The Other Henry VIII

Gone with the Wind

8 August 1518
Diana gasped in relief, as she heard the comforting cries of a healthy newborn, and stretched out her arms for it.
"What is it?"she painted, "what's wrong?"
"Nothing,"reassured the midwife, cradling the baby gently, before carefully handing it into Diana's arms.
"Your Majesty has been blessed with a healthy baby girl,"explained the other midwife, smiling.

"A girl,"gasped Diana, "it's a girl..."
She gazed down at the tiny bundle in her arms, and nearly cried out in delight. The little girl she held was so beautiful, it made tears spring up in the mother's eyes.

The baby was very small, being about a month too early. She had a small tuft of red hair on the top of her tiny white head, and her eyes were the exact same green as Diana's. She rocked her child, beaming with joy, and pulled down her nightdress to feed the hungry creature.

"Your Majesty, you cannot do that,"interjected one of the midwives.
"What? I cannot feed my daughter from my own breast?"asked Diana in horror.
"We have wet-nurse..."the midwife trailed off at Diana's hard stare. "I will call His Majesty, he can decide."
As she left, Diana looked back down at her child. The poor little thing looked dreadfully small and thin. She needed food, and fast.

Diana glanced around the room. She was surrounded by her ladies, who were busying themselves with one silly thing or another, but no awaiting wet nurse.
She will starve, if I don't feed her.
Without really thinking, Diana shook off the top of her nightgown and gently latched the baby onto her breast, and grinned as the small child slowly grew content and happy.

"You should not be doing that,"said a voice. Diana looked up, and saw her husband standing in front of her.
"I am very sorry,"was all the Queen could say. The King strode up to Diana's bedside, and said "a Queen should not feed her child, that is the job of a wet nurse."

"There was no wet nurse around, and the poor thing seemed so small and hungry.... you do understand, don't you Henry?"
"I will look into what happened to the appointed wet nurse,"he replied coldly, "it's a girl, isn't it?" Diana nodded, unable to say anything as her husband took the baby from her arms and studied it.

"God seems to have cursed me with premature children,"he murmured, "and only Clara survived. This poor mite may not last long. She is very small, isn't she?"

"Yes,"answered Diana. After a pause— "are you angry with me?"
"Why?"he replied.
"For giving you a daughter instead..."
The King sighed.
"I should be lucky if she even survives. But I am not angry at you, only disappointed. She's....she's very beautiful, Diana."
"I know,"she said, smiling, "for she is the daughter of a great King."
This seemed to please Henry.
"And of a beautiful woman,"he replied, and kissed her softly.
"Elizabeth, after my mother."
"Elizabeth, after my mother."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I would like to speak with Lady Leia Westover!"said the King to Mary, who stood at the door to the ladies' rooms.
"She's leaving court, I think,"replied Mary.
"Why?"
"She didn't tell me, but Cecily said that their father wants her to be married."
"Tell her that I would like to walk with her in the gardens, alone."

A little later...
"Why must you torture me like this, Leia? Why are you leaving court?
Leia said nothing. She swept her eyes over the gardens in a worldly way, and then turned to him.
"I must leave court, Father says. He told me that I am nearing a time when no one will want to marry me, so I must go and meet this man he has arranged."
Henry grabbed her wrist, and they stopped walking instantly.
"Have you any idea how much I adore you? How much I am obsessed with you? It's not healthy, not now my wife is free again. Please, please, please, don't leave me."

"I'm sorry to cause Your Majesty pain,"she said indifferently.

"Leia, Leia, LEIA!"he cried grabbing her shoulders and shaking them.
"Listen to me! I love you with every breath I breathe, and yet you ignore me as if I am some common peasant? I am the King of England!"
"I know,"she murmured quietly, a tear forming in the corner of her eye, "and I am sorry."
"What for?"asked Henry, trying to pull her closer.

Leia tugged herself completely away from him.
"For leaving. But I hope that you will find someone else to love, Your Majesty, someone more worthy than me." Leia wiped away the tear, and quickly walked off back to the palace.

She was gone the next morning.

10 August 1518
Elizabeth was christened as soon as possible, for though he would not admit it, the King was fearful that the scrawny little thing would die before her time. Diana had recovered well and quickly, but she was devastated when Elizabeth was to be taken away from her.

"It is only right, sweetheart,"said Henry, as the two of them stood watching Elizabeth's carriage drive away. "She's a princess, she ought to have her own household like Clara at Westhorpe."
Diana nodded, sniffing, then looked up at Henry rather doubtfully.
"Why did you send Anne Saxby to Westhorpe too?"she asked. The King laughed, and put his arm around her shoulders.
"I was helping her mother Jane after Lord Saxby was executed. They are from a fine family, Diana, I can't let them live in wretchedness. Your grandfather would never forgive me."

"But why Westhorpe? She could have come and lived in my household,"persisted Diana.

"Clara was in need of a companion, Anne was a good choice—"
"Excuses! Henry, what is the real reason that you sent her there, to your daughter's household?"
The King didn't reply, just stared at Diana in wonderment.
"She was your mistress, wasn't she?"whispered Diana bluntly, "that's why you favoured my  family. That's why you let Anne stay with Clara."

"Yes,"he replied indifferently. Diana gasped, but swiftly concealed it in a smile.
"Could Clara and her companion to visit court, Henry?"requested Diana, trying to sound cheery.
"Perhaps, sweetheart. I haven't seen my daughter since Christmas. I hope that she's been learning her lessons well... you know, why not? I will have her come to court! It will be wonderful with some new youth in my court." He kissed Diana's forehead briefly, and then strode inside without another word.

Diana smiled. She wanted to see how Clara had turned out, so that Elizabeth could know what she had to live up to.

15 August 1518
"Clara!"cried Henry joyfully, picking up his tiny daughter and resting her on his hip, "how are you?"
Diana, clothed richly in a yellow and pale blue gown, studied her stepdaughter carefully. Clara had, as many six-year-olds do, grown a lot in 8 months, and her features had grown clearer. The princess was growing up very well, decided Diana. But her princess would grow up even better.

"I am very well, Papa,"said Clara, giggling.
"I am pleased to hear that, sweetheart,"laughed Henry, seeming happier than he had been for a long time.

"I am very sorry, Henry,"said Diana when Clara was lead away by her governess.
"Why?"he asked, distractedly watching his daughter leave.
"For only giving you a daughter,"explained Diana, feeling rather ignored. The King frowned.
"Sophia had a daughter first,"he replied dreamily, "and then a son. It will come, Diana."

"It won't if you don't visit me soon, Henry,"smiled Diana, and after spinning around with her skirts flying, left the room with her ladies.

29 August 1518
Diana lay in her bed, unable to fall asleep. Her candle was nearly a waxy stump now, and her ladies had all gone to bed. The wine from dinner made her head spin and ache, but she felt incredibly awake anyway.
The Queen was beginning to find the old her back now: the fiery, sharp-tongued her that had arrived at court so long ago. 

Suddenly, there was a quiet tap on her door. Diana sat up, and, expecting the King, called out softly "enter!"
Because of the shadows, and that damned vision-blurring wine, Diana could not really see who it was.

But he was smiling.