Author's Notes - I didn't mean to make it sound as though Katherine was mellow about Henry having a bastard child with Anne. I meant it in a way that she was more resigned to the fact. There was really nothing she could do about it, so I had her conduct herself with dignity. Throwing a huge fit about it wouldn't have done any good. I've never had a child and have no intentions of having one for at least the next couple of years, thus I'm not putting much detail into the birth. Plus, really, who wants to read that? Eesh. Also, yes, I know, Mark comparing Anne to the Virgin Mary is ironic, since Anne obviously is not a virgin in this story. Keep in mind, he's a romantic soul and he cares about Anne a great deal.
And whoo-hoo! This is now my longest story on !
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The screams coming from Anne's chamber made Mark really appreciate being a male. Childbirth did not sound at all pleasant, sounding more like the young woman inside was being ripped apart at the seams. He and George had taken turns throughout the night standing outside Anne's chambers, awaiting the news of the birth of the babe. There was no need for the both of them to be utterly exhausted, George had reasoned and they began taking turns sleeping for a couple hours while the other stood watch.
Rubbing sleep from his eyes, George yawned as he slowly approached Mark. "Nothing yet?" he questioned wearily, wondering when this would be over.
Before Mark could respond, the screams stopped at last and the sound of a tiny, indignant wail reached the two men standing in the hall.
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"It's a girl!"
The midwife's words nearly caused Anne to begin crying again. A girl! She had sworn to Henry she would give him a son, succeeding where Katherine had failed him but even she'd failed. Her ladies maids helped her from the bed, changing her now sweat-soaked gown and hastily changing the sheets before helping her back to bed.
"Your daughter, madam," the elder woman told her, handing Anne the baby, now swaddled in a thick blanket.
With trembling hands, Anne gently took the baby and settled it into her arms. Murky brown eyes, already beginning to darken stared up at her curiously and Anne suddenly knew what it was like to love unconditionally. It no longer mattered that she'd given the king another daughter, albeit an illegitimate one, this was her daughter too. "She's beautiful," she gasped in awe, delicately tracing the tiny features with a finger.
"Aye, she is. A healthy little lass, if a little small," the midwife agreed, smiling happily at the new mother. Job done, she quietly summoned her apprentice and exited into the hall. "The lady has given birth to a baby girl," she told the two gentleman, who immediately broke into silly grins.
"May we see them?" George questioned, peering hesitantly behind the woman into the dim chambers of his sister.
"If the lady is up to it, I see no harm," the woman agreed, stepping aside with a slight curtsy as the two men made their way in.
Anne's hair was loose and flowing about her shoulders and when she glanced up from her baby girl to look at her brother, Mark swore she looked as serene and angelic as the Blessed Virgin must have when the Christ child was born. Creeping closer to the bed to get a look at his niece, George couldn't help but stare at the little girl in his sister's arms. A tiny shock of red hair peeked out from the blankets, marking her as the king's child regardless of his acceptance. "Oh, Anna-Maria, she's absolutely perfect. What will you call her?"
"I hadn't thought of that," Anne replied softly, returning her gaze to her daughter. She'd been so confident she would give the king a son, and had decided on naming him Henry for the king. Now, that was of little help. "I think I shall call her Elizabeth, for our mother and for the king's mother."
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More dreaded opening the letter from the Boleyn's, wondering if once again, the king's mistress was delivered of a boy. Katherine had been upset enough at the news of Anne's pregnancy, and he hated the idea of distressing the great woman further with news that once again Henry's mistress had succeeded where she'd failed. Breaking the seal, he opened the letter and began to read. A girl! He nearly laughed aloud at the absurdity. All this fuss with Henry trying to obtain a divorce in order to have a son and the woman had borne him another girl!
Thomas knew Henry loved his daughter but a king needed an heir, however, which made a son that much more important. Now, he still didn't have a legitimate son and even had he married Lady Anne, he'd have only ended up with another daughter. Shaking his head More couldn't help but laugh softly over how Henry had nearly turned the country on its head to try and marry that woman. He'd thought to get an heir from Anne, who as rumors said, had told him she would give him a son. How wrong she'd been. It was not up to her if she had a male child, but up to God. As he rose from his chair, a thought occurred to him. Who to tell first: Henry or Katherine? They would both find out about this, obviously, as nothing at court was kept secret for long.
Loyalty to the queen finally sent him heading towards the queen's chambers. One of her ladies let him in, announcing his presence with a curtsy. Approaching where Katherine sat regally, he bowed over her outstretched hand. "Your Majesty," he greeted politely, returning her smile.
"Sir Thomas," she replied with a gracious nod. "Please, sit. You have news, I trust?" She questioned as he made himself comfortable in a chair before her.
"I do indeed, Milady. It seems that the Lady Anne is delivered just last week of a girl child," he told her, noticing as she visibly braced herself at the mention of her former rival's name. "The babe is to be christened Elizabeth, for her mother and the king's."
Henry had nearly cast her and Mary to the side, only to be gifted with another girl. Mentally chastising herself for her uncharitable thoughts towards Anne, she nodded solemnly. "They are both well?"
"From what her brother wrote to me, yes. It would seem that both mother and child are well. The babe was reportedly a little small but healthy," he replied uneasily. How could this great woman calmly accept the news that she'd nearly been stripped of her title as queen and her daughter branded a bastard? Anne Boleyn would never have made it as queen, he decided. She was too prone to throwing fits when she didn't get what she wanted or something angered her. Katherine remained calm, full of grace and dignity, even going so far as to pray for the safe birth of Henry's bastard child.
"His Majesty is to be congratulated," she replied at last, coming out of a brief reverie. "Have you told him yet?"
"No, your Majesty, I have not," Thomas told her, still in awe over how well she seemed to be taking care of this. On the other hand, she'd taken the birth of Bessie Blount's bastard remarkably well too, until Henry had heaped titles on the young boy. Then she'd been furious, knowing that Henry was somehow trying to put his bastard ahead of her daughter. "If your Majesty will excuse me, I will seek the king out immediately."
"Of course, Sir Thomas," she agreed readily, smiling once again as he rose to leave. With another bow over her hand, he hastily left in search of the king.
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Luck was with him, as Henry was not entirely too difficult to find. The Duke and Duchess of Suffolk had brought their eldest son, named for the king, with them when Brandon's wife returned to court. Now, Henry was acting like a child again, happily playing with his daughter and nephew. "Your Majesties," he greeted, bowing when Henry acknowledged his presence. Mary smiled up at him as she curtsied and even the young little boy looked at him curiously.
"Ah, if it isn't Sir Thomas! How fare you this fine day?" Henry questioned after telling the children to play on without him. Noting the letter in his hand, the king gestured to it. "You bring news, I take it?"
"Yes, Majesty," he agreed, wondering briefly how to best break the news. Henry had sworn to acknowledge the child, regardless of its sex but now Thomas wasn't so sure. He'd been jubilant when Lady Blount gave birth to a healthy son, but that had been a boy. How would he take it to find out Anne had given him another girl?
"Well, what is it? Has the Lady Anne been delivered?" The king questioned, his voice low but impatient. He hadn't told Mary that she was going to be a sister, not knowing how to break it to his daughter that he'd once again betrayed her mother with Anne.
"Yes, Henry. The Lady Anne has been safely delivered of a healthy girl, who is to be christened Elizabeth for your mother and hers," Thomas finally told him, bracing himself for the king's reaction.
"A girl," he repeated, staring at Thomas in disbelief. "I nearly destroyed my kingdom for her only to have another girl?" Before his Lord Chancellor could say anything, Henry laughed heartily. "Can you imagine what would have happened had I married her?"