Bristoline Court

1

"Go and bring me another sheet. I won't have him sleep in this." Queen Beatrice said to me. The little prince Edward had soiled himself from his nap.

"Yes, your majesty." I said as I handed the pot of warm water to lady Mary to finish helping with putting Edward back to bed.

I went out of the bedroom and started for the laundry quarters to get new sheets. The prince's room was in one of the far towers and the laundry quarters were in the far left below which would mean it would take at least 10 minutes to get the bedroom again.

I started down the corridor towards the winding stairs when I heard footsteps approaching and the clanking of armor. I moved to the side and put my back to the wall.

King Edward the 6th was coming this way. Probably to see his son and heir.

I saw a shadow appear and looked down as I prepared to courtesy.

"Majesty." I said bending a leg. He continued on straight with his guards.

The king was never one to speak to anyone other than his friends and family here at court. And I was neither. Just his wife's lady.

I rushed down to fickle the the sheets since I'm sure the queen would be furious if I wasn't back within a few minutes.

To be fair she's not mean, just French. She's the daughter of the king of France. And they are a lot fancier than us here.

I've been at court for 14 months. My father is Earl William of Brownborrow and is good friends with the chief advisor Lord Atham. My father is also a low member of the privy council for the king. He secured this spot so I could find a good husband. As glamorous as I thought it would be, it's not. I spend most of my day emptying the queens chamber pot, brushing her hair, or walking behind her through the gardens.

I arrived back at the prince's room with new sheets and saw the king was still there. He was holding the infant boy in his arms and smiling. I curtsied as I entered, though no one noticed and changed the sheets on his bed. The queen was watching her son on his father's arms.

"Leave us." The queen said to everyone. The other ladies and I left the room while the guards followed us and guarded the door.

Mary and I stood outside waiting for the king to leave so we can resume our duties. Mary started to flirt with one of the guards. Mary is from France like the queen. She's of lower rank than I in France actually but the queen is fond of her, so she brought her here as her companion and head lady. Her and I have grown to be very close.

Finally, the door swung open, and the king exited, and we heard the queen laughing and giggling with her son. We rushed right into our mistress.

"Girls. I've finally told him!" She said to us. Mary started smiling and reached for the queens hands and they both started jumping in excitement. I smiled as well.

"He must be so happy and pleased!" Mary said. The queen nodded.

"He was delighted by the news of another child. Now I can give him another son." She said beaming.

"I'm glad to hear you told him my queen." I said. She held her hand out and ushered me to her. I took the invitation gladly.

"And even if it is a girl, I can't imagine he staying cross with me for too long as we're still young and already have a boy." She spoke. I nodded.

"The king would be mad to display an act of disappointment to his beautiful wife." Mary said. The queen laughed and let go of both our hands.

"Yes he would. You can go draw my bath now. I'm tired now. And Mary, go tell the cooks I want some grapes." The queen said. We both did as we were told.