Title: Fortune's Favours
Pairing: Charles Brandon / Henry Tudor
Rating: M
Story Summary: King Henry and his favorite duke get a little closer than best friends normally are, complicating matters even more than they are already. Covers season 1 & 2.
Disclaimer: The Tudors belong to Showtime, I have absolutely no claim on the characters, the storyline etc.
A/N: I know the Tudors are in many points not exactly what you'd call historically accurate, still, in this fanfiction I decided to go with the Showtime version to avoid confusions.
Obligatory thanks to Narya for beta-reading and to Bunnster for inspiration and keeping me writing.
Chapter Summary: Charles tries to warn Henry about Anne Boleyn and gets himself into trouble.
Chapter Warnings: Really, none.
XI
She's dangerous
Christmas had always been Henry's favourite time of the year. Since his boyhood, he had enjoyed the lavish celebrations at court lasting for twelve days with a lot of dancing and feasting as well as jousts and amusing plays or other performances to spend the holidays with. Everyone who was of any importance in the kingdom was invited to court, the ladies all dressed in new colourful gowns, wearing glittering jewellery and floral wreaths and all being eager to have a kiss stolen under the kissing bough. But this year, Henry thought the celebrations were more perfect than ever, with Katherine having left court and Anne sitting on a seat to his right during the presentation of gifts. She looked all queenly and beautiful in her deep crimson dress and when she occasionally reached for his hand, gently squeezing it and giving him a secretive little smile from the side, Henry could just have pulled her onto his lap and smooched her all over.
"Your Majesty, the Duke and the Duchess of Suffolk!" the groom announced and Henry tore his eyes away from her sight to smile at Charles and his wife, who were also quite something to look at. Catherine Brandon was a pretty little thing with intelligent features and rather cute snub nose, and despite her youth she radiated a noticeable amount of self-assurance and dignity. In any other situation Henry would surely have had his eyes on her, but now he only felt a slight feeling of envy seeing her walking so naturally and close to her newly wedded husband who looked especially dashing, dressed in a black doublet and black breeches with a sash embroidered with red and gold over his left shoulder. Henry knew it had been a marriage of expedience at first, but the last time he had talked to Charles about it, his friend had sounded quite different. He had wondered whether Charles was only trying to delude himself, nevertheless, a part of him had strongly disliked the fond glitter in the grey eyes while Charles had prattled something about this time being different and a marriage between two souls. Henry bet it would only be a matter of time until Charles started cheating on her like he had done with everyone else before, including him.
"Your Graces," Henry nevertheless greeted them warmly. "Welcome back at court, and happy Christmas to both of you!"
"A happy Christmas to you, Majesty. Mistress Anne." Charles' last words were clearly a little more reserved, but he almost instantly turned back to Henry and smiled. "We have a seasonal gift for you, with Your Majesty's permission."
Henry nodded curiously and watched as a servant opened a small box with a solid golden goblet in it. Engraved in the metal was the image of some huge lions, each with a crane standing on its back, spreading its wings. It was a beautiful work and it must have cost Charles a little fortune.
"Thank you, it's beautiful," Henry said with an approving smile. "Your Grace knows indeed how to please me."
He did not doubt that Charles understood the little ambiguity, still, the duke chose not to react to it but only smiled his contagious smile. In a wave of sudden affection, Henry stood up and pulled him into a firm embrace that was supposed to be brotherly, except for the fact that for an instant, he felt quite reluctant to let go of Charles again.
"Game of tennis?"
"Good idea," Charles replied and then hesitated for a short moment, a more serious expression crossing his face. "May I have a word with you later?"
Henry nodded, a little surprised, but he didn't ask any further, especially since there were still a dozen other nobles waiting at the door with their Christmas gifts. Still, Charles' request for a word in private with him wouldn't leave his head and so, after finally the present ceremony was over, he stepped out into the lavishly decorated hall where the court was gathering, men and women in beautiful festive clothes chatting and laughing merrily while someone was playing a slow song on the flute. Henry let his gaze wander through the room and discovered Charles and Catherine at the window, talking with William Fitzalan, the Earl of Arundel and his wife. Henry beckoned him over and when Charles immediately joined his side, he asked, "You wanted a word with me?"
Charles only nodded, quickly glancing around and then he lightly placed a hand on Henry's back, "May I speak with you honestly?"
"I hope so," Henry replied warily.
Charles hesitated a little, but then asked outright, though in a much lower voice, "Are you really going to marry Mistress Boleyn? Whatever the consequences, whatever her… history?"
Oh no, not you as well, Henry had almost said out loud, his joyous mood vanishing in an instant. Sighing, he grabbed Charles' arm and pulled him to a nearby corner and away from all kinds of curious ears. He had a very good idea what his friend and former lover would come up with, but he was surprised that he had the guts to tell him.
"Why do you ask, Charles? What do you mean, 'whatever her history?'"
"I have it on very good authority that she and Thomas Wyatt were once lovers. Apparently she fornicated with him on many occasions, sometimes brazenly entering his chambers at night."
Henry nodded slowly, not surprised at all, yet his eyes involuntarily searched for the young poet who had come to court only some weeks before. There were a lot of rumours about Anne popping up in the last months, the story with Wyatt being only one of them, but unfortunately, not everyone at court seemed to be happy with their soon-to-be queen. "I've heard those rumours. She denies it."
"Well, she would, wouldn't she?" But the small laughter died in Charles' throat when Henry forcefully grabbed the front of his doublet, pulling him closer until their faces where only inches apart
"I said she denies it!" he hissed, glaring at Charles whose eyes were widened in shock and surprise about his fierce reaction. But Henry was so sick of hearing rumours about Anne and that Charles, Charles of all people thought that he had to play the moralizer and warn him about the wantonness of his lover… If Henry hadn't been so angry, he would have probably laughed about it loudly, but as it was he only glared at Charles for a few more seconds before he suddenly let go of him and turned, heading into the crowd. He didn't turn to look at Charles; still, the mood of the festive morning was ruined for him now.
He tried to put up a good façade, being friendly and generous to everyone, but still, the short discussion was gnawing at him. Yet when he returned to Anne, she needed only a few moments to realize that something was wrong and suggested a walk through the gardens to clear the head. Henry gladly agreed and so, only a few hours later they were strolling along the frosty white ground beside the frozen lake, both wrapped up in thick fur coats. The air was ice cold and their breath came off in white clouds, but to get away from all the people and especially Charles for a while helped Henry to ease his mind a little and he could blatantly vent his anger without thinking too much about it.
"So the Duke of Suffolk has obviously taken it upon himself to repeat the gossip about you and Mr. Wyatt," he snorted, an arm wrapped possessively around Anne's shoulders. Her long, raven hair was welling out beneath her light fur cap and she mildly raised her slender eyebrows at his comment.
"And do you believe any of it to be true?"
"If I did, would I be walking here with you?" Henry replied firmly, turning towards her and letting his hands slip under her coat to let them rest on her sides. A small smile played on her lips before she slightly leaned forward to kiss him, a slow and seductive kiss that made Henry's loins tingle. God, was there ever a woman walking this earth who was as enticing and beautiful as this wonderful creature in front of him?
"I must admit, I'm not surprised after I saw the goblet he presented you this morning, the one with the lions and the cranes," Anne stated when they finally parted, hesitated for a moment and then added, "I suppose you've banished the duke from court?"
The question caught Henry off guard because actually, he hadn't, nor had he thought much about any symbolic meaning of Charles present by now. But Anne seemed to have had a much shaper eye than he had. The lion had of course always been a symbol for the king of England, but in traditional heraldry, a crane stood for caution and watchfulness. He hadn't seen it that way up to now, but she was probably right… as well as with her suggestion of a banishment. He didn't like to send Charles away from court, on the other hand, he had to begin taking rigorous steps against all those who gossiped behind Anne's back if he ever wanted her to be loved and accepted by the court and the people. So he just smiled at her, taking a mental note to talk to Secretary Cromwell later on. If Charles had decided that he would like to learn the hard way that he'd better respect his new queen, well, he could have that.
For now, he just smiled at Anne, switching over to another topic that was less problematic. "I've asked the French ambassador to come and see me…"
Continuing their walk through the park, he told her about the planned meeting between himself and King Francis, to set up a new treaty on the one hand and to present her as the future Queen of England on the other. She listened to him in utter disbelief, her beautiful eyes growing wider with every word he said and when he had finished, she even slumped to her knees on the frozen ground, her small hand clutching his desperately. Henry's heart swelled with love when he looked down at her, smiling. And when the overwhelmed look on her face finally gave way to a sweet, disbelieving smile he was utterly convinced that no one would ever possess his heart like Anne Boleyn did.
And Charles Brandon better had to learn that quickly.
"And so Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere fell in love with each other, though she tried to keep him away from her at first. Yet eventually, her love and passion overpowered her and finally, they became secret lovers. But alas, trouble was brewing already, for some knights of the Round Table were already suspicious about them!"
Henry's lips formed a little 'O', and his already huge eyes even grew a littler wider. Catherine had to smile, though the child certainly didn't understand everything, he was a clever boy and he loved all kinds of tales. "One night, Sir Agravain, Sir Mordred and twelve other knights came to Guinevere's chamber where they discovered the two lovers. Sir Lancelot made a fighting escape, but poor Guinevere was not so lucky. She was seized and judged to burn to death for being unfaithful to the king, her husband." Henry looked a little anxious, but Catherine gave him a reassuring smile. "Fear not, Henry. Sir Lancelot returned several days later to rescue his beloved Guinevere from the fire."
"Was Guinevere as beautiful as our queen?" the boy asked intrigued and Catherine was just about to answer, when suddenly she was interrupted.
"If by 'queen' you mean that pale wench who currently flaunts herself with our king, boy, then I guess Guinevere was a lot more appealing." Catherine didn't know how long Charles had been standing at the door watching them, but now he entered the room with long, angry strides, letting himself fall into a chair and reaching for the flagon of wine. "Though I must admit, they have a lot in common, being both shameless whores, for example."
Catherine breathed in sharply, disliking the language he used in front of the child, but she also didn't want to criticize him when Henry was present, especially not since Charles' grey eyes were flashing with anger and he had that peculiar little smile on his lips he always had when trying to suppress an utter outburst. So she only turned to Henry, who confusedly watched his father pouring himself an entire cup of wine and draining it with one gulp.
"Darling, I think you should go to your nurse now, your father needs some rest." Though he looked a little disappointed, Henry nodded and scampered away. When they were finally alone, Catherine turned back to Charles.
"Will you tell me what has happened?" she asked, her voice as calm as it was possible.
"Oh, not much. Except that I am banished from court and we have to leave at once," Charles snorted, letting his head sink back to the rest of the chair. "Somehow this situation seems familiar to me…"
"Banished?" Catherine asked, shocked for a moment. "For what you said to him about Anne Boleyn…?"
"Actually, I don't even know," replied, still with that disturbing little smile around his lips, "because the only thing the king's dear secretary would tell me was that 'it seems I have displeased the king'. He wasn't willing to elaborate further."
"And can't you get an audience with the king to explain everything to him?" Catherine suggested, gracefully standing up and moving behind Charles to give his tense shoulders one light, calming squeeze. He seemed to relax a little and closed his eyes, but then slowly shook his head.
"No. The king has given his order and I must obey. To ask for an audience now would seem like defiance… and besides, I wouldn't know what I should tell him. I've tried to warn him and told him honestly that I have doubts concerning his marriage and in return he obviously chose to banish me." A small, utterly humourless laugh came over his lips. "I could write him a letter, of course, but to be honest, I don't see the point of begging his forgiveness for something I don't even regret."
"Very well. But what are you going to do then, dearest husband?"
Charles shrugged. "What I have to do, I suppose. Leave court and wait for Henry to rethink his rash judgement and change his mind."
"And when will that be?"
"Who knows? Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a month or in a year. Who can say what goes on in the king's mind? I thought I knew it once… but those were times when he also would have listened to me if I told him one of the girls he messed around with was a whore." He looked up at her and there was some tormented expression in his eyes that filled Catherine's heart with a warm wave of sympathy and affection. Gently she ran a hand through his hair and then down to his stubbly cheek and Charles reached for her hand and held it there, entwining their fingers to sigh softly.
Only a year ago, Catherine could not have imaged to stand here like this, caressing and consoling her former warden, one of the mightiest peers in the entire kingdom. But to her own surprise, once they were married, Charles had willingly showed her the man behind the title, a man she found hard not to love. He was gentle, attentive, interested in her opinions and had eventually courted her affectionately, introducing her to the many pleasures of the marital bed with much patience. And the more unease Catherine had felt about their marriage at first, the happier she was now about Charles' decision some months ago.
"He will forgive you, he always did," she whispered now, reassuringly. "You are his best friend, aren't you? He will miss you in no time, it's probably just because that woman has charmed him out of his mind that he thinks you begrudge him his doubtful luck or something like that..."
"Begrudge him?" His clear, grey eyes found hers, in such an intense gaze that it sent shivers down her spine. "Why should I begrudge him when here I have such a jewel of womanhood who is not only far more beautiful than his whore," he gently took her hand, guiding her around the chair and then pulling her on his lap, "but also much wiser, gentler and more virtuous?"
Catherine laughed at his words and gently tugged at his brown curls. "You're a charmer, as always, sweet Charles."
"And you're just the perfect cure for my sour mood, my beautiful wife," he replied in a low voice, which was just an octave deeper than normal and made a delicious shiver run down Catherine's spine. His hands searched the seam of her skirt and slowly, the silk slid upwards, revealing her bare skin while his lips traced the curve of her neck. "I guess 'leave at once' yet includes some time for adequate preparations..."
A soft moan escaped Catherine's lips and as always she felt herself unable to resist her husband's arts of seduction. Yet they quickly let go of each other when there were suddenly voices in the adjoining chamber, one of a man and one of Mary, Catherine's waiting maid. Catherine looked at Charles questioningly, but he only shook his head and growled slightly. "I'll handle it. You can go into our bedchamber meanwhile and I'll join you in a minute."
"Whatever it is, don't get upset," Catherine muttered, getting up, placing a light kiss on his lips. "I'll wait for you next door."
She crossed the room, yet hesitated a moment at the door to see a man in the royal livery entering, holding a little box in his hands and bowing formally to Charles. Yet she didn't wait what he had to say but closed the doors so that she could only hear mumbles from the adjoining room. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as she reached for the laces of her dress, carefully undoing it and putting it aside. She wondered if it was really a good idea to indulge in lovemaking when having received an order to leave court immediately, however, she was not interested in arguing with Charles about that. Moreover, some carnal action would probably ease her husband's fiery temper and prevent him from doing anything stupid. And so she stretched out on the bed, wearing nothing more than her undergarment and waiting for Charles to follow her.
When he finally entered the chamber she immediately realized that something else must have happened. His lips were a narrow line and the wrath she had so carefully smoothed before was once again burning brightly in his eyes, the strong hands clenched to fists as he walked over to her with large, angry steps.
"What is it, sweetheart?" Catherine asked worriedly, yet he only shook his mind and sat down beside her on the bed, cupping her face with both his hands and drawing her into a fierce, angry kiss that made her mind spin. There was almost nothing of his usual gentleness, just hardly suppressed fury and disappointment, but when they finally parted and he looked at her, his eyes were soft again.
"You know what, my love? Right now I can't wait to exchange this court full of lying, selfish creatures and bootlickers for your company alone..."
"I'm yours, Charles," Catherine only whispered as a reply and he kissed her again, gently pushing her onto her back and she felt how his anger dissolved into blinding hot passion, which she gave in to willingly.
Outside of the palace, deep down on the ground, a golden goblet with a skilful engraving lay in the snow only to be found by one of the Privy Chamber's grooms later, who wondered why and by whom such a precious treasure had been cast away so carelessly.
The merry tunes of the dancing music faded with a long, deep note and Anne curtsied to Marc Smeaton, her current dancing partner, with a coquettish smile on her face.
"Thank you, Mr. Smeaton!"
He gave her a broad, good-humoured grin in return that made his white teeth shine and the dark eyes gleam in adoration. Anne had liked the young, handsome musician immediately, who seemed to be in a constant good mood and moreover played the violin brilliantly, and so she spontaneously beckoned him with a gesture of her hand to follow her. However, as soon as she had turned around, her eyes immediately searched for the two thrones at the end of the hall and the slender figure resting comfortably in one of them with a cup of wine in his hand. Their eyes locked for a moment and Anne could see a small smile playing around Henry's lips. It sent a tingle to her stomach, knowing that he had watched her dancing probably all the time, being happy that she amused herself as well as a little jealous. He could get jealous so easily, but sometimes, Anne enjoyed it to play with the fire just a little, for her own pleasure as well as to keep him interested and to remind him that she was not entirely his, not yet.
"Sweetheart," Henry gently greeted her as she returned, Marc Smeaton still following her a little nervously. She curtsied a little and then turned towards the young artist.
"Your Majesty, this is the young gentleman I told you about, Marc Smeaton."
The same took a deep bow and Henry smiled. "Mr Smeaton. The Lady Anne had told me a lot about you. She says you play very well. Play something for us!"
It was obvious that Smeaton felt a little nervous to have the utter attention of his sovereign, but when Henry asked him to play, he visibly relaxed, being appointed with a task he knew he could do well. "Your Majesty..."
Flipping his fingers, his violin was quickly brought and he started to play another merry tune, which soon made the courtiers gather in pairs and return to the dance floor. Yet Anne didn't join them but took Henry's inviting hand, sitting down next to him. The king seemingly watched the young musician play, but he took her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss on the soft skin and keeping it there for a while. She pretended not to notice, yet her heart beat a little faster in her chest for a moment, the simple caress telling of so much affection and barely restrained passion for her... Anne sometimes wondered how she could not have cared for him in the beginning, when her father had commanded her to seduce the king in order to bring down the cardinal. There was something in that King of England, a dark, unpredictable and untamed power burning somewhere deep inside him that matched her own and excited her to no end. Sometimes she could control that power, guide it to the direction she wanted, but sometimes she could not and that was a challenge she could not resist. God, she couldn't wait to finally see that power unleashed in her bed, just the two of them matching their strengths and yielding to one another as they would be eventually equals, the king and the queen... The thought alone made her all edgy.
"I know it was wrong of the Duke of Suffolk to say what he did..." Henry began all of a sudden and utterly out of the blue, "but do you think it's possible we could forgive him?"
Anne had to blink once in order to realize what he was talking about, and when she finally caught up with his thoughts, she had to hide a frown. Charles Brandon was only three weeks away from court and Henry already wanted him back? She didn't like the idea to have a possible opponent more at court, especially since she heard the Duke of Suffolk would secretly support the former queen, Katherine. He had once allied with her father and uncle against the cardinal, yet it seemed with the clergyman's death, this ally was null and void.
"If you forgave him so quickly, some people might think that there was some truth to what he said."
"Yes, but to refute them," Henry replied eagerly, as if he had only waited for that argument to come, "to answer the matter directly and to show how much I trust you, I'll do a more important thing. I will invite Mr. Wyatt to come to France with us. That way no one can accuse me of jealousy or the slightest suspicion."
Anne looked at him in utter surprise and tried to hide any signs of unease or concern in her eyes. Henry was right, it was a good idea to demonstrate that he didn't pay attention to the rumours and probably she would have agreed to it right away – well, if the rumours were indeed nothing more than rumours. Unfortunately, they weren't, but there was no way she could explain this to Henry right now any more. Not after she had made him believe that she had still been a virgin when they had started to meet. Well, she could bear the secret since for her, Thomas was a closed chapter of her past. But she could tell from the always a little sad look in the poet's eyes each time he looked at her, that he still felt for her, and as all poets he always tended to be a little loose with his tongue. And the French... well, she hadn't been as indiscreet as her sister Mary, who was openly known to be first the mistress of King Francis and then of King Henry, yet she hadn't been a nun either, and she feared that some people at court might still remember.
"My love, you have no reason to be suspicious, nor will you ever have," she said determinately nevertheless and affectionately pressed a kiss on the knuckles of Henry's hand who smiled at her warmly and then turned his attention back to the dancers and Smeaton. You have nothing to fear, Anne tried to convince didn't believe his best friend, why should he trust the French gossip now? On the other hand, if the rumours proved to be too persistent, he might eventually listen to them after all.
She vaguely wondered what it was with Suffolk's banishment now, yet she guessed the fact that she didn't object any further counted as her approval. Well, should Henry have his duke back! Brandon might be a fool, but even he would think twice if he ever wanted to poke his nose in things that weren't his business after all. She had more urgent problems to deal with than him.
"There is something else," Henry suddenly said when the dance had ended and they were applauding the dancers as well as the musician. His voice was serious and he didn't look at her while talking. "Something very important which must be done before we can sail for France."
"What?" she asked concernedly, just when she saw the little smile twitching around the corners of his mouth. "Tell me!" Anne demanded, laughing and with her curiosity being woken.
"Shhh," Henry silenced her teasingly, but when she laughed, he joined her heartily. A warm feeling seemed to spread in Anne's body and suddenly she thought all her fears to be childish. Henry loved and trusted her, and as long as he did, there was no reason to fear he might get suspicious of her or poke around in her past. And when she was finally his wife and the Queen of England and had given him the son he longed for, it all would be irrelevant anyway. She just had to make sure not to lose his love and interest in the time between.
And she already had a very good idea how to accomplish that.
"You don't look happy, Charles."
Bluish green eyes were studying him, and if there was mockery, it was very well hidden.
"Do I have any reason to be happy, Majesty?" Charles asked, still quite reserved. For an instant he wondered if Henry might understand the question as a provocation, though he was actually quite serious, since he didn't know what to think of his friend's behaviour anymore. First, he had sent him away from court. Then, only some weeks later a message had arrived with the order that he should return to stand at the king's side with the other nobles at the investment ceremony of the Lady Anne as Marquess of Pembroke. Henry hadn't called for him any earlier and so Charles still hadn't known whether he was still angry with him or not when he had watched Henry ceremonially putting the circlet on Anne's raven hair and wrapping the ermine coat around her shoulders, not without pressing a gentle kiss on her skin. It had reminded Charles of his own investment ceremony – especially for the fact that his had probably served a similar purpose as Anne's did now – and when his eyes had met Henry's for a split second, he was convinced that the king had thought the same.
It was during the following feast when Henry had finally beckoned him to his side. Most of the court was dancing already, the newly invested marquess as well, so there was no one sitting nearby who could have overheard their talk.
"I supposed being allowed to return to court would make you happy," Henry now replied.
"It would, if I knew why exactly I was banished in the first place."
He was met with a long, measuring gaze from the side Charles knew quite well, a subtle warning not to go any further if he didn't want to risk Henry's anger. Still, the king's voice remained calm when he answered him.
"But you do know, Charles. You insulted the honour of the woman I love most dearly by repeating the gossip that was planted by the envious. And I couldn't allow that since people might think there was truth in the rumours if I let you get away with that."
Charles refrained from any further comments that might annoy Henry even more, but instead bowed his head just a little. "Forgive me, Majesty, I never meant to insult you or the Lady Anne. My words may have been thoughtless, yet my only intent was to keep you from disappointment or harm."
"Was it indeed? And I thought jealousy would drive your tongue..." Henry said, seemingly absent-minded, but the comment made Charles' cheeks burn uncomfortably, since there was more truth in it than he would admit to himself. Still, Henry shook his head as if to get rid of an unwelcome thought and smiled. "Still, I accept your apology, though there is nothing to forgive since I've already done that. Otherwise, you wouldn't sit next to me now."
Charles nodded curtly, but his face must have betrayed him, for only a moment later Henry sighed, emptied his cup and brought it hard down to the table. "Damn it, Charles, I said I've forgiven you, so would you please stop sulking? It wasn't my wish to banish you, but you left me no choice. The Lady Anne feared I might believe the rumours and if I had rejected her wish..." Henry suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence, obviously realizing he had given away more than he had wanted to. With an impatient, almost angry gesture, he beckoned to one of the servants to pour him another cup of wine, while Charles clenched his jaw involuntarily. So his banishment had been Anne's doing, not Henry's. One the one hand he felt deeply relieved, after all, Henry had obviously not wanted him to leave court and had missed him enough to call him back after only three weeks. On the other hand it deeply shocked him that the whore Anne Boleyn had enough power over his friend that she could make Henry turn against him if she wanted to. No other woman had ever possessed his power over Henry's heart, neither Katherine nor any one of his mistresses. But when the first shock wore off, it was quickly replaced by a hot, burning anger that not only she could set them apart but even had dared to do so. Had he not helped to remove all obstacles from her way by supporting her father and her uncle in their conspiracies? Had he not even stepped aside and left Henry's bed on his own choice, making way for her? Did she really have to step in and destroy their friendship for no other reason than to be the one and only for Henry in everything?
"You should apologize in person to her as well," Henry suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "I don't want bad blood between my future queen and one of my dukes. Not to speak of the fact it would be better for your own position at court."
Charles knew he was referring to Anne's supporters, her father Thomas Boleyn and her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, both powerful men who could be dangerous enemies, which he knew quite well. Nevertheless, he merely shrugged, stubbornly staring straight ahead.
"I thought my position at court depended on you alone."
He had just finished the sentence when he felt his chin seized in a firm grip and Henry made him turn his head so the duke had to face him. And for a moment the world seemed to stop for a heartbeat, Henry's chiselled features so close, the small gesture so familiar... For a split second Charles was indeed utterly convinced that Henry would lean forward and kiss him, could almost feel his lips possessively claiming his own, here, in front of the entire court.
Of course Henry didn't. But there was a tiny, amused sparkle in the bluish green depths of his eyes and Charles wondered if his own longing was written right onto his face.
"It does," Henry finally replied, "and that's why you shouldn't make me choose between you and her."
Because you'd lose, was the unspoken end of the sentence that hung in the air und burned like a hot iron in Charles' stomach.
"Majesty."
His own voice sounded husky and a little strange in his own ears, but Henry just nodded and then let go of him, gesturing him with a tiny movement of his head to leave. And like the ever obedient servant, Charles rose from his chair, bowed formally to his king and then returned to join the other courtiers. He felt Henry's gaze hot on his back and his mind still was a little numb, so he didn't know where exactly he was heading. At least not until the woman he just wanted to pass turned and he found himself face to face with the object of his current anger.
Light blue eyes widened in surprise only for an instant as Anne recognized him and maybe it was that short moment of vulnerability that made him stop instead of just passing her by. It was probably stupid to do so, yet Charles forced an icy smile on his lips and bowed just a little.
"Lady Anne. I think I haven't congratulated you on your investment yet. Your father must be so proud."
She looked a little taken aback, obviously she hadn't expected him to actually start a conversation with her, but regained her composure quite quickly and raised her chin slightly, accepting his subtle challenge. "I'm delighted to see Your Grace could return in time to attend it. To be honest, I didn't expect the king to forgive you that quickly, he was so furious about your words."
"Henry knows me well enough to know they were not ill-meant," Charles replied, deliberately using a quite familiar way to talk about his king, and continued with an audible smug undertone, "and after you seem to have a hand in everything he's doing right now, I suppose you also had a word in that delicate matter. So thank you very much, my Lady, you taught me a valuable lesson."
"And what would that be?" Anne asked, her eyes and her voice leaving no doubt that she sensed his anger behind the thin façade of politeness.
"Well, actually it's quite easy: The next time, I'll do my research more properly," he smiled, not bothering to keep the hatred out of his eyes, before he bowed again. "Enjoy your happy night, my Lady. After all, who knows how many will follow?"
He turned to leave, but felt surprised when a slender hand closed around his wrist, the touch unseen by anyone but firm enough to make him stop. Anne glared at him, making no attempt to keep the dislike out of her gaze as well, and her voice, though low, reminded Charles of a soft growl as it reached his ears.
"I know you pride yourself on being his favourite and irreplaceable, Your Grace. But who of us will indeed be irreplaceable when I have given the king his son, I wonder? So if I were you, I'd watch my mouth more carefully in the future... at least if you like having a head on your shoulders!"
They stared at each other for an instant, openly disdainful, before Anne let go of his wrist with a jerk and hurried off. Charles gritted his teeth as he watched the slender figure making her way through the crowd towards Henry's throne and saw the smile on his friend's face when he spotted her. For an instant the sudden, anxious thought crossed his mind that she might tell Henry about their small encounter, but on the other hand, she just had realized that her influence wasn't boundless and she wasn't so stupid to be out for open conflict. Not yet, when her position was not secured. However, Charles had to admit this woman was incredibly dangerous, even more than he had thought.
And she'd be thrice as dangerous when she had finally achieved what she wanted.
You pack your bag, you take control Hold on tight
You're moving into my heart and into my soul
Get out of my way, get out of my sight
I won't be walking on thin ice to get through the night
You know she's a little bit dangerous
She's armed, she's extremely dangerous
She's got what it takes to make ends meet
The eyes of a lover that hit like heat
You know she's a little bit dangerous
~ Roxette - Dangerous ~
A/N (Important!): Due to studying abroad for one semester, I'll fly down to Australia tomorrow and go on a backpacking tour during August. Therefore, unfortunately I have to tell you that I'll be not be able to post for a month. But don't worry, I promise I'll definitely finish Fortune's Favours! Actually, there are only a few scenes missing that I haven't written yet and I have a little supply of chapters I will post when I have regular Internet access again (which will probably be in September).