The Royal Seamstress | ONC2020

Chapter 12: The Threat

I left the King's room after a couple of hours. He had really put a big effort into teaching me. I was also quite happy with my own effort. I had really put my heart into every word I had read out loud. The King had succeeded in teaching me quite a lot of the Latin grammar. He had even given me one of his books to read until next time I was to see him and have the next lesson.

While walking down the corridor I wondered how many women he had given this kind of proposition to. It couldn't be many. And those, who had had these kinds of offers, had to be women of status. Women, whom he wanted to impress. I knew he had given Queen Jane gifts and sweet things when she had been a maid for the former Queen, Anne Boleyn. I had heard Anne Boleyn had been angry at discovering that Henry had given Jane gifts. I, on the other hand, had been happy at hearing this story. I never liked Anne Boleyn. Jane was a good catholic. It was so much better to have a catholic Queen, since the King had been influenced by that whore of Anne Boleyn. Finally, the right faith was back at the English court and I hoped Queen Jane kept influencing the King in the same direction as Queen Catherine had done before Henry had divorced her.

As I walked in my own thoughts a hand was suddenly placed over my mouth and I was pulled aside. Away from the corridor and into a room. The door was quickly locked. I tried to yell for help, but not a sound came from my mouth. The hand was squeezing my mouth so hard it hurt really bad and that pain alone was almost making me scream.

"Don't scream for help," a voice said behind me. I felt the body from a man against my back. He was way too close. "I'm not going to hurt you. Not unless you scream."

I nodded. I had to do what the voice said. Something about the voice also sounded familiar. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad since it obviously was someone I knew. As the hand dropped from my mouth and I turned around to face the person who had made a minor kidnapping of me, my jaw dropped as I saw who it was.

"Lord Surry," I exclaimed. "Why on earth did you have to drag me into a room in that manner? Why couldn't you just come and talk to me. I would never refuse to talk to you. You've helped me before, and therefore I would always help you too if you needed it."

"Elizabeth Webb, I'm not here to be kind and ask you a favor."

"I didn't indicate that. I just said I would never refuse talking to you if you wanted it."

"Be quiet, woman."

I was choked at the way he suddenly spoke to me. His face was strict, and he didn't look as kind as he used to do. Had I done something wrong? I couldn't come up with any good explanation for why he looked like this or what I should have done.

"Lord Surry," I pleaded. "What have I done to deserve this kind of treatment? Have I offended you in any way?"

"I know you're the King's new mistress."

How could he know? Both Henry and I had done everything possible to hide it. It wasn't common knowledge at court. We had agreed to keep it secret to not damage my reputation. I had to do everything in my power to deny it and hide it for the sake of Henry and myself. No one could know the King's mistress was his seamstress.

"I'm not his mistress, my Lord," I said with a clear voice. "That would be absurd. Where have you heard such rumors?"

"Yes, it is absurd, but I have not heard these rumors from anywhere. I saw you coming from the King's room for just a few minutes ago, and I know you've been in there for hours."

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. I had been so careful not to be seen by anyone. No one had been in the hallway. I had checked before entering the King's room. How on earth had he succeeded in seeing me.

"Have you been spying on me, my Lord?" I asked as politely as I possibly could. I was angry and it was quite hard to hide. I really tried my hardest, but I was almost at the point where I didn't care anymore. I felt threatened. It felt like he held a blade to my neck and every word I said determined whether my head was cut of or not.

"I have just held my eyes on you," he answered.

"But why?"

"I found you a very interesting creature while talking to you last time, and I was greatly disappointed when I just discovered before you are like every other woman. Just wanting to be with the King."

"It's not like that!" I exclaimed. "I didn't have a choice."

"All people have a choice, Elizabeth. And you chose wrong."

"No, I didn't. He doesn't just want me for the carnal lust. He likes me as I am."

"He loves your body. Nothing more."

I shook my head. I didn't want to believe what Lord Surry said. I needed to get away, but how?

"Please, don't tell anyone."

"I can't promise you that and I know the Queen will be awfully unhappy to hear that her dear seamstress is sleeping with her husband."

"Lord Surry, I will do anything for you if you just promise me not so tell anyone about it."

Suddenly, he smiled.

"That was just what I wanted to hear," he said. "You see, I actually have a job for you."

"What job?"

"I don't like the men, whom the King has brought to court. They aren't of noble blood or family. He has just granted them titles and land. Making them something, they are not. I want them out and you are going to help me."

"How can I possibly help you?"

"You are going to be the one killing them."

"Sir," I said in a startled tone. "I can't kill anyone."

"You have too. Otherwise your little secret about being the mistress of the King will be out in the count in a few minutes, and you will be hang by the neck as a traitor."

I had no choice. Again. Just like when Henry pushed me to be his mistress. This was a men's world and I had to abide by it. I needed to survive. And to survive I had to kill.

"Okay, I will do it. How many do you want dead?"

Lord Surry pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"All seven names on this list. Read it when you get back to the sewing room."

Word count: 1170 words.

Total word count: 13719 words.