the heir's secret

the arrival

I smooth the creases on my dress with my hands, feeling the smooth material touch my skin. Learning slightly in the mirror, I judge my appearance. I quickly notice that my gable hood is wonky and so I straighten it. The pearls hanging from my earrings jangle with each movement I make and the sound reminds me suddenly of the chatter of teeth in the blistering cold. I take a deep breath as I continue to study myself, I wish that I didn't have to have such long hair, it has never been cut. Elizabeth's hair is so long that it almost reaches her waist. I fight the desperate feeling to grab some scissors and cut off my locks. Quickly I leave the room. I never used to care about my appearance but now I do, it seems that it is all I ever think about.

I walk down the great staircase with my footsteps echoing around the house like a blast from a gun. Suddenly Robert appears from a corner and he smiles at me as he notices my sudden displeasure, I smile back in the most sarcastic way I can.

"Are you well, Kate?"

"Very well." I reply to him and begin to walk past but he grabs my arm. He leans in close and I smell the wine on his breath.

"Are you sure you are alright? You seem...distant."

"I'm fine." I snarl at him with a violent tug that pulls my arm away from his grip.

"Kate, I am sorry for what I said. I was... just joking. Of course you're not..."

"Its nothing to do with you!" I interrupt. I turn on my heel and walk back up the stairs leaving him standing lonely at the bottom. I shut my door quietly when I reach it and sit on my bed. What am I doing? I am not Elizabeth's friend, that is not why I am here. I am her lady in waiting, her maid. I pour myself some wine as my mind wanders. I have always been obsessed with the people I become attached to. I suppose I get that from my mother. She made the mistake of becoming too close to Anne Boleyn, they had been such good friends. The king had accused my mother of being a traitor and a witness to the crimes of Anne and she had been executed. I remember it, I had seen it. She had cried as she walked that final path. I never saw her though, all through my childhood. She was so loyal to her queen, more loyal to her than her husband or her child. And she died for it. I see my vision begin to blur as water wells up in my eyes. I try not to think about the past because it always ends the same way, with me crying.

Suddenly I hear a loud bang that makes my whole body jump with fear. The noise happens again and I realise that someone is knocking on my door. I quickly wipe my eyes with my sleeve and then slide across the wooden lock. The door creaks open and Robert stares down at me from the gap. My anger begins to rise and I start to shut the door but he stops it with his hand.

"Leave me alone!" I shout at him as I carry on trying to shut the door but he is much stronger than me and the door only moves an inch before his grip tightens even more.

"I am not here to apologise again, as you may have guessed."

"I don't care!" I spit at him, he grimaces at my vulgar move and I watch as his face turns red.

"You are an animal!" He shouts as he wipes it off with his sleeve. "Look, Elizabeth, though she may look happy she is not. She is changing. Yesterday she told me that she is praying to the virgin Mary."

"That is her choice, it is nothing to do with me."

"You know her much better than me, you must help her." Suddenly I hear a distant sound of horses hooves outside my window. My curiosity takes control and I walk over and peer out. In the distance beyond the trees I notice many horses, men with red coats sitting on top of each of them. As they come closer I start to recognise what they are wearing. They are guards from the tower. Without hesitation I run out of my room and down the stairs, screaming Elizabeth's name. I look in every room I find, searching desperately for her flaming red hair. I catch a glimpse out the window and see her already outside now walking towards the now approached horses. I pull open the front door and run as fast as my feet can take me. As soon as I reach Elizabeth the leading man has already got off his horse.

Elizabeth turns around as I touch her arm. I see the frightening look of what could only be described as hell depicted on her face as she looks at me. The man clears his throat.

"Lady Elizabeth Tudor, you are to be arrested on the conspiracy of treason against her majesty queen Mary Tudor. You are to be taken to the tower of London until your day of judgement befalls you." Suddenly my body collapses.