Disclaimer: I don't own everything, certainly not the tudors, showtime that would make me more like God and a millionaire producer.

I leave with this story, it may turn into a short piece, I may leave it at one shot, it all depends from your reviews.

Thanks to all my reviewers, Humpy, ArtemisSamhain, Dani [SSLE], Marissa [BoleynGirl13] and Nor [AestheticNarcissist] you guys rock, keep reviewing and welcome to any new reviewers feel free to leave your feedback, the more the faster this story gets updated.

This chapter might seem somewhat dull because it is the first Chapter, we get introduced to the players and small changes that pay close attention will change the course of our characters' destinies.


"Death changes people, but time in the end is the greatest killer of all and you know what?

What?

I don't need to be a greatest philosopher to know this. You just need common sense?

Oh really?

Really just look around you, if you could change one thing in your life what would it be?"

~"Conversation of two" by Anonymous


1540 January

Her father had proposed to Mary to receive Anne of Cleves. It seemed that her father wanted his Royal Bastards to welcome the new Heretic, thought the eldest of his daughters grimly.

Elizabeth was enthusiastic to meet a new stranger, Mary reminded her that she would be no stranger; this German Royal was to be their new stepmother. For Elizabeth who had only had one stepmother this did not seem a great change in her life, the little girl was sure she could charm their new arrival with her smile, after all Queen Jane had said the biggest thing Elizabeth had to her favor was her smile. Mary said it to, so she encouraged her sister that when Anne of Cleves arrived she would show her the greatest respect and her biggest smile. Elizabeth had every intention to do so, she would show the Germans that the English were not afraid of strangers.

Mary did not share her sister's enthusiasm; she told His Excellency that she preferred not having to bow for that Heretic Flanders's woman. What was her father thinking? -she had raved to the Ambassador, was there no one else to take his hand in marriage?

"Alas the King tried everyone, including the Duchess of Milan, Marie of Guise but we all know no one would have him" Eustace continued to comment what the Duchess of Milan had said about her father's proposal, her words cut right through him said Chapuys in his usual cynicism.

If I had two heads to give ... but alas gentlemen I only have one.

"Is that what she said?" Mary had asked, the Ambassador had nodded. Everything went terribly wrong in all her father's plans, and apparently Cromwell's too.

After Cromwell had prepared his King to receive his new wife [that Chapuys could not help laugh after he heard, that the King had chosen her on a basis of a portrait by Master Holbein], he told her that it was imperative that she showed her face for the welcoming ceremony, as Princess and the King's eldest daughter it was her duty plus it was part of the formalities.

Royal Protocol he reminded her.

For once she would want to break Royal Protocol.

Mary took this day to be one of the worst yet to come. Another Anne in the throne of England, oh joy for England! She thought wryly.

She was going to be another heretic, another Harlot, just by the mere fact her name was Anne and that she came from Cleves where her brother the Duke of Cleves William had broken with the Pope was enough to make Mary think ill of her.

Chapuys snorted mentally -Oh, we have something better in England each Queen, each station -the cynic thought.

He looked at the Princess, Lady Mary. She wore the Tudor Colors unlike her sister, the Harlot's daughter who had French fashion and a French hood. Except for her hair he could have mistaken her for the Whore. Why his Lady trusted that child, was beyond him.

"And here I introduce you Lady Mary" The King said at last holding his future wife's hand in his.

Lady Mary came to curtsy England's future Queen. Despite what the woman was, or what she would do to England, she would be compliant with her liege's orders and show her the respect any good Queen of England ought to deserve, not that she thought she deserved it by any chance.

"And this is Lady Elizabeth my youngest daughter" Said Henry, a glee in his eyes of pride as his enthusiastic and impulsive daughter ran forward to the Lady Anne of Cleves. Unlike her sister who only showed her a deep curtsy and a barely audible greeting; Elizabeth had flowers to give to give to her future stepmother. "For our future Your Majesty" She declared showing her teeth to the young woman through her smile and giggling.

"Oh my, I am ze honored" said Anne of Cleves through a heavy accent. Lady Elizabeth the German Royal could tell had the desire to hug her, quite overcome by Anne showing her a greater greeting than her sister. But Elizabeth knew when to draw the line, she withdrew from Anne of Cleves' presence and went next to stand next to her sister, Mary.

She had not expected this, indeed had not even known of the custom. She had been shipped of to England without any knowledge of the people or how she should behave for the King of England. Her mother never spoke of her own wedding day, except to brag about the bride price that her father had received through her diary.

Anne felt like she was being sold off. Her dowry was all that mattered to the King of England and what she represented, an alliance nothing more. Then there was the pressure to bring a Duke of York, her brother had emphasized heavily on that, she was to give the King of England a second son at all costs. She was very nervous about pleasing the King. She had heard what happened to the women who did not please the King, what happened to her predecessor, her namesake, Anne Boleyn.


After the wedding Ceremony Anne was forced to be meet the King in nothing more than a simple nightgown. She was very scared, this was nothing like Sybille and her mother related. The King showed nothing but utter disgust for her, maybe this had not been such a good idea after all.

Every woman's wedding night was supposed to be special, but she wasn't bedding the King looking for something special, she was doing it for duty for the purpose of the Alliance between England, Cleves and the Protestant Alliance in general.

She closed her eyes as the King neared her, he could feel him now next to her. Her eyes were closed shut, in one second it will start, next morning she told herself, this will all be over and you will not have to worry yourself over this plight anymore.


"It changes all to one thing. We often wonder why is that destiny exists? Why is it that some people are born great, and others we are born to loose? Could it be that it is all a lie? That God or the All Powerful lied to us? There is no destiny, there is no especial plan. We make our threads, we make our winners, we decide who gets to have visions of greatness, who gets to loose? Such a greatest discovery never published" ~ "Rebel against status quo" by Anonymous


1540 January 25th

Greenwich

Phillip had been invited to her cousin's wedding; unfortunately he could not make the trip due to an unfortunate delay. His brother Otto Henry had been in excruciating agony, and as custom commanded it he had to be next to his brother in case anything were to happen to him.

His brother and him shared the title of Count Palatine, unlike other Counts they had more authority acting as co rulers to Elector Palatine. Phillip had the lion's share; he had been named Duke after Alfred IV left no heirs to rule Bavaria. As the younger of the two, Otto envied Phillip.
Phillip had medals to prove his bravery, his most known was the one awarded by the Order of the Golden Fleece after he had helped in the siege of Vienna to expel the Turks. He was a patriot, and he loved his country but alas! He had one single weakness like most of the men in his family: gambling. He had literally lost half of his fortunes inherit by his the great Albert and his own by his father when he came of age.

He was not a good Administrator and the people in England, if they did, were right to call him an opportunist. His cousin Anne wasn't just inviting him for another family visit, he was going to come to the infamous Henry VIII's Court to see if his cousin could arrange for him a marriage with the King's eldest daughter, Lady Mary Tudor.

Phillip pictured the Lady Mary, and himself performing for her offering her a dance, the same rite that other couples did to court each other. Oh, let it be so! He prayed silently as he entered the Court Room of Greenwich. As his cousin the new Consort of England had told him -it was busy with chatter and music. He looked around to see if he could spot Lady Mary. His cousin said she would be easy to recognize, and she was.

"Lady Mary" He said coming to stop her in her tracks, her four maids too.

"Yes?" she asked with very little surprise. No doubt this must the famous "cousin" that Anne of Cleves had talked to her about.

Lady Mary, I have a cousin, hiz name iz Phillip, he haz exprezzed greatz interezst to ze yu

The woman had no reason to arrange a marriage for her. Not one month had passed and she was already looking for a husband for Mary. She told her father that she expressed no interest in the Duke of Bavaria, Count Palatine or whatever his real title was, but that if that was his wish she would gladly obey for he was her master and she her loyal subject in all things. This last phrase had sealed her fate, her father had been convinced, guided by Cromwell [no doubt, she thought] that she would be wooed by the Queen's cousin.

"Allow me to be introduced I am Phillip Wittelsbach" he took Mary's hand and knelt to kiss it. "Duke of Bavaria it is a pleasure to meet you. My cousin has told me great things from you"

"I can imagine" said Mary stoutly. Indeed, what had Anne of Cleves not told her cousin? Anne behaved like many of the English Roses at Court, gossiping, speculating and anxious to see action, yet she was very shy to create her own so she relied on Lady Rochford and Lady Bryant. A terrible mistake relying on Lady Rochford, Mary thought. The woman was a spy and a former pupil of the Duke of Norfolk one of the men who had helped bring two Queens down, her mother and then her enemy the Harlot. The Queen was very naive if she believed she could find loyalty in Jane Rochford -that woman owed loyalty to nobody but herself.

"I was wondering if you would accept one dance with me" said Phillip, he had still not let go of her hand.

With a daring grin, Phillip added pulling something from his pocket, he had let go of her hand to reach for it. He extended his hand showing a small box "Would you do me the great honors?" He asked with a cocky tone.

Mary was forced to reach out and take it. Her father and the Queen were there and she could feel their gaze, including Cromwell and Cranmer's falling on her.

She brought her other hand on top of the small box and opened it. Her maids came closer to her, including Susan and could not help but gasp.

Because she had better control of her emotions, Mary did not show surprise. Her looks remained as emotionless as when she first encountered this man [who looked nothing more than a] rogue.

"Thank you" Mary said, "You spent a lot of time on the pearls and the jewels on this rosary Your Grace"

"Where is the surprise milady? I thought you would like it, I can bring you something better" Said Phillip.

Mary ignored his comment, walking past him.

Phillip sighed, his mind going around in circles. So this was the infamous daughter of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor? She was more than she seemed, far more beautiful than what his cousin described her in her letters. There was something in those eyes that could capture any man, and he had been hooked by them.


As days passed and Mary kept bumping more into the Duke of Bavaria, news began circulating around Court that the Queen was with child. This complicated things, Chapuys told her. If the Queen were to bore a son as the King, and the entire Reformist faction hoped for, it could ruin Mary's chances of being reinstated to the line of succession. Mary had tried not to imagine it, knowing that nothing could be worse if the Queen brought her father a Duke of York.

Mary hated all this talk. Again, she felt like a lamb in the market. She was being sold off to be Queen, she was being sold off to a husband who was very insistent, though she did admit somewhat charming. Her future was always talked about with the Imperial Ambassador as was with her father, she didn't like being kept in the dark, it was like everyone wanted to live their lives through her, and it angered Mary because she felt like she had no control over it anymore.

Was she ever going to have the opportunity to take command of her own life and declare "I am free at ast"? Why did she always have to let herself be controlled by everything and everyone? Suppose she didn't have to be the youngest, that she was lke Elizabeth? Would she be as manipulated or condemned to be in the shadow of England's crown? She would be cast out, rejected by all the Courtiers that had so far accepted her, if she were to be another Elizabeth.

No, it was better to be this way. There was nothing, she kept telling herself, in her life that she should regret. She was the King's eldest daughter, and as Chapuys was pointing out "That gives you better advantage than all his children. Regardless if she bears a Duke of York or not" he stopped as he locked eyes with hers, his expression completely serious and devoid of cynicism. It was vital that she understood what he was going to say now "I have been hearing from Courtiers who would favor your restitution"

Mary was glad to hear that, and that they had chosen the gardens outside Greenwich to discuss this. She didn't trust the Castle grounds, but out of all places she considered the gardens to be better avoiding unwanted attention.

"But surely Edward would be the first one to inherit the throne. Everyone knows that"

"That is so, but Queen Jane though very beloved by most, was never an anointed Queen like your mother" he began "If the Queen were to have a Duke of York it would secure the succession for male heirs, but if she were to have a daughter ...there is no doubt on everybody's minds you would be a finer candidate. I trust that when you become Queen you will restore the true faith back in England" he said with such devotion that Mary could not help but feel convinced.

Yet, she reminded him "That if God wills it."


VainXLifePoetess: For the short chapter this is only the first chapter as you can see we see many changes. I am going with the showline as I said, so Phillip arrives after AOC weds the King, and he is Duke of Bavaria here to avoid confusion, the dates in which the real Phillip came to England were in 1539 December and he left before New Year [at Hertford, however for my storyline I placed his arrival to Greenwich instead] before an agreement could be reached with the King.