A few months later, it was Christmastime and the preparation of the celebrations were going underway with Elizabeth in charge. It took all of her time that she didn't have time to spend with her family. Of course, Mary had told her sister to take a break but with Elizabeth being stubborn, she ignored her sister. Elizabeth wanted the celebrations to be the best their father had ever seen and she didn't want to let their father down. Elizabeth stood in the throne room as she looked over the preparations with her four ladies-in-waiting. A serving girl came up to the princess with a bouquet of flowers and curtsied. Elizabeth looked over the flowers and said, shaking her head, "Hm.....no, I specifically asked for red roses. These are not roses." The young serving girl curtsied to the princess and left. Mary walked past the throne room but stopped when she saw her sister overseeing the preparations and walked over to her. Mary smiled and said to her sister, "Oh, my. The throne room is looking very Christmasy, my dear sister. I have no doubt that you'll outdo yourself." Elizabeth chuckled and replied, turning to look at her sister, "Why, thank you, sister. Yes, I do say it does. I do hope that Papa will be pleased with the decorations." Mary chuckled and said, "Well, considering that it was you who oversaw the preparations, Father will be pleased. Father has told me that he had invited the Princess Anne of Cleves for Christmas." Elizabeth's face lit up at the mention of her dear friend who was her father's fourth wife. She replied, "Oh, that's wonderful. I have no doubt that she will enjoy Christmas here." Mary said, "So do I. It will give me the opportunity to see Katherine Howard revel in jealousy." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and replied, "Now, Mary, we must remember that Katherine is still Queen. As much as I'd love to agree with you, our positions are too great to put them in peril. Remember your daughter and husband." Mary sighed and said, nodding, "You are right, Elizabeth. I do apologize, I got a little ahead of myself."
While the two sisters were talking, Nicholas and Cate both ran into the throne room with Lady Bryan close behind them. Mary and Elizabeth turned at the the sound of giggling and running footsteps coming towards them and smiled to see their children. Elizabeth knelt to the ground and said, opening her arms for her son, "Nicholas, my beloved boy!" Mary did the same and said, opening her arms for her daughter, "Cate, my beloved light!" Cate and Nicholas shouted, running into their respected mothers' arms, "Mama!" Nicholas ran into his mother's arms, wrapping his arms around her, while Cate did the same with her mother. Elizabeth said to her son, chuckling, "I do hope you are behaving for the Lady Bryan, Nicholas, she is your governess." Nicholas nodded and replied, "I am, Mama. Lady Bryan took us to see how you were doing with the Christmas preparations, Mama." Mary said to her daughter, "How is my precious light today, hm?" Cate replied, smiling, "I am well, Mama. Lady Bryan took me and Nicholas to see you and Aunt Ellie. Where's Papa?" Mary chuckled and said, "Your father is in a council meeting with your uncle, grandfather, and the rest of the council." Cate sighed in disappointment and replied, "Papa promised me that he would take me horseback riding on Rosie today." Mary said, smiling at her daughter, "You'll just have to be patient, my darling." Elizabeth chuckled at her niece and said to Cate, grabbing the little girl's attention, "Your mother is right, precious one. When men are in a council meeting, they get pretty busy with work and the matters of state." Nicholas said to his mother, with a smile, "Like my papa, Mama?" Elizabeth chuckled and replied, tapping the edge of her son's nose, "Yes, just like your papa." Lady Bryan chuckled the group and said to the two children, "Alright, you two. We must be heading back. Her Highness, Princess Catherine, will be waking up from her nap soon and will need attending to. The Duke of Suffolk will come and take you to your tutors afterwards. Come along." Nicholas and Cate hugged their mothers once more before taking their governess' hands.
Elizabeth and Mary both smiled as their children left the throne room. Mary decided that it was time for her to go to prayer so she left Elizabeth to continue with the preparations. Elizabeth continued to preside of the preparations for what seemed like an eternity until some of the courtiers merged into the throne room. Henry walked into the throne room to see his eldest daughter talking with a groom. He came over to her and said to Elizabeth, startling the young woman, "How are the preparations coming along, my dear?" Elizabeth jumped and replied, curtsying to her father, "They are coming along, Papa." Henry heard the tone of his daughter's voice and said, "What's the matter?" Elizabeth sighed and said, "I only wish to please you and the people of England, Papa. I hope that these Christmas celebrations will be worth it." Henry smiled and replied, placing his hand on his daughter's cheek, "Do not worry, my darling. I know for sure that these celebrations will be the best yet. With God as my witness, I am glad that England will have a ruler such as you." Elizabeth smiled at her father and noticed the young Queen come up to her father. Elizabeth sighed and curtsied to Katherine Howard, holding back the urge to roll her eyes. She excused herself from the two and made her way out of the throne room, in dire need of a break. Elizabeth walked down the corridor towards the entrance and noticed a carriage pull up. Her curiosity got the best of her and she went to go see who was the newcomer. As she got closer to the entrance, a groom walked over to the carriage door and opened it, bowing to the occupant. The occupant revealed themselves to be the Princess Anne of Cleves, Henry's fourth former wife. Elizabeth's face lit up and she rushed to greet her dear friend. Anne noticed Elizabeth racing towards her and curtsied to the princess, while the servants and guards bowed to her. Elizabeth smiled at Anne and said to her, "Oh, there is no need for that, Anne. You and I are friends. Come, let me show you to the throne room." Anne smiled back at Elizabeth and replied, "Of course, Your Highness. How fairs your husband and two children?" Elizabeth chuckled and said, "My husband and children are doing quite well, thank you. Nicholas is doing well under Lady Bryan's charge and his tutors. As for little Katie, she's growing. She'll be ten months old in a couple weeks." Anne smiled and replied, "I am happy for you, Elizabeth."
The two good friends entered the throne room and their presences were announced to the court. Elizabeth curtsied to her father and his wife then took her placed next to her father, smiling at Anne. Anne curtsied to her ex-husband and his new wife and said, "Your Majesties." By this time, James and Nathaniel, along with Mary, had walked into the throne room after hearing the commotion. Just like her sister, Mary's face lit up at the sight of Anne and gracefully made her way over to her dear friend. However, seeing that Anne was still in her curtsy, she held back her excitement and stood next to her sister. Henry smiled at Anne and replied, "We are very glad to see you back in court, Your Highness." Anne smiled back and said, "As am I glad to be back, Your Majesty." Katherine Howard didn't say anything since she looked at Anne with jealousy and anger. Mary looked over at the young Queen and smirked at her expression. She knew all along that the young Queen would be jealous when Anne arrived at court. Anne rose from her curtsy, earning an round of applause from the courtiers. Soon after meeting the court and the rest of the royal family again, Elizabeth decided that it was time for her children to greet Anne. Elizabeth led Anne to the royal nursery where she found her son chasing his cousin while a wet nurse was nursing little Katie, with Lady Bryan supervising. Elizabeth entered the nursery and cleared her throat. Lady Bryan jumped, startled, and said, turning to see Elizabeth with Anne in the entrance way, "Oh, Your Highnesses. Forgive me, I didn't hear you both walk in." Elizabeth chuckled and replied, "It's quite alright, Lady Bryan. I should have warn you that I was coming in today. I'll take all three of the children with Princess Anne and myself. I'm sure Her Highness, Princess Mary, will be wanting Cate." Lady Bryan curtsied and said to Elizabeth, "Of course, Your Highness." Elizabeth smiled and said to her son and niece, "Alright, Nicholas and Cate. Are you ready to come with me?" Nicholas and Cate's faces lit up and nodded at their mother and aunt. Elizabeth smiled and said to Lady Bryan, noticing that her Katie was falling asleep in the wet nurse's arms, "I'll leave Katie here, it seems she is about to fall asleep." Lady Bryan nodded and replied, curtsying, "Of course, Your Highness." Elizabeth held the hands of her son and niece and walked out of the nursery, with Anne close behind.