Chapter Text
October 1555.
You feel a firm nudge into the side of you, jolting you back upright, your tired and heavy eyes slowly opening again as you feel the bumpiness of the carriage moving you along over the uneven roads, rocking you from side to side as you try to retrieve your surroundings from your brief slumber.
" Do wake up, Y/N,....? " you hear the sound of your mother say from the side of you, an annoyance to her voice, " we will be arriving shortly and you can not turn up at the palace looking half asleep,..."
You sigh as you hear her follow the comment with a loud tut, as you turn and look out of the window, rolling your eyes at her but so she could not see you doing so.
You feel the autumn breeze coming through the carriage as it hits your face, waking you up further as you start to admire the beauty of all of the orange and brown leaves scattering around outside as the carriage continues to move you further towards your destination.
She was right.
You would probably be there soon.
And that very thought filled your stomach with absolute dread.
You really did not want to go.
Many young ladies of your age, having yourself turned eighteen a few months ago, would jump for joy at this special and unique opportunity.
To get a chance to attend the royal court and to meet the King of England no less.
His sisters the Princess Mary and the Princess Elizabeth would also be in attendance at his birthday celebrations.
As well as all of the other most highest nobles in the whole kingdom such as Dukes and Earls.
But you were not like other girls.
You were a simple country girl who was more than contented with her happy and peaceful life out in the countryside.
Today was even the very first time that you had even travelled to London.
And today was happening all because of the successful career of your beloved late father.
You had been born to a humble, self made countryman who had one day found himself in front of the former King, the infamous Henry the eighth himself.
King Henry had took a liking to your father and soon offered him a place at his court and within his service.
Your father soon climbed his way up through the ranks as Henry was known to promote men of lower birth, much to the disapproval of the other noble families at court and your father had somehow been lucky enough to have always pleased the King within his lifetime.
King Henry gave him the honour of elevating him to 'Sir' Y/L/N for his good service and gave him a good enough wage for him to be able to buy a nice house for you, your mother and brother out in the countryside.
Then came the day when, your older brother Thomas, after having turned ten, was invited to live at court and be brought up and educated alongside the then Prince Edward, Thomas only being but two years older than the heir to England.
You and your mother was both devastated at Thomas having to leave you both.
But your mother and father both knew it was too good of an opportunity to ever deny for your brother.
Plus, everyone knew you could never say no to King Henry the eighth.
Not if you wanted to keep your head.
A year later, King Henry died and Edward then became King of England.
Your brother still being educated alongside him as Edward was still but a boy.
And your beloved father then died just a few months later.
The years had soon gone by and now King Edward was celebrating his 18th birthday, much to the celebrations across the whole of England.
The king was now finally a man, fit to rule in his own right and full of health and expectations.
Just over two years ago it had been feared he was close to death himself, but the King had luckily survived.
And now the invite had come for you and your mother to attend the court and his 18th birthday celebrations as family members of your brother, the king's close companion.
It still felt weird to think that your brother was friends with the King of England.
Thomas had only spoke warmly of the King in his letters sent back home to you out in the country.
You had only hoped that they were true.
But then again, it would be treason to write anything else of a king as a loyal subject.
Edward's father had been a tyrant who had executed thousands across England throughout the later years of his reign, including not only some of his closest friends but two out of his six wives as well.
You were hoping that Thomas was right and his son, King Edward was completely different to his father.
Especially with your brother being a permanent fixture at his court.
You worried for Thomas all of the time.
And even though you really didn't want to attend court for these celebrations, you were desperate to finally see your brother once again after such a long time apart with just letters between you both.
You looked out of the window and saw that you were now approaching.
You felt the knots turn in your stomach at the sight of Hampton Court.
Court life was meant to be a very dangerous place indeed.
You now longed for home.
The palace now within your sight was extraordinary.
It was so huge, it must of had a thousand rooms inside of it.
As the carriage made it's way up towards the entrance you notice a man standing there, looking at your carriage approaching.
Your mother stepped out first, and then you notice the man slowly approaching as you stepped out after her.
" Mother,..... Y/N,...." you hear him say, a massive smile across his handsome face.
You suddenly realise who it was.
" THOMAS,...." you cry out, as you run towards him.
" Ssshh, Y/N please,....? " you hear your mother say, " have some decorum,.... we are at court now,.... and ladies do not run about,...."
But you had already made your way over to him and flung your arms around him in such a tight embrace.
" Is that really you, my little Y/N,....?" he asks, his arms tightening their hold around you before finally letting you go, stepping back to get a good look at you.
You see his eyes widened somewhat, taking in the whole of you.
You notice his eyes continue to scan you,..... all over your face and hair,... up and down your body.
You notice his lips part and you begin to worry what he was thinking.
Did you look acceptable?
What did he think was wrong with you?
" By god, Y/N,....." Thomas finally speaks, " you have grown to become absolutely stunning,....."
You let out a laugh in amusement.
" You are far from the little girl that I left behind,...." he continues, his mouth still parted somewhat, " but now a woman fully grown,.... and what a great beauty you have become,...."
Another bemused laugh leaves your lips, believing his brotherly love just a token of flattery and affection after such a long time apart.
" Stop being silly, Thomas,... and your still a knave as ever I see,..." you chuckle, " even after the finest education in all the land you must of received,...? "
" But you have been wasted out there in the country,..." he continues, " you now look the finest and most beautiful of ladies,..."
You shrug and laugh off his further compliments.
" And look at you,.... ? " you exclaim, " you were a boy with scruffy knees when you left,.... you are now a proper gentleman,.."
It was true.
Thomas was now a man of twenty, and the king had also elevated him to the title of 'Sir Thomas' just like your father had been rewarded before him.
He too had grown so handsome, and was standing there before you in the most finest of clothes.
He was almost like a different person entirely now.
Like you both were in fact now worlds apart.
Suddenly the thought made your blood run cold.
He really was now a completely different Thomas entirely.
A royal courtier and companion of the King of England.
Not the scruffy little boy you had so adored and followed around the fields with, playing games and getting muddy with in your childhood.
All of that seemed to be now long gone.
Although Thomas didn't seem to notice you lost within these sad thoughts.
" Come on, my beautiful little sister,... I have so much to show you now that your finally here,...." as he stretches his arm out for you to take.