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Entry tags:
Loyalty
Title: Loyalty
Rating: PG
Summary: Loyalty, or, Miranda on the queens she served.
AU: Tudors
Miranda was not sure if she had ever really had a friend.
It was a somewhat dismal realization to come to, particularly when she looked at Charlotte and the Lady Mary, or even Jack and his many cheerful acquaintences. But she did not seem to be built for friendship. It seemed to require some measure of loyalty, and that she could not give, not and still survive.
Loyalty was a dangerous quality, among the court. Miranda valued survival much more.
--
Mama was loyal to Queen Katherine. How could she not be? She had come from Spain with her, had endured the years of privation with her, and it was not until Katherine was safely wed that she dared make her own marriage.
Miranda was not so certain. Of course, by the time she entered Her Majesty's service it was clear that another star was on the rise, and she was well versed in survival even then. Even then she had known what would have to be done.
She had not let herself get too attached. She would not be staying.
--
Anne Boleyn was another case entirely.
Miranda joined her service shortly after the Princess Elizabeth was born, and already there was trouble; some mistress or other of the king's, some quarrel or other of the queen's. Anne was in difficulty already, and as the months passed and no son appeared, things only grew worse.
There was still a chance, so Miranda married a Howard cousin and made the best of things, serving well, remaining well in the background in case things went badly. She did so well that when the axe finally fell, she was not even called to testify.
--
Jane Seymour did not have enough of a personality to even be trouble.
Granted, it could have been a survival mechanism. Whatever Jane was, she was not stupid; she had learned from Anne, and learned well. Henry had had his taste of fire, and now he wanted something soothing.
Soothing Jane was, and kind and docile, but she was boring, and so too were her ladies. So too was Miranda, out of necessity, but she never did like it, or any of the Seymour queen's ladies. She was almost pleased when Jane died; it meant she could finally go home.
--
Anne of Cleves never had a chance. Miranda entered her service at the same time as the pretty, witty Katherine Howard, and she knew more or less immediately that the girl would find her way into the king's bed. Whether she stayed there, whether she made the most of it, that depended on her, but Anne was already doomed.
Still, she was clever, the princess of Cleves, and she escaped not only with her head but almost overburdened with gifts from a grateful king. Miranda regretted that. Perhaps she and Anne could have been friends, had there been time.
Perhaps.
--
Poor little Katherine Howard. Poor sweet little fool. Miranda still could not think of her without a pang.
She had been only a child when the king married her, and still a child when he killed her. And had she had any choice? In any of it? She was only a child. She'd had no idea of the consequences.
And yes, she had been foolish, selfish and empty-headed, but what crime was it to be a silly girl?
She did not deserve what had happened. Miranda had not liked her much in life, but she had not deserved her death.
--
She served Katherine Parr for a year and a half and still, she barely knew her. The queen kept to herself and her circle of friends, and Miranda could not blame her, not when it was so obvious that Bishop Gardiner wanted her dead.
It was just... Miranda envied her that circle of friends, her sister, her ladies. Miranda loved her own sister dearly, but Charlotte's staunch loyalties and Miranda's practicality did not mesh well, and they had not spoken for months. And as for friends...
She was alone, and it stung, but that was how it had to be.
Rating: PG
Summary: Loyalty, or, Miranda on the queens she served.
AU: Tudors
Miranda was not sure if she had ever really had a friend.
It was a somewhat dismal realization to come to, particularly when she looked at Charlotte and the Lady Mary, or even Jack and his many cheerful acquaintences. But she did not seem to be built for friendship. It seemed to require some measure of loyalty, and that she could not give, not and still survive.
Loyalty was a dangerous quality, among the court. Miranda valued survival much more.
--
Mama was loyal to Queen Katherine. How could she not be? She had come from Spain with her, had endured the years of privation with her, and it was not until Katherine was safely wed that she dared make her own marriage.
Miranda was not so certain. Of course, by the time she entered Her Majesty's service it was clear that another star was on the rise, and she was well versed in survival even then. Even then she had known what would have to be done.
She had not let herself get too attached. She would not be staying.
--
Anne Boleyn was another case entirely.
Miranda joined her service shortly after the Princess Elizabeth was born, and already there was trouble; some mistress or other of the king's, some quarrel or other of the queen's. Anne was in difficulty already, and as the months passed and no son appeared, things only grew worse.
There was still a chance, so Miranda married a Howard cousin and made the best of things, serving well, remaining well in the background in case things went badly. She did so well that when the axe finally fell, she was not even called to testify.
--
Jane Seymour did not have enough of a personality to even be trouble.
Granted, it could have been a survival mechanism. Whatever Jane was, she was not stupid; she had learned from Anne, and learned well. Henry had had his taste of fire, and now he wanted something soothing.
Soothing Jane was, and kind and docile, but she was boring, and so too were her ladies. So too was Miranda, out of necessity, but she never did like it, or any of the Seymour queen's ladies. She was almost pleased when Jane died; it meant she could finally go home.
--
Anne of Cleves never had a chance. Miranda entered her service at the same time as the pretty, witty Katherine Howard, and she knew more or less immediately that the girl would find her way into the king's bed. Whether she stayed there, whether she made the most of it, that depended on her, but Anne was already doomed.
Still, she was clever, the princess of Cleves, and she escaped not only with her head but almost overburdened with gifts from a grateful king. Miranda regretted that. Perhaps she and Anne could have been friends, had there been time.
Perhaps.
--
Poor little Katherine Howard. Poor sweet little fool. Miranda still could not think of her without a pang.
She had been only a child when the king married her, and still a child when he killed her. And had she had any choice? In any of it? She was only a child. She'd had no idea of the consequences.
And yes, she had been foolish, selfish and empty-headed, but what crime was it to be a silly girl?
She did not deserve what had happened. Miranda had not liked her much in life, but she had not deserved her death.
--
She served Katherine Parr for a year and a half and still, she barely knew her. The queen kept to herself and her circle of friends, and Miranda could not blame her, not when it was so obvious that Bishop Gardiner wanted her dead.
It was just... Miranda envied her that circle of friends, her sister, her ladies. Miranda loved her own sister dearly, but Charlotte's staunch loyalties and Miranda's practicality did not mesh well, and they had not spoken for months. And as for friends...
She was alone, and it stung, but that was how it had to be.