Broken timeline - Part One

Chapter Seventeen - An Unexpected Visitor

'Ow ow ow !'
My head was burning, I could barely open my eyes and I felt like I was experiencing the biggest hangover of my life. I looked around me, panicked and fearing that I would still be with whoever tried to poison me last night.
To my surprise, I was in my rooms, wearing nothing but a very light dress made out of thin linen. My hair was down and my dress had been carefully folded and put on the chair next to the wardrobe along with the jewelry that I was wearing last night.

"What the hell ?" I said. Before I could even try and stand up, I felt a sudden pain in between my eyebrows. Speaking was triggering my migraine and I was suddenly lightheaded. I crashed on the bed, looking up at the wood panel ceiling and tried to remember the events of last night.
How had I ended up here safely ? Did I dream it ?
I hid my face away from the light coming through the drapes with the covers, trying to calm down my headache.
After a few seconds, I heard someone opening the door.

"Good morning My Lady ! Did you sleep well ?" Margaret's voice  was way too high pitched for me to handle right now.
I rolled over and turned around to face her, she was carrying what looked like fresh sheets and a tiny box. She stared at me with a very petrified look on her face, like she had seen a dead body.

"Um... No... not... well..." was all I could say without feeling like my brain was about to explode out of my skull. I rolled over and buried my head underneath the gigantic pillow, hoping that she would get the hint and leave me alone.

"Oh dear, are you still sick? I believe you got a little too enthusiastic during your first hall gathering ! The wine and ale can be so strong ! Agnes, one of her majesty's Ladies in waiting once told me that a page boy drank so much wine, he got lost in the castle and was found two days later in the stables ! Poor man !" she said.

"I only drank one glass... and ... never mind Maggie... please... my head is killing me.... would you be so kind as to let me remain alone in this room for a while ? I think I need to rest for a moment". As I said that, I could feel my fever rising up again. She came closer to me and put her hand on my forehead then quickly removed it.

"My Lady you do seem unwell... I cannot leave you in such a state ! I believe you are coming down with a fever, I will go fetch for help this instant !" she said running out of the door.

I tried to stop her but it was too late, she was already gone. I tried to get out of bed but I felt like I weighed three hundred pounds, my legs were trembling and I felt shivers throughout my whole body.

'That's it, we're gonna die here' said my mind. Who knew that I could be so morbid ?
Before I knew it, she was back with someone that looked more like a mortician than an actual doctor. He looked at me up and down before he started asking questions to Margaret. I could barely hear them through my headache but Margaret said something that caught my attention.

"No Sir, she attended last night's feast perfectly healthy but then came back to her rooms, in great agony. She looked very distressed but she reeked of wine. I thought that she enjoyed herself quite a bit and got carried away with her drinking...", she said with an apologizing voice.

What ? Wait, I came back to my rooms on my own  ? Alone ?

"Well... this looks like a mere case of alcoholic intoxication. Well then, she needs to keep to her bed and rest."

'A hangover ?! You mean to tell me that I feel like I'm going to die because... I got drunk on one freaking glass of wine ?! What the heck dude ! Where the hell did he get his diploma from ? Is he even licenced ?!' Screamed my mind.

"If she does not get any better before sundown, give her this", he continued
I couldn't see what it was, but I was sure of one thing, I was not going to drink anything from that man, or from anyone else ever again ! After the pretend doctor left the room, I tried to stand up and looked at Margaret. She was holding and examining a small vial that contained a very dark liquid.

"What is it ?"I asked.
Margaret looked up and had a huge grin on her face. "Oh my Lady you're up ! This is the tonic that the physician gave me ! He said..."

"I know what he said, I heard him ... But Margaret tell me... Did I really come back alone last night ?" I asked hoping that what I had experienced hadn't happened.

She looked at me, hesitant, clearly debating wether or not to tell me the truth.
"Well, My Lady I do apologize but I did not want to tell the physician the truth for I feared that it might tarnish your reputation. And mother always said that a Lady's reputation was her greatest weapon in life."

She paused, looking down and toying with the vial between her hands.
"Lady Emma, last night... you gave me such a fright... I had never seen anyone in such a state. I spent the whole night caring for you but I feared that every passing moment would be your last... and when I saw him with you..." she said sobbing.

"Maggie... who was with me ?" I asked, shaking.

"Sir Thomas More. He was carrying you and made me swear not to tell a single soul in the castle about this event. Not even to you ! He advised me to make you believe that you had suddenly fallen ill... But My Lady I cannot lie to you. You have been so kind to me and I ... I feared that he would come back so I stayed up all night by your side !"

What. The. Actual. Hell.

I was shocked. Completely shocked by what I had just heard. I felt like I had been betrayed by my best friend. I had admired him for so long, why on earth would he try to poison me?
But when I think about it, it makes makes sense, he's after all a philosopher and humanist; so I wouldn't be surprised if he knew his way through pharmaceuticals.
But why me ? He must be the only one at court that isn't driven by ulterior motives...

"My lady ? Are you alright ?" Maggie asked,
"Yes... I do feel a little better..." I said, still thinking about what she had just said.

I turned around to go and lie down on the bed to try and process everything when I remembered that when I arrived here, I had my clothes with me... and my bag that had my emergency kit in it, along with Ibuprofen! Thank god I'm saved !

"Maggie, where have you put my things? The one that I came with ?" I asked her, trying to sound nonchalant.

« Oh they are in the wardrobe My Lady, along with your... Erm... satchel ? » she said

I thanked her and walked towards the wardrobe to retrieve my holy grail.
'Good thinking Em!' Said my inner mind, 'Looks like we won't die here after all !'
Oh just shut up.

I took out two pills, thankfully they were the dissolvable kind. No more wine for me, or anything that had not be tested by someone else before. After a few minutes I could already feel my migraine fading away.

"My lady what are you doing ?"asked Maggie
Oh Shit ! I forgot that she had been watching me the whole time, so I decided to explain myself to her to avoid any suspicions.

"Oh nothing just taking a special tonic that was given to me... by my erm... physician in Cambridge !" I said. She nooded and reverted back to whatever she was doing.

'Phew that was close...'
I was rummaging through my purse when I noticed that I had also completely forgotten about my phone, as I reached for it, I heard a loud knock on the door. Margaret went to open it and suddenly froze.

"Who is it Maggie ?" I asked her, but before I knew it, I heard two people entering the room. I turned around and dropped my bag on the floor, my mouth wide open in shock. "Your Majesty !" said Maggie, suddenly curtsying half shakingly.

Henry was in the room, but he wasn't alone. Along with him was, Sir Thomas More.

Oh...no...