Autumnsong

Katherine of Aragon found that, what happened to the love of her life Sir Thomas More, to be an advantage and a disadvantage. As she sat by the window in the Chelsea estate she contemplated what has happened between them.

The advantage was that he was much more affectionate towards her. He was no longer embarrassed to display his love for her in public. He would kiss her so tenderly even if the moment was not right. His arm was always linked with hers so snugly that if it were like their bodies were linked together. He would even try to dance with her, though it would be painful due to the permanent injury in his leg. The nights were the best, for he would snuggle close to her and fall asleep. It must have been because he felt safe with her.

Katherine remembered that at first right after the ordeal, Thomas was afraid for her to touch him. It wasn’t because he was afraid that she was going to hurt him. He was more worried about how she would react to the ugly scars sustained from his ordeal. What happened to him had done quite a number on his body. There were fiery red welts on his wrists from them being bound together for that long period of time without freedom. There were thick red long gashes on his back from being whipped. They were more ugly than those he created when he would whip himself. One of his hands had to be surgically severed off because it was so infected. What was left of it was a stump, like a headless human would have if he or she were beheaded.

One night Katherine eased his tension by kissing each of his wounds. Thomas shivered because they became sensitive areas. As she ran her fingers down the ugly red lines, he smiled. He was no longer self-conscious about his cut up and bruised body, because he knew she thought he was beautiful no matter what.

Then came the disadvantages of Thomas’ ordeal. All of which drove Katherine crazy.

First was his temper that came from it. He had a horrible violent temper, a short fuse rather. Even if it was a little thing that got him mad, he would start screaming at the top of his lungs. He would throw things around, even smack people around with his cane he permanently walked with. It was mostly Cromwell for his stupidity in handling sacking the monasteries. Something he shouldn’t be so angry about considering the second disadvantage of this monstrosity.

The second was his new found hatred towards god. Something she was totally and utterly shocked about. He didn’t even pray anymore. In mass, instead of actively participating in the prayers he would keep his eyes down and not say a word. She had to often force him to stand when they had to. She one day confronted him about it. He just replied “I relied on god my who entire captivity to help me and bring me to salvation, and he did not at all answer my prayers, so now I don’t even believe he cares about us at all.” She wanted to strike him but he couldn’t.

It was all because he was fragile. She couldn’t yell at him. She couldn’t hit him. Even if she raised her voice an octave he would be brought back to his horrible. He couldn’t even speak about what happened without crying. She was supposed to understand but it frustrated her. It wasn’t the same man she fell for over 40 years ago.

“Katherine,” She heard a familiar voice say.

Katherine turned her head and saw the “man” she loved standing there standing absent mindedly at floor. His hand, which was replaced with a wooden cast and covered with a glove, was hidden behind his back. His other hand clutched lightly onto his cane.

“Thomas, mi Amor, you’re home early,” Katherine said, “I thought as Chancellor you would be busy with this rebellion and all.”

Thomas looked back up at her and smiled. It wasn’t the same bright smile he had it was more of a smirk across his lips.

“Harry sent me home early.” He said quietly, “After I had my check up with the physician to make sure everything is healing properly, one of the things he suggested is I take more walks, so I was wondering, would you take a walk with me.”

Katherine smiled. They hadn’t spent a peaceful moment alone together in months. Always in the end something would worry him ruining it. She excitedly ran up and kissed him.

“I would love to Mi Amor.”

Thomas smiled and linked arms with Katherine. They quickly walked out into the sunlight. They kept a slow pace so Thomas could keep up.

It was a beautiful sight. The leaves had turn to red, orange and yellow. Being indoors and bound and sometimes blindfolded and gagged for long periods of time, Thomas learned to appreciate nature more. It’s many wonders that kept him in awe. Katherine was amused by how he smiled at the falling leaves as they walked silently on the pathway through the woods.

“I guess what happened to you Mi Amor,” Katherine said breaking the silence, “made you appreciate nature’s many wonders.”

Thomas stopped dead in his tracks and looked down to the ground. She knew she upset him. Another disadvantage she had to be careful with her words around him too. Anything she said could upset him easily. But he wasn’t shaking this time when his ordeal was brought up like he usually did.

“I am sorry that upset you didn’t it,” She immediately said catching herself.

Thomas looked back up at her and gave her a smile. It was a true smile, not a smile he formed just to cover his mask of sadness. It was the smile she fell in love with.

“No,” He said as they continued to walk, “It’s by time I talked to you about what happened. You are involved in the healing process just as Harry and John are because I trust you. We are in this together. Let’s finish this walk and we’ll go inside to talk.”

Katherine smiled as he said that they were in this together.

“Alright”

And the two lovers walked back towards the Chelsea manor whilst Katherine braced herself to for the horror she was about to here.