The Other Henry VIII

Arguements

27 August 1511
A week passed, but Sophia felt none of it. Every day and night, she barely noticed the King dancing and conversing and laughing with Louisa, and the same words were repeating themselves in her head over and over again.
"You think all those men and women mean anything to me? If you do, you're no better then your sister!"

Another week drifted by, as much if not more eventful than the first. Sophia finally began to realise the sudden coarseness the King was treating Louisa with, how the talking became shouting and the laughing became crying, and she was angry.
No matter how horrible Louisa was to her, Sophia knew in her heart that it wasn't right, to stand back and watch her sister like this. She resolved to confront the King about it. This was easy to think up, but how to tell him without breaking down or saying the wrong thing and getting into trouble was not so easy. In fact, it was nearly impossible.

3 September 1511
That evening they ate at the big table in silence, for Sophia knew and hated the fact that the King was annoyed and irritated by both of them. "I am planning to send the both of you back to Wessex,"announced Henry suddenly, swallowing a chunk of pork. He said it indifferently, as if he did not really care, and that was what really hurt Sophia, not the actual words.
Louisa opened her mouth and closed it again, beads of tears starting to drip down her cheeks. "What is it, girl?"demanded the King, "speak up!"
"W-w-why?"she stammered, hastily shoving pork in her mouth straight afterwards to stop herself crying.
"Why? I'll tell you why. Neither of you have performed to my expectations, not even close and I—"he paused, then carried on in a less certain tone, "I do not regret sending you away."
Sophia watched as Louisa's face crumpled, just like her own two weeks ago and she suddenly realised what was going on. She started to speak, but was instantly interrupted by Louisa's loud sobs as she stood up and ran from the room. Sophia felt a pang in her heart. No-one, not even the King, had the power to deliberately make someone cry like that and she stood up too.
"I know why you're doing this,"she said firmly. The King smirked, reminding Sophia of a servant at home she had caught stealing her mother's pearls when she was six.
"What are you going to do about it, huh?"he had taunted, smirking as he stuffed the pearls in his pockets, "cry for Mummy?" Sophia knew she had to stand up to bullies like that servant, because breaking down and crying made them laugh and bully you even more.
"You're testing the both of us, aren't you? From the very beginning! Treating us both nicely then suddenly being horrible, that's what you were doing. You wanted to see if we would break down in tears, didn't you? You want someone who is strong and stands up for herself, don't you? You told me you 'wanted someone with spark'. For whatever reasons you can come up with, you have no right to treat people like that, especially not my sister! Goodbye, 'Your Majesty' and I hope you find a wife who willingly lets herself be bullied!"
And Sophia charged off after Louisa, leaving a very confused and very surprised King Henry alone at the table.