This story is in response to this plot bunny:
Plot Bunny #47, posted by Doctor Madwoman
Henry doesn't really want to divorce KAtherine, despite his doubts. He realizes the risks are too great, and he still loves her. SO, the Boleyn faction, still pushing Anne at Henry, starts to plot the Queen's death...is it successful? How do Henry and Katherine feel if it is not? GO FORTH AND THINK.
AN: This story will be more historically influenced, though from time to time you will see some bits of the Tudors incorporated into the story. For the purposes of this story, KOA's date of birth has been lowered to 1489, making her 39 at the start of the story. Everyone else's date of birth will remain the same, such as Henry VIII being born in 1491, etc. I have written this story before and completed it, but now I am doing some major reworking of it, so old readers and new should be in for some surprises.
April 28, 1529, Greenwich Palace
The King of England sat inside the confessional, separated from his confessor John Longland by a lattice. Once again, Henry was troubled and he sought to speak with his confessor.
"Your majesty?" The Bishop of Lincoln prompted the Tudor monarch who remained silent.
"My wife." Henry began and then he stopped and said nothing more. He knew what he wanted to say, but that was it wasn't it? Talk…talk….talk and more talk!
"Yes?" Longland continued, wondering where the King was going with this. When he had approached him before about his doubts concerning the validity of his marriage, Longland had suggested the possibility of annulling his marriage to the Queen, but now it seemed King Henry was plagued by more doubts.
Henry was deep in thought as he pondered what he would do. It had been about two years since his "Great Matter" had started. As time had progressed, he had found it more difficult to continue in his current path. He still loved Catherine, after twenty years of marriage, how could he not? And not only that, there were certain risks. If Henry continued in his path, he would be excommunicated by the Pope, and he would have an enemy with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, and possibly even France. And as ridiculous as it sounded, some Lutherans even supported Catherine.
"I don't want to proceed with the annulment." Henry said, his blue eyes full of intense and raw emotion.
"You would remain with the Queen?" Bishop Longland asked, surprised to hear these words spilling from his King's lips.
"Yes, I would, I would remain with Catherine." Henry grumbled, as he thought upon the implications of his decision. Campeggio had arrived and was due to open a Legatine Court at Blackfriars in a couple of days. He would need to halt the proceedings, which would certainly cause an uproar.
"I will speak with you later, Bishop Lincoln." The King rose to his seat, ready to leave the confessional.
"But I will come again to be absolved." And with that, he strode out of the confessional.
He had returned to his private quarters and summoned his armorer, giving instructions that no one be allowed entrance.
He was being strapped into his armor when the doors to his chamber burst open and in strode a young woman of twenty eight years with long dark brown hair and alluring black eyes that radiated from a sallow face. She was dressed in the latest fashions, wearing a gown of red sarcanet with a neckline trimmed with alternating gems of rubies and onyx. Around her long slender neck was a simple pearl necklace with a golden b dangling from it. She wore a red french good, decorated with rubies and onyx.
"Anne." Henry said shortly, looking at her as he slid off his chest plate and sat upon his great bed. What was she doing here? He gave instructions that no one be allowed entrance!
"Your majesty." It was obvious that she was unhappy but Henry at that point was out of patience.
"You are to be my husband." Anne replied, her eyes narrowing at his tone.
"And what does that have to do with you being here?" The King of England snapped causing Anne to retort.
"Is it crime to spend so much time with your soon to be wife!" She said harshly, waving her arm furiously.
"You are not my wife, you aren't even my mistress, you had best remember that, my lady, now get out!" He all but shouted at the end, and Anne stormed from the room, leaving him alone. Henry stood up and walked over to the carved wooden table that contained his writing desk. He saw the circular portrait of his wife, painted nine years ago. There she was against a circle of blue, her golden auburn hair peeking out from under her decorative jeweled cap.
And then there was Anne, he had ordered Wolsey to break her betrothal to Henry Percy all in a raging desire to have her. He had held a secret passion for her since 1526, he remembered himself jousting with the badge "declare I dare not", everyone by then knew he had a fancy for a new lady, but no one had known at the time that it was the dark haired Venus that had now just left. Just thinking about his situation gave him headaches, and they had only worsened ever since that jousting incident with the Duke of Suffolk. He had much to do, there was Catherine, the Papal Legates and then there was Anne. But firstly, he needed to speak with his wife.
AN: There is much inspiration here from Hilary Mantel, The Six Wives of Henry VIII BBC, and various other sources. Hope you enjoy the chapter!