When I first started writing this fic I had no idea how it would turn out or even how deep into it I would find myself getting. The more I thought about it, the more I outlined it the more I found myself researching it and the more new ideas wound up forming for this story. For example when I originally started working on this fic I picked Owain Glyndwr as the husband for my first Anne because historically he was famous for his rebellions against Henry IV it wasn't until after I started researching that I discovered Owain was the last true Prince of Wales, as in his family had been the rulers of Wales for long before it became a part of the British empire something that adds a great deal of weight to future Anne's claim on the throne. As I was working on this fic I would lose inspiration, or hit blocks that needed to either be avoided or figure ways around them and I would be surprised in what would be my inspirations namely the HBO show Game of Thrones, sometimes a movie I was watching or something that happened at work. My biggest setback was when my laptop crashed and I lost everything I had on this story. Going back and starting all over research wise caused my brain to form new ideas for how to take this story. I have to give a big thank you to Lady Isabelle Black who had a copy of my first rough chapter and was able to send it to me so that when my computer crashed I wasn't starting completely from scratch. Chapter updated to include fictional history book and letter outtakes.

Summary: They had the bloodline to rule England but fate had made them women, the only way to rule was if they had a son but then again perhaps fate worked in mysterious ways.

Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from the original characters mostly the Duchesses of Pembroke aside from Elizabeth Howard and Anne Boleyn though both have different histories.

Chapter 1: Richard II

Opening from the book Ladies of Pembroke Path to the Throne

By Taylor Ingram

Anne Boleyn is one of the most remembered Queens of England perhaps topped only by her daughter and then not by much. Beloved by the people her story was filled with drama and scandal. Yet to get to the truth of the tale of Queen Anne of England you have to go back, all the way back to the beginning to the first Anne, Princess Anne, Duchess of Pembroke.

England 1372

Men were not meant to worry about their wives, but then again most men of his status married for treaties or alliances yet he had defied tradition and married for love. His wife had given birth twice before and both times had found Edward, Prince of Wales, pacing outside the birthing chambers rubbing his hands nervously and flinching at every cry and scream that filtered through the walls. Edward sighed as yet another scream ripped through the room, Joan shouldn't have been going through this torture again, she'd already born him two sons the succession was secure yet here she was in childbirth yet again. In all honesty Edward hadn't even considered the possibility of his wife becoming pregnant again once they started residing under the same roof again when they'd returned to England. His wife was in her 44th year, while he knew that it was hardly uncommon for someone at her age to get pregnant he did know that it was rare, even rarer still for someone to not miscarry at that age. Somehow his wife had beaten all the odds and was now in labor.

Edward ran his hands over his face tiredly, this would be his first child born in England, he thought touching on another concern of his. Both of his sons had been born in Aquitaine which was far warmer than England especially here in Wales not to mention the outbreak of plague. Suddenly there was silence in the birthing chambers and Edward froze waiting with bated breath. The high pitched wail of a babe pierced the silence and he felt his father King Edward III clap a hand on his back in congratulations but Edward kept his eyes fixed on the door waiting for the midwife to step out and let him know how his wife faired.

The older woman dressed in dark clothing walked out carrying a small wrapped bundle. She smiled at and walked towards him curtsying when she got close, "A girl, your highness a perfectly healthy little girl," she said presenting the bundle to him.

Edward took his daughter into his arms looking down into her heart shaped face already falling in love with is newest child. "My wife," he asked unable to draw his eyes from the little miracle in his arms.

"Her highness is very strong and despite being tired appears to be in perfect health. Provided that no infection or fever sets in the Princess of Wales should make a full recovery," the midwife said before curtsying again and withdrawing.

"A new Princess for England," Edward heard his father say and he turned to face him. "When you become king you will find that having a daughter can be just as much a boon as having a son to be your heir. A daughter can be used to make alliances with other countries. If you negotiate right she could even become queen of the country you negotiate with giving you an added ally in that as she would be trusted to negotiate with her husband on your behalf. Do you have a name for her?"

Edward nodded his head slowly remembering the talks he and Joan had when she'd been pregnant with Richard. They hadn't discussed names with this pregnancy out of fear of jinxing it but he knew the name they both had favored should Richard have been born a girl and he didn't believe that his wife's feelings had changed so that was the name he spoke aloud to his father, "Anne."

His father nodded his head giving his approval of the name, "Anne of Wales, Princess of England."

Late 1372

Edward Duke of Aquitaine was dead from the plague elevating his little brother Richard to become heir to the throne upon their father's death making little Anne a hot topic in terms of succession as well. After all it had never been considered that a woman could be the heir to the throne, the fact was however that Richard was a boy not even ten years old yet there was too much left to chance. The nobles bickered and debated the point neither of them even considering the fact that the girl wasn't even a year old and that it was more likely that she would fall ill to some childhood illness and die before her possible inheritance to the throne could even be questioned than actually outlive her grandfather, father and brother to become the heir to the throne. Edward the III eventually got sick of the bickering and passed a decree that should it come to pass where Anne was in a position to be the heir to the throne and she had sons of her own then no man could question Anne's right to become Queen of England.

The nobles quibbled for a little bit but settled down when it was pointed out that the children were just that kids and still far down in the line of succession.

Letter to Joan, Princess of Wales from Edward, Prince of Wales

My Beloved Wife,

The loss of our eldest son weighs heavily on my mind as I know it does on yours. The nobles have finally come a consensus on the status of our beloved daughter Anne. My father and the rest of the nobles have decreed that Anne is to be allowed in the line of succession after her brother. The death of Edward has made them worried and with only a single prince left they have agreed that Anne will come before any of my brothers or their sons effectively securing Anne to the throne if it is god's will that it be hers. Know that you are ever in my thoughts and that I long to join you in Wales where you remain with our beloved daughter.

Your Husband

Edward Prince of Wales

1376

Her papa was ill. It was all that the people were talking about they didn't know that she could hear and if they could they probably would have quieted right down. At the age of four little Princess Anne had perfected the art of escaping from her nurses to explore whatever palace they lived at. This habit also allowed her to overhear things that people believed weren't meant for her ears like the fact that her beloved papa was sick. The tone of voice the servants used when discussing the prince of wales made her believe that it wasn't a sick like when she'd had a stuffy nose and a cough last week.

"Your Highness," came the strident voice of her nurse behind her. Anne screwed up her face and turned to scowl at her approaching nurse who was panting slightly. "You cannot disappear like that milady what were you thinking?"

Anne shrugged her slight shoulders and allowed her nurse to take her by the hand and lead her away. "Is my papa going to get better?"

The nurse looked startled down at her young charge then leveled a slight glare back down the hallway were they had left the gossiping servants, "I pray he does princess I pray that he does."

Anne nodded, "Then I shall pray to. Can we go to the church Lady Hastings?"

Agnes Hastings the dowager Countess of Pembroke smiled down at the little princess. Only four years old the petite dark haired girl had a wisdom that belayed her years, "Of course your highness."

From the book Edward the Black Prince

By Dr. Rick Jones

Little is known about the whereabouts of Edward's young daughter during the summer previous to his death. Some papers have the girl in Wales where her nursery was others have it that the prince had the girl brought to him when he believed his death to be imminent. It is a known fact that Prince Richard was at his father's side when he passed the whereabouts of the princess however remain a mystery to this day.

1377

The king of England, Edward III was dead and his grandson had just arrived in London to be crowned with his five year old sister the Princess Anne. The king's death had come as a shock to the people who had only just recently acclimated to the death of the Prince of Wales last year. There were many who feared that the king's other sons would use the young Prince's age as a reason to stage a coup after all Richard was only 10 he had many years to go before he could start ruling in his own right.

Westminster Abbey was packed as everyone who could get in showed up to witness the coronation of the ten year old prince. The people smiled indulgently as the five year old princess dressed in an elegant gown of white with silver embroidery, with a slender silver coronet walked slowly down the aisle carrying a pillow with St. Edwards crown upon it. The people commented on the pretty princess's beauty, how her dark hair reminded them of her paternal grandmother Phillipa of Hainault but her blue eyes were so similar to her mother's, Joan of Kent. The princess smiled at all the people enchanting them further as she walked with the crown up to the throne.

Then their new King started walking down the aisle wearing white, like his sister only with gold embroidery, with a coronet of silver also matching his sister. He was followed by the men who were his companions the boys who had been with him since he'd started his lessons including one Henry of Beaufort, Richard's cousin. The people cheered as the ten year old sat on the throne and was officially crowned Richard II king of England.

Letter to Princess Anne from King Richard II

My Darling Sister

It pleases us to hear that you've recovered from your illness with no lasting effects. It is our royal request that you join us in London for we have sorely missed your presence. Please bring your household to Whitehall as soon as feasible.

Your Brother

Richard, King of England

1382

The rumor circled through the common people like a fire, she was returning to London, her brother had summoned her home intending to honor her. The people lined the road hoping to catch a glimpse of her carriage as it passed. Princess Anne was as beloved by the people as ever. At ten years old the petite dark haired imp charmed people where ever she went, despite being a princess it was well known that the girl would slip away from her governess and mingle amongst the common people, playing with the common children and basically showing that despite the fact that she was a princess she didn't consider herself above them.

A shout was raised down the road. The princess's carriage had been sited traveling on the road. The people began to cheer calling out for their princess before they could even see her. As the royal carriage passed some of the common people chuckled good naturedly for the young princess was half hanging out of the carriage smiling and waving at the people ignoring her governess's attempts to pull her back from the windows. Some of the common people raced alongside the carriage grabbing the princess's hands to shake cheering even louder when they were fast enough to accomplish it.

Once again Westminster was packed full. This time Richard, now fifteen, sat on his throne at the front dressed in a purple doublet with black hose, St. Edward's crown rested on his head making him look very regal. The trumpets sounded and the people turned as one, when the herald announced the Princess Anne.

Anne walked in wearing a simply beautiful dress made of a rich red cloth, with simple gold embroidery. Her rich, glossy, dark hair was caught away from her face with the rest to tumble down her back; to the shock of the people she wasn't wearing a tiara or coronet of any type. Her hands folded demurely in front of her, the ten year old walked down the aisle, her blue eyes gleamed with intelligence beyond her young years and her face was composed in a solemn mask. She approached the dais upon which her brother sat and kneeled demurely before him.

Richard's mask broke and he smiled down at his beloved little sister before gesturing with his hand for a page to bring the duchess tiara forward. He lifted it up and carefully placed it on his sister's head, then bent down and took her hands in his to raise her from her position. He took the patents of nobility that the page also held and gave them to her. Richard then leaned forward and kissed both of her cheeks causing Anne's mask to break as she smiled prettily up at her brother. Then Richard took her hand and turned her to face the crowd so he could present her, "I present to you all Princess Anne, Duchess of Pembroke." The crowd cheered and the royal siblings smiled basking in their people's obvious approval and praise. Richard had granted Anne the Duchy of Pembroke in her own right attaching to it all the lands that their family owned in Wales making Anne a very wealthy young girl at ten years of age.

From Ladies of Pembroke the Path to the Throne

By Taylor Ingram

It is interesting to note that before bestowing the duchy of Pembroke on Anne no woman had ever been elevated to the peerage in her own right. What is most interesting was the fact that the king had specifically ordered that Anne's patents be adjusted to ensure that should she only have daughters that the title would pass to them without contest. Most historians believe that this was a definitive moment in young Anne's life and was quite possibly the first step she took to down her path to being immortalized in history.

1383

He frowned slightly before taking a sip of his wine. Owain Glyndwr was one of only three Welsh noblemen present for their king's wedding banquet. It was yet another troubling testament to the growing discourse between the Welsh and the rest of Britain. A small part of him felt dissatisfied and if he cared to think too much on it he could pinpoint the exact reason for it. His wife had passed away this past year after trying to bring their first child into the world. He missed his Margaret in the worst way; she hadn't simply been his wife but also his childhood best friend. In Owain's opinion it was far better to marry a friend than a complete stranger not that his people believed that because they were already starting to put some pressure on him to find himself another wife, to leave behind an heir.

"Why are you frowning? This is a happy occasion. The king is married," asked a young female voice jerking Owain from his contemplations to look to his left and see a petite dark haired girl poised on the threshold of womanhood. He internally guess that her age was possibly somewhere between 11 and 13, with dark hair caught up in several braids with ribbons that matched the color of her dress woven through them, bright blue eyes that were looking up at him curiously.

"Ach lass hasn't your governess taught you that it's not polite to sneak up on people," Owain questioned.

The girl shrugged her shoulders as if brushing his question aside, "Why aren't you happy," the girl asked again.

Before he could answer her another nobleman came up to the young girl bowed to her and asked her to dance. Owain watched as the man he judged to be in his late thirties led the young girl in a dance; he shouldn't have been so focused on the nosy young girl. It was quite apparent to him that the girl was high born and while that shouldn't have been a deterrent the girl was also obviously English and no nobleman would marry his daughter off to a welsh man no matter how highly born he was.

From Richard the Deposed King

By Dr. Eric Ross

The marriage of Richard's sister was a highly contested topic between the nobles of England with no shortage of suitors both foreign and domestic for the princess's hand. The barrenness of the Queen of England made Anne a very valuable bride as she brought with her the potential for the throne of England aside from her own substantial wealth. It came as a surprise to many when Richard chose to ignore both foreign offers and offers from favored courtiers and instead gave his sister's hand in marriage to Owain Glyndwr the oldest son of a Welsh lord, for others it was simply Richard's next step in securing the throne for his sister.

1389

Owain paced in the church furious with his father for setting this up for him. He'd thought he was old enough to not have to worry about being part of an alliance agreement but apparently King Richard, in looking for allies after the Merciless Parliament had executed or sent into exile all his former allies, had come to an agreement with his father for him, his father's heir, to marry Princess Anne, Richard's seventeen year old sister and current heir, possibly only heir if Queen Anne's current barrenness continued. So now he stood at the front of the church prepared to marry a complete stranger all so his father would have a grandchild with a legitimate claim to the English throne. He turned to watch as his veiled bride walked down the aisle towards him.

The girl put her hand into his and together they turned to face the priest. The ceremony was a blur and all too soon he was alone with her in their bedchamber. She was watching him nervously absently playing with the cuff of her nightgown.

"You know I never expected to get married to a man I've only met once before in my life and that one time was ages ago," Anne said softly breaking the silence that she had held since completing her vows. Owain looked up at his new wife sharply because he honestly couldn't remember meeting her ever. She gave him a shy smile that gave him a hint of what a true beauty she would be if she ever relaxed completely in his presence, "At my brother's wedding. I asked you why you were frowning at such a happy event. I never did get to hear your answer."

Owain stared at her in shock his mind instantly flashing back to the girl who had so boldly talked to him. As a child she had instantly captured his attention after only a single short conversation now as a woman grown it seemed she still might. He took one of her hands into his own marveling at how petite she was then leaned in to kiss her.

1390

It was almost like a joke that he a common baron, granted he was married to a duchess, was pacing the outer chamber alongside a king. Owain shook his head slightly and ran a weary hand over his face his wife had been in childbirth for most of the day. Suddenly Anne's screaming came to an abrupt halt and both he and King Richard froze in place sending worried glances towards the door. The sudden silence was pierced by the cry of the newborn babe. Owain and Richard exchanged a long look and the king gestured for him to go through to door and meet his first born child.

Owain rushed through the door and was greeted by the midwife as two of his wife's ladies were combing her hair and settling her back into bed. The midwife had a small wrapped bundle in her arms, "Your daughter milord."

Owain took the child into his arms and stared down into her blue eyes. A part of him hoped they stayed blue like her mother's, even so he could already tell that she was going to be a beauty when she grew up just like her mother. "Joan," he said smiling slightly it was after all the only name they'd discussed if they had a girl, they'd been torn between Richard and Edward if the babe had been a boy but Joan had been the only name for a girl, Joan for her mother who had passed away five years previous.

Richard entered the room shortly after the midwife left obviously having been granted permission to enter. The king smiled as his brother in law handed the babe to Anne who had been getting anxious to see her daughter. "Another princess for England," he proclaimed easily.

Anne rolled her eyes at him, "She's not a princess, merely the daughter of one," she retorted. Richard opened his mouth as if to argue but decided against it and simply leaned in to hug his beloved baby sister intensely grateful that she had survived childbirth.

From a letter written to Princess Anne from King Richard

My Beloved Sister

We miss you from court. With the passing of our wife Queen Anne we find ourselves in need of a skilled hostess to manage the court while business takes us away. We request your presence in London your husband is welcome if he has the time to take away from business as are my neice and nephew.

Your Brother

Richard King of England

1394

With the death of Queen Anne tongues were wagging with the recent announcement that Princess Anne, Duchess of Pembroke, had been named as Richard's successor until such time as he had a male heir. The people of Wales were thrilled to hear that their princess and duchess might one day be queen. Anne had been popular as a child and after giving birth to two children her first born Joan and then a son just that past year Edward the people were sure it was god's way of saying that Anne was meant to be queen.

In one small town a blacksmith had a wonderful idea their people should gather together everything valuable they had be it gold, silver, or gems and create a crown specifically for her. The townspeople had loved it and immediately had set to collecting the items needed to craft it.

In Pembroke however trouble was brewing.

Owain scowled as he circled the courtyard searching for his wife. He couldn't believe that the mouse he'd married had turned into such a strong-willed confident woman. It annoyed him endlessly that when he complained to his friends and advisors they simply smirked at him and said she'd always been like this didn't he know that, he immediately flashed back to the bold child and would turn the conversation to something different. Then she rode in through the gates as if she didn't have a care in the world. She had gone out without a guard again he noted as he walked up to her.

Anne noticed him and brought her horse to a stop, "Husband," she said with a slight incline of her head before she lifted the reigns as if to turn her horse away from him Owain scowled and grabbed her hands halting her in the process.

"I would have a word with wife," he growled out.

"Of course husband my time is yours, it's not as if I have pressing matters to attend to," she mocked giving him a slight smirk.

Owain growled under his breath, it annoyed him endlessly that the common people went to Anne when they had problems or needed something; apparently his wife was more approachable not to mention that she had apparently been running around with commoners since she was a child. "I don't like you going out without a guard."

She laughed softly, "Why, our people love me and I love them?"

Owain sighed because it was the truth not a single one of their people would ever even think of rising against their duchess they loved her without reservations and if perhaps some highwayman got it into his head to attempt to take her or rob her he was quickly dissuaded by the common people who rose to her defense. Even out of Wales Anne's popularity was growing it annoyed him to no end for the more her popularity rose the more involved she became in things outside what he believed to be a woman's lot in life. She smiled down at him the pulled her hand out of his and turning her horse towards the stables. Owain growled again and ran his hands over his face in frustration who the hell did he marry.

1399

Some dynasties last for centuries, others die out when they have no heir to carry on the line, and others are usurped. The beginning of the end of the Plantagenet's occurred with the death of John of Gaunt. Anne who had been in London at the time tried to tell her brother that denying their cousin his birthright couldn't lead to anything good and yet Richard still did it before promptly leaving to pursue war in Ireland. Disgusted at not being left as regent due to her 'condition' Anne retired to Pembroke only to be forced to watch from afar as her brother's reign was brutally brought to an end.

When Henry Bolingbrook came back at the head of an uprising against Richard he posed it as simply him taking back his birthright and that he had no intentions on the throne. As such whispers about what he was doing took longer to reach Pembroke then they would have had people realized what Henry was really after. As it was when news finally reached Owain he wasn't sure how to break it to his wife. Their marriage had finally settled once he realized that he couldn't treat Anne as an underling but as his partner, and as such he was terrified that news of her cousin marching on London might send her into premature labor and she'd already had some scares.

By the time Anne found out what was going on it was too late for her to help her brother in any way, and in the end it was probably best that she wasn't involved at all as it prevented her from being labeled a traitor to the new 'king'. Anne scowled as she looked down at the note in her hand it appeared that her cousin was traveling to Pembroke in order to have her and her husband pledge their fealty to him. Her brother kept a prisoner in Pontefract castle and she was to pledge fealty to the man who had basically robbed her of her birthright. She was meant to be queen and she would be or see to it that her son sat on the throne if it was the last thing she did. She was the true heir to the throne it was her birthright and so help her one day her blood would sit on the throne again.

Ok so that was my first chapter. Originally I was going to dedicate a chapter to each duchess but then I realized that some duchesses out lived their children so that wouldn't work so I decided to focus on a king per chapter. Next up will be Henry IV whose reign was historically plagued by Owain Glyndwr who wished to make Wales independent of English rule, now in my fiction Owain has other reasons to rebel against Henry. Reviews are like crack so please feed my addiction.