BLOODLINES
—9.  Responsibility

   In the gardens at Westminster, Harry and Charlie stood together, shirtless as they played a game together. Many people watched on, clapping for the prince and his friend. Ladies giggled as they watched on, blushing at the two handsome men.

"Right," Charlie stated as he threw his ball and turned to his friend, "Better that."

"I will," He replied as he picked up his own ball, "Let me show you how to throw."

Charlie laughed and rolled his eyes at his friend. However, his smile faded and he felt uneasy when he saw Kathy moving toward them, looking unhappy.

In any other case, Charlie would have been happy to see her approaching. After all, usually, she liked to join them in such games. However, just by the look on her face, Charlie knew Kathy's sudden arrival meant nothing good.

"Incoming," Charlie whispered to Harry, who gave him a weird look.

"Harry, I need to speak with you," Kathy suddenly spoke up and just like Charlie, when Harry turned to see the look on his sister's face, he knew the same thing Charlie did. One of them was about to be yelled at.

"About what?" Harry asked his sister in an annoyed tone as he dropped his ball on the ground, "I'm kind of busy."

"Who would you rather speak to? Me or our Lady Grandmother?" Kathy retorted with an attitude, "She sent me here to speak with you, but if you'd like, you may speak to her instead."

"Bitch," Harry muttered under his breath, causing Charlie to smile and shake his head.

Harry sighed in annoyance and began to walk toward Kathy. Briefly, the Tudor girl turned her head and gazed at Charlie, who smirked at her.

"I'm right here, not over there," Harry suddenly spoke up, causing Kathy to snap out of her thoughts as she turned to look back at her brother.

"Enough of this charade you're playing with Catherine. You cannot marry her, brother," Kathy argued in a stern tone.

"We cannot let so valuable a princess go to waste. We need the Spanish treaty, especially since one day, Lady Grandmother and Father will be gone and you and I will be in power of this country. If we don't keep her while we still can, France will grab her, and then fat King Louis would use all that Spanish gold to use against us or to push me from my throne, when I inherit it from Father. You and I both know there's a chance that it's Louis who musters men against us."

"'If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing, and they will be childless.' Leviticus," Kathy recited scripture and Harry smirked at his elder sister.

"If brethren dwell together and one of them die with no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry a stranger; her husband's brother shall take her as a wife and perform the duty of a husband'. Deuteronomy,"  Harry retorted with an attitude, "You see, you're not the only one who can read scripture that we both learned from Lady Grandmother."

"There are other choices, Harry. There are other princesses in Europe that you may wed," Kathy reminded Harry, attempting to convince him not to marry Catherine.

"There weren't for our brother," Harry argued with his sister, "The Spanish alliance was our Holy Grail. Mother had said it herself. Has something changed?"

"Yes," Kathy replied in an annoyed tone, "That Spanish bitch is a lying harlot."

"You don't think I would know it if she had lain with Arthur?" Harry snapped at Kathy coldly, "Or do you think your intellect is sharper than my own?"

"I don't think it, brother, I know it," Kathy retorted with an attitude as she glared up at him, "What about Marie, you bastard? She loves you and you're just going to abandon her like this? How could you?"

Harry had been on the verge of walking away from Kathy. However, when he heard her question, he stopped and turned to face her. "Who do you think encouraged me to marry Catherine in the first place?"

"No, Marie wouldn't–" Kathy began to argue, only to be cut off as Harry stormed back over to her.

   "Oh, but she did, sister. I poured my heart out to her and told her that I loved her and she left me. She left me when I needed her the most," Harry told her angrily, "So she can go to hell for all I care and you may go with her because after Mother's death, I can barely recognize you. You don't even know how to have fun anymore. You're ending up just like Lady Grandmother and it makes you dull, which is something I never thought you'd be."

Kathy stared up at Harry, a hurt look on her face. However, it was soon consumed with anger and she walked over to Harry. "You want to see fun, you ass?" She snapped at him as she walked over to Charlie.

She roughly snatched the heavy ball he was holding and wasted no time throwing it in Harry's direction. Before Harry could react, the ball had hit him right in the groin area, causing him to groan as he fell forward.

"Forgive me if I'm trying to grow up, perhaps you should do the same because as of this moment, you're nothing but a spoiled prick who thinks with his cock and not his brain when it comes to the future of England," She snapped at him coldly, shooting him a glare before she stormed off.

Kathy suddenly stopped, however, when she got to the end of the gardens. She pressed a hand over her belly, having an unsettling feeling in her gut. Suddenly gagging, Kathy ran for the bushes before vomiting.

"Kathy?" A voice called out, causing Kathy to quickly wipe her mouth before she turned her head to see that Charlie had chased after her instead of remaining with Harry.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, slowly beginning to walk over to her, "Are you unwell? Shall I fetch a physician?"

"I'm fine," Kathy assured Charlie, forcing a smile onto her face, "I've just had a bellyache these past few days."

"Is that why you've been avoiding me for days now?" Charlie asked her in concern as he began to move toward her, "Oh, wait. You've been avoiding me for an entire month. Ever since your mother's death."

"Don't," Kathy demanded in a stern tone, "I don't want to talk about."

"Perhaps, but you should talk about it. Instead of doing so, you've just been pushing everyone who cares about you away. Most of all, me and Harry. You've instead decided to join the Privy Council, but you hate the Privy Council," Charlie explained in an annoyed tone, "You're trying to distract yourself."

"I am not," Kathy argued defensively, despite knowing he was right, "And you have no right to question me. You're nothing but a commoner."

Kathy shot him a glare before turning on her heel. Charlie went to speak up, but before he could, Kathy had already walked away.

_____

  It was afternoon time and Kathy walked into her father's room, where he sat silently by himself, staring blankly into the fire.

Kathy stopped in the doorway to curtsy before her father as was expected of her. As she did so, Henry turned to glance at her, but said nothing.

She sighed in defeat at her father and walked closer to him, trying to hide her sadness. She hated seeing her father like this. He looked incompletely without Lizbeth by his side.

"She's gone, the Spanish girl," Kathy informed her father in a calm tone, "I assume that letter has been written to the pope regarding matters of the marriage?"

"Every time I open my eyes, I learn the lack of your mother over again," Henry confessed, a depressed look on his face, "And I hear the words she spoke upon her deathbed."

Kathy sighed in defeat, placing a hand on her father's shoulder to comfort him. "What were they, Father?" She questioned, a concerned look appearing on her face.

Not being able to contain himself anymore, Henry began to cry as he placed his face in his hands.

Just then, Kathy turned her head, frowning when she looked down to see an unopened letter laid out on the table next to her father. "What is this?" She asked worriedly as she picked up the letter that still had an unbroken seal, "From the emperor? Father!"

Henry continued to cry, unable to get out of his depressed state. He didn't even stop Kathy as she opened the letter on her own to read it.

"Bloody hell," She muttered under her breath as she read the contents of the letter. She turned to her father, a deeply concerned look on her face. "How long have you had this?"

Henry finally turned to his daughter, who shook her head in disapproval. With that, she ran off while carrying the letter, quick to find her grandmother.

____

  "It's just talk," Richard Pole argued as he sat down with the rest of the privy council members, "We've had eight years of peace. No one would now turn their coats to York to wade through blood again."

Just then, Margaret and Kathy entered, leading to all of the men standing up. They frowned, especially when they saw the letter Margaret held.

The moment the two women sat down, the men followed soon after.

"My granddaughter has learned the name of our tormentor, the phantom challenger raising men in France," Margaret informed the Privy Council members, "Edmund of York," She paused, turning to look toward Richard Pole, "Your own wife's cousin."

Richard frowned, knowing for a fact that Kathy herself and all of her siblings had a closer blood relation to the boy than Maggie did. It was their first cousin. It was Maggie's first cousin once removed.

"May I see?" Richard asked uneasily and Margaret wasted no time handing him the letter.

"Edmund of York?" Wolsey questioned Richard almost tauntingly, causing the elder man to turn to him.

"My wife has had no contact with him," Richard argued in a defensive tone.

"It appears that he and Lizzie Plantagenet are being sheltered by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian himself, who will not hand him over, despite the king's entreaties that he should, because Maximilian fears that we would kill the rat and his traitor aunt," Margaret informed the men in a calm tone.

"Of course we would," Lord Stafford argued in an angered tone, "The last York heir standing."

"We must build our armies to withstand a York invasion," Margaret pointed out to Stafford and the rest of the men on the Privy Council.

"An assault on the throne backed by the wealth of the Hapsburg empire," Lord Stafford complained, a fearful look on his face.

Nora had been backed by the Hapsburg Empire when she fought against the Tudors and she nearly won. Now, the Hapsburgs were even stronger and wealthier now. They were a far worse threat now than ever before.

"My lady, the treasury is depleted, and our war chests are empty," Sir Thomas Boleyn reminded Margaret, feeling uneasy as well.

Just then, Margaret knocked her ringed finger against the table. Only a moment later, the door opened and everyone's heads turned to see a man enter.

"I'm sure you all know Edmund Dudley," Margaret informed the men with a smile on her face, "Who has served the city as a gifted lawyer and is now the Speaker of the House of Commons. He shows his loyalty by offering his services to find ways to fill our coffers."

Edmund Dudley walked to the other end of the table and took a seat, just before opening the book. "There are places to cut spending, but that alone will not yield the kind of revenue we need. We will raise the taxes on the most popular items, like wool and leather, and we shall create new fines for things like dogs in church, singing in the street, and impersonating the king."

Kathy scoffed, turning to exchange an annoyed look with Sir Thomas Boleyn and Lord Stafford.

"All ideas that will be effective at stirring resentment on the streets," Sir Richard Pole pointed out and it was exactly what the rest of the men and Kathy were thinking.

"If it's soldiers that we need, why not begin conscripting those who came here with the Spanish princess, in lieu of half the dowry that was never paid?" Edmund Dudley suggested in a calm tone.

"Not in lieu, in part payment, and a small part," Margaret argued calmly and the men began to glance around at each other.

"Am I the only one who sees a perfect solution here?" Kathy suddenly spoke up, causing all members of the Privy Council to turn to look at her.

"What may that be?" Sir Thomas questioned, raising a brow at the Princess.

"We have the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor with us," Kathy pointed out and Lord Stafford rolled his eyes, clearly not thinking that whatever her suggestion was, was worth listening to.

  "One he hasn't even attempted to get back," Lord Stafford pointed out to her and Kathy shook his head.

   "Because he doesn't want a war. But as of late, he's practically waged it by harboring a traitor. Two, in fact. We may ask for peace, trading one hostage for another. Or..." She trailed off, a smile forming on her lips, "We can make an alliance."

"What kind of alliance?" Sir Richard questioned, raising a brow at Kathy.

"We marry Harry, England's heir, to Marie. We'd have just as much power there than if we were to marry Harry to Catherine. But at least with this marriage, we'd be dealing with two issues," Kathy explained and the men found themselves thinking on it deeply.

The men remained silent, but they did, in fact, agree with her.

"Harry will marry neither Marie of Burgundy nor Princess Catherine of Aragon," Margaret argued in a stern tone, leading to none of the men agreeing with Kathy. Not when it meant they'd be going against Margaret.

Kathy sighed in defeat, noticing what they had done and why.

_____

In her room, Meg stood on a platform as some servants helped fit her for a wedding dress. Maggie and Kathy stood near her, standing off to the side as the girl was fitted.

"The Scots king wants us to wear matching white damask for the wedding," Meg informed the two women in a disgusted tone, "I hope he does not expect us to match every day, like demented twins. It already creeps me out when Harry and Kathy do it."

"We do not do that," Kathy argued, rolling her eyes at her sister.

"Did you ever see your mother's wedding dress?" Maggie asked Meg, a large smile on her face and the younger girl shook her head, "Red, for war. Your grandmother wanted to tear it off her with her teeth."

Meg chuckled, smiling at the thought. However, it faded when she thought of an idea. "Would you find it for me?" Meg asked as she looked down the maid fixing the hem of her dress, "We could use it for a red trim to my own," She paused, looking over at her aunt Maggie, "I'm honoring my mother."

Kathy's smile faded and she felt uneasy, despite trying to hide it.

Once the maids were gone, Meg sighed, turning her attention toward Maggie. "Aunt Maggie," She called out as she walked off the platform, "Will it...hurt, after the wedding? The night?"

"I will tell you what your Aunt Cecily told me on my wedding night," Maggie informed Meg in a calm tone as she walked closer to her and grabbed ahold of her hands, "It hurts a little at first. Then it feels quite nice."

"You will be here when it comes time for me to leave?" Meg asked Maggie, a worried look on her face.

"I wouldn't miss it for all the heather in Scotland," Maggie wasted no time answering, smiling as she tightly hugged Meg.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, causing Kathy to turn her head to see Sir Richard, Maggie's husband, open the door.

Sir Richard bowed to Kathy and Meg, just before turning to look at Maggie, who was pulling away from hugging Meg. Noticing the look on her husband's face, Maggie knew he wanted to speak to her in private.

She smiled, curtsying to both Meg and Kathy before she left the room to speak to her husband alone.

There was a long moment of silence between Meg and Kathy. After all, they were never close. They rarely spoke to each other except when Kathy was tormenting Meg alongside Harry.

Kathy grew up always being difficult and the only sibling to ever get along with her was Harry because he was always nearly just as difficult as her.

"King James has many Bastard children, I'm told. It means he's experienced. You'll have a pleasurable time your first time. I'm sure of it," Kathy spoke up and instead of feeling better, Meg looked more worried than ever before at the mention of bastard children, "I'm sorry for always being mean to you. I do not wish for you to leave with us being at odds. You're my sister and I might not show it, but I love you."

Meg smiled, beginning to tear up at Kathy's confession. She walked over to her sister. "I love you, too," She confessed and wasted no time hugging Kathy, who looked uncomfortable but gradually began to hug back.

As they pulled away from each other, Kathy grabbed her sister's hands and looked into her eyes. "If King James tries anything or touches you in a way you do not like, I would like for you to write to tell me of it," She explained to Meg, who smiled in amusement.

"Why? What will you do?" Meg asked, clearly not taking Kathy's threatening tone seriously.

"Make him stop," Kathy replied in a low tone, "But I think you'll make the most of your situation and start to like him."

"I doubt it," Meg replied, causing them both to chuckle.

______

In her chambers, Marie was sitting at her desk, writing a poem on the piece of paper laid out in front of her when the door opened. She jumped in fright, only to calm down when she saw that it was just Harry.

She sighed, wasting no time standing up. She turned to face him and curtsied since that was expected of her, even though she rarely ever did it.

She heard about his intention to marry Catherine of Aragon and she decided it finally time to start being formal and not so comfortable with him.

"Good evening, Marie," Harry greeted Marie and the Burgundian girl frowned when wall him holding a rolled-up tapestry in his hands, "Forgive me, I was just passing by this hall and I thought I'd come to see you, since I haven't seen you around as much of late."

"I've been here, Your Grace," Marie replied in a calm tone, "It isn't like I'm able to leave the castle. Not without you or Kathy and the two of you have been quite busy of late."

"How have you been keeping yourself busy?" Harry suddenly asked, earning a weird look from Marie.

"I was actually preparing to bathe," She informed him, which was her indirect way of telling him to leave.

"Well, don't let me stop you," Harry replied, a mischievous smile on his face as he didn't move a single inch from his spot.

"I'm not going to bathe in front of you," Marie replied, letting out a large scoff.

Harry's smile faded and he walked over to the wall, wasting no time hanging up a coat of arms that showed the red and white Tudor rose.

Marie frowned in confusion, wondering why he would suddenly show up to her room unannounced and place up a banner of his family's house. "What do you think you're doing?" Marie asked Harry with an attitude.

"Saving your life," Harry confessed, much to Marie's confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Marie asked, beginning to frown.

"You must be careful from now on. And you must never speak of Nora ever again. Not even to me. Any traces you have left of her, you must get rid of," Harry explained, a worried look on his face.

"Why?" Marie asked again, walking toward Harry with a worried look on her face, "What's wrong?"

"Your Father, the Holy Roman Emperor, he is harboring two traitors to the English crown," Harry informed her in an uneasy tone.

"Who?" Marie frowned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"I-I shouldn't tell you," Harry replied, shaking his head in response.

"Harry, you can trust me," Marie assured him, a pleading look on her face.

"He's protecting my aunt Lizzie and my cousin, Edmund of York. There were rumors of him escaping England as a child and brought aboard by Lizzie herself in case of the Yorks losing their last rebellion," Harry explained, only to notice as Marie visibly tense up, "You know something."

"I don't," Marie argued and shook her head, despite lying right to Harry's face.

"You do," Harry argued back as he moved closer to Marie, "Just tell me, Marie. You can trust me with whatever it is. I promise."

"I don't know anything, Harry!" She shouted at him defensively, but by the look on his face, Marie knew he didn't believe her. She sighed in defeat, just before speaking up. "All I know is that as a girl, I watched Nora send Lizzie off with Prince George's son. They had taken him from the castle and switched him with another baby."

"So the rumors are true and you had proof this entire time yet you never told anyone," Harry realized, letting out a large scoff.

"I told you," Marie pointed out calmly as she shrugged her shoulders.

"After eight years," Harry argued, a betrayed look on his face.

"Why did you come here?" Marie found herself asking Harry, narrowing her eyes at him, "Was it to get answers for your family?"

"I came here because I don't want you to get hurt. A war is on the verge of starting and you are the enemy's daughter. My father isn't in his right mind after the death of my mother and I don't want you to get hurt. Because I care about you," Harry confessed as he walked over to Marie. He stopped when he was standing in front of her.

  Marie tensed up, but found herself surprisingly relaxing as he cupped her face in his face. She shouldn't have, but she did. She always felt at ease at Harry's touch.

Harry leaned downwards, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I always have. I always will," He whispered to her softly as he pulled away and looked her directly in the eyes, "No matter what happens and no matter who I end up marrying, you are the only one who will ever truly be for me. The only one my heart will ever belong to. I don't care what you say, it is the absolute truth."

Marie sighed, closing her eyes as Harry pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. She thought he was going to kiss her on the lips, only to sigh in defeat when she opened her eyes to see him walking toward the door. She sighed, watching him leave with a hesitant look on her face.