Revenge and Forgiveness
„The Emperor has suggested a splendid offer for your hand."
Princess Mary was sitting in a large, comfy chair trying to remain calm, but she hardly succeeded. Her cheeks were blushing more and more with every word he said.
"His Highness Don Luis is twenty-eight years old, from a very rich and distinguished family," Ambassador Tovar continued.
Curiously she looked at him. She was eager to hear more. "Go on."
"I am told he is a great favourite at the Imperial court."
Mary rose from her chair and paced a few steps. Then, shyly, she asked: "With… women?"
A smile appeared on Senor Tovar's face as if he could read her sweet thoughts. "With everyone. Because he is so honourable and gallant and good-natured."
This is too good to be true, isn't it, God? Oh Mother please tell me such a man can be real! Mary prayed in her thoughts. Her curiosity made her heart race.
"Is he, um, good-looking?" She dared to ask.
"Yes. I have seen him myself," Tovar assured her. "He is tall, with very dark hair, but piercing blue eyes. I am sure that your mother- God rest her soul- would have approved."
Mary sat down again, her chest flittering heavily above her beating heart. The Ambassador's words repeated themselves inside her head. Gallant. Favourite. Twenty-four. Rich family. Good-Natured. Piercing blue eyes. It sounded perfect. She looked at Tovar with big eyes, for a split-second regretting that it was not her old friend Chapuys speaking to her.
"And everyone at court is talking about you," Tovar added. "They say the Queen has persuaded His Majesty to finally invite acceptable suitors to meet them in the flesh. With Your Highness's permission, I would ask the King to invite Don Luis to England."
"Would he come?" Mary raised an eyebrow.
"Your Highness, Don Luis has heard much about your beauty and kind nature; he is aware that you are a true daughter of Katherine of Aragon and thus longs for an opportunity to meet you personally."
She struggled hard not to let her excitement show. "Very well," she nodded. "Tell him he may come, granted that the King gives his permission."
The Ambassador nodded and bowed to her before leaving her alone with her thoughts. It took her a few moments to calm her heart. Piercing blue eyes.
The Queen's lady had gathered her skirt to be able to walk faster through the hallways of the Palace. She was already late. Knowing that the Queen, like her husband the King, tended to have changing moods, and knowing that some of them could be bad, she feared being late. Her position in the royal household was everything Jane Parker had left- she could not risk to lose it.
"Lady Parker," a voice called her.
Jane chose to ignore the annoying courtiers who just wanted to put their petty problems before the Queen.
"Lady Parker, a word please," the voice insisted. Someone grabbed her arm.
"What?" She asked furiously.
The hands dragged her into a corner. After a brief moment of fear, Jane realized that she wasn't going to be killed now. It was just an usher standing in front of her.
"What do you want? Can you not see I'm hurried?"
He nodded. "Of course I can, I'm not blind. But this might be more important than whatever it is you're hurrying to."
"What?" Jane raised an eyebrow.
The man's eyes narrowed. He looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching or listening. "Would you like an opportunity to take revenge on your former husband?"
Jane gasped. Her first instinct was to run away- this man would probably suggest killing George, and no matter how much she hated her ex-husband for what he had done to her, she would not condemn her soul to hell for condoning murder!
"Tell me, Lady Parker, have you heard the latest rumours at court about the Queen?"
"Of course I have. Everyone has," she said. "And everyone knows they were false. The King has spoken to my Lord Suffolk and cleared his name."
"Yes, he does no longer suspect Suffolk," the man nodded. "But what if he were to suspect Ormonde now? Just imagine his rage…"
Jane frowned. "You are saying that my hus… that George Boleyn would visit his own sister's bedchambers?"
"I am not saying anything, my Lady; I am merely implying that some could think that way, and that it could not end well for the Duke of Ormonde."
She swallowed a bit of fear and nodded. It was easy to imagine how angry the King would be if he heard new talk of infidelity mixed with rumours of incestuous affairs. It was a grave sin. He would surely be disgusted and strip both Anne and George of everything he had ever given to them. The Queen that despised her and the husband that had left her would both be wiped out.
"And what would you ask of me?"
"I do not ask anything. But my master suggests that if you were to be questioned about the matter, you should tell them that you have often seen the Duke close to the Queen, and that you could very well imagine they had known each other carnally."
Jane pondered the proposal for a second before remembering that she had been late already. She pushed the man away and nodded.
"I shall consider it, but now I must go," she told him. "Bid your master a good day."
She gathered her skirts and began to run.
Thomas Boleyn narrowed his eyes as he eyeballed the Chancellor. His face made it plain that he was in no laughing mood.
"This is a most unedifying matter, Mister Secretary. These foul rumours could have damaged the Queen's reputation permanently or, even worse, endangered her position. It is intolerable."
Cromwell nodded, though he didn't think the rumours quite as bad as the Marquess. Still, he could agree with one thing the man had said: the rumours could have destroyed Anne Boleyn. But the King's love for his best friend had been stronger, and now he was furious to know who dared to speak about his wife and friend in such ways.
"I trust no expenses will be spared to track down the culprit?" Boleyn insisted.
"Of course not," Cromwell assured him. "His Majesty is very eager to know who would spread such lies about his beloved wife. He has given orders for every courtier to be thoroughly questioned in order to determine the origin of these rumours. I am to supervise these investigations."
"Good," Boleyn nodded. "Surely I can trust that you have not forgotten how much our family has fostered your fortunes and will thus act only in our best interests?"
There was a short but meaningful exchange of glances.
"Rest assured that I will never forget your family's protection and support. I am as anxious to find the culprit as you," Cromwell then said. "I am, after all, but His Majesty's most humble servant and wish not for any unpleasant events to befall his marriage."
Boleyn nodded. He wasn't entirely convinced of Cromwell's loyalty; in fact, he even thought it possible that the Chancellor himself had helped the rumours to spread. Boleyn was after all aware of the fact that he and Anne had quarrelled as of lately. But surely the man wasn't foolish enough to openly act against her?
"Then you had better not delay your investigations any further, Mister Secretary," Boleyn said.
"My Lord Wiltshire," the Chancellor bowed and passed him by.
Boleyn watched him go swearing to himself that if he ever found out that Cromwell had a doing in this affair, he would kill the man with his bare hands.
The girl's hands were trembling as she entered the room. Everything here was so grand and ample and luxurious; the splendour almost blinded her. It was just so unlike Lambeth.
"Ah, Mistress Howard," a female voice greeted her.
She sank into a curtsey and only rose when she was ordered to. The chubby woman in front of her smiled.
"Welcome, Mistress Howard. I am Margaret Sheldon, Her Majesty's principal lady-in-waiting, and this is my locum, Lady Jane Parker," the woman explained.
Kitty Howard looked at the two women and nodded. It was so terribly exciting to meet people who were this close to the crown!
"You will now meet Her Majesty and swear to serve her honourably and dutifully. Only speak when you are asked, curtsey deeply, and never ever turn your back on the Queen," Lady Sheldon instructed her. "You will be taught everything you need to know by Lady Parker afterwards."
Kitty nodded despite the fact that she still had no clue what to do if she ever met the Queen. Another woman, about twice Kitty's age, entered the room. She was a meek blonde whom Lady Sheldon announced to her as "Lady Seymour". Kitty greeted her with a courteous nod.
"Her Majesty, the Queen," Lady Seymour announced.
A rush of blood flooded Kitty's body. In panic, she looked to Lady Parker whose lips formed the silent word curtsey. Unable to think of anything else, Kitty sank into the deepest curtsey of her live. The steps entering the room synchronised with her drumming heartbeat. She could only see the hem of the Queen's dress, but it was made from the prettiest fabric she had ever seen.
"Rise," a warm, dark voice said.
Still trembling all over, Kitty rose to her feet and looked at the woman in front of her. So this was the famous Queen Anne. A shiver ran down Kitty's spine as she became aware that the Queen really deserved the awe-struck talk that was spread about her. True, she was no classical beauty- her skin was too dark for that, as was her hair, and both her clothes and appearance seemed French rather than English. But she was without a doubt the most fascinating woman Kitty had ever seen. There was something ravishing, something mysterious, something powerful about her that made Kitty's skin prick.
"Katherine Howard," the Queen said her name and stepped forward to touch her chin.
"Majesty," Kitty did her best not to stutter.
"I have heard you were a cousin of mine through my beloved mother. Is that so?"
The urge to throw up appeared in her stomach, but Kitty fought it down. Instead, she nodded and said: "Yes, Your Majesty. She was my father's sister."
"And you lived with his stepmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, at Lambeth, I've heard?"
"Yes."
A smile appeared on the Queen's face. "But the Duke of Ormonde has decided that it was no decent place for a lady of your lineage. He asked me to take you in as one of my maids," she told Kitty. "He is my brother, did you know?"
Kitty shook her head. Now the Queen smiled even more, almost smirking.
"How old are you, Katherine?"
"Almost fourteen, I believe."
The Queen touched Kitty's soft, light hair. "Fourteen. Not too young to come to court. Very well, you can join my household. Madge," she turned to her principal lady-in-waiting. "Read her the oath."
Her eyes open wide, Kitty listened to the words Lady Sheldon was proclaiming. They spoke of virtuous behaviour and always acting according to Her Majesty's interests and pledging absolute allegiance to her. Kitty did not understand all of it, but what she got was that this wasn't a joke or a game; it was very serious. And it was perhaps the best fortune she could have ever dreamt of. It was her once-in-a-lifetime chance. She would have sworn to almost anything for it, so when the time came, she knelt before the Queen and swore to always be loyal to her. She received a generous smile in return.
"I trust you will take good care of her, Lady Parker," the Queen said.
Jane Parker nodded and made a small gesture indicating that Kitty should follow her.
"I bid you a good day, Your Majesty," Kitty hastened to say before following her tutor.
Queen Anne watched the young girl as she passed her by, thinking that maybe one day, her little Elizabeth would perhaps look much like Kitty Howard. She smiled at the thought.
"You naughty boy!" Blanche caught the stumbling Prince and held him close. "How oft have I told you not take your brother's toys away?"
"Let me go!" Prince Harry insisted.
"No, you were a naughty boy, you must be punished," Blanche said sternly and began to tickle him.
His bell-like laughter sounded through the entire room and infected her, too. She loved the charming boy and could never resist his laughter. They rolled over the floor gleefully until Blanche noticed someone in the corner of her eye. She stopped surprised. When she realised just who had entered the room, her eyes grew even wider.
The two men looked at the strange sight of a young woman cuddling the Crown Prince as if he was just a common boy. For a moment, Henry had wanted to object to it, but he had resisted the urge. His son deserved some normality, he found, and at the same time he remembered how wonderful his childhood with his mother and sisters had been. The girl on the floor somehow reminded him of them.
"Mistress Blanche," he said graciously.
Blanche rose in a hurry and patted off the dust from her dress. She blushed. The King turned to his best friend smirking.
"So this is her?"
"This is her," Brandon nodded.
"You've told him?" Blanche interjected in shock.
The King laughed heartily. "She is certainly quite daring. Come here, Mistress Blanche, let me look at you."
She obeyed him, but her eyes searched that of her lover. What was all of this about?
"Well, she is… Welsh indeed," the King finally said, causing both men to laugh.
Blanche still didn't understand any of it, but she noticed the little Prince standing next to her and the King. He looked at his father with big blue eyes.
"Papa?" He said in a heart-warming voice.
The King turned to his son, only now realising that he was here too, and his eyes filled with joy. "My boy," he exclaimed and grabbed the child. He pulled him up and threw him into the air. "My precious boy."
"Papa!" The boy squeaked.
Smiling, the Duke of Suffolk came to Blanche's side and put an arm around her.
"I had to tell him, I will explain it to you later," he whispered in her ear. "He asked to see you, and I think he approves."
Blanche nodded watching the young Prince speaking eagerly of his daily life. She smiled.
"And I have been to the woods yesterday with Master Dormer and some servants, and we've seen a deer", Harry told his father.
The King smiled. "Did you catch it?"
"No, it was too fast," the boy said sorrowfully.
"Don't worry, my son, one day you'll be strong and fast enough to hunt it down. You will be the envy of the entire country, no, the envy of Europe," the King assured him. "You will bring about a golden age."
"Will I?" The child frowned.
"Of course you will. You are my son."
Now Harry smiled and clutched to his father. "My papa…"
The King patted his son's head and looked at his best friend standing next to his son's governess. It was a sweet, a perfect moment. He wondered how many of these Blanche experienced every day and how many he had already missed. She probably knew more about his own children than he did. For a moment, he was jealous of Blanche and the other servants at Hatfield, but of course he knew it was only in his children's best interest. They would not be safe at Hampton Court. But perhaps he could see them more often.
"What do you say, Harry, that we take your brother and sister and go see your mama?"
The child looked at him with awe. "Really?"
"I am the King, my word is the law. If I say we're going to see her, then we will. But only if you want to."
"Yes!" The child laughed. "Let me down! I'll go get Will!"
Henry put him down and watched as the four year old dashed away gleefully knowing that he'd made the right choice.
Kitty Howard was sitting on a comfy chair silently stitching a handkerchief. She had never been particularly adept at needlework since she thought it boring and dull. In fact, she had even been under the vain hope that at court, such fatigable chores wouldn't exist. She had been mistaken.
But some of her other assumptions had turned out to be true: the English court was indeed the most magnificent and splendid place in the entire world- and the most intriguing. There was just so much going on, so many threads of friendship, hate and interests being woven and intertwined at any given moment… Kitty knew she didn't understand even half of it, but one day, she would. Lucky for her, the lady who had been assigned as her tutor was quite patient and friendly.
"So, Mistress Howard," Jane Parker cleared her throat.
"Yes?" Kitty smiled and looked up.
There was a strange expression on the other woman's face that Kitty was unable to read. She frowned, waiting for what Lady Parker had to say.
"So the Duke of Ormonde has brought you to court?" Jane Parker finally asked.
Kitty nodded eagerly. "Yes. He was at the Dowager Duchess's house at Lambeth and told me to come with him."
"What was he doing in Lambeth?"
Kitty opened her eyes wide. "That I do not know."
"Haven't you asked him?" Jane insisted.
"No, there was no time for it," Kitty admitted. "But my friend Joan, who now serves in the Duke's household, told me that he mentioned our family relationship. Maybe he wanted to honour his mother's family this way?"
"His mother's brother was an arch-traitor," Lady Parker replied stiffly.
It was like the stitch of a needle to Kitty's heart. "I know, but my father is not. He is a good man… I am told."
Jane raised an eyebrow. "You've never met him?"
"I have, but I have little recollection of these moments. He is a soldier, you see?" Kitty explained. "They've appointed him Controller of Calais after the birth of Prince William."
There was a slight alteration in the other woman's face, something that Kitty identified as pity. She wondered why Lady Parker was interested in all of this, but perhaps she was just opting for some nice conversation?
"And after he'd learned of you, the Duke just… picked you up?"
"Yes. He said that Lambeth was no good place for a young lady," Kitty repeated his words. "It is very considerate, don't you think?"
"I beg your pardon?" Lady Parker seemed to be far away in thoughts.
"It's very considerate of the Duke to care for my well-being, don't you think? And he even agreed to take my best friend into his house, even though she has no aristocratic origin. The Duke is very generous and kind."
Lady Parker made a contemptuous sound that caused Kitty to frown.
"What is it, Lady Parker? Are you unwell?"
"No," Jane Parker shook her head. Her usual sour face had turned into sadness. The girl's words were running through her head. Very generous and kind, she thought derisively, George of all men! Yes, he has been kind to this girl, but has he ever been kind to me?
She swallowed her hatred for a moment and looked into the large, innocent eyes of the young girl. Kitty had good reasons to like George Boleyn, just as many as Jane had to hate him. She wanted to see him humiliated, crawling in the dust before her to ask her forgiveness. She wanted to see him hurt just the way he had hurt her.
Would you like an opportunity to take revenge on your former husband? Jane shivered as those words entered her mind again. It was so easy. When they came, she would tell them everything, she would incriminate both the Queen and her loveless brother. The King would avenge her then. Perhaps she would even see George's head roll…
"Lady Jane?" Kitty smiled worried. "Are you unwell?"
The soft, childish voice pulled Jane back into the real world. Heaven on Earth, what am I thinking? For all he has done wrong, he still has good sides… at least enough for him not to be worthy of death. No, Jane, don't go so low and wish death upon someone, it is a deadly sin. What he has done to me was unjust and cruel, but it cannot be undone by more injustice, can it?
"Do you think, Mistress Howard, that two wrongs make a one right?" She asked, lost in her own thoughts.
"I… what?" Kitty frowned and let down her needlework. "What do you mean?"
"If I hurt you, and you would hurt me back, would we be even then?" Jane explained.
Kitty withdrew a little, but as soon as she realised it was just a question, a game of the mind, she thought about it. Then she nodded. "I guess we would be even," she agreed. "But both of us would be hurt and neither would be happy, I suppose."
Jane nodded slowly. "I had thought so."
George will crawl before me and beg my forgiveness. But not this way. I will not make him suffer; I will prove to him that I am better than that, that he was a fool to discard me so easily. He will regret it.
"Thank you, Mistress Howard," Jane said. And for once, she smiled.
"What news of your investigations?" The King of England asked impatiently.
"Majesty, we are currently questioning every man and woman at court as to where they have first encountered the rumours. This way, we may be able to trace them back to the person who spread them. But as you surely know, there are many people at court…" Cromwell explained quickly.
The King's face turned sour. "So you have nothing."
"Not as of yet," Cromwell admitted.
Angrily, the King pushed himself away from his table and paced towards the astrological model that he sometimes liked to stare at. He leant against the wall and inhaled deeply.
"I want this matter solved," he said sternly. "This is of grave importance to me, do you understand?"
"Certainly, Your Majesty."
Henry turned around and looked at his Chancellor, suppressing the urge to call him a useless imbecile and other things. In the back of his mind he knew that Cromwell was right- it took some time to question everyone at court. But he wanted the matter to be finished. He wanted it done with. It annoyed him and angered him at the same time. And besides, he felt that he owed it to Anne to clear her name. She had struggled so hard to win the English people over. If he now allowed such vile rumours to destroy everything his wife had fought for, what kind of husband would that make him?
"Well, then, what else are you here for?" Henry asked.
"There was a letter delivered to you from France," Cromwell said calmly.
Henry moaned. "What does Francis want?"
"It is not from the King." Cromwell carefully placed the letter on the King's table. "Henry Howard has sent it to you."
The King's right eyebrow rose high. Henry Howard. He hadn't heard the name in years. It made him shiver a bit. Slowly he walked towards the table and picked up the paper. He unfolded the letter and began to read it.
To His Most Gracious Majesty, King Henry the Eighth of England, Ireland an France, Defender of the Faith,
I apologise for any inconvenience this letter may cause Your Majesty and am willing to accept any punishment that you choose to put on me. However I still humbly beg to be allowed back to England's shores, if only for a while, to see my beloved mother. My sister tells me our mother is very ill and likely to die. I should like to be with her in these hours of need.
Also I consider it my duty to inform Your Majesty that I will be coming of age by June and am willing to serve Your Majesty in the field, if it pleases you.
Your most humble servant and godson, Henry Howard
Anger and love mingled in Henry's face. Of course only hearing the boy's name reminded him of the boy's father, the treacherous Thomas Howard, the man who had killed his second son with Anne. It made his blood boil to only think of the man. But on the other hand, Hal Howard had been a key witness against his father. The boy had never proved himself to be anything but loyal and dutiful. He had been to France for the past three years and Henry had almost forgotten about him. But indeed, Hal was his godson. He was innocent. He was obedient.
"We shall give the Marquess an answer," Henry told his Chancellor. "Tell him that he is free to come and go as he pleases since there has never been even a shadow of doubt about his loyalties. He may visit his ill mother for whose recovery I will have prayers said. And make sure to inform him that he is to come to court as soon as his mother's health allows for it."
Cromwell nodded. "Majesty."
"That will be all," the King said, but before Cromwell could leave the room, another thought flooded his mind. "Oh, there is something else. I understand you have a wife and son."
"Yes," Cromwell said smiling honestly.
"What's your son's name?" The King asked in an almost playful manner.
"Gregory," Cromwell replied, and more reluctantly he added: "I had two daughters also but… uhm… but they died."
The King's face turned into a distortion for a moment. If there was one thing he could relate to, it certainly was seeing your beloved children die before they could even reach maturity. He put a hand on his Chancellor's shoulders.
"You will bring your wife and son to court. I should like to meet them," he said gently.
"Yes, Majesty." Cromwell bowed and turned around, this time leaving for good.
Queen Anne skimmed the latest designs that Master Hohlbein had handed in. They were – as usual – beautiful and magnificent beyond imagination. The man was true genius.
"Look at this, I really like it," her sister Mary said joyfully and handed her a parchment.
Anne nodded. "Yes, we definitely need this one. I will make sure it is prepared first thing."
The two women looked at each other and smiled. Once again they felt as if they were young girls sitting in their home of Hever castle and reading each other dark stories of the North. A cry from a corner of the room interrupted their tranquillity. Mary quickly rose and went over to separate two little children.
"Annie, don't do that," she scolded her infant daughter. "You must be nice to your cousin Will." With these words, she returned the stuffed horse to her young nephew.
"Why?" Prince Harry interjected. He had appeared next to her out of nowhere, it seemed.
"Well, because you must always be kind to others, Your Highness," Mary explained. "You may be set above most people, but God still asks you to treat them kindly and justly. You cannot just steal away their toys."
"But I'm the Prince of Wales!" Harry.
"Don't be so proud, Harry, it does not become you. Come here," the Queen called her son.
Dutifully, the boy trudged over to her and crawled onto her lap. He looked at his mother with big eyes.
"Now, Harry, your aunt is right. You must be a gentle man if you wish to be a great king one day. And the same is true for your brother and your cousin. You are all very important. People will look to you," Anne tried to explain.
Her son leant forward and grabbed a piece of parchment, obviously having lost his interest in the topic. "What is this?"
"These are designs, darling."
"What for?"
Mary returned to the table and sat down smiling. "For the great feast," she said.
"There will be a feast?" Harry happily clapped his hands.
"Yes, my darling, we will have a very important guest- the Crown Prince of Portugal is coming to England," Anne said and kissed her sons light hair. "He will ask for your sister's hand in marriage."
Harry turned around in shock. "What? No, he can't take Mary away. I won't allow it!"
Both his mother and aunt laughed heartily. Anne kissed his forehead. "Do not worry, my dear, Mary will always love you as her brother, no matter if she is here or not."
"I don't want her to go," the boy whined.
"It is a sad truth of life, Your Highness, that not even princes can always get what they want," Mary Boleyn suddenly said. He looked at her as if she had said something incredible. Mary smiled. "But it is also a great truth that in the end, family is always family. They will stick together no matter what. They are the people that you can trust with your life."
Mary exchanged glances with her sister, both of them smiling.
"Your aunt is right, Harry. Always be good to your family and they will be good to you," Anne added. "One day, when you are King, you will need their help and support."
Harry looked at her before turning his head towards the two children playing silently in the corner and the sleeping baby in her cradle. He frowned and scratched his head as if he thought: Heck, how am I supposed to run a country with these stupid children as my only help? It was so sweet and innocent that his mother and aunt couldn't hold back their laughter anymore. And even though Harry didn't know why, he joined in their laughter.
"I am sick and tired of country life," the younger brother said.
His elder brother frowned. "Well so am I, but restrain your temper, brother. Time is working in our favour. With God's will, we'll soon receive positions at court and can begin our rise."
"How so?"
Edward, the elder, sighed deeply. Sometimes he hated being the only sane person in his family. His sisters were kind, but mostly weak and uneducated, and his only brother was a hot-headed fool. Sure, they were his family. But on the other hand, had not his own father showed him in perfect detail just how much "family" was worth by sleeping with his wife? Edward swallowed the thought.
"Our sisters are in the Queen's household now. They will secure positions for us," he explained calmly. "God willing, one of them might even become the King's mistress."
The younger brother, Thomas, tilted his chair. "Nah, I don't think so. Rumour has it that he's been mostly faithful to his new wife."
"That too fades away. Soon he will seek some distraction, some temporary excitement."
"Why are you convinced that he would choose our sisters, not someone else?"
Edward sighed again. "Because, Thomas, I have already given instructions to our sisters how to act accordingly. They are to put themselves in his way whenever the chance arises."
"Cunning," Thomas whistled.
"Personally I believe that Elizabeth is the more promising since she is more beautiful and charming. On the other hand, Jane might just be enough of a contrast to the Queen to ensnare the King," Edward reasoned. "In any case, I have instructed them both so that they are prepared."
A little sourly, Thomas said: "I hope you are right."
Edward turned away. He knew exactly why his brother was mad at him: he had implied that their sister Jane was not very beautiful and rather plain. Thomas and Jane had always been very close; of course he would be mad hearing someone speak about her like that. On the other hand, he didn't have the guts to say so. He was just a weak imbecile like the rest of them. It was such a pity.
But, being the sober man that he was, Edward didn't try to change what was unalterable. He had to make the best of the hand he had been dealt and was willing to raise. His siblings might be nothing but pawns in a game of chess, but he was the playing mastermind. No matter what people thought of him personally (and he knew many didn't like him), all of them had to admit that he was clever and adroit and talented. Politics was his destiny, he knew it. Using his sisters to get there seemed a good and logical choice- others were even willing to murder for their career!
"I guess we should have a drink then," Thomas interrupted his thoughts.
Edward agreed, albeit annoyed. "Fine." He cared little for the pleasures of the senses, let alone for any substance that would put a dark fog around his reason.
His brother handed him a cup of ale and toasted. "To our family."
Sternly, Edward agreed: "Yes. To the Seymours."
"They Seymours are an old and interesting family," Thomas Boleyn told his daughter what he knew about them. "Sir John fought beside the King during his French campaign. He also has two sons, Edward and Thomas. I hear the first is steady and cold, the other rash. But both are ambitious and greedy."
Anne didn't even bat an eyelash as they wandered through the gardens of Hampton Court. She had asked her father to make inquiries about the Seymours because something about her new maids struck her as odd. She couldn't put a finger on it, but something was strange about their whole behaviour. Anne feared they might have been bought to poison her when the time came, or to take the King's love away from her. True, they were related to her by blood… but Thomas Howard, too, had been her uncle. No matter what she and Mary had told her young son, family wasn't always a guarantee for safety. Sometimes it was those closest to you that brought you down.
"Though they have all taken the oath, what is not yet known is how honestly and completely they have renounced the old religion," her father continued. "It is something we must hope, before long, to discover."
"And if we can?" Anne asked.
"Then the tide of their ambitions can be turned and will ebb away… and we shall hear no more of them."
Anne smiled. "Good, then do your research. And do not neglect Elizabeth and Jane. They may be pawns in a game, but as you well know, even a pawn can become a queen if it crosses a certain line."
Her father's eyes narrowed. "Of course I am well aware of that. Keep an eye on them as I go about my business," he said sternly. "Believe me, sweetheart, you have nothing to be afraid of."
The Queen nodded satisfied and tried to smile, but deep down inside her, she was afraid still. She straightened her back as she passed through a carved out hedge and entered the feast.
The gardens of Hampton Court were lavishly decorated in golden colours. A huge banquet had been set up and now presented the most precious and expensive foods the English kitchen had to offer. In the middle of the great meadow, a wooden dance floor had been erected and waited for the first people to swirl over it. And there were lots and lots of sports about: A cock-fighting pit, an archery ground, wooden swords, and even a real tennis court. Nobody in all of Christendom, given that he enjoyed some things in life, would have had to complain that he found no amusement here. It was a wonderful feast.
"Your Majesties," people greeted the King and Queen as they passed them by, followed by the beautiful young Princess Mary carrying her half-sister and goddaughter Elizabeth. It was a very rare occasion to have the royal children at court and seeing them officially. People were curious to see how the King's sons had grown and whether they would make fine kings themselves. They were also eager to find out about the new Princess that barely anyone had ever laid eyes upon, and they found her to look much like her father with her beautiful reddish hair.
"Ambassador de Tovar," the King greeted the Spanish envoy. "And Count Francisco of Vimioso. We are pleased to welcome you in our realm. May I present my beautiful wife, Queen Anne?"
Both the Spaniard and the Portuguese bowed deeply before the royal couple.
"And please, Count, meet my eldest daughter, the Princess Royal," the King went on. "Mary, do come forward."
The young blushing princess curtseyed before their noble guest and smiled brightly. It was now that the Portuguese envoy realised all rumours about her were more than true. She was a beauty indeed as well as modest and humble. A true heir of Catherine of Aragon.
"Princess Mary, I am very delighted to make your acquaintance. Please allow me to introduce you to my master, His Highness Don Luis of Aviz-Beja, Duke of Beja."
Mary's heart began beating like a drum as the people in front of her made way for the guest they had all been waiting for. They formed a small alley to let the young Infante pass. When he finally stood before her, Mary couldn't believe her eyes: Tovar had not exaggerated. Don Luis, heir to the Portuguese crown, was indeed a handsome young man, a mixture between strapping knight and charming dance genius. And he did have those piercing blue eyes…
"Your Highness, I am immeasurably happy to welcome you to my father's realm, which I hope you will find to your pleasure and disport," she found herself saying.
He smiled an incredibly charming smile. "I am equally delighted to be presented to Your Highness and see no objections why I should not come to love your country. It is a most beautiful place full of wonders."
The King smiled and began to clap, and soon the rest of the assembled court would join him in his applause.
"We shall leave you to talk in private, Your Highnesses," he announced and smiled at his daughter. "Mary, would you please be a kind hostess and show our guest around?"
His daughter nodded and shyly took the arm the Portuguese Infante had offered her. Satisfied, the King watched them stroll down towards the archery ground.
"Could he make her happy? What do you think?" He whispered to his wife.
Anne frowned and eyeballed the Infante, a man just about her own age. "I am not sure, but time will tell," she whispered back. "Let us enjoy the feast."
He kissed her forehead. "Indeed, sweetheart, it is a wonderful feast that you have planned. I would not miss it," he said. "And where is this young cousin of yours that you've told me about?"
"Who? Katherine?" Anne raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Katherine Howard. I should like to meet her."
"Why?" Anne grew even more suspicious.
The King held her hand tighter. "She's your cousin, and she's a Howard. I must make up my mind about her family," he explained. "Hal Howard has written to me. He's returning from France to take care of his dying mother. I must now consider my treatment of his family. That is why I should like to meet the girl and see if there are more decent Howard people aside from my godson."
Anne smiled relieved. "Certainly. Come, my love, I shall introduce you to her. But be aware that she is quite young and rather shy."
"Do not trouble yourself with that, my sweetheart, you know I am a natural with women," he teased her, causing her to look a bit sourly. Henry chased away that sourness with a loving kiss before following her over to the dance floor.
"May I be excused, Your Majesty?"
Queen Anne turned around. She had just presented her cousin to the King and was curious to see how he would react. Just why exactly did someone consider this to be a good time to disturb her? And of all people, it had to be Jane Parker. Anne moaned. She had kept the boring woman for George's sake, but personally she had no attachments to Jane whatsoever. She pitied her to some extent, but then again she thought Jane had brought her fate upon herself by being constantly miserable and whining.
"What is it?" She hissed.
Jane flinched. "Majesty, I just asked if I could be excused for a moment."
"Yes, yes, off with you," Anne said and turned around again. There, she had already missed parts of the conversation between the King and Katherine Howard!
Jane Parker hushed away like a beaten dog. She knew her timing hadn't been perfect, but why did the Queen only treat her so roughly? For a moment she had second thoughts about what she was going to do now, but she drove them away. It was the right choice, no matter how cruelly the Queen treated her. She too would soon realise just how wrong she had been.
When her eyes had detected the object of her desires, Jane approached the man and curtseyed. "Master Cromwell," she said.
"Yes, Lady Parker, what can I do for you?" It was his usual, non-committal way of speaking.
"I must speak to you urgently," she insisted. "It concerns the vile slander against the Queen and my Lord Suffolk."
Cromwell's eyes darkened all of a sudden. He grabbed her arm and dragged her into a quieter corner. There, he eyeballed her for a moment before saying: "Out with it."
Jane flinched for a second. "Some days ago, a man approached me asking whether I wanted… to take revenge on my Lord Ormonde for discarding me," she explained in a trembling voice. "If I wanted to, he told me to imply that the Duke had known his own sister, the Queen, carnally."
Cromwell's eyes widened. It was a rare moment of surprise even for him. "Unimaginable."
"At the time I was mad at the Duke, so I told him I would consider it. But now I think it would be unjust to do so. Instead, I wish to turn in those people who threaten peace at court," Jane said sternly.
"Then you know who is behind all of this?"
She nodded shyly. "I didn't know at first who this man was working for, but I have discovered whose letter of praise got him his position."
Cromwell raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand: What is in it for you, Lady Parker?"
"That is an easy answer," she said smiling. "I am utterly abandoned now, Mister Secretary, but I will no longer be once everyone knows that I have discovered the vile slanderers. So if you want to hear a name from me, you must promise me that you will tell His Majesty and everyone else that my efforts led to their conviction."
The Chancellor's eyebrow rose even higher. He certainly hadn't expected that, but it was a most welcome surprise. He nodded.
"I promise I will not leave out a single chance to underline your efforts."
"Good," Jane smiled triumphantly. "In that case I can tell you whose letter brought that man to court."
"Well?" Cromwell began getting nervous.
A flicker of power ran through Jane's eyes. "It was… the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk."
Author's Note: Whoa, who would have guessed that? ;) Did I ever mention Cromwell was one of my favourite characters on the show? I think James Frain has amazing mimics. Can't kill off someone like him that easily. Sorry, folks!
