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"She is more fragile than she seems" -The Fifth Element [1997].
Anne of Cleves' wedding had finally arrived.
She was nervous, she had seen His Majesty's face disappointed, he had screamed "flanders' mare" at his subject Cromwell.
It was clear he didn't like her. She could say the same thing about him, she heard he no longer had the ability to perform the sexual act in bed. No woman wanted to lie with him, after what had happened to his first wife -Katherine -exiled and divorced, his second Anne -exotic and alluring for her dark looks had suffered the worst fate out of all his three wives, she had been accused (under false charges -Lady Rochford, her conniving and sly maid in waiting said when they were out of His Majesty's servants's reach) and then beheaded. The third one, the one who was supposed to feel overjoyed by the fact that she had brought His Majesty what he'd most desired, and killed half of his Country for -a so; she died of child fever, two weeks after her son's birth.
She had not met little Prince Edward yet, she doubted that if he was anything like her father -he would give her a pleasing time.
Lady Rochford, again speaking out of place said little Edward was a tiny and very sick boy, very frail and weak. It was of the utmost importance that "milady Cleves provides Our Majesty with a Duke of York, our Kingdom's future depends on it!", she had assured her and Lady Bryan that she would do her best, but seeing the King's mean eyes as he walked down the marriage aisle, reluctant to say the 'I do' pledge, Anne doubted it would ever come to pass.
Edward would die alone without brother or legitimate heir to take over the throne after he died, if -that is Anne thought- he ever lived past infancy.
Anne didn't want to stare at his cold grey-steel eyes. Why did she have to submit herself to this tyrant?
She had already been signed over to marry before her brother had been approached by the Earl of Essex, Lord Cromwell. She had said yes, anything to get her out of Cleves, but not into England! She would not risk her life -if she failed to please the King, to reinforce her brother's new faith and Country.
Cleves was not a large state of huge importance like Milan, Florence, France or England, but it had a great port of entry for many international european vessels that were dedicated to "legitimate" trade.
Legitimate -how Anne hated that word. What did it matter what was legitimate or not, what men said about religion?
Religion was just a means to keep the people busy from the real world, ignorant and asleep -her sister Sybille said it didn't matter which God they all worshipped as long as they worshipped.
Anne inhaled deeply, the time had come. Everyone, but especially Cromwell, were looking at her intently, she had been silent for seconds after Henry the Eighth had said "I do" to her.
She had to do this, she couldn't back down from her promise. Who knew what the future held for her, maybe if she learned like her sisters Sybille and Amelia to accept her fate and marriage like they did, she would be happy and bring His Majesty another son to keep the Tudor Dynasty alive.
"I do" She said with no emotion.
The crowd did not applaud their unconsumated union or their short lived kiss. Everyone was looking unsure at the newlyweds, even Secretary Cromwell who had pressured His Majesty to take the Cleves girl as his next Queen, was looking as pale as a ghost.
If this girl failed to please His Majesty, death would come knocking on his door.