Thank you for the reviews! They motivate me to write :)

To answer a question: Elizabeth will still be born. Mary has already been born and Henry Fitzroy as well.

Hope you like this chapter! xoxo


When King Henry left Amelie and her father's side the other night, Amelie had forgotten she was still wearing the King's cape. However her father noticed at once and he couldn't hide the shocked look on his face. All of King Henry's attire were carefully made to make sure all knew they belonged to the King of England. If people saw Amelie wearing anything from King Henry's closet, Amelie's father knew it would add more fire to the rumors that Amelie was the King's new mistress.

Philip was unsure of how he felt about King Henry's attention toward his only offspring.

Did Philip want his only offspring to become a mistress of King Henry the 8th?

No. He knew if his mother was still alive, she would keep Amelie away from the English King. Antoinette struggled and despised being a mistress to a royal, she wouldn't want the same fate for her only granddaughter.

Yet, Philip had no desire to intervene in Amelie's life. He knew very well that she was well educated by his mother, Antoinette about proper etiquette and most importantly how to be a strong woman. And most importantly, it was the King of England showing favor to Amelie not some random nobleman living at the English court.

Still, Philip knew the consequences if anyone in court saw Amelie walking around with King Henry's cape and he quickly motioned his daughter to take it off.

Amelie did so and she carefully carried the King's cape back to their chambers and had it sent back to the King's chamber by the next early morning.

Amelie didn't want to tell anyone, nor perhaps even admit to herself but she was sorry to part with the King's cape. The cape held an almost musky, manly and animalistic scent, not one that makes a women nauseous but pleasant. It smelled like the King, a scent Amelie was growing fond of.

Amelie couldn't describe how she felt for the English King. She kept on making it clear that she had no desire to be one of King Henry's bedmate, to which King Henry seemed to understand. Nevertheless, she worried if she would be able to reject a kiss from the King if in the event he ever did kiss her. Amelie was almost certain that the King would have kissed her on the balcony if they were not interrupted by her father's footsteps.

Would Amelie reject a kiss from the King?

Amelie was just about to be seventeen years old. King Henry had just entered his 31st year on earth. Their fifteen or so year difference was not appealing for Amelie. However, she knew that was the norm in most relationships; an older man with land and money with a younger woman ready to bear his children.

Amelie had no desire to sleep with the King and she never expected herself to become Queen so her having to give King Henry children never crossed her mind.

Alas, a simple kiss, a sign of affection toward two people, wasn't something Amelie was uninterested in from King Henry the 8th. And her coming to this realization startled Amelie. She admired Queen Catherine of Aragon and she had no desire to come in between Queen Catherine and King Henry. Amelie had little care for the Lady Anne.

She heard enough about the Boleyn family through the servants & maids who serve the French diplomats in the English court. She thought it was absurd that not only is Lady Anne the current mistress of King Henry, but her sister held that title before her. Whatever could possess a family to allow both daughters to be the bedmate of the same man, Amelie had no idea.

Amelie could also sense the tension between Lady Anne and Queen Catherine. She saw Lady Anne, frequently not showing the proper respects to the Queen which infuriated the well educated Amelie. Amelie was no fan of Lady Anne.

The feeling was mutual. The Lady Anne feared Amelie. Anne Boleyn knew very well that Amelie was not only prettier than her, but also younger. Anne had worked so hard to get to where she was, she felt herself so close to the throne and the last thing she needed was Amelie to distract the King from making Anne his next Queen. When King Henry arrived in her bedchamber after he and Amelie shared a dance, Anne was relieved. With Amelie at least closing her legs, Anne knew that no matter how beautiful or how brave she was in saving the King's life, he would always find himself in bed with Anne.

That night as King Henry the 8th made love to the Lady Anne Boleyn, he couldn't help himself but imagine thrusting himself inside of the ever so innocent yet fully capable, Lady Amelie de Saint-Remy. He was sure that if Anne had the same golden hair as Amelie, he would have called her by Amelie's name. Luckily, Anne and Amelie bared no resemblance.

By the time King Henry left his mistress' chamber, Amelie was far from his mind until he went to put on his cape to keep him warm as we walked the dark corridors of the castle.

"This isn't the one I wore when I left my rooms" King Henry said raising his eyebrows as he walked back to his chambers. The one he wore last night happened to be one of his favorites aside from the ones trimmed with fur.

The servants around him were unsure on how to respond.

One finally cleared his throat. He struggled with his words which gave King Henry the time to recall his activities prior to arriving to Lady Boleyn's chamber.

The image of Amelie innocently sticking her head out the window, her sparkling blue eyes as she showed King Henry she would not be easily seduced, the way the English language left her French tongue reverberated in the King's ear...all the memories with Amelie last night replayed in the King's mind.

When King Henry arrived back to his chambers, on his table wrapped in a navy blue cloth, reminiscent of the French royal blue colors, was his cape.

"From the Lady Amelie de Saint-Remy," one of his chamber men told the King.

King Henry couldn't help himself but smile when he heard Amelie's name. There was an envelope left carefully on top of the blue cloth. In Amelie's carefully crafted handwriting laid his name,

His Royal Highness, King Henry the 8th

As he turned to open the envelope the grandeur seal of Saint-Remy was placed in wax. A scoff left King Henry's lips as looked at the seal of Saint-Remy. Like Philip's father, King Henry lacked a legitimate male heir. He had a male son through his past mistress Elizabeth Blount. He made sure that despite Henry Fitzroy being born out of wedlock that he and his mother were well taken care of and that Henry Fitzroy would be brought up in a similar fashion as a man to be king. Thus he understood the fondness Philip's father had for Philip despite him being a bastard.

Henry opened the envelope from Amelie and found the carefully written note,

It is with my utmost graciousness I return this back to your Majesty.

Your continued kindness towards me is gratuitous and I am humbled every moment by your presence.

Loyally yours,

Amelie de Saint-Remy

King Henry smiled at Amelie's well crafted note. There was something so proper yet so innocent about her words. At once, King Henry knew he needed to see Amelie again. Even if their encounters didn't amount to the King sharing a bed with Amelie, he liked being in Amelie's presence. He reminded her of his sister, the late Princess Margaret. Amelie's beauty was hundredfold more than his sister and his attraction to her was not that of the sibling kind. Yet, the way she carried herself with confidence and the way she spoke her mind even to the King of England was reminiscent of his sister. Henry rarely admitted it, as death of a family member was not new to Henry, yet he missed his sister very much.

Henry quickly crafted a note for Amelie and had it sent to her by returning her cloth wrapped once again in one of his belongings.

When the parcel arrived to Amelie she was amused. Amelie had just returned from morning mass and was hoping to make her way to her falcons as she longed to stretch her legs and breathe the clean air outside of the castle. She wondered what King Henry could have placed wrapped around her family's navy blue cloth.

A letter, stamped with the grandeur Tudor seal was on top and Amelie quickly opened it.

To the Most Beautiful Creature I've Ever Laid My Eyes On,

It is with utmost pleasure I received your letter and my cape back this morning.

Meet me at the balconies again tonight when the only thing lighting the night sky are the stars and moon.

I have included something to keep you warm.

Forever indebted to you for saving my life,

King Henry the 8th

Amelie couldn't help but smile when she read how he addressed her, The Most Beautiful Creature I've Ever Laid My Eyes on. Her face became warm and her smile was radiant, she couldn't hide anymore the joy she felt when she felt the English King's presence. Wrapped inside the cloth was another cape, this time it was a similar hue to her navy blue cloth.

Attached to it was a brooch fit for a Queen. A large pearl surrounded by equally large blue sapphires then decorated with small diamonds was pinned carefully to the cape. Amelie couldn't hide her awe in the brooch and her half-brother John just walked into her chambers when she found Amelie carefully studying it. John was Amelie's escort to the aviary.

"Who is it from?" John quickly asked, he had a feeling he already knew the answer but he needed to be certain.

Amelie's face turned red when she saw her brother. She was unsure how her family felt, especially her father and brother regarding her friendship with the King of England.

Amelie didn't want to respond as she feared what her brother would say but she knew he would find out even if she didn't tell him.

"From King Henry..." Amelie's voice trailed. She was unsure if this was something she was even allowed to show anyone else, or if this was meant to be kept a secret between her and the King.

John quickly walked toward his sister and examined the brooch carefully placed on the cape.

Without asking he quickly took the note from King Henry she was still holding onto. Amelie was slightly dismayed that her brother just took the letter out of her hand, it was a private correspondence between her and the King, not her along with her half-brother and the King of England. But rather than saying anything towards her brother, she waited for his response.

John couldn't hide his joy when he read the personal letter. He knew at once that his own half-sister could be the key to solving much of the problem currently plaguing England. If Amelie could win King Henry's affection and stop him from getting a divorce from Queen Catherine of Aragon, all will be solved. With Amelie's condition, he knew that she wouldn't push nor ever agree in marrying King Henry. But if she could at least deter the King from Anne Boleyn, who everyone knew was pushing the King to separate from the Vatican and become the head of Church of England, then that would be most helpful to all.

Amelie studied her brother and tried to decipher whether or not he approved of Amelie's friendship of the King. Her curiosity wanted her to ask him, but her desire to not act childish and irrational kept her lips closed.

John finally told his sister, "I'll escort you to see the King tonight," as he handed the letter back to Amelie.

Amelie was unsure in how she felt about her half-brother's offer. Should she be thankful or should she be annoyed that her brother was interfering in her affairs?

"What if i don't want to go?" Amelie asked, attempting to exercise her own rights.

John scoffed, despite Amelie's desire not to show her affection towards the King it was apparent she enjoyed the attention from the King.

"Don't be silly Amelie." John couldn't hide his annoyance towards Amelie. She was being wooed by the King of England, it was one of the highest honor a women could receive.

The stubborn and wanting to be independent Amelie was now getting frustrated with her brother.

"Everyone knows the King is with the Lady Anne, it would be rude of me to interfere." Amelie said this particularly in her heavy French accent.

John scoffed louder this time. "The Lady Anne wants to be Queen, you don't want to be Queen..." John was about to finish his sentence but he saw the grimacing forming on Amelie's face and he stopped. He knew he had gone too far and he quickly regretted his last words.

"You mean I can't be Queen." Amelie said now with her own scoff.

"My sister," The last thing John wanted to do was to upset his sister. Amelie and their aunt were the only remaining remnants of his mother and he wanted to protect them.

Amelie huffed and put down the cape the King sent her. A tear was forming in her eyes and she didn't want her brother nor anyone to see her so vulnerable and full of emotion. She knew her inability to carry children would play a key role in her finding a formidable suitor. Yet she never thought it would be used as a reason why she should make herself available for the King of England as her brother was implying.

Amelie turned her head away from her brother, "Partez!" Her voice was shaky but loud. John quickly left and let Amelie be alone as she glanced at the ornate beautiful pearl brooch and the letter carefully written by King Henry.

Was I naive to think that the King and I could just be friends? Amelie quickly clutched the King's cape and hugged it close to her body, taking in the scent of the King as she attempted to stifle her cries.


Thank you all so much for your reviews! They motivated me to write and I got an update up :)

Regarding how Amelie looks and if she looks like Holiday Grainger- Sure- if thats who you have Amelie as the image, then great! Is she who I imagine as Amelie? No not really but I think its great that you (as in my readers as a whole) have an image of a person.

Again pretty please review they are what got me to update my story :)

xoxo