Escape from a King
Today, I found out that I'm a witch. Funny, I didn't know that about myself. Who am I you ask? I am Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth. They have told me my husband believes I cast a spell upon him, so that he would marry me. The truth is my family forced me to keep the attention of the king to raise their social standing at court.
I refused to lie with the king without being married as my sister bore him a child and he turned her away after he got bored. The king parted from the church in Rome in order to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon. We were married not long after and I gave birth to Elizabeth, who was supposed to be a boy. The king refused to let me take care of her on my own as I had to get pregnant again and give him a son. That was my promise to him when we married, that I would give him a son.
When I found out my husband thought I bewitched him I decided I needed to take my daughter and escape, before something happens to me. I plan to make my escape tonight, during dinner. I will act as if I am ill and go to my rooms. On the way to my rooms I will stop off in Elizabeth's rooms and take her from her governess. My brother is going to help us escape by waiting with a horse and carriage outside my window with a ladder. Elizabeth is nearly three so she will be able to climb down as long as I stay behind her.
There are so many people at dinner, including Jane Seymour. I may not have to say anything at all before I make my escape. I spot my brother George and give him the signal to get the carriage ready. He leaves in the next second. Shortly after, I head out without the king noticing; as he is too busy canoodling with Jane Seymour. I make it to Elizabeth's room and the governess does not question me when I take her, I am still the queen after all. Elizabeth and I go to my rooms and I look out the window for my brother, but I do not see him.
Where is George? I do not see him anywhere; he was supposed to be here by now. Something must be wrong. I call to my brother but he still does not appear. Suddenly, I hear noise outside my rooms and screaming. It sounds like George. I hear him saying something about being innocent. What could they think he could have done?
Oh no, someone is beating on my door. I set Elizabeth down and go to the door. The guards storm in and take Elizabeth giving her back to Lady Bryan. I start to ask what is going on, but they grab me and arrest me. I start to scream and cry for my daughter and for myself because I know what is coming; I am going to be taken to the Tower to await my fate. I know Henry wishes to marry Jane and will not divorce me as he just went through the divorce from his first wife and the people will see him as fickle and respect him less.
I go into the tower and try to ask the guards what is going on. They refuse to answer me. They must know I have done nothing wrong. I have been her for a few days now and I finally have a visitor, my sister Mary. I ask her why I am here and what I could have done that was so horrible. She tells me that the king is saying I have committed adultery, incest, and that I am part of a plot to kill the king. I tell her I know nothing of what she is talking about and I would never do these things. She tells me they think I am a witch and that they saw the child that was delivered stillborn and they said it looked malformed. I tell her I have done nothing to deserve my child being born in such a way.
She begins to cry and tells me George has been executed because he helped me to commit incest and was helping with the plans to kill the king. I told her that George did nothing. As my sister leaves I asked that she pray for me and take care of Elizabeth if I do not make it out of here.
I have just found out in three days I will be executed by beheading, at least as I am a noble it will be done quickly. My husband has not seen me or let me see my daughter. My daughter is not even three years old and she will likely hear the horrible stories about me and think they are true. I wish I could write to her and tell her what really happened; unfortunately they will not let me write to her.
I walk to the scaffold where I will be beheaded. The executioner asks if I have anything I would like to say. I do and I tell the crowd that I hope that my king lives long and rules well. I kneel down over the block and I hear the executioner call for is sword. He is French, I love France. I turn to look for the boy and the next thing I know my head is gone. My poor Elizabeth will have to grow up without me and my country will likely go back to the Church of Rome. Goodbye world and goodbye to my sweet girl. I will forever haunt this place as I want to watch over my descendants and make those who have treated me as a witch sorry.