The Royal Seamstress | ONC2020

Chapter 5: Distress

I couldn't concentrate. I thought of Margaret all the time. Every day could be her last day at court, or even alive. Every day she could be arrested by the King's soldiers on false accusations and imprisoned in the Tower. Lord Norfolk held the power while Margaret just was a little puppet in his play. Perhaps I had been too hard on her. Afterall I had promised her to talk with the King on her behalf, and I would. I had to do as I had promised.

I had finished the first if the three dresses. The first made of earthly sunshine was ready for showing, but my plan was to show all the dresses at once to impress the King the most. I hadn't answered his letter yet, and five hours had passed. Margaret had gone to bed and I sat alone with a little candlelight and worked to make the deadline.

I rose and walked to the window. Opening it and looking into the night. Fresh air touched my face. Kissing the cheeks with a light breeze. It made me smile and thinking of my childhood and all the happy memories with my older brother, as we had played in the streets. My brother was now married and had two children. I hadn't seen him for ages. I only knew about the children since he wrote to me, as I got my position at court, asking me if I could get him a job at court. Things were tight for him and his family, but I had had no power or impact on the King at the time and my answer had held bad news for him.

"Elizabeth," a voice said, and I spun around. The King was standing right in front of me with a little smile.

"Henry," I said, forgetting to address him properly. "What are you doing down here at this hour?"

"You didn't answer my letter. I came to get an answer."

"The answer is no. I'm not coming to your rooms, Majesty, since I'm busy and have a lot of work to do. You gave me a quite hard task."

"As far as I can see, you're standing by the window. What are you thinking about?"

"My childhood, your Majesty."

"You don't have to address me this formally, Elizabeth. Just by my name." He stepped closer. I stepped back, until my back hit the wall, and he was towering over me. "Let us speak freely."

"I'm just thinking about my brother. He wrote to me when I came to court, asking me if could get him a better position since he and his wife almost can't feed their two children." I looked him in the eye. They were beautiful. He was a handsome man, but too far above me.

"I know you wish me to help you, but I don't know if it's a good idea. If I give your brother who's a commoner a good position everyone else will ask the same of me."

"I know, your Majesty."

"Elizabeth, no titles," he reminded me.

"Sorry." I looked at the ground. "Why are you talking to me like we have known each other always?"

"Because you're something special."

"I don't understand. I'm just a girl with poor relations. You even killed my mother. Why should I have any trust in you."

"The old seamstress was your mother?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, she was. I loved her, Henry. Why did you do it?"

"She was a heretic."

"No more than you are," I said angrily. "You were catholic yourself, and now the whole of England is confused about what religion to practice since you're burning both Lutherans and Catholics side by side. People are afraid, Henry. They are afraid to do something wrong and being sentenced for something, which aren't their fault since you haven't put down the pillars of The Church of England yet."

"You shouldn't be speaking this way to me, Elizabeth. I'm your King."

"You said we could speak freely, and I just did," I said. "And my mother wasn't a heretic, she was just confused like everyone else."

Henry just stared at me. Not saying anything. Suddenly he put his hand on my cheek and stepped close to me. Leaning his body against mine. I tried to step to the side, but he had trapped me with his body. I could feel the warmth from him all the way through his clothes. I looked up at him, scared.

"Are you afraid, Elizabeth?" he asked in a tender voice.

"Yes, Henry. I am. I don't understand why you are this way."

"I'm attracted to you."

"But you have the Queen?" I said. "She's beautiful."

"Yes, but she's not very free of mind. She's timid and relaxed like a little angel, but I like some spark."

"So, you want me because I have spark," I said angrily. "You need to understand something, Henry. I'm not some slave you can use as you like. I will not be a whore. I want to marry a respectable man and be true to him."

"I would not use you like a whore. I like you."

"That's not good enough."

"Listen, if I could marry you, I would, but it's not an option. You're not of noble blood and England wouldn't accept you. The only way I can have you is if you want to be my mistress."

"I can't. Please, let me go, Henry."

Instead of letting go he pressed himself closer to me. He looked me into the eyes, and I stared back. A part of me was planning to hit him and trying to run but he was taller than the average man and I would never be able to outrun him. Not even on a field of grass. His hand still was on my cheek. He stroked it light across it, then moving one finger over my lips.

"Elizabeth," he whispered, before placing his lips on mine. My body stiffened. It was a new feeling I had never experienced before. I liked it, and it made me afraid at the same time. I wasn't supposed to like it this much. But before I knew it, I was already returning his kisses with mine. His lips were soft and warm. I felt divided inside. I had already committed a great sin by letting him kiss me. Now there was no way back and I continued the sin with all I had in me. His hands gripped my body, pulling it against him. His kisses became greedier and his was about pull of my gown, when I pulled away.

"Henry," I said in a low voice. "Let me complete my task."

"Will you think about being my mistress?"

"Yes."

Word count: 1126 words.

Total word count: 5915 words.