#Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen

[pruneunfair]

Manhwa characters X Henry VIII and the six wives crossover.

of course this isn't going to line up with the real history, they'll simply be put into the roles they suit best and alternations will be made based on source material and their personalities

Henry VIII-Ceasre de como

He was never meant to inherit the throne until his brother unexpectedly passed away. The infamous bastard son who was the true cause of prince Alfonsos death believed to be a tragic result of illness. He framed the crime of poisoning the king on his mistress Ariande de mare and marries his late brothers widow as his first wife Isabella de Mare who has only been able to have one child: a girl, Princess Giovanna. Over the course of his life, King Ceasre marries a total of 6 different women and has only had 3 legitimate heirs throughout his life. During his reign, he ignited the fear and hatred of his people through execution after execution, some of the most infamous being 2 of his 6 wives. It was said that on his death bed, all the women he betrayed had haunted him, with the ringleader being his first love, Ariande de Mare

Catherine of Aragon-Isabella de Mare

Ceasres first wife, Ariandes sister and widow to prince Alfonso. After marrying for a second time small problems erupt from the queen being known as "tainted" for being another kings wife. To mediate the anger, Isabella starts to take religion even more seriously then she did in the past making herself out as a saint who redeemed herself of her sins, the public is unaware she cares very little for the death of her sister. The queen is aware of her husband's concubines and doesn't mind as she knows he would grow bored of her... until Ceasre finds a woman he can't yet have.. so she schemes to stay on the throne. She didn't help orchestrate her sisters death just so Ceasre can go as far as to violate parliament to marry another woman.

She is not remembered so fondly though after her death.

Anne Boleyn- Aria Roscent:

a common woman adopted into the house of Roscent, despite that fact she has become the talk of the town for her beauty and sharp tongue. Aria was planning on marrying her true love Oscar Frederick until she met the king who wanted her as his mistress more than anything, she tried to turn him down the best she could without facing execution, ultimately coming up with a excuse that she'd only be with Ceasre if she became the queen. To which Ceasre happily does much to the anger of queen Isabella who never would've have guessed it would be a random noblewoman instead of Ceasres favorites. Isabella fights back with the pope on her side using the argument the remarriage is reserved only those who have been widowed, this proves to be Isabellas undoing however when Ceasre shoots back with the revelation that the queen had killed her little sister years back and she would do the same to Princess Giovanna if she stayed. The divorce also leads to Ceasre founding his own church and new rules of religion so no pesky pope will stop him in the future, he marries Aria for only 3 years, during those 3 years Aria gave birth to a girl and named her Arabella to spite the former queen but her happiness is shortlived once Ceasre gets tired of her and executes her on crimes of witchcraft and attempted poisoning of his sister in law, Mielle.

Jane Seymour-Jennette Margarita

The 3rd wife Ceasre married quickly after the execution of Queen Aria. Despite her gentle care and kind attitude, the populace despised Jennette for replacing Aria as queen. Jennette is more obedient than the last two queens, going by a motto of "bound to obey and serve." So it's not surprise that Ceasre chose her to be the lucky wife to bear San Carlos desired prince. The relationship with her step-sisters isn't great either. Giovanna wants nothing to do with anymore step-moms after what happened to her mother and Arabella is still too young to even comprehend what happend to her own mother, leaving Jennette alone with the hope of her unborn child being a boy that could save her from execution. Much to Ceasres joy, Jennette does give birth to a prince Leo, but unfortunately the 3rd queen passes away just 11 days later from child bed fever.

Anne of Cleves-Adelaide Kotrov

A foreign princess from a neighboring kingdom. With a male heir finally secured, Ceasre is encouraged to marry for a political alliance, most princesses reject the offer after knowing what happened to Queen Aria but with the forceful hand of her mother, Adelaide of Kotrov is sent to become Ceasres 4th wife. The introduction doesn't go as well as planned, with Adelaide being visibly uncomfortable and annoyed with her husband's attitude. Since Ceasre can't execute a foreign noble, he never consummated the marriage and divorced Adelaide in only 6 months. Instead of becoming enemies though, Adelaide and Ceasre managed to get along just enough during those 6 months to be considered friends and Adelaide stayed in San Carlo with the reputation of the kings beloved sister. She lives her days with her lover Lionel as her true love and becomes the richest woman in all of San Carlo after Ceasre dies.

Catherine Howard- Rashta Ishka.

Ceasres 5th and youngest wife. A former slave who was saved by another Emperor and worked as a secretary for the Empress Navier. Rashta was never given a proper education so when the work turned out to be more than she could chew, Ceasre took the opportunity to take her with him to enjoy the luxuries of regal life and gave Rashta a title of Viscountess so the nobles of San Carlo wouldn't learn of her true origins. By the time they got married Ceasre was already considerably aged, his daughters have grown and Prince Leo had been getting smarter by the day. Giovanna treated her step-mom with indifference but Arabella and Leo took to their new mother well, giving Rashta a chance to heal from past traumas but her attitude can make it difficult at times as she holds grudges and doesnt easily let things go. Problems would inevitably arise , with unchecked trauma of her past, Ceasre only wanting a spare from her, pushing everyone else that could help her away, yet with her desire to feel seen at the same time. The queen gets coerced and manipulated by another man: Duke Ergi and he takes the chance to screw her over once he got what he wanted from her. Rashta was only queen for a little over a year when she was discovered to have been assaulted by one of her masters leading to a pregnancy no one knew of, and a previous fling she had with Emperor Sovieshu, combined with the rumors that she had cheated on the king, Rashta is beheaded for her crimes. Before her execution she ran after Ceasre, pleading her innocence while being pulled away.

Catherine Parr-Claudine Von Brandt

Ceasres 6th and final wife. Claudine had initially been with a few other lovers but all have either died or left her before the marriages could even happen. When she is told that she has to marry the king, Claudine naturally freaks out knowing the fates of the previous 5 wives who got divorced at best and lost their heads at worst. She learns to live her life with her aging tyrannical husband and becomes a wonderful stepmother to the kids, even Giovanna was willing to give her a chance and accept Claudine as her stepmother and queen of San Carlo after Claudine convinced Ceasre to reinsert his daughtes back into succession. There were a few close calls but Claudine survived her marriage and outlived Ceasre, but only for a year longer...

Mary I-Princess Giovanna

(There's no cannon design for Giovanna yet so I used Athy as a substitute)

The first princess born of King Ceasre and Queen Isabella. Out of all her parents failed pregnancies, Giovanna survived as a healthy child despite being a girl. Her parents treated her well enough until her father had the hots for Aria and divorced her mother. Even after learning the truth, Giovanna still considered Isabella the rightful queen even if she was left with a permanent uneasiness of her mom. For most of her time as princess afterwords, Giovanna is demoted to a lady to make room for Arias baby but despite that, Giovanna is a good big sister and doesn't blame Arabella for her mother's fate especially after the second princess is demoted to lady after Aria is executed. After her father dies, Giovanna went through hell to ensure she'd remain a queen and bring back the influence of the pope even if it means the death of the cousin used as a political pawn and the execution of just under 300 people. She dies without an heir only 5 years later.

Elizabeth I- princess Arabella

Second princess and daughter of King Ceasre and Queen Aria. Poor Arabella was already made a bastard after her mother's execution and lived her life neglected by her father and raised by her older sister. She was named after the 1st queens youngest sister and it's often noted that the princess looks an awful lot like the girl she was named after, almost like she was the reincarnated soul of Arabella de Mare. Her family life is full of nothing but troubles, even after her tyrannical father dies, she's still left in the whims of her sister as their relationship deteriorates when they got older. For years princess Arabella dodged death at every corner until Queen Giovanna passed away, giving rise for the queen no one suspected, Arabella I. She becomes the virgin queen of San Carlo, ending her father's bloodline and granting the right of heir to a cousin when she passes away as the final monarch of the house of de Como.

Edward VI- Leo IV

(Again, Leo doesn't have a design since he's an OC so young Ceasre will be a substitute)

The long sought after male heir Ceasre had been waiting for and the son of Queen Jennette, he takes after his father in terms of appearance too! As such Leo was raised differently then his sisters and was pushed to the bone since he was the only shot they had for a future king of the de Como bloodline. When Leo became king at the young age of 9, he was easily influenced by the adults and advisors in his life to control the country how they wanted to. He's just a kid and already the people think he'll just turn out to be like his father. Despite how much he loves his sisters, they disagree on religion and in an attempt to keep Giovanna from bringing back influence of the pope, he selects a cousin as his heir just before he dies young, he can finally meet the mother he's never known...

Other characters below:

Prince Arthur- Alfonso de Carlo

Jane Boleyn- Mielle Roscent

George Boleyn- Cain Roscent

Mary Boleyn- Larissa De Balloa

Thomas Culpeper- Duke Ergi

[isadomna]

The Fall of Anne Boleyn

On the day of Katherine of Aragon's funeral, Anne Boleyn miscarried a son. Henry VIII was so disappointed that he started entertaining doubts as to the validity of his marriage to her. At this time, Henry had a new love interest in the person of Jane Seymour, one of Anne’s maids of honour. Many believed that with Katherine’s death the King could easily discard Anne and remarry without controversy. The main goal of the conservatives was to see Henry VIII annulling his marriage to Anne, send her away from court in disgrace, returning to the Catholic Church and reinstating his elder daughter Mary to the line of succession. The conservative party of the court was unaware of what was about to happen.

Around the beginning of 1536, Thomas Cromwell was told a story. In the French king’s court, he was informed, rumours about Anne Boleyn’s sexual fidelity were flying: letters had been obtained in which she was accused of adultery. This story reached England by means of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who had been Henry VIII’s resident ambassador at the French court since the previous September. Henry VIII was furious, but, as ever, well able to dissemble his rage, and a discreet investigation was ordered. Of course, he could not publicly announce that he doubted his wife after he had rearranged the religious and political framework of Europe in order to marry her. Even while her behaviour was under investigation he continued to push for European recognition of his annulment and remarriage, and for Anne’s status as Queen of England. Politics was ever thus. The source for the January investigation into Anne’s fidelity is Alexander Ales, a Scottish theologian who was in London around this time. He later recounted these events in a letter to Anne Boleyn’s daughter Elizabeth I in September 1559.

Thomas Cromwell soon began interrogating Anne’s ladies-in-waiting, hoping to build a case against the Queen. Anne Boleyn must have been aware that Francis I of France was spreading unfavourable reports about her in his country. In March 1536, for instance, he revealed to the papal nuncio that Anne—“that woman”, as he coldly referred to her—was not really with child but pretended to have miscarried a son. Anne’s marriage was declared unlawful and invalid – after three years of Henry’s supporters arguing the opposite – due to his affinity with Anne’s sister. The ploy Henry had used to annul his marriage with Katherine was at once resurrected to ensure that Anne did not die a queen.

Accused of adultery with several gentlemen, incest with her brother George, plotting the King's death, and also reputed to have ensnared Henry VIII with witchcraft, Anne Boleyn was condemned to death and beheaded. The terrible fate that had haunted Katherine of Aragon, the execution of a queen on the order of her once loving husband, had come to pass. Katherine had narrowly avoided it, but the full force of Henry’s wrath descended upon the head of her rival.

The imperial ambassador Chapuys, a skilled lawyer himself, was shocked that Anne and her alleged lovers “were sentenced on mere presumption or on very slight grounds, without legal proof or valid confession”. Anne protested her innocence and said that no one could bring witnesses against her misconduct because she was not guilty. Only Mark Smeaton confessed to have had three sexual encounters with Anne, but he may have been tortured; historical sources are not unanimous on this issue. Thomas Cromwell later told Chapuys that the King ordered him to get rid of his Queen. Henry VIII’s “peculiar remorse for the wrong he had done Anne Boleyn by putting her to death on a false accusation” expressed on his deathbed and recorded by the contemporary Franciscan French monk André Thevet, who resided in England at that time, confirm his words.

The day after Anne Boleyn’s execution, the French ambassador rushed to Henry VIII’s private chambers to propose a new marriage treaty. Francis I desired Henry VIII to marry his own daughter, the sixteen-year-old Madame Madeleine. Henry protested, he would not marry Madame Madeleine because she was “too young for him”, and besides, he already had “too much experience of French bringing up and manners”, alluding to the late Anne Boleyn. He also added that he preferred to marry an Englishwoman because he could punish her if she misbehaved.

Sources:

Sylvia Barbara Soberton, Golden Age Ladies: Women Who Shaped the Courts of Henry VIII and Francis I

Nicola Clark, THE WAITING GAME: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WOMEN WHO SERVED THE TUDOR QUEENS

[fideidefenswhore]

When it comes to religious convictions, Jane is even more contradictory. Weir’s version paints her as a girl so pious that she considers becoming a nun. As a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon, she comes to love Henry’s first wife and her daughter, later Mary I, who embrace the old faith. She is appalled by the King’s break with Rome, his self-declaration as the spiritual leader of England, and his dissolution of the monasteries. Yet unlike Thomas More, who famously paid for his resistance with his head, Jane finds it expedient to swear an oath to Henry’s religious supremacy. While sometimes she speaks up, more often she shuts up, for fear of angering her volatile husband. I’m not saying that Jane comes off as a complete hypocrite. Her love for the king may well have been genuine, if also fueled by a desire for wealth and glory (she seems pretty thrilled with the trappings of royalty, to the point that once she becomes queen, she abandons a friend among the ladies of the court). But in the end she is awfully “judgy,” in modern parlance, rationalizing her own choices while holding everyone else to a lofty standard of fidelity, faith and maternal feeling.

Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen

[allthingshorror111]

The hauntings of Hampton Court Palace

Let's begin with some background history of this royal palace. Hampton Court is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom. The building of it first began in 1514 by a man named Cardinal Wolsey. He was the chief minister of Henry VIII. This same Henry took over the beautiful palace and proceeded to marry six women. In order, they go, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and lastly, Catherine Parr (Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived).

The first ghost story I came upon; was the figure in the Queen's gallery. One night, several staff members were patrolling the palace after close and began preparing for an evening function. Some colleagues were huddled together in the Queen's Gallery when they heard one of the grand doors open. The palace was shut and only a few employees remained. They then heard footsteps approaching them, but no one was there. Well, no one in a physical form at least. They ran out of the room in fear but when they returned, still no one was to be seen. Who knows who this could have been? Maybe Queen Elizabeth I having a stroll through her gallery.

Catherine Howard is said to haunt the palace too; Henry the 8th's "rose without a thorn". Catherine Howard was executed, by Henry's request, in 1542 at the Tower of London. She was named an adulterer and Henry wanted her head. Howard broke free when she was caught by guards and ran to the Chapel Royal to seek her husband's help and appeal her case. Just outside the chapel is where her pleading ghost can be seen, 470 years later. They named this area, the Haunted Gallery in 1918. Visitors of the palace have reported seeing apparitions, and feeling chills and strange sensations when they pass along the corridor. In 1999, two female visitors fainted in the same spot in the haunted gallery within thirty minutes of one another. Maybe you're overcome with the feelings that Howard felt when she knew there was no persuading her husband to clear her name and soon her head would be gone?

In the winter of 2003, every night for three days, the security staff of the palace were alerted that a fire door by the Clock Court had been opened. CCTV footage showed the doors being swung open with a mighty force. You can watch it on youtube, just search "Hampton Court CCTV ghost". On the second night, a figure can be seen. It appears to be a larger man wearing period dress, he comes along and shuts the fire doors. Later that day a visitor had left a description of the same figure in the visitor book, stating that they had seen this man walking around the castle. He could have been a worker, dressed like Henry VIII for a show, or it could have been the spirit of Henry VIII closing the doors to keep the heat in. Watch the video or check out the image below and let me know who you think it is on my Instagram @allthingshorror111.

Sybil Penn; the nurse of Prince Edward and Elizabeth I. She is also known as the Grey Lady and sightings began in 1829 when the tomb she was buried in was desecrated and her remains scattered. Sybil Penn died from smallpox after caring for Elizabeth I while she had the same disease. Penn allegedly haunts the Clock Court and State apartments. The first account was from the Ponsonby family who lived at the palace. They were constantly disturbed by the sound of a spinning wheel. A legend roamed the palace, it was said that a small sealed chamber was discovered close to the family's apartment, and when it had been opened, a spinning wheel was found.

These few stories are all that have been publicly mentioned however, I have some of my own. My dad and I used to visit Hampton Court every other weekend, we were members. One Saturday we were having a hot chocolate in the member's room. We were the only people in the room. Nature called and we both needed to use the WC which was located upstairs but the stairs were roped off. We snuck up there anyway, my ten-year-old self nervous about the dim lighting and whistling sounds of the wind. As we were climbing the Tudor stairs a small black ballbarian rolled down the stairs. I can see it now. It was almost like someone threw it down the stairs from the top. My dad shrieked and so did I so I hid behind him. He hesitantly made his way up. I wanted to go back downstairs but he needed to spend a penny. We took turns to do our business when all of sudden we heard faint whispers. I can hear them now, man and woman laughing and whispering. It sounded like what I imagined the servants of the palace to sound like, sharing the secrets of the castle. My dad and I have always been interested in the supernatural so we put on our big boy pants and wanted to investigate. Maybe it was the actors of the palace in their dressing rooms? We searched the four rooms that were upstairs. One was locked, the others filled with dusty furniture. Not a soul was seen. The whispering stopped once we began searching. Maybe it was other members downstairs. Still, no one had entered. So who knows what that could have been?

When I turned thirteen we went back to the palace with a family friend. A photograph was taken of me in the barrel room. This photo, seven years later, I have still not seen this. My dad never let me see it, he said it was like death was standing behind me. It was taken on our family friend's camera. Years later, a photo came out, the one I wrote about at the start. My dad said the figure behind me looked very similar to that in the photo. Lastly, seven years later, I visited the palace with my boyfriend. We were in the gallery and went to investigate this small room that no one was in. There was nothing there, just a roped-off staircase. My boyfriend was mocking being a ghost when all of a sudden the heavy, thick door slammed shut. There was no wind, the windows were shut and the door was heavy anyway. We struggled to open it for a few minutes but my boyfriend managed to get it open. No one was walking through the gallery at the time, the only people being a german couple far up the corridor. If you have any explanations for these personal experiences, let me know!

[tudorblogger]

Book Review - ‘Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen’ by Alison Weir

I think this one is my favourite of the three released so far because it’s a story that I don’t know as well so there were more twists and turns in it for me. It was also a very interesting take, that Jane is haunted by the fate of the queen who went before her. It’s something I’ve often wondered – was Jane Seymour haunted by Anne Boleyn’s fate, that she was preparing for her wedding as Anne was…

[ao3feed-torchwood]

Awakening the Hybrid Heart

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60037489 by CeriseHood5050 Emma Smith-White is not an average human; she is a human-Qetesh hybrid. This unique heritage makes it difficult for her to fit into life on Earth, where she is surrounded by humans. Throughout her life, she has been captivated by the stories of the Six Wives of Henry VIII. Their fates have always haunted her, and she dreams of rewriting their destinies. She's given plenty of opportunities and comes across these historical figures in an unexpected way. Tags and fandoms could change along the way. Words: 1441, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 1 of Emma's Six Fandoms: Sarah Jane Adventures, Six - Marlow/Moss, Downtime (Reeltime 1995), K9 and Company, Torchwood, Titanic (1997) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F, F/M Characters: Sarah Jane Smith, Ruby White, Original Female Character(s), Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, Howard Baker, Juno Baker, Catalina de Aragón | Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn Queen of England, Jane Seymour Queen of England, Anna von Kleve | Anne of Cleves Queen of England, Catherine Howard Queen of England, Maria Jackson, Jane "Joan" Meutas, Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount, Margaret Wyatt Lee, Luke Smith, Jack Harkness, Suzie Costello, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Ianto Jones, Lavinia Smith, Henry VIII of England, George Boleyn Viscount Rochford, Mary Boleyn Stafford, William Murdoch (1873-1912) (mentioned), Hans Holbein the Younger Relationships: Sarah Jane Smith/Ruby White, William Murdoch (1873-1912)/Original Female Character(s) (mentioned) Additional Tags: Movie: Downtime (Doctor Who), Some mentions of the Sarah Jane Smith audio drama series, Episode: s02e03 School Reunion (Doctor Who), Group chat, mentioned time travel, death days, Episode: s01e01 Invasion of the Bane

[from-the-stack-to-the-shelf-blog]

Check out this Cast on Limor https://84b7.app.link/9vSrAY0MaR

My first podcast! Please let me know if you experience any issues so that I can correct it ASAP.

[dailytudors]

Detail of the Russian book covers of Alison Weir’s Six Tudor Queens Series

Katherine of Aragon:  The True Queen

Anne Boleyn:  A King's Obsession

Jane Seymour:  The Haunted Queen

[infinitylives11]

Today’s book haul from my local used bookstore!

[inabooknook]

Jane Seymour The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir

This was an absolutely spellbinding book. Having read the work of Alison Weir before, I knew I was in for a treat and a meticulously well-researched book as well. This book paints the picture of a young woman who comes to the court of Katharine of Aragon and is then swept up into the different factions that break apart during the reign of Henry VIII, ultimately ending in her marriage to the King. The characterization of Jane was impeccable and I found myself sneaking away at inopportune times to read this wonderful book when I should have been doing other things. The richness of all the characters - Jane's family and friends - was beautiful. I was especially pleased with the descriptions of all the different settings because it made it very easy to imagine life in Tudor England. If you love anything historical fiction, or Tudors, you will enjoy this book greatly! This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[electrathejellicle123]

I'm currently reading Alison Weir's Six Tudor Queens series, AGAIN. I love the series so much! Heres what I think of them:

Katherine of Aragon: The true Queen

Before I read this, I wasn't quite fascinated by Henry VIII's first queen. But when I started reading this on Christmas day, the day before I tested positive for covid, I couldn't put the book down! It was really good! It helped with my self isolation.

Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession

When I saw 'Six fingers' somewhere in the book, my heart broke. She never had six fingers! It was a myth. By the end of the book, I felt so bad for her. Henry just wanted to get rid of her just to marry Mistress Jane Seymour...but I love this book so much! I'm currently reading it again now. Yes, Anne Boleyn is my favourite, I even have an Anne Boleyn necklace lol.

Jane Seymour: The haunted Queen

AHHHH! the end of the book....oh the sadness! OH THE TEARS IN MY EYES WTH. And now Mary, Elizabeth and now baby Edward...don't have a mother. My god, this is heartbreaking. Love this book so much 😭

Anne of Cleves: Queen of Secrets

I wasn't fascinated by Anna before, but also, Like the Aragon book, When I read it, I felt like...'I can't believe I thought this...'

I first read it during the first days of February.

Katheryn Howard: The tainted Queen

WHY ARE THE ENDINGS OF THESE BOOKS SO SAD! WHYYY *sobs loudly*

When it ends after Katheryn placing her head on the block and praying...heart was shattered into pieces. She was very young. But we don't know whether she was guilty or innocent, so it is up for debate. We don't know whether she had pregnancies or not, as well.

Katherine Parr: The Sixth Wife

This made me understand Katherine more. May I just say....THOMAS SEYMOUR IS A IDIOT. Poor Lizzie. I have mixed feelings for Katherine Parr, overall.

Really good book series, I love it 😁

[the-quiet-winds]

The Gravity of Tempered Grace (part three)

[Things come to a head in the queens’ household.]

[part one] - [part two]

[Part 3: Tell Me That the World’s Been Spinning Since the Beginning]

The Life and Times of Jane the Queen, Chapter 17 - Epilogue: The Grief of a Queen’s Widower

“Historians have long debated over Jane’s significance in Henry’s life. Some argue that her legacy only truly exists because of her son, and that he was the only reason Henry cared for her. Others disagree, pointing to not only her funeral, but Henry’s extended period of grief that followed Jane’s death. He wore black for three months and remained a widower for over two years before taking his fourth wife, which is a longer period than after any of his other marriages. During those years, it was clear that he did not deal well with his grief, becoming obese and developing gout. Upon Henry’s own death, he was buried next to Jane at his request.”

Over the next few days, it’s increasingly clear that something is wrong with Jane.

She went from emotional detachment to, seemingly, feeling every emotion possible at increasingly random times.

Cathy will find her sitting on the couch, watching a house hunting show on the television, laughing hysterically. Anne will find her sobbing over potatoes in the kitchen. 

The oddest moment, the one that truly freaked everyone out, was when she made an advance on Catherine.

It’s late, they’re at a bar after the last show of the week, and Jane decides to have something other than her usual glass of chardonnay.

A screwdriver on the rocks, “with extra vodka,” is her drink of choice.

She downs it almost in one fell swoop, and it doesn’t seem to affect her at all.

Yet.

Jane orders another, then decides she’s done for the night. 

There’s a voice in her head, though. A ridiculously seductive voice that she can’t help but listen to. The voice is familiar. The voice is warm.

She’s learned never to question or refuse the voice. Otherwise she gets the pain in her chest that makes her think she may just die.

The voice is right. It’s always right. 

Jane approaches Catherine, who is watching Anne dance with Katherine, nursing a pinot grigio.

“Hey.”

Catherine turns to her, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Hi, Jane.”

“You look… really pretty,” Jane says.

Surprised at the compliment, as well as the sincerity behind Jane’s eyes, Catherine doesn’t quite know how to respond. “Um, thank you?”

“Seriously,” Jane says, “all the guys in this room probably agree with me.” She grins, just slightly. “And I get to talk to you.”

Catherine is even more disturbed now, but tries to keep her cool. “Well, Jane, we are friends. Talking is part of that.”

Jane fully rolls her eyes. “What if…,” she covers Catherine’s hand with her own, “we were more than friends? What if I wanted to make every guy in this room jealous and kiss you right now?”

That’s the last straw for Catherine, who roughly pulls her hand away. “Jane, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, or if you’re drunk, but I don’t… I don’t like you like that.”

“C’mon, don’t be a prude,” Jane murmurs, and Catherine is growing more uncomfortable by the second. 

Jane takes a step closer. Catherine takes a step back.

It’s then, perhaps by some miracle of God, that Jane blinks once, twice, then looks around as if she has no idea where she is.

All she can see is the nearly horrified look on Catherine’s face before she races out of the bar.

She doesn’t look back even once as she quickly maneuvers the streets, dodging people and street performers under the glowing lights of Times Square.

Jane does pause, though, looking up at the giant glowing billboard for their show. She studies her own image, scrutinizing every inch.

Is she supposed to feel something, staring at her own enormous picture in one of the biggest entertainment blocks in the world?

Because she feels nothing. All she can tangibly feel is… 

Nothing.

The previous shame of her advance on Catherine has melted away. Now she just feels numb again.

Jane shoves her hands in her pockets and continues to walk. It isn’t until she gets home that she starts to feel again.

The voice in her head is proud of her. It’s showering her in compliments, telling her how incredible and wonderful she is.

There’s a warmth in her chest that she hasn’t felt in a long time as the voice continues to whisper praise in her head.

She’s so infatuated, she doesn’t hear the rest of the queens entering the house a short while later.

But they hear her.

Cathy and Anne quietly lead the pack up the stairs to where they hear Jane’s voice, with Catherine, Anna, and Kat just behind them.

“You say just the sweetest things.”

Pause.

“It’s like you know me more than anyone else.”

Pause.

“I can’t help but listen to you.”

Anne and Cathy exchange a very confused look and crack Jane’s door open.

She’s completely alone, laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, having a full-blown conversation with herself.

“You love me?” Beat. “No one else loves me?”

Cathy makes to march in there right at that questioning, but Anna is the one to hold her back.

“But, the queens-” Beat. A sniffle. “They think I’m crazy?”

Catherine and Anna pull everyone away from Jane’s door and shuffles them into Anne’s room, the furthest from Jane’s. 

“What the fuck was that?” Katherine breathes.

“I have no clue,” Catherine asserts. “But something is definitely up with Jane.”

“Maybe she is crazy,” Anne offers, only half-sarcastically.

“Anne,” Cathy hisses.

“She has a point,” Anna says. “Janey isn’t crazy, but something isn’t right here.”

Catherine begins to pace. “She hasn’t been herself since we all came back. First she had no emotions whatsoever, now they’re in overdrive, she’s talking to herself, and she hit on me at the bar.”

“Jane hit on you?” Anne repeats.

“It was so strange, though,” Catherine mumbles. “It wasn’t a joke, but it didn’t seem like she really… wanted anything. It was like-”

“-someone is living through her,” Cathy finishes.

“Okay, that’s insane,” Anne says finitely. “I think everyone is just reading too much into all of this, and we should just admit that Janey hasn’t been right in the head since we came back.”

“I knew it.”

In nearly comical unison, the five turn to the door, where an incredibly stoic Jane Seymour is watching them. “You do all think I’m crazy.”

“Jane, listen-”

“No! I can’t believe I fell for the whole ‘we’re friends now’ stick! You all are lying bitches, just like he-” She stops, contemplates for half a second, and continues. “Just like I knew you were!”

Cathy holds her hands out and takes a slow step towards the increasingly irate Jane. “We know you aren’t crazy, Jane. We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Okay? Okay?! I find out that all of you think I’m some mental case and you want to know if I’m okay?!” Jane is shrieking now. Her fists are clenched and her face is red, but still, she doesn’t seem convinced of her own anger.

“Jane, please, please,” Kat begs. “Just breathe, let us explain.”

Jane scoffs, rolls her eyes, and takes a breath. “Fuck all of you,” she mumbles, before turning on her heels and marching straight out of the room and out of the house.

She doesn’t make it two blocks before realizing what she’s done, but she feels no remorse.

Jane pauses under a streetlight and watches a couple amble by, glancing at each other with love-struck eyes. She wonders when she’ll ever feel that love again.

A dog on a leash bounds up to her. Henry had gifted her a dog at court, once, just after they had married, and she had loved the little thing.

But as this dog sniffs at her legs and looks for attention, the apologetic owner trying to coax it away, Jane can only watch. The dog is absolutely adorable, but Jane just feels apathy.

The same apathy that has haunted her since she came back to this life.

Apathy has become all that she truly knows.

Maybe the other queens were right.

Maybe she is crazy.

[ednyfedfychan]

“Thus in his portrait of Jane Seymour, for all her jewels and the sumptuousness of her gown, Holbein shows us that her mouth is mean, the look on her face blank and expressionless. She appears to us as every bit the queen who climbed over another’s corpse to win her place. His classic portrait of Henry, in particular, suggests that he had grasped to perfection the psyche of a man who could declare with pride: ‘By God, I trust no one but myself’. Henry always liked to believe he was an ‘affable prince’, but Holbein’s haunting images depict his Court as a world of terror and uncertainty. They were an ideal medium for conveying what no one else dared say. “

— John Guy, Henry VIII: The Quest for Fame

[tudorblogger]

‘Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen’ by Alison Weir

Genre: Historical Fiction First Published: 2018 Format: Hardback Publisher: Headline Review Series: Six Tudor Queens #3 Rating: ★★★★★ I think this one is my favourite of the three released so far because it’s a story that I don’t know as well so there were more twists and turns in it for me. It was also a very interesting take, that Jane is haunted by the fate of the queen who went before…

[fearsomeandwretchedandwrong]

Another March Book Haul

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake

Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir

Ann Boyeln: A King's Obsession by Alison Weir

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir

Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife by Alison Weir

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist

[janeyseymour]

Have You Been Taking Care of Yourself?- a fanfic

prompt: Have you been taking care of yourself?

WC: 2044

It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for Jane Seymour to be seen around the house, around the theatre, around the town doing what she could for others. It was very rare that she ever took the time to take care of herself, although she would tell you that by taking care of others she was taking care of herself. 

“Okay guys,” Jane addressed the group as she loaded the dishes from dinner into the dishwasher. “So, tomorrow we only have a night show- no matinee. I’ll clean up around the house in the morning, but then I promised Val I would help out at the library for a little bit- you know just clean up some of the children’s sections and organize a bit. You know how kids can get.” 

The blonde closed the door to the dishwasher before forgetting that she didn’t put in the dish detergent. “Do you think you could all manage to get to the theatre on time? Because Joan wants to run that new little lick that she thought would go well in my song before we put it in. And then the next day, I think I’m going to volunteer at the food pantry in the morning before the shows, but I was thinking we could all have dinner after? I’ll cook. And oh, Kat: don’t think I’ve forgotten about that shirt I told you I would embroider.” She closed the dishwasher once more, this time loaded with detergent before pressing the start button. Turning to her family, she put her hands on her hips and looked at the youngest. “I’ll do that after the show tomorrow.”

“You sound like you really have your days planned out for the next few days,” Catherine noted diligently.

The third monarch grinned. “I like to stay busy. Now, I’ve got to go to my room to coordinate a few things for tomorrow with Val, but I’ll be sure to make my rounds before I head to bed. If you need me, don’t hesitate to knock, yes?” The other five queens nodded their heads, watching in wonderment as the woman dressed in grey made her way up the stairs.

“Does she-” Cathy started.

“There’s no way she doesn’t,” Anne finished.

“She’s well aware that Edward's birthday and her death day are coming soon. She’s doing what she can to distract herself,” Catherine stated as if it was obvious. “She isn’t ignoring it, although she’s doing her best to try.”

“How are we supposed to help her?” Kat wondered.

“I suppose we just let her live. If she wishes to distract herself, then sobeit. We just have to be there when she breaks.”

“I think we can do that,” the fourth queen affirmed.

A week had passed, and Jane was still on the move- desperate as ever to get her mind off of her son and her untimely passing. Only, it was getting harder. 

Any time she slept now, Edward haunted her dreams. Sometimes it was his birth all over again, the feeling of a three day labor returning. Other times, it was as though she was an angel watching over him as he mused his wishes for his mother to come back. Once it was the blonde boy confronting her angrily over her death- how could she leave him with such a horrible father, and wasn’t she supposed to be the first woman he would ever love; but he would never get that chance since she had the audacity to slip away from him before they could properly meet. 

The blonde had been making meals for the queens for days now- something that each of the other queens knew was Jane’s way of coping. The third queen was already in the kitchen cooking or baking more than the others ever were, but it was more and more that the house smelled of something sweet being baked. Jane never ate any of it; she gave it away instead to those that she loved: her family, the food bank down the road, those at the theatre she thought could use a pick-me-up. The thought of food at this point made the woman nauseous. Not knowing if she could stomach the food, she had resorted to supplementing with a protein shake before continuing on with her hectic days she had planned. 

“So, are we going to ignore Janey’s death day like she is or...?” the second queen questioned after the silver queen had excused herself from the table that night. Edward’s birthday had come and gone, and it seemed as though Jane was doing just fine.

“If this is how she’s coping with it- I know it isn’t necessarily healthy- but who are we to try to get her upset over it?” The writer wondered aloud.

“I’m not sure she’s coping with it very well though,” Kat sighed into her hand, half asleep. “Last night when I went to her room, she was wide awake. I didn’t think she’s been sleeping at night, so I stayed awake all night. She was awake too, until like five in the morning. I could practically hear the gears in her mind turning. Once she fell asleep, I did too, but when I woke up she wasn’t asleep anymore.”

“She was downstairs and saw me out for my run at six this morning,” Cleves muttered. “Has she not been sleeping at all these past few nights?”

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I have to go talk to Jane.” Catherine pushed herself up from her seat before beginning to make her way out of the room.

“Don’t you think-” Parr started.

“Querida, whatever is happening is far more unhealthy than Jane just letting herself break. Someone needs to talk to her,” the gold queen stated triumphantly before continuing up the steps and towards the grey room.

“Jane, love? Can I come in?” When the first queen heard no response, she assumed that the third queen was finally getting the shuteye she needed, but her light was still on. Turning the knob and letting herself into the room though, she found a puffy-eyed Jane Seymour awake and trembling.

“Oh honey,” Aragon sighed as she made her way across the room.

“I thought I could handle it this year,” the blonde winced as she busied herself with folding laundry. “If I just continued on like it was any other day, I thought I could handle it.”

Catherine plucked the shirt out of the trembling woman’s hands before folding it and placing it in the pile. Grabbing another, she asked, “Have you been taking care of yourself? Like, really and truly taking care of yourself? None of that ‘by taking care of others, I am taking care of myself’ shit.” Jane shook her head defeatedly.

“I haven’t slept more than two hours a night in the past two weeks, Lina. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is him.”

“Him?” The gold queen froze, the pants in her hands half folded.

The silver queen looked at Catalina for the first time since she entered the room before solemnly whispering, “Eddie.”

“Oh honey.” The pair of pants having been dropped to the ground, the elder queen embraced the third with all the love she could muster up. “You must be exhausted.”

“I am,” the younger monarch’s voice broke a little as she buried her face in the other’s shoulder. “I haven’t been able to eat either. I don’t think I can stomach anything at the moment, and I haven’t been able to since three days before his birthday.”

“When you went into labor,” Catherine sighed, a wave of sadness twinging through her for her friend. Jane nodded. “I’m so sorry, love. Why didn’t you-”

“Because I knew you would all dote on me, and I just don't know if I could handle that again. It’s like it makes it worse when you do. All that swims through my mind is Edward and the fact that I-” the younger queen pulled away from the woman dressed in yellow before mumbling, “-I failed him. I thought if I could take care of others, it would help me like it usually does but...”

“Querida, this is a completely different situation, and you did not have to go through it alone.”

“I’m sorry,” was all the troubled woman could breathe out.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for honey. But instead of taking this all on by yourself and constantly caring for others, why don’t you let us take care of you for a change? Nothing has to be out of the ordinary.”

“How would we even do that?”

“We treat it as though you’re on your period. I’m assuming you’ve been having phantom pains that you’ve just been ignoring?” Catherine voiced. When Jane meekly nodded, the first queen all but scooped her up into her arms and placed her in her bed. “I’ll be back in a few moments.”

“Please don’t leave me,” the blonde whimpered out. 

“I won’t be but a few minutes,” she assured the woman in bed. When she noticed the pout that was beginning to grow on the younger woman’s face, Catherine pulled out her cell phone to text Kat. “What if I had Kat come keep you company while I just do a few things downstairs? I promise you I won’t be more than ten minutes.” Seeing that Jane seemed content with the plan, she asked the fifth queen to come keep the third monarch company for a few minutes. 

“I’ve been summoned?” the pink haired queen joked before sliding onto the bed next to her maternal figure. When Jane grimaced in pain, Katherine immediately backed off.

“No, no, please come here. I’m fine.” The blonde waved a hand dismissively. “Just a bit of cramping, but nothing will stop me from-”

“Say no more Mum. You just tell me if you get uncomfortable, and I’ll help you in any way I can,” Kat told the woman gently.

Satisfied that Jane was finally taking a moment to rest, Catherine made her way out of the room.

When Catalina walked downstairs, she heard the television playing softly, but all eyes were on her.

“So?” the television show now forgotten about, the four women on the couch were staring at her curiously.

“She hasn’t slept more than two hours each night since three night’s before Edward’s birthday. She hasn’t eaten much since then either, unsure if she could stomach anything other than a light protein shake in the mornings. It’s no wonder she looks like absolute hell: the malnutrition along with the lack of sleep would have anyone looking like a zombie.”

“And yet she still looks like our Janey, although a few pounds lighter if I do say so myself,” Anne noted.

“Her sweater did look a bit bigger on her now that you mention it,” Cathy added on.

“So what are we doing about it?” Anna looked ready to help in any way she could.

“She doesn’t want us to make a big fuss over it. Says it makes it worse than it already is. I told her we could handle it like we handle any particularly bad period for any of us.”

“I’ll go get the heating pad.” Cathy stood from her place and headed to her room.

“I’ll make some toast,” Anne replied and made her way to the kitchen.

When Catherine gave her a stern look, Cleves sighed. “I’ll go cut up some bananas for the bread and make sure Boleyn doesn’t burn down the house making toast.”

“Very well. I’ll be in Jane’s room.”

That night, Jane slept peacefully with her five housemates by her side. For the first time in three weeks, the blonde queen was able to close her eyes without being harassed with terrible thoughts flooding her brain. Instead, her dreams were pleasant: a young blonde boy, a striking image of Jane (no Henry could be detected in this boy), enjoying the day with his mother- the five other queens included.

When the third queen woke up the next morning, she was greeted with a breakfast made by the house’s very own Catherine of Aragon. At her place sat a note:

Take care of yourself, and when you can’t: Let us take care of you.