"We have two girls now" She said and James smiled as he sat next to Katherine and his youngest daughter was placed in his arms.
"Christ, Kate, she looks so much like you" James said "Why can't I have child that looks like me" he frowned slightly and Katherine giggled
"You cannot really tell, dear"
"She's beautiful, you're beautiful. It's a fact" He kissed the head of his baby girl.
"What do you wish to name her?" Katherine asked. James pulled the blanket out of his daughter's face, so he could get a better view of her. She was a fighter. He thought. Her brother had not survived, but she had. She was a month early, but she was still healthy and strong
"She needs the name of a strong woman" James said. He was quiet for a second and Katherine watched has he thought hard. She always loved to see the way his eyes focused on one thing when he was looking for the right answer.
She had a name in her head, but she wanted to hear James's choice first.
"I'm stuck between Joan and Mary" James said and Katherine smiled wildly.
"I was actually thinking of Mary" She said and James smiled as he looked back at his daughter
"Mary Tudor" He looked up at Katherine and smiled. "I like it"
Katherine held Mary again. The little girl was asleep the whole time, but she seemed to respond a by moving an arm or a leg, when they said her name.
"Maria" Katherine whispered as she kissed her daughters head. She was so enthralled by her sleeping baby; she did not feel it when James stood up to kiss her head. It was not until he spoke that she was brought back to the present
"Thank you" He said smiling gently at her. Katherine shook her head, kissed his hand and said:
"No, thank you"
K
Finally the baby is here. I know a lot of people were hoping Katherine would have a son, but I thought our dear Mary had to be in this story. Don't worry though, there's still more to come from James and Kate
Reviews are much appreciated