(no subject)
Use your default icon as the inspiration for a 100 word (100 words? Psh..) drabble (play nice and don't go changing it!). It can be about whatever as long as it was inspired by your default icon. Post your drabble as a comment to this post (NOT NECESSARY FOR ME.. Though you can if you want) along with your default icon.
stolen from hisakatakeishi
...
There is never a time in court were I suddenly found myself accustomed to the scrutiny and the spectacle of being the king's wife. Hundreds and thousands of dirty faces, milling casually in the dining hall just to watch Henry's magnificent court take their supper. It must be like watching peacocks feed, with the women cawing at each other and making eyes at the lounging gentlemen. For all their ease, the men are flashy and far too self assured, with their rich clothes and fine breeding and favor on display for the women. It is, of course, exactly how Henry wants it.
For an old man, he has a young court and a young wife. Soon, he will be picking little girls from cradles to please his vanity and false sense of immortality. In a room full of silly, glorified hens and roosters, Henry is at the head, draped in gold fabric and sampling the best the chefs can offer. His little, piggy eyes are greedy and drink in the sight of his wealth and admiration with as much enthusiasm as he does from his wine goblet. I feel no love for this man. At best, I pity his life of excess and his suspicious nature. He makes all those around him miserable when he can find no joy in life, and he eats at his country and kin like the gaping, stinking sore on his own leg.
Of course, to express any of my true feelings would be considered treason. I have seen the tower green, and I have heard the stories. Henry: The Wife Killer. This fat, self-righteous king has killed many a good woman (and man) for less than a small slander to his name. I do not wish to join them.
My ultimate goal is to live, for what good can I bring to this broken country, with its burnt abbeys and religious and social strife, if I am dead? Upon seeing England, beautiful England, I made a vow: I will be a good queen. I will care for the people as if I were native, and for the king's children as if they were my own. I will be a good wife.
So, I can sit next to this great, accomplished murderer, and I can smile at him as if nothing in the world pleases me more than his happiness. When he kisses me on the cheek with his small, food covered lips, I can thank him for his consideration and affection. I will even lie with him, as is my duty as his wife, and tolerate the stink of his open wound as it seems to seep into everything and lingers like death's breath.
I will do all of this with a smile, and the dignity that is expected of my title. For if it must be done at all, it will be done with grace.
And I promise, when I am queen, there shall be happy hearts in England.
...
If anyone didn't know, my default icon is the portrait of Anne of Cleves that was sent to Henry the VIII for consideration before he took her as a wife. The quote comes from Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance, which follows the lives of Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn, and Katherine Howard during Anne and Kitty's time as Queen of England.
For anyone who knows the story of Henry's wives (Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived), then you'll know that Anne was divorced, citing that she was much too ugly and stupid for the king to bear. Frankly, I think it's more likely that his pride was hurt at their botched first meeting, and his own health problems were to embarrassing for him to say that his inability to get a child off her was his fault... So, she must be stupid and hideous. Thus, the life of a king. lol
Personally, I believe that Anne's portrait is very much accurate, and she might possibly be one of the prettiest of his wives. Also, she spoke mostly German when she came to England, which could have contributed to the idea that she was too "dull" and "unintelligent." Also, I find it hard to believe that the only wife EVER to escape Henry with her life and limb intact doesn't have have some sort of quick wit.
"But what about his last wife?" you're saying. "She survived!" Yes. Well. That's because Henry was old, ailing, and died. Anne had Henry at the height of his insanity, and left him to poor (trampy) Kitty Howard who didn't fair as well.
...And I'll stop explaining now.
stolen from hisakatakeishi
...
There is never a time in court were I suddenly found myself accustomed to the scrutiny and the spectacle of being the king's wife. Hundreds and thousands of dirty faces, milling casually in the dining hall just to watch Henry's magnificent court take their supper. It must be like watching peacocks feed, with the women cawing at each other and making eyes at the lounging gentlemen. For all their ease, the men are flashy and far too self assured, with their rich clothes and fine breeding and favor on display for the women. It is, of course, exactly how Henry wants it.
For an old man, he has a young court and a young wife. Soon, he will be picking little girls from cradles to please his vanity and false sense of immortality. In a room full of silly, glorified hens and roosters, Henry is at the head, draped in gold fabric and sampling the best the chefs can offer. His little, piggy eyes are greedy and drink in the sight of his wealth and admiration with as much enthusiasm as he does from his wine goblet. I feel no love for this man. At best, I pity his life of excess and his suspicious nature. He makes all those around him miserable when he can find no joy in life, and he eats at his country and kin like the gaping, stinking sore on his own leg.
Of course, to express any of my true feelings would be considered treason. I have seen the tower green, and I have heard the stories. Henry: The Wife Killer. This fat, self-righteous king has killed many a good woman (and man) for less than a small slander to his name. I do not wish to join them.
My ultimate goal is to live, for what good can I bring to this broken country, with its burnt abbeys and religious and social strife, if I am dead? Upon seeing England, beautiful England, I made a vow: I will be a good queen. I will care for the people as if I were native, and for the king's children as if they were my own. I will be a good wife.
So, I can sit next to this great, accomplished murderer, and I can smile at him as if nothing in the world pleases me more than his happiness. When he kisses me on the cheek with his small, food covered lips, I can thank him for his consideration and affection. I will even lie with him, as is my duty as his wife, and tolerate the stink of his open wound as it seems to seep into everything and lingers like death's breath.
I will do all of this with a smile, and the dignity that is expected of my title. For if it must be done at all, it will be done with grace.
And I promise, when I am queen, there shall be happy hearts in England.
...
If anyone didn't know, my default icon is the portrait of Anne of Cleves that was sent to Henry the VIII for consideration before he took her as a wife. The quote comes from Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance, which follows the lives of Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn, and Katherine Howard during Anne and Kitty's time as Queen of England.
For anyone who knows the story of Henry's wives (Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived), then you'll know that Anne was divorced, citing that she was much too ugly and stupid for the king to bear. Frankly, I think it's more likely that his pride was hurt at their botched first meeting, and his own health problems were to embarrassing for him to say that his inability to get a child off her was his fault... So, she must be stupid and hideous. Thus, the life of a king. lol
Personally, I believe that Anne's portrait is very much accurate, and she might possibly be one of the prettiest of his wives. Also, she spoke mostly German when she came to England, which could have contributed to the idea that she was too "dull" and "unintelligent." Also, I find it hard to believe that the only wife EVER to escape Henry with her life and limb intact doesn't have have some sort of quick wit.
"But what about his last wife?" you're saying. "She survived!" Yes. Well. That's because Henry was old, ailing, and died. Anne had Henry at the height of his insanity, and left him to poor (trampy) Kitty Howard who didn't fair as well.
...And I'll stop explaining now.