The Rose, The Falcon, and The Tower

Hidden Secrets

Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, was not looking forward to the news he would have to give his best friend and king. His investigation of the Seymour family was completed and his results left no room for argument. Sirs John, Thomas, Edward, and Lady Jane Seymour were all guilty. Although the range of guilt was great and it would be up to Henry and the court system to decide their individual fates. Charles was also worried how Henry would react when he found out the Seymour's were doing all this for Princess Mary. The poor girl had already been banished to Hudson House and had her staff and income reduced drastically, but with this news it could be the end of the rightful princess.

Charles waited for the groom to announce him to Henry before he walked in bowing low to his king. Henry looked depressed and forlorn behind his desk outstretched in his chair. A book lay on his desk atop a stack of papers and other official documents. The book was a beautiful deep red leather with gold work on the spine, the cover was embossed with a pomegranate a top a bed of Tudor roses. The pomegranate was the badge of the late Queen Catherine; a symbol she had brought with her from Spain years ago when she came to marry Prince Arthur. The book must have been one of her journals left behind when she was exiled.

"She lied to me Charles. She lied to me the entire time." Henry spoke softly. "Who lied to you Henry? What are you talking about?" Charles asked as he walked closer, stopping in front of Henry's desk. "Catherine" Henry spat out the name like it was poison, a sneer on his face. A moment passed before Henry spoke again. "She lied to me about being a virgin!" Henry was livid as he continued his tantrum "She had consummated her marriage to my brother. She was always Arthur's wife, never mine and she damn well knew it yet she still denied me my divorce all because of her damned pride!" Henry slammed his fists down on his desk in anger. Charles Brandon stood before Henry's desk unsure what to make of this news and if any of it was true. Brandon cleared his throat before speaking.

"Henry how do you know she lied? She could not tell you, after all Catherina has been dead for a while. So how could you know this?" Brandon asked tentatively, praying Henry wouldn't take his questing offensively. Henry picked up the book off his desk and flipped it open till he came across a square of fabric. "This is how I know Charles." Henry said as he showed the small piece of cloth to Charles before speaking again. "Catherina had the proof of her virginity the entire time, hidden away in the journal she wrote in when she married Arthur. This piece of fabric has her maiden blood from when they consummated their marriage."

Charles stood before Henry in shock, having a hard time believe good Godly Queen Catherine would lie about something so important for so long. "But Henry" Charles spoke "Just because Arthur took her virginity doesn't mean she wasn't your wife, after all the pope gave you a dispensation for that and Catherine was never pregnant with Arthur's child." Henry closed the book and tossed it back onto his desk where it landed with a 'thump'. "You are wrong Charles." Henry's voice was soft but the anger was evident as he spoke. "Two months into their marriage she became with child, with Arthur's child, but a few weeks later she miscarried. My grandmother and father covered it up."

Henry looked at Charles with hurt angry eyes before speaking. "I loved her Charles. I loved her and yet she lied to me so many times." Both men stood staring at each other for a while, Henry battling his emotions and Charles trying to figure out what he should do. Suddenly, Henry flew into a rage screaming "How dare she lie to her king and husband!" as he picked up a crystal decanter filled with Spanish rum off his desk and threw it at the wall where it shattered everywhere causing the grooms who stood waiting outside to rush in to see what was happening. When they came in they found their king dissolved in bitter angry tears being consoled by the Duke of Suffolk.