The Queen is Dead!: Katherine of Aragon dies in 1518
- Thread starter FalconHonour
- Start date
@FalconHonour: Re: a French pet name for Anne Boleyn.
Apparently the diminutive suffix -ot was historically common in French names (Jeannot, Margot). And Annot served for both Anne and Agnes.
I can't say if this WAS the case or not, I'm goig off a Reader's Digest from 1964 here
Apparently the diminutive suffix -ot was historically common in French names (Jeannot, Margot). And Annot served for both Anne and Agnes.
I can't say if this WAS the case or not, I'm goig off a Reader's Digest from 1964 here
I am not saying you're wrong, but I prefer Annabelle, so Annabelle she's staying. It's not like it really matters all that much. It also fits with the nickname I always create for a young Elizabeth I, so.. *shrug*
I didn't mean you must change it. Sorry if it came across that way. Was just sharing what I found.
Fair enough. I may have misread it. It's certainly interesting information. Thank you.
Section XIII - June 1519
Though Bessie had been going towards her own rooms, she changed tack and headed for the King’s apartments. How could Mary Brandon think she could get away with calling her ‘Mistress Blount’ and forcing her to curtsy to her? How could she? Hadn’t Bessie done more for the King than his sister had? Wasn’t she the one whom he loved with all his heart; the one he’d claimed he wanted at his side every day? Of course she was. So shouldn’t Mary be the one showing her respect? Of course she should.
Bessie stormed through the doors, slamming them behind her. A multitude of pages and serving boys looked at her in shock.
“Out! All of you, Out!” she screamed.
Startled into obedience, they ran.
Hearing the kerfuffle, Henry came out of his bedroom, alarmed when, eyes pooling with tears, Bessie flung herself into his arms.
“I can’t do this anymore! I can’t!”
“Bessie, what’s wrong? Darling?”
He held her, rubbing soothing circles on her back. Gradually, Bessie allowed herself to be comforted. At last, she looked up at him with all the injured innocence she could muster.
“It’s not fair, Henry. It’s not fair!”
“What’s not fair? Bessie, I can’t help you unless you talk to me. What’s not fair?”
“Your sister,” Bessie gulped at last.”
“What about my sister?”
“She still treats me as though I’m in her household. She still expects me to defer to her!”
“Well, she is my sister. She is a former Queen of France and a Princess.”
“Not anymore! She’s just a Duchess now. Besides, she betrayed you when she married without your permission! I’ve never betrayed you! Never!”
“I know you haven’t. I know.”
“So make her treat me with respect! Make her curtsy to me! Please!”
Henry opened his mouth to protest, but Bessie pressed on, “I love you, Henry. I love you just as much as Katherine ever did. You know that. You know I came to you of my own free will, whereas she married you for politics as much as for love. And Mary always showed Katherine respect, so why should I be any different? Tell your sister to show me respect. Please?”
Henry began to try to explain that Katherine had been a Queen; a daughter of Kings and that, besides, the circumstances had been different, but somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. As he hesitated, Cata’s voice flashed into his head, “She’s playing you, Harry. Can’t you see she’s playing you?”
He shook his head firmly. “Shut up!” he growled inwardly, “Shut up! Can’t you see she’s crying over this? I won’t have her crying over this! When you died, I swore I’d never make a woman cry. After all, I never made you cry, did I? No. it was you who made me cry when you left me. Bessie’s made me happy again. I owe her something for that. Besides, she’s right, Mary and Charles did betray me. I’ve been too soft on them, as you pointed out to me, if I remember correctly. This will be a good lesson in humility for them both.”
Stroking Bessie’s hair, he led her to the nearest chair and sank down on to it, pulling her into his lap.
“It’s all right, Bessie. It’s all right. You don’t have to acknowledge my sister. You’re right, she should be the one acknowledging you. I’ll speak to her. In fact, I’ll speak to everyone. We’ll have everyone calling you, ‘My Lady Blount’ and honouring you as you deserve before the week’s out. Everyone will be bowing to you and you won’t have to curtsy to anyone. Not even Mary.”
“Do you promise?”
Her voice was damp, strangled. He nodded.
“I promise. I give you my word that I’ll arrange it today. Does that please you, sweetheart?”
Her answer was a wordless kiss; the sweetest they had ever shared.
Bessie stormed through the doors, slamming them behind her. A multitude of pages and serving boys looked at her in shock.
“Out! All of you, Out!” she screamed.
Startled into obedience, they ran.
Hearing the kerfuffle, Henry came out of his bedroom, alarmed when, eyes pooling with tears, Bessie flung herself into his arms.
“I can’t do this anymore! I can’t!”
“Bessie, what’s wrong? Darling?”
He held her, rubbing soothing circles on her back. Gradually, Bessie allowed herself to be comforted. At last, she looked up at him with all the injured innocence she could muster.
“It’s not fair, Henry. It’s not fair!”
“What’s not fair? Bessie, I can’t help you unless you talk to me. What’s not fair?”
“Your sister,” Bessie gulped at last.”
“What about my sister?”
“She still treats me as though I’m in her household. She still expects me to defer to her!”
“Well, she is my sister. She is a former Queen of France and a Princess.”
“Not anymore! She’s just a Duchess now. Besides, she betrayed you when she married without your permission! I’ve never betrayed you! Never!”
“I know you haven’t. I know.”
“So make her treat me with respect! Make her curtsy to me! Please!”
Henry opened his mouth to protest, but Bessie pressed on, “I love you, Henry. I love you just as much as Katherine ever did. You know that. You know I came to you of my own free will, whereas she married you for politics as much as for love. And Mary always showed Katherine respect, so why should I be any different? Tell your sister to show me respect. Please?”
Henry began to try to explain that Katherine had been a Queen; a daughter of Kings and that, besides, the circumstances had been different, but somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. As he hesitated, Cata’s voice flashed into his head, “She’s playing you, Harry. Can’t you see she’s playing you?”
He shook his head firmly. “Shut up!” he growled inwardly, “Shut up! Can’t you see she’s crying over this? I won’t have her crying over this! When you died, I swore I’d never make a woman cry. After all, I never made you cry, did I? No. it was you who made me cry when you left me. Bessie’s made me happy again. I owe her something for that. Besides, she’s right, Mary and Charles did betray me. I’ve been too soft on them, as you pointed out to me, if I remember correctly. This will be a good lesson in humility for them both.”
Stroking Bessie’s hair, he led her to the nearest chair and sank down on to it, pulling her into his lap.
“It’s all right, Bessie. It’s all right. You don’t have to acknowledge my sister. You’re right, she should be the one acknowledging you. I’ll speak to her. In fact, I’ll speak to everyone. We’ll have everyone calling you, ‘My Lady Blount’ and honouring you as you deserve before the week’s out. Everyone will be bowing to you and you won’t have to curtsy to anyone. Not even Mary.”
“Do you promise?”
Her voice was damp, strangled. He nodded.
“I promise. I give you my word that I’ll arrange it today. Does that please you, sweetheart?”
Her answer was a wordless kiss; the sweetest they had ever shared.
Before anyone says it, yes I know Henry is being an idiot... But then he did allow Anne Boleyn to take precedence over the Duchesses of Suffolk and Norfolk one Christmas when he was mad for her, so it's not entirely out of character for him to push protocol aside for the sake of a woman he's mad for...
Needless to say, a certain Dowager Queen and Duchess is not going to take this well!
Oy vey, Henry! Anne you have a reason to wanna let her take precdence (to get in her pants - or skirt - you had to marry her), you've had Bessie now say you will, do nothing and back slowly away...
If I'm Charles and Mary I would think it's a great time to go check on my country estates.
If I'm Charles and Mary I would think it's a great time to go check on my country estates.
It's not going to be quite that easy for Henry, I'm afraid... Without giving too much away, I chose Bessie as his mistress for a reason...
I keep expecting Wolsey to pop up with a list of eligible ladies for Harry. Where is he and what's he up to?
Oh he's planning away in the background, but no one is doing anything official until the year's mourning for KOA is over...
In revenge Mary can press Henry to find a new wife, a Proper Royal Bride *glares in Bessie's general direction* and then the new queen of England can put that arrogant little girl in her place!