An Endless Supply Of Rubies

The Undoing of Cromwell

Fanfic: An Endless Supply of Rubies Ch 34, Tudors | FanFiction

A/N: I'm so sorry. It's been like, what, two months now? I got caught up in school, then I had a solid month of work, and then it was spring break! Don't worry, I still intend to finish this story. I guess I just went on a short hiatus.

In history, Thomas Cromwell's execution was the same day as Katherine Howard's marriage to the King. For the added drama, we're going to keep it that way. Also, "Mad Walter" was another man accused of treason (one of the reasons being predicting how long the king was going to live), not those other crimes. To keep that nice T rating, we're going to stick with history.

19 April 1540

"Who is that who you just brought to the King?" Amelia asked her husband when he returned. "She's so young and scrawny-looking. Where did she come from?"

"Her name is Katherine Howard," Charles replied, gently wrapping his arm around his wife's waist. "She's related to the Duke of Norfolk."

Amelia froze. "Are you meaning to tell me that you are trying to find the King a new wife?" she whispered quietly.

Before Charles could answer, Duke Philip cried out that Mary had stepped on his foot, leading to the man limping off the floor followed by Mary, muttering apologies after him. Amelia laughed as she watched the scene. Mary was one of the best dancers that Amelia knew. She certainly would never step on her partner's toes.

"Perhaps," Amelia whispered, an idea forming in her head. "If, for some reason, the King found that Queen Anne was not his lawfully wedded wife, he would consider a union between Mary and the Duke of Bavaria to keep our nation's ties to the German states strong."

Charles couldn't think of any reason to disagree.

24 April 1540

"He's done what?" Amelia cried, a look of shock and surprise filling her face.

Mary sat across the table, shaking her head. "He's given that wench a sizeable piece of property," she repeated. "It's got two houses on it. Two!"

"But she's a child!" Amelia exclaimed. How did Katherine Howard manage to get the King to award her confiscated property?

"I think that she's his mistress," Mary said quietly. "When we were very young, His Majesty took a woman named Elizabeth Blount as his mistress. She was younger than Katherine is, but his affection for her did not cause him to dissolve his marriage to our mother."

"But Anne Boleyn did," Amelia replied. "I can't help to feel that Edward and Charles are to blame for Katherine's appearance at court. I feel sorry for Her Majesty. She has no idea that any of this is even happening."

Mary was silent. "I still am not sure if I like Her Majesty," she whispered.

"It's not Her Majesty's fault," Amelia retorted. "It's my Lord Cromwell's fault. He was the one who convinced the King to marry Anne, to take her from her homeland and transplant her here and expected that everyone would just be fine with it." Her voice grew louder and more passionate as she spoke. "I can relate to Queen Anne, only my husband truly loved me when we were married, whereas our father only gave her a fleeting chance," she finished softly.

"But what of Katherine Howard?" Mary asked.

"I can only hope that she is the recipient of the King's fleeting affection, and nothing more," Amelia responded. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. "I am with child," Amelia suddenly said, keeping her voice low.

Mary looked surprised, but didn't say anything.

"I haven't told Charles yet," Amelia continued, rising from her chair and walking over to the large window that was behind her seat. "In fact, you're the first person that I've told. I just can't help but to feel a little... guilty."