Fixed.
We will see more in the next post, but Charles' affair with Germaine is not yet over.
WI: All of Katherine of Aragon's children live to adulthood
- Thread starter Dame Violet
- Start date
We will see more in the next post, but Charles' affair with Germaine is not yet over.
She'll have to deal, I suppose, as Charles' daughter was born BEFORE their marriage, so it's not like he cheated...
Interlude-Snatches of passages from various historical novels
"Is our daughter not worthy of a king?" Henry demanded, stalking around the room like a caged lion. "Do you not think that our precious emerald does not deserve to be queen?"
Had she not possessed an ounce of decorum, Katherine might have rolled her eyes. "Not to a heathen. Worse, a heathen who usurped my niece's son's future inheritance."
Henry grunted, turning his back to her. "The politics of foreign countries are not my concern."
Katherine took a deep breath, struggling to remain calm. Had she not just lectured Lady Nan that future countesses do not lose their tempers. "Husband, would you be saying such a thing if it were King James or had the French match for Mary gone through, her son being usurped? Would you stand down, leaving them to their own devices, let alone insult them by offering a bride to their usurpers?"
Henry turned and glared at her. "You grow too bold, Kate."
Katherine hid a smirk. She was unperturbed by his rebuke, knowing full well that if her husband was truly angry at her, he would be storming out of her chambers in a huff. He merely was being sulky over the fact that she had a point. Now it was time for a little soothing of the male ego. "Henry, mi amour, you know I would never dream of contradicting you if this did not plague my conscience. My poor niece died of a broken heart, her children exiled and homeless. Worse the two men who now sit on her husband's thrones, have turned from the true church, supporting the heretic Luther. The very man you have condemned, gaining the title of defender of the true faith."
"You have made your point, Madame." Henry's gruff tone had an once of humor in it. He swept up to her, his scowl was twitching into a smile as he beheld his wife. "Quite strenuously, I might add."
"You ask me for my opinions, dearest husband," Katherine reminded him coyly. "Would you rather I did not give my true thoughts?"
Henry grabbed her waist pulling her close to him. "Could I really stop you?"
"You are my husband, I am bound to obey," Katherine murmured, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Perhaps she should be rather appalled that he was looking at her with hungry eyes in the middle of the afternoon. But ever since Charles' birth, Henry had been showering her with love and devotion, never even glancing at another woman. Anne Stafford, Bess Blount, and Mary Boleyn had been passing fancies, she knew that. However, knowing that her husband had affection for another woman had hurt her. So to have him now, loving her and only her was something she lapped up with great joy, wanting to hold on to his love as though it was a precious jewel.
The queen's thoughts were interrupted by her husband sucking on her neck as he lifted her skirts, pushing her against the wall. "And what would you say if I told you I wanted you here and now?"
Katherine sized his face with her hands, drawing him close. "Why use words when actions do so much more?" She questioned rhetorically before smashing their lips together.
No more words were exchanged as they became lost in the throes of passion.
"My darling Isabel," he kissed her forehead and ushered to a chair. "Come. Sit. Is our boy giving you trouble?" He placed his hand on her swollen belly.
The corners of Isabel's mouth twitched upwards. "A son? Weren't you so certain Margarita was a son?"
Charles grinned at her. "I was mistaken, that is true, but I suspect that like my grandmother and my mother, we merely had a girl first and our second child shall be a boy."
"Will you be disappointed if it is another girl?" Isabel wondered.
Charles paused momentarily, considering her words. "I am the Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, and ruler of the Low Countries," he recited. "I shall need a son eventually. However, we are young, Isabel, I have no doubt we shall have an equal amount of sons as we will daughters."
Isabel smiled, stroking his face lovingly, only to freeze when she remembered why she had come in the first place. "Husband, my brother has written. He feels that the dowager and her daughter should return to Portugal."
Charles frowned, angered that John had seemingly gone behind his back. "I know of his request. I have denied it. Germaine and Infanta Maria will remain in Spain for as long as they desire."
"Why?" Isabel asked, knowing full well what the answer was. However, she refused to know because if she knew she would get angry at the betrayal her poor father suffered and the fact that her husband continued to flaunt his dirty secret in front of everyone. Does he still go to that woman's bed? Did he do so when my father was alive?
"Because I do not want them gone," Charles answered flatly as if he expected that to settle the matter. "I would think that you would be so quick to dismiss your sister and your stepmother."
Isabel's temper flared, her nostrils flaring as she snarled, "She is not my sister, and that slut is not my mother!" She slammed a hand over mouth, horrified by the words that slipped from her lips----however truthful they were. However, she had said them and could not unsay them so instead she choose to double down. "We both know that Maria is your bastard who Germaine has pretended is my father's daughter. Seeing her next to our daughter has made her resemblance to you even more pronounced. They could be twins."
"That is enough!" Charles thundered. He then let out a heavy sigh. "Germaine and I did not realize she was pregnant when she married Manuel. It was an unfortunate oversight on our parts, but we did not intend to deceive your father. I swear to you that my relationship with Germaine has been long over."
The empress softened, wanting to believe----no, needing to believe him. She loved this man, loved him with all her heart. Since the day he had come to Portugal, escorting his step-grandmother. "It is over. Truly?"
Charles took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles. "I give you my word. I am yours only."
Isabel smiled, so pleased by his words, that she did not think to continue pushing him to send Germaine and Maria away.
Had she not possessed an ounce of decorum, Katherine might have rolled her eyes. "Not to a heathen. Worse, a heathen who usurped my niece's son's future inheritance."
Henry grunted, turning his back to her. "The politics of foreign countries are not my concern."
Katherine took a deep breath, struggling to remain calm. Had she not just lectured Lady Nan that future countesses do not lose their tempers. "Husband, would you be saying such a thing if it were King James or had the French match for Mary gone through, her son being usurped? Would you stand down, leaving them to their own devices, let alone insult them by offering a bride to their usurpers?"
Henry turned and glared at her. "You grow too bold, Kate."
Katherine hid a smirk. She was unperturbed by his rebuke, knowing full well that if her husband was truly angry at her, he would be storming out of her chambers in a huff. He merely was being sulky over the fact that she had a point. Now it was time for a little soothing of the male ego. "Henry, mi amour, you know I would never dream of contradicting you if this did not plague my conscience. My poor niece died of a broken heart, her children exiled and homeless. Worse the two men who now sit on her husband's thrones, have turned from the true church, supporting the heretic Luther. The very man you have condemned, gaining the title of defender of the true faith."
"You have made your point, Madame." Henry's gruff tone had an once of humor in it. He swept up to her, his scowl was twitching into a smile as he beheld his wife. "Quite strenuously, I might add."
"You ask me for my opinions, dearest husband," Katherine reminded him coyly. "Would you rather I did not give my true thoughts?"
Henry grabbed her waist pulling her close to him. "Could I really stop you?"
"You are my husband, I am bound to obey," Katherine murmured, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Perhaps she should be rather appalled that he was looking at her with hungry eyes in the middle of the afternoon. But ever since Charles' birth, Henry had been showering her with love and devotion, never even glancing at another woman. Anne Stafford, Bess Blount, and Mary Boleyn had been passing fancies, she knew that. However, knowing that her husband had affection for another woman had hurt her. So to have him now, loving her and only her was something she lapped up with great joy, wanting to hold on to his love as though it was a precious jewel.
The queen's thoughts were interrupted by her husband sucking on her neck as he lifted her skirts, pushing her against the wall. "And what would you say if I told you I wanted you here and now?"
Katherine sized his face with her hands, drawing him close. "Why use words when actions do so much more?" She questioned rhetorically before smashing their lips together.
No more words were exchanged as they became lost in the throes of passion.
----- A scene from The Spanish Pomegranate
"Husband, may I speak to you?" Emperor Charles looked up from his papers, his face lighting up when he saw his wife, looking as beautiful as she always did. He left the report his general had sent to him and immediately went to her side, embracing her."My darling Isabel," he kissed her forehead and ushered to a chair. "Come. Sit. Is our boy giving you trouble?" He placed his hand on her swollen belly.
The corners of Isabel's mouth twitched upwards. "A son? Weren't you so certain Margarita was a son?"
Charles grinned at her. "I was mistaken, that is true, but I suspect that like my grandmother and my mother, we merely had a girl first and our second child shall be a boy."
"Will you be disappointed if it is another girl?" Isabel wondered.
Charles paused momentarily, considering her words. "I am the Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, and ruler of the Low Countries," he recited. "I shall need a son eventually. However, we are young, Isabel, I have no doubt we shall have an equal amount of sons as we will daughters."
Isabel smiled, stroking his face lovingly, only to freeze when she remembered why she had come in the first place. "Husband, my brother has written. He feels that the dowager and her daughter should return to Portugal."
Charles frowned, angered that John had seemingly gone behind his back. "I know of his request. I have denied it. Germaine and Infanta Maria will remain in Spain for as long as they desire."
"Why?" Isabel asked, knowing full well what the answer was. However, she refused to know because if she knew she would get angry at the betrayal her poor father suffered and the fact that her husband continued to flaunt his dirty secret in front of everyone. Does he still go to that woman's bed? Did he do so when my father was alive?
"Because I do not want them gone," Charles answered flatly as if he expected that to settle the matter. "I would think that you would be so quick to dismiss your sister and your stepmother."
Isabel's temper flared, her nostrils flaring as she snarled, "She is not my sister, and that slut is not my mother!" She slammed a hand over mouth, horrified by the words that slipped from her lips----however truthful they were. However, she had said them and could not unsay them so instead she choose to double down. "We both know that Maria is your bastard who Germaine has pretended is my father's daughter. Seeing her next to our daughter has made her resemblance to you even more pronounced. They could be twins."
"That is enough!" Charles thundered. He then let out a heavy sigh. "Germaine and I did not realize she was pregnant when she married Manuel. It was an unfortunate oversight on our parts, but we did not intend to deceive your father. I swear to you that my relationship with Germaine has been long over."
The empress softened, wanting to believe----no, needing to believe him. She loved this man, loved him with all her heart. Since the day he had come to Portugal, escorting his step-grandmother. "It is over. Truly?"
Charles took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles. "I give you my word. I am yours only."
Isabel smiled, so pleased by his words, that she did not think to continue pushing him to send Germaine and Maria away.
----A scene from Rival of the Empress
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Ooh I really liked this, especially the scee between Catalina and Henry, I do wonder who it is they shall have their daughter marry instead?
I am glad you liked it. I am thinking a domestic match. Perhaps the Duke of Buckingham's grandson.
It is.
But why? Tudors were not yet so established, they needed those foreign ties. Henry only married domestically after foreign royals became wary of how he treated his wife - not a problem ITTL
I would say they are pretty established. Their son is due to marry the sister of the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Their elder daughters are marrying the King of Navarre and the Dauphin of France respectively. Besides had there been a worthy crown prince availible, Henry would have married Catherine to him immeditaly, but because there is not, he is choosing to instead make sure that Buckingham stays loyal.
Scotland wants a French princess and is still smarting over battle of Foldden Field.
That's true. I was initially wondering about Charles V and Isabella's son, but that's a big age gap. Maybe Poland? Although Sigismund II Augustus is a fair bit younger too.
I could be wrong, but I think Sigsmund is already due a Hapsburg bride.
Thank you.
In the lack of actual Habsburg brides being available (if that is a route you would consider) then Princess Catherine serves as a Habsburg proxy as a Habsburg relative
That is a good point. I think for now I will wait until she is a bit older before deciding.
Interlude----scenes from Historical Novels part II
"I am the King of England!" Prince Edward, the Duke of York, shouted, waving his wooden sword in the air. He was a boy of eleven, red-haired, blue-eyed and tall for his age. Many said he was the spitting image of his father.
"No you're not! I am!" Prince Harry contradicted hotly. Despite being two years older, the Prince of Wales was a head shorter than his brother, a pale complexion, and a thin visage.
John, ever the peacemaker, cut in. "It is just a game." He glanced over at their sisters who were busy reading Thomas More's Utopia. He wondered how they got along so well while it seemed that Henry and Edward couldn't be in the same room for more than five minutes before starting an argument.
"As Prince of Wales, I am our father's heir," Henry continued, not even acknowledging John's words. "Therefore, no matter what game we play, I am the King of England as it is my right."
Edward laughed mirthlessly, sneering at his brother. "And what an heir you are! You can't go a month without catching a cold, needing mother to come running to wipe your widdle nose. Poor Infanta Catherine. She came to England for a husband, but will be forced to act as nursemaid instead."
"How dare you! I could have you arrested for such slander!" Harry roared, his round cheeks becoming as red as his hair. His hands were clenched into fists and he took a fighting stance.
John quickly got in between the pair, unwilling to let a fight break out. He glanced again at his sisters, this time willing them to come and intervene. Elizabeth and Mary could stop a rampaging beast with just a fierce glare while Cathy only needed to widened her tear filled eyes to melt the hardest of hearts. Thankfully, his brothers' voices had carried over to the three girls and they were already on their way over.
"What is going on here?" Mary had her hands on her hips, doing a wonderful impression of their mother. Despite being shorter and younger than her brothers, she successfully managed to level a glare that had them look away in shame.
"You two aren't fighting, are you?" Cathy's lip quivered and she flashed those big puppy dog eyes.
John exchanged a secret smile with Elizabeth, pleased at their younger sisters uncanny ability to manipulate Ned and Harry.
"I certainly hope not." Elizabeth quickly affected a stern voice she heard her governess use. "In April, I shall be off to Navarre and I had hoped to spend these last few months with my siblings." Her face fell, thinking of Charlie who would be too young to remember her. "We should be cherishing the time we have left instead of squabbling."
Harry gave his older sister a sorrowful look. They had spent their early years so close together, it was hard to even imagine his life without her. "You are right, Bessie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a fuss."
It did not go unnoticed that he apologized only to her. Ned scowled and John feared that another fight would break out, had it not been for Mary's quick thinking.
"I have an idea!" She clapped her hands in delight. "Why don't we play knights saving fair maidens from a dangerous dragon?"
Both Henry and Edward puffed up their chests at that, eager to play dashing knights.
"But who will be the dragon?" Cathy inquired, furrowing her brow.
The five Tudor siblings simultaneously turned towards the Duke of Somerset, giving him a meaningful look.
For the sake of peace, I shall play the villain, John decided with a sigh.
------the prologue to King Henry's Great Matter
Author's note: A little forshadowing with a glimpse in the Tudor children's personalities. Please let me know what you think of them.
"No you're not! I am!" Prince Harry contradicted hotly. Despite being two years older, the Prince of Wales was a head shorter than his brother, a pale complexion, and a thin visage.
John, ever the peacemaker, cut in. "It is just a game." He glanced over at their sisters who were busy reading Thomas More's Utopia. He wondered how they got along so well while it seemed that Henry and Edward couldn't be in the same room for more than five minutes before starting an argument.
"As Prince of Wales, I am our father's heir," Henry continued, not even acknowledging John's words. "Therefore, no matter what game we play, I am the King of England as it is my right."
Edward laughed mirthlessly, sneering at his brother. "And what an heir you are! You can't go a month without catching a cold, needing mother to come running to wipe your widdle nose. Poor Infanta Catherine. She came to England for a husband, but will be forced to act as nursemaid instead."
"How dare you! I could have you arrested for such slander!" Harry roared, his round cheeks becoming as red as his hair. His hands were clenched into fists and he took a fighting stance.
John quickly got in between the pair, unwilling to let a fight break out. He glanced again at his sisters, this time willing them to come and intervene. Elizabeth and Mary could stop a rampaging beast with just a fierce glare while Cathy only needed to widened her tear filled eyes to melt the hardest of hearts. Thankfully, his brothers' voices had carried over to the three girls and they were already on their way over.
"What is going on here?" Mary had her hands on her hips, doing a wonderful impression of their mother. Despite being shorter and younger than her brothers, she successfully managed to level a glare that had them look away in shame.
"You two aren't fighting, are you?" Cathy's lip quivered and she flashed those big puppy dog eyes.
John exchanged a secret smile with Elizabeth, pleased at their younger sisters uncanny ability to manipulate Ned and Harry.
"I certainly hope not." Elizabeth quickly affected a stern voice she heard her governess use. "In April, I shall be off to Navarre and I had hoped to spend these last few months with my siblings." Her face fell, thinking of Charlie who would be too young to remember her. "We should be cherishing the time we have left instead of squabbling."
Harry gave his older sister a sorrowful look. They had spent their early years so close together, it was hard to even imagine his life without her. "You are right, Bessie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a fuss."
It did not go unnoticed that he apologized only to her. Ned scowled and John feared that another fight would break out, had it not been for Mary's quick thinking.
"I have an idea!" She clapped her hands in delight. "Why don't we play knights saving fair maidens from a dangerous dragon?"
Both Henry and Edward puffed up their chests at that, eager to play dashing knights.
"But who will be the dragon?" Cathy inquired, furrowing her brow.
The five Tudor siblings simultaneously turned towards the Duke of Somerset, giving him a meaningful look.
For the sake of peace, I shall play the villain, John decided with a sigh.
------the prologue to King Henry's Great Matter
Author's note: A little forshadowing with a glimpse in the Tudor children's personalities. Please let me know what you think of them.
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Awww that's so sweet to see all the children develop their personalities, it seems that John will be very helpful in keeping the peace in England...
scared for harry. it isn't the first time he is mentioned to be sickly.
Arthur was never really sickly though, neither was Edward vi…until they contracted whatever illness(es) killed them