the heir's secret

dream

I pace back and forth in my cell like a mad woman. Every sound I hear my head whips to the door, frightened that someone will enter with an axe and take my head as I am weak and can't defend myself. I shake my head at my unbelievable thoughts, my trial is today, there my fate will be decided. I've been having nightmares every night, all of them similar. I remember them piece by piece.

I am in a wood, trees surrounding me like tall figures caging me in. Suddenly I hear a growl as several pairs of snarled teeth and venomous eyes appear from behind the trees, approaching me. At first I try to calm them with my voice but their angers just rise as they leap at me. I turn on my heel and run through the forest, branches scratching my face and ripping my dress as I run. But the wolves never catch me as I fall into someone's arms and then the barks disappear. That is always when I wake up, I never find out who's arms they are. The dreams have left me shaken. I always wake up covered in sweat as if I had actually ran through the forest, though with my skin uncut I know that it is a dream. Could the dream mean something? Why would I be having this dream so many times?

My thoughts are cut short as I hear footsteps coming down the hall. I run to the wall of my cell, trampling on the hay and blanket that is my bed. My heart pumps loudly in my ears as I wait with dread. Suddenly the footsteps stop as I hear the key turn in the lock of my door, the door opens with a loud creak. A guard peers in.

"Have you... come... to... kill me?" I ask, my voice shaking with terror. He stares at me, shock written all over his face.

"No, madam. I'm here to take you to court, it's your court hearing today." I let out a big breath with relief as I pull away from the wall. He takes me by the arm and pulls me out of the cell. My eyes squint at the sudden light as he drags me down the hall, through doors and down stairs until we reach the big hall. I am lead inside as people stare at me, a few people curse me as a walk past, calling me a traitor. I ignore them as I am lead to the stand in front of three Lord's, whom I recognise but for some reason I just can't put names to their faces. To the left of them is a luxurious throne where the queen sits in a dark blue dress, her prayer beads around her neck and a Bible in her lap. She sniffles in a tissue, her skin a sickly white, she looks almost dead. A man from the side approaches me with a Bible and I place my hand on top.

"Do you solemnly swear to speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God."

"I do so swear." He nods then steps away as one of the Lord's clears his throat to begin.

"Lady Katherine Woodville, you have now been in prison for a week, you have been questioned three times and each time you refused to answer questions, why is that?" I answer straight away, not wanting them to think I am lying.

"I knew that they would not believe, no one did." I try to speak confidently, but my voice cracks halfway through, revealing my terror.

"So, what would you have said if you thought they would have believed you?"

"I would have told them the truth."

"Which is?" I hesitate as I wonder what their reaction would be.

"That I was completely innocent, I was framed by my fiance, Lord George Granthom." The crowd erupts with noise as they discuss what I had just said. The Queen glares at me from her throne, I look the other way.

"George Granthom?" The second Lord asks, as if the idea is simply preposterous. "Why would his Lordship wish to frame you?"

"So that he would get a reward from the queen."

"Treachery, to accuse your queen!!" He shouts, smacking his fist on the table as the crowd erupts with noise again, Mary rises from her throne and the noise becomes silent, she walks in front of the Lord's, staring me right in the face.

"Do you accuse me of plotting with the man that you believe framed you?" I hesitate, should I speak the truth and risk my life? I am dead anyway, I might as well be honest, even if no one believes me, God will know the truth.

"Yes, I do." The hall is swarmed with noise so loud that my ear drums ring in my skull. Bits of paper are thrown at me from the crowd as Mary turns on her heel and walks out, her ladies follow her lead. The Lord's bang their fists on their table, attempting to silence the crowd, but they only add to the noise. I look around me at the many faces cursing at me, so full of hatred and anger. If they could murder me I'm sure that every one of them wouldn't hesitate for a second. This stand is the centre of the earth and the world has gone crazy. After what seems like forever the crowd finally fall quiet and I stand there, every glare leaving a scar on my skin.

"Where is your proof, madam? Do you have proof that you are innocent? Please share it with us." He smiles at me, knowing full well that I have nothing. I think, desperately trying to find something. Suddenly I find it.

"The letter!" I shout, desperation flooding my voice. "My name is signed at the bottom, compare it to another signature of mine you will see it is different!"

"You mean this?" The last Lord asks. So far he has kept quiet but now he holds the letter above his head, his face serious, not showing a sign of emotion. "And this." He holds up another piece of paper, I stare at it a while until I recognise the contract I had signed with Lady Parker when I agreed to make her dresses, my signature at the bottom. I compare the two, realising with dread that they are exactly identical. Christ! George must have really studied my signature. "They look identical to me." He puts them back down on the table with a slight grin on his face.

"I believe we have heard enough. Should we hear a verdict." My palms sweat and I watch with dread as they whisper to each other, they whisper for three seconds as I am sure they knew what the verdict was to be before I even stepped up to the stand.

"Lady Katherine Woodville, on the 24th April tomorrow morning at 10:00 am you will be hung by the neck until dead in front of the public and anyone who wishes to attend."