15th of October 1532 - London, England
"How fairs Katherine?" King Henry asked knowing that his former wife's time in the Tower of London had been far longer than he had intended, it had taken time for a full investigation to be done and he'd written to the Emperor about Katherine's plans.
Her conspirators had all been rounded up and so far, the King was pleased to find so few had been willing to side with the Spanish Princess's folly when Anne had given him a son.
The few that had conspired with Katherine had found themselves in the Tower alongside her and were awaiting the signing of their execution warrants that now sat before their King.
Now it was left for them to decide what would be done with Katherine, executing her was out of the question lest they court a war with the Emperor now or in the future.
"Her Highness ranted that the rains would not come until she was released from the Tower and the injustice against her had been corrected," Sir Kingston stated taking a quick glance to the window where it poured down, the clouds dark and it seemed like it had been raining for days keeping the court inside.
The weather had not let up in days and the Constable of the Tower had to muse whether the woman knew that her rants which were increasing in number by the day would only be used against her.
The council seemed almost amused by the news that Katherine thought that God would punish England for her arrest when she had been plotting against an anointed King and Queen conspiring to kill the future King of England.
"She also stated that the might of her nephew, the Emperor will fall upon England should she not be released," Kingston continued with a shake of his head, his wife was currently serving as one of Katherine's ladies and her reports had been most helpful.
The King had allowed a few of Katherine's ladies to remain, people that he thought would not be as loyal as some others in her service to the woman that now stood charged with treason.
"The Emperor has no such plans to do so... he commends Your Majesty for dealing with such a threat as his aunt and says that she must share the same madness that afflicts his own mother," Cromwell stated holding up the most recent letter from the Emperor.
The man was unlikely to pick a fight with England while he hoped to see an alliance with them instead of them joining forces with the French against him; he had even sent over a marriage proposal for the young Prince Alexander.
The Emperor's words gave the King something to consider, a plan forming in his mind about how to handle the woman that had caused him no end of problems; it was an offer that he had once given her that she had rejected.
Perhaps the Habsburg had a point and that there was perhaps a madness that the Aragon sisters shared; it would be reasonable to suspect that Joanna was not the only sister to suffer from this.
"Perhaps the Emperor is correct, you say that she rants that the rains will not come to England while she remains locked up?" King Henry mused leaning forward in his seat, a plan forming in his mind on how to finally deal with the problem that Katherine presented.
There could be no executing her nor could they send her back to Spain or send her back to live in her country estate; they could not allow her to insight a war against them no matter where she was.
"Yes. Your Majesty. She's also declared that the Duchess of Hertford will take the throne and that God shall strike down those who attempt to stop her," Kingston reported dutifully, he moved to give the King the parchment that he had written out detailing the Infanta's behaviour since she had been in his care at the Tower.
It was just the beginning and with her still awaiting judgement from His Majesty, he had no doubts that Katherine thought that perhaps the King might spare her; she thought her actions were God's will.
That it was his wish to see her daughter take the throne and become England's first unquestioned Queen, something that could never happen now that Prince Alexander had been born.
It was to him that the country would look to instead of his bastard half-sister when the time came.
***
17th of November 1532 - London, England
Walking into the chamber, Katherine held her head high knowing that as an Infanta of Spain that there was little that could be done to her; her conspirators executed that morning before she was summoned to hear her fate.
The men were martyrs as far as Katherine was considered, they had been fighting to place the rightful heir on to the throne and she was certain that God would welcome them to heaven for what they had done.
She stared right at King Henry when she reached the dais, she offered no curtsy wishing to get this over with; she wanted to get back to Kimbolton where she knew she would be sent in exile with less of her household as punishment.
"You are charged with treason, conspiring against the crown and planning to insight war about the very land that you once claimed to rule," Cromwell stated listing the chargers that Katherine had been held on.
There was no remorse on the woman's face, instead she looked bored and there was no fear upon her while she gazed up at the King defiantly almost like she expected a slap on the wrist for her actions.
Pride had brought about Katherine's downfall and not even the love that she once had for her daughter would save her now; she would not see her daughter again nor would she be told when Mary finally left England for Florence with her husband.
"You shall be sent to a nunnery where you shall spend the rest of your days," King Henry announced staring down at Katherine, he was most relieved to have Anne at his side at this time.
He did not think he could face Katherine without her, not knowing what she had intended once he had passed from this world and had planned for Anne and Alexander.
The investigation had revealed that not only had Katherine planned to insight a civil war but upon winning Mary the throne would have sort to burn Anne at the stake and have Alexander murdered like Henry's uncles had been in the Tower of London.
Her actions reminded Henry much of his grandmother, how she thought that it was God's will in everything that she did and he wished he would have listened to her when she had objected against him marrying Katherine all those years ago.
"I do not feel the calling of God," Katherine stated calmly, she would not go and he could not force her to do so; he had tried this before when he had tried to rid himself of her.
It had not worked then and it would not work now, she would not waste her life away in a nunnery like her sister had done; she was nothing like Joanna who had fallen apart when her husband had died.
"Perhaps Bethlehem Hospital would be more your taste," King Henry mused watching her, he wanted her to know that there would be no discussion this time nor would he have reason to be lenient with her.
Katherine had committed treason again despite his kindness to her and now he had the Emperor's backing on how to deal with her; she would not be allowed to take advantage of his kindness again.
Colour slowly started to drain from Katherine's face, realisation slapping her in the face as it dawned on her just what Henry had planned for her; she was to suffer the same fate as her sister.
This was not what she had expected from him, she opened her mouth to defend herself; her eyes searching for an ally in the room of Henry's council knowing someone there must defend her against his accusations.
"Lady Darnell. Is it not true that the Infanta ranted without reason while in the Tower? That she spoke wildly?" King Henry called upon one of her most loyal ladies.
He signalled for the woman to step forward and speak knowing that she would know better than anyone; she had been with Katherine in all of her time while she had been banished.
"That is true Your Majesty, she spoke of how the rains would not come unless she was released from the Tower many times between her fasting," Lady Darnell replied, she did not turn to look at Katherine knowing that her former mistress would be displeased.
She had been approached by the Duke of Bedford on behalf of the King to spy upon Katherine and report on her doings with the promise of a fine match when the time was right for her loyalty to the crown.
Katherine glared at her once trusted lady, she had been a mole then planted in her household to report back to the King about her doings; she had trusted Darnell above many of her other ladies when she was the one, she should have been worried about.
It was clear that her every move had been watched more closely than she had previously realised.
Jane glared at the back of Lady Darnell's head, she could not believe that the woman that had originally been held in such high regard by the mistress; how could she betray Katherine when she was doing God's work.
Despite the fact that it had been her brother that had gotten her the position in Katherine's household with the intention of having her spy for the Queen; she would never have betrayed her mistress like this.
"Your ladies shall be stripped from you as will the lands that I granted you when our marriage was ended. The lands shall be passed in time to our daughter when I feel it is right," Henry informed Katherine, he would reward Mary with Kimbolton and hope that his daughter would remain as loyal as she was now.
Her actions so far had proven that she was loyal to the crown and her husband seemed to have had a good effect on her and soon they would not even be in England.
Katherine would not be informed when Mary left with Ippolito, he had spoken with his daughter before coming to give his verdict on Katherine and she had no intentions of even writing to her mother.
The woman that Mary had adored had gone and been replaced by this harpy that she did not wish to know, she would not write nor did she wish to say her goodbyes to her.
"You shall leave in the morning and I pray that I shall never hear of your again, for if I do then I will have no choice but to sign your execution warrant," King Henry told her, he stared down at Katherine knowing that the next time he would do what was needed.
The Emperor did not want Katherine on his books since it was expensive enough to house his own mother in the state of which her birth required her to be it would be even worse to have the same done for his aunt.
Katherine did not speak, instead she dropped into a low curtsy before she turned on her heel and marched out of the room; she did not look back to see who would follow her now that she had lost.
She had gambled everything and she had lost, she was to share the same fate as her sister and rot away in some nunnery while the world forgot about her and fawned of Henry's family with Anne.
***
Looking at what few ladies that had remained in her service, Katherine couldn't help but wonder why God had abandoned her; why he sort to punish her when she was only trying to do his will and achieve the destiny that he had assigned her.
If her Prince Hal had lived then perhaps things would have been different, she would never have been displaced and her Mary would have been Holy Roman Empress instead of her niece while her son would have been the future King of England.
Closing her eyes, she wondered just what God intended for her now surely this was another test to ensure that her faith was pure and that he would reward her in time; he would make sure that her Mary would be Queen like she was destined to be.
Anger filled Katherine at the thought of the daughter that had betrayed her, she had been so sure that Mary had understood what she was doing; she had never thought that Mary would do what she had done and betray her like this.
Even now she was refusing to even face her mother, Katherine wished to say farewell and remind Mary that she would forgive her and pray for her soul; she just needed a way to drive a wedge between the King and Queen.
They could not be allowed to have a second son, doing so would be damaging for her daughter and place another obstacle in Mary's path to becoming Queen and marrying one of her many Habsburg cousins.
Turning to look around the room, Katherine eyed each of the ladies that remained with her at this time comparing each of them with the Queen.
"Mistress Seymour," Katherine called smiling at the young woman, despite her relation to the Queen she had been one of her most loyal ladies during her service; she was the Queen's complete opposite and just what Katherine needed at this time.
Perhaps there was still hope, she just needed to make sure that her plan was not detected and perhaps if she was careful enough it would see Anne removed from her position and a puppet of hers placed on the throne beside Henry instead.
Taking Jane's hand, Katherine glanced at her other ladies doubting she could trust any of them; she had to plan this carefully and she knew that if there was anything that a woman like Jane could want it was the chance to rise in station and bring prestige to her family through marriage.