Festina Lente

Chapter Eleven: Queen Katherine's Trial

"Of course, I deny it. How dare you accuse me of such things. I am His Majesty's most humble servant," Katherine spat stepping towards Cromwell, her eyes shifting away from the lawyer and towards Henry. 

This was certainly not what she had been expecting upon being called here, she wanted her husband to address her and speak with her plainly on why he was doing this. 

"Did you not also promise the same to the Emperor?" Cromwell mused looking to Katherine, there would be no way to talk her way out of this.

Producing his first piece of evidence, Cromwell made his way towards one of Katherine's most loyal ladies; he ignored the look that the Queen gave him knowing that nothing that she could say would take away from the evidence that they had. 

He stopped before the lady that looked nervously towards her mistress not sure what was about to be asked of her; he held out the letter that he had selected and held it out to her. 

"If you could. Can you confirm that this is written in Her Majesty's hand?" Cromwell asked of her, he allowed her to take the letter that was written in Spanish and look down upon it. 

A gasp fell from her mouth and she nodded her head before confirming aloud that the letter was in fact written in Katherine's hand; her eyes glancing towards her mistress who didn't look pleased by the development. 

"Can you read it?" Cromwell inquired, when she stated that she could he signalled for her to read it aloud so others could hear what Katherine had written; he clasped his hands behind his back as he stepped away from the lady while she spoke. 

The colour all but drained from Katherine's face as her letter to her nephew was read aloud, she had no idea how they had gotten hold of the letter and her stomach dropped knowing just how it ended. 

It ended with her promising as she always did to be a true and loving servant to her nephew, the King of her home country and the place that she had not seen in so many years since she had left to come to England and marry it's future King. 

Marching over to her lady, Katherine snatched the letter from her with shaking hands; she stared down at the writing that she knew to be her own. 

Everyone watched her and Katherine knew that she had to act quickly, if they had such a letter then it would be used against her and her fight to keep her place as Queen would be lost. 

"It is a clever forgery but it can not fool me gentlemen," Katherine stated with a shake of her head, she folded the letter and attempted to hide it in her gown only to be stopped by Cromwell. 

Who took the letter from her so that she could not have it destroyed if she was able to convince those around them that she was completely innocent; the other letters were going to be kept out of reach. 

"A forgery madam? But we have so many others, all confessing your loyalty to the Emperor as well as telling him the King's dealings with others," Cromwell mused signalling for a man to step forward with several other letters that had already been presented to the court to show her.

"You encouraged your nephew to intervene on your behalf with the Pope ensuring that he could not judge the case presented by His Majesty with clear eyes," Cromwell said pushing forward, his dark eyes looking to Katherine daring her to deny what he said. 

It was all in the letters and while she might not have asked for such things to be done, it was her pleas of help and loyalty to the Emperor that had him act. 

"Your nephew sacked Rome to prevent you being cast aside and took His Holiness hostage. The Pope finding in your favour and refusing to ease His Majesty's mind on the matter of your marriage to his brother," Cromwell continued walking passed Katherine and to the gathering, there were many lords, courtiers and other members of court in attendance.