The King's Consorts

Description: Katherine of Aragon survived her illness in 1536, preventing Henry from being able to put Anne aside for his Lady Jane. Desperate, he uses ideas from the past to come up with a solution – he will take Jane as a second wife.

A/N: for the sake of this story, Katherine does not die in 1536. This means that Henry cannot put Anne aside as, if he beheads her, then the people of England will expect him to go back to Katherine and will loathe Jane; if he divorces/annuls his marriage to her, then he would have three women claiming to be Queen of England. As a result, he can't practically put Anne aside.

As this is based off of the Showtime Show 'the Tudors' many of the plotlines will keep closely to this. However, I have decided that I want to include Elizabeth Boleyn nee Howard (Anne's mother), and Margery Seymour nee Wentworth will play a minor part (Jane's mother).

In this book, Anne's birth year is 1507 – this is because I find that there is stronger evidence that she is born in 1507 rather than 1501. This means she's a matter of months older than Jane (as I have decided to have Anne's birthday in November), and the youngest of her siblings.

Chapter 1 – the Fall of a Queen

TKC-TKC-TKC

13th March, 1536, Whitehall Palace

Thomas Cromwell, the Lord Chancellor, observed as Henry strolled arm in arm with the Lady Jane Seymour in the gardens of Whitehall Palace. It was obvious to all that the King had a new obsession, and that, like with Anne, he would stop at nothing to make her his wife.

Often, Cromwell wondered why more women did not simply say 'no' to the King, especially now they knew that it would cause him to strive to make them Queen, but he soon realised that it was simply timing. Anne was there when Henry was desperate for a son, convinced that his marriage to Katherine was unlawful; Jane was there when Anne had miscarried for the first time, and then for a second time, providing new hope for their King.

And, now, Henry had set about Cromwell to find a way to allow Henry to marry his new 'love'.

Truthfully, Cromwell was rather glad of the job as it proved that Queen Anne was swiftly losing favour, and as she was no longer his ally (opposing him on matters of the money gained from the religious houses) it was a reason to rejoice.

However, Jane Seymour was a Catholic, as were the rest of her family, and to elevate her to Queen could risk the progress the Reformation was making while Anne had still had influence over Henry.

There was reason to fear from this request as well, as it was a near impossible mission, and everyone knew how quickly Wolsey had lost favour after he had failed to get the King his annulment. With Katherine clinging to life, the King could not hope to annul his marriage to Anne as then, when Jane was crowned Queen, there would be three women who claimed the title, and Cromwell knew Anne well enough to know that she would not relinquish it; if Cromwell was to forge charges against the Queen – such as treason and adultery – and have her beheaded, then the people of England would call for Henry to go back to Katherine.

Cromwell was determined not to fail, not to end up like Wolsey, and so would simply have to find a solution; not matter how many sleepless nights it took.

Casting his mind back, Cromwell could remember a time that he had been told the King was willing to take a second wife. That had been many years ago, and in the case of Katherine of Aragon as Queen and Anne Boleyn as the second wife, but if Henry was still up for such a compromise, then perhaps that could be Cromwell's solution.

He had, in fact, already considered the option of polygamy, but each time the doubts also clouded him. Neither Catholics nor Protestants supported polygamy, and there was likely to be a negative reaction to the idea, and there was no telling how the other monarchs around the world would react.

The Ottoman Empire already practised polygamy, so there was nothing to fear from them, but Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, France, Portugal and the likes were not going to approve of it.

But it was possible. All Henry had to do, as Supreme Head of the Church of England, was allow himself to do it and it could be done.

Jane would not be able to claim the title of Queen, England could not have two Queens after all (contrary to what Katherine clearly assumed) but she would be able to content herself with some other title adorning the word 'Consort', but she would still be the legal wife of the King, with a lot of influence over him. Perhaps, if he sent gifts to her and made himself a clear ally, then Jane could use her influence on the King to stir him closer to Cromwell, and keep him away from Anne.

Sighing, harbouring the knowledge that the King could put him aside should he not provide a solution, Cromwell grabbed a piece of parchment, and then his ink, and began to outline the idea he was going to propose. This would be the only solution, of that Cromwell was sure, unless Henry wished to greatly anger the English people or go back to Katherine.

-AB-AB-

Darkness had fell, like an ink spill, across the starless sky by the time that Cromwell found his way to the King's chambers that night; some might have called it ominous, foreboding even, but Cromwell had never cared for superstitions.

Having one of the heralds announce him, he was soon permitted to the King's chambers. It was a rare occurrence to find Henry alone, and Cromwell was glad to find this to be one of those occasions, as the last thing he needed was for Jane to react badly to his proposal and to result in the King refusing it.

"Have you found a solution to my Great Matter, Cromwell?" Henry asked of the man impatiently as soon as he entered, eyes eagerly upon the scroll within Thomas' hands. Cromwell couldn't help but compare the King to a child, deprived of his favourite toy and was now in luck of obtaining it.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Cromwell informed him confidently, far more confidently than he was truly feeling, opening the scroll, "it would be unpractical for Your Majesty to be able to divorce or annul your marriage to the Queen," Henry began to scowl, and so Cromwell knew that he must talk quicker before the King decided to interrupt, "as to put her aside would cause more instability in the kingdom as then three women would claim themselves Queen. Alternatively, I propose that you revisit the idea you had when trying to annul your marriage to Katherine, and take Jane as your second wife. She would not be able to be called Queen, but she could be your Consort with a fitting title, and all her children would be legitimate and in line for the throne."

Cromwell could clearly see Henry's instinct to protest, to inform him that it was not a good enough solution for his dear Lady Jane, but instead he stopped himself, clearly realising that Cromwell's point was valid. England could not have two Queens, let alone three who would claim themselves that title.

Lips pursed, the King sighed.

"Draft it up, Cromwell," the King commanded, "I will discuss it with Jane."

"I have already made a draft, Your Majesty," Cromwell informed him smoothly, and Henry looked pleased with his thinking ahead. Laying down the parchment that he had already unrolled.

"It states, after the marriage, Anne will remain Queen and Jane will be given a title befitting her station-,"

Cromwell was swiftly cut off when Henry spoke up, "why can't Jane be named Queen and Anne have some other title?"

The discard in which he spoke about Anne both pleased and worried Cromwell. He was pleased as she was his enemy, and being out of favour with the King suited him perfectly, but it also presented proof that even those who the King loved and cared for immensely – and Cromwell had rarely seen any couple that looked at each with such love and passion that Henry and Anne once had, now it was one sided for Anne – could topple from power.

Nobody was secure.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I do not think that is wise," Cromwell said, "it would confuse the people greatly, and perhaps make them more adverse to this idea of polygamy than they already would be. Not to mention, while the people may not particularly like Queen Anne, such a situation will cause them to pity her, and could give her more support to rally the people against Jane should she want to."

Henry looked reluctant, but nodded for him to continue, "the Lady Jane will be styled as 'Her Majesty' and will be on the same level as you and Anne," Henry looked particularly pleased with that fact, "but Queen Anne's sons will come before the Lady Jane's, Lady Jane's sons will come before Queen Anne's daughters, and Queen Anne's daughters will come before the Lady Jane's daughters."

Cromwell had ignored that, upon the mention of Queen Anne's 'sons', there had been an unamused chuckle and a dark muttering of, "if she is capable of having any."

"The Lady Jane will, of course, need an income settled and a household and she will need new rooms," Cromwell informed the King, and Henry was quick to inform him that it would be no issue at all, and he would tell Jane of the resolution.

Cromwell smiled in satisfaction, knowing that the King approved of his plan and would put it into action; that he would not go the same way as Wolsey.

Now, he must immerse himself into the Lady Jane's good graces, knowing that any effort would be wasted on Queen Anne.

-AB-AB-

16th March, 1536, Whitehall Palace

Anne Boleyn barely had the time to look up from the book she was reading as her father came flying into her outer chambers, a stormy expression upon his face. Swiftly, she dismissed her Ladies, just as her father hissed at her, "what have you done?"

She was taken aback. Her father was often angry with her of late, knowing well that ever since she lost her boy, they had been falling fast out of Henry's favour, and that the Seymour's were gaining favour. Though she was unaware of what she had done specifically to cause her father's ire.

"I don't know," she told him, brows furrowed. He only seemed to grown angrier, grabbing her arm and squeezing tightly. Anne tried to wriggle out of his grip.

Angrily, she informed him, "you're hurting me," but he didn't seem to care.

"The King has just informed the Council that he will be taking a second wife – the Lady Jane Seymour! And that mine, and your Uncle's, presence on the Council is no longer needed. Instead, our places will be filled by the whore's father and her oldest brother!"

Anne found herself unable to respond to her father's angry yells, too shocked to be able think. Instead, she simply let herself fall back to sit on the armchair that she had been perched on previously.

She had seen his love for her Lady-In-Waiting, of course, she would have been a fool not to acknowledge it, no matter how much it hurt. But she had simply assumed – hoped, more like it – that she was just a passing fancy, like Madge Shelton, not that the whore would know the word 'no', and that it would entice the King so much that he would consider polygamy.

Once, he had told her that London would have to melt into the Thames before he stopped loving her. But London was still standing, and he no longer cared for her, no longer loved her as she loved him.

She cast her mind to little Elizabeth, her heart. If she had been a boy, then none of this would be happening, and yet Anne would not change her gender if she were given the choice.

Her daughter was intelligent beyond her years, a beautiful and lovely toddler with her mother's eyes and her father's hair, Anne could not live without her. Never before had Anne felt more pride, and Henry was just as proud – no, she knew that Henry was proud. How could he not be? She was the jewel of his world, or so he proclaimed her to be.

Elizabeth would be ten times the child that Jane could ever hope to bear, son or not.

"What," Anne began shakily, "what else do you know of this arrangement?"

Her father began to pace, taking the time to glower at her angrily as he did so. She found, however, that she could not bring herself to care, too wrapped up in her own emotions to worry about the Earl of Wiltshire's, "you will retain your title of Queen, of course, and your sons – regardless of age – will come before Jane's in line of succession, but you will be treated equally and both addressed as 'Your Majesty' – I have even heard that the King is creating chambers for Jane beside his, connecting even!"

Anne closed her eyes, breathing out.

"Have they decided on her title yet?" Anne questioned, mind still racing over all that had occurred. Today was, perhaps, the first day in which she was glad that the Dowager Princess of Wales, Katherine of Aragon, was still living and breathing in her exile. Without her, she surely would have joined Katherine in her fate.

Thomas Boleyn shook his head, irritated that his daughter was inquiring insignificant details rather than apologising profusely and making declarations on how she would weave her way back into the King's favour and make him put aside his infatuation with Jane.

"No, he hasn't," the Earl of Wiltshire informed his daughter, "though Princess Consort or Duchess Consort are the most discussed."

Anne supposed that either title would be decent enough. To call Jane 'Princess Consort' would put her on level with Anne's own daughter, even if the whore was supposed to have precedence over little Elizabeth, and to call her 'Duchess Consort' would be even further down.

'Lady' or 'Dame' Consort Anne thought would be best, the lowest level of nobility and would put Jane down in respects of power even further. The laughing stock of the monarchs when they came to visit, the King having a Queen and a measly Lady for wives.

Wives, plural. She was still attempting to wrap her head around the idea.

Noticing that her father was still present, looking at her angrily and expectantly she informed him, "you are dismissed."

She needed some time to think, and he was not helping in that respect. He went to retort, but she matched him with a look that clearly informed him that should he not leave now, she would use her authority as Queen to have him removed.

Closing her eyes, she thought back to when she had last seen her daughter, when she had begged for Henry to give their love another chance. He had ignored her, closing her out.

Henry may be unable to take away her position as Queen with Katherine still drawing breath, but he could shut her out of his heart. Anne loved being Queen, and she would not deny that she had always been ambition and had wanted to be Queen, but she would give it all up to be the Queen of Henry's heart once more.

She would give up everything for Henry, but not Elizabeth. Not her own heart.

-AB-AB-

16th March, 1536, Whitehall Palace

Jane Seymour watched as her brothers, Edward and Thomas, discussed the King's decree. They never even bothered to ask her opinion on the matter. Henry had invited her to walk with him later, no doubt he would ask her opinion then. Not that she would be allowed to give it, her brothers were to tell her what to say; as they always did.

She was upset by the turn of events. It may have been her family pushing her to capture and keep the King, but she had grown to genuinely love him all on her own. Sometimes, she wondered if Anne had felt the same way, loving Henry as she did now.

Jane did not want to share her husband. She wanted to be his sole wife, and she very much so wanted to be the Queen, but she would have to settle for less than that. The choice was never in her hands, and she had never – and probably would never – have the courage to contest to the will of her father and brothers, not as she knew Anne had done, and brave Queen Katherine probably would of.

Once, she might have felt most guilty that she was wedding good Queen Katherine's husband whilst the woman in question still lived, but she had grown to love Henry too much to put her loyalties to the once Queen before her own love and chance at happiness.

She was still loyal to Katherine and was a devout catholic, but she loved Henry more than she was loyal to her past Mistress who had taken her on as a Maid of Honour in 1527.

They had told her about how any of her sons would come behind Anne's – regardless of age – and that angered Jane. Surely, if she succeeded first where Anne had initially failed, then her son should become King! When she bared the King a son, she would show him how her child would be twice any child Anne could have, and had.

The Princess Elizabeth was a sweet child, and Jane did not wish her ill will (especially as she would not stand between her son and the crown) but her priority would always be the Princess Mary rather than the harlot's child. And, above even the Princess Mary – who had wrongfully been named 'bastard' for far too long – she would care for her own children and her family.

"You will accept, of course," Edward told her, lips in a thin line that displayed he was not all too happy with his sister having to share the King, they would have far more influence if Anne Boleyn was discarded or dead, "and tell the King that you are happy to be his wife, regardless to whether or not you hold the title of Queen. When you have a Prince of Wales for England, he will surely feel secure enough to disregard her."

Jane, for the first time, spoke up meekly, "but her sons shall come in line for the throne before mine."

Thomas Seymour laughed coldly, reminding Jane, "the Queen has miscarried two sons now, no doubt any other sons shall go the same way – cursed by God she is, and He will cause her downfall."

Jane was not so sure. The first miscarriage was just bad luck, and it was common that women experienced at least one miscarriage during their marriages; the second… The second would have never happened had Jane not permitted Henry to kiss her.

And, despite the resulting death of an innocent babe, she could not find herself to regret it. If Anne hadn't of miscarried that child, then Jane would have never been able to marry Henry, and Anne's child – a boy, it was discovered – would have stolen his father's love back for his mother.

But nobody could argue that Anne Boleyn was fertile, she had been with child each year of her marriage. And, no matter how many sons Jane had or how much older they were than their half-brothers, Anne's sons would come before hers.

Jane resolved herself that she would pray to God reverently to give the Queen no sons, and to give her many. She would even write to good Queen Katherine, inform her that she would be marrying Henry, and that she would protect Mary's interests and try to have her restored back to the succession, after Jane's own daughters.

Bidding farewell to her brothers, who made their way out of the rooms to no doubt discuss more with their father, she called for one of her most trusted attendants, supplying them with a parchment and ink so that they might write her letter to Katherine for her.

Soon, she would meet the King, and she would look every the humble and obedient woman she was decreed to be. Her children would rule England one day, she and her family would make sure of that.

-AB-AB-

21st March, 1536, Kimbolton Castle

"A letter for you, Your Majesty," one of her household informed her, and Katherine smiled at them politely, taking the letter from their extended hands and into her own. Henry may denounce her as his Queen, but she would not relinquish the title. The Pope had not annulled their marriage, and thus she was still his lawful wife, and she was the daughter of two monarchs in their own right.

Henry's dynasty was new, the Tudors two generations old with plenty with Plantagenet blood still longing to steal the throne. However, her blood was that of the ancient lines of Castille and Aragon, he could not displace her.

The attendant made herself scarce while Katherine opened the letter up, noting that she was not familiar with the hand writing. Hope filled her that, perhaps, her darling Mary had found a way to get a letter to her. Her beautiful daughter, whom she had not seen for four years, was always first and foremost upon Katherine's mind.

Mary was so brave, so strong, enduring all that her father threw at her so that, one day, she might be Queen of England. She would marry Charles' son, no doubt, and join England to the Spanish Empire.

Katherine's grandson would rule Spain, all of Spain's other territories, and England, perhaps even also be the Holy Roman Emperor.

She could only dream about when, finally, that day would come to pass, truly hoping that she would be around to see her daughter's glorious future.

Katherine supposed that that, and God's will, was the reason why she had been able to cling to life through her recent illness, strong with hope for her daughter.

As she read the letter, however, Katherine's hopeful expression fell entirely, shock and devastation filling it. A hand moved up to her mouth to cover it, as she let the hand that had held the letter drop.

From Court, Katherine could remember the fair Lady Margery Wentworth who had served as one of Elizabeth of York's Ladies, and then her daughter, Jane Seymour, who had found her way into Katherine's household.

The girl, Katherine recalled, was not as beautiful as her mother, rather plain in fact, but she knew where Henry's attracting had come from. Even in Cambridgeshire, they knew that Anne Boleyn was falling fast out of Henry's favour and Jane Seymour was everything that Anne was not.

The Lady Jane Seymour was blonde haired, blue eyed, extremely pale, obedient, soft spoken, practically no opinions, not well educated without even being able to write properly. In opposition, Anne Boleyn was dark haired, dark eyed with a slightly more exotic skin tone from years abroad, who had a mind of her own, was very opinionative and uncommonly intelligent.

Whatever Anne's faults be – which were many – Katherine could at least say that the woman had an intelligence worthy of being a Queen, with a marvellous mind. Jane, on the other hand, Katherine could not hold in the same esteem. While Anne became Queen because of her cunning, Jane would become Queen simply because Henry longed for somebody who was not at all like Anne, who infuriated him as much as she made him love her.

Now, Jane was informing her of her loyalty, how, when she married Henry, she would champion Mary's rights to join the succession after her own daughters. If she were truly loyal, Katherine thought bitterly, she would not be marrying her husband in the first place.

And to call one's self a catholic but to consent to bigamy! It was preposterous, and Katherine found herself very, very reluctantly pitying Anne Boleyn, who had thought that she had won it all, only to be dealt a hand arguably worse than Katherine's.

In all honesty, Katherine would be more tempted to take Anne's side in this matter. Not because she pitied her, even if she did she would not risk Mary's future siding with a woman merely for pity. No, it was because Katherine knew that Henry did rash things out of malice, and right now, he was angry about Anne's lack of a son and sought to punish her, and while Jane may occupy his affections now, Anne had kept them for over a decade.

Katherine estimated that Jane would, perhaps, be able to keep Henry's affections for a year, more than that if she was able to produce a son, but in the end the simple woman would bore Henry, of that she was sure.

And then, he would turn to Anne.

Surely, in a time like this when Anne felt so alone, now would be a good opportunity to send a letter to the usurper Queen, make it seem as if Katherine was not entirely trying to get personal gain out of this – well, gain for Mary.

She would do anything for her daughter, even extend a hand of friendship to an enemy.

A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm straight away going to work on the next one! If you were wondering, then this book was inspired by 'Three People In a Marriage' by ReganX, which was based on Katherine-Henry-Anne marriage, and is a brilliant book. What do you guys think of a possible Katherine-Anne alliance?

Also, anyone who reads 'The Once Queen', I hope to update it by 8th January :)