Royal Love

Chapter 22

                                                         Three weeks after Henry's departure

   I sat at my writing desk. I wrote of todays events. When the letter was finished I sealed it and gave it to Ann. She always made sure my letters were delivered. I hated the days that had to pass as I waited for Henry's next letter.

   "You know what to do with it," I whispered.

   Ann gave a slight nod. "Yes madam." No one knew I wrote to him. When he wrote me back Ann was the one to give to deliver it to me.

   Once my ladies were gone I walked around my room. The nightmares had come back. Every morning just before dawn I would wake up screaming. Tears would be streaming down my face. My hair would be soaked from sweat. Every time I woke up I would reach for Henry, but he was never there. I tried to do anything to delay my sleep. Of course sleep would eventually win, and I would get dragged into the nightmares. Somehow being with Henry had stopped them.

   I picked up a book that I had started reading. It was a wonderful love story. I sat in one of the chairs that Lady Weller had sent to my room after Henry had left. She thought I need something to do so one day she brought me to the village and we went shopping. She said the chairs would help brighten my chambers. She was right, with the chairs in the room it wasn't so dull. I was in the middle of chapter 12 of the book when a terrible pain shot through my stomach. I cried out and the fell from my hands. When the pain didn't leave I stood up. I tried to walk to the door and fell to my knees with only steps separating myself and the door.

   I tried to stand up but I fell back to my knees and cried out in pain. I was surprised when my door opened. I looked up and saw Lady Weller running to me. "Dearie! What's wrong? I heard you yell." she tried to help me stand and walk me over to a chair but soon realized she wasn't going to get anywhere.

   She left me where I was on the floor and she ran out of the door. She came back a few moments later with a guard. "Take her to the castle nurse," Lady Weller was instructing the man. "And please be careful with her." I watched as the guard approached.

   I passed out as the man lifted me in his arms.

   When I woke again I was in a small room. I sat up on the bed and looked around. There was a chair and a night stand, but other than that the room was empty.

   A lady entered. She appeared to be a nurse. When she saw I was awake she rushed over to me. I recognized her almost immediately. She had been my mother's nurse. I think her name was Lady Welsh. People believed she used witchery. I wondered if that was why my father asked for her specially. Did he think she would be able to cure mother's sickness with witchcraft? I remembered being told once that she is one of the best nurses around.

   "Oh good your awake. I was starting to worry about you lass," she said.

   "How long have I been asleep?" I asked as I tried to sit up a little bit more.

   "Not that long. Maybe a couple of hours. You were in some pain when you were brought to me. Lady Weller was awfully worried about you," she told me as she held out a glass of water.

   I took the water and drank it all before speaking again. "What was wrong with me?"

   The nurse stuck her head out the door and almost seemed as if she was checking to see if anyone was there before closing the door. She came to stand next to me and took my hands in hers. "Nothing was wrong with you."

   "Then why was I in such pain?" I asked confused.

   "That wasn't you dear. I haven't told anyone yet. I believed you would want to keep it a secret, so I told everyone you were experiencing cramps."

   "What would I want to keep a secret?"

   Before the words left her mouth I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say. "Your with child."