True, she dislikes confrontation but will give quiet ultimatums if she has to...
There and Back Again: The English Journeys of Catherine of Aragon
- Thread starter Awkwardvulture
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Chapter 41, February 1511
The Alhambra, Kingdom of Castile, February 1511
She prepared to exit the chapel, crossing herself as she rose to her feet. She was alone of course, preferring to do her daily prayers after mass ended. As she walked through the doorway, she came upon her friend Maria de Salinas. She frowned as she noticed the look of worry on her friend’s face,”What is it Maria?”
“It’s Doña Elvira.”
Catalina sighed, aggravated at the very mention of the woman,”What has she done?”
“Nothing unusual, but the Infanta Catarina quarrels with her.”
Shaking her head, she waved the woman away,”I guess I shall have to see what the issue between them is, go and enjoy yourself with your reading Maria, I will do this alone.”
Sulking as she saw tendrils of the noon sun enter the hall, she marched on to the schoolroom, the very same one where she had pleasant memories of her own tutelage. These were from a much kinder woman than Doña Elvira, she had learned Latin and philosophy under Doña Beatriz Galindo, who, God willing would teach her niece when she was old enough to learn. She had continued to employ old Elvira, this time, as her niece’s governess, simply out of respect to her mother, who had written in her will that the woman was to be provided for. Now, it seemed, she distressed her niece, whether it was something trivial or not remained to be seen, but Catalina hoped it was nothing too serious. As she found herself outside the door of the schoolroom she heard Doña Elvira’s deep, and authoritative voice,”I do not care if your mother said you could go see her dog, that madwoman can wait until you learn French.”
A little girl’s incredulous voice responded,”But I finished my lessons for today!”
Enraged by Elvira’s insult towards her sister, Catalina barged into the room, where the large woman stood scowling. She found her niece in a similar state, and stroked the girl’s cheek,”You can go see your mother, I must speak with your duenna.”
Catarina nodded at this, and left the room, one of her nursemaids in tow. Catalina sneered at Doña Elvira, and brought herself to her full height smacking the old woman hard,”You bitch, how dare you speak of my sister, your better, in such a way.”
As Elvira fell to the floor, groaning in pain, Catalina kicked the woman’s leg,” Vieja bruja, leave this place and never come back.” (1)
She then stormed out of the room, trusting that the guards would ensure that Doña Elvira took her things and left, she would not suffer to look at the woman any longer than she had to.
She entered her sister’s chambers, to tell her of the news. As she did so a deep growl cut through the air. Startled, Catalina backed away from the antechamber, but stopped as she heard her sister laugh and scold the dog,”Brisa! You vile little creature, it’s just Catalina.”
At that, the dog whimpered, and Catalina chuckled as she moved to see her sister. Juana was not the only one in the room, her niece Catarina sat in the bed with her mother, the lurcher curled up around her, as if to protect the girl, while Josefa de Salas, Maria’s mother sat on a stool by the dwindling fire, sewing. Catalina walked forward, hoping to speak with her sister and niece, but the lean white dog growled again. Rolling her eyes Catalina held her hand down for Brisa to sniff, which she did quickly did so, and then gave the woman a begrudging sigh of approval. She laughed as she gently pat the dog on the top of the head,”She is like her grandsire Juana, she loves you as Bruto loved Juan.”
Juana gave the dog a loving gaze as it turned around and licked her daughter’s face,”Yes she is, her good breeding shows.”
The dog was indeed well bred, though was only one of Bruto’s two living descendants. Bruto himself had passed in the winter of 1505, just two months after his second royal caretaker, Queen Isabella died, which some claimed to be of heartbreak, but the truth was that the dog was old, having spent eleven years in the care of the royal household. Brisa’s mother, Dulce, Bruto’s only pup, had died in 1508, when she was just four years old, after delivering her only litter. This litter consisted of five puppies, three stillborn, with only Brisa and her brother Lucio (who young Ferdinand took as his own pet) surviving. As such Catalina was hesitant to bring up the unpleasantries concerning her former duenna. Her sister however seemed to sense her wariness, and asked,”What is wrong Catalina? Does something trouble.”
She shook her head,”It is nothing, I dismissed Doña Elvira. She called you a… madwoman, so I informed her that her services were no longer needed.”
Juana grinned,”You made the right choice, I never liked her at all, and I’m glad mother made her your duenna instead of mine. Now, let us forget of her, and read something.”
She turned to her daughter, a wry smile on her face,”Have you heard the tale of El Cid?”
The little girl shook her head”No I have not… Is it a good one?”
“Yes, it is, and very entertaining, your aunts and I used to listen to it constantly when we were young.” She looked to Catalina wistfully,”Would you read it for us sister? You were always better with the voices.”
Catalina simply grabbed the book from the shelf and, opening the first page, began to read.
(1) Vieja bruja means old hag, which is rather appropriate given who Elvira Manuel was….
Well, I'm not sure if he actually had any, so I decided to give Juan's beloved dog some.... Yeah, Elvira Manuel wasn't exactly a good person, so I decided it wouldn't be out of her character to say such a thing... She got what she deserved though... Thank you very much!
Chapter 42, March 1511
Ipswich, Kingdom of England, March 1511
The chill in the air was biting cold, and Giovanna pulled her shawl tight to her shoulders. Worried, she looked to her stepdaughter Mary, who stood in front of her, gazing upon the ship that would take her away from her home,”Are you warm enough Mary?”
The teen bobbed her head, rubbing her dark green cloak with her gloved fingers. The other woman walked forward, sensing Mary’s unease. She placed a gentle hand on the girl’s trembling shoulder, and asked,”What troubles you, dear Mary?”
She turned to her stepmother with downcast eyes and ,”My exile, that I must leave England to be wed, and that my father does not see me off.”
Giovanna gave her a sympathetic look, her own eyes filled with tears that she struggled to blink away. Finally, she gave Mary a comforting hug,”I am so sorry that you must go… Your father would be here if he could, but he has been confined to his bed as of late, you know he has not left Richmond for months.”
“Are you saying that my father will die soon?”
She did not want to upset her stepdaughter, so she gave her a vague answer, wetting her lips before doing so,”It is possible.”
Silent tears came down Mary’s cheeks, and Giovanna tried to assuage her sadness,”Denmark is not so far from England that we could not see each other occasionally, and Catherine will be closer when she becomes Holy Roman Empress. Remember, even if we are separated by the sea the love we bear for our family can transcend it, and you shall always feel our love.”
A small smile spread across Mary’s lips, and she hugged the other woman, wrapping her arms around her plump figure,”Thank you, Giovanna, you have been so kind to all of us, and I shall never forget the love that you have shown me. I can leave for Denmark happier knowing that you will take good care of my father and siblings.”
Giovanna nodded her head,”Of course Mary, be safe, I hope that you find love and happiness in Denmark…”
With that Mary began to stride to the gangplank of the ship that would take her to her new home, and the Queen found herself struggling to keep her composure, for she truly worried for the girl who had barely turned fifteen, who would surely have to deal with rough seas and a foreign court, one that was not guaranteed to be friendly. God, keep her safe, I cannot bear the thought of any harm coming to her.
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Great update written beautiful you really feel for Giovanna here. Maybe could have some pragraphs but aside from that all good 
Thank you so much, I'm glad I managed to convey the impact this is having on Giovanna... I just fixed the paragraphs a little bit too, thank you for pointing it out!Great update written beautiful you really feel for Giovanna here. Maybe could have some pragraphs but aside from that all good
Hopefully Mary’s life in Denmark is happy! I can’t see Christian keeping dyveke sigbritsdatter around much longer once she gets there...though to be fair, he didn’t send her (or her mom) away when he married Isabella of Austria and she was, by all accounts, quite attractive too.
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We'll have to see how her life in Denmark goes, but I bet that she would be happy enough.. As for Dyveke she'll initially be a problem, but Mary's beauty and charm would likely prompt Christian to set her aside... Thank you very much!
Isabella and Eleanor of Austria were surely very pretty (at least as young girls) but neither of them was ever counted among the most beautiful princesses of their generation (while this Mary Tudor was one of the two main contenders for the title of most beautiful)...
You are certainly correct on that, I can't see Christian having a mistress for long once he marries her... Thank you for your input!
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Thank you so much! Unfortunately he dosen't have much longer, but I can't say exactly how long that is... It's terrible for Mary, but unfortunately it's what had to happen... Luckily she isn't getting shipped off to somewhere terribly far away like Spain or Portugal, so she may be able to have some contact with her family. Giovanna did what she could to comfort her, and I'd like to think that she was somewhat successful.
Maybe Mary will be able to steer her idiotic husband away from the Stockholm Bloodbaths as well...
Maybe, but I like to screw Christian II over so we'll see...
Chapter 43, April 1511
Richmond Palace, Kingdom of England, April 1511
The servant lad carefully placed the King’s furs on the older man’s shoulders, eyebrows knitted in concentration as he fastened them. The teen moved to fetch Henry’s rings, half a dozen silver ones, a rare display of the man’s jealously guarded wealth. As the servant slipped them over the first Tudor King’s long, bony, fingers, Giovanna, Queen of England beamed at her husband,”I see that you are dressing to impress the Castilian ambassador.”
“But of course, their Regent, my one-time daughter-in-law Catherine, asks that I support her forces in defending the Pope from that fat bastard Louis… I mean to show her that age has not made me any less sharp and that she’ll have to bargain for my support.”
Giovanna rose an eyebrow,”Do you not marry Harry to my cousin’s niece? And young Catherine to the Duke of Burgundy? Surely that should be worthy of providing your support, in money if not men.”
Henry waved the servant away, a slight smirk forming on his lips,”Yes, but my alliance is with their grandfather, Maximillian. For what it’s worth I will send a fleet to the Bay of Biscay to help your uncle should the bitch of Navarre intervene.”
With that the King wobbled on his feet a little, coughing into his arm. Initially, this did not worry his wife, but when moments passed of this continuing, and spurts of scarlet covered the man’s sleeve she panicked, paling at the harsh sound of his ceaseless coughs. She rushed forward, taking him into her arms, and prepared to move him to his bed. The servant rose an eyebrow,”My Queen, you mustn’t don’t that, surely a man would help the King more easily… Please, let me move him.”
Giovanna shot a glare at the teen,”I assure you that I am quite capable, I am a stout woman after all.”
It was true, Giovanna had long been stout, much like her late aunt, the Queen of Castile. Such girth was something that had only increased after three pregnancies, and in times like this, it was a crucial asset. As she lowered her husband into his bed, the old man’s cough subsided a little, and she called out,”Send for Doctor Linacre, he has helped the King with his cough before, so he should be able to this time too!”
...
The teen dashed from the room, and Giovanna returned her attentions to her husband, who stared at her from the bed, almost strangely, as he grew silent.
“What is it Henry?”
The man tried to speak, but all that came out was an eerie wispy sound. Seeing why this was the case, Giovanna reached for a cup of water, and brought it to her husband’s lips, commanding him for what was the first, and last time,”Drink dear.”
King Henry did so, but only drank a little, as if he could not bear to drink much of the water. Pursing her lips, Giovanna returned the water to the end table, and turned to him again, meaning to speak with him. Instead, it was he who spoke, his voice raspy but comprehensible, as he gazed lovingly at her,”My love… There will be no need for Doctor Linacre… I sense that time has come.” He coughed again, blood spraying out of his mouth onto his torso, continuing soon enough, even as his wife protested that he would not die,”Now now Giovanna. Do not lie to yourself, it will give you no comfort when I am dead and buried. You have been a far better wife than the old fool I am has deserved. The children: the girls and Charles will be under your care; I trust only you to raise them well.”
The King’s eye’s widened, and he reached out into the thin air, gasping incredulously,”Elizabeth is that you? You and the children will not have to wait much longer. The others are in good hands."
He coughed once more, and then fell silent. Tears filled Giovanna’s eyes and she grabbed her husband’s hand, shaking it, and shrieked,”Henry! Henry, please don’t leave me.”
Her husband, the man who she loved more than any other was still, and Giovanna wept, despair washing over her every thought No, no, no, this can’t be! Why must life be so cruel to me, snatching away my happiness just as it begins?
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Oh no I hope that cough doesn't become something worse great writing as always
great writing as always Yeah unfortunately it was.... It's Tuberculosis, and sadly old Henry is dead... Thank you so much for your support!Oh no I hope that cough doesn't become something worse
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