Hello World!! Okay so pretty sure I can update. Science is now hard and History is a breeze but I cannot memorize dates very well. I was to have another story but maybe after this one is finished or not. I want to have the experience before starting another one. Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites, and suggestions. I took them to heart and I always try my best to make everyone happy and I hope this will be a good. I agree the masquerade from last chapter was probably my favorite as well because it is a classic in love. Enjoy the chapter. Also I am really busy from April to May 1000 POINT PROJECT DUE.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TUDORS!!


6 months later.....

Henry listened to his men make suggestions about England's economy and welfare and nodded at certain times to let them know he was listening. He glanced at the man speaking before him the Earl of......something. He knew his court inside out, but today was an off day. He started to the day with yet another argument with Elizabeth who was getting smarter and smarter as time passed. He spent some time with Mary who often seemed in her own world now. He went for a walk with Charles who complained about his wife's pregnancy and her short temper that had grown these couple of weeks. He had lunch with Jane who was too busy talking about her children and asking him of his own, which he did not know how to respond to. He visited Anne who was completely silent, but that was almost normal for her and now he was sitting in a room listening to business. Today was not like his usual days where he did his duties, read letters, and sent his court to different lands. Today the palace was louder then usual with the occasional argument here and there.

"Alright gentlemen we have had enough for today you are dismissed." Henry stood up and left the men who were bowing when he exited. After his trip to visit Olivia, word had gotten around that Anne was still alive, but clueless to her past. He heard their whispers of his former wife who was living happily and away from him. He reflected on himself over the months and realized how much pain he caused to all of his wives. At night in his dreams he could not get the masked woman out of his head. She haunted his dreams her back always turned away and just when she was about to turn to face him, his dream disappeared.

Henry was too caught up in his thoughts to see Charles who had spooked his best friend. Charles laughed as Henry came back to the real world startled and glaring at him. Henry walked off and to the gardens as Charles caught up to his king of a friend.

"You alright?" Henry looked at Charles and nodded his head slowly.

"Of course just a lot in my mind lately." Charles was not convinced with the short response.

"About you know who." Henry stopped his feet and looked at Charles questioningly.

"Anne Boleyn?" Charles nodded and Henry started his walk once more.

"It was odd seeing Anne again I admit, but she is not Anne anymore. She is Duchess Anna a woman without a past."Henry said the words Olivia and everyone else told him.

"What about that mysterious woman you told me so much about?" Charles remembered their last conversation and how it led to a masked woman at the ball

"I don't know who she is, but she occupies my thoughts." Henry thought about that night as they talked and the night ended in with a kiss.

"Henry you are my best friend, and as a friend you need to forget about her. She is not coming back. For all you know she could have been a chamber maid. Come on the play is about to start." Henry followed his friend towards the courtyard leaving behind his thoughts.

Mary walked behind the queen with a few other ladies. They were all enjoying the day with the flowers finally in bloom. Their queen was especially quiet today always in her thoughts. Charlotte looked at her friend with concern. She was about to open her mouth when the queen stopped and turned to them.

"I would like time alone, you are dismissed until the performance this afternoon." The ladies bowed and left their queen who walked back inside the castle.

"Mary are you alright?" Mary looked at her friend as they walked towards the fountains.

"Fine." Charlotte was unconvinced, but let it go.

"As of this morning, I am betrothed." Charlotte said quietly and Mary looked at her friend with wide eyes.

"To whom?" Mary was stunned.

"The Earl of Derby's son James." Mary looked at her again. "That man is cultured and friendly enough."

"James is quite friendly." Mary tried to think of the positives that came out of the marriage.

"He is compared to an old man if you ask me." Charlotte huffed and Mary gave her friend pity. He was not as old as she said he was, but he was in his mid 30's and Charlotte turned 20 just last month. Her last betrothal at 13 to a 17 year old did not end very well with the man marrying another woman even with his betrothal to Charlotte was tossed aside, it left Charlotte humiliated and made her leave court.

"You are his second wife. You may learn to love him." Mary tried to act positive to her friend's situation but only got glared at.

"Let's go to the play." Charlotte said and walked away. Mary sighed and followed her friend. Hopefully something good may come out of this day.

Elizabeth sat with her nurse watching the performance. The young warrior was fighting the monster and the damsel looked dead. Elizabeth loved plays and the stories they told. Even though the woman sometimes had facial hair, the performance was grand. In the end the warrior saved the damsel and brought her back to her kingdom. The damsel was sad to see him go, but he told her to follow her destiny. Destiny was a small word that meant so much in the stories. The play ended as a tragedy and brought tears to a few of the ladies' eyes. Elizabeth could not remembered the last celebration and that was months ago. Elizabeth clapped as the performers bowed. She watched her father and stepmother applaud and nodded in approval of the performers.

After the play there was a banquet to celebrate. Elizabeth stayed away from her father after their argument this morning. She at first couldn't understand why her father would not listen to her reasons for not spending her summer with Aunt Olivia. They seemed to get along fine and she would like to learn more cultures, and visiting Duchess Anna would be a good thing as well. She remembered their fight well and this seemed different from their arguments in the seemed to hold a much more important meaning then before.

Elizabeth went into her father's chambers where he was talking to some men. She saw them all talking about a few things that sounded confusing to her. She knew she was a bright child, but some things in life she was kept in the dark about. Her father did not seem to notice her when she walked in, neither did the other men. She stood near the door for a few minutes, but her father still did not notice her.

"Father." Elizabeth said amongst the voices surrounding her father. They all looked up to see a small girl standing in front of them. Henry excused his men and turned to look at his daughter. They haven't said a word to each other in a month.

"Elizabeth come sit." Henry motioned to the chair next to him. Elizabeth sat next to her father and both parties stayed quiet.

"Was there something you needed?" Henry asked breaking his daughter from her trance like state. She had grown up during the last few years. He remembered when she giggled as he held her up in the air and was so....innocent. After Anne was supposedly presumed dead she changed. Her eyes lost their warmth and twinkle and before he knew it she threw herself towards her studies and became as witty as her mother.

"Father may I request a trip to visit Aunt Olivia?" Elizabeth hesitated and looked down at her dress brushing off the invisible dirt off her dress.

"May I ask why?" Henry looked at Elizabeth. She was an intelligent child. Could she have known about Anna being her mother?

"Father I know nothing of your family because you told me they all died. Mother died and her family wants nothing to do with me. I want to know more of my family and I now have the opportunity. Please father." Elizabeth said. Henry was still in deep thought of the whole situation.

"No Elizabeth." Henry said and closed his eyes waiting for her temper to come to play.

"Why not? I promise to be safe." Elizabeth tried to restrain her anger, but that was complicated.

"I said no." Henry said through his teeth. Elizabeth was definitely his daughter especially now when expressing anger.

"Father why won't you listen me? I am not staying with Aunt Olivia for the rest of my life, I will come back." Elizabeth yelled.

"I said no and as your father and king you should respect that." Henry stood up and yelled.

"I will not and you are not giving me your reason. I understand you do not get along with some of the ladies in Switzerland, for example Duchess Anna, but I won't change my mind until you given me a reason." Elizabeth watched her father tense at the duchess's name.

"Elizabeth, your mother disappeared all those years ago and you still ask me why you cannot travel?" Henry said voicing out the truth. Henry didn't realize what he was saying until he said it out loud. He truly cared for Elizabeth, but did not want her to be her mother.

"It's about mum." Elizabeth's voice quieted. She nodded her head in her father's decision and left quietly.

Elizabeth thought back to their argument ending with her mother. Her father has not mentioned her mother since he told her she died. Mary told her when her mother died it was best to not to cry because they wouldn't want their children to cry. For the first few days she cried and cried, but as time passed she blocked those emotions. It would be better to remain emotionless then to feel the pain that was still there. Her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Charles Brandon staring up at her with an open hand. She gave him a small smile and took his hand as he led her to the dance floor.

"Elizabeth. How is your evening?" Charles danced with Elizabeth knowing her father is too stubborn to even talk to her right now.

"Lovely my lord. How are the children?" Elizabeth asked politely.

"Very well. Spoke with your father yet?" Charles asked nonchalantly.

Elizabeth turned her head towards him and narrowed her eyebrows slightly. "That's what this is about. My father."

"He is very upset."Charles told her which got Elizabeth smirk.

"I have not seen his majesty pleasant since my mother's disappearance. I forget what his happiness looked like. I was only a small child when he was happy." Elizabeth replied stubbornly.

"You are just like his majesty." Charles said and Elizabeth smiled.

"Shall I refer to it as flattery?"Elizabeth looked up at him and raised her eyebrows.

"Depends on which traits you are mentioning."Charles smirked.

"Too many to mention." Elizabeth replied and the two danced completely silent for the rest of the tried to persuade the young Tudor but she was too much like her father. Stubborn and hard headed never admitting defeat.


Somewhere else in Switzerland

Grace fanned herself with her hand as she saw her friend dismissing another potential suitor. The Duke of Bellium Arnold was a good man with ethics and knowledge. He was also very handsome and seemed like he could make her best friend very happy and women chased him like a new purse from the heavens. Anna was so distant nowadays and it was starting to scare her.

"What was wrong with Arnold?" Anna always found little things in a man to excuse herself with.

"He was too nice. He was more lady then gentleman most of the time." Anna responded and continued her stare at the roses.

"You are beautiful and sweet and charming, but your expectations for men are too high."Grace said and that got her attention.

Anna turned to her."Is is my fault I expect perfection?"

"No but everyone has flaws." Grace argued.

"He may be out there waiting for me to return to him." Anna told her.

"Is this about your past man? He could be mourning for you or married to another." Grace said. She knew she was the dreadful Anne Boleyn of England, but she befriended her and the two soon became inseparable.

"I feel as if I have had children. I had a dream of giving birth to a girl. Her name did not come to me. For years that child grew up without me, I wonder how she is." Anna stared into the endless sky hoping for answers. "You've already met her." Grace wanted to say but decided against it. She and a few others swore an oath to never tell Anna her past until the majesties have told her.

"Men chase you around everywhere you turn but something is wrong with each and every one of them." Grace told her.

"It feels wrong being with another man. I feel some guilt that goes through me every time I am with another. My mind doesn't say much and my heart gives me my feelings. Grace I am confused daily knowing that everyone knows something I don't. Knowing my past may be waiting for me to rejoin them but I can't. I don't remember them. That kiss I told you about gave me hidden emotions I did not know about. That man may be my past."

"It has been years and you still mention him. That man could be him, but I don't think he recognized you. He may have unwanted pain he hopes would go away." Grace gave her friend a hug and a solemn look before exiting the gardens.

Anna stared into the sky and sighed. She knew her friend may be true with her theories but are they truly. That man haunted her thoughts his mask she hoped to remove, but kept on. His presence was like the one in her dreams of the past. He may hold the key to her past, but she knew that was the last time she would see him again. He could have been a guard to the king or what not. She would never meet him again.

If only she knew..........