An Endless Supply Of Rubies

Destiny and Fortune

Fanfic: An Endless Supply of Rubies Ch 18, Tudors | FanFiction

A/N: Hey y'all. Thanks for being so patient. I'm in finals mode now, so I apologize about the time between updates. This chapter has been in the works for a few days now. It comes to you during a chemistry study break.

19 May 1536

Rosalind was more than annoyed with the tiny, fussy, red-headed girl. Lady Elizabeth was no longer a princess, and she knew it. Rosalind wasn't sure if anyone had told her that her mother had been executed that morning or not, but frankly, she didn't care. While Lady Bryan had promised both the King and Queen that Lady Elizabeth did not cry or fuss, she had been very wrong. Perhaps it was because Lady Bryant's chambers were nowhere near Elizabeth's.

The maid sighed. At least someone else was coming to take the child away, and her prim-and-proper older sister too.

"Excuse me," a voice said behind her. Rosalind turned to see a tall woman with dark blonde hair and a rather baby bump. "I'm looking for the Lady Bryan. Do you know where I might find her?"

Rosalind forced a smile on her face. This must be Lady Amelia Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk. The lucky sister who was married instead of placed in Elizabeth's service. "Right down the hall, my lady. The third door on your left. I believe she is preparing the Lady Elizabeth for her departure," Rosalind responded.

"Thank you," Amelia replied, dipping her head in a showing of respect. Rosalind did the same.

Amelia continued down the hallway until she was three doors down on her left. The woman inside the room looked cold and harsh, dressed in all black with a slightly pinched face as if she had only frowned her entire life. She spoke in a low tone to the small child in front of her, who was crying and trying to tear herself from the lady's grasp.

Lady Bryan let Elizabeth go as soon as she saw Amelia in the doorway. "Lady Amelia," the governess greeted with a curtsey.

Amelia simply nodded her head. "Lady Bryant," she said cordially. She carefully knelt down in front of Elizabeth, who had turned towards her but refused to make eye contact. "You must be Lady Elizabeth," Amelia said.

Elizabeth nodded, but still refused to look at Amelia.

"You want to know something, Elizabeth?" Amelia asked. She paused and waited for Elizabeth to give an answer. "I'm your older sister," she told the younger girl after the younger girl nodded.

Elizabeth finally looked at Amelia. "Like Lady Mary?" she asked.

"Exactly like Lady Mary," Amelia responded. "We both have the same Papa."

A smile broke out across Elizabeth's face as she remembered her father. Her smile faded when she saw someone behind Amelia's shoulder.

Amelia followed Elizabeth's gaze, and saw her sister Mary standing behind her. The oldest daughter of King Henry stood with her hands clasped in front of her, her expression completely blank and and unreadable. She looked like the princess that she knew in her heart she was.

Mary worked hard to keep the expression of surprise off of her face. There was her younger sister, kneeling on the floor to be level to be equal to Elizabeth, a bastard daughter that the King did not even believe to be his.

"Mary!" Amelia exclaimed, trying to rise to her feet.

Mary flinched at the excitement in her voice. Her eyes widened when she saw Amelia's pregnant belly, but she refused to form an expression on her face.

Amelia was beyond excited to see her older sister. She walked over as quickly as she could manage and wrapped her arms tightly around the older girl. She felt Mary stiffen for a brief second, before cautiously returning the gesture. She was unsure of how to respond to the gesture that felt too familiar, especially since it was one she had not been used to receiving in the past.

"You look much better than the last news I had heard of you. When father told me that you were ill, I desperately wanted to come and take care of you, but he forbade it," Amelia said, pulling out of their embrace and instead gripping Mary's arms right above her elbows.

Mary smiled cautiously. "You are much more pregnant than what I had last heard of you," she responded. "Shouldn't you be in confinement?"

Amelia laughed. "I will rest once we return to Westhorpe," she promised. "I think you're going to love it there, Mary. The country air is so fresh, and the gardens are so beautiful to wander in. Oh, and I know my son John will absolutely love to have you and Elizabeth around," Amelia rambled.

"It seems we have a lot to catch up on," Mary told her, beginning to warm up to her younger sister.

Mary had been apprehensive when she had learned that she was being sent to live with her younger sister and her husband. At first, she had denied that her father would send her to live with her younger sister. She was angry and humiliated. Her sister was younger than her, and already married with a child. It should have been her. She was the crown princess, and was still the firstborn child of the true Queen. Why was her younger sister married instead of her?

She had tried to convince the Lady Bryant, and then Eustace, to be her advocate. Lady Bryant had told her that she was very lucky that the king and her younger sister still cared enough about her health and well-being to not toss her aside, as they could have easily done. Eustace, on the other hand, had promised her that living with Amelia would be purely to Mary's own benefit. Amelia was close to the king, and had a heart of gold. She would be a much better choice to be an advocate over the Imperial Ambassador who went in and out of favor.

"Will your Lord husband be joining us?" Mary asked her sister as Amelia reached her hand out to Elizabeth.

Amelia sighed. "Unfortunately, he will not be," she replied sadly. "Our father says that he is much too important at court right now. He plans on marrying Lady Jane Seymour soon. Charles will not be home until the wedding has happened."

Elizabeth took Amelia's outstretched hand. "Are we going to see Papa?" the small redhead asked.

"Not right now," Amelia replied, shaking her head sadly. "But, you will get to meet my son John. Are you excited about that?"

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, weighing her choices. Her father, or a new person? John eventually won out, and the little girl smiled widely and nodded her head. Amelia couldn't help but laugh a little at her response, and even Mary and the Lady Bryant cracked a smile.