There and Back Again: The English Journeys of Catherine of Aragon
- Thread starter Awkwardvulture
- Start date
Lmao right sorry I forgot. You did in fact give me inspiration for the drawing bit.
Hahaha definitely, Giovanna was glad to have a break from those duties... Thank you very much!
Chapter 110, September 1520
Ribeira Palace, Kingdom of Portugal, September 1520
The child in her belly kicked hard and Catalina thought to herself, Dios Mío you have so much energy, my child
Her belly had grown large with the growth of this child, and with her entering the final stages of her pregnancy the Queen of Portugal had felt reassured by the fact that she was far enough along to enter into her confinement. Nonetheless, she crossed herself as she finished her prayers Lord, please let this child live, I do not care if it is a boy or a girl, just that it should live.
Maria de Salinas picked up the shirt that Catalina had just finished mending and set it upon the table by the fireplace and laughed,”I thought Manuel did not want you to mend his shirts while you were with child, that it was too strenuous?”
Catalina of Aragon smirked,”Well I may have gotten the seamstress’s daughter a job as a kitchen maid, and so Aldonça felt obliged to deliver the King’s shirts to me instead...”
Her chief lady rolled her eyes,”Well you are your father’s daughter.”
“Speaking of which, what your sister Ines said about the court in Castile? I trust she does well to earn the stipend I am paying?”
Maria nodded,”Yes she does, I just received a letter from her, but I’m not sure if you are prepared to hear of it in your state.”
“Go on Maria, I’m strong and even if it is news of some plot, I am better off knowing it now so I may warn my family.”
“It’s not that Majesty… The King and Queen had a second child, a daughter.”
“What do you mean had? Are you saying that…”?
Turning back to her friend, Maria lowered her eyes soberly,”Yes they had a daughter, the Infanta Maria, she was born too early last month and passed into the Lord’s company hours after her birth. I am so sorry…”
The Queen of Portugal shed a few silent tears,”It is not your fault Maria, sadly these things happen. As soon as we are able, Manuel and I will write a letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, to comfort them in this dark hour. To remind them that their little girl does not suffer and that they have done nothing wrong.”
“I see.” Maria replied,”Shall I go get some wine?”
Catalina shook her head,”No, it would not be proper after such a tragedy, water instead please. If I am temperate then I hope God will spare my family further tragedy”
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Certainly not good for the young couple, and Catalina is definitely concerned for them. Still, I think she and Manuel may be able to comfort them, even if it's just a little. Thank you so much!
Oh no…i hope Catalina doesn’t damage her health with her penances ITTL. And that is so sad to hear about Fernando and Isabel’s little girl.
I hope she only sticks to praying, and not fasting as she did IOTL, poor Maria...
Maybe someone with a bit of medical knowledge can talk to Catalina? I'm sure there were at least a few medical persons, and/or midwives who had drawn the connection between proper nourishment and healthy pregnancies...
Let's hope this someone is one that Katherine doesn't look down upon because otherwise she will do the exact opposite...
Thank you all very much for your insights on this! Luckily Catalina won't exactly be fasting in the tradition sense, more that she'll be avoiding wine and other sorts of alcohol as a sort of penance in addition to prayer. With this being her third pregnancy and with her age, she understands that she has to be careful, and no doubt if she didn't Manuel would explain to her why it's a bad idea.
We'll see how this one goes, but I'll say it's gone better than her previous pregnancies so far.. Ferdinand and Isabella are definitely very sad by the loss of their second child and first daughter... Thank you!
Chapter 111, October 1520
Eltham Palace, Kingdom of England, October 1520
Eleanor of Austria was grateful to be back in England. As happy as she was to have reunited with her aunt Margaret, her siblings, and to have met her niece Elisabeth, she needed calm, and some rest. In particular, she wanted to spend some more time with her daughter. Little Mary was her only living daughter, though Eleanor had a hunch that the girl would soon have a little sibling. She had yet to tell Henry, as she did not want to possibly be wrong and disappoint the man. Gazing lovingly at her four-year-old daughter, the woman thought to herself Perhaps not quite yet, for now, I want to enjoy what I already have.
Kneeling on the floor in her pink dress, the Princess Mary showed her mother her doll, animatedly explaining it’s features,”And she has brown hair, just like you mama!”
Eleanor chuckled cheerfully,”You are right she does my darling Mary. What is her name?”
Mary’s dark eyes lit up,”Her name is Edith, and she’s a Princess.”
“That’s very nice my dear. Did you know that your ancestors had that name?”
Her daughter shook her head and Eleanor continued,”Your great-grandmother, Maragaret’s grandmother was named Edith Stourton.”
“Oh, that’s nice…” Mary quietly replied
“I did not know it myself until I had asked your father.”
The girl continued to play with her doll, and Johanne whispered,”The Dowager Queen has arrived with her children your Majesty, they are waiting in the drawing room.”
“Very well.” Eleanor replied
Turning her head towards her daughter, the Queen of England asked,”How would you like to come and see your aunt Joanna and the Dowager Queen?”
“Auntie Joanna?” The Princess exclaimed,”I would love to go see her!”
Mary’s Governess, Margaret Bryan guided her charge with a light hand on the shoulders,”They will be in the drawing room your Highness.”
…
Having walked the quick journey to the drawing-room of the palace, Eleanor had nearly stopped in her tracks when she saw who was with Giovanna of Naples. It was not that the aging woman had brought her children, that much she had expected, but there was another child with her, one that Eleanor had vaguely recognized from occasional glimpses of her at Hertford. The girl, who was quietly humming by the fire out of nervousness was Agnes Willoughby. The woman did not know how quite how to take this. The child was to marry one of Henry’s bastards, Jasper, whose birth had infuriated The Queen of England when she was younger. Yet, finding herself face to face with the girl, Eleanor could not muster any anger towards Agnes. Before her was a motherless heiress, who had no more choice in her marriage than Eleanor had in her own. She wasn’t sure if she could quite bring herself to treat her warmly, given the connections she would soon have, but the Queen of England decided she would at least young Agnes politely. So she bowed her head a little,”Lady Agnes, I am pleased to meet you, the Dowager Queen has said much in praise of you, and I see she was not lying.”
The child curtseyed deeply, overwhelmed by the fact that she had just met the Queen of England,”Your Majesty, to meet you and the Princess Mary is a privilege.”
From where she sat, Giovanna looked on like the proud mother she was, both to her own children, as well Agnes, and she murmured,”Perhaps you could show Queen Eleanor and Princess Mary how you and Joanna play the lute together. You two do quite well together.”
Grabbing a pair of small lutes that they had brought with them, Agnes and Joanna smirked at one another and strum the instruments, as Mary looked on with amazement. As they continued to listen to the rather good performance, Eleanor decided that perhaps Agnes Willoughby marrying one of Henry’s bastards would not be so bad after all.
Aww I’m glad Eleanor is warming to Agnes! The little girl deserves all the support she can get.
She certainly does, and Eleanor is willing to at least be respectful towards her, even if she isn't exactly pleased that her husband's bastard will be marrying a wealthy heiress... Thank you so very much, I am glad that you liked it!
It's possible but there may be other places that she's wanted, and I imagine that might be a bit too far for Eleanor. Thank you for the suggestion though!