There and Back Again: The English Journeys of Catherine of Aragon
- Thread starter Awkwardvulture
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Mary Boleyn has entered the picture and henry is, presuming from giovanna and catherine's conversation, on the prowl...i can only think of one way that this ends.
Hahah
Yes she has, and we'll just have to see how this all plays out, but it won't be pretty 😏. Not to spoil anything but the relationship between Giovanna and the Boleyn sisters is likely to be very interesting.. Thank you so very much!
It seems that no matter what timeline it is, no one is safe from the Boleyn sisters And I love it! Can’t wait to see what drama they’ll cause ttl
And I love it! Can’t wait to see what drama they’ll cause ttlOh Mary will play a part here, and we'll have to see just what that is. As for Anne, she may make a great match one day... Thank you so much for your insights!
Oh they'll be prominent here as well and cause plenty of chaos😏. Thank you very much for your kind words!It seems that no matter what timeline it is, no one is safe from the Boleyn sisters
Don't worry English Catherine, your future husband(admittedly with modern hindsight) was actually pretty nice to his OTL wife, he should be at least decent to you...
Oh, I agree Charles V was a very good husband (even if he wasn't always home with Isabella, but here he won't have to travel halfway across the damned continent) and I trust that he should be the same here (though mind you Catherine may not be breathtakingly beautiful like Isabella of Portugal, but he's likely to be faithful to her). Thank you so very much!
Chapter 73, January 1515
Windsor Castle, Kingdom of England, January 1515
She bobbed her head down respectfully as she and her lady Helga entered the solar,”Your Excellency.”
The portly, middle-aged man in front of her waved this away, his voice smooth as silk,”Please your Majesty, call me Wolsey.”
“Very well Archbishop Wolsey, what is it that brings you here today?”
Wolsey chuckled,”A very strong horse my Queen.”
Eleanor laughed a little at this, but not much. She found the humor in it, but since her son’s passing had little occasion to feel anything but melancholy. Narrowing her eyes, she asked,”Why is it that you are really here Wolsey? I know it is not to make idle talk, the both of us have more important things to do than that.”
If the churchman was taken aback by her frankness he showed no indication of it,”Forgive me Queen Eleanor, but I could not help but notice the state that you have been in lately, and I hoped to be of help.”
“How is it that you intended to help me Wolsey? I know that you are a skilled man, but I doubt you can bring my son back from the dead, for that is the only way you or any other person in the world could be of any use to me at the moment.”
“Sadly, I cannot do so Majesty. I… had hoped to help you heal your soul, to cope with this.”
“You may try, but I fear it will do little.”
“I know that you are grieving your son’s passing, and that nobody deserves to endure such pain, but I would like to remind you of God’s mercy. Your precious boy did not suffer, and he is now with the angels and Saint Peter, fortunate to have been baptized.”
Eleanor of Austria scoffed at this, biting her cheek,”Tell me, what sort of merciful God taken an innocent babe from his mother’s arms and allows him to die? If this is God’s mercy, perhaps he is not such a good Lord after all.”
Wolsey nodded his head,”I can see why you feel that way, but please, do not let yourself fall to despair Eleanor. You are the Queen of England, one day you shall have more children. But you mustn’t let your guard down in this moment. The King, he may start to have doubts in you, and were you to lose his affections it would devastate your own position and that of England’s.”
The Queen squeezed her eyes shut, silent tears fell down her cheeks as she considered what the man had implied. “I will try Wolsey, that much I will do.”
“Good, I wish to see you succeed here, this Kingdom needs someone like you, with the blood of Kings and Emperors running through her veins to solidify the standing of the Tudor House.”
“Will that be all?”
“Yes, I think so, God bless you Majesty.”
Before she could turn to leave however the man cleared his throat and rapidly motioned a hand towards the window,”I am sorry but I think you may wish to see this.”
Reluctantly stepping forward Eleanor peered through the window. She saw her husband, though only his back, yet she knew it was him from the sight of his broad shoulders as well as the dark bonnet that he had taken to wearing. What concerned her was not Henry himself, but rather who was with him. Dark blonde hair was covered by her headdress, a single lock out of place. The young woman planted a kiss on Henry’s cheek, and pressed his hand against the small swell of her belly, and while she could not quite read lips from afar, Eleanor knew what she was telling the King. She took a shaky breath, and demanded,”Who is it? Who is this whore whom my husband has sired a bastard with?”
Wolsey sighed,”Elizabeth Blount, he has taken to calling her Bessie.”
Pursing her lips Eleanor said,”I see, well I thank you for at least informing me of this. I would ask that you try to persuade him not to carry on with her after the child is born.”
The Archbishop bowed,”I will do so, I do not wish for her or her family to gain undue influence over the King.”
She paid little heed to his words, and wanted to scream, but she didn’t, keeping her heartbreak to herself Oh Henry how could you treat me so?
…
It had been hours since she had discovered that her husband was having a child by another woman, and, while this aggrieved her, Eleanor wished to try and win her husband back. The moon was out, and candles were lit throughout the castle. Normally she would ask that her husband join her in her own rooms, and make sure that the court knew that she and the King were to do their duty to the realm, but this time she would not. Instead, she would visit him in his own bed, hoping that a change in habit would please him. Padding her way through the corridor, she finally stopped outside of his door. Said door was mostly closed, but there was a small opening through which she could see. Of course, she heard it before she saw it, and it was obvious what her husband and this other woman were up to. This was not, however, the same woman that he had seen earlier. This one was fairer, and she soon found out her name before she walked away in disgust; it was Mary, Mary Boleyn.
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In June, apparently he had sought to comfort himself with her in the months after his son died....
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Damn, Henry. Both Bessie and Mary at the same time? England could be filled with royal bastards by the next year.
I mean, if Catherine is even half as beautiful as her sister, Mary, then she should have no trouble keeping Charles from straying
Hahha it quite possibly could be, Henry has been quite busy lately.
Oh true, Catherine will have very few problems with Charles... Thank you very much!
But of course, this is Henry VIII we are talking about 😂. In all seriousness it didn't hurt his chances of going for two young women at the same time. Thank you!
Chapter 74, February 1515
Windsor Castle, Kingdom of England, February 1515
Their eyes lowered as they curtsy, for the Queen of England had gone to speak with her predecessor in the chambers assigned to her. Giovanna of Naples smiled warmly as Eleanor of Austria walked further into the room,”To what do I owe the honor of this visit my Queen?”
The young woman sniffed the air, as if displeased to be in the room,”It concerns a member of your household.”
The Dowager Queen rose a brow,”Why should that be an issue for you milady?”
“Because Mary Boleyn is in your service… Do you know where she is?”
Perplexed, Giovanna said,”No I am not sure, I believe that she went to have a gown mended a few minutes ago.”
“I do not think that is the truth of it Giovanna, she likely warms my husband’s bed as we speak, as yet another one of his harlots.”
“I would not presume such a thing Eleanor, Mary is a good, kind girl, beyond reproach.”
“Well, you are wrong it would seem, for just last month I saw them together myself.”
Giovanna felt a wave of guilt wash over her; she had brought her friend’s daughter to court to improve her prospects of a good marriage, not for Mary to have her reputation tarnished in such a way.
“What is it that you would have me do?”
Eleanor huffed,“Isn’t it obvious? Remove the little whore from your household, send her back to her family of lowly mercers.”
The answer was almost instinctive,”No I shall not.”
The Queen flushed, and she tightened her jaw and hissed,”What did you say?”
Giovanna stood firm, unmovable as a boulder and their dark eyes met,“Need I repeat myself cousin? I said I shall not remove Mary Boleyn from my household.”
The teen flared her nostrils,”You will remove her from your household, I command you.”
She could not help but chuckle at this,”You command me? Milady your word holds no weight here. This is my household, she is my lady, and the daughter of one of my most faithful companions. So, I will not do as you demand, perhaps had you suggested something else, or not insulted her so I would have agreed to help, but you did not, and so she shall stay.”
Eleanor snarled,”You old bitch, you dare defy me?!”
In a whirl the other woman’s hand flew through the air, but Giovanna had an inkling this would happen, and seized Eleanor’s wrist before she could slap her.
“You would put a hand on me, your Queen?
She narrowed her eyes, and lightly pushed Eleanor’s arm away,”Before you put one on my person? Yes.”
Eleanor seemed shocked by Giovanna’s show of defiance, and before she could say or do anything else the Dowager added,”Now leave, I do not wish to fight with you, but if you try and push me around a fight is what you will get.”
White with fury Eleanor stomped out of the room, and as she straightened her headdress Giovanna sighed Why must you make my life more eventful than it has to be Henry?