The Other Henry VIII

The Wheel of Fortune Pt. 2

16th May 1522

The whole court was to move to Whitehall Palace from Richmond. Diana didn't see why. All they would be doing was moving further into the city. She hated the crowds of people, the poor dirty people who swarmed around the palace begging for scraps. It was an incredible palace, granted, with hundreds of rooms and the most expensive furnishings, but even so Diana felt uneasy.

She awoke to the sound of her ladies packing her room gowns into trunks, carefully folding the rich materials. They all curtsied as the Queen rose from her bed and not one word was spoken as they clothed her in rich burgundy.

There simply seemed to be nothing to say. Diana was in no mood to talk—anyone could see that—and her ladies were still shaken by their mistress's harsh words. Not even the maids who came to clean dared to giggle, noticing the stiff atmosphere of the Queen's privy chamber.
Diana ate breakfast in her presence chamber with some sort of numbness and played with her food like a child.

Life had been like this for days. Anyone would think the court were in deep mourning.

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

Marianne and Verity were still in Diana's privy chamber, packing the gowns and linen. Marianne could tell that her sister was desperate to say something, the way Verity folded the fabric in short bursts and shot a swift look at her.
Honestly thought Marianne, I sometimes wonder whether we are even sisters.
"Marianne!"hissed Verity suddenly, leaning over her sister's shoulder.
"What is it?"replied Marianne frustratedly. She discreetly elbowed Verity in the ribs to make their conversation a little less suspicious.
"The Prince of Wales hasn't died has he? And we not know about it?"
"What a suggestion!"scoffed Marianne, struggling to keep her voice down. "We'd know about it. Trust me."
"But the whole court is so quiet,"said Verity, shutting the box of jewels with a firm slam.
"The King is as merry as ever, little sister,"replied Marianne. "And he would be locked in his privy chamber if the Prince had died. It is the Queen that is melancholy and we with her for some reason."
Verity thought for a moment.

"Is this a good thing?"she asked quietly. "For our family?"
"It depends on—"began Marianne, but she stopped. One hand held the handle of a drawer and the other clutched a stack of letters. Tied with a ribbon. An emerald green ribbon.
Verity stared. Marianne slowly shut the drawer and held the stack with both unsteady hands.

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

Diana left her plate of unfinished food and strode towards the door to her bedchamber. She stopped. She took a deep breath.
As the Queen passed through the doorway, she froze. Marianne and Verity Westover, her least trusted ladies-in-waiting, stood over her small bed-table.

And in Marianne's hands were her own stack of love letters, tied with its green satin ribbon.

The Queen, seeing nothing, fell to the floor in a dead faint. The last thing she saw was Marianne untying the bow and the ribbon falling softly to the floor next to her.

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Diana's POV
I cannot express the choking feeling in my throat.
I thought I had paid the price for a son, the loss of my dear love, but it has all unfolded and I am ruined.
I might as well never wake up; I will face nothing but the whole foundations of my 'success' crumbling before my eyes. The Westovers have found my letters. The Westovers have found my letters. I had fallen to the floor as soon as the sight met my eyes. Naturally, the servants had lifted me to my bed and waited in suspense for me to awake. If I do wake. I don't see any point.
I wonder what happened to my letters now that they are in the hands of my greatest enemy.
Indeed, I shall not wake up. I will waste away here on my bed so I may never have to face the reality: that my love is gone and I will have to suffer for it.