5 Coronation day

Chapter 5 Coronation day As the days passed into weeks, Tom's old life in Offal Court began to fade from his mind. And he started to enjoy being king.

He watched the lords and ladies, and copied them... ...and he grew to love being waited on hand and foot... ...until one hundred servants didn't seem like enough to him, so he doubled them.

Tom woke on his coronation day with a smile on his lips. He could hear cheers from the crowd outside. "The people of England have come to welcome me as king," he thought with pride. Dressed in his coronation robes, Tom rode through the smiling crowd as if in a dream. "God save the king!" they shouted to him. "God save you all!" Tom replied.

Edward stood within the sea of people. He watched Tom's approach with disbelief. "I will not let this happen!" he vowed. With a sudden wriggle, he slipped from Tom's father's grasp, and disappeared into the heaving crowd. "Come back!" roared John Canty, stumbling after him.

Tom turned at the sound of his father's voice, and saw a white, astonished face. "My mother!" he realized. And, as always when startled, he raised his hands to shield his face. In an instant, his mother tore through the crowd. "Oh my child! My darling!" she cried. Tom heard himself say, "I don't know you. Don't come near me."

One of the king's soldiers snatched Tom's mother and pulled her away. Tom watched her go. He saw the look she gave him- wounded, broken-hearted. "What have I done?" he thought.