As the twin sister of the future of the Holy Roman Emperor, Catherine has had her future set in stone for her as the wife of a king . As a child, she grew up with everything she could ever wish for, with the world at her finger tips.
But after the b...
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𝟐𝟐 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟒𝟓𝟗
The cries of the Empress could be heard in the castle. She tried to sit up to see her babes that she had. She had heard amongst the commotion that she was having another one after the first one was ripped from her womb. 2 shrill cries of babes could be heard. She was able to catch her breath and opened her weary eyes to see the bloody children wrapped in blankets.
It had been 4 years since the birth of their last child, Archduke Christoph who died at 4 months old. But Eleanor knew her duty as a wife was to produce as many heirs for her husband to inherit the vast Roman Empire. She had finally succeeded in producing a male heir, her first born son Maximilian. Then she had heard that he had given birth to another child, a girl.
"Are they healthy," her voice sounded so weak from the strain of the births. Her hair was full of sweat and stuck to the pillow as she strained her head to see her babies. One of the midwives gave the Empress a small smile and nod. Eleanor could feel the relief leave her shoulders and silently thanked God.
With both her babes in her arm, she looked at them lovingly, content that the struggles of childbirth had given not one, but two beautiful children. "You are beautiful, meine lieben," she whispered quietly, smiling at her children.
"We have beautiful children, Frederick," Eleanor smiled up at her husband as he came into her room to see the children. Even though Eleanor and Frederick did not hold much love for each other, they knew their duty was to reproduce heirs.
Frederick smiled upon his wife and at his children: Maximilian and Catherine.
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6 year olds, Maximilian and Catherine were later joined by a sister, Kunigunde who had survived as their other sister who they can't remember well had died when they were a year old. Catherine was a sight to behold, as she was a beautiful little girl with beautiful blonde hair with a mix of brown and her eyes enchanted many who came across her for they were a mesmerizing blue. Her mother knew that her daughter like herself would grow to become a great beauty.
Eleanor and Maximilian could never grow out their dissimilar interests as she was an ambitious and wanted her children to wield power. Her only son will inherit the greatest empire the western world would ever see, her daughters would marry kings and Dukes: She had it all planned out.
Catherine and Maximilian were clearly their mother's favourite, they were the apple of her eyes. Catherine looked up to her older twin brother. She idolised him and followed him around like a lost puppy, and in turn Maximilian doted on his twin sister. Their father was all but a distant memory for the children as he rarely spent time with them. They only had their mother and that was alright for them.
In the gardens, until the watchful gaze of their mother and the nurses, the three children would play together without a care in the world. They did not know of the harmful world that awaited for them outside their gilded cage.
"Careful, my darlings," the Empress' voice could be heard as the children laughter was carried in the air. The Empress was happy and content even if her husband in her opinion was a foolish man and not even a good father. He never took the time to get to know his children, but Eleanor didn't care. She was going to raise them herself.
But then, Eleanor had fallen ill and was about to greet death when she whispered into her eldest daughter's ear. "Never forget me, mein liebling. Ich liebe dich so sehr," were the last words Eleanor told her daughter before giving Catherine, her cross necklace, that Catherine knew her mother had cherished.
With tears trickling down her eyes, she felt a heavy lump forming in her throat and croaked out, "Ich hab dich lieb, Mama" and it was at the tender age of 8 that Catherine had lost the important person in her life.
