I would rather die the wife of Culpepper [OTA!]

[without_athorn]

It had, needless to say, taken a long while for Katherine to adjust to the village. It was slow going, but eventually, she'd come around the the fact that she wasn't the queen (which honestly relieved her more than anything else), her husband had no idea who she was (which also secretly relieved her), dead people were somehow living here, and she

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[faramir_hurin]

It is a perfectly ordinary day at the library, with books to check out and others to re-shelve and questions to answer. That all changes when I hear a woman scream and soon after see her run through the door out into the street. She's not a modern lady by her dress, not that it would matter. I am after her in a moment.

"My lady! My lady, please stop."

If you're too busy, feel free to have her not hear him or just not stop.

[without_athorn]

The last thing Katherine wanted to do, of course, was stop. But she was a well trained girl of her time, and at the words, Kitty screeched to a halt. It took her a moment to compose herself enough to turn around and face the voice, but she finally did.

"I-- I'm very sorry if I disturbed you, my lord. Please-- please forgive me."

[faramir_hurin]

I knew it wasn't the Lady Anne. This girl is quite young and I find myself feeling very unsettled.*

"I am not disturbed, my lady, only concerned." I am trying to smile. "At home I am Captain Lord Faramir of Gondor, but here in the village I am in charge of the library. It is only natural that I would seek to help someone if they had a problem there."

It is cold out.

"Would you come back inside where it is warm? I would help if I could." What has she seen that made her react like that?

*His Long Sight can let him know how people are feeling. She may well be upset enough that he doesn't even have to Look.

[without_athorn]

"Katherine Howard," she answered, wrapping her arms around herself. "And I'm not so cold," she lied. She didn't want to go back in there and see that book again, and the awful things that were written in it.

"I think perhaps someone has written lies in one of your books."

[faramir_hurin]

As soon as she says her name I understand.

"Lady Katherine, Your Majesty." I bow. "I think I know what it is that you have seen. It is history to many but future to you--I have learned some very unpleasant things about my own future as well."

I can be away from the library a little while. I'll forgive myself for it, as this is important.

"The hotel is close, then. You may not feel the cold now but it will do you little good to stay outside in it." I offer my arm. "May I escort you there?"

[without_athorn]

Katherine was a bit taken aback. She hadn't been addressed as queen since she'd been here. In fact, it had been made perfectly clear to her that she wasn't the queen here. She waved a shaky hand. "Oh-- that isn't necessary, my lord. I'm just Katherine." She looked at him. "You know about these lies? Why would someone write this?"

Kitty glanced in the direction of the hotel, then at his arm. "I-- I suppose. Thank you."

[faramir_hurin]

"Here you are just Katherine as I am just Faramir, I merely honour the titles you have at home." This is going to be difficult.

"My lady, I can guess what you have learned. Would that I could tell you it was lies." I look at her very sadly. "Learning terrible truths about our futures is one negative thing I can say about this place. The loss of my family is one of the things that has not yet happened for me but will, and I can do nothing to change it. All we can do is make our peace with it--and that is very difficult to do."

It took a very large mistake on my part to learn.

"I have read of much of the history of the land called England. I can guess that you have read of your future." It is not a bright one. "It's nothing anyone should ever have to find out."

It will be enough to have to live it once.

[without_athorn]

"But I have not betrayed the king!" Katherine insisted. "I would never! I haven't been adulterous at all, my lord, I swear it. Why, before I was brought here, the king himself placed me in Thomas' arms for a dance!"

She was all sincerity, because she truly hadn't begun that ill fated affair yet, though she'd imagined what it might be like. But she would go to church straight away and ask God to forgive her for betraying the king in her mind.

[faramir_hurin]

"You may well not have betrayed the king. History says that Anne Boleyn did not, even as she herself said. But she was accused as you will be accused and the court may well believe it even with it all being a lie." What a terrible time. "From what little I know of your world at your time, there was much treachery and jealousy. Certainly it would benefit someone to blame you."

Our court is not like that, and father would not fall victim to such lies.

"Is there anything I can do that would help you now?"

[without_athorn]

"He has betrayed me!" Katherine cried. "Or, he is going to. He and anyone who accuses me! And poor Thomas! Oh, Lord. Sir, did he have Thomas killed, too?"

With her panic rising once again, Katherine looked at him. "I don't know. I think-- I think perhaps I'd like to sit somewhere. Sit down for a bit."

[faramir_hurin]

"Let us go to the hotel lobby and find you a place out of the way to sit." That will be best.

"I do not know--the book I read did not mention Thomas. If you were accused then I'm certain he was known as well. I am very sorry, my lady."

Would that I knew more about it, but it would be unlikely for the lady to be put to death and not the man also. What a terrible thing to have to learn.

"Here we are--over there. That is better than right here by the doors." This is worse than my learning of Boromir. That is to be expected with us being soldiers. This is not something anyone could predict.

[without_athorn]

Katherine nodded and allowed him to lead the way.

That was her worst fear, but she swallowed the panic for the moment, and tried to smile, though it likely came off as little more than a grimace. "Thank you for everything you've told me anyway, my lord."

She sank into the chair gratefully, closing her eyes for a moment and trying to collect her thoughts. "This is all rather a lot to take in."

[faramir_hurin]

"It is. The village can be so kind and give us great gifts, but it can also be terribly cruel at times."

For a moment I let her sit in silence.

"Have you anyone here you might speak with? Stay with? To learn something so horrible and then have to be alone is not something you should have to suffer."

[without_athorn]

After a moment or so, she opened her eyes.

"I suppose I could go and see my lady Cleves. She might already know that all of this is going to happen to me. I never asked her what time she was taken from."

[faramir_hurin]

"Lady Anne of Cleves?" Of course, if there is anyone who could help it would likely be she. Or perhaps Lady Anne Boleyn.

"Do you need to sit more before going to her? Can you contact her on the message machine or do you know where she will be?"

The village should provide for these situations.

"If you cannot find her, I will take you to The Ribbon. It is a place that can help in many situations."

[without_athorn]

"Yes, sir. Lady Anne of Cleves. When she was queen, I was one of her ladies. Now she comes to court often, as the king's sister."

Katherine considered for a moment. "I think I'd like to sit a bit more, but I know where to find her. In her rooms, I think." She blinked. "The Ribbon?"