Read Online Prisoner of the Queen (Tales From the Tudor Court) by Eliza Knight, E. Knight - Free Book Online

queen—that I am. I will not run from my fate.”
    I open ed my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
    “Go . Be merry. Lie low for now.” She waved me away, and her vacant gaze returned to the wall.
    Guildford resumed his pacing, although he added the window to his circuit and peeked outside with frenzied eyes.
    “Jane!” I regretfully shouted her name, and my voice sounded odd to me—not my own as it shrilled out in panic.
    Jane sh ook her head at me, her glossy eyes cast down to the ground, her white-knuckled grip in her lap showing her distress. Her bright green velvet gown looked oddly cheerful against her enervated figure. “Kat—” Her voice cracked, and she sucked in a deep breath. “You must remember this moment. You must learn from it, for you will be next when I am gone. See that no man rules over you, that no master calls you to their feet to do their bidding. Be true to yourself, Kat. Feed your mind and your soul, for the most riches to be had in the world are those up here.” She tapped a long, slender finger to her temple. “Far more so than the riches of gems and gold. Be a strong princess of the blood.”
    How like my mother ’s words are Jane’s…
    Before I c ould respond to her, there came a loud banging on the door. “My lady!” The chief warder opened the door, his uniform of dark blue and red trimmings, reminding me that I was not only in the place where monarchs come before their coronation, but also a prison.
    “Lady Katherine, you must away now. The bells toll for Queen Mary, but also for the closing of the gates. I shan ’t say you’d be pleased to spend the night here. Your lord husband and his lordship Pembroke are awaiting you by Traitors’ Gate. They sent me up to fetch you. Make haste.”
    Traitors ’ Gate. I flinched. Why should they have to call it that? I’d never thought of it before now—now that Jane was considered a traitor to the throne. In fact, our entire family could be perceived as thus.
    The warder bowed his head toward Jane, and I watched a flash of pity cross his features before he shifted his gaze back to me.
    I rushed to Jane and threw my arms around her, tears falling freely onto my cheeks.
    “Take this.” Jane thrust a book into my hands. I turned it over to see the thread of gold embroidery, Phaedo by Plato. “Socrates says in this book that before one’s soul departs their body, that it is only in death we achieve true knowledge, true purity. I have studied my whole life, Kat, to become this being who is knowledgeable in all things, but I still have this body, this silly body that holds me back from what I truly wish to attain. Socrates says it best, and I believe in his wisdom wholeheartedly, that I shall not attain that which I’ve longed for my whole life until I pass from this body and my soul is free to learn and absorb the truth.”
    E motion choked me. I shook my head, because I did not want to believe what she was saying. I did not want to agree with Jane, that she should have to die to attain knowledge. Her eyes were stricken. Fear flashed over her features, and I understood. Jane must tell herself these things to make herself comfortable with her own imminent demise was near.
    T he incessant tolling of the bells reminded us.
    “Do not fret, Kat. Mary will be merciful.”
    I nodded emphatically, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from shrieking that I did not want her to die, and threw my arms around her yet again. Jane’s embrace was not as tender, as if she’d already closed herself off, resigned to her fate.
    “Godspeed, Jane!” I sa id against her shoulder.
    “God bless Queen Mary,” Jane responded, pulling away from me and going to stare out the window.
    Her husband bowed to me, sitting heavily in a chair, his face pale, eyes dejected.
    I hesitated, not wanting to leave these poor souls to their fates, but I myself could not be stuck here. I could not be a prisoner. Now that Jane’s fate was practically sealed, I could not