Rafe Sadler one shots

The Princess

I stood looking out across the castle grounds of Hampton court, listening as I often did to my father rattle on. He sat at his desk talking to the men whom always surrounded him, chancellor's and clergymen, and of course Cromwell, a businessman by trade but had grown very close to my father. Cromwell also was followed along by his ward as he almost always was, The Young Master Sadler very educated in the shadow of Cromwell even if he had a birth lowest in the room. 

My father began to cough so I rushed over to him helping him tos it back against his chair and take a drink even if he pushed me away.

"Ohh go sew you foolish girl" he says pushing me away, as he always had. My father had little interest in me. I wasn't the son he so craved and he would likely not have another now, and the one he did likely wouldn't be on this earth long, not since my brother's illness free day by day and he already had daughters before me so I was of little importance to him even if I was the only one who ever tried to care for him. 

"You must rest father" I remind him 

"Rest. Rest when I'm dead" he snapped 

"I fear father that will arrive sooner if you do not rest" I told him

"Go and sew." He ordered 

"Yes father" I nodded heading out of the room and down the corridor, but soon enough I heard feet behind me 

"Your grace." He spoke up as he arrived at my side with a tasteful distance of course "I must… apologize"

"For what? My father has spoken that way to me since I was born, master Sadler. No point trying to change it now" I said "but thank you"

"You're welcome. Cromwell asked me to escort you"

"Did he? Clever your master"

"He knows what's best. Where did you want to go then?"

"Likely take a walk around the gardens if it's alright with you master Sadler"

"Absolutely" he smiled offering his arm so I took it "and just rafe is fine"

"I shouldn't, don't want to fuel talk master Sadler. The gossip it would stir to speak so informally with a princess"

"Well our little secret" he smiled as we headed out into the gardens slowly walking among the roses, apple trees and sweet floral blooms

"Such beautiful flowers"

"Indeed, I had hoped to have some new blooms in this spring"

"You care for your garden well"

"Not my garden"

"No?"

"No father wouldn't allow it"

"I see. You must come up to the house I have been incharge of our gardens the last three years summers are magical when the blooms come"

"I shall take to take a trip up in the summer" I smiled 

 "if I may speak frankly your grace"

"You may"

"It hurts my heart. To see you… forgotten"

"How so?"

"Your father forgets you even exist. Except to belittle you. Your mother gone. Your siblings utterly ignore you. It breaks my heart to see you this way"

"It doesn't bother me. Always been the way I suppose"

"And… to see such a beautiful princess as yourself still unmatched"

"Ohh" I blushed "well as you said my family seems to forget me so. It doesn't suprise me a match has yet to be arranged" 

"It is a pity indeed so beautiful and still unmarried"