3rd of January 1534 - Ragley Hall

Staring around her chambers, Mary could not help but frown feeling rather bored having been trapped in the darkened rooms for a month now; her belly swollen and her baby's kicks the only reminder of why she endured this. 

It had thrilled her when she had finally fallen pregnant, her prayers being answered and she ensured that she continued to eat well instead of fasting like she had been taught by her mother. 

Mary swore that she would never listen to any advice that she had been given by her mother again, she should have known better especially since she was the only child of her mother's that had lived. 

The last thing that she wished was for anything to happen to her own child, she loved feeling her baby kick and she was most grateful for the arrival of Clarice who had come to help her during this time. 

It had allowed Mary to bond with the woman that was now her sister, she loved hearing more about how Clarice and Ippolito had grown up. 

She was most thankful that she could learn more about her husband's life before he had come to England and about the place that she hoped to one day soon would be calling her home; a place where she could happily raise her children. 

"I hear the Queen is with child again," Mary mused softly turning her attention to Clarice, the other woman sewing and preparing a blanket that she wished to gift Mary's child. 

It was thoughtful of her and Mary was thankful that she did not have to do this alone, her mother should have been the one to share in this moment but she was a traitor and would have only made this situation about her. 

Mary doubted that her mother would ever forgive her for turning her in to the King for her plans of treason but she had done what was needed to protect herself and her own future. 

Now she had her own child that she would soon bring into the world and Mary would do anything to keep them safe; she would not risk anything for her mother's plots or lies. 

"It is true, although the King has already taken a mistress," Clarice admitted quietly, while she had come to Ragley Hall to help Mary it had been left to George to deal with the mistress.

Though Clarice had no doubts that her husband would deal with Lady Eleanor and she would be gone before Clarice returned to court; she had little doubts that it would be long before the King would have another of Anne's ladies warming his bed. 

It made Clarice most thankful that her own husband had not been swayed from her side, his eyes did not wander through court at the other ladies like the King's did. 

George was loyal to her alone and Clarice doubted that many ladies could say that, she thought many ladies of her station could not say the same; she heard enough around court especially when her ladies shared such gossip with her. 

"That is his way. I doubt he has it in him to be faithful," Mary replied softly, there was no doubt in her mind that her father would continue his ways; though she prayed that Anne would have a better time than her own mother had done. 

With a healthy son in the nursery and a daughter following soon after, Anne had done well in the short amount of time that she had been Queen; she had faired better than her predecessor in any case. 

A part of Mary prayed that she might never feel the sting that her mother and Anne felt at her father's betrayal; she adored her husband's attention and he had been kind to her since they had married. 

Here at Ragley Hall, she could enjoy his attention and could even grow to love him without people getting in the way; her ladies had remained at her side and she did not think he had strayed. 

Rubbing her bump, Mary tried to ignore the pain that spread across her stomach and she suddenly felt a wet sensation form under her; she frowned sure that she had not planned on wetting herself. 

"Mary?" Clarice asked seeing the confusion on her face, she set down what she was doing and made her way over to the younger woman; who pushed back her bedsheets and stared down at the wet patch beneath her. 

Realisation dawned on Clarice and she moved to summon the midwife, she prayed that everything went well for Mary; she had no doubts that this first labour would be hard on her. 

***

Holding her baby in her arms, Mary could not help but feel the sting of disappointment that she felt at the fact that she had birthed a daughter; she had planned for a boy and had even spent time picking out names for a son. 

Ippolito had been touched that she had wanted to name their first son after his and Clarice's father, he had thought perhaps that his sister would be upset with that but she had encouraged them wishing for them to carry on the family name. 

Now she had a girl and Mary felt unprepared for such a thing, there were no names picked out and she wished that she had thought about this especially given that Clarice had two daughters while Anne had just had a girl. 

"I hear that we have a daughter," Ippolito stated walking into the bed chamber, his sister had brought him the news and he had quickly dispatched a letter to court knowing that the King would like the news that he was now a grandfather. 

The fact that Mary had given him a healthy daughter was welcoming, though he had been partially disappointed by the news he knew that any healthy child was better than a dead one. 

Mary nodded not saying a word, she allowed Ippolito to take their daughter and watched him not knowing what to say; there was an apology on her lips that she could not speak. 

Instead she watched him stare down at their daughter, trying to read any emotion that showed on his face while he took in the little girl that she had given him. 

"We shall name her Lucrezia for my great grandmother," Ippolito announced quietly, she was a beautiful girl and she deserved a family name just as his nieces had been given. 

Contessina and Filiberta were lovely names and Ippolito knew that his daughter would at least have the chance to grow up in Italy; it made sense that his children would be named with that in mind. 

Mary was silent and only nodded her head, she felt like she had failed in her duty to give him an heir; Ippolito would need one if they were to successfully take back Florence from his cousin. 

There could be no mistake, she needed to give him a son next time and she would not allow herself to fail; they did not have time to wait and Mary was sure that it was God's will that she secured her husband's legacy.

***

Staring down at her prayer book, Katherine was silent while she focused on the words before her eyes and thought about how she had ended up in this position; she had been all but forgotten that she was sure. 

No letters came for the disgraced Infanta and Katherine was forced to rely on her network to pass on messages for her; she was certain that no one knew that she was passing messages from her prison. 

Of course, being locked in a nunnery had been far from ideal and Katherine could not imagine that her confinement here was any different from that of her older sister who had suffered the same fate. 

There was no news from Spain or her nephew on when she might be released from this place, Katherine had been sure that he would be furious at how she had been treated and would insist that she be freed. 

One of the nuns approached her and whispered softly in Katherine's ear causing a smile to form on her face before she dismissed the nun who had brought her a message. 

It was news that she had expected soon but now she had it and the news that Mary had been delivered earlier that day of a child was something that Katherine had been looking forward to. 

Her daughter would need an heir even if she did remain married to the Medici bastard but the news that the child had been a girl only disappointed Katherine who knew that her daughter needed a son. 

A son would show that Mary was meant to be the heir to the throne instead of her infant brother, that she would provide a more stable future than the child ever would. 

A part of her could not help but think of her own child born around this time, her little Prince Hal who had lived for fifty-two days before God had taken him from her; she prayed this child would live longer than he had. 

The name was also further disappointment, Katherine had hoped that any daughter that Mary might have would be named after her instead of some ancestor of her husband. 

Katherine looked down at the prayer book and she would add this new child to her prayers; there was plenty of time for Mary to have a son.