The other woman

Letters

I had no heard from Anne in a while so to receive these letters while with mr.wellfire was strange.

Dear Sofia
I know it has been a while since you heard from me, I sadly had a miscarriage and lost a baby boy for Henry. The circumstances around the loss of my babe, is as follows Henry was doing a jousting tournament and was injuried. The news of this put my body into such a state i lost my babe. Henry blames himself. I'm sure in no time I will have another baby. Elizabeth is growing well and is beautiful the spitting image of her father.
I hope this letter comes soon.

Anne

Dearest Sofia

This letter comes once again with bad news. I caught Henry with one of my ladies in waiting, Jane Seymour. This but so much anger and pain in my heart I lost the baby again. I am worried Sofia, what if I can't bear another child. I am always so stressed when pregnant, Henry is always with other women. And the constant need for a heir is so much. I fear for my life some days. But I hope to be pregnant again. I hope everything is well.
I hope the children are well.

Anne

Dearest Sofia
I once again lost another baby. After this Henry was angry. He means to divorce me and marry Jane Seymour. I hope I can become pregnant once again to keep him. I won't accept this divorce.i can't Sofia. Please send me some hope

Anne.

Dearest Sofia.

I have been charged with adultery against his majesty. Sofia I did not cheat I couldn't I was and still am devoted to Henry. He calls Elizabeth a bastard and not his! She issue spitting image of him she is his twin. I am so scared. They will kill me Sofia I know it. I have written to Mary to see if she can help me

Anne

Dearest Sofia

I am convicted of adultery. He will execute me. My beloved brother George has been killed as well. As he was named as one of my lovers, oh Sofia I could never do that.i am scared for Lizzie my darling baby. I have written to Mary to tell her your lizzies godmother in all aspect. Please I hope your return one day to see her and make sure she is ok. I have also instructed my ladies to give a letter to lizzies new governess after my death. The letter includes my announcement that your her godmother and should be kept informed of her growth and well being. As I won't be able to from this world. I wish I could have seen you once more in person. As I will be gone soon. Probably before you get this letter. I loved you Sofia your my friend a sister to me. When I go to heaven I will be greeted by George and your mother I will tell her all you have done. I hope my daughter Elizabeth will be strong like you and maybe one day rule England. She deserves too. Please watch out for Lizzie. Please come back one day and see her she should get to know of her amazing godmother who I know would have done anything for her mother as well as her. I am scared to die but i know that one day everyone will know I am innocent. I was falsely accused. I die as queen of England. And I hope one day your goddaughter will be one as well.

I love you dear Sofia until we meet again in another life

Your Anne.

After I finished reading the letters tears swarm to my eyes. I look at mr.wellfire.
" when" is all I say to him. " the day after she wrote that letter and handed it to me was she executed and kings Henry married Jane Seymour a few days after as well." he says frowning. " I am so sorry sultana " he says as I stand up. " I am sorry mr.wellfire I can not continue meeting under this news please come again in a few days " I say walking away. He nods and is lead away. As soon as I am far enough I start to run. By the time I Enter the palace I have thrown off my cloak as my maids race after me. Tears are streaming down my face as I run as fast as I can to the privy chamber. When I get in front of the doors Ibrahim is just leaving seeing me crying he offers me to go inside. I walk inside and bow and his majesty turns around in surprise. As soon as he sees my face he opens his arms and I race into them and he lets me cry. My friend was dead, my friend a fellow queen who was innocent was dead on a false charge created by the man who married her ,all becuase she could not give him a son. I cry for what seems like hours. Finally he wipes away my tears. " was it the ambassador did he do anything wrong did he upset you in any way, I will execute him and send his head to his king to make a point I'll... " he says as I shake my head. " he did nothing wrong, it's Anne the queen my... my ... friend " I saw almost crying again. " what's wrong did something happen?" He asks pulling me in closer. I nod my head."yes she has be executed " I say and tears roll down my face. " oh my love I am so sorry "he says pulling me closer. " she lost her baby's and Henry got tired of that's so he brought false charges against her so he could get rid of her " I say. " how do you know they were false?" He ask. " Anne could never comment adultery, she fought tooth and nail to marry him so why go to another " I say. He thinks about this and nods. " she named me her daughter ,Elizabeth ,as my god daughter, I am heartbroken for Anne and Lizzie, they didn't deserve this fate" I say as I continue to cry.he rubs my back and holds me close. "The king still expects an alliance but I will not do it I can I am so sorry my love. He killed my friend a fellow queen. " I say whimpering. " we don't need him, he has harmed my beloved sultana he will not get what he desires we can send that ambassador off as soon as possible to deliver the announcement " he says. "No not yet , I want mr.wellfire to stay I will continue my meeting with him before we send him off . I want him to remain a friend to us I need someone to inform me about Elizabeth and how she is and what is going on in England, he will be my alliance in a country that doesn't deserve it" I say. " very well he is a good man and if you wish him to be your alliance so be it " he says kissing the top of my head. " Süleyman I have to go back one day to England not now maybe not for a while, but I must, I have to make sure Elizabeth is ok, I need to see how she turns out, she is so young, I believe her mother is right she will be queen one day and I want to see her when she has blossomed into a strong young women like her mother " I say turning to him. " we will see your my woman, my consort I don't know if that can happen but we will see " he say holding me. " if not to see Elizabeth then to make sure Henry knows that he messed with the wrong woman and chose wrong, and that it will be his down fall" I say. He nods and continues to console me. " she did nothing wrong, she was so stressed his need for a heir drove her body to harm " I say. " I'm sure your right she did nothing wrong, a man desires an heir but should not force stress upon a women to get it " he says. " I named Anastasia after Anne, I thought it would a beautiful gesture, I thought maybe one day our children would meet , but now that will never happen" I say. " you did not name our darling daughter after her I named her after her, as she was a blessing as was knowing Anne " he says. I smile at his comment. " will you be ok ? I have some work to do, I will come see you later" he says helping me up. I nod and he leads me to the door and before I leave I receive a kiss on my forehead. I walk out the chamber doors and is greeted by my maids. I nod and we walk to my room. " sultana your back quickly " aya said. I put my hand up to say not now. She nods and takes the children indoor but I stop her . " bring my children to me, and bring my black gown I wish to change" she nods and brings my children out to me. I take my daughter in my arm and my son hugs me, I smile at there innocence. They don't know of the cruel world and for that I am grateful. They truly are my world and I wish Anne could have had what I had. She left behind a daughter who would continue her legacy. After a while I had my other maid Maya take the children to their room and aya brought out my black gown. " Sofia ?" She asks. "Anne is dead she was executed " I say solemnly. Aya gasps at my news. I hand her the letters I had been clutching and she looks at me with sorrow and pity. "Bring me my black dress I will be in mourning for Anne for a week then I will go on with life, bring my black scarf and black gemstone tiara as well" I say. She nods and hands me the gown then goes off to find them. Anne would have love the tiara. I slowly undo my dress and then begin to put on my black gown it has lace on the top and comes up to my neck it was elegant like Anne. My poor god daughter was now a bastard in the eyes of the country and her father. In my eyes she was a princess and would one day be queen, I cursed Henry to never have a son and if he did may it not reign long may he die young so Elizabeth would be queen. I hope heaven heard my curse and that it would come true. I cursed Henry's male line may it die with him or his son. May his daughter succeed him. Aya returned and when I saw the crown I stoped her from placing it on me. " bring me Koran I wish to pray for Anne I will wear my crown after my prayer " I say. She nods and went to fetch it for me. She set it up in front of my and I began to pray. I hoped Anne's soul would hear my prayer and be at peace. I prayed for a hour. And when I was done I allowed aya to place my crown on me. " even in pain you look radiant sultana" she said as I adjusted my jewelry. " thank you aya" I say. " may that king be cursed with problems may he never keep a wife as wonderful as Anne till he dies " aya said cursing Henry. "Amen aya amen " I respond. " the alliance will not go through will it " she says. I shake my head without Anne the alliance was done. No queen could replace her in my heart and no queen would. I then had my children brought back to me and I sang to them and played with them. When it was time for them to rest. I called for aya " have the kitchen make halva and bring it with my supper I will have to to mourn Anne " I say. She nods and goes off to the kitchen. I think of all the times I played with Anne and Mary even George sometimes. I smile when a memory of the girls comes to mind. They ,being Mary and Anne ,had decided that George and me should one day marry so we could truly be sisters,their father even agreed to the match only if we promised to wait till I was past 8 . We were young then and thought we could do anything. If only those days had lasted. After a while aya arrived back with my supper. I ate with my children in silence. My little Ana was still needing to be feed by breast but dan was now being fed by aya. After I was done my meal I picked up Ana and rocked her. She was smiling as if to say it will be ok mummy. She was my angel. I undid my dress top and began to fed her. When a knock came at the door his majesty had come but he put his hand up to say continue. He sat next to me and looked at Ana. She ate until she was full then wanted her father. He held he and then handed her off to aya to put her to bed. He then pulled me in close and held me. " how are you now ?" He asked. " better still saddened but my tears have dried up " I say. " good your wearing black ?" He asks. " yes I will wear it for a week then return I believe Anne would have liked it this way" I say. He nods and kisses my head. After a while he leaves for the night. I decided I will give myself a day to completely calm down before I see mr.wellfire again. If I saw him this minute I would possibly rip his head off. Though it was no fault of his own. The next morning valide sultana visited me. " I cam to see my grandchildren, and I heard you received bad new, from the colour of your gown I am willing to assume someone died" she said sitting down next to me hold Ana. I was holding dan. " yes our alliance with England will not be happening, his majesty Henry the eight executed his Queen Anne , who was my dear friend" I said. "Oh I am very sorry, my condolences on the loss of your friend" she said patting my shoulder. " I am as well but thank you anne was a good woman she was innocent of her charged that was accused on her, I am mourning her loss for the week then I will be better " I say. "Very good dear" she said and then went back to fussing over her grandchildren. She soon left and I decided to devote the day to my children and praying.

The next day I decided to meet with mr.wellfire in the garden. I had a tent set up so we could sit. I arrived first and sat he then arrived soon after" sultana" he said bowing I then Signaled for him to take a sit. "Thank you for meeting with me " I said. He smiled and nodded. "When you go back England I wish for you to visit again, I need you to keep me informed on what is happening in England and with princess Elizabeth, her mother had named me as godmother , which will be a secret you will keep, you are my friend mr.wellfire and your welcomed in my country when ever, your the only alliance that I will have with England, his majesty and I agree that after what has happened we will not make an alliance with England even though England has been expecting it. Anne was my tie to the alliance and with out her it's not worth it. Hence why I need to you deliver that message to the king and keep me informed about the princess and court." I say. "Of course sultana it's my honour time do this for you, Queen Anne did not deserve what happened to her, I will be happy to keep you informed and please we have known each other for quite a while call me John" he said." Thank you John I will also want you to meet with princess Elizabeth's new governess as I want updates from her as well as you, Anne did write a letter to her but I am unsure if it was delivered in her death, I have written one as well that should be taken to her, Elizabeth is young she will need guidance but mustn't know of me as her godmother not yet , when she is older"I say. " of course I will deliver the messages myself to ensure no one interferes" he said. I handed him the letters one for the Governess and one for John to read to the king when he returned to court. " I hope your voyage will be good and please send word when you arrive in England I want to know your safe" I say standing up. " of course sultana I give you my word" he said standing up. I smiled and he bowed and was off to return to England. I hoped he would arrive as soon as possible and tell the king how turkey would not be his friend. Only we would be friends with his future heir, the one day hopefully Queen Elizabeth of England.