The Queen is Dead!: Katherine of Aragon dies in 1518

Oh no poor Jacquetta... Hopefully she lives but one never knows with this time period... I suspect that permanent damage to her body or mental capacity might see her stuffed in a nunnery(though being an abbess wouldn't be too bad)..
 
Section CLXV - July 1525
Castle Rising – July 1525

Marie felt her heart drop into her boots as she read Lady Salisbury’s message. Mumps. Jackie had mumps.

Her hand flew to her mouth and she felt tears pricking at her eyelids.

Oh, she knew what her mother would say, were she here: that she shouldn’t worry, mumps was a common illness, most children got it and lived to tell the tale, that both she and George had had it has children without any lasting damage and that Lady Bryan and Lady Salisbury were consummate nurses, that they’d see Jackie through this without batting an eyelid.

Marie knew all that, but, still, she couldn’t help but worry. She’d had mumps, yes, but she’d been five, much older and stronger than her darling little daughter. And Jackie had always been delicate. Oh, Lady Bryan and Lady Salisbury had never outright said as much, but Marie could tell, just from how much more slowly her youngest daughter had grown, compared to Lionel, Maria, or even William. Not all of that could be put down to her being a triplet, not when Dickon and Caitlin seemed to outstrip her in terms of growth within weeks.

A wave of helplessness washed over Marie. She couldn’t go to Eltham. Not now, not from Norfolk. It was too far. By the time she’d arranged for her household to leave and travelled all the way down there, it would most likely be too late.

She glanced out of the window of her solar, wondering once again why her husband had decided to stop at Castle Rising, of all places. Oh, she knew Henry liked it, because it was close to his sister’s home at Bradgate and because the hunting was good, but right then, the bleakness of its setting in the Norfolk Fens seemed almost too gloomy for words.

Marie pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, willing herself not to cry. She was a Queen, Queens didn’t cry, not over something as commonplace as a child’s illness.

And then, as suddenly as a bolt from God, it came to her. Queens didn’t cry, but they did go on pilgrimage. And the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham was no more than twenty miles from Castle Rising. It wouldn’t be more than a day’s ride. Henry would never stop her going there, not when she told him the reason why. Why, perhaps her sister Mary would even come with her, given Anne was still at Sizergh recovering from little Pippa’s birth.

Spine stiffened with her new-found resolve, Marie tightened her fingers on Lady Salisbury’s letter and went in search of her husband and sister-in-law.

*** *** ***​
The Holy House was remarkably empty as Marie and Mary entered, crossed themselves, genuflected, and then knelt before the images of the Holy Family.

On any other occasion, Marie would have felt awkward about the fact that the brothers had clearly asked other pilgrims to stay away so that she might pray for her daughter in peace, but, just then, she was too focused on Jackie to think anything of it.

She felt Mary place a gentle hand on her shoulder and heard her begin the Hail Mary.

“Hail Mary, full of grace…”

“Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus…,” Marie melded her voice with that of her sister-in-law, before lapsing off into her own silent prayer,

“Mother of God, protect my Jacquetta. Please, I beg you. Do not take her to join the other infants in your train, as you have taken so many of her older siblings. As you took my William. Please, only let her live and I swear to you I’ll dedicate her to the Lord myself, as soon as she comes of age. I’ll place her with the nuns at Syon, as her great-aunt Bridget was once placed. She can be your son’s bride for as long as she lives, if you’ll only intercede to spare her life. Please. I beg you. Please.”

The minutes blended into hours, the words into one great soundless plea for the Virgin’s grace, yet Marie stayed where she was, pinned to the spot by the desperation of her need to save her daughter. At last, just as the sun began to set, a great swell of peace, unlooked for, but no less welcome for all that, washed over her.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. The promise laid out in Matthew’s gospel rang in her ears, and she rose to her feet, nodding to her sister-in-law to rise with her. She couldn’t explain why, but all of a sudden, she was utterly convinced that the Lord had accepted her bargain – that Jackie would be fine.
 
Hopefully the big man upstairs listens.
I actually quite enjoyed writing this chapter, despite the grim subject matter. It's not very often I write something that lets me bring my faith to the forefront, but here it just worked with the context, so it made for a refreshing change.
 
Nice chapter.

A Princess sent to a Nunnery?

Would that not be a waste of potential diplomatic wedding options? Can't see Henry being too happy there....
 
Glad to be up to date with the story again.

I hope to look forward to Jacquetta’s recovery and her future.
Could we be looking at an Abbess who would opened a hospital, a chapel, a pharmacy and an orphanage on the grounds of Saint Mary, Lady Bridget and Lady Richeldis, where the Abbess and her nuns worked tirelessly among the poor and the sick of London, alongside Dartford Priory, Kent, where Bridget was based.
 
Nice chapter.

A Princess sent to a Nunnery?

Would that not be a waste of potential diplomatic wedding options? Can't see Henry being too happy there....
It was quiet common and a great honour in Catholic nobilities to offer a member of the family as a religious host, usually the males who could be bishops, deans and even Cardinals.
There were talks of Henry joining the church before Arthur’s death.
The Habsburg loved sending daughters into the church.
 
Nice chapter.

A Princess sent to a Nunnery?

Would that not be a waste of potential diplomatic wedding options? Can't see Henry being too happy there....

As @Jonathan said, it wasn't uncommon. Edward II's sister was definitely in a nunnery, as was Lady Bridget Plantagenet, so while Henry might not be too happy about Marie not talking to him first, he shouldn't have too many problems with it.

Glad to be up to date with the story again.

I hope to look forward to Jacquetta’s recovery and her future.
Could we be looking at an Abbess who would opened a hospital, a chapel, a pharmacy and an orphanage on the grounds of Saint Mary, Lady Bridget and Lady Richeldis, where the Abbess and her nuns worked tirelessly among the poor and the sick of London, alongside Dartford Priory, Kent, where Bridget was based.

I hadn't thought of that, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, I suppose....
 
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As @Jonathan said, it wasn't uncommon. Edward II's sister was definitely in a nunnery, as was Lady Bridget Plantagenet, so while Henry might not be too happy about Marie not talking to him first, he shouldn't have too many problems with it.
Oh, well after the first moment Henry would understand the reason for that vote: Mary was absolutely devastated by the loss of their second son and he has lost many other children
 
Oh, well after the first moment Henry would understand the reason for that vote: Mary was absolutely devastated by the loss of their second son and he has lost many other children

Exactly. But, of course, Jacquetta has to actually survive her bout of mumps first. The best-laid plans of mice and men and all that.
 
Section CLXVI - July 1525
Eltham, July 1525

Lady Norreys entered Jacquetta’s bedchamber, bowl of water and cloths in hand, expecting to see the toddler tossing and turning feverishly, as she’d been doing for almost a week, far longer than any child of her age normally did, particularly one as frail as Jacquetta. The room, however, was still and silent.

Her hand flew to her mouth, cloths scattering everywhere. Her heart thumped.

“No, God, please, no.” Scarcely daring to breathe, she set the water down carefully, oh, so carefully and then, caution to the winds, hurried to Jacquetta. She reached over, tears already pricking in her eyes, to close the little girl’s eyes… only to realise that the toddler’s chest was still rising and falling rhythmically.

She blinked. Was desperation making her see things that weren’t there? But no, even after she turned away from the bed and looked again, Lady Jacquetta’s chest was still rising and falling.

With a trembling hand, she brushed the tiny girl’s forehead. It was cool to the touch, if still damp with sweat. It was cool.

“Lady Bryan! Lady Bryan!”

Lady Norreys tumbled from the room, shouting for her superior.

The other woman met her halfway down the passage, panic flaring in her eyes.

“What is it? Is Her Highness -”

“No, no! It’s all right! It’s all right! Her Highness’s fever’s broken, and the swellings have gone down as well. They’re not gone, but they’re better than they were. Lady Jacquetta’s going to live! She’s going to live!”

“Are you sure? Mary, are you sure?” Lady Bryan gripped her arms fiercely, looking her in the eye.

“As sure as I’m standing here now!” Lady Norreys nodded, and Lady Bryan fairly thrust her aside as she rushed into Jacquetta’s bedchamber to see for herself.

Falling to her knees beside the bed, she felt Jacquetta’s forehead, her heart missing a beat as she realised it was indeed cool to the touch.

“Oh, my little lady. Do you realise what a miracle this is?” she whispered, before crossing herself and rising to look Lady Norreys in the eye.

“Tell the Chaplain I want a Te Deum sung at once, and tell Lady Salisbury to write to Their Majesties with the happy news. I’ll go and wash and change my gown, and then I’ll tell Princess Mary, Lady Katharine and Lord Richard. Oh, and send someone to find Sir Henry so he can tell Prince Lionel."

“Yes, Lady Bryan,” Lady Norreys curtsied and scurried off. Lady Bryan paused for a moment to drop a kiss on the sleeping toddler’s forehead, and then followed suit, leaving the door ajar behind her so that the household could hear if Lady Jacquetta woke.

*** *** ***
The Grim Reaper might have seen fit to leave Lady Jacquetta behind him this time, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t exacted a price at all. As the days following the joyful realisation that the youngest royal would live passed, Lady Bryan noted that Jacquetta was suddenly a far better sleeper than she’d ever been, much less likely to wake and startle at the slightest noise. She might have put it down to the little girl still shaking off her illness, but one day Maria came to her in tears.

“Jackie’s ignoring me, Lady Bryan!”

“What do you mean, Your Highness? Lady Jacquetta’s only little. I’m sure she doesn’t mean to ignore you.”

“She is! Meg and Kate and I were playing with the babies, helping them walk, and she never answered when I called her. Caitlin and Dickon came running across when I clapped and called them, but Jackie never even looked at me. Not even when I called her name really loudly!”

A frisson of fear went down Lady Bryan’s spine at that, but she did her best to hide it, fighting to keep her voice calm as she said, “Show me.”

Maria ran off eagerly and Lady Bryan followed, nodding briefly at Lady Margaret and Mistress Kate, who stood in the solar, each of them holding a toddler by the hand, their eyes wide.

“Jackie! Jackie!” Maria called her younger sister’s name, but the toddler, engrossed in the poppet she was playing with, never even looked up.

“She’s probably just busy with her own game, Princess,” Lady Bryan aimed to be reassuring, but Maria shook her head, “It’s not just today, Lady Bryan. She never responds to anyone calling her. She hasn’t since she got ill. Haven’t you noticed? It’s as if she can’t hear us!”

“What did you just say, Your Highness?” Lady Bryan froze, kneeling beside Maria.

“I said it’s as if Jackie can’t hear us. Why?”

Lady Bryan didn’t reply, only held up a hand. “I’m going to try something.”

Crossing the room, she crouched down in front of Jacquetta and clapped her hands briskly in front of the little girl’s face. Any one of Jacquetta’s siblings would have cried at being startled like that at her age, even the bold Lionel, but Jacquetta didn’t even flinch.

Lady Bryan looked up at Maria, who was watching keenly, unconsciously worrying her bottom lip as she stood there, her gaze fixed on her baby sister.

“I need you to go and find Lady Salisbury, Your Highness,” she instructed, fighting to keep her voice steady, “Tell her she needs to write and ask your father to send Dr Linacre as soon as he possibly can.”

Maria’s face drained of colour, “Dr Linacre? Is Jackie all right?”

“I think there might be something wrong with her ears, but I’m not sure. Dr Linacre might be able to tell us more. Now, go, please?”

Maria didn’t need telling a third time. She picked up her skirts and ran.
 
Mumbs does have a chance (Albeit low) to make you deaf. While it is often temporary or reversible, it can lead to permanent deafness. So it is very plausible. Interesting development!
 
Mumps can do that to you, I believe. It's usually temporary, but if it was really severe, it probably won't be, particularly not with 16th century medicine around...
Deafness is one of the most serious (if rare) complications of mumps, brought on by the lumps putting pressure on veins to the ear.

It’s not the worst complication when compared to death and when you factor in that she’s a member of the royal family, Mary should be able to find a patient tutor who will sit with just Jacquetta to teach her to read, write and speak even with the disability.
 
Oh no, at least it seems Jacquetta will survive though... I can picture 20 or 30 years from now, Lady Jacquetta the deaf Royal nun/abbess who runs a hospital, performs miracles and heals the sick. Excellent chapter!
 
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