AN: Thanks for all your reviews! Bella, as I can't reply through , I'll answer yours here. Anne's real name was just Anne Boleyn, but in "The Other Boleyn Girl" it's Anna-Maria, and Mary is Marianne, so that's what I'm using.

As ever, I don't own anything – except for a rather battered old copy of "The Other Boleyn Girl!" Enjoy chapter seven!

Chapter 7

The Great matter

Mere weeks after the French envoys had gone; Cardinal Wolsey put together a secret court of judges to try the King's marriage. Hardly anyone knew of it. Not even Uncle Howard, the spymaster of England. Not even Queen Katherine.

However, things changed once King Henry sent for the Bishop of London. Uncle found out about that!

The following morning, Anne, George, Mary and I were standing before him in his rooms.

"So. King Henry is seeking an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. Is it for your sake, Anne, do you think?" he asked, his fierce gaze flickering over us each in turn.

"It has to be! They're betrothed." I exclaimed. He glanced at me coolly.

"Betrothed is not married, Eleanor. It's a long way from going down on bended knee to kissing at the altar."

"Eleanor's right, Uncle. You've seen the way the King behaves with Anne. There's no doubt that he's doing this so that he can wed her." George cut in.

"And bed her." Uncle nodded, and Anne scowled.

"That too. But, Uncle, I'm leaving Court."

"Anna-Maria! You would deny the King his heart's desire?"

"Yes. Oh, I'll come up occasionally, but I can't be here each and every day. I can only hold him for a season like that. Maybe two. Let me go. You have to let me go."

"Very well. Mary? Eleanor? What shall we do with them?

"Mary has to stay here and get herself back into the King's bed." Anne replied with the utmost confidence.

"Anna-Maria! How dare you? I'll not be used like a whore!" Mary spat furiously.

"Why not, Marianne? That's what you are. Besides, we can't leave the King to his own devices. He's only a man. I'll come back to Court to find myself supplanted by some Seymour milksop or something. As for you, Eleanor, you may do as you wish. Come with me, or stay here at Court. It doesn't really matter."

"I'm coming with you, Anne. There's no question about it."

****

Mary took me to say goodbye to Queen Katherine. To our horror, the King stormed past us shouting "It is God's will and mine! Deus et mon droit! Do you understand, old woman? I swear I will marry Anne Boleyn!"

Queen Katherine crumpled as though he had beaten her unconscious. Mary ran forward, and helped her to her feet.

"He is run mad, Lady Carey. Mad this summer, but he will recover. All I have to do is survive the summer. The Boleyn summer."

Mary looked towards me. "Go, Eleanor. I'll deal with Her Majesty."

I went, smiling in triumph. The King had sworn he would marry Anne. We Boleyns were well and truly on the rise now.

****

We were on the rise, but you wouldn't have known it. Anne and I lived simply at Hever for the next few months, though we were kept well-informed of all goings-on at Court through letters from George, Father and the King. Wolsey departed for France in July 1527, still confident that he would be able to secure His Majesty a marriage with Princess Renee. Anne and I laughed aloud over that one!

In September, Anne and I returned to Court. Anne, radiantly lovely in a new gown of dark green silk velvet – a gift from the King – started the annual boat race between the Seymours and the Howards – a honour which, until now, had always been the Queen's.

She ought to have returned to her seat beside the King, but she forgot. For a moment, a delicious, and yet horrific moment, she forgot to play the role of Queen. Instead, she leant over the prow and yelled for the Howards.

My eyes snapped up to the King's face, praying Anne's impulsive actions had not angered him. They hadn't. He laughed, and leapt up to join her, slipping an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. I followed, moving so that I was standing on Anne's other side, my hand resting on her shoulder. Together, all three of us watched the boats surge towards the line. By now the Howard boat was undeniably ahead, their oars working at an incredible speed, droplets of water flicking from the broad wooden blades and sparkling as they caught the autumn sun.

And then it was over. All of a sudden, it was over. The Howards had won, and the trumpets were blaring, informing the Seymours that they could no longer catch us, that we were the first family in England now, and most of all, that it was our girl – Anne Boleyn – standing there in Henry Tudor's arms, her face turned up to the sun, but her heart set on the throne of England.

AN: Short I know, but I just felt that it was a fitting place to leave it. Next chapter; Wolsey gets his comeuppance at the hands of Anne, and the Boleyns prepare to go on Progress with King Henry.