Big Bang Fic: Between Golden Worlds, Chapter 2
Title: Between golden worlds
Author: pamymex3girl
Rating: T, just to be on the safe side
Pairings/characters: Susan, Lucy, Edmund, Peter, Mary Tudor, Thomas more; Susan/Caspian, Susan/OC, Peter/OC, all normal Tudor couples
Disclaimer: I do not own neither the narnian characters nor the historical characters, just my story.
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: death, spoilers for the first three Narnia movies and three seasons of the tudors
Author's Notes: I’ve used some scenes from the series the Tudors and although I’ve tried to be historically accurate I’ve changed some things. I’ve also changed the age of the Pevensies when they went back to Narnia for the second and the third time
Summary: It is August 1524 and the Pevensies are being send to the English court. Having just lost their own world they must now learn to walk in this world. They must accept their place and live their lives, but they must be careful. For the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place, one step in the wrong direction could prove disastrous...
Chapter 2
April 1525
The entire court was changing; Edmund could feel it.
Not just feel it. He could see it as well; something was different; every courtier was acting wearingly, but he had no idea why. Nobody wanted to talk about it and definitely not with an 11-year-old boy. Normally, he’d be able to pick up the gossip, the one good thing about being an overlooked child was that nobody stopped talking when he was near; however, there was no actual gossip. It was almost as if everyone was too afraid to say out loud what they thought, just in case their king heard; one of the things Edmund had quickly learned was that was the king was concerned every word had to be weighted carefully. Even when you were sure you knew what the king was thinking, even if you were wording it on his behalf you still had to be careful; the king, after all, could change his mind in a second.
It had not been like this with him in Narnia; he was sure of it.
But then again, in that world he had been king in this one he was one of the many, perhaps all the Narnians did weigh their words carefully, just in case. Still the world was changing, before these kinds of silences usually meant the king had a new mistress but even that was talked about; just not in the neighborhood of either king or queen. Now there was not a word, not even a whisper; but something was definitely going on. It had started many months ago, when Fitzroy had been at court; however, that had, at the time, been understandable. After all the King loved the Queen (or at least he respected her) and having his illegitimate son at court could only hurt her (since so far she had been unable to give him a son, in truth Edmund doubted she still could she was old after all). She’d been strong; he remembers the moment when Henry Fitzroy arrived at the festivities.
The Princess Mary had walked in holding the smaller boy's hand, clearly delighted at having a brother.
The queen smiled proudly, most likely at her daughter, and then she’d helped the son up, so he could sit next to his father on the dais. Everyone had talked about it for weeks, even the king had been delighted. In those months, the queen could do nothing wrong, first there was her nephew the Emperor of Spain, who had accepted to marry Mary, as soon as she was old enough and now this; nobody could even think anything bad about the Queen in those days, but those days were over. Something was happening. He had been King himself; he had his own court; he knew when something was up, when something was not the way, it was supposed to be, child or not.
But nobody would tell him anything, nobody knew anything, and just like everyone else (he a king!) had to wait for the King of this world to make his move.
****
He’d been here for almost a year, and still they barely noticed he was here.
He was just a Groom among many, his fellow grooms told him he should be grateful that the king remembered his name; he had no need for him, he was just fourteen, a child. ‘He was smart and athletic'; they assured him, ‘when you’re older the king will notice and favor you. But now you’re too young, just do your job wait a few years. But he was tired of waiting; he wasn't just a child, wasn’t just one among many; he was a king, the High king of a country much more beautiful than England. That’s who he was, Aslan had granted him that honor, and even in England. he was still a king!
But people only noticed one king and what’s worse they called him magnificent.
But something was clearly different, and he’d found there was one upside to being unimportant; he could just stand there and listen to private conversations (he wondered if any of the Narnians did that, just listen to their private conversations. The worst isn’t that he can’t tell, or that he can’t remember if they were there; truth, apart from the most important ones, he can’t remember all the servants. Not that it mattered. Not anymore.) and he knew whatever was happening had to do with the queen. Peter thought it was a long time coming; it had to be a divorce, since she hadn’t given him a son; he didn’t agree with it, but he could see why king’s in England (hell why people in England) believed that females could not rule the country. He’d seen his sisters at it; they'd at times been better than him and Edmund; Susan’s gentle nature (not to mention her beauty) and Lucy’s believe and love for pretty much everything got more done than he, and Edmund ever could have.
Still he could see the climate changing and when it did he would be there to find a place closer to the king. To gain his full potential.
****
She wasn’t very good at Latin.
The history and philosophy as well as drawing and music came very easily, but Latin was just not her thing. Mary was very good at it (Lucy had spent her first few days calling her Princess Mary, and Your highness but Mary had decided very quickly that would not do. They would be friends, and she wanted her friends to call her by her name. So Lucy called her Mary to the disapproval of the Lady Salisbury.) and she tried to help Lucy wherever she could, but it would not take. Still it did not good, Lucy just couldn’t remember all the grammatical rules and the words; Mary could; Mary was smart, and Lucy thought what does it matter; I won’t need it. Mary was also better at the music, but Lucy was better at drawing; the first time she’d drawn something for her princess. she’d been afraid she would resent that she was better at it, but she did not. Instead, she liked having an artistic friend and had shown her paintings to the King (he’d praised her very highly and given her supplies the next day, to Mary, he gave a gift as well. Lucy liked the king but felt a bit jealous; she could after all not remember her father ever giving her anything, let alone praising her.)
Mary liked to spend hours at her mother’s side.
Lucy quickly learned that if it was up to her. She would never be far from her side, but of course, the etiquette of the court demanded that the Queen be at several official ceremonies and the young princess not attend. Mary also had to learn all her lessons and retire to bed early so she could not be by her side always. Still there would not pass a day without them spending at least two hours together and Lucy loved it for when the Queen came (or when Mary went to her) she would always make sure that Susan was near. (Lucy had also quickly discovered that the Queen was like that, trying to do the best for her ladies. Susan spoke very highly of her, so Lucy loved her because Susan did.)
****
If you looked at the Queen, you’d never be able to tell that something was wrong.
She was very good at keeping her emotions hidden, away from the public eye; and Susan had to admit she was very good at it. If she had not been there when the King had screamed at her, then she would never have known; but she had been there, and that was the whole point. It had happened before; she’d heard the other’s talk about it. Late at night when they thought she couldn’t hear, for they knew she didn’t like gossip. They said that the king got like this, usually after having a new mistress; they said it had something to do with is conscious (Susan thought, privately of course, that if his conscience bothered him so much he shouldn’t have mistresses. Still she was too smart to say that out loud.) But this was different, before he’d blame her for not giving him a son, but still treat her with respect; sometimes even frequenting her bed (she’d been there once when he’d shown up, she had been on duty that night, thankfully she had been dismissed.)
Still right now, standing at the window looking at the garden, she looked so calm and serene that if she hadn’t been there she never would have even considered she was upset. It wasn’t a mistress, at least it doesn’t seem that way; it was something else; something worse, the Queen, usually composed, had been shaking (with anger or fear Susan couldn’t quite tell) and the king left before his daughter arrived, which was. She didn't say anything though, that’s one thing Susan noticed almost immediately; no matter what he did the Queen never said one bad word about him, not even a whisper. And she did not allow her ladies, not even those closest to her, to talk of any of the things he did while he was not with her; Susan wondered often if, when she had been queen, she had been that strong, that composed. Now she just stood there, staring out the window, and she would be willing to bet that she was seeing nothing.
‘Would you like me to get you something, your majesty?’ Those first few weeks she had been here saying ‘your majesty’ had been the worst thing ever, she had hardly been able to say it (thankfully since she didn’t talk much those days the queen just attributed it to be new at court, which according to her was daunting at any age, let alone twelve.). Now, however, she attributed it to her mistress gladly, for she was a true queen and Susan wished that somehow she could be just as royal and as strong as her. Especially now that everything was clearly starting to change, more so than before; the wind was definitely blowing in a new direction. The biggest difference was that this time nobody knew which way it was blowing or what it meant.
The king was staying away more now, coming only occasionally and those moments would end in fights.
What would happen the day he didn’t come anymore? What would happen to the Queen? What would happen to them all?
‘No my dear, I don’t need anything. I’m sure Mary will be here soon.’
‘She will be your majesty, any minute now. Would you like me to read to you?’
‘Of course, thank you.’
And so she read, but she was sure the queen didn’t hear a word of it, to speak the truth, neither did she.
June 8 1525
The Queen got her a beautiful new gown.
It was nothing like the gowns she had in Narnia; those were the most beautiful and probably the most expensive; this one was simpler, one of many probably. But it was new, and it was about ten times more beautiful than the one her father had gotten her. The Queen gave it to her just a few days ago; her father didn't even remember her birthday. The other girls were all jealous; she was the queen’s favorite and more importantly she ran no change of losing her position; she was after all far too young to catch the attention of the king. Being the Queen’s favorite meant that she was always by her side, and that she was the one who got the most expensive gifts; and in a few years that would mean that the Queen would find her a good husband and pay her dowry. The Queen did it for the others too but being the favorite was important; and the queen well, the queen liked her.
Edmund said it was because she was so nice, so gentle.
She didn’t know why; she just liked it; it was; she supposes, the closest she was ever going to get to her Narnian glory. Unlike Peter, who was drowning in self-pity and wanted more, she didn’t mind her place in the world. Queen Catherine was a strong queen; she was what Susan would like to be if she ever got back to Narnia. Strong like her, the way she was today; nobody would ever be able to tell that she hated being there, that she might even hate her husband. Nobody could tell, nobody would know; nobody besides her in whom the queen confided.
It was an elevation ceremony, but not just any.
She watched, in awe, as Lord Boleyn was made a viscount; but neither he nor the others were the star attraction. It was the little boy, barely six years old (not even that, his birthday was still coming up) that attracted all the attention. Just like his visit for Christmas he made everything important; everyone wanted to make sure the king knew they respected him. Little Henry Fitzroy, who turned around one time to look at his mother, walked towards the thrones on which the king and queen said; Susan thought he looked so small and so young for everything he represented. However, he commanded respect, he was the king’s son after all; he wasn’t the queens, and that was probably his only fault. Susan wanted to reach out and hug him, because she was sure he lacked it; for everything his father cared for both his children, he just didn’t have the time to sit down and play with them.
However, she didn't; she couldn’t (one just didn’t hug the king’s son) and she just watched as the king elevated him to duke twice over.
She realized what the queen probably already knew that in one simple stroke. he was putting his illegitimate son above his legitimate daughter.
And that could not bode well for neither Princess Mary nor Queen Catherine.
For the first-time Susan was actually afraid of the future.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Epilogue
Author: pamymex3girl
Rating: T, just to be on the safe side
Pairings/characters: Susan, Lucy, Edmund, Peter, Mary Tudor, Thomas more; Susan/Caspian, Susan/OC, Peter/OC, all normal Tudor couples
Disclaimer: I do not own neither the narnian characters nor the historical characters, just my story.
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: death, spoilers for the first three Narnia movies and three seasons of the tudors
Author's Notes: I’ve used some scenes from the series the Tudors and although I’ve tried to be historically accurate I’ve changed some things. I’ve also changed the age of the Pevensies when they went back to Narnia for the second and the third time
Summary: It is August 1524 and the Pevensies are being send to the English court. Having just lost their own world they must now learn to walk in this world. They must accept their place and live their lives, but they must be careful. For the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place, one step in the wrong direction could prove disastrous...
Chapter 2
April 1525
The entire court was changing; Edmund could feel it.
Not just feel it. He could see it as well; something was different; every courtier was acting wearingly, but he had no idea why. Nobody wanted to talk about it and definitely not with an 11-year-old boy. Normally, he’d be able to pick up the gossip, the one good thing about being an overlooked child was that nobody stopped talking when he was near; however, there was no actual gossip. It was almost as if everyone was too afraid to say out loud what they thought, just in case their king heard; one of the things Edmund had quickly learned was that was the king was concerned every word had to be weighted carefully. Even when you were sure you knew what the king was thinking, even if you were wording it on his behalf you still had to be careful; the king, after all, could change his mind in a second.
It had not been like this with him in Narnia; he was sure of it.
But then again, in that world he had been king in this one he was one of the many, perhaps all the Narnians did weigh their words carefully, just in case. Still the world was changing, before these kinds of silences usually meant the king had a new mistress but even that was talked about; just not in the neighborhood of either king or queen. Now there was not a word, not even a whisper; but something was definitely going on. It had started many months ago, when Fitzroy had been at court; however, that had, at the time, been understandable. After all the King loved the Queen (or at least he respected her) and having his illegitimate son at court could only hurt her (since so far she had been unable to give him a son, in truth Edmund doubted she still could she was old after all). She’d been strong; he remembers the moment when Henry Fitzroy arrived at the festivities.
The Princess Mary had walked in holding the smaller boy's hand, clearly delighted at having a brother.
The queen smiled proudly, most likely at her daughter, and then she’d helped the son up, so he could sit next to his father on the dais. Everyone had talked about it for weeks, even the king had been delighted. In those months, the queen could do nothing wrong, first there was her nephew the Emperor of Spain, who had accepted to marry Mary, as soon as she was old enough and now this; nobody could even think anything bad about the Queen in those days, but those days were over. Something was happening. He had been King himself; he had his own court; he knew when something was up, when something was not the way, it was supposed to be, child or not.
But nobody would tell him anything, nobody knew anything, and just like everyone else (he a king!) had to wait for the King of this world to make his move.
****
He’d been here for almost a year, and still they barely noticed he was here.
He was just a Groom among many, his fellow grooms told him he should be grateful that the king remembered his name; he had no need for him, he was just fourteen, a child. ‘He was smart and athletic'; they assured him, ‘when you’re older the king will notice and favor you. But now you’re too young, just do your job wait a few years. But he was tired of waiting; he wasn't just a child, wasn’t just one among many; he was a king, the High king of a country much more beautiful than England. That’s who he was, Aslan had granted him that honor, and even in England. he was still a king!
But people only noticed one king and what’s worse they called him magnificent.
But something was clearly different, and he’d found there was one upside to being unimportant; he could just stand there and listen to private conversations (he wondered if any of the Narnians did that, just listen to their private conversations. The worst isn’t that he can’t tell, or that he can’t remember if they were there; truth, apart from the most important ones, he can’t remember all the servants. Not that it mattered. Not anymore.) and he knew whatever was happening had to do with the queen. Peter thought it was a long time coming; it had to be a divorce, since she hadn’t given him a son; he didn’t agree with it, but he could see why king’s in England (hell why people in England) believed that females could not rule the country. He’d seen his sisters at it; they'd at times been better than him and Edmund; Susan’s gentle nature (not to mention her beauty) and Lucy’s believe and love for pretty much everything got more done than he, and Edmund ever could have.
Still he could see the climate changing and when it did he would be there to find a place closer to the king. To gain his full potential.
****
She wasn’t very good at Latin.
The history and philosophy as well as drawing and music came very easily, but Latin was just not her thing. Mary was very good at it (Lucy had spent her first few days calling her Princess Mary, and Your highness but Mary had decided very quickly that would not do. They would be friends, and she wanted her friends to call her by her name. So Lucy called her Mary to the disapproval of the Lady Salisbury.) and she tried to help Lucy wherever she could, but it would not take. Still it did not good, Lucy just couldn’t remember all the grammatical rules and the words; Mary could; Mary was smart, and Lucy thought what does it matter; I won’t need it. Mary was also better at the music, but Lucy was better at drawing; the first time she’d drawn something for her princess. she’d been afraid she would resent that she was better at it, but she did not. Instead, she liked having an artistic friend and had shown her paintings to the King (he’d praised her very highly and given her supplies the next day, to Mary, he gave a gift as well. Lucy liked the king but felt a bit jealous; she could after all not remember her father ever giving her anything, let alone praising her.)
Mary liked to spend hours at her mother’s side.
Lucy quickly learned that if it was up to her. She would never be far from her side, but of course, the etiquette of the court demanded that the Queen be at several official ceremonies and the young princess not attend. Mary also had to learn all her lessons and retire to bed early so she could not be by her side always. Still there would not pass a day without them spending at least two hours together and Lucy loved it for when the Queen came (or when Mary went to her) she would always make sure that Susan was near. (Lucy had also quickly discovered that the Queen was like that, trying to do the best for her ladies. Susan spoke very highly of her, so Lucy loved her because Susan did.)
****
If you looked at the Queen, you’d never be able to tell that something was wrong.
She was very good at keeping her emotions hidden, away from the public eye; and Susan had to admit she was very good at it. If she had not been there when the King had screamed at her, then she would never have known; but she had been there, and that was the whole point. It had happened before; she’d heard the other’s talk about it. Late at night when they thought she couldn’t hear, for they knew she didn’t like gossip. They said that the king got like this, usually after having a new mistress; they said it had something to do with is conscious (Susan thought, privately of course, that if his conscience bothered him so much he shouldn’t have mistresses. Still she was too smart to say that out loud.) But this was different, before he’d blame her for not giving him a son, but still treat her with respect; sometimes even frequenting her bed (she’d been there once when he’d shown up, she had been on duty that night, thankfully she had been dismissed.)
Still right now, standing at the window looking at the garden, she looked so calm and serene that if she hadn’t been there she never would have even considered she was upset. It wasn’t a mistress, at least it doesn’t seem that way; it was something else; something worse, the Queen, usually composed, had been shaking (with anger or fear Susan couldn’t quite tell) and the king left before his daughter arrived, which was. She didn't say anything though, that’s one thing Susan noticed almost immediately; no matter what he did the Queen never said one bad word about him, not even a whisper. And she did not allow her ladies, not even those closest to her, to talk of any of the things he did while he was not with her; Susan wondered often if, when she had been queen, she had been that strong, that composed. Now she just stood there, staring out the window, and she would be willing to bet that she was seeing nothing.
‘Would you like me to get you something, your majesty?’ Those first few weeks she had been here saying ‘your majesty’ had been the worst thing ever, she had hardly been able to say it (thankfully since she didn’t talk much those days the queen just attributed it to be new at court, which according to her was daunting at any age, let alone twelve.). Now, however, she attributed it to her mistress gladly, for she was a true queen and Susan wished that somehow she could be just as royal and as strong as her. Especially now that everything was clearly starting to change, more so than before; the wind was definitely blowing in a new direction. The biggest difference was that this time nobody knew which way it was blowing or what it meant.
The king was staying away more now, coming only occasionally and those moments would end in fights.
What would happen the day he didn’t come anymore? What would happen to the Queen? What would happen to them all?
‘No my dear, I don’t need anything. I’m sure Mary will be here soon.’
‘She will be your majesty, any minute now. Would you like me to read to you?’
‘Of course, thank you.’
And so she read, but she was sure the queen didn’t hear a word of it, to speak the truth, neither did she.
June 8 1525
The Queen got her a beautiful new gown.
It was nothing like the gowns she had in Narnia; those were the most beautiful and probably the most expensive; this one was simpler, one of many probably. But it was new, and it was about ten times more beautiful than the one her father had gotten her. The Queen gave it to her just a few days ago; her father didn't even remember her birthday. The other girls were all jealous; she was the queen’s favorite and more importantly she ran no change of losing her position; she was after all far too young to catch the attention of the king. Being the Queen’s favorite meant that she was always by her side, and that she was the one who got the most expensive gifts; and in a few years that would mean that the Queen would find her a good husband and pay her dowry. The Queen did it for the others too but being the favorite was important; and the queen well, the queen liked her.
Edmund said it was because she was so nice, so gentle.
She didn’t know why; she just liked it; it was; she supposes, the closest she was ever going to get to her Narnian glory. Unlike Peter, who was drowning in self-pity and wanted more, she didn’t mind her place in the world. Queen Catherine was a strong queen; she was what Susan would like to be if she ever got back to Narnia. Strong like her, the way she was today; nobody would ever be able to tell that she hated being there, that she might even hate her husband. Nobody could tell, nobody would know; nobody besides her in whom the queen confided.
It was an elevation ceremony, but not just any.
She watched, in awe, as Lord Boleyn was made a viscount; but neither he nor the others were the star attraction. It was the little boy, barely six years old (not even that, his birthday was still coming up) that attracted all the attention. Just like his visit for Christmas he made everything important; everyone wanted to make sure the king knew they respected him. Little Henry Fitzroy, who turned around one time to look at his mother, walked towards the thrones on which the king and queen said; Susan thought he looked so small and so young for everything he represented. However, he commanded respect, he was the king’s son after all; he wasn’t the queens, and that was probably his only fault. Susan wanted to reach out and hug him, because she was sure he lacked it; for everything his father cared for both his children, he just didn’t have the time to sit down and play with them.
However, she didn't; she couldn’t (one just didn’t hug the king’s son) and she just watched as the king elevated him to duke twice over.
She realized what the queen probably already knew that in one simple stroke. he was putting his illegitimate son above his legitimate daughter.
And that could not bode well for neither Princess Mary nor Queen Catherine.
For the first-time Susan was actually afraid of the future.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Epilogue