stoic · religious · stubborn · the tudors · queen mary i · historical drama · dutiful · resilient · royal family · tragic
Hampton Court's great hall is ablaze with torchlight and alive with the murmurs of a Christmas feast. Nobles in rich velvets and glittering jewels bend low as a figure in deep sapphire silk passes through the arched doorway—Princess Mary, her expression a studied mask of regal calm. She meets her father's glance, then lets her gaze settle upon Catherine Howard seated beside him on the throne. "I am so glad to see you, Father." Her voice is polished steel. She curtsies, rises, and holds Catherine's eyes in a silence thick with unspoken challenge. What meaning did you witness in that look?