Hi, after re-reading my story, I saw it is really immature writing and the story is not developed properly. So, I am finally going to re write it and complete it with God's grace. Hope for the best. REVIEWS are always appreciated. FORGIVE THE SPACING.
MAY 19, 1539
Hampton Court
It's been around 2 years since the long-awaited son, Edward, Prince of Wales was born. Two years since King Henry VIII had another child. Henry sometimes feels cursed in this marriage, a thought which has plagued his last two marriages but they were wrong in the sight of God but his decision to marry Jane was not. He finally got a legitimate son. Yet, he felt more irritated as Jane was not getting pregnant again. They have been trying, he feared that she lost her fertility with just one child.
He loved his son but he was king before a father. He needed a prince, a prince who would succeed Edward, in case God was unjust to his poor son. Anne and Katherine never had any problem with getting pregnant but they could never carry it to full terms like Jane. Although, she would have lost her life if it were not Doctor Milton, a new physician in London, who saved his wife from childbirth fever. Unfortunately, he left before he could ask him to treat his leg wound which was pestering him since his fall. His fall and the events followed his fall. A chain of images flooded his eyes involving raven hair and eyes like a dark hook to the soul.
Suddenly, a cold chill settled in the depth of his stomach as he saw the date. Today was "her" third death anniversary. Swiftly, he stalked across his silent room in search of a place which has not been touched by her presence. Anne, a name he tries to bury in the depth, rose on his lips.
"Anne" he whispered her name as a dark secret to the winds.
"Your Majesty, you called me." Anne Stanhope, Edward Seymour's wife bowed to him. He couldn't help the anger that rose inside him when she replied the call for his Anne but she was also a reminder why the whore was dead. Unlike Edward, he will not tolerate a cheating wife.
"My lady, I wish to see your husband. He was not present at the privy meeting." He had to ask Edward regarding the doctor. "Your majesty, he was talking with Eustace Chapuys in his chambers. I'll send him to meet you."
"No need for that Madam, I'll meet them. Good day to you, my lady." Henry said dismissing her.
Anne Stanhope was just the reminder he needed to stab the unexpected emotion that arose within him. The whole court knows Anne Stanhope is mistress of Sir Francis Bryan. Edward may be a powerful man in court but the court laughed at his back. His hatred increased, he was merciful to Anne Boleyn, when he appointed a special swordsman from Calais for her decapitation. His eyes seem to have forgotten her image but his mind has memorized every crook and nuance of it. With a smirk, she used to take away his worries. Her touch was forgotten but the fire that roared inside him, made his legs weak but he was not the only person who knew her like that.
His musings came to an abrupt halt when he collided with his friend, Charles Brandon. "Forgive me, your Majesty." Charles bowed to his king. Over the years, Charles had turned more than an ally or friend to Henry, he was a brother to him. After Catherine Brooke's departure from Charles' life, he has grown into a serious person who forgot what it meant to be young.
"Charles, you look worried? Is everything well? Is Catherine back?" Henry understood that he somehow was the reason for his friend's heartache and regretted much.
"If she were back, I wouldn't be standing here." Charles smile lacked the edge but it was enough to tell Henry that something was seriously wrong.
"Well," Henry said expecting news of some kind of rebellion at the ominous look on his friend's face. He never mentioned it to anyone other than Charles but he was scared of them, more than he ever let anyone know. He can face France and Spain but not rebellion in his country.
"Henry, Edward Seymour has been talking more to Eustace Chapuys and I don't think it's a good idea."
Henry was relieved on hearing about Charles' worry, "Charles, until Jane is my queen, Edward can't do anything."
"I know that your Majesty, but you are getting bored of Jane and you are not subtle about it. People worry that you are going to divorce Jane." Henry always lacked the art of subtlety but he didn't think it was that obvious to everyone.
"If you were Edward, what would you do Henry?" Charles questioned him. Henry considered his answer, he knows that Mary supports Jane and somewhere has accepted her and they both rely on each other for many decisions. Surely, if he were Edward, he'll ask help from Spain, Eustace Chapuys. Henry felt stupid to have not seen the signs early.
He turned abruptly and followed a route well-hidden behind a bush to the room adjacent to the allocated rooms of the Imperial Ambassador. All the while, Charles Brandon followed his sovereign lord without reluctance to a secret doorway that leads to a dark room. Henry opened a small shutter hidden in the wall, revealing the rooms of Imperial Ambassador. Henry was surprised to see Thomas Seymour instead of Edward.
"…my master will happy to help but will the Queen agree on to…," Eustace Chapuys said in low voice, which would have been inaudible under normal circumstance but from there, they heard every word indisputably.
"I'll convince Jane if it ever came to that. If needed, I'll trick her. She is a fool unlike the last two queens, she doesn't know when she lost her position." Henry got angry at the way he was talking about his Jane. He may have grown distant but she was his Queen and he wasn't going to let anyone oppress her.
"Your sister may be meek but not a fool like Anne Boleyn. Today is the day, the Lord smiled on us. The harlot was executed." Eustace laughed distressingly.
"The length we went to get her out of the way and your sister, she did it within few short weeks of her arrival. Although, true thanks should be said to the disguised martyr, Brereton." Henry and Charles stiffened at the mention of his last queen.
"What are you talking about, your eminence?" Thomas Seymour was not an easily surprised man but the man standing before him was making him uncomfortable.
"My lord, how do you think she had a miscarriage? Brereton was sent by Pope to kill that whore. A martyr went down in history unknown to the common folk. Princess Mary loved her brat that is the reason she is still alive."
"Mary, Elizabeth... but Anne was a harlot that's why the child was deformed?" Thomas cried out to assure himself. He always wanted to take the people away from the corrupt Rome and the papacy but even he couldn't believe that Pope would send someone to poison a pregnant woman. He, himself was not a righteous man, so he kept mum on this matter. "Yes, she was. She slept with a married king and turned her allies into enemies. Of course, PRINCESS Mary would never scheme such things, she is too pious for her own good."
Henry felt a warm hand holding him back as he tried to find the door. "Your majesty, Henry… Stop" Charles tried to hold his friend back, he was stunned to hear the truth but one look at Henry, he knew that there's going to be bloodshed much worse than the rebellion and he had to stop it. Henry pushed away Charles and charged into the Imperial Ambassador's room.
"Your Majesty" Thomas and Chapuys both bowed down but before they could react, Henry held Chapuys by his neck.
"Why?" Henry raged on like a mad man.
"She was innocent and you…you killed her and my sons." Henry saw red everywhere, he had been deceived by people he trusted. He lost her and their sons. A warm fire covered all over his body, chilling his bones, leaving serenity in the place anger.
"Tomorrow, you will be escorted to the Tower of London and interrogated. You will tell the people the truth about everything, the queen, and the pope. The people should know and then you will bring back my Anne."
Charles Brandon ordered the guards to lock both of them in their lodgings as soon as Henry left the room. He knew Henry shouldn't be disturbed at least until he reins over his anger. He never regretted his part in Anne's downfall nor he will ever regret but he always regretted her death. Now, he feels guilty about playing a part in an innocent woman's death.
Henry stood in the garden where he saw Anne for the last time. She begged him to give her one more chance. Her voice echoed the empty garden, he could hear it now clearer than the last time "For the love, you bare our child, for the love of Elizabeth, have mercy. For everything we were, Please." He finally understood what she went through that day but alas, it was too late.