Tw- stillborn
Elena POV
I looked down at the baby boy in my arms as dried tears stained my face, he was beautiful, I wonder if he sister would be too.
He looked up at me with such beautiful eyes, sapphire blue.
I looked to my right to the crib next to me, my baby girl, laid motionless inside.
I pulled my boy closer to me, according to the midwives, it was lucky that he had survived.
Gently kissing his head, I rocked back and fourth gently kissing his soft head as his tiny hands curled around my hair.
"What will his name be your grace?" I hear Sadie ask carefully, as if I might shall like broken glass.
"Cygnus" I say, holding him close, scared that if I let go he might disappear from my arms
A silence passed
"And the girl?..."
I felt numb, numb and I instinct to protect the baby in my arms
"Must I name her?" i heard my own voice break "I will never get to raise her"
Sadie gave a sad sigh
"Your grace-"
I cut her off, she would only try convince me, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, I knew why they wanted me to name her.
It was for her grave.
A bitter taste and a numb heart.
"Astoria."
She gave a quick curtesy before they pulled the crib out of the room and I watched it go...
I never even got to hold her...
Charles walked in slowly as the crib was taken, he gently sat down on the bed.
His face was stained with pain and sorrow.
"May I hold him?" He ask quietly
"No." I responded bluntly
It wasn't anything to offend him, I just couldn't let go, my baby boy could have died, my baby girl did.
No one would touch him.
I just need to hold him.
Charles understood, moving closer, kissing my head.
"Have you named him?"
"Cygnus."
"A strong name" he gave me a sad smile
A strong name for a fragile babe.
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Narrator POV
Elena hadn't left her room for days now, she hadn't left her baby for days.
She barley put him down.
Elena would not leave so Charles would not leave ether.
She had received letters of condolences from lots of people,
Anne of Cleves, the Seymour brothers, Henry, her niece and even, surprisingly to Elena, the lady Mary.
Today was the day she'd leave her chambers to the banquet being held in the main hall.
Henry had married Catherine Howard and planned to show her off to the court today.
The Duke and Duchess of Suffolk and Hastings were wanted there.
Elena was all dressed up standing over the crib, looking down at her baby boy.
He was small babe, she was worried that when leaving she might come back and he might be dead.
"He'll be fine, my love" Charles wrapped his hands around her waste from behind "Bookworm, look at me" he gently demanded as she turned her face towards him "He'll be fine."
He kissed her gently as his lead her out of the room with his hand on the small of her back, giving her the occasional kiss on her hand, lips or head to give her comfort.
Charles would not let Elena break.
She had mended his wounds, now he would mend hers.
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The party was in full swing as Henry and Catherine entered.
She was giggling as everyone bowed to her.
God.
Elena thought, she hoped she was wiser than she looked or at least got pregnant, otherwise Elena suspected that Henry would get bored and then....
Oh god.
"Your graces"
Ambassador Chapuys addressed them
"Excellency" they nodded their heads slightly
He looked toward Elena
"You must accept my condolences for your recent losses, your grace. I pray you feel better in time"
He was talking about her baby...and her father.
Elena's reaction to her father's death was rather bland.
She could not mourn for him for him fully for he had become a man she did not recognise, a man who prioritised power and ambition over his own family, if anything she mourns for the man he used to be.
"Why thank you excellency, you are too kind" Elena smiled politely
Charles looked unattached from the conversation staring off into the distance
"Charles?"
"Your grace?"
He snapped his eyes back to them
"My apologies, I was just thinking of those who are no longer here to sup with us, I had a moment of nostalgia, even for my enemies"
After Henry had introduced Catherine and announced her to the court, everyone clapped and celebrated as the feast carried on.
They all sat at the kings table at the head of the room.
The earl of Surrey was introduced, turns out he was the uncle of our new queen.
If he's smart he won't try use it to his advantage, Henry might grant him what he wishes for now but Henry also gets bored easily and after finding a new dream he always wants to erase any evidence of the old one.
Carful lord Surrey lest you be another Icarus in this court.
Catherine stared longingly at the dance floor.
"Would you like to dance?" Henry asked
She nodded like a child a Christmas
"Go on...wait."
Henry looked around for someone to dance with her
Elena swatted Charles on the arm
"Go" she whispered
He furrowed his eyebrows
"What?"
"Go dance with the Queen, find out what she likes, her interests then you will come back, you will tell me and I will get close with our new queen" Elena said bluntly
Charles gave a smile
"Have you always been this cunning" he joked
She did nothing but give him a warning look as he cleared his throat and offered
"AH good man!" The king cheered
Henry then turned to Elena, his face softening
"My friend, my con-"
"Please do not give me your condolences, it is all I've heard these past few days and I grow tired of it"
She said gently with a sad look on her face
"Very well..." he looked around before a smile appeared on his face "Cards?"
She gave a laugh "Very well, if I win..." she looked around for something she wanted "I get that" she pointed towards a large tower of champagne
"Very well and if I win, I get your two horses, the black one and the white one" he smirked
She had a puzzled look
"You gave me those horses when you made me a Duchess"
He had a mischievous look on his face
"And what if I want them back?"
She smirked
"Very well" snatching the cards out of his hand, she began to shuffle them "prepare to lose your Majesty"
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Charles had gone hunting with the king as Elena went to visit the queen
"Your Majesty, Her grace, the Duchess of Hastings"
Lady Rochford announced
Catherine stood up to greet Elena
"Majesty" Elena gave a curtesy
"Your Grace"
They sat down at a table in the corner of the Queens Chambers
"What have you come for, might I ask, your Grace"
Catherine asked nervously
She truly was young and naive
"I only come to offer my friendship to you, Majesty"
"You do?" Catherine asked surprised
"Why yes, I know this court can be daunting at times and the people in it can be mean creatures
but if you should ever need a friend or advice or
need to talk to somebody who has gotten used to these mean creatures that live in the walls of the English court, my hand is yours"
Catherine gave a big cheesy grin at Elena
It wasn't completely wrong.
Catherine seemed sweet and Elena had no problem being true friends with her, it was just a little extra bonus that she happened to be the Queen of England.
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She passed the lady Mary on the way out and waited until Lady Mary had left.
"My lady, could you spare a moment of your time"
"Of course, go" she sent her lady's away
"I was pleasantly surprised at your letter my lady, I thank you for it"
They walked slowly down the hall way together
"I feel as if we should be civil to each other, despite what has happened between our families, we both care for Elizabeth greatly, I see no reason why we should cause her grief by being hostile to each other" she said seriously
Elena smiled
"I agree, My lady...tell me what do you think of the new Queen"
Mary scoffed
"I think she's not fit to be a queen in the first place, she does not act queenly and is simply here to give birth to a child, why do you ask?"
"I was simply curious" they stopped walking "The Queens, uncle Lord Surrey, he is power hungry my lady. If you ever see me being kind to the Queen, please do not take offence to us I still wish for us to be civil and on good terms but I feel it is better to know what you were dealing with then to be blindsided, there is a much larger game being played at court my lady, I am sure you have noticed it, all these years"
Mary nodded and gulped a little
"I have..."
"I am one of its main players, I simply wish to stay atop that" Elena have a gently smile
"I understand"
Elena gave a deep curtesy with a smile
"My lady"
Mary did the same with a small smile
"Your grace"
The rest of the day Elena spent with Elizabeth and her children as well as Charles.
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HEYOOOO
Last season huh?
That's crazy
I hope u enjoyed
See u next chapter
Bai bai xx
-Issy ❤️