The Italian Rose || The Tudors

•Chapter 27

July 14th, 1537, Burbage

When I had finished my breakfast I walked into the courtyard of the mansion. I had been wearing my riding dress since we were all going to hunt together in the park around the mansion.

I saw that Henry was already on his horse, next to him was Jane, in a bright yellow riding dress, on her own horse.

I looked around for the horse I had traveled here with but saw him nowhere.

"Where's my horse?" I asked a passing groom. He gave a quick bow "Your horse is unfortunately unwell, we have another horse ready for you, if you will follow me." said the groomsman tensely.

I thought it strange that he was tense, but it didn't bother me, it was no small thing to have to take care of such a large group of their horses and especially not if one of them was the king's horse himself.

I followed him to a light brown horse and he helped me get on it.

I rode my horse over to Henry and stood next to him.

He might be busy with Jane, but I was and remained the queen and my place was next to him.

"Majesty." I greeted him, I looked straight ahead. I saw from the corner of my eye that he was looking at me "Lucrezia, good morning, did you sleep well?"

He had guts, how dare he ask that after making fun of me by going to sleep in Jane's bed.

"Amazing, like a child." I said dryly, still without looking at him "shall we leave?"

Henry nodded briefly and gestured for us to go.

~

The natural park surrounding the Seymour family's home was small but beautiful. The trees were high and I saw several animals running around.

Henry managed to shoot several deer and I wouldn't be surprised if we had that for dinner tonight.

Unsurprisingly, Henry was either too preoccupied with Jane or focused on his hunt. I rode alone behind the group with no one who seemed to be paying any attention to me.

I looked around, even though the trees were high and covered with leaves, the sun shone through and Brande on my skin.

It felt good to have some bright sun on my skin again. it reminded me of my time in Italy, the best time of my life.

I kept wishing I could go back. If I could turn back time and make sure I never married Henry, I would. I could at least have a happy marriage, just as my parents were once happy in their marriage.

For the past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about my parents' marriage. My parents were madly in love and my father had never taken a mistress.

I had grown up in the same house as my parents and had enjoyed their love and the warmth of a family every day.

Something my son James couldn't book because of my terrible husband and his terrible father.

I sighed deeply and looked around me again. I seemed to be so deep in my thoughts because I hadn't noticed that the group had already moved on and I was left all alone.

I let the horse ride again and went looking for the group.

It was completely quiet, like I was all alone. Until I heard a rustle through the bushes.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I asked startled, I looked around me frighteningly but saw no one. "Show yourself!" I cried now. But again there was no sound.

I looked around again and encouraged the horse to ride faster.

The horse started to run and I directed him to ride in the direction we had come from but I suddenly heard something going through the bushes and then my horse suddenly fell over.

The last I saw was I was thrown off the horse and then it turned black.