Chapter Fifteen - Mary
Greenwich Palace
Late August 1540
"Lady Mary, it is truly a pleasure to be able to meet you in person, at last."
I smile warmly as she makes her way towards me. King Henry insisted last night that Mary and I must meet as soon as possible. He wants so much for us to get along, all I can do is hope that Mary likes me.
"Your Majesty." Mary curtsies quickly. I am a little surprised at her tone of voice, it is not rude, as such, but...sharp.
"Oh no! Just call me Catherine. Please, will you sit down?" I continue to smile and show as much confidence as possible.
Mary chooses the seat as far away as she can manage without appearing purposefully disrespectful.
"How do you find being the Queen of England?" Asks Mary in her cold, monotone voice.
"I...it is...intriguing." I manage. "Quite difficult actually - so much pressure to say and do the right thing!" I laugh, trying to evoke some emotion from my step-daughter.
"Most future Queens are trained on how to act."
"Yes...but not all." I try to sound positive.
"My mother knew how to be a good Queen." Mary looks me dead in the eyes, as if daring me to answer. "And I too shall be a good Queen one day, if it is my father's wish for me to marry a King."
"I am certain that you will." I reply quickly, trying to move away from the subject of Mary's mother, Katherine of Aragon.
A short silence fills the room.
"Do you enjoy being at court, Lady Mary?"
"I enjoy it mostly."
"What...which parts do you enjoy?" I stutter.
"I enjoy being at court because I can see my father more." She replies hastily, properly.
"Ah yes, of course." I smile. "I enjoy the dances! Do you like to dance, Mary?"
"Occasionally, if at the right time, and with the right person."
"Perhaps we could practice together one day?" I suggest hopefully.
"It is unlikely - I mean that I tend to spend my days reading, dancing is not necessarily something that I do as a hobby."
"Oh, I understand."
"I am sure that we have plenty more in common." She says unconvincingly.
"The King loves us both! That is something that we share!"
Mary gives a small, tight-lipped smile; I believe it is the first time that I have seen one of those on her.
"I am eternally grateful for the mercy and love that my father has shown to me over these past few years."
"Of course you are; and I am so very pleased at the adoration he shows towards me."
"You do not believe that love and adoration are different things, Catherine?"
"I...well...I hadn't really considered that."
"I have."
"Yes?" I try and sound positive.
"My father, the King, loved my mother very much." She raises her chin slightly and sighs. "But, he was obsessed with the Boleyn woman, adored her for reasons that I could not, and still cannot, understand. That is why he divorced my mother. For her."
I feel a pang of guilt and blush slightly: we both know full well that Anne was related to me.
"Do you think that was right, Catherine?" Pushes Mary.
"It is not my place to question or debate the choices of the King."
"Then what about his Reformation, do you agree with it?"
"As I said, it is not my place to -"
"Oh, come now, Cromwell is dead, it is just us here, you may have whatever opinion you want." Interrupts Mary.
"The King's wishes are my own."
"Hmm...you do realise that Jane Seymour, God rest her soul," She crosses herself, "supported the old religion, as they call Catholicism now?"
"I have heard that speculation."
"It was all truth."
"Regardless of that, she did not ever disobey the King in his Protestant wishes."
"No, that is true."
"Lady Mary, I do hope that you and I can be good friends. It would make me and the King very happy indeed." I say, changing the subject.
"Perhaps I could take advice from you on how to act, as a Queen." Her voice is laced with almost undetectable sarcasm.
"I do hope so."
"Shall you be present at tonight's service, Catherine?"
"Why, of course."
"It is just, I have noticed that you have...missed a couple."
"Well how foolish of me. Yes, I shall be there."
"Until tonight then." Mary stands and curtseys. "I bid you good day."
"And you too, Mary." I watch her leave with a sense of disappointment, that was not a successful first meeting.
The Lady Mary was right about one thing: I have missed some services. The thing is, I do not like being under public scrutiny, and church services are the centre of scrutiny. Nevertheless, now that my devout step-daughter has picked up on my absence, I shall make a concerted effort to attend as many as possible.
***
The evening light casts colourful patterns onto the stone floor through the intricate windows of the chapel. I am mesmerised by that beautiful view as the priest rattles on. It is not often that I actually get a quiet moment to myself to think about everything, to consider. I watch as Henry and Mary stand up. They're standing. I get up quickly to avoid being left behind and follow their actions. I watch out of the corner of my eye as Mary responds to the service, mirroring her every move and appearing as devout as her.
The service ends finally and I follow Henry out, glad for the fresh air after the damp, stuffy atmosphere of the chapel. Henry smiles down at my as I cling onto his arm, my head resting gently on his shoulder. He plants a small kiss on my lips and murmurs something about me being his rose. I giggle as he takes great pride in having me by his side.
Moments like this make me pleased to be in my position, and for a few seconds I almost forget about my secret. Once again, my emotions switch and my façade appears.
It is certainly an interesting thing: to be a Queen.
A/N:
Thank you for reading, I never dreamt that this would get over 200 reads! 🎉
Issy ❤️
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