Where Are You Sarah?

Once Upon a Time

"Come on Sarah it's not that hard to gallop on a horse" I yelled over my shoulder to my youngest sister. "Well you certainly don't get this huffy when Fitzy falls behind!" She yelled back. "That's because I barely ever fall behind Sarah" Fitzy answered with a smile on her face. To contrast Sarah's face was turning as red as her hair from exertion. " Well you two are definitely ahead in your riding ability but that's only because you are older than me!" She puffed out. "Lets stop here" She managed to add, as she stopped her mare. "O fine fine but then I get one of your sweetmeats!" I answered back with a wicked smile. She nodded and we dismounted.

I opened the picnic basket to show the feast the court cook had made for the occasion. "Where do you think John has gone off to?" Fitzy asked with a little worry in her voice, "O just wait Fitzy, he'll be here at any momeant he can smell food from here to the sullen shores of Scotland!" I answered back with a laugh.

Sure enough it didn't take long, only a moment later he was leading his horse into the clearing." Mary, Mary, Sarah." John said with a grin plastered on his face. " How did you find us I thought we'd lost you." Fitzy said with a pout. " Two ways" He contorted. "Sarah's hair is very easy to see and she is a very slow rider." He said with a laugh.

We heard a little hmph come from Sarah. "Fine by me we already ate your sweetmeats" Sarah said with a little defiance in her tiny voice. "No we didn't." Fitzy cut in. "We saved John's, we ate yours." Fitzy ended with a devilish grin. Sarah fixed a mad look on her face. "O cheer up we'll be back at the castle soon." John comforted her.

With that our talk changed to Annie and her new life. "She and his Majesty seemed so happy when dear Queen Catherine died but now". Fitzy said and threw her hands in the air. "Being tryed for adultery of all things." She added with a little hmph. " Did you hear Sir Henry Norris was arrested today, he's being charged with adultery!" I added. Sarah looked up and let go a whimper. "Annie would never do that she could be cruel at times, but and adulteress she is not!" She proclaimed. "We shall see what is to happen, we shall see." John added we finished our picnic and we all mounted our horses and headed home.

***

I awoke the next morning to the birds out side my window chirping. When suddenly someone started pounding at my door. "Mary get up Mary now!" That sounded like Sarah, but it could't be Sarah, maybe Fitzy not Sarah. "Mary wake up now!" I walked over to the door and opened it to find a red eyed Sarah at the door. "What happened Sarah, O dear me has Georgey been arrested now too?" I inquired. " Yes but, but..." she started to stutter. O dear god what now. " They've arrested Annie!" She finally got out.

"But Annie's the Queen why would they arrest her she's done nothing wrong!" I managed then I started to cry. Annie had always been my favourite cousin, she had been away in the Netherlands and France when I was born but when she got back I used to like to play with her at her family's castle. Everything started to go black.

"Mary? Wake up now Mary?" This seemed to be the second time of me waking up to those words except this time it was John. "Come on little sister wake up, Mary and Sarah are here you have nothing to fear." He tryed. "But Annie isn't" I said as I slowly opened my eyes. "Annies as good as dead!"Fitzy was sitting on the floor next me she looked very pale. "Fitzy where's Henery?" I asked feeling bad she must feel terrible she to was a cousin of Annies to after all. And then the site of who was sitting beside her stopped my breath. It was little Catherine! "Catherine, give us a hug." I said, we where five years apart but she was like a miny Annie. "O sweety I'm sorry" I said into her hair.

Of course we all knew what this meant it would be like Queen Catherine all over again. King Henry and Annie's marriage would be anulled then suddenly she'd die from poisoning or some such thing. I looked up at Sarah and left little Catherine in my lap. "What happened? How did you find out?" I asked her and she started her tale.

****

Flashback

I woke up this morning feeling trapped so I decided to take a walk in the garden. Somehow I found myself in the garden that King Henry's balcony overlooks. I was walking around admiring the flowers when I saw his majesty on the balcony looking out to the garden. I continued my walk when I felt like I was being watched so I looked up to the balcony to find His Royal Highness watching me with a sad look in his eyes I waved and smiled and continued to walk that's when I heard it.