Don't Own It

The Forgotten Boleyn

It seems that of all the Boleyn's George was completely forgotten. While Mary was bedding the king he had to wait for her till morning, and in the end she at least got someone who wanted to be with her. While Ann was waiting to marry the king he had to wait on her, look after her and reassure Ann that she was doing the family good. George always did as his family bid him just as well as Mary had, but what about him? George married someone he did not love, Jane Parker, his family wished him of it. I believe deep down, he did believe in love with one woman, but he never even got a taste of it. And all the women around him caused too much trouble for his taste.

This story is for George Boleyn and the courage he should have had for the wife he was denied.

Our story begins one year before his marriage to Jane Parker. Give or take a few weeks. Not all the times will be just like the book.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Last Two Weeks of July

George barged into Ann's and Mary's room a full bottle of wine in his hand, ready to down it. "It is done!" he spoke before Mary or Ann even looked up.

"What is done?" Mary asked him.

"I am too be married! I am betrothed! Envy me why don't you?"

"To whom?!"

Ann huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Everyone is getting married but me!" she whined.

"Consider yourself lucky," George told her opening the bottle of wine.

"Why?" Ann asked him as she joined her brother and sister on the floor. She took the cup of wine he had passed her and then gave a smaller one to Mary.

"For one, look at Mary! She is not even bedding her own husband. I am not even entirely sure you like each other?" He asked Mary who simply shrugged and took another sip of wine. "And I? I am to marry Jane Parker."

"WHAT!" The Boleyn sisters gasped in unison.

"SHH!! Do you want to get caught!"

"She is too ill of a match for you George," Mary cried quietly.

"Not to mention she is not even that attractive," Ann said. "What man in his right mind wou-…" She stopped and look at George apologetically.

"O, Aye!" George finished his first cup of wine, poured himself another, drank it, and then poured another cup. "Who knows? It may work out?" He looked to his sisters for some confirmation but they only looked down. He sighed and nodded. "I know, it is hopeless."

"O, but you are a man!" Ann said suddenly getting up to go to her bed. She turned to him, "Surely you can ask for another prettier one. You can at least wed, bed and then send her to the country."

"If only it were that easy!" He began to pity himself. "But, tis for the Boleyn's!" He raised his glass to his sisters who repeated what he had said and then they all drank what ever was left.

George got up. "Where are you going?" Ann asked him.

"Ann, I have only one year of freedom from a woman who will notice everything I do. I would like to enjoy it for awhile."

"To the whore house," Mary said looking at Ann, the two had slight smiles on their lips. Mary looked back at George. "O, go on! We won't tell!"

"At least he can't get in too much trouble for it. I admit, I wish there was a whore house where men are the whores and women the liars."

"The perk of being a man!" George stood up straighter. "I can sleep with who ever I please and no one will be the wiser on my wedding night." He winked. "Mary, I pray you get plenty of sleep tonight. Please, in the name of God, I do not want to hear Ann bitching about she did not get any sleep the night before for making you comfortable."

"Have a good night," Mary wished him with a smile.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

George met his father, uncle and a few other of the king's favorites in a carriage, in undercover of the night they slipped out to the whore house.

"My son, soon to be married!" George's father spoke. He put his arm around his shoulders and laughed out loud.

"Looking forward to it?" his uncle asked him. George answered them by taking a long swig of the liquor he still had in his hand. All the men laughed. "I agree!" they all spoke.

It was a chilly July night, and being down by the river made it feel even more so. There was a fog, the men were not dressed in their finest, but they showed wealth still with their boots, coats and hats. There was laughing in the whorehouse and none of them was worried about getting caught. Besides, if they were caught, who would care? Women from the castle could loose their head and any other man would wish them a good night indeed.

"I am not yet drunk enough!" George said with surprised ease. He watched his father disappear through the door. For a moment, the thought of his father lying with a whore made him sick, but only for a moment. They were men after all, they had their needs.

"Ah! George!" His uncle said warmly. It was on nights such as this that his Uncle treated the men of the family with tender, loving, care, if one could call it that. "You will soon be drunk with passionate lust, which is better than any wine or beer! Come! I believe Maggie is in tonight! You know she has been asking for you for the past week."

George smiled at this. "Aye! Let's go!" He threw his liquor bottle at the feet of a commoner who was disappointed by the empty bottle, but deciding it could be sold, he tucked it beneath his breaches and fell asleep.

George's nostrils were immediately attacked with the smell of whiskey and horny men and women. His uncle, only there for a few seconds, was already with a woman, telling her sweet, beautiful lies. His father he could not find and the other men he had come with were at the bar ordering drinks. George joined them. He stumbled a few times but finally made it to a stool. Someone laughed incredibly loudly and then passed out on the floor. George stepped over the man, he knew someone would be throwing him out on the street eventually.

He sat and hardly heard a female voice asking, "What'll it be?"

"A shot of whiskey," George answered without looking at her. "And another right after that, and another right after that one!" He scouted the area for Maggie.

He heard his drink being poured and turned to gulp it down. The liquid burned his throat. His eyes were closed tight and when he opened them, he was about to ask for another, but stopped suddenly and starred at the young woman before him. She poured him another shot. George noticed the gold cross hanging above her pearly breast and then looked into her eyes. They were brown, but in this light everything looked darker than what it was. Her hair seemed to fall in waves and her face was smooth and her lips full.

"Who are you?" he asked being very blunt. "And when did you start working here?"

She laughed a little and George found it hard not too smile himself. She was very pretty. No perfume, no makeup, just…her. Odd, all the women he had ever been around had always made themselves up to be something else.

"I see you are not yet drunk tonight!" she said over the noise. Her voice was sweet, but George was too tipsy to notice.

"Ey? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you come in here at least twice a week and you are now just noticing me? I admit I like it better when men do not take any notice."

It took George a moment but then he finally asked, "So how long have you worked here?"

"Six months." She was standing up straight and George noticed her shirt. She was not poor, maybe right below middle class.

He leaned on the counter and smiled his sexy, irresistible Boleyn smile. "So what's your specialty love?" He did not even think about it, the words just came out.

She looked at him. "Excuse me?" She was clearly offended.

"Sorry?" George was obviously puzzled. She looked at him like a mother would look at her child who had just gotten caught with his hand in a jar of sweets. "You-You don't…not…" He pointed to the upstairs rooms.

"No, good sir, I do not!" She spoke just like a mother to. "Now if you'll excuse me I have more drinks to pour." She turned her back on him and walked away.

George could not help but notice from behind the counter the swish of her hips. It was seemed to George that she was trying to hide some of her wealth. Her skirt was a boring brown, but still made of very good material and her peasant top seemed to be new. Her black bodice looked as if it was made just to fit her slim waist her and her black slippers never once slipped from her feet.

"Hullo, George," a familiar voice said beside him.

George turned, but did not totally forget the girl when he saw Maggie. She was a pretty little thing. She was tall, and although her face was beginning to show some signs of age, she was still slim and could still please a man as if she were a young maiden.

"Maggie!" he smiled.

"Trying to get with Rebekah, are you?" She cocked her chin towards the girl George was just talking to.

"Is that her name?"

"Aye."

George watched Rebekah as she poured another man a drink. He found himself wanting to flirt with her, just a little to see if he could possibly sneak one good night kiss. Kiss! George shook his head. Nonsense!

"Don't bother," Maggie whispered in his ear and he turned to her and smiled a cocky, but very attractive Boleyn smile. "With her?! Phst! A stuck up bitch, no thank you. Come lovely. Let us have some passion tonight!"

"But of course." She smiled and put his hand around his waist. "Is it alright if a friend of mine joins?" Maggie smiled. She turned her head to the right and George followed. A small, petite, blonde with heavy makeup was walking toward them. She hardly wore a nightgown and every man was getting a taste of what he could have.

George smiled. "Of course not." He gave an arm to each lady and allowed her to lead him up the stairs.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the breakfast table everyone was being gay and merry. The breakfast was hot, the king was in high spirits, thanks mostly to Mary Boleyn's growing belly and the countries around England were, for the moment, happy with one another.

Mary got all of the best cuts of bacon and ham, she was given the most wine and the king would not stop smiling at her making their love affair very obvious to anyone who was wondering about her belly.

Jane Parker came and sat with Ann and Mary. "How now Boleyn sisters?"

"You are not yet a member of this family, Jane." Ann spoke.

"But I soon will be and, like it or not, George is my betrothed and I am to be your new sister." She looked around the great hall. "Speaking of, where is George?"

"A fine start," Mary spoke up. She did not like Jane at all, there was something about her, something that did not fit. Mary had no intention of becoming her friend, much less her sister!

"Well I suspect you two should know. He's always in your room!" Jane retaliated.

"Not even married yet and already keeping a tally on him?" Ann was shocked. "Men do not like such things."

"I suspect sisters do not always like being each others rivals either?" She spoke nothing but the truth, and before either sister could say something back, she was gone from the table and out of the hall.

"Where is George?" Mary asked.

Ann shrugged. She began looking about the great hall for her next victim. It seemed to Mary that she almost needed the attention to still feel important next to her sister who was the king's, and the family's favorite. She looked at her sister and rare, fun smile escaped from her, "Had that good of a night, did he?" And they both giggled.

The whole day passed with parties, jousting, tennis, food, parties, tennis, hunting and more food and picnics. No one was aware of the real world's troubles, except for perhaps Queen Katherine who remained in her room with six other ladies, sewing shirts for the poor.

George was nowhere to be seen for he whole day and it was said that he was ill and in bed for the day. When the king heard this Mary was on his arm. He failed to see her questioning look and said that he hoped George would feel better soon. He mentioned that his betrothed was looking for him and laughed when his uncle in return said, "Well, maybe that is why he is sick." And Mary had to pretend not to hear any of it. She turned her head this way and that hoping to see her brother.

As for George, he was not sick at all but in fact he had taken his horse down to the village outside of the castle to the place where he had been drinking last night. This time he showed off his wealth in every manner possible and was not ashamed of it at all. He rode down to the whorehouse. The man who ran it recognized him right away.

"Good afternoon young master," the man smiled a nearly toothless grin. "I am afraid Maggie is not here right now." He laughed. "Ready for another round already. I would have thought you would at least need some rest."

George laughed with the man. "I cannot lie good sir, it was the most fun I have had in awhile. But, as it is, I am not here to see Maggie."

The man lifted his eyebrows. "O? Did someone else catch your attention?" The man laughed.

George lowered himself from his horse and with a smile said, "Yes, in fact, a young girl did catch my attention."

"Who?"

"The young woman at the bar." The man looked at George puzzled. "Rebekah," George offered.

"O, I see." The man's voice was suddenly quiet and seemed to be filled with some respect for the girl George had just named. "The little lass just started working here six months ago. I never expected it. But, she needed a little extra. But her father would never allow any of his daughters to sell themselves so they finally settled on her serving behind the bar and only behind the bar. She works three nights a week, sometimes four. But you'd know that, eh?" The man laughed. "You come around so often." George could only smile. "She's got another job during the day. A teacher."

"Where at?" George asked quickly.

The man smiled. His blue eyes twinkled. "Just up the road and across the bridge. You'll see a schoolhouse with a small fence. Hurry though, the children will be out in about fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, sir."

As George rode with his horse he began to notice the slums slowly look cleaner and cleaner as he made his way up the road. The houses were steadier and the roads, a bit more solid. As he got closer to the bridge he noticed the homes of glass artist and dressmakers. Finally, he got to the bridge and saw the little schoolhouse right away. He got off of his horse and walked it to a post where he tied her reigns.

It was like a wave, children rushed out of the building and hardly noticed them as the laughed and chased each other around George. He smiled.

"Good bye Miss Swift!" a little girl waved.

"See you tomorrow!" George looked up and there was Rebekah waving at the children. Her smile was radiant and once again, it brought a smile to his own lips. She was wearing the same dress she had worn the night before and this time it was clear to George that she was not indeed as poor as she tried to look. The skirt came up a little above her ankles so he got a glimpse of her pearly legs.

Rebekah seemed to have noticed him. Her smile faded as she walked inside the schoolhouse and then came back out walking towards George with a purse in her hand. She started right away, "Sir, we just paid last week. Please be kind, this is all I have now and I do not wish to have any trouble."

George blinked. "Sorry? O, no Rebekah, I am no tax collector."

Rebekah took a closer look at George. He could now see that her eyes were a hazel color, her lips were a light pink, but still full and her skin had a little color, not much. There was not always a lot of sun in London.

"O!" George heard her gasp. "My lord! You are the young man from last night. Forgive me, sir. I had no idea of your rank." She bowed her head.

"No, no, please," George spoke very kindly to her, more kindly than he had ever spoken even to his sisters. She looked at him. "I am George Boleyn."

She had clearly never heard of the name. She simply asked, "How did you find me, sir? More important, why did you come find me?"

"I…" George was turning red. "I…About….you see last night…I wasn't…I mean…" He kicked an invisible rock and sighed in frustration and was surprised to see Rebekah smiling when he looked up. What was this? He was never so shy around women.

"I accept your apology my lord."

He smiled back. "Thank you. Please, call me George." And he was never so informal with a woman either.

"George," she repeated and he smiled at the way she had said his name. "But do not think I will be so kind if you ever do that again!" Rebekah pointed a finger at him and laughed.

"You do that a lot," George was still smiling.

"Pardon me? Do what a lot?"

"Smile. Laugh. You seem to be doing it constantly. Even last night."

"O. Well. It keeps one young don't you think?"

It was hot that day, the July sun made him take off his hat and wipe the sweat from his brow with out even thinking about it. "Come inside and have some cool water. I imagine you could use it after last night." She still had that welcoming smile as she poured a glass of water for George and then one for herself. The schoolhouse was not much, well not to George anyway; one room, twenty small tables, one large table in the front, a small cabinet and a large bookcase filled with books and supplies. They both drank their water in silence and found some refreshment. After whipping her mouth Rebekah put her hands on the table, hands folded, stood up straight and looked George in the eye. "Forgive me My Lord…er…George, but what can I do for you?"

She looked at him right in the eye, just like Ann would do, except she did not have any of Ann's arrogance, which demanded attention. She was being genuine, real, which was much more than he could say for the ladies at court.

"Honestly?" he began and cleared his throat.

"Honestly," he was reassured.

"How old are you?" The question just popped out of his mouth much like the one from the night before.

"O! I was not expecting that. Well, sir, if you must know, I am seventeen."

George looked at her left hand. "Unmarried?"

Rebekah blushed and took her hands off the table, while looking down. This was something Ann never did. She looked back at George. "No. I am not married, though I have had many offers."

"Strange."

"To most, yes," Rebekah agreed. "To my father, mother, sisters and myself, it is the best thing I can do, for now. Though I do dream of having children of my own."

George nearly agreed with her but he was a Boleyn and therefore allowed to have no dreams of his own. He looked at a bookshelf in the corner and got up to get a closer look. He examined the titles. "French, Spanish, Latin…Turkish!" He looked at the young woman who got up from her desk and walked beside him. "Why?"

"I hope to travel one day. One needs to know how communicate with others. I am also very good in math, science and I love to read."

"Can you paint?" George asked her. He was not condemning her for having such talents that were purely for a man, he was simply curious.

"No," she answered quietly.

"Sing?"

"No, but my older sister can sing beautifully and she composes her own music. She plays the harp and lute." She went on when George just looked at her. "She is twenty four and married to a fine man who loves music as much as she does. I didn't think that was possible. They are expecting their first baby in winter." George just looked at her and Rebekah noticed her mistake. "I am sorry my lord. Men do not care about such things. Forgive me." She looked to the ground then back up at him. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No. Thank you Rebekah." He surprised both of them by taking her hand and bowing to kiss it. "Good day, Miss Swift." And he left with out a backwards glance.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night there was a knock on the door to Ann and Mary's room. "George," Ann whispered.

The door opened and in walked George. "Where have you been?!" Mary asked.

"Are you ill, like uncle has been saying?" Mary asked from her bed.

George waved them both off. There was no bottle in either of his hands this time. "Calm yourselves, ladies, please. All that matters is that I am back and safe."

"It certainly not all that matters!" Ann snapped. "Our whole family has been looking for you! Uncle is furious!"

"I will handle uncle. We are both men after all. We can discuss things smartly."

Ann rolled her eyes. Then Mary asked, "Really, George, where were you?"

"I simply had to get out. See the country." It was only a half lie. "I just needed a day off. Away. From everything!"

"You don't get a day off," Ann pointed a finger at his chest. "Why do men get to have all the fun?" She waved an arm at Mary. "You fuck, drink and have all the fun in the world."

"Ann please!" Mary pleaded. She put her hands to her belly to shield her baby from Ann's harsh words. She looked up at Ann and spoke quietly, "He does care for me."

The two sisters looked at George as if they were waiting for him to settle the score. He never did, instead he simply said, "I am turning in."

"It's only midnight," Ann said looking confused.

"Goodnight," George bid and walked away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning there was a meeting, not for Mary, she was doing fine, but for George.

"Where in God's name were you yesterday?!" his uncle demanded of George.

"I am sorry uncle," George spoke. "I just needed a day off. I had to go out for a while. I just needed to be out of the castle."

"You don't get a day off," his uncle hissed. "You are to stay here and watch the king to make sure he does not stray from Mary. If she falls, we all fall."

George bowed his head and then raised it again. "Of course sir."