At first, Catalina de Aragon despised Anne Boleyn with every ounce of her being. This French Woman was here to try and steal her husband. And that thought made Catalina shake with rage.
But… something happened.
Catalina found herself falling for the woman.
She had fallen in love with Anne Boleyn, the sarcastic yet funny woman who was getting on her nerves less and less. The caring woman who helped her with her grief. And soon, Catalina found herself giving Anne the same comfort in return.
And at some point, that comfort turned into a mutual crush.
And that mutual crush turned into kissing and a close relationship.
It had taken a lot of struggle. Catalina especially had panicked with the realization of exactly what she was feeling. But soon, the two women entered a happy (and very secretive) relationship.
They had found love that Henry couldn’t— wouldn’t give them.
But just like that, tragedy struck. Henry finally got what he wanted. Catalina was sent away and Anne was made his new wife.
As Catalina laid on her deathbed, the cancer blooming in her chest, all she could think was just how much she wished that Anne and Mary were at her side. She could only sob and shudder as she thought of the both of them. Her lover and her daughter. Perhaps God would grace them with the chance to be a family. That was her final prayer before she succumbed to the numbing pain.
After Catalina’s death, Anne only seemed to get more and more depressed. She put up her appearances and her anger at Henry only grew, emboldened by Catalina’s death. But at night she would sob and cry at the loss of the woman she loved. So when she was put on trial and carted away to the tower, Anne couldn’t stop the bitter laughter. Oh, if only Henry knew that his accusations had only ever been true years ago with his ex-wife. And when Anne was finally beheaded, she thought she was ready, she was ready to see Catalina again. (She wasn’t ready for the pain or the laughter and hysterical cheering that she could hear even after her head hit the floor)
And from there, they became divorced and beheaded.
~~||~~||~~
But death wasn’t the universe’s final plans for them. Not at all.
And that was abundantly clear when Catalina woke up. There was a small pain in her chest, but she was very much alive. Alive and awake in a golden yellow room, the color soft enough to comfort the eyes rather than burn.
Catalina knew she had died. So was this the afterlife? Was she in Heaven now? Would someone come through the door and explain that she was now in the home of God and his Angels?
But the room… it was so terribly different from her old home. Was this truly heaven…? Was she to never see her loved ones again? Mary… Anne…
Catalina knew she needed answers. She shakily pushed herself out of bed and regained her balance before walking to the door, straightening herself to the poise of a queen.
When she opened the bedroom door, she was met with two women.
One had long, blonde hair and was dressed in silver clothing. The second had short, curly hair and wore deep blue.
For a moment, the three simply stared at each other.
“Where… am I?” Catalina finally spoke after a moment.
“We are not quite sure ourselves… I am Jane Seymour, May I ask your name?” Ah, Catalina recognized that name.
“I am Catalina de Aragon.” Catalina straightened along with her words, trying to show her strength. And both women seemed to recognize her name as well.
“Henry’s first wife…” The one dressed in blue murmured. “Ah, sorry! I am Catherine Parr.”
Catalina nodded her acknowledgment to the name, faintly recognizing it. “First wife…?”
“Yes… Henry… he married six women, all three of us included.” Jane explained, keeping a close eye on Catalina’s reaction.
For a moment, Catalina could only stare. Six… then what happened to Anne? Dread pooled in her stomach. “Are the other queens here as well?”
“Anna of Cleves is with Katherine Howard at the moment. There is another queen, Anne Boleyn, but she is still asleep.” Catherine explained carefully, watching her godmother closely.
Catalina’s mouth felt dry at that last name. Anne… asleep… but she was here and well?
It was that exact moment that a scream erupted from further down the hall. A heart wrenching scream that caught everyone off guard by both the pain it displayed and the sheer volume.
Catalina recognized that voice. That scream. It was the same voice she last heard sobbing and begging for Catalina to not leave.
Catalina hardly noticed her feet moving, much less the voices and steps of the other two queens behind her. Her focus was trained entirely on that voice. That haunted, blood-curdling scream.
Catalina flung the green door open and her eyes scanned the room, immediately locking onto the mass of green clothing and dark hair curled into the corner of the headboard, as far into a corner as she could be without falling off the bed.
With a hopeful yet heavy and terrified heart, Catalina recognized Anne in the manner of seconds.
The green clad queen’s neck was bloodied and scratched raw. A pale, raised scar wrapped itself around her throat. But she was alive. Alive and in Catalina’s sight. A place Anne hasn’t been for such a long time.
Catalina felt numb with the realization of exactly what happened to Anne. And she was swiftly moving, a sudden burst of energy forcing her forward.
Catalina was crossing the room in several quick strides before sitting on the edge of the bed. Anne’s fogged gaze flicked up to Catalina. But she didn’t seem to recognize the other woman. Carefully, Catalina reached out a hand, wanting to both comfort Anne and reassure herself that this was really happening.
“No! Don’t— don’t touch me!” Anne screamed, flinching away from Catalina’s desperate touch. Anne’s eyes were wild, breathing fast and shallow, her whole body trembling in uncontrollable fear.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Catalina whispered gently, taking Anne’s hand and keeping a firm but so gentle grip. Their eyes met. “Listen to me. You’re safe and they aren’t going to hurt you again. I’m here now. Trust me, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Catalina almost expected Anne to yank her hand away in a panic, but she didn’t. Instead she relaxed a little, more tears forming in her eyes, and let out a deep breath. “I…” Recognition seemed to flash and she looked so painfully hopeful.
“It’s okay.” Catalina smiled and pulled Anne into a hug she didn’t resist. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
Anne’s hand curled into Catalina’s shirt, her grip trembling. “Lina…” she whimpered. “You died… I died…”
“Shhh…” Catalina shushed her softly, beginning to rock the both of them. “I know, Querida… It hurts doesn’t it…”
A shaky nod was pressed into Catalina's shoulder and Catalina carefully brought one hand up to cup Anne’s head, carefully avoiding the scar. “Burns…”
“I’m sure it does…” Catalina soothed. She ignored her own burning pain in her chest. Anne was more important. “Do you think someone could look at your neck?”
Catalina glances up to the doorway, where Cathy and Jane were still standing, staring in shock and worry. Anne furiously shook her head no, only to curl tighter into Catalina at the sensation that the movement sent jolting into her neck.
“Querida… I know it probably hurts… but it would help you if we cleaned it up and bandaged it.” Catalina tried to plead with Anne. She didn’t care about how soft she was being with others present. All she cared about was Anne. “It won’t take long at all and afterwards we can stay here for however long you need…”
There was a stretch of silence and Catalina glanced down to be met by familiar emerald eyes that she was always captivated by. They had lost their familiar gleam, a haunted and broken glaze seeming to dim the familiar light of mischief.
“Promise?” Anne finally whispered.
“Promise.” Catalina repeated, pressing a sweet kiss to Anne’s head. Anne didn’t flinch away and both steadily ignored the gasp coming from the doorway. “And I’ll be here the entire time.”
“I don’t… please don’t leave me again.” Anne broke into another sob. “I couldn’t do that again… not after everything…”
Catalina felt her heart shatter all over again, almost seeming to worsen the pain in her chest. “Never again, Querida. Henry won’t hurt either of us again and I refuse to let him touch you.”
Both of them had been heartbroken by Henry’s decree. And clearly, it had caused so much pain. But not just that, they hadn’t seen each other in so long. It all felt like a blissful dream.
As Catalina gently beckoned the other two closer, Cathy having retrieved the first aid kit, Anne whispered again. “I’m not dreaming… am I? Am I really feeling you again…?”
Catalina felt her own throat choke out a sob and her grip on Anne only tightened. That same question burned at her brain. And Catalina sincerely hoped she wasn’t dreaming. Fate would be cruel if she was. “You’re not, Querida… this is real. This is real and you’re safe now.”
Catalina pulled back slightly, giving room for the other two to start cleaning and bandaging Anne’s scratched and bloodied neck. Catalina gently cupped Anne’s cheeks and she smiled sadly as Anne leant into the touch.
“What did he do to you, Querida…?”
Anne shook her head ever so slowly, tears reappearing in her eyes. The entire group fell into silence as Jane and Cathy soon figured out how to use the first aid supplies. They made quick work on healing Anne’s neck after that.
They paused at the door and Jane gently began closing it behind her. “We’ll be here when you two are ready to talk…”
Catalina gave her a nod and the door clicked shut.
Carefully, Catalina bundled Anne into her arms and leaned back against the headboard. Anne pressed herself further against Catalina, pure bliss taking over the both of them.
God, it had been too long since they were able to hold each other like this. Comfort each other like this. It was all they had wanted after Catalina’s exile and subsequent death. And after so much pain, they finally had one of the very few things they wanted. It was the thing they wanted most, in fact.
“I missed you…” Anne whispered. “You died and… and everything started going wrong… and then… and then he beheaded me…” Anne seemed to be spiralling. Her breathing had become that same fast and shallow motions from earlier and Catalina was quick to calm the other woman, carefully bringing Anne’s ear to rest against her chest.
Catalina stamped down her fury upon learning more of exactly what happened to Anne. She carefully began whispering to Anne. “Can you hear my heartbeat, Querida? You are alive… I am alive… and this proves it… You will never be hurt again, I swear this to you.”
A desperate wail seemed to exit Anne’s lips at this point. All Catalina could do was clutch Anne closer as her own tears and sobs poured out. After the heartbreak, pain, and death they had suffered, they were finally together again. They were beyond exhausted, despite the centuries they had slumbered. Everything from that last life of pain and suffering had taken its toll on them. But now, being able to hold each other once again was a hopeful start to this life.
Yes, there were many, many things they needed to establish. Their relationship, what exactly had brought them back (and even that this was reincarnation in the first place), their trauma.
But it could wait. Right now, they were going to fulfill the years together they had lost.
And over the years they would spend in this new life, they would recover. Both mentally and as in recovering that lost time. Their personalities began to show brighter, Anne’s chaotic and Catalina’s caring. They were safe and happy now. That was all that mattered.
(And none of the other four queens could deny that they cried when the two got married. Especially when the two talked about just how much pain they had experienced in the past life that transformed into joy in this new life with each other and among their fellow queens.)
When Anna later poked her head in, wanting to be sure that the two were alright after everything, all she could do was smile (Jane and Cathy told her and Kat exactly what they had seen, lowering the current shock greatly). The reunited lovers were curled against each other under the covers, refusing to release their gentle grip on each other.
Yeah… Anna thought, the talk about reincarnation could wait until the morning…
They deserved the time together.