Chapter 134: Pocahontas
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 134: Pocahontas
November, 1614
Anna fiddled with her dress. She didn’t want to be here, she wanted to be in St James’ with her children, reading to them or just watching them as they played, but the King had insisted and so Anna had left them with Urszula and come to Whitehall. The King was hosting a reception for John and Rebecca Rolfe, travellers from Virginia, who were quite the talk of court. Largely because Rebecca Rolfe was a member of a tribe native to Virginia and was considered amongst their royalty.
The Rolfes had arrived sometime ago, but due to various things, hadn’t been received until now. Anna sighed. She wished Henry could be here. He’d be fascinated by the Rolfes. No doubt he’d talk to them, ask them all sorts of questions and then discuss plans for further colonial expansion. But Henry was not here. Indeed, Anna wasn’t sure where he was. It had been two months since his duel with Robert Stewart and nobody had had anything from him or his commanders.
Nothing but silence. It was terrifying. The worst thoughts ran through her head. Henry dead, Henry lying somewhere abandoned and alone. She wanted to go to Orkney herself, but the King had dispatched the Earl of Mar, and so, she remained here. She tried to stay sane, for their children, if nothing else. Thankfully, Arthur and Anne were too young to know that something was wrong, and they chattered away happily most of the time. Anna was the one who worried, who couldn’t sleep.
The doors opened and Anna took a deep breath, taking Charles’ arm-he had grown stronger over the past few months and more handsome as well-she walked into the great hall of the Palace of Whitehall, trailing behind the King and Queen. The herald announced them all, and then they were walking toward the guests from Virginia.
The King and Queen greeted them first, shaking hands and whispering things to them, then they walked on. Anna and Charles greeted them next. John Rolfe was tall, with dark brown hair, and a fiery beard. He smiled and bowed. His wife, had dark olive skin and darker hair. She was beautiful.
“Your Highness.” The Rolfes said.
Anna nodded in greeting and glanced to her left, seeing the King and Queen in discussion with Lord and Lady de La Warr, turned back to the Rolfes and asked. “How was your journey?”
“Good, Your Highness, thank you.” John Rolfe said, his accent an odd mixture of English and Native-he had been born here though hadn’t he?
“I have heard that the voyage can be quite choppy depending on the waves, is that true?” Charles asked, his words coming out clearly, his lisp not present.
“It can be, Your Highness, but thankfully, things were calm whilst we travelled.” Rolfe answered.
Anna nodded, then turned to Rebecca Rolfe and asked her. “And how have you found London, Mrs Rolfe?”
Rebecca’s expression remained the same, but her tone showed her happiness. “It has been simply incredible, Your Highness. There is so much to see here, and so much to do. We have only done half of it.”
Anna smiled; it was clear that the woman before her was excited to be here. “And what have you seen?”
“We visited Westminster Abbey, and had a look around Parliament. We also explored St Pauls as well, Your Highness.” Rebecca answered.
Anna nodded, St Pauls wasn’t that impressive, indeed, she remembered Henry saying that if he had his way, he’d knock it down and rebuild it. But still, she could see how for someone like Rebecca it could be something marvellous. “I see, and you have been staying with Lord and Lady de La Warr have you not?”
“We have, Your Highness.” John Rolfe answered. “They have very kindly kept us in their London House.”
“Good.” Anna said.
There was a brief silence then, as they all tried to think of what more to say, a silence that was broken by Charles asking Rebecca. “Is it very odd being here?”
“Your Highness?” Rebecca Rolfe replied frowning in confusion.
“I… imagine…that…London is very different to Henricus, how different is it?” Charles stammered.
“Ah.” Rebecca said, smiling then. “London is much larger, more sophisticated, and the people are perhaps nicer.”
Anna snorted, if she thought the people were nicer here, then she hadn’t met very many of them. But then she was an oddity after all, a native-born girl come to the motherland.
“How long…how long are you staying here?” Charles asked.
John Rolfe answered. “Another two to three months, Your Highness. There are some things that I need to sort out for the colony.”
“Of course.” Charles said.
A bell rang then, signalling that they had to make their way to the dining area. Anna walked with Charles and took her seat, with Charles on her right. The Rolfes were to her left, sitting in a place of honour to the King’s right. The King stood up and raised a glass then. He looked at the Rolfes and said. “To John and Rebecca Rolfe, the first of many such couples!”
“To The Rolfes!” Anna and everyone else said, raising their cups high before drinking from them. The King smiled and sat down before beginning a conversation with John Rolfe.
Anna focused on eating the food that was placed before her. She tried to stop her mind from wandering to Henry, but failed. She wondered where he was, what he was doing, if he was safe, and why he hadn’t written to her. She could understand him not writing to the King, but not writing to her? That hurt. That hurt majorly.
“Your Highness?” A voice said then, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Anna blinked and saw Rebecca Rolfe looking at her. “Yes?”
“I hope…I hope that I am not overstepping here, but John mentioned that you were worried about His Highness the Prince of Wales….and I just wanted to say that if you ever wished to speak, I am here.” Rebecca said. “I know what it is like to worry about a loved one away at war.”
Anna wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she simply smiled and whispered. “Thank you.”
