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

And the worse thing of all of this, is this event may create a wedge between the three currently living three children of Henry.

The children shouldn't bear the sins of their parents, but in such case...
They're all still so young that it shouldn't be too much of an issue, at least not between the boys...
 
They're all still so young that it shouldn't be too much of an issue, at least not between the boys...

But Maria wouldn't forget, when and if seeing again Lionel and Hal and then thinking about the mother of the latter wanted to kill the former and maybe even herself...
 
No, that is true. Hmm. You've given me something to think about there...
No, I do not believe who Maria will be cruel to poor Hal... Maybe she would be suspicious pf Hal for some time but Hal will be likely the first to question if he had inherited his mother’s madness so...
 
No, I do not believe who Maria will be cruel to poor Hal... Maybe she would be suspicious pf Hal for some time but Hal will be likely the first to question if he had inherited his mother’s madness so...

After all, she never dare to kill Elizabeth OTL despite everything, so I guess she won't do nothing to Hal. But, she might favour and be even more protective of Lionel from now on.
 
Btw, returning to certain previous comments about Bessie's fate:

Yes, Henry for some personal reason would attempt to delay her execution, cause he would do that for all his women. He just don't have to go throught the lenghts he did with Anne's trial - the crime committed is clear and with only a possible outcome.

Naturally, no one English noble would even dare to raise a finger to save her - considering also she wasn't much loved in the court to start with being essentially of commoner family. One would wonder if Henry will go through the rest of her family save Hal as well.

And I bet the execution day on the Tower of London would be an event, because the populace will want to addict the poor woman as a female Judas, because "well, you gave birth to the King's first male son, receiving benefit from it, and the Queen allowed you to live with the rest of the Royal family while she had all the right to keep you away, and so repayed such gratitude with treason and murder?" I guess Marie will gain even more popularity among the people despite the tragedy, sad achievement but still advantageous for the Tudor-Boleyn family.

Only, we can't hope the announced shaft between the royal couple won't be too deep or lasting too long for the stability of the kingdom...
 
After all, she never dare to kill Elizabeth OTL despite everything, so I guess she won't do nothing to Hal. But, she might favour and be even more protective of Lionel from now on.
Well, in OTL Mary loved Elizabeth (at least before becoming Queen, after that Elizabeth was saved by Philip’s protection) at least as much she hated Anne Boleyn so is likely who she will do the same here
 
Section CXII - October 1522
Greenwich, October 1522
In her heart of hearts, Marie knew what had happened the moment her mother came into her rooms. How could she not, when the Countess of Ormonde entered with a face as smooth as candle wax and sank into each and every one of the three curtsies she was officially supposed to, curtsies as deep as her straitened bodice and corset would allow? Elizabeth Boleyn was the kind of woman who hid great trouble behind a mask of determined courtesy. She hadn’t paid Marie this much homage since the day she’d been crowned.

So yes. Inwardly, Marie knew what had happened. She just didn’t want to admit it.

“Lady Mother?” she questioned, biting the inside of her cheek to keep her voice from shaking.

Elizabeth looked at her daughter, wishing wholeheartedly that she didn’t have to tell her. But she knew that wasn’t an option, so instead, she croaked, “If you would send your ladies away, Madam, I need to speak to you in private.”

Marie nodded, clapped her hands and sent the lavishly-dressed flock of starling-like ladies who attended her scurrying from the room. Anne hesitated, pausing on the threshold.

“Marie?”

“Go,” Elizabeth commanded, “I really do need to speak to your sister alone.”

Again, Anne glanced to Marie, but when her older sister didn’t contradict their mother, she followed the other ladies out, albeit reluctantly. Elizabeth knelt by Marie, daring to break protocol enough to take her older daughter – and firstborn child - by the hand, “I need you to be brave. I’ve just had word from Eltham.”

With a mother’s unerring instinct, Marie knew instantly which of her children it concerned.

“It’s William, isn’t it?”

Elizabeth nodded. She desperately wanted to say the words, but she couldn’t. Though her mouth was working furiously, the words simply wouldn’t come. Instead, she had to resort to nodding silently.

A terrible hush filled the room. Elizabeth looked up at Marie in alarm. All the colour had drained from the younger woman’s face, leaving her pale and ashen.

“Marie, please, say something,” she begged, “You look like you’re about to faint.”

“How? Al the reports I had from Lady Bryan said he was getting stronger, so how...”

“Bessie – Lady Tailboys – she – Oh, Marie, I’m so sorry. She – she appears to have smothered him. Apparently, her cousin Mark tried to kill Lionel at the same time. If Kathryn’s little dog Jester hadn’t barked – they stopped him, but by the time they got to William’s room...”

Elizabeth broke off. The message’s graphic details were things she didn’t need to repeat or even go over again mentally, much less relate to the grieving mother. Besides, Marie didn’t ask for them. All she wanted to know was,

“Why? Why would Lady Tailboys do such a thing?”

“Because she’s mad, darling, that’s why. She seems to have thought that, if she killed Lionel and William, the King would have no choice but to name her son his heir. Why, I don’t know, but that’s what she thought.”

“This is Henry’s fault,” Marie said hollowly, “This is Henry’s fault. I would never have made Bessie Hal’s governess, but he insisted. He wanted to punish both of us. Her for existing and having been his mistress; me for forcing him to recognise Hal’s right to be known as his son. If he hadn’t; if he’d just let Hal join Lionel’s household like I wanted him to...”

“Marie...You can’t blame the King, not now,” Elizabeth said gently, “He’ll sustain just as much of a blow as you have, when he’s told. He’ll come to you. He’ll want to share your grief. You’ll have to let him in.”

Marie sat as though turned to stone. The only sign that she’d heard was the tiniest shake of her head.

“It’s your duty as his wife and Queen,” Elizabeth pressed, but Marie didn’t dignify her with a response, instead rising coldly to her feet.

“Declare Court mourning. Declare Court mourning and tell my household to prepare for our immediate removal to Eltham.”

Then she swept away, closing the door to her bedchamber behind her with a most final thud.
 
I have to say, your heated discussions of what's going to happen to Bessie now have been most entertaining to read. Which probably says more about me than it should. But all I am going to say is that Henry will be getting creative with Bessie, but not for a while yet - madness aside, his grief is going to cloud his judgement for a while, just like it did with Katherine...
 
Hard chapter.

Things that should comfort Henry here:
1) He still has his young, beautiful wife
2) He still has his daughter and his son(s)
3) He can punish both transgressors severely
4) No one knew how mad Bessie was

Course this might be after his rage charms down...
 
Hard chapter.

Things that should comfort Henry here:
1) He still has his young, beautiful wife
2) He still has his daughter and his son(s)
3) He can punish both transgressors severely
4) No one knew how mad Bessie was

Course this might be after his rage charms down...

Oh, Henry's rage is going to be spectacular. It's just not necessarily going to be directed at the right people. Marie is blaming him, so he's going to turn at least some of his anger on her...
 
Do you really think Henry is going to accept that, at least from someone else? When he's grieving himself and therefore not thinking straight?
No way in the hell (at least outside his subconscious... and THAT will be the true tragedy). But in the depth of his mind he know who Marie is right, who he is the one who gave access to his sons to Bessie AND that hurt at lot... Hearing it from someone else, well, will make him angry (but if that was false Henry would be less furious... his rage or whatever reason will be caused mostly by the fact who he can not deny it)
 
No way in the hell (at least outside his subconscious... and THAT will be the true tragedy). But in the depth of his mind he know who Marie is right, who he is the one who gave access to his sons to Bessie AND that hurt at lot... Hearing it from someone else, well, will make him angry (but if that was false Henry would be less furious... his rage or whatever reason will be caused mostly by the fact who he can not deny it)

Exactly! Let's put it this way, Henry and Marie's marriage is about to be rocked to the core. It may well never be the same again.
 
Section CXIII- October 1522
One last chapter to see the year out, because this is such an 'interesting' place to leave the story in 2019, I feel.

Greenwich, October 1522
Ironically, when Henry heard, an hour or so later, as he rode back into the courtyard from a morning hunt, his first thought was for Marie. After all, he was practised at mourning a lost child, having lost five or more with Cata, but this was only the second she’d borne and the first she’d lost. He wanted to help her; to ignore his own grief in order to help her through hers. Leaving his grooms and other attendants gasping behind him, he raced up to her rooms...only to find that Marie was nowhere near as eager to see him.

“Her Majesty is preparing to ride for Eltham, Sire. She has asked that none be allowed to disturb her,” Sarah explained apologetically.

“Lady Sarah, I am your King and her most beloved husband. You will let me in, understand?”

He spoke softly, but there was a definite edge of threat in his voice. Sarah, knowing better than most how unpredictable the King could be, stepped aside.

Henry went past her into Marie’s chambers. Maids bustled about, flinging things into trunks. Marie herself, however, stood by a window, staring out aimlessly, oblivious to the chaos around her.

“Marie, sweetheart,” Henry put his arms around her, expecting her to collapse against him. Instead, she stiffened, pulling away.

“This is your fault,” she said quietly.

Henry recoiled from her as though she’d burnt him. “My fault? How is this my fault? If anyone’s failed William, it was his household and that was your choice!” His temper, always short and already exacerbated by his shock, flared, and he found himself berating her, “You should have been more careful! If you’d chosen his staff more carefully, none of this would have happened!”

If Marie had been a different kind of woman, one more like her younger sister Anne, for example, she would have railed against that accusation, would have torn into her husband for all she was worth. It would doubtless have resulted in a shouting match, but in fact, it might have saved their relationship a lot of grief in the long run. Unfortunately, however, she wasn’t, so all she said was, “This is your fault, not mine,” before walking away into the adjoining chapel, not even bothering to look back at him. Henry stared after her, stunned by her effrontery.

“My God! I come to offer comfort and I’m scolded by a shrieking harridan for my pains. If this is how you treat me, Madam, you can go to Eltham and rot, for all I care!”

He turned on his heel and stalked out. Blind with rage, he crashed into someone as he turned the corner.

“Oh Sire, I do apologise. I should have known better than to stand in the way of so fine a King.”

The softly-accented voice and sugary words were as a balm to Henry’s wounded soul. He blinked, looking down upon an auburn head and a russet satin gown.

“No, my lady. The fault is mine. If I might be so bold as to ask your name?” he replied, extending a hand to help her up.

“Lady Honour Fitzgerald, Sire. I serve the Countess of Pembroke.”

“Fitzgerald? You must be old Kildare’s daughter, are you not?”

“His niece, Sire. My father was his younger brother.”

“Is that so? And if you’re in the Countess of Pembroke’s household, as you claim to be, what are you doing here, outside the Queen’s rooms?”

“Why, Sire, I heard about poor little Prince William and thought it was only right for me to do my best to try to console Her Majesty in her grief.”

“Never mind the Queen. That termagant doesn’t deserve condolence. She blames me for the boy’s death, do you know that?”

“I didn’t, My Lord. I’m sure you’re not to blame. The Queen must just be...”

“Enough!” Henry cut her off, “You’re a fine talker, Lady Honour, and I like that. Come with me.”

“But -”

“Forget the Queen. I order you to console your King.”

With that, Henry marched off, leaving Honour with no choice but to follow.
 
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