The Italian Rose || The Tudors

•Chapter 13

January 20th, 1537, Greenwich Palace

The holidays were over and the court returned to London, Greenwich Palace to be exact.

The Lady Mary and Elizabeth had gone back to their own castles. I had formed a friendship with the Lady Mary during the week they had been here.

Even though she was my 'stepdaughter' she was still older than I was and I couldn't treat her the same as Elizabeth who was only three years old. To Elizabeth I could be one mother role.

I was now 4 months pregnant and I had felt the baby's first kicks, which was a good sign as it meant the baby was alive. Henry and I loved every kick the baby gave.

But not only I was pregnant, Jane Seymour was also 5 months pregnant and would be in her confinement in two months.

I noticed that every time I saw her I secretly hoped she was carrying a girl and not a boy. It's not that I was jealous of her relationship with the king, no it wasn't that, I didn't even love him, but it was more because if she had a son and I didn't that would be a danger to me.

I know what happened to my predecessors and I refused to have the same fate as them.

~

That morning I sat in my audience room with my ladies-in-waiting. Clarice and Giulia were embroidering a tapestry while I lazily watched with a needle in my hands.

Giulia came into the room with a letter in her hands. She made a curtsy "A letter to you from the Holy Father." Her look spoke volumes.

"Did anyone get this before you received it?" I immediately asked as I sat up and took the letter from her. "I think so, My lady, but if it were something serious you would never have received the letter and I am sure the Holy Father wrote in Italian." She tried to reassure me.

I nodded and tore open the letter.

my dear niece,

I hope you are doing well in England. I have heard the news of your pregnancy and am praying for a healthy child.

I wanted to remind you to complete your duty to God, it should always come first.

The Holy Father.

*Letter is written in Italian*

I sighed and threw the letter into the fire.

I knew my duty. I had to return England to Christianity. But the question was how was I to do it.

How did Uncle expect I could return an entire country to Christianity to an eighteen-year-old girl. How was I to persuade the king who paid no attention to me to do something he had once worked so hard for.

My uncle asked the impossible of me.

But I owed it to him, after all he'd done for me, this was the last thing I could do for him.

It would just take longer than he would like.

~

"Your Majesty." I said as Henry entered the dining room. He sat across from me and gestured to the cup bearer for a cup of wine.

I started cutting the meat on the plate while Henry ate in silence. The dining room door swung open and Jane Seymour walked in.

She made a curtsy for Henry, then sat down in the chair placed between us.

She turned to Henry as a plate of food was placed in front of her. "Thank you for inviting me to your dinner. I hope I didn't disturb your intimate dinner." She gave me a false smile.

"You haven't disturbed anything, Jane, on the contrary, I'm sure your presence will do the king good, won't you?" I looked at them both with a sweet smile. "How's your pregnancy going by the way?" I asked Jane.

She looked at me in surprise before answering. "Very good, thank you my Lady."

"I am so happy to know that my child will have a playmate immediately when it is born." I looked at Henry "where shall I keep my confinement? I had hoped we could go to Westminster Palace, that's where I have the biggest rooms."

Henry nodded in agreement. "We will travel to Westminster Palace in your sixth month of pregnancy and stay there until you are ready to travel again."

I smiled gratefully "that would be nice." Jane also looked at Henry "where shall I keep my confinement, Your Majesty?"

Henry looked at her uncomfortably. "I don't know Jane, I think your family home is the best." He rose from his chair, "If you'll excuse me ladies." He nodded is goodbyes and then walked out of the room, leaving me and Jane behind.

"I won't be too happy about your pregnancy, Lucrezia. The king loves only me and I'll have his son. You will die like Anne Boleyn." She hissed at me before she herself got up and left the room.

I looked at her startled.

I was just threatened.