A collection of short stories that center around Tudor times and a few that are filler stories about background characters found in my other Tudor Stories.
Warning will be given for mature themes at the beginning of the chapter.
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Please read author's note at the end of the story
King Henry the eighth of England sat before the roaring fireplace. Despite it being mid may, age had made the King susceptible to the cold and at age 55 Henry felt like an old man but a man fulfilled. Yes, he had fulfilled his role as king, keeping his country safe and he had a son to take over when he was called upon by the lord, and two daughters that his son could use to make political alliances with. True there were mistakes he had made, like many of his marriages.
Especially the two who had betrayed him. Sweet Kathryn Howard had made him feel young again till her treachery was discovered. In her defense though, she was young and impulsive at only 18 years old. He wanted to be kinder to her, show her mercy due to her age and rank. Perhaps banish her to a covenant in Europe, he didn't want to kill her but the law could not be turned over, not with the evidence against her.
At least Katheryn had actual evidence that proved she had committed treason unlike his second wife. The wife he still loved deeply, the wife he never got over. Even now elven years after her death and four wives later, he still loved her as deeply as he did when he first met her. He wanted to be lenient because of his love for Anne Boleyn. He wanted to annul their union, and send her to her estates in Pembroke to live her life out with Elizabeth. Their only living child. Their daughter. The daughter Henry was secretly very proud of. The daughter who was so much like her mother even though she never truly knew her. All because of his pride.
Henry reached into his doublet pulling out a gold locket with the initials AB etched in the front. He flipped it open to reveal a portrait. A young woman with chestnut colored tresses tucked behind a French hood sat there in a dove gray gown. Her dark eyes stared directly into his soul, silently judging him. He shut the locket quickly shoving it back beneath his doublet when a knock came from the door.
"Enter." Henry commanded as he turned towards the doorway. "I apologize for the interruption Your Majesty," A groom clad in Tudor livery walked in bowing low before continuing, "but Lady Katherine Ashley, the Lady Elizabeth's governess, requests a word with you sire. She says it is of a strict urgency." "Very well, send her in." Henry stood from his comfortable chair, picking up his cane and limped back to his desk. He landed in his desk chair with a thud. "Your Majesty." Lady Kat Ashley bowed low before the Kings desk. "Lady Ashley, I hear there is something you urgently needed to talk to me about." Henry asked, curious to what could be so important. "I trust my youngest daughter, the Lady Elizabeth, is in good health and spirits?" Henry noticed how nervous Lady Ashley became at the mention of Elizabeth as she stood before him.
"She has been of good health my lord, and is quite studious." Kat was nervous, she was unsure how King Henry would take the news she had to give him, but for the sake of her young charge it had to be said. "But she has told me some information that has disturbed me, and I have come in turn to tell you, as her father and King, so that you may handle the information as you see fit." Kat bowed low, humbling herself before the King. "Very well." Henry spoke, mulling over Kat's words, "What information has Elizabeth given you that has you so distraught my lady?"
