“Henry,
my brother, how are you this fine day?” Thomas stood to bow his head towards
the king.
“Ah yes, Thomas, I am well. My
condolences for the loss of young Henry. He was a promising young man,” King
Henry nodded his head towards my mother as he kissed her hand.
“Yes, we are grief stricken at the
loss.”
My siblings sat around the king,
each greeting him separately as his entourage of nobles entered our room. I was
far too tired to be greeting each and every noble in our family. We were known
as practically royalty. My father would have been in line for the thrown had he
been legitimized earlier. King Henry’s father, my own father’s half-brother,
made it impossible for my illegitimate father to sit on the thrown. This caused
us to be related to almost all of the royalty and nobles in the English court.
I knew that it would be quite a
while until we strode outside for the official memorial, as I sat towards the
back off the room. Looking out the window, all I could think of was my
brother’s body possibly lying somewhere unknown under the falling snow. This
used to be my favorite time of year, but now everything I knew seemed to be
different. His death made everything I knew seem more precious.
“May I sit here?” A familiar voice
asked from behind me.
“John,” I smiled at my closest
brother in age, “Yes of course.”
I leaned my head against his
muscular shoulder.
“I wanted to tell you before anyone
else,” John said eerily.
“Tell me what?” I pulled back
suddenly, frightened at what John wanted to say to me immediately.
“I’ve been recruited for King
Henry’s campaigns this upcoming year. As the next earl of Somerset, Thomas and
Henry believe that I should be fighting for a grander cause, as I am going to
be a major earl in court.”
“The campaigns?” I paled, “The Rouen
campaigns, same as our brother?”
John looked away from my face in the
shame of putting our family through so much, “I have no choice in the matter,
dear Joan. You know this, as do I. I am told that the campaigns will last for
not much longer, but there really is no way to be sure.”
“You cannot go,” I panicked, feeling
the terror running thick in my veins, “If you go, we will surely lose you as we
have Henry. Do not leave me John, I will never forgive you if you choose to
leave.”
“I do not have a choice,” John
raised his voice, quickly lowering it as he realized the nobles around us had
looked, “Joan, if I do not go I put the reputation of our entire family at
stake. I cannot do that to you, or mother, or our brothers and sister. I will
go to Rouen, but I will return. I leave after the twelve days of Christmas.”
My anger covered my pain in a sudden
wave, “Our reputation means absolutely nothing to me. You mean something to me,
John, and I am sure our family will feel the same way.”
“No, Joan,” He said gently, “This is
my duty as the eldest child now. I’m sorry if this hurts you, sister. But it is
only to protect you. If I am seen as honorable, as Henry was, then our whole
family will be seen as honorable for a lifetime.”
I couldn’t stand my brother’s talk
any longer. I stood to leave, exiting through our nearest door.
“Cousin Joan, come here!” A voice
called me back and I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes at whomever
was calling me.
“King Henry,” I answered, surprised
to see the King beckoning me to join him.
“May I introduce Lady Catherine
Douglas, a companion to the English court,” He nodded towards a woman of about
twenty standing beside him. She was beautiful, with long dark curls and ruby
red lips.
“Lady Joan, I have heard much about
you,” She bowed slightly, holding out her hand for me to take, “Might we talk?”
“Yes of course, Lady Catherine. I
would be very pleased to speak with you.”
She took my arm in her own, as we
said our goodbyes to the king.
“Do you happen to have a garden, my
dear?”
“Yes, lady Catherine. Straight
through this door,” I smiled.
We walked in the garden until
arriving at a small bench.
“Might I ask why we are here
together, Catherine?” I asked, curious to why I was summoned to a lady of my
status.
She looked utterly surprised at my
request, “Well, my dear girl, has the king not told you? I am to be your
lady-in-waiting when you arrive at English court in the new year.”
They are definitely not romantically involved! 
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