The Other Henry VIII

Love and Hope

Sophia found Louisa by the window seat she had been shown two weeks ago, curled up and crying.
"Louisa? Don't cry, there's nothing to cry about..."whispered Sophia, sitting down next to her.
"Nothing to cry about? The King has just kicked us out, so to speak! Nothing to—"
"Think about it. What is there to cry about?"Sophia put in, putting an arm around Louisa comfortingly.
"Well, I thought he really did like me, you know, the way he talked and took me riding and dancing the first week. I thought I really had a chance of marrying him! But then he started shouting at me when I tried to talk to him about my family, like we had done, and didn't want to go riding or dance anymore. He just got bored with me. He told me he was uninterested and wanted to marry someone who he didn't tire of in the first week. He wants someone who he'll never tire of, someone who can withstand his shouting... He wants someone like you!"
"Me?"asked Sophia, freezing.
"Yes, you! He always said 'why can't you be strong like your sister?'. I couldn't bear it!" Louisa buried her head in Sophia's arm and sobbed quietly. But Sophia was deep in thought: had the King really wanted either of them this whole time?
That night, Sophia slept as soundly as someone with such a troubled mind can, which is not very well, and awoke to the chiming of the clock at eight o'clock. She rubbed her eyes and gazed sadly at her bedchamber, at the now familiar wood-panelled walls and intricate rugs.
"I'll never sleep here again,"thought Sophia glumly and climbed out of bed.

Two hours later...

Sophia had given her case to a servant and had dressed in a warm grey dress trimmed with fur (it was very cold autumn day outside) and hooded cloak. She did not expect the King to bid her and her sister farewell, so found Louisa (who was sniffing quietly) to get into the carriage. As they strode down the long halls and corridors, Sophia put an arm around Louisa gently. "Don't worry, sister. In just a few hours, we'll be back home in dreary old Wessex and life will be back to normal."
"B-b-but Father and Mother are only expecting one of us back. How will we explain?" Sophia didn't answer, for she didn't know. She thought about how excited and cocky Louisa had been on the journey here, and how glum and sad she was now.
The two of them strode down the front path, stones and dry leaves crunching under their feet. As they reached the end where the carriage was waiting, Sophia turned back to Hampton Court Palace. It towered above them, the ivy winding eerily on the walls and shadows flickering in the windows.
"Goodbye, Hampton Court Palace. You made me friends, and you made me foes. But I will never forget you." Then she noticed him. The King was standing at the window just above the front doors. He was staring at her unblinkingly, and Sophia glared back at him. Then, he smiled, and amazingly, Sophia felt herself smile back.
"Sophia? Aren't you getting in?"asked Louisa from the carriage. Sophia merely replied with "mm".
"My lady! Wait!"cried a voice. Sophia tore her eyes away from the window and saw a servant breathlessly running towards her. "The King—huh—has sent—huh-you this—huh—message. He—huh—asks that you—open it—huh—immediately." He handed Sophia the letter and bent over, panting.
"What is it?"asked Louisa.
"A letter from the King. He asked me to read it immediately."
"Read it then!"cried Louisa, "the sooner you read it, the sooner we can go!"
Sophia nodded, tore it open quickly and unfolded the parchment. It read in curly handwriting:

My Dearest Sophia,

I have tried to send you away from me, tried to forget you, but I cannot. You remain stuck in my mind as the most intelligent girl I have ever had the fortune to meet.
I therefore ask you to stay at court a little longer, alone without your sister so I may enjoy your company. Your generosity, your kindness and your devotion to your sister is unbelievable and I hope you can show the same amount to me.

Yours truly,
His Majesty, the King of England