The Tudor Rose: A New Age

Chapter 3

The wedding of Henry and Anne was just as grand as the previous weddings of Henry's previous Queens. Soon after the wedding, the celebrations began. Elizabeth, now three months pregnant, danced with her husband and her twin sister. Mary smiled at her twin sister and said, as she twirled, "Why, dear sister. I see you are growing!" Elizabeth replied, smiling widely, "Of course, Mary. This child is their father's child." James playfully took that to offense and said to his wife and sister-in-law, "They are your child when you wake up in the middle of the night for an apple." Mary said, with a questioning look but with a smile, "An apple?" James replied, as he bowed to his wife and sister-in-law since the dance was finished, "Yes, an apple. She's been craving for them ever since her cravings started." Mary only chuckled at her sister and sister's husband. From afar, Anne watched the small family moment with a smile then turned to look at Henry but her smile faded. Even though they were married, it seemed like it would be a loveless marriage. It was too good to be true when the wedding night came. Elizabeth was there in attendance to help ready Anne for the night ahead. She could do little to calm the new Queen's nerves. Henry then entered the room, causing everyone to bow/curtsy. Henry said, looking around the room at the others, "Leave us!" Elizabeth curtsied to her father and friend then left.

She then headed to the royal nursery to check on her son, niece, and half-brother. The princess was greeted by her old governess, Lady Bryan. Elizabeth smiled and said, "Lady Bryan, how lovely to see you again." Lady Bryan smiles at her old charge and replied, curtsying to her, "It is an honor to be in your presence again. I see you have grown a great deal since you were last left in my charge." Elizabeth chuckled and said, "Enough of the formalities. Tell me, how fairs my son, my niece, and my half-brother?" Lady Bryan smiled and replied, as she lead the princess into the room where all of the royal children were sleeping, "They are doing very well, Your Highness. They all eat well, sleep well, and are well educated." Elizabeth smiled lovingly at the sleeping children then made her way to place a kiss on their foreheads. The princess then turned to Lady Bryan and said to her, her voice lowered, "Has Sir Edward come to seek out his nephew?" Lady Bryan whispered, "He has but I had made sure to go by your and His Highness, Prince James' orders and denied his countless requests. I have made sure that the other attendants know of your orders and told them that they would be punished if they don't follow them." Elizabeth smiled and said, "Good." Lady Bryan then noticed the small baby bump under Elizabeth's dress and said to her, "I see that we will be welcoming another royal child into the royal nursery." Elizabeth smiled and replied, "If it is God's will, then it shall be. If you'll excuse me, I must retire. If anything is amidst, inform me immediately without delay." Lady Bryan curtsied to the princess and said, "Of course, Your Highness."

The next morning, Elizabeth received news that her father and the new Queen hadn't laid with each other the night before. She could only wonder why they didn't. Sometime during the afternoon; Elizabeth was spending time with her sisters, half-brother, son, and niece when she felt pain in her lower abdomen. Mary noticed the slight pain written on her sister's face and said, "Elizabeth, are you alright?" Elizabeth only nodded then went back to watching Elizabeth 2nd recite her Latin. When Elizabeth 1st was dancing with her loved ones, she let out a painful scream, her hand going to her lower abdomen. Mary was at her sister's side in a matter of seconds and watched in horror as Elizabeth lifted up her hand only to see blood. Everything went into chaos as Elizabeth's ladies rushed to get help. Lady Caterina was in charge of the younger children while Lady Mariana and Lady Natalia rushed to inform the King and Queen and James. She said to them, ushering them out of the room, "Come along, Your Highnesses." Nicholas, however, wouldn't budge as he was concerned for his mother. He said to his mother's lady-in-waiting, "Lady Catarina, what's the matter with Mama?" Lady Caterina replied, "She's in great pain, Your Highness. We can only hope that God will be on her side. Now, come along. Lady Bryan will take you to your tutors." Back with Elizabeth, Elizabeth screamed in pain as blood continued to flow from losing her child. Mary and Elizabeth 2nd could only do little to comfort their beloved sister. Lady Eleanor had called for a physician who came and she helped him with Elizabeth. Mary said to the physician, rubbing her sister's back as she cried out, "What's happening to my sister?!" The physician replied, "She's having a miscarriage, Your Highness. It's too late to save the child now." Elizabeth 2nd gasped in horror and whispered, "Oh, dear God, no." Elizabeth 1st cried out, "No, please!!! Not my child!!" Her cries were heard throughout the castle. Everyone knew it was a mother's cry for her child and they felt pity for the princess. It was her first miscarriage.

James rushed into his wife's bedchambers upon receiving news of his wife's miscarriage to find Lady Eleanor wrapping the dead baby's body with a blanket, covering it. He grimaced then turned his attention to his wife who was huddled in a small corner. Just after he entered, Henry and Anne entered the bedchamber with Eustace Chapuey, Mary's confident. Mary came over to James, with her half-sister by her side, and whispered to him, placing her hand on his chest to keep him from stepping any further, "She's still in pain, James. She's been like this since it happened. Neither I nor Lizzy could get her out of it. It would be best to give her space and time. It was very traumatic for her." James whispered, terrified of the answer, "What was the gender of the child?" Mary whispered, "The physician said the baby was too small to tell the gender but it almost looked like it would've been a girl." James sighed sadly, his wife had mentioned that she would like to have a daughter with his features but now it wouldn't be. He cleared his throat and said, "Leave us!!" Everyone did what James had said and exited the room. Elizabeth held her legs to her chest, with her arms around her legs and her chin on her knees. Upon the touch of someone else, the grief-taken princess flinched and scooted away from the person. James whispered to his wife, trying not to frighten her, "Elizabeth, it is just I. James, your husband." Elizabeth cried, "I do not know why God has called the child to his side! It wasn't my doing!" James gently soothed his wife and said, "I know it wasn't your doing. You can't blame yourself for this." Elizabeth sobbed, she couldn't help but feel responsible for the death of her child. In the back of her mind, she always had the fear that James would cast her aside if something was to happen to a child she carried, just like her father has done to her mother and Anne Boleyn.

Outside of the royal bedchamber, Mary paced in worry for her sister. Elizabeth 2nd watched her half-sister and sighed. She said to Mary, "I'm sure James has everything covered, Mary. Our dear sister will be alright." Mary replied, "I'm not sure, Lizzy. Elizabeth has just miscarried her child. I know that she is scared that she will end up like our mother. You may not know it but I do." Elizabeth 2nd only sighed and prayed to God that He could comfort her beloved half-sister. In the bedchamber, Elizabeth continued to sob. James then took the giant step and went to comfort his wife. He wrapped his arms around Elizabeth, bringing her towards him. At first, Elizabeth flinched at the sudden contact but leaned into the embrace. This would be the first time Elizabeth has experienced a death of another loved one since the death of her godfather, Sir Thomas Moore.