the heir's secret

Hatfield

Mary's cries and screams fill my ears as the double doors leading to the Queens throne room open before me. I was ordered to come here by a scared courtier that knocked on Elizabeth's door, she had told me to come and leave Elizabeth on her own and now that I look at the scene in front of my eyes I can see why. Mary has her heads in her hands and she is rocking back and forth like a mad woman in a prison cell. Her courtiers look scared around her, no one even notices me walk in. I stand in silence watching as Mary rock's back and forth. Suddenly a courtier tries to put her arm around her in a comforting embrace and Mary slaps her. I hear the sudden impact of knuckles on cheekbone and I wince at the painful sound. The room goes silent as Mary looks up and notices me with her tears streaming down her face. For a moment I stand still in shock until I recover and fall into a deep bow. There is a long silence and I put my hands on the floor in front of me to stop my knees from buckling underneath my dress.

"Leave us." Mary quivers as she stumbles up the steps leading to her throne. I listen to everyone move around me as they try desperately to get out of this room as quick as they possibly can. When the door shuts behind them and the quick pattern of footsteps disappear I am caved into the silence of the big room as I wait for Mary to say something. When nothing is said I decide to start her off.

"You called for my presence, you majesty."

"Not just yours." She replies. "Where is Maud?" Oh no. I thought she knew. Why hadn't anyone told her? Slowly I rise from my bow and look at Mary. Her hands shake in her lap giving away her confident act that she is trying so hard to prove.

"She is gone, your majesty."

"Where?" She replies without waiting for me to carry on. I look at the desperation on her face and I feel like smiling.

"With king Phillip, your majesty. She is his mistress." I watch as Mary's face crumbles, her act is dropped and I watch as I see a proud queen turn into a small abandoned child that wants nothing but love. In reality that is what Mary is. When her mother had been put into exile King Henry, her father had refused to let her see her mother. She could not even be there when she died. She had been named illegitimate and had watched as the woman who was the cause of her mother's downfall and the religion that she had believed in had taken her mother's throne and bed. As Mary had grown up she had developed so much hate and anger that now she was willing to use it, but it is not going to plan and she is not gaining anything. She has caused so much pain to Elizabeth and I hate her for it. As soon as I had walked into this room I had taken pride in seeing her misery but now as I look at her I feel nothing but pity. She has lived such a miserable life, I truly do pity her.

"You are lying!" She screams as she rises from her throne. I walk slowly towards Mary and bow at her feet.

"Your majesty, I am so sorry... believe me if I had known earlier I would have stopped it..."

"What do you mean?!" She interrupts "how did you find this out?" Dread fills my body as I try to quickly come up with a response.

"I saw them... walking onto the ship together." I look up as Mary walks away from me, over to the window and looks out.

"Her father had told me she would serve me well... fool! He will be the first to burn!" Burn? Would she really do such a thing. I kneel in silence at the feet of her throne and watch as her fist clenches with anger by her side. "How dare she disobey me! God will smite her down, she will burn in the eternal fires of hell, how dare she disobey her Queen!" Suddenly she looks back at me. "Tell my sister that she is banished from court and that she is to go to Hatfield house, and she is never to return!...Go!" Mary screams and without hesitation I run out without bowing to her. I look at the faces of astonished courtiers as the door shuts behind me, I pass them and run as quickly as I can to Elizabeth. When I reach the door and I walk in I see Elizabeth already running towards me, it seems she has been waiting for my return.

"What's happened?" She asks as she looks me in the eyes.

"The Queen is banishing you to Hatfield house."

"Hatfield?" Elizabeth replies as she sits down on the chair closest to her. "I used to go there as a child, it is a beautiful place. Mary knows I love it..." She looks at me and smiles, "this is an act of kindness."

"How is this kind at all? You are banished!"

"You will like it there. Anywhere is better than here, I will be happy to be away." Suddenly we hear a knock on the door that makes both of us jump and a tall man enters.

"My lady, her majesty the Queen demands you start packing, the carriage will depart in two hours."

"Thank you." He nods quickly and then leaves, we are left in silence. I feel the warmth of Elizabeth's hand as she takes mine in hers. "Was she upset?" She asks me.

"A little." I reply, I rise quickly in order to change the conversation. "We should start packing now, we do not have that much time." I walk into her chamber and pick up two wooden boxes from the side of the room. Elizabeth walks in.

"Is she alright?" She asks. Mary has caused the misery that Elizabeth feels every day but yet she still seems to worry about her, I look at her in disbelief.

"No." I reply, "she never has been."

The carriage comes to a sudden stop and I pull back the curtain to peer out of the window. Before me I see a huge house surrounded by grass and trees. The snow covers the roof of the building creating a beautiful picturesque scene. I can see why Elizabeth loves it. I tap her a few times on the shoulder making her wake.

"We are here." I tell her as the door is opened. The freezing cold air rushes in making me shiver. I quickly tie my cloak around my neck and pull up my hood, Elizabeth does the same. Once we have both stepped out the carriage we are approached by two men. They bow slowly in their fur trimmed cloaks and then look at Elizabeth.

"My lady, I welcome you to Hatfield house. I apologise in advance for it was quite late notice so we are not prepared, but your chambers have been furnished and cleaned."

"I thank you." Elizabeth replies with a smile. The next man steps forward.

"My lady, my name is Lord Hartley, I am to be your advisor for as long as you stay at Hatfield."

"Advisor?" She asks.

"I am to advise you in the Catholic ways and help you... I am also here to keep you...under control." Great, another Catholic bastard telling us what to do every single day, I look at Elizabeth and realise she is thinking the exact same thing.

"Please let us go inside, it is very cold." The men nod and we walk into the house. We walk into see a beautiful grand staircase, mesmerising tapestries and paintings covering the walls, I smile at the warmth of the house. We are led upstairs to a beautiful room with a warm fire blazing in the corner. "My old room!" Elizabeth gasps as she walks over to the bed. "Me and Edward used to stay here as children, that was of course before he became too proud to stay with his sister." I walk towards the fire trying desperately to warm my hands. "There are so many warm memories here... they all flood back to me." It is so wonderful to see her smile and for a moment all my pain is forgotten.

"This is much nicer than Heveningham." I tell her, She smiles at me as she joins me by the fire.

"I told you that you would like it... it's my childhood home." I look around the room, trying to imagine the young Elizabeth playing with her dolls and pretending to ride a horse on the decorative carpet.

"Now it is your home again." Elizabeth smiles as she looks at me and I see the warmth of her personality shine through, her smile has always lit up even the darkest rooms, she reaches towards me and suddenly I feel her lips slightly touch my cheek making my heart beat fast. I stare at her, trying to hide my sudden shyness.

"I am very happy." She says before she walks over to the table to pour herself some wine.