Camelot

Sincerely, Kate

Pov's Katherine

February, the 18th of 1518.

Dear diary,
Today is the day my beautiful baby princess, celebrates her second birthday. I couldn't be any happier. My boys Harry and Jasper are growing up pretty fast, and my dear dearest Henry is becoming a more loving and careful father everyday. I can't even believe that I've been married for so long, and that I've already spent half of my life here in England. When I first arrived everything was so weird, the weather, the costumes... everything! But now I can see that those things I found the weirdest are not strange at all, they are only different from what I was used to back in Spain. So many things have changed that sometimes I can't even remember how they were before, my dear sister Meg, who ignored me for almost two years straight, is the ruler of Scotland in name of her son James V and she have finally forgiven me for what happened in Flodden, an event that I choose to forget. My other sister Mary, is the Holy-Roman Empress, even against the late emperors will, and Queen of Spain since the death of my dear sister Joana and of my father Ferdinand. Unlike Joana, Mary is very happy in marriage with my nephew Carlos or Charles as he is more known, they have twins, Liesel and Phillip, who are simply adorable and are only 13 months older than my Molly. And just a couple of months ago they have welcomed their  second daughter, Johanna Margaretha of Austria, or as I honestly prefer Juana Margarita de Austria. She is a very adorable little archduchess, and I find myself very blessed for having the pleasure of getting to meet her on the Habsbourg visit on our court. Mary and Charles were on their way to Spain and decided to stop by to see us and celebrate Mary's birthday with us and our Scottish branch of the family. Is quite funny when our family is all together because then we have not one, not two but three Marys, that is why we we use nicknames. My sister is the Mary, my daughter is Molly and my niece is Liesel. I have to admit that even with all the happiness that the situation brings, I am little anxious, I haven't told anyone yet not even Henry, but I am expecting again! I hope nothing bad happens, but since the lost of my baby girl, I get nervous with all of my pregnancies. And to add to my anxiety, I overheard that cardinal Wolsey advising my husband to settle Molly's marriage with either James or Phillip, during their stay in England. I am sure that a marriage with either of them would be happy, because she would be around her family and close relatives, but I can't chose between them two! Phillip is closer to age to Molly, and someday will have for his disposal all the riches of the new world. But if she did marry James, she would remain in Britain, closer to me, and I know it may sound a little selfish but, any mother will understand me, we can't even think about the departure of a child, especially in my case, where Molly is my only daughter, and she is supposed to be my best friend.

Sincerely, Kate.

- A FEW DAYS LATER -

February, the 25th of 1518.

Dear diary,
I AM SHOCKED! Completely shocked! Let me explain just what happened tonight.
We have been celebrating Molly's birthday for a week straight now, and tonight as the last night of party we were all happy and celebrating. There was a theatrical play, performed by Italian actors, who were sent by Pope Leo himself as gift for our little girl. A grand banquet was prepared by our chefs and kitchen staff, with lots of different kinds of meats, including coq au vin, (the only french thing that pleasured me tonight). And everyone was having a good time, when we started to open the gifts. The first one was from the Médice family, they sent a beautiful diamond-encrusted tiara with a beautiful sapphire in the center, a perfect kind of gift for a princess. Then was time for the gift from the Scandinavian king, Christian II king of Denmark and Norway, he who is a father to a newborn son, couldn't attend the celebration due to his wife confinement and the birth of his son, but sent an adorable little toy-horse made of solid gold, with which Molly can start her riding lessons. After those major gifts, my baby girl was getting sleepy, (and so was I), so me and Henry agreed to open one more gift in public and leave the rest for tomorrow. And as last chosen gift was the Valois' gift, the one sent by that womanizer the French people call king, Francis, he sent as gift to my 2 years old daughter a bouquet of pink shades flowers, along with a list of demands to marry my Mary to his newborn son, the 3 days old Dauphin, who carries his stupid name. The list specified the dowry Mary should bring; £30,000 - the territory of Calais - a personal army of at least 1.000 men - all the jewelry was ever gifted her before the wedding; and the list also specified that my Princess should be availed by the French ambassador and correct any "beauty deformation" before the wedding. Not only Molly, but me, Henry and all the Tudors were deeply insulted by the king that apparently learned nothing from Waterloo. After that the party came to the end, the kids were taken to their rooms, and so did Mary and Charles, but Henry and Margaret discussed for a long time, words that I can't even remember, all I know is that now Mary Elizabeth Margaret, my porcelain princess, is the future Queen Consort of Scotland, something I should be happy for, but is just a reminder that my days with her are counted, and that soon our interactions shall be only by letters or eventually travels. Now they are all asleep, Molly, James, Meg, Henry, Harry, Jasper, Liesel, Phillip, Charles and Mary, but I am awake trying to process what just happened and what shall happen next in my always uncertain life.

Sincerely, Kate.