Chapter 8 is finally complete! Thank you for all of your continued support of this story. You have no idea what it means to me. I never thought this story would go far or be as successful as it is turning out to be. In fact, I haven't even gotten a single negative review or comment about it, all positive and support remarks. I really does mean a lot to me that so many people like my story. Thank you to everyone who has read this story so far, even if it's not your cup of tea, those who have reviewed, followed, or favorited it!

Special thanks to: Marina Ka-Fai, "Good Work", dark-lelu, Vodams, Fleur24, "Guest", MiraObMalfoy, and Melody Anna Kamiya Tudor for reviews for last chapter.

Disclaimer: Henry uses lyrics from Fame Over Demise by Woe, Is Me and a line from With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear by Sleeping With Sirens. I do not own Woe, Is Me or Sleeping With Sirens. They belong to the current (and past) members of said bands and Rise Records. Woe, Is Me is also under Velocity Records.


Chapter 8

Anne's heart felt heavy in her chest. She wasn't with child. She had felt the familiar pains in her stomach that she always got when her courses came and sure enough, her courses had returned. There was no son growing in her belly. Anne realized that she was now in a very precarious situation. She had told Henry that she was carrying his child, the supposed "pregnancy" was the only reason that she was allowed to visit their daughters, and now that it turned out she was not with child, he would not be pleased. He would be furious.

She had dealt with the King's anger before but it had subsided, but the situation she had gotten herself into would bring his wrath down on her harder than before. He was upset with her the last time she had not followed through on her promise of a son, but at least she had been able to present him with two daughters. Nothing good would come out of this. She would have no "consolation" for the absence of a son. She would have nothing to give him to soothe his anger. All she could do was apologize for her mistake, but she knew her husband better than anyone else and knew that an apology would not be enough to stop him from punishing before.

Anne had always been glad that her husband was not the type of man to beat his wife for punishment, but now, she would take any amount physical pain over the punishment that she knew Henry would inflict on her.

Because of this, he would keep her from her daughters.

If she was lucky, she would be able to see them once she conceived and the child quickened, but she somehow doubted that Henry would be that generous.

More likely, she would have to wait until she gave birth to a son. And how long would that be? She would have to wait until she actually conceived again and then another nine months on top of that. And what if she gave birth to another girl? The very thought of being away from her children for more than a month made her feel sick, let alone for an indefinite amount of time.

Anne's thoughts shifted over to her Katherine. As much as Anne loathed that woman for refusing to admit that her "marriage" to Henry was false, she felt guilt eating away at her. How long had it been since Katherine had seen Mary? Though Anne had not gone out of her way to separate the pair, she hadn't spoken against it. In Anne's mind, the separation between the two was none of her concern. As the child's father and lord, Henry had control over who Mary was allowed to visit. But now that Anne was a mother herself, the thought that she had no done anything to stop this cruelty made her nauseous.

Katherine was a mother just like her and she was suffering as much, if not more, than Anne.

If Anne was with child, she would speak to her husband to show some pity and let the two have supervised visits. But with her womb empty, she had as much power and persuasion as Katherine herself.

Anne pulled Elizabeth tighter to her and nuzzled her face in her head. The movements of her mother made the baby stir in her arms. Almost as if she sensed the distress coming from her, Elizabeth looked up at her. Elizabeth's large black eyes stared into Anne's. She grabbed her mother's finger and held it in her small hand as if to tell her that she was here with her, letting her know that she wasn't alone.

It was a moment that Anne would remember for as long as she lived.


Henry's horse sped ahead of his company as he came to Hatfield. His face was red from the exertion as he finally stopped his horse and walked the rest of the way. The entire household had come out to greet him. Except, it seemed, his wife and children.

As he approached, everyone in attendance bowed and curtsied to him, but he did not care about such formalities now. He came to get his wife back and that was the only thing on his mind.

"Your majesty"

He continued to ignore them as he approached the door. None of them were important.

He ignored Lady Bryan's small protest as he sped down the halls towards to nursery. Originally he had wanted to have two different nurseries, one for each princess, but Anne had protested the idea. Elizabeth and Ella whine if they are away from each other's site for more than ten minutes, she had said. Though he thought the idea of princesses sharing a room even in infancy was improper, he had eventually caved and let Anne have her way. At that moment, he was grateful that he had let Anne manipulate him for once.

He knew exactly where to find her.

As he came to the nursery, he paused outside the door. Anne wasn't alone.

"I owe you nothing."

The first voice sounded vaguely familiar, though he couldn't put a finger on who it belonged to.

"Please, I beg you."

The second voice was undoubtedly Anne's.

There was a moment of heated silence that made Henry lean closer into the doorway.

"Please, protect them."

"You have caused nothing but pain in my life. Why do you deserve any favors?"

The voice sounded so strong, so much like Katherine. It was then that he realized that the voice belonged to Mary, his firstborn.

"I can't promise anything. I'm appealing to your Christian heart, please look after my daughters. If you do this for me, I will be eternally in your debt."

Anne sounded so desperate. What did she have to be so worried about? Hadn't he given her permission to see their daughters whenever she wished now that she was finally carrying their son? She didn't need to beg to have someone protect the girls.

Another moment of silence followed.

"Mary, I am sorry for any pain I caused you and your mother. I can't change the past and I know that after everything that has happened, you deserve to spit in my face…but I beseech you. If I don't become with child soon and deliver a son…"

Henry burst into the room. He eyes filled with rage.

"Liar!" he shouted.

Anne's face paled to a ghostly white and she looked almost faint, but he did not care. He grabbed her and shook her by the shoulders.

"Liar! You told me you were with child! You filthy liar!"

She began crying uncontrollably but he did not care. How dare she lie to him? He had torn his country apart for her and she repaid him by giving him daughters and then lying about a pregnancy?

His eyes glowed darkly with a murderous rage as he turned his eyes on Mary.

"Leave." He whispered dangerously.

She gave a small curtsy and ran out of the nursery.

"Henry, the babies…" she plead, her eyes trailing in the direction of the cradles.

"I do not care about your useless daughters." He said fiercely.

"How can you say that?"

"How can you lie to me about being with child?" He screamed at her.

Ella woke up and began crying but at this moment he did not care. Let the girl cry. The distressed look on Anne's face told her that the sound of Ella's crying caused her pain. He gave a sinister smile.

"I didn't know, Henry, I swear. My courses were late and they've never been before."

"You didn't think to get looked over by a midwife before you lied to me?"

"Henry, Ella was dying! I was scared if I waited another month to get check by a midwife that she would die and I wouldn't get to see her one last time! You have to understand that!"

He pushed her away from him roughly. She stumbled over and fell on the floor.

He leaned down and glared into her tear rimmed eyes.

"Your true colors are starting to get loud."

Her breathing became ragged as his eyes continued to bore into hers.

"Have fun praying to your grey god now."

She looked so pitiful crumbled on the floor, crying. She did not look fit to be his Queen. She was nothing more than a liar.

"Liar you'll pay for your sins!" he shouted before heading towards the door to leave.

He looked over his shoulder at his pathetic wife. "I expect you to be ready for the journey back to Whitehall in half an hour."

And with that, he slammed the door behind him.


Mary had heard it all. All the threats, the shouts, the crying of the babes. What kind of man had her father turned into? She had believed that Anne was the reason that he acted so cruelly, but how could it have been all of Anne's fault if he would treat Anne with the same malice?

Anne was not the ventriloquist and her father was not a puppet. He was controlling his own strings.

She still stood outside of the nursery, even though her father had stormed out minutes before. Luckily, he had been in too much of a rage to notice her. She could hear the soft sobs of Anne, the wail of Ella, and the whimpering of Elizabeth coming from inside the room.

For a moment, all of the resentment she held to Anne faded and she threw open the door and hurried over to her. Mary wasn't sure what had come over her but she knelt beside Anne and cradled her in her arms as if she was a limp doll.

Anne did not protest the embrace. She only began to sob louder and look up at Mary with desperate eyes.

"I'm so sorry" Anne repeated, over and over again as the step-daughter she had hated for so long held her as she cried in her arms.

Mary's crystal blue eyes met Anne's dark orbs, filled with desperation and fear.

"I will keep them safe." Mary said in a strong voice. "I promise."

And she intended to keep her promise no matter the cost.


I know that the scene between Mary and Anne was so short. I thought that making it longer would take away the impact.

Thanks for reading!