Title: The Dice Is Cast

Summary: On the 12th of October Queen Jane gives birth to a child. Not to a son that the whole kingdom has predicted, but to a daughter.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is presented in this story, only my own imagination.

Author's note: There are stories out there that are about what if Anne Boleyn hadn't miscarried in 1536 and what if Arthur hadn't died at the age of 15. So then I started thinking about what if Jane Seymour had given birth to a daughter instead of a son. What would have happened?

Author's note II: English is not my first language, so please have pity on me if you find some errors. It was not done intentionally.

Author's note III: And yes, I know that the name of Katherine's mother was Isabella, but I anglicized it.

Chapter 1 – A daughter born

12th October 1537

King Henry VIII sat tensely in his bedchamber all alone. For twelve hours he had waited for the declaration that would change his life and all of people's lives in England. The declaration that he now had a legitimate son. A son!

The heir to his kingdom and the joy of his life. The son that his true wife would give birth to. His only legitimate son that he soon would hold in his arms!

"If Jane only could hurry", he whispered to himself, "and give me our son".

Finally a son that he would be his, legitimately, and the future King of England. He would name the boy Edward, the name that he had held on to for years for his first son.

The boy that his first untrue wife Katherine had given him, Henry, had only lived for 52 days. Yes, he had mourned for days after he had got the news of his son's death, but now he knew that it was the right thing that happened. After all, God works for those who wait for him.

And had he not waited and waited for a living son, as a rightful Christian? He had and now God would shortly award him with a son that would live a long life.

For two hours no sound had come from the Queen's bedchamber. Since no cries from a child had been heard and with the fact that Queen Jane had no strength left to push, it was greatly alarming.

Jane leaned motionless against her pillows with her eyes closed. Her fair hair lay in lifeless locks around her sweaty face.

"I do not think she can manage much longer", the midwife said to the lady standing next to her.

Lady Jane Rochford nodded and silently went to the Queen's side. She grasped one of the Queen's hands in her own and pressed the other hand against her pale and sweaty face.

"Your Grace, if you want your son to be born healthy and strong you need to push!"

Jane slowly opened her eyes and looked at her.

At first she couldn't place the face with a name, but then she remembered who the woman was. Lady Jane Rochford, the widow of George Boleyn. The George Boleyn who had been the brother of Anne Boleyn, who had been Queen of England before she was beheaded.

It was known all across England that Lady Rochford had been the one who had betrayed her husband and testified against him, which had got him executed.

"Why? I know what you have done! Keep your hands away from me!" she said and released her hand. A moment later when the tearing pain rushed through her body, she cried out and took Lady Rochford's hand again.

"Do not fear, Jane", said Lady Rochford calmly, "I will not leave you until you have your son in your arms".

Jane nodded, drew upon all her strength and started pushing again.

Elizabeth slept quietly in her bed, with Mary sitting by her side. The two sisters had sat together for several hours waiting for the news of the birth of their new brother.

The brother that would push them both even farer away from the throne.

Even though it was late and she was tired, Mary could not sleep. She was thinking of her mother and how everything had changed after the whore Anne Boleyn had come in their way.

She thought about her life would have been if her father, the King, had not deserted her mother. She would have been the heir to the throne, even though she was a woman.

Maybe she would have had a husband and children. How her life would have been full of joy! The life that she still wanted so much.

But God has decided otherwise and had put more obstacles in her way to the throne that belonged to her. If she handled everything the right way, everything would turn into her advantage.

But how would she handle the news that her father now had a son, a male heir?

"He could die", she said quietly. It was a possibility, yes.

The sisters both wanted Queen Jane to give birth to a girl. Elizabeth wanted a sister since she was a little girl and wanted a playmate, Mary wanted one since a girl was easily cast aside by her father who wanted no more daughters.

Please God, let it be a girl.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Your Majesty, may I come in?"

"Yes, come in!"

Henry stood up and watched one of his men open the door and bow for him. The man didn't look up to his King's eyes, instead he stared at the floor.

"You have news?"

"Yes, the Queen just gave birth to your child, Your Grace", he said as fast as he could while still looking at the floor.

Henry flung the door open and started walking towards his wife's bedchamber. He was halfway there when someone grabbed his arm and made him stop.

"What is it?", he yelled and released his arm from the man's grip. This man will be working in the stable with the horses tomorrow, he thought.

"Your Grace should know that the child is… ", the man said and then went quiet. He looked unsure of himself, as if he did not know how to inform the King of the unpleasant news.

"Is there something wrong with the boy? Is he dead?"

"No, Your Grace. Queen Jane just gave birth do a healthy and beautiful girl", said the man. He bowed and then walked away.

Henry was left alone with one thought running through his head.

No son… He had no son.

The room was dark, the candles had run out long ago. But the two people in the room did not need any light.

Jane sat in her bed, holding her daughter in her arms.

Katherine. Jane did have the right to name her own daughter, but she was not bold enough to suggest the name Katherine. Katherine, after her most beloved Queen that had died the year before.

No, she could not name the child after Katherine, but she could name her after Katherine's mother. The mother that she had loved so much and that she had missed even more after her death.

During the time that Katherine was Queen of England and Jane was one of her ladies-in-waiting, she had often talked about her mother that had been the glorious Queen of Spain.

My daughter, she thought.

Isabel.