The Royal Seamstress | ONC2020

Chapter 4: The Letter

I had fabric spread across the table. I had already cut quite a few pieces. The dress I had started with was the one, which should be made of sunshine. A few days had passed since I had solved the task and began planning the process. I had to order a lot of fabric for this project. My plan was to make a golden dress, a silver dress and a diamond dress. I just hoped everything would go as planned.

As I was making the skirt, a note was slipped underneath my palm. I stopped every movement and folded out the paper. It contained only a few words – from the King.

Mistress Elizabeth

I'm dying to have you here by my side. Your body is meant to be beside mine. In the King's bed. Your skin must be like silk. Come to me, Elizabeth. Tonight. Let me have you.

With Love

Henry Rex

I shook my head. The King was actually courting me to be his mistress. I had never given any thoughts about to be someone's mistress. I knew I wanted a husband. Though my chances for at a good match wasn't very great since I was among the poor part of the population. If I refused the King, I could be sure, I never wasn't going to rise from what I was born and have a chance for at better life. But being the King's mistress wasn't exactly the way I had planned on to rise from above my station. I had always found it repulsive to be a loose woman. It was a sin in the eyes of God. I didn't know what to do. He could give me a chance to marry well and not fending for money if I was his mistress, but the real question was if I could live with myself if I became his mistress.

"What are you reading?" Margaret asked. Quickly I hid the little note from the King underneath the fabric.

"Nothing," I said. "Just nothing."

"I don't believe you." She went to my side and pulled out the paper, before I could get hold of it and take it back. She folded it out and looked at the bottom of the letter. "Who's that?"

"The King," I said.

"What does he want?" She was curious. A little too curious perhaps. If the secret came out, he wanted me as a mistress I could get into big trouble. Margaret was a sweet girl, but she also liked court gossip and she often told me all the details from above the stairs, even though I never asked for them.

"Yes, he wants me to be his mistress," I sighed and admitted the truth. One way or another she would probably find out about it anyway. If I became his mistress, I would become court gossip myself. I wasn't interested in becoming the talk of the court and being looked upon by every man like a whore even though they themselves practiced whoring like a sport. No noble men at court were true to their wives. All of them had lots of mistresses.

"Are you going to accept?" Margaret raised a brow, looking mischievously at me. "What has he offered you in return for your maidenhead?"

"He has promised me riches. That I would never have to fend for myself anymore."

"That's a great opportunity, Elizabeth. You need to consider this."

"Margaret, you have no idea what you're talking about. You're too young to know the consequences of such actions. If the King isn't content, he will cast me out and I will never be married because I'm a whore."

"Maybe he means to marry you himself," she proposed. "Perhaps you will be the next Queen of England."

I laughed loudly. Thinking of myself as Queen. I would never be a good Queen; I wasn't learned or spoke all the modern languages. I could barely speak two words in French.

"Dream on, Margaret," I said. "The King doesn't want me for any noble reason. He just wants my body and his carnal lusts satisfied."

"But his letter says more than that," she exclaimed. She clearly read more between the lines than I did. "He says you are meant to be beside him."

"He refers to my body, not my soul."

"I don't think, you're right."

"Well, I'm not going to find out because I'm never going to be him mistress," I said, finishing the conversation. Margaret sighed and sat heavily beside me, taking up some work. She stitched a little before stopping. She stared right before her.

"I have rejected Lord Norfolk," she said.

"You have?"

"Yes."

"How did he react?"

She looked at me. A tear fell down her cheek. "He threatened me. I'm afraid, Elizabeth."

I rose and drew her into my arms. She leaned her head into my stomach. Her shoulders shook, she was crying. Trying not to make any noise.

"You want me to talk to the King on your behalf?"

"You would do that?" She looked up at me with begging eyes.

"Of course, Margaret." I smiled.

"Do you think he will listen to you?"

"I don't know, but I will try." And I would. If the King would listen to me was up to God. I prayed for at good outcome. I just needed to know what Lord Norfolk had threatened her with this time. "What did he say to you?"

"He said I had three days to rethink it and if I still said no, he would make sure my time at court was finished forever. Do you think he will have me killed?"

"I don't know. I don't trust any of them, and neither should you. These people aren't your friends, Margaret. They will never be on your side. If just one of us held a position of power the King would listen with no doubt, and Norfolk wouldn't be at court much longer."

"Be his mistress, Elizabeth. For my sake."

"Why?"

"If you have the King in your palm, you can help me get Lord Norfolk out of court."

"I don't think that will work. Then you will have to be his mistress yourself."

Margaret looked horrified at me. Reality had struck her. She had finally realized that me being the King's mistress wouldn't help her.

"Then what am I to do?" she asked. "I can't be his mistress. He hasn't asked me. He asked you, Elizabeth!"

"I can't save you, Margaret. I'm sorry," I said and walked out the room. Leaving the poor girl to cry alone at the table full of fabric to use as tissues. She was doomed and it was better, she realized that for herself.

Word count: 1117 words.

Total word count: 4789 words.