The Italian Rose || The Tudors

•Chapter 15

May 11th, 1537, Westminster Palace

Point of view: Henry

After traveling for 2 hours I had finally arrived at the Seymour family's manor. I was already met at the door by her father Sir John Seymour and his three sons: Edward, Henry and Thomas Seymour.

"Your Majesty." they said as she bowed. I climbed off my horse. "Where's Jane?"

Sir John smiled "Please follow me Your Majesty." He motioned for me to enter the manor and then directed me to Jane's room.

Jane sat up in bed with a swaddled baby in her arms. She had a big smile on her face.

"Your Majesty." she said softly. I walked over to the bed and took the baby from her "Your son."

"My son." I said as I watched the baby in my arms "My Edward."

~

June 22nd, 1537, Westminster Palace

"Help!" I yelled out loud "Help!"

I felt a painful twinge in my stomach. "Help!"

My chambermaids, who were lying on the floor, got up startled and came to stand at my bedside. "Get my ladies-in-waiting" I moaned in pain.

One of the chambermaids ran out of the room and returned within minutes with Giulia, Bianca, and Clarice. "Lucrezia!" Giulia shouted shocked she came and stood next to me and grabbed my hand.

"I think the baby is coming, but it's too early." The tears ran down my cheeks.

Giulia seemed immediately alarmed "Call the midwives right now and warn the king right away." she said to chambermaids. She turned to Clarice and Bianca "Get hot water and strong beer Clarice, Bianca light the candles."

Everyone immediately went to work and in a short time four midwives came running into the room with their things. They tied a rope to the pillars of the bed and gave me a blessed belt around my stomach.

"I'm going to die!" I screamed in pain. "No you won't. You will bring a healthy child into the world." giulia said to me. "No! No! I can feel it Giulia. The baby is too early, he's not fully grown!"

Giulia took hold of my face in her hands shortly "Look at me Lucrezia. I know you and I know how strong you are, you will give birth to a healthy child and you will live to see the child grow up. You will now feel the pain of your contractions and then you will push as if your life depended on it, understand?" She looked at me sternly but I saw the tears in my eyes.

I nodded and Giulia let go of my face and grabbed a wet handkerchief and held it over my forehead.

I was going to bring a son into the world anyway, my life depended on it.