Chapter one
A/N I found this half finished on my computer and since I'm starting new stories that I don't complete all the time, meaning I have several stories close to or over ten thousand words on my computer, I really wanted to publish something. This is a quite pointless little oneshot of how it could have been different. Please review and I hope you enjoy it.
August 1521
Mary Boleyn looked at the sleeping King of England lying on her side. She traced his features with her eyes afraid of waking him up by touching him.
"When will you tire of me your Majesty? Will you last longer than Francis did? He does not deserve me calling him by his title, especially as France belongs to you. He is no gentleman. You might tire of me but you have been kind. I obeyed my father and went to his bed. He took my virginity not caring for my pain only telling me what to do. He treated me like a princess and I fell in love. I should not have been so foolish I had seen what had happened to his other mistresses. Why should I be any different?" Mary swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked furiously.
"I am still a fool for letting it affect me so. I will not let my heart be taken again your Majesty. You are my sire, the King of England and as my King I love you. As a man you are kind and gentle and one of the best fathers I have ever seen. I cannot imagine you asking your daughter to give up her virginity. But you will tire of me and when you do all the people that now whisper of me in the halls will be shouting that I am a whore and they will be right. I might not be as bright as my sister Anne but I know what the bible says, the priests told me often in France. I can only hope God will take pity on my soul when my times come." Mary lay down again on her back. She took a deep breath.
"I do not resent you for that your Majesty. Men and women live by different rules in society I have learned. If I am lucky after this is over I will be married to some man of little importance and I might become a mother of children blessed with legitimacy. I would of course live in the country away from court but I would like that. My father would have no further use of me. He would be furious with me for failing him. Then he would tell Anne to seduce you, no matter her wish. Her wish I believe will not be granted any way since the man she loves, loves her but his father, Lord Northumberland, wants more money and prestige for his son and I fear her dreams will be destroyed. For the moment our father, oblivious to my sisters feelings, is saving her in case something comes up or to try to get her to seduce you, your Majesty, should I fail. I will fail of course, so it is really only a matter of time before my sister is asked by our father to condemn herself to the fate of being sold to someone not caring for her after you have tired of her and no longer cares what she is called. That's the way court's work. I will be glad to be out of it. I only pray that I will keep my resolve and not fall in love with you. So I will behave as my father orders me and pretend to be without a thought." Mary closed her eyes and turned to her side facing away from the King of England feeling foolish to whisper her thoughts to a sleeping man who she did not even want to find out what she was hiding from everyone. Soon the room was quite and Mary was breathing deeply and felt herself sink into oblivion.
Meanwhile Henry, King of England opened his eyes ad actually considered the woman beside him properly. He had though she had been willing. Somehow the fact that she only cared for him as her King made him see her as a challenge again. To make a woman already in his bed fall in love with him might need a change in strategy. He also felt elated. He could save her from the fate she had painted. He knew he could. He would be the one to save her sister and her from the fate she painted. Surely she would not be able to guard her heart after that feat? Besides her obvious regard for his little daughter and her rejection of the falsity of court made him feel that this was a woman that might be interesting and worthwhile to get to know.
When Mary entered the room she occupied as a Lady in waiting for the Queen she expected the usual coldness from her fellow ladies in waiting and did not show them that it bothered her. She was helped into the gown the Queen's ladies wore and pinned up her hair. Raising her chin she tried not show the girl she shared her room with her that she was just wanted to crawl into her bed instead of facing the woman she should be loyal to but whose husband she was sleeping with.
The first thing Mary did upon entering the Queen's apartment was to curtsy in front of the Queen and she did not rise until she was given her leave to do so. The fact that Mary had lost what little she had eaten after the Lady she shared her chambers with had left did not make her feel more ready to take on the Queen. She quickly went through her duties pouring water into her Majesty's chalice when it was empty and curtsying. She felt the angry stares and her back and as she moved back from the table another woman brushed her and hissed.
"Harlot." Mary felt like crying, she had never wanted this. Why had the King asked for her that blasted day in France?
"Mistress Neville, if I hear you speaking in that manner to any of my ladies again you will lose your position among them." The unusual edge in the Queens voice made Mary want to cry even more. She did not deserve this virtues woman's support. Somehow managing through her duties, the Queens ladies were soon sent on errands. Mary found it strange that she had not been asked to leave the Queen's presence yet but she continued with the mending she was preoccupied with. She was in fact so preoccupied she did not realise that she was the only Lady apart form Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby, the Queens long time companion and childhood friends. Lady Willoughby placed herself by the door and Mary startled when the Queen addressed her.
"Mistress Boleyn I wish to speak to you. Maria will not listen." Mary nodded and hoped she would not be dismissed, her father would kill her.
"My husband has taken my ladies to his bed previously. I do not think less of you Mistress Boleyn. Unlike other's you have behaved with decorum. You have not maligned my name, tried to cause havoc on court, even if your father shows his ambitions, and you have never failed to treat me with respect. I do not resent you Mistress Boleyn. I will not tell you I like this, but it is not my choice, neither is it yours. I suspect you are with child Mistress Boleyn. If something should happen I will look after the child. As you might know my husband has had a bastard before and he did acknowledge the boy. That mother did not treat me as you do. I believe you are a good woman and I will never harm you or your child. Should you be shunned by your family please seek help from me." Kneeling at the Queens feet trying to control her sobs, Mary managed to squeak out.
"Thank you your Majesty. I am undeserving of your kindness." After being given leave to sleep and sort herself out Mary slipped back not into her chambers but into the chapel. Kneeling at the statue of the Virgin Mary and Jesus she prayed for the child in her womb. It was still too early to get it confirmed by a midwife and far too early for any movement from the child so she would not know for some time. So she did what a flawed human could do, she prayed.
In another part of the castle the King of England was plotting. Having spoken with the boy Henry Percy a gentleman of his chambers he had given him his support in his marriage to Anne Boleyn the sister of the King's mistress. He would make Mary fall in love with him. This time he might stay with one woman for some time after all he clearly did not know Mary.
Anne Percy turned to her husband and smiled. He pulled her up and kissed her.
"Whose letter is it that causes my wife to smile so happily? Should I be worried of a rival?" Kissing away his pretended worries she placed her hand on her swollen abdomen.
"Mary's boy has been given the title of Earl of Wiltshire. I thought the King would tire of her when she became with child. It appears as I was wrong and I am happy for her. She smiled a lot more the last time I saw her with the child in her arms. The Queen seemed to be calm about the situation. However the thing that makes me very happy is that the King and Queen have promised Mary that she will be sharing the responsibility of the boy's household with the King. The most startling news is that Mary has been settled in court in her own apartment as Countess Rochford. Mary seems to be happy. I know that she was not happy before our marriage she was so worried of the future. It seems as if she will never need to worry about her child or herself again. I guess she will even be happy to retire from court in some time as well, Mary never like court as much as some of us. Oh and father has not been given as much as he had hoped. The King has decided that he will receive the title the dispute with our cousin was over, but it seems father is not welcome at court after some word with Mary about the Queen that Mary told the King of. Father should know about Mary's devotion to the Queen. Father is furious, but if I am correct in my guess of his plan after Mary gave birth to a boy he can be happy he is not in the tower." Her husband turned her around and held her from behind resting his hand atop of hers.
"And soon little Lord Wiltshire will have a cousin. I shudder to think what could have been if the King had not supported our marriage." Anne kissed her husband and smiled. All except their fathers were happy.