The Other Tudor Girl ((Slowly Updating))

Chapter 1 (rewrite)

{A/N the rewrites will not change the story line drastically, they will include fixing some grammar errors and addition of more detail. Yes there may be scenes that are added or taken away. All that is done is to aid the progress of the book and give it a proper plot further on.}

"Wait up, Kate!" The voice of a young boy shouts through the meadows, the only other thing which can be heard is a nearby stream and the sound of birds chirping.

The boy, with light brown locks bouncing gently, runs toward his sister. The girl he was shouting after, Kate, stops in her tracks. Her eyes twinkling with excitment before she starts to run away once more.

Edward, little Mary, and Kate trot cheerfully through the grass as their mother and father walk slowly behind them. Yet unknown to the children, one of them didn't belong to the couple.

Catherine at age 14, Edward 14, and little Mary 8, run around and play a game called "tag" in which one person runs and tries to "tag" another and then it that person tries to "tag" another and so on.

Lady Mary spots a figure in the distance and stops, fixing her blue velvet dress with a glance toward her husband. When the figure is close enough she gives a gentle curtsy, seeing that this person was a messenger from someone important.

"I am a messenger from the French queen, she has sent a letter to you." The man declares simply as he handed over the letter.

"Thank you sir." Mary acknowledged. And the man walks back into the distance, to not be seen again. Mary turns around to her husband with a furrowed brow.

"What might this be?" 

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When the family was back in their cottage and the children were all ready for bed, Mary called for Catherine. 

When Catherine came into the room, Mary signaled her to sit next to her on a chair. The young girl carefully patted her white nightgown under her as she sat down.

"Kate, my dear." She began, "here is a letter that I received today, it is written for both of us." 

There was a slight pause in her speech "It is from the queen of France." 

Mary could tell that Kate was unsure of what it meant, except that it was something of great importance.

It read-

Dear Mary Howard and Catherine Boleyn,

I the queen of France, request that Catherine Boleyn serve as one of my loyal ladies. The former queen of England, Queen Anne Boleyn requested that Catherine Boleyn who is far in her family to serve me. It is a promise that I wish to keep for my friend that passed.

After a fortnight as you received this letter, a carriage will come to receive Catherine. She will be brought to where my court and that of your country meets for the upcoming celebrations.

 I also request that Mary Howard comes with Catherine for this occasion.

Queen Anastasia

Catherine reads the letter alongside with her mother, glancing over it at least twice more.

 "I shan't go. Why would some dead queen want me to serve the French queen? This makes no sense and I shall not go." Catherine shouts. Her young age is reflected in her quick outburst.

"Kate! Why would you not? This is a great honor, I myself would have done anything to be able to see to such an honor." Mary tries to talk to Catherine, still unsure of how to convince her. There is no way to turn down such a request, no matter how dangerously close it might bring her to finding out the truth.

"Why would I? I have a happy life already." Catherine responds quickly.

 "Anyhow, you have no other option. You can't say no to a queen without ending up with a terrible fate. Such as beheading I must say." Hopefully a slightly teasing tone will ease up the tension.

Catherine looks as if she is thinking of an opposing argument.

"I guess if I must then I will do it." She looks down as she picks at one of her fingernails.

"So seems that you will." Mary replies and stands up. "Come. I will allow you to take take 2 of my own dresses with you, since you will see court life."

Catherine shows a look of pure joy. 

The Howards and Boleyn's were two very wealthy families. They were able to afford dresses for all occasions. Though in the past years, as Mary retired to a quiet country life with her new husband, she didn't find the need for so many luxories. Especially after having seen what it did to the rest of her family. 

Mary had pulled out a few dresses from the bottom of an old trunk, one that wasn't opened since her leave from court.

The dresses were not new styles, but they were timelessly gorgeous, enough to speak wealth without being looked down on for their age.

Catherine points to an elaborate red dress which had fur dangling from the sleeves and parts in the skirt exposed to show a decorated fabric.

She asks, "Is that one alright?" Mary nods her head. "I pulled out everything that would be alright for you to take. 

Catherine smiles and keeps looking through the dresses, there were many plain single colored ones, but she already had many of those and needed something that shows off who she is. 

Despite this, she finds herself staring at a plainer green one, with slightly darker decorated fabrics in some areas.

She looks at her mother and she again nods approvingly

 Mary speaks as she takes the dress into her hands, "This dress actually belonged to my sister", she points out, "who once caught the eye of our King Henry." 

She walks over to a table on the far corner of the room. Opening a small jewelry box, inside is a pearl necklace that had a "B" dangling from it with 3 small pearls attached to the bottom. The famous necklace her late sister donned so often at court.

"This necklace goes really well with the green dress, it also belonged to my sister"

"Thank you mother." Catherine kisses her mother on the cheek and Mary kisses back on the forehead.