AN – This time it's an Anne of Cleves and Anthony Knivert pairing! I'm probably not going to be able to do this wonderful pairing justice, but I can try! This is set in January, and its all wintry!

Disclaimer - None of the characters belong to me, I take no credit for it, Showtime & Michael Hurst are the rightful owners, basically its not mine!

Frostbitten

Anna of Cleves shivered as she walked quietly around the frostbitten gardens of Hampton. She needed to clear her head and if being in the cold was the way to do it then she would! Anna shook her head, the King hadn't touched her at all since their marriage, sometimes she swore she could see a look of disgust in his face when they lay together at night. Anna knew she wasn't even a little bit pretty, not like her sisters or that Howard girl who the King had set his eyes on recently. She sighed, a deep sigh that sounded like it had needed to be let out.

Anthony Knivert was huddled up in a bear skin coat that was at least three sizes too big for him. He had chosen today of all days to check on his stallion, only he didn't realise it would be this cold! He rolled his eyes and carried on walking back towards the palace, the quicker he got there, the quicker he could get warm again! All of a sudden he felt a light but cold weight land on his nose, he looked up at the sky to see hundreds of tiny snowflakes just beginning to fall. Anthony cursed under his breath and decided to make a run for the palace, when he saw out of the corner of his eye a startled woman who shivered slightly then walked on. Anthony was puzzled and forgot his mad dash to the palace and instead trailed after the mysterious woman.

As he followed quietly, not wanting to disturb her, he took a chance to look at her more closely, she wore a simple but pretty gown it wasn't English, thought Anthony as he became more curious about the strange woman. Anthony longed to see her face and decided suddenly to call out to her, "Excuse me, my lady but isn't it a bit cold to be out here all alone and without a cloak or.... a-anything?" Anthony almost swallowed his last words as she turned around and he at last got a glimpse of her face, she was breathtaking and utterly puzzled....Anthony wondered if she came from another country...

Anna had felt the delicate snowflakes brush her cheek, she had been startled for a second as she had been deep in thought. Then she had continued walking, enveloped in her thoughts still, she hadn't even known where she was going....Then she had heard a man's voice behind her, at first she had thought it to be the King, but the voice had been gentle and the man had addressed her as a lady....Anna had then turned around to look at the man who had unfortunately been quite handsome, unfortunate as he had found her horrifying when he had seen her face, she could tell from the expression on his face and his lost words...... Anna tried not to cry which took a great effort, instead she looked embarrassedly at the man and replied, "My lord, I do not speak much Englisch...." She glanced at the man, and was shocked to find him smiling at her, as if he actually cared....

Anthony had been surprised to see such a beautiful lady look near to tears, he hoped he hadn't frightened her... Then he had heard her sweet voice thick with some accent or other, but he hadn't cared about the sound of her voice he had cared about the words that had been spoken by it. Then as she had continued to look unsure he had smiled at her, it felt so natural to smile at a women like the women just a few inches in front of him. In fact he should be closer to her, Anthony walked slowly closer towards her, smiling to reassure her. He gently took her hand and kissed it, then he unfastened the huge bear fur coat from around him and placed it gently round the lady's shoulders. He looked at her to see what she thought, and was surprised to find she had a glistening tear upon her pale cheek. He reached his hand up to her face, and frowned as he saw her flinch slightly. He wiped his frown away again though, as soon as he saw the fear in her eyes, instead he smiled and gently wiped away the single tear upon her cheek. Anthony took her hand and gently spoke to her, " My lady, let us go inside." he gestured towards the palace in case she didn't understand. But this time she understood either his words or the gesture as she took his offered arm and walked with him towards the palace.

Anna felt much warmer as she walked into the palace upon the man's arm, she had understood his last few words clearly and now felt embarrassed by her reaction outside, she hadn't meant to cry that tear and she hadn't meant to flinch.....although she had thought he was about to slap her for letting a tear escape as her father had done too many times before.... She felt her eyes well up again and looked quickly away from the man beside her. Anthony watched the woman closely, he found he was saddened to discover that she was upset again. He took her hand which had left his arm and brought it to his lips, taking his time kissing it. When he had released her hand, he glanced at her face and found her staring confusedly into his eyes. Anthony took her face into his hands and gently caressed her cheeks, watching her eyes search his, and her expression begin to soften. Anna hadn't meant to let the man know she had let go of his arm but he had noticed anyway and then he had reached for her hand......and kissed it? Anna had been confused but then he had taken her face between his hands and confused her even more.....Anna stared into his eyes trying to think but becoming utterly lost in his perfect face.

Anthony gazed deeply into her eyes trying to see what she saw of him, but he soon forgot that ridiculous task and started to bring his face closer to hers, as if to kiss her lush and frostbitten lips. Suddenly they both let go of each other, startled, as they heard a voice call out to one of them, "Your Majesty?" Anthony looked towards one of the passages where a young woman, who looked like a lady-in-waiting, made her way towards them. "Your Majesty there you are! We've been looking all over for you!" the young woman stopped speaking, glancing first at Anthony then Anna. "I hope I haven't disturbed you?" Anna smiled at the woman, "Of course not." she said in her accented English. Anthony couldn't help but smile at her as he again heard the sweet sound of her voice. Anna turned back towards the man and spoke to him, "I hope we meet again, my lord." She smiled shyly and curtseyed before following her lady up the passageway. Anthony grinned foolishly as he watched her disappear up the passageway towards the Queen's chambers. The Queens chambers.... Realization hit Anthony, the beautiful woman he had very nearly kissed had been the Queen!!! Anthony began to stare up the corridor in amazement, he knew the King had got married again, but he had assumed it had been to the pretty young girl he had been seen with.... Anthony suddenly felt a pang of anger, how could the King neglect his Queen and go off with some simple whore? He felt a cold breeze blow around him and calmed down considerably, it wouldn't do to be angry at the King and his lady friend, especially if he wanted to remain in the King's good graces.....

AN – Hope that wasn't too awful! This story is definitely longer than my last two! I think I got a bit carried away! Sorry I haven't wrote in a while either! Hopefully the next chapter of my other story, How I love thee, will be up soon!