BallRoom

Valerie Meyer wrote:

I saw Inge and went to her imminently,

"My dear, thanks for coming" I smiled

"How are you?"

Inge smiled seeing the Princess sitting next to her and she nodded with her head

"Your Highness! It's an honour being with you, tonight. I heard you arranged this beautiful party and I couldn't miss. I'm good.. unluckily I can't dance, but thank you for invitation.."

She glanced at her belly for a moment and looked at the King

"How is your uncle? I know that Queen Eleanor is not pregnant, yet.."

Inge Bergmann wrote:

Inge smiled seeing the Princess sitting next to her and she nodded with her head

"Your Highness! It's an honour being with you, tonight. I heard you arranged this beautiful party and I couldn't miss. I'm good.. unluckily I can't dance, but thank you for invitation.."

She glanced at her belly for a moment and looked at the King

"How is your uncle? I know that Queen Eleanor is not pregnant, yet.."

I note she was pregnant but by whom??

"My uncle is very well, and Queen Eleanor is still not pregnant, but we all hope one day she will, in the end the king will want an heir"

She is rubbing her bally and I had to ask if she is really pregnant.

"Are you pregnant my Lady?"

Inge sighed and looked down at her belly. She nodded

"Yes..I am. But I'm not married, and the father doesn't even know that I'm with child, I think. But it's a long story, Your Highness.."

She answered, without adding more. She was not in mood to explain that she was carrying King Fernando Benedetti's bastard child. Suddenly she noticed that the Princess was staring at someone behind them. She turned her head and she saw a man who was looking at them. She smiled as kindly as she could and then turned towards Valery again

"Who is he?"

She whispered

I smiled at her,

"I hope one day the father of this child will be proud of her or him, and I know this child will be a lightening path in the years to come, because I know you my dear and I think you are perfect"

I couldn't take my eyes off the man in front of me, and then Lady Bergmann brought me back to life with asking me who is this man.

"I have no idea, but I can't take my eyes of him"

Inge turned fastly her head towards man again. She looked at Valery and sighed

"He is rather handsome, yes. But not so much to make me stare at him.. like he is staring at us. It seems he is eating us with his own eyes. I feel strange when someone stares at me in this way. Don't you, Your Highness?"

She giggled a bit and rubbed softly her belly

"Yes you are right, never mind" I gave a weak smile

"How are my cousins Anne and Amelia, I haven't seen them for a while?"

Inge looked fastly around Hall and she shook her head

"No, Your Highness. I was looking for Amelia but I couldn't see her. I'm surprised that she is not here with her sisters.."

She answered and looked around again hoping to catch one of them

Inigo entered in the Great Hall after being announced by a servant. He walked along the Hall smiling kindly at people around him. The last time he went in Bavaria it was for his cousin Eleanor's Coronation. He bowed deeply in front of the King and joined a table, hoping to see the Queen joining the party too

Inge saw the Ambassador entering and she bowed with her head. She knew he was Queen Eleanor's cousin. In the meanwhile, she noticed that man was still there. He was silent but he was still looking at them. She turned towards Princess Valery

"Where is your aunt, Your Highness? Hope she is not ill. I know the King is often worried about her health.."

"I have no idea Lady Bergmann I wished she could of  joined us, but it seems the king despaired too" and I saw the Spanish Ambassador and went to speak to him,

"Pardon my Lady I need to talk to the Spanish Ambassador" and with a smile I left

"Ambassador, good day" I greeted him bowing my head

I finally made it to Valeries ball having left Christina of Milan behind I saw Valerie looking dazzling and noticed none of my future sister in laws were not her i approached the lady in waiting Inge. Inge were are sybille and anne i notice that they have not attended

Inge bowed her head at Valery when she noticed that the Archiducess of Austria was approaching her. She smiled kindly and nodded

"Your Grace..Sybille and Anne are not here, as you see. I think they have been invited, so I still hope they can join us. What brings you in Bavaria, Your Grace?"

She asked leaning softly an hand on her belly

Valerie Meyer wrote:

"I have no idea Lady Bergmann I wished she could of  joined us, but it seems the king despaired too" and I saw the Spanish Ambassador and went to speak to him,

"Pardon my Lady I need to talk to the Spanish Ambassador" and with a smile I left

"Ambassador, good day" I greeted him bowing my head

Inigo saw the Princess coming closer to him anf bowed respectfully

Your Highness...congratulations for this magnificent party. I heard it was arranged by yourself. I'm hnoured of being here..

Inge Bergmann wrote:

Inge bowed her head at Valery when she noticed that the Archiducess of Austria was approaching her. She smiled kindly and nodded

"Your Grace..Sybille and Anne are not here, as you see. I think they have been invited, so I still hope they can join us. What brings you in Bavaria, Your Grace?"

She asked leaning softly an hand on her belly

I finally made it to the ball having left annes side i saw Inge talking to our future sister in law 'Maria is to marry our brother william and Anne is well' No thanks to you i thought.

Inge saw Sybille entering and she smiled at her once she came closer to them

"Sybille! I'm glad you came. Lady Maria and I were just wondering about you and Anne. Forgive me if I don't stand up, but as you see I can't do too much efforts.."

She said caressing her belly. She noticed a weird glance in Sybille's eyes towards Maria but she kept on smiling

"That's nice Archduchess maria will be marrying my brother william which in itself is very exciting as i do love weddings!" I looked at Inge pregnant belly and smiled. "Inge i hope you not think rude of me but i did not know that you were married i apologise i hope your husband recieves an heir" I said nicely "Inge what is it like to have a babe in your belly" I asked intrigued

Inge looked up at Sybille and sighed. She glanced quickly at Maria

"I'm not married, Sybille. I'm carrying a bastard child.."

She whispered and gulped, hoping that anybody else except them could hear

Richard came back into BallRoom after talking with Princess Isabella in the gardens. He sat on his throne again and looked around. His niece Valery was talking with spanish Ambassador and he wondered if Eleanor was feeling well enough to join them. He ordered another goblet of wine and smiled at his guests

Inge Bergmann wrote:

Inge looked up at Sybille and sighed. She glanced quickly at Maria

"I'm not married, Sybille. I'm carrying a bastard child.."

She whispered and gulped, hoping that anybody else except them could hear

Leaning in a bit closer i whispered "Do you need any help i told anne i would help you while she recovers i have some coins on me well you know where to find us and maria is going to be family too soon so you have plenty of support"

Inge looked at Maria and turned towards Sybille again with a grateful smile

"Thank you, Sybille. You're very gracious. But I have no need of money. I just need to give birth my child in a safe place. I..I conceived it with the King of Tuscany. And even if he is now dead, I fear his family wants the child back in Tuscany. And I don't want to separate myself from it.."

She caressed her big belly trying to refrain tears

I listerned to both sybille and inge talking and i moved in closer with sybille. "It is not my place to judge you Lady Inge but you seem to be great friends with the Clevr family and i will soon be marrying into this family i think that you are like a sister to the cleve sisters and you might be carrying a kings baby but i do not trust royalty when a babe is involved and if they offer you to come and be with you're babe i would worry about your own safety here in bavaria although our king may not like it you will have sanctuary and no one can take you're babe from you and sybille will make a great little helper" I tried to make her smile and handed her my hankerchief

Inge nodded, looking up at Maria with a weak smile

"Thank you, Your Grace. It's true, duchesses of Cleves are like sisters to me, and they treat me as a member of their family. But I committed a mistake while I was in Italy, and now I'm going to pay consequences, I fear.."

She said looking down at her belly

"Such nonesense i told anne i would look after you until the child was born then you may tell his remaining family that you have given birth they are probably going to just use the child to get what they want i'm sure the king will stop them from landing and causing havoic in bavaria! I do not trust that princess one bit i just hope she doesn't try and bed the king as i wouldn't put it past her. She ruined lady wyatts marriage by having an affair with that garcia man. I thought you were wise not to involve yourself with the likes of her Inge." I sighed heavily and held out an arm to help inge up

Inge stood up slowly with Sibylle's help holding her belly. She listened carefully at her words and thought at events she was describing

"Yes..I heard about that. I know that Francesca's marriage has been annulled, and her ex husband was previously married with poet Wyatt's sister. Francesca said in her letters that she is on my side and she'll be part in my child's life. This is her brother or sister, after all. Do you think I shouldn't trust her, Sybille?"

She asked confused

I held out my other arm. I think you have to think about what is best for you and not them. You are the childs mother after all and one would of thought you would rather have that time alone with your babe