The Italian Rose || The Tudors

•Chapter 55

December 13th, 1540, Kingdom of Spain

The day of our departure had almost arrived. Tomorrow morning Henry and I, along with the rest of our entourage and Isabella, would travel back to England.

I couldn't wait to hold my children in my arms again. This was the longest I'd been away from them since James was sent to Hatfield 3 years earlier.

"Beautiful Isabella, your godmother has this gift for you, may it help you get through hard times." Empress Isabella placed a cross necklace over Isabella's crib.

I looked on with a smile. "I will make sure she carries this with her for the rest of her life. She would know this is a gift from her godmother and mother-to-be."

Empress Isabella stroked Isabella's red hair and then walked out of the room with me. We walked through the open corridors leading out to the garden.

"I'm sure you can't wait to see your two other children again."

"It was nice to get away for a while, but I can't wait to hug my kids again." I said to Isabella. "It must be different now that you have three children to take care of."

"Five children, I've been taking care of Elizabeth since I came to England, she's like a daughter to me and Edward is my husband's son, so my stepson. He's under my supervision."

"I respect you for taking such good care of your pastor's children and your husband's mistress. Knowing what the whore Anne Boleyn has done, I couldn't have done it." Empress Isabella's gaze darkened for a moment before brightening again.

Catherine of Aragon had been Isabella's aunt, and the whole family was affected by the fact that Catherine was no longer queen. Besides that, like me, she was a Catholic, and Anne had caused Henry to separate from Rome.

"Elizabeth is innocent of her mother's actions. She has already suffered too much with her young age. I now want her to live the best life in the hope that she will be able to forget the loss of her mother and her father's lack of attention. The same goes for Edward, he's just a kid too."

"That's true, it's wrong of me to talk about them like that. It's just that Anne Boleyn is the reason my aunts demise, our family has really suffered because of it." Isabella smiled wistfully. "You are a strong woman Lucrezia. I don't think I could have lived in a country that has turned against Rome."

"It's difficult sometimes. When we follow the moss sometimes I can't resist my anger, the way they talk about the vatican really scares me. But I can't and can't react, I'm the Queen of England and can do it don't use it to have enemies." I whispered. "The thought that my daughter will marry a true Catholic monarch rests my heart. I wish all my children could follow in peace the Catholic faith." I looked around, this was a risky topic to discuss, there could always be someone nearby to eavesdrop.

"I'm sure one day your husband will see the light again and England will return to the Vatican." She took my hand briefly. "I hope so.". I sighed and then smiled.

"There is one more thing I want to discuss with you." She looked around. "My dearest cousin Mary is already 24 years young and not yet married. You know as well as I do how beautiful it is to be a mother and that is why it breaks my heart to see my cousin without children. I ask you, no I beg you to do my cousin a favor and arrange a marriage for her."

I nodded slowly. "As much as I'd like to, there's so little I can do Isabella, it's the king who would agree to everything.". "You are a smart woman Lucrezia, I'm sure you could convince the king. But know, even my husband doesn't know that I ask this of you."

"I will do my best." I took her hand again. "I hope we'll write to each other as soon as I get back to England. I'll be sorry to lose contact with a good friend like you."

"We'll write to each other weekly, I believe you." She smiled.

We walked back to the palace.