The Queen Dowager of Württemberg | A. Bridgerton

Chapter 1

Holes In The Floor Of Heaven

New Palace, Stuttgart
October 30th 1812

The Princess Royal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Princess Charlotte Augusta Matilda, became the Hereditary Princess of Württemberg after she married the Prince Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Württemberg on May 18th 1800 at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, London. The day after the wedding, she traveled with her husband and his family to Württemberg, and has lived there ever since.

From that day forward, her life has been as blissful as it has been stressful. On 22 December of that same year, she became The Duchess of Württemberg. On February 25th 1803 she became The Electress of Württemberg. And on January 1st 1806, she became The Queen of Württemberg.

For some reason, on the night of October 30th 1812, the Queen of Württemberg couldn't sleep. Something was keeping her awake, but she doesn't know exactly why. Deep down in her gut she felt as if something was wrong, or as if something bad was going to happen. Her eyes were closed, her body was laid upwards, facing the ceiling, and she silently took deep breaths. The last thing she wanted was to wake her husband who has been feeling ill for the past five months.

A few minutes later, Charlotte felt a hand dropping on her stomach. She flinched and immediately looked to her left, and saw her husband breathing heavily. His eyes were a bit swollen and his lips were turning pale.

"Mein König," the King of Württemberg weakly heard his wife's voice as she immediately sat up next to him on the bed they shared. My King.

"Meine Zeit ist gekommen, meine Liebe," he slowly turned his head to look at her, and noticed the way she was blinking back her tears. My time has come, my dear. "Ich fühle mich schon schwächer." I already feel weaker.

"Möchten du, dass ich..." She held her breath for five seconds and after that, she took a deep breath to prevent a sob from escaping her lips. Would you like me to... "Möchten du, dass ich deine Kinder hole?" Would you like me to fetch your children?

"Weckt unsere Kinder nicht, ich bitte dich," after she took a hold of both of his hands, he gripped them with all his strength, as tight as he could in reassurance. Do not wake our children, I beg of you. "Ich möchte nicht, dass dies ihre letzte Erinnerung an mich ist." I do not want this to be their last memory of me.

"Oh, Fritz," she breathed as she softly chuckled. She always adored the way he said 'our children', even when most of his children weren't really her own.

"'For you, in my respect, are all the world. Then how can it be said I am alone, when all the world is here to look on me?'" Her husband weakly quoted one of his wife's favorite authors, William Shakespeare, specifically from a Midsummer Night's Dream. A sob finally escaped her lips as a sad smile graced his face. "Ich liebe dich so sehr, meine liebe frau." I love you so much, my dear wife.

"Ich liebe dich auch, mein lieber mann, another soft sob escaped her lips before she continued. I love you too, my dear husband. "Ich liebe dich so sehr, Fritz." I love you so much, Fritz.

"Sei mit mir," he breathed, and she immediately nodded. Be with me. "Denn ich werde immer bei dir sein." For I will always be with you.

"In Ordnung," she breathed with a light nod and laid down next and close to him. Alright.

Charlotte gently laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. However, he used all his strength to hug her back. She noticed, and immediately took a hold of his hand and rest it on his stomach. Lovingly, she placed soft kisses on his hand as silent tears still slipped off her eyes. She took deep breaths to keep herself from shaking and sobbing.