Everyone seemed to know my destiny before I did. I am their Hope, I am His Hope. Hope is what I was names and Hope is what I shall bring. To my father, to my family, to my King.
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A month or so later, Henry Tudor was crowning himself King, alone and without me or my support. Cecily watched from the window in our chambers as he was leaving.
"So, Hope has a King to wed, but what about the rest of us?" Cecily questioned
"Who's King, is it me?" Teddy asked jumping on the bed
"No, Teddy. You mustn't say it." Maggie cautioned him and he jumped off the bed and into my arms. I chuckled holding onto him
"It isn't fair that we are not invited to the coronation. I am sick to death of being cooped up in here." Cecily whispered coming down from looking out. I felt a wave of nausea hit me I closed my eyes breathing in and out deeply
"But what if they should cheer for us? Londoners love the House of York. They would call for Hope and Lizzie, Teddy too. He can't risk it." Mother answered
"Our cousins are there and Aunt Eliza." Cecily retorted
"Well the have turned their coats to Tudor and he will want to make a show of it." Mother replied. Later on I excused myself to attend the privy. I had this gut feeling and I prayed that I was wrong. I was escorted by the Ladies and stepped into one closing the curtain behind me. I looked down the hole that led to the river the lifted up my dress.
"Please bleed, please." I prayed hoping to see blood stain my hand but there wasn't, a freshly cut virgin who was regular and no blood. All the signs were there I had seen my mother with child enough times to know. I was with child.
I made my way back to the chambers. Cecily was having her hair done and Lizzie was playing with our little sisters. I joined my mother and leant against the doorframe. The door opened again and I saw Maggie enter she came over to mother and I.
"A stable boy brought this for you." she handed mother a ring, it was one of hers that she rarely never took off " He says you dropped it." Maggie added. Mother gave a airy smile but dropped it once our Ladies came over, she moved past them to the other end of the room and they followed
"Maggie, would you do something for me. I cannot go as we are followed by the ladies." I whispered glancing over at them "Would you get some herbs for me? Mandrake for my belly pain."
"What belly pain?" she wondered concerned
"Just my monthly course." she nodded in agreement and left. I went to sit by the fire and my sister joined me, there were no words exchanged. We sat there for the longest time I could even count how long.
"Lizzie might I have a word with your sister alone." mother requested. Lizzie looked at me and I nodded. She left to help Cecily with our sisters.
"Maggie brought this for you." mother told me holding the Mandrake root "Mandrake." she placed it on the table next to me then sat down where Lizzie once sat
