BLOODLINES
— 45.  It All Fell Down

  Marie and Edward ended up taking little Edward and Nora with them to court. After sending their two eldest children together off to bed, Marie and Edward returned to their own chambers together.

After closing the door to their chambers, Edward moved toward Marie, who was smiling at him. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her passionately.

Slowly, he pulled away and Marie frowned, wondering why he had stopped. Just then, he lifted her off the ground, causing Marie to laugh as he carried her over to the bed. She was already in her nightgown, which made it easy for her just slip it off her body. She laid down on the bed, entirely naked. She smiled, watching her husband remove his own clothes.

"Enjoying the sight?" Edward asked, noticing the look on her face.

"You have no idea," Marie replied, causing them both to laugh as Edward climbed onto the bed.

He moved over to her, pulling her toward him before he kissed her once more.

An hour later, Marie and Edward laid in bed together. Marie had her head rested on his chest, the two of them entirely naked. "I fear you have become someone I cannot imagine living without," Edward confessed, causing Marie to turn to him with a curious look on her face, "Life without you feels like darkness and I do not wish to ever experience that."

"Fear no more. I will always be here, I promise. Now and always," Marie assured him, turning onto her stomach. She rested her chest on his stomach, looking into his eyes, "You are my home, Edward. My one love."

Edward smiled, placing a hand on the side of her face. "You are mine," He replied, causing Marie to smile as he affectionately stroked her cheek, "And when the day comes where we are forced to part, just know, if my last words are not I love you, it was only because I didn't have time to say it."

"I'm pregnant again," Marie suddenly revealed, causing Edward's eyes to light up at the thought.

"What?" Edward asked, beginning to laugh, "Again? It's only been two months since Charlie's birth."

"Yes, I know. It's quite irritating, really. I can't remember the last time I spent more than nine months without a child in my belly," Marie replied, causing them both to laugh, "Though it makes me happy to think about giving you another child."

"We must take precautions after this one," Edward suddenly spoke up, causing Marie to turn and frown, "We have seven children together, Marie. Seven, and you're not even thirty yet. This will be your eighth child. If you're not careful, there could be complications."

"Nora had seven children," Marie pointed out with a smile on her face.

"Nora had her first child at eighteen and her last at thirty-six. Even then, the last birth, the birth of Princess Katherine and Prince Edmund, nearly killed her," He reminded her and Marie sighed, nodding her head since he knew he had a point.

"I don't want to stop having sex," Marie complained, staring up at him as she began to smirk, "You just have to stop doing, you know what, in me."

"I'll try," Edward replied, causing Marie to playfully roll her eyes, "What? You don't know how hard that is. You wouldn't know unless you yourself were a man."

"Mhm," Marie hummed in response and they both laughed in amusement.

_____

  The following day, Marie was walking down the hallway alone when Edward walked over to her. She turned, smiling at the sight of her husband. "Marie," He called out and Marie's smile faded at the sight of how uneasy her husband looked.

"What's wrong?" She asked, frowning in concern, "What happened?"

"I would urge you to visit the queen. She may need your help. I know the two of you haven't seen eye to eye of late, but I told you what occurred last night. She needs someone who may be there for her," He insisted and Marie nodded, knowing he was talking about how the queen had miscarried. Catherine hadn't told the king about it, either.

"I will," She assured him in a calm tone.

"Lord Stafford!" A voice suddenly called out, causing the couple to turn to see Wolsey walking toward them with a small group of men.

"Wolsey," Edward greeted the cardinal in a taunting tone, "My word, you are enlisting very ugly altar boys these days."

"Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham," Wolsey began to announce as his men grabbed ahold of Edward, causing both the latter and Marie's smug smiles to fade, "You are hereby accused of high treason against His Majesty, King Henry—"

"What are you doing?" Marie asked, letting out a large scoff, "What possible charge could there be against my husband?"

"And the commonwealth of England," Wolsey continued on, only to turn to see Marie glaring at him.

"This is pure spite. There can be no just cause against the king's loyal friend and counselor," Marie complained, glaring at him hatefully.

"Do not be alarmed, my love," Edward assured his wife with a smile on his face before he turned to Wolsey, "The alter rex merely tests his imagined power."

"Oh, but the Tower..." Wolsey trailed off and moved closer to Edward while Marie's eyes widened in fear at the thought of that wretched place, "Is very...very real, my lord. Take him away."

"No!" Marie exclaimed, shaking her head as she tried to run toward her husband, only to have two men hold her back as the others escorted Edward away, "No, no. You can't! He's done nothing wrong!"

"He's done nothing wrong!" Marie cried out, tears forming in her eyes, "No! Please, you can't! Edward! Please! Please, don't do this! I beg of you!"

Marie screamed out as she tried to run for her husband, but the men continued to hold her back. "No, no! Let me go! Please!" She pleaded, sobbing as memories of Nora and her grand-mère being taken away right before her eyes when she was just a girl consumed her mind.

It was happening again.

The person who she loved most was being taken from her once again and the Tudors were at fault. First Nora, the woman who raised her when she was a girl and now Edward, the man she loved?

She saw the look on Edward's face. He wasn't afraid. He didn't think he would actually be charged. He thought everything would be fine.

Marie knew better. The past had proven that those closest to her rarely lived long. Everyone she had ever loved always had the tendency to be taken from her. And she knew. She knew this was no different. Why must she be so cursed?

Once Wolsey and his men had gone, Marie hard run down the hallway as fast as she could until she found Kathy standing in the gardens. She was laughing as she ran around with her niece Mary, Catherine and Henry's daughter.

"Kathy, Kathy!" Marie called out, sobbing as she ran over to her friend, "Kathy, please. You must...You must help me. I beg of you."

"Marie, what's wrong?" Kathy asked, a concerned look on her face.

"Did you know about my husband?" Marie asked, tears streaming down her face, "Wolsey just arrested him. On the orders of Henry."

Kathy sighed and turned to Mary first. "Go on, I will find you later to read to you before bed," She told her niece and Mary smiled at her aunt before running off.

Sighing out once more, Kathy moved toward Marie. She gave the younger woman an assuring look as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will fix this, I promise," Kathy assured her friend before walking off.

_____

  It wasn't long before Kathy entered the room Henry sat in speaking with Thomas Boleyn. The moment she entered, Henry sighed and turned to his sister. "Don't even try it," He complained, knowing why she was there. "He's a traitor, Kathy."

"He is our friend!" Kathy corrected him, staring at Henry in disbelief, "And he loves us. He loves you."

"He foolishly exploited what he sees as a weakness in the king," Henry argued, earning a glare from Kathy.

"A weakness in the greatest monarch this country has ever known?" Boleyn commented, earning a loud scoff from Kathy, "It defies reason."

She balled her hand into a tight fist, trying to contain her anger as she walked closer to the two men. "Boleyn, you will shut up or I shall cut your tongue out right here and right now," She threatened the man in a venomous tone before turning to Henry, "Henry...Brother, please. Do not throw away those who love you the most."

"You are in no position to argue with me," Henry shouted, standing up from his seat to glare at Kathy, "I am the King and you are nothing more—"

Before Henry could finish, Kathy laughed and walked closer to him. "What, will you have me arrested too, little brother?" She asked, beginning to glare at him, "I dare you. See what happens. I promise you it will be your greatest mistake. These people around us, they might be afraid you, but I am not. And I never shall be. Because I know you for who you really are. I know you better than you know yourself. And trust me when I say if these lot knew you for the coward you truly are, they wouldn't be so afraid to defy you."

"You..." He trailed off, glaring at Kathy hatefully as he pointed a finger at her, "You are so lucky you are my sister or I would have you hanged for treason for ever thinking you could speak to me in such a way."

"Hang me and you'll have no one left at your side that actually has your best interests at mind," Kathy complained and Henry glared at her before leaving the room.

Boleyn was on the verge of leaving as well, only to stop when Kathy called out to him. "Thomas," She called out, causing Boleyn to stop and turn to her, "You are a reasonable man. Can you not make my idiot brother see sense?"

"In what fairy tale do you suppose I would counter the king in this matter, Your Grace? No one at court would dare do such a thing in fear of losing their head. All but you. You are alone in this, Your Grace. But did you expect any less?" Thomas explained in a calm tone before leaving as well.

Boiling with anger, Kathy yelled out in frustration before throwing an object across the room.

_____

  It was nighttime and since she was unable to sleep with the thought of her husband in the Tower not leaving her mind, Marie had decided to go see her children. She walked into the room where Nora and Edward slept on two separate beds, fast asleep.

She took a deep breath and walked in. She made her way over to Nora first, making sure she was tucked in and warm. She bent down, tears spilling down her pale cheeks as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

She knew Nora would take her father's death the hardest. She was closest to her father. She adored him. It pained her to know how much pain her daughter would be in when her father died.

"Mother?" Edward suddenly called out, causing Marie to turn to see her eldest son now sitting up and looking directly at her.

She quickly wiped her tears and moved closer to him. She sat down beside him on the bed, forcing herself to maintain composure. She needed to be strong. She needed to be strong for her children. She needed to be strong for the child she carried in her belly.

"You're worried about Father," Edward spoke up and Marie nodded her head in response, "Do you think he will die?"

"No, of course not," Marie replied, immediately shaking her head.

"I know you're lying, Mother," Edward admitted in a whisper, and Marie couldn't help but tear up, "I know about you and the king too. I know he is my real father," He paused, watching as his mother tried not to cry, "I don't care. Father is my father and always will be but..." He trailed off, an uneasy look on his face, "If he is executed, are we in danger? Will we have to flee?"

"Fleeing is the last thing we want to do. It will make it look like we are guilty," Marie confessed as she grabbed Edward's hand and held it, "You are young, Edward, and I know you know more than you let on. You always have. What you just told me proves that. So I want you to know..." She trailed off, placing a hand on the side of Edward's face, "If your father dies, I will be left a widow. I will be left to raise eight children on my own. Your father's lands will be taken from our family upon his death. We will have nothing. Nothing but the clothes on our backs. We will be in a similar situation that your aunt Maggie had once been in when her own husband died. But I will not let my children go hungry. You will get to live at one of the many castles the king has gifted you. As will little Henry. But your other brothers and your sisters...I must find a way to protect them."

"How will you do it?" Edward asked, a concerned frown on his face.

"I will have to do things I don't want to do," Marie admitted, tears welled in her eyes as she smiled sadly, "I will have to do what it takes to protect you and your brothers and sisters, even if it brings me misery and more unhappiness and pain than I have ever felt before. But I will do it. Because it will keep you all safe. And that is all that matters to me. The safety of my children."

"You will bed the king again," Edward realized and Marie tried not to cry as she nodded her head. She didn't want her son knowing such things, but she couldn't lie to him. No, not Edward.

"But it will be alright because all of you will be kept safe. If I keep the king's love, he will protect all of you, even Nora and little Charlie," Marie explained and Edward sighed in response.

"Because they are the only ones that are not the king's?" Edward asked and Marie nodded once more.

"But I promise you most of all, my darling boy, no harm will come to you. Not ever. Not you, my dear Edward," She promised him, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "You are the one I must keep furthest away from the king."

"I won't end up like him, Mother, I promise," Edward assured his mother in a calm tone, "I will protect you no matter what. I swear it. I don't care what the court will say about you. You will always be my mother and I will love you no matter what. And I shall defend you against anyone who dares to say anything bad about you."

"My job is to protect you and defend you, Edward, not the other way around," Marie assured him, smiling as she placed a hand on the side of her face, "But I am glad to hear you say that. To know that you will always have my back."

Edward smiled and nodded. "Always," He promised his mother, wasting no time hugging his mother, who immediately hugged back.

_____

  The following day, Kathy traveled to the Tower to see Edward. She walked into his cell, finding him sitting there in silence. The moment she entered, Edward stood up. He turned to her, his eyes widening in surprise. "Kathy!" He exclaimed and wasted no time rushing over to her.

They immediately hugged and Kathy sighed as she pulled away from the hug. "I have seen these charges against you, Edward. Calling them absurd is an understatement."

"You should not have troubled yourself. You risk your own life, Kathy," Edward reminded her as he sighed in defeat, "I'll be here a few days."

"I see it clearly now. My brother's mood has darkened more than ever before, and the cardinal encourages it all because he gains from it," Kathy explained, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "If I had only come to England sooner, I could have severed this bond between them, but now, it is far too late. Henry is too far gone," She explained, sighing as she looked down at the ground in shame, "But I suppose I may still reason with Wolsey."

"Good luck with that," Edward replied as he quietly scoffed, "Henry will humiliate me, but he will not kill me."

"Even so...You must beg for the king's forgiveness. Charlie and Thomas Boleyn are too afraid to speak out," She explained in a stern tone, "But I am not Boleyn nor my husband. I will speak against this. It isn't right and I refuse to let any harm come to you, my friend. I have known you my whole life. And we have stood by each other since long before my brother became king. I will protect you. But you must promise me you will beg the king," She explained pleadingly, "Promise me you will do what is right so that you may live through this, so you may live for Marie's sake and your children's."

"Very well. I will beg," Edward answered after a moment of silence and began to walk toward Kathy, "But you must promise me something also."

"Anything," Kathy replied without hesitation.

"If I am to be executed, promise me that you will protect Marie and my children," He insisted and Kathy smiled at him.

"I was already planning to do that, but yes, I promise you that, Edward," Kathy replied as Edward walked closer to her, "I shall protect them until my dying breath. Marie has always been a sister to me. I will die before I let any more harm come to her at the hands of my brother."

_____

  Upon returning to Westminster, it wasn't long before Kathy walked over to Wolsey, who was in the middle of talking to some bishops. "Withdraw your charges against Stafford, butcher's boy, or I swear to you, you will regret it," She demanded, causing Wolsey to roll his eyes as he turned to face her.

The bishops walked away, leaving Wolsey alone with Kathy. "I cannot, Your Grace," He replied in a calm tone, "They are severe."

"He is no threat to—" Kathy began to say, only to have Wolsey cut her off.

"To the king?" Wolsey asked as he looked down at her, "I believe he is."

"Well, you are wrong. But it wouldn't be the first time, would it?" She argued in a low, threatening tone, "The king needs his counselors, his generals, and his friends. If you haven't realized by now, Stafford is all three."

"If you will excuse me, Your Grace, there is a case to prepare," Wolsey replied, beginning to walk away.

"And here I thought we were allies in the king's best interests," Kathy spoke up, causing Wolsey to stop.

"I already have an ally in the king's interest!" He snapped at her angrily as he moved toward her, "God. And it is He who tells me that His Majesty's greatest enemies are those...closest to him. You most of all."

With that, Wolsey began to walk away and Kathy couldn't help but let out a loud laugh. "Those closest to him, you say? You do realize you're the closest of them all to the king? I mean, your head is almost halfway up his ass already," She snapped at him coldly, "You will do anything to remain in the King's favor, even if it means destroying everyone else around him. But know this..."

As Kathy trailed off, she moved closer to Wolsey and roughly slammed him against the wall. She glared up at him hatefully, pointing a finger at the man. She didn't care how sinful or frowned upon it was to lay a hand on a man of God. Wolsey didn't deserve to be considered such.

"You even think about trying to do the same to my husband, Marie Stafford, or I that you did to Lord Stafford..." Kathy threatened him in a low tone as she leaned closer to him, her face just inches away from his, "And I will kill you. Do you hear me? And I won't be some coward and make someone else do it for me. No. I'll do it myself. But I don't think I will have to," She paused, beginning to smirk sadistically, "I give it less than ten years before you lose the king's favor for good. Just as everyone does. You must realize something, Wolsey, no one will ever have the king's heart like Charlie and I do. You may try, but it will never work. We have a place in his heart that no one will ever have. One mistake and..." She trailed off and snapped her fingers, "And your power will be gone just like that. And on that day, I shall throw a feast to praise God for finally giving you what you deserve."

Slowly, Kathy stepped away from Wolsey, smirking in satisfaction. "Have a good day, Cardinal Wolsey," She told him before walking away, "I know I will."

"You are mad!" He shouted at her and Kathy smiled.

"At least I'm not some power-hungry commoner that tears the people around him down just to remain in power," Kathy called out to him before leaving, "I am Katherine Tudor and none shall ever harm the people I love and get away with it. Especially not you."