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𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐒only moments after she walks away from Lina that Catherine sees Anne Boleyn and her sister, Mary, enter the courtyard of Westminster. The two young girls were happily skipping along but are soon stopped and greeted by the princess.
"Hello," Catherine greets, causing the two to come to a stop, "What's your name?"
"Anne," the younger girl replies, her soft voice filling the princess's ears. The Spanish princess smiles softly at her and puts on her kindest face and smile.
"Anne, did you see the prince and princess today, Prince Harry and Princess Alexandra?" Catherine asks in a soothing tone.
The little girl only shakes her head and says softly, "They're gone."
"Gone? Gone where?" Catherine asks. When Anne doesn't respond, Catherine bends down to her height, "Anne, do you know?"
Anne doesn't get to respond before the voice of Wiltshire - one of King Henry's advisor's and a member of the privy council - travels through the air, "Highness."
At the sound of his voice, Anne and her sister run off, as Wiltshire continues, "Catherine I mean you no offense, but you time at court - it's behind you."
"I wish to see the Prince of Wales and his twin sister," Catherine replies in a short tone. She straightens her back and despite the height difference between the pair, she keeps her eyes as intimidating as possible. The Englishmen seems unconcerned by it and meets her stare straight on.
"The prince and princess are gone," he informs her, as everyone else has, "They will be married. Their lives, especially the prince's is not your business, and nor is any matter of the court. The longer you stay here, the more you will demean yourself. Return to Spain, I beg of you. Give up this folly."
With that he walks away, leaving Catherine to glare at him as he goes. Lina gives her wary look from her place and yet the redhead ignores it and walks off, anger boiling in her chest.
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It is later that night that a knock comes to the door of Catherine's living quarters. She moves to the door quickly, opening it swiftly, only to come face to face with Mr. Dudley, who is in charge of all matters of money in England and part of the privy council.
"Lady Catherine," he greets politely - though his tone is hard and cold.
"Mr. Dudley," Catherine replies, a bit nicer than Dudley.
"Sad to say, your rent is overdue," he says, his tone showing false sympathy. He pushes past her, walking into her house. Catherine sighs, quickly closing the door and following after him.
"The rent is paid already," she assures the man once they get into her living and eating room.
"We have receipt of payment," Lina adds as she goes through a few papers occupying their table. She shuffles through them rather quickly, finding the one that proves they've paid. She shows it to him.
"The rent is now eight pounds a month," Dudley replies as he disregards the receipt.
"Eight pounds?" Catherine scoffs, "No, it is one pound, fifteen shillings."
"It has increased from this month onwards," Dudley replies in a dull tone.
"This is Lady Margaret's doing," Catherine mutters to herself.
"It's a decision for the church," Dudley counters, "It is their property."
"We cannot pay this," Catherine admits, shaking her head in dismay, "It would take all the gold we have."
"A thousand pities, madam, but if the rent cannot be met, then you must leave," the treasury replies without a drop of care in his tone. With that, he turns, leaving the living quarters. Lina follows after him, slamming the door behind him, but not before giving a glare that could kill.
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Dearest Harry,
Though I have not heard from you, I hold fast to my-our love. I believe I was born to love you as the sun exists to shine upon the roses in the palace garden. You are my destiny, and I will not forsake you. Come back to me, wherever you may be.
With all my love,
Catherine
She opens her window after she finishes the letter. She looks down at it one more time before letting it go. The wind sweeps it up and she watches as it disappears into the night sky.
Little does Catherine know, Harry loves and will always love one woman and that woman is Alexandra Tudor.
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It is that night that Catherine had a nightmare. It was more than a nightmare, more of a foreshadowing, but the young princess did not know it at the time. In the nightmare, she stands in Westminster Palace. She is surrounded by love letters, like the ones she and Harry exchanged.
Suddenly, Harry appears in the hall.
"I need you," Catherine whispers, running towards him. When she reaches him, she embraces him with all the love and passion she can muster up. She feels all encircling bliss for a moment, until she realizes Harry is not embracing her back. She is confused by this and pulls away from him.
"Harry? What is wrong?" She questions rather desperately.
"I love another, Catherine," Harry admits, "And I always have and always will."
And after that, he disappears and the dream becomes warped and odd.
She is startled awake when she sees an image of Harry kissing a blond haired girl without a face. Their embrace is passionate and all-encompassing. It is so intense it startles her awake and she sits straight up in bed, a cold sweat coating her body as she tries to desperately catch her breath.
Unfortunately for her, she shakes off the dream she just had, passing it off as a nightmare. Little did she know at the time, that would be the biggest mistake of her life and it would cost her greatly.
