" you may think you know the story. it goes like this: once upon a time, there was a sixteen-year-old girl named jane grey, who was forced to marry a complete stranger (lord guildford or gilford or gifford-something-or-other), and shortly thereafter found herself ruler of a country. she was queen for nine days. then she quite literally lost her head.
- narrator "
― Cynthia Hand , My Lady Jane (The Lady Janies, #1)