Fanfic: An Endless Supply of Rubies Ch 20, Tudors | FanFiction
A/N: This has been my study break project for about a week. Go finals!
20 June 1536
Sometimes, Amelia got annoyed with her father. Sometimes, he reminded her of Christian, who had an inability to make up his mind, which caused him to lose his throne. Charles had not been home for long before the King had recalled him to court, then sent back home, then recalled.
One of the days her husband had been at court, she had received a letter from Mr. Secretary Cromwell informing her that Sir Francis Bryant would soon be coming to Westhorpe to speak with the Lady Mary about the Act of Supremacy.
Amelia had heard tales of Sir Francis Bryant at court. He was the son of Lady Bryant, and a notorious womanizer. They say he kept many mistresses, married or unmarried, and that if you looked him in the eye, he would not hesitate to take one of yours. It made Amelia nervous.
She knew that she was soon to have her child, and her sister had attempted to confine her to her bed, but it was too warm and beautiful outside, even with Charles not around. She was outside her home when Sir Francis arrived, watching Elizabeth and John as they played tag in the front yard.
The two children stopped when they saw him. He had a pleasant expression on his face, but the black eyepatch that covered his left eye made his smile seem predatory. John and Elizabeth ran over to Amelia and huddled behind her, both children clutching Amelia's skirts as they peeked out from behind her.
"My lady Amelia," Sir Francis greeted as he approached, bowing his head in respect.
"Sir Francis," Amelia replied, bowing her head as well. She looked at the children behind her on either side. "Run along now, you two. Go find William in the kitchen and ask him to tell you a story."
"You have guardianship of the Lady Elizabeth?" Sir Francis asked, a mixture of surprise and amusement in his voice. He had not been informed of this when he returned to court.
Amelia nodded. "The King has decreed both of us to be bastards. He does not want her anymore, and I believe that no one should feel unwanted," she replied. "Besides, us bastard daughters need to stick together."
Sir Francis laughed. "It makes sense, I suppose. They told me at court that you were the daughter with the heart of gold," he said. "But I do believe you know why I'm here."
"Of course. I shall send for Mary immediately," Amelia said, gesturing for Sir Francis to follow her into the house.
He followed Amelia, making note of the portraits and tapestries that decorated the walls. "Forgive me for asking, my lady, but should you not be in confinement?" Sir Francis asked after passing a portrait of what he assumed to be the Duke of Suffolk's parents.
"I should be, Sir Francis, but there is too much to be done and not enough hands," she responded with a smile.
They entered the private study in the back of the house, where Mary reading The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. She closed the book the moment Sir Francis and Amelia entered the room.
"This is Sir Francis Bryan, sister," Amelia said.
Mary rose and curtsied as Sir Francis removed his hat as he bowed.
"Lady Mary," Sir Francis greeted.
"I am very glad you have come to see me," Mary said. "I have written a letter congratulating the King on his marriage and begging leave to wait upon Queen Jane, or do Her Grace such service as would please her to command me." She turned towards her sister. "Even though it would pain me to leave my dear sister, I still must ask."
Amelia nodded in understanding.
"I am afraid, Lady Mary, I have not come here to discuss pleasantries," Sir Francis replied. "His Majesty urges you to sign this."
"What is it?" Mary asked, taking the parchment in her hand. There was a hint of suspicious in her voice as she looked between the menacing older man and her younger sister.
"A list of articles, recognizing the King as Head of the Church and your mother's marriage as incestuous and unlawful," Sir Francis responded. "You must also renounce Rome and freely acknowledge your illegitimacy, just as your sister has done."
Mary's eyes got wider and wider with each of his statements, and her eyebrows grew closer and closer to her hairline. "Is this true?" Mary whispered. She could not believe that her own sister had done something like this. She knew that Amelia had somehow stayed in their father's favor since her return, but she did not realize that it was because Amelia had doomed her immortal soul.
Amelia looked at her sister, a sad expression on her face. "I did, sister," she said with a nod.
"If you will not sign," Sir Francis continued, drawing back Mary's attention, "I'm afraid Mr. Secretary Cromwell cannot guarantee your safety."
Mary turned away from Sir Francis and Amelia, refusing to let the pair see the tears that were beginning to
Mary turned away from Sir Francis and Amelia, refusing to let the pair see the tears that were beginning to prick the corners of her eyes. "However much I love my father, Your Grace,and would do anything to please and satisfy him, I still cannot risk my immortal soul for the favor of an earthly King," she said quietly, the weight of the betrayal of her sister and father heavy on her heart.
"You are an unfilial daughter," Sir Francis responded, his voice low and dangerous. This caused Mary to turn and look at him. "Since you will not submit to your father," he said, taking a few steps closer to her, "he may yet proceed against you for treason."
Amelia's eyes widened. She didn't think that her father would go as far as do something like that. She felt her baby kick strongly, and placed a hand on her stomach. Her baby must have disagreed with the gentleman's statements as well.
"No," Mary said, trying more to convince herself instead of the man in front of her. "No, he would not. I cannot believe it!"
"Listen to me," Sir Francis continued. "I tell you, if you were my daughter, I would smash your head against the wall until it was as soft as a boiled apple." He paused. "You understand?"
Mary had turned away from Sir Francis and her sister once again, refusing to look at the man who had just threatened her.
"Lady Mary," Sir Francis said with a bow. He turned to look at Amelia, who now had both hands resting on her stomach. "Lady Amelia," he said, with another bow.
The menacing man left the room, leaving the two sisters standing there shocked. "Mary," Amelia said softly, taking a few steps towards her and placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Mary, please say something."
Mary shrugged violently out of her sister's touch and turned to face her, angry tears falling from her eyes. "I cannot believe that you would betray our mother like that!" Mary cried out. "You willingly said that our mother's marriage to our father was unlawful! How could you do something like that?"
"I was confused!" Amelia responded. "When I arrived, I thought our mother had died! Only then was I told of the annulment. But I was alone, and confused. I wanted to stay in the King's favor because I did not know what would happen to me if I did not." She paused, her voice getting quieter. "I wasn't like you, Mary. I was sent away for years. It was as if I was meeting a stranger, not reuniting with my father."
"You should have done the right thing," Mary said quietly, shaking her head slightly. She walked out of the room, purposefully hitting Amelia with her shoulder as she went.
Amelia was left alone in the study. The weight of what had just happened hit her suddenly, and she sank into one of the chairs by the fire. She did not want her sister to hate her at all. She thought that if she had accepted the articles, then maybe Mary would accept them as well.
When Charles was finally released from court and allowed to go home, he returned to a quiet house just as dusk was settling on the horizon. He had never come home to a house this quiet since Mary and Elizabeth had come to live with them. Charles found Mary in the front parlor, reading her book, an angry look on her face as she turned the pages. She looked up when he entered, her expression unchanged, before turning her attention back to the pages.
John and Elizabeth were sitting quietly as well, listening as William told them stories as he prepared supper.
His wife was in the back study, slumped in a chair, fast asleep. There were trails of tears down her cheeks, which tugged at his heart painfully. He knelt down beside Amelia and took one of her hands in one of his as he gently shook her shoulder. "Amelia?" he asked softly.
She stirred and woke. "My sister hates me, Charles," was all she whispered before fresh tears fell from her eyes and she buried her head in her husband's shoulder.
He could only hold her as she cried.