We pulled into the port, and already I could hear the cheers of the English people. The past few days had been horrible, with nothing to do but study, read, and play cards, but something about those cheers made me want to stay aboard. My stomach sinking as I looked out the circular window of the ship. Onlookers gathered, no doubt wanting to get a look at who their next Queen would be.
"Don't worry my lady, you will be veiled when you leave the ship, and we still have a few hours ride before we reach Greenwich Castle either way."
"Is there anyway to stay in a nearby town before we head to London?" I asked, not eager to see him.
"It will be okay, my Lady, he will not take you this night," Clara had said.
Elise pulled out my blue veil from my trunk, settling it over my head hiding my face from the outside world. My hair had been pulled up into a snood bag, not being able to take a bath for the past month because we were on a ship had made it dirty, so I was thankful that my hair was hidden today. I wore a black and blue gown today, my riding boots underneath.
The trip there was not all that bad either, in fact we made it to Whitehall Palace by that evening. An unremarkable journey down the back roads, to avoid any robbers along the way. The carriage shook, and bounced much more than I could have ever thought it would. Only when we came out of the town we had been at, and onto the back road did the cobblestone road change to a smooth dirt. After this, the ride had been smooth and my ladies had spoken excitedly about arriving at the castle to explore. I managed to keep quiet, opting to look out the window. I didn't want to hear about their fun at my expense, it didn't seem fair.
The road slanted sharply, and within an hour we were at the large iron gates of Whitehall Castle-my new home. I looked onto the massive castle, a beautiful sight- especially with how young it is in this era.
A looked ahead of us where a group of nobles standing outside-their faces unrecognizable from the distance. I leaned back into the carriage to ready myself. Taking a deep breath as the carriage once again threw me about on the cobblestone road leading up to the palace.
Once I heard the groan of the gate as the post guards moved them for us, within moments we had pulled around the fountain to the front of the grand, stone palace. Snow littered the ground, and I pulled my cloak closer to me, burying my nose and mouth in the fur at the top.
"Fear not, my Lady, you are ready," Clara smiled taking my hand in hers. I squeezed it, thanking her. All of my ladies had become somewhat my friends in the last month, I guess having nobody else to talk to will do that to you, but I was glad for them even if I couldn't be 100% honest with them about who I truly was.
The carriage rolled to a stop, one of the dark haired nobles coming forward- not wasting time to get me inside. The door swung open, a hand stuck out ready to help me outside appearing just as quickly. I placed my hand in his, taking comfort in my veil and stepping out of the carriage onto the stone road outside the castle, my boots crunching in the snow beneath my feet.
"Lady Anne," the man said, his straight, ear length hair hiding his face as he bowed, "I have been sent to welcome you to Whitehall Palace. If you will please follow me, I am sure you are ready to settle in. I will take you and your ladies to your rooms," the man said leaning up to reveal his face.
A larger nose, and thin lips he was no a very attractive man, even being as old as he was, which I assumed was in his late 40's perhaps early 50's. His larger head did not suit his mid sized body, and he looked about me with a squint to his eyes as if they were swollen.
"May I ask your name, sir," I said gently, wanting to seem meek.
"I am Master Cromwell, I am sure your brother has told you about me," he said- his black and gold cloak flapping behind him in the wind.
"It is a pleasure to meet you then Master Cromwell, and I thank you for your assistance," I said bowing my head slightly.
"Please, Madam, then follow me so that we may get you inside and warm," he said pulling me along, my hand still in his. I turned and watch as my ladies were also helped out of the carriage one by one, the nobles watching them intently as they did. No doubt scouting them for a potential wife.
I could not keep up with how we got to the Queens chambers, but when we did I was grateful that the King had prepared it for my arrival. A large bath had been waiting for me in the room, steaming, and several items laid strewn about it. Several different types of soaps, and perfumes I noticed as I approached- something that they hadn't given me back in Germany. I looked around the room at the various piles of fabrics, dresses, and packages laid in the room- the fireplace crackling in the background, a table and chairs in front of it.
The room was extravagant, comfortable- and warm, with a canopy bed, with lots of fur and silk and padding added to the bed to make it comfortable. After sleeping on straw mattresses for 6 months, one begins to forget what true comfort it like. This was luxurious to the nines for the time, hell, even for my time. There could be no doubt that the king was wishing to impress his wealth and his power on me. Showing me what promises lay ahead...
"Master Cromwell," I said, turning to look at him, "please inform the king that I am grateful to his majesty for such lavish accommodations, I shall be most happy here," I said- almost wincing at how forced my accent was. I still needed to work on that it would seem.
"Yes, my lady," he said, before looking at my ladies, "which of you is the principal lady in waiting?"
"I am, sir," Elise said, stepping forward.
"Then you will need to find Master Culpeper, he will show you where to find the tools necessary to do your job sufficiently, is this to your approval?"
"Yes, sir, please inform Master Culpepper that I should be expecting him, and shall be ready when he does come."
"Very well," he said, before bowing, "good day to you ladies, and once again- welcome to Whitehall."
"Thank you, Master Cromwell, a good day to you as well," I said, watching as he backed out of the room and out the door- closing it behind him.
"What do you think of the room," I asked once he had gone, walking to the bed and sitting down.
"I think your betrothed wishes to impress you," Elise said smiling.
"It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't done his other wives the way he has," I said, "and wasn't so old."
"Age does not matter, he will give you a son that could be King," Greta said.
"I don't want my son to be King," I said, "I don't want him to be the King's either."
"You will get used to it," she said sitting before the fireplace, her back to me, "once you've given him a child."
A child, I thought.
How would that affect my plans if he did get me pregnant before I can leave?
Would I be forced to leave my child in 1540? How hard would it be to get away at that point?
My heart broke at the idea of leaving my hypothetical child behind in 1540, so I decided that I just needed to make sure I did what I had to so that I did not get pregnant. Whatever that may be, i'll figure out a way to get what I need. I'm sure all I need to do is make some friends, and ask around.
Mathilda, and Clara took me by the hands gently, as they usually do, and led me toward the bath, making quick work to get me out of my traveling clothes and into the steaming water. In the background, Greta rearranged their cots more evenly- I could see already she was showing signs of OCD. Something that couldn't be helped no matter what back in this time- there is no cure right now, so I watch as she meticulously rearranges the room to her liking.
I had just sat and pulled my knees to my chest when Greta finished and came over to start washing my hair. I moaned slightly as the water trickled down my tense muscles as she rinsed my head clean of all it's filth from the last 5 days.
"What if I don't want a child," I finally said, earning a scowl from Elise. I kept my eyes closed so that I didn't have to see their expressions which I am sure are all negative.
"Everyone wants children, my Lady, even if you are not ready for one now don't be so sure you won't be grateful for one once you've had him," she said matter of fact.
"I didn't say I never want one, I am just saying I don't want one right now," I said as Clara began scrubbing at my body with the soap and cloth.
"It is important to-"
"Yes, yes, it's important to do as my betrothed wishes. Its my place to make him happy, and give him another son," I said growing irritated at her constantly saying that.
"I was going to say it is important to follow your heart on that one," she began, "if you do not want a child at this moment, open your heart to your husband and express your fears. He may listen," she smiled.
"Are there ways to prevent that sort of thing from happening," I finally asked, surprised at her answer. My other ladies minded their own business, focusing oddly hard on bathing me- probably happy they weren't in the middle of this conversation with me themselves.
"There are ways," she said, eyeing Mathilda, "but I can not instruct you on this any further, Princess. I made an oath to your brother."
"But you know he's not my-" I began to say, but Greta had quickly dunked my under holding me there for a few seconds before pulling me out- gasping for air. "What the fuck, Greta!"
She came closer to me, whispering in my ear as I gasped for air, "mind your mouth and calm down, I will not risk anything because you can not keep your mouth shut. If you haven't caught on by now, you need to start engraving who you are into your head. Soon you will sleep in the kings bed, and if you say or do anything that gives us away, you, and your companion will die, along with all of us no doubt for knowing of the situation and not telling anyone. Now behave," she half growled. I bristled everywhere, but held still, not saying anything.
This woman was crazy, and i have no doubt she could probably kill me quickly if she wanted to as big as she was.
"Do you understand now, Lady Anne?" Elise said, her expression concerned. She continued combing through my wet hair with a comb while Clara finished my back.
I didn't answer, all I could do was nod. I felt emotionally bloodied and bruised, but inside a flame still flickered. I was never the type to give up, and that's what makes me perfect for this mission- i'll do what I have to- endure and suffer what needs to be endured and suffered through in order to get home to my family and help them. There's not a soul here that can stop that, I just needed to be strong and wait for my chance to spring out of here.
I shook underneath the still steaming water, thinking heavily. My thoughts on why I had never bossed up and slept with someone. I was very upset that it was going to be too late now to give it someone that I actually wanted to be with, and that was mildly upsetting. I waited all this time just for someone to end up raping me.
Elise grabbed a long drying blanket, and wrapped it around me. I nestled into it, thankful to be covered- not having grown 100% comfortable to be so naked around my ladies- even if they didn't care.
"So how does the whole courting process work, then," I finally asked, breaking the awkward silence in the room.
"For us," Elise began, "there must first be an initial attraction from the man. He must initiate the courting by introducing himself. If he likes you, he will then ask your superiors if he may call on you. If they agree, he will come, but there will always be a chaperone present to preserve ones honor. If the two like each other, they will ask permission to marry and then be married if it pleases the king."
"Ah," I said, touching my chin as they began working the blanket to dry me off quicker. "So when do you all think you will begin courting?"
"Whenever a man takes interest in one of us, my Lady," Clara said, looking at me oddly. "Is this not how it works where you come from?"
At that, Greta reached back and slapped the hell out of her. Clara grabbed her cheek, tears coming to her eyes.
"It is as I told her before, we must all never say it any other way. This is the Princess Anne of Cleves. She was born in Dusseldorf as we were, and we have loved her, and grown up with her since we were children selected to be her ladies."
Nobody said a word after that, either too afraid to- or just not knowing how to break the awkward silence that had once again taken over my chamber.
One thing was for sure though, and I thought long and hard about it as they dressed me in a new dress, Greta was the one in charge here- not Elise like I had thought, or perhaps Elise was the brains and Greta was the brawn- either way they loved their true Princess Anne and was not willing to risk anything for my sake. If I am to get my hands on something to prevent pregnancy I could be in a lot more trouble than what I am at this moment. Getting Kate, myself, and a baby out of here would be impossible.
All of a sudden I was grateful for my training, and for my degree. I knew of several remedies that were thought to ward off ovulation naturally, and I would certainly find them before time came to even be in the same room as the King.