Author's Note: Welcome back to King Arthur II! I need to, once again, apologize for the horrible delay. Writing has been the last thing on my mind this past month, but now I'm on break and I can (hopefully!) get at least two updates to you guys. Well, this story has been going on for nearly a year, and I cannot believe it! A huge thanks to all of my reviewers/favoriters/alerters/readers, I really didn't expect this story to become such a hit! You've flattered me and made me feel very successful and I cannot thank you all enough. Anyway… this chapter is the opening to the final plot arc of this story- Jane Seymour. This final arc is very Anne/Henry centric, but Katherine and Arthur will be featured. Please also note the time jump at the beginning of the chapter.

Disclaimer: This is a work of AU fanfiction. All historical liberties are taken with full knowledge of real events, and are taken only for the purposes of this story. All recognizable characters are the property of Showtime and history. I don't own history; I just mess around with it ;]

Without further ado- Chapter Thirty Six of King Arthur II! Please don't forget to review :)

Hampton Court

April 8, 1529

"How far along are you?" Elizabeth of York questioned her youngest daughter-in-law as they walked in the gardens of Hampton Court, the smell of freshly cut flowers filling her nose and the sounds her laughing and joyous grandchildren filling her ears. "By the looks of you, I cannot say more than four months," she added in an afterthought, staring at Anne's belly. It seemed to Elizabeth that every time she spoke to Anne; she was in the midst of trying to get pregnant or thinking that she was.

"Five. And it's never made me so tired before. Henry thinks it's because it's another boy, but yet again, I never have a feel for it. Katherine thinks it's a girl, because of the cravings I've been having, but I just never know," Anne explained, placing another hand over her stomach, waiting for the baby to kick. She enjoyed being pregnant, mostly because when she was with child, Henry was far more attentive to her and the children, and was less likely to go for long hunting trips with Brandon. But when she was with Lisbeth and Edward, she never felt this worn-down, and now often took midday naps.

Luckily, she had a very patient husband, and despite his impatient nature, he was very patient and protective of her and their child- more often than not, he encouraged her to take more rest and to stay away from the rich dishes of their court when she was feeling unwell. He even went out of his way to buy out of season fruits, whichever ones she happened to be craving at the time. And when she was unable to go down the nursery on certain days, he brought the children to her, and they began to spend more time as a family.

On this day, she had encouraged him to go hunting, since it was the first nice day they had in a while. And while she loved his attention, she didn't have the heart to admit that on some days, she just wanted her space. Later, like he always done since they gotten married five years ago, he would come to have supper with her, but for now she was content with talking to Elizabeth and having the children amuse themselves outside under the watchful eyes of their governesses.

"Harry ALWAYS thinks it's a boy," Elizabeth joked, and they both laughed, even though it still made Elizabeth a bit uncomfortable, and angry, to think about her son's attitude towards having daughters. She knew that two years ago, Anne wouldn't have laughed, and neither would she.

"He considers himself an optimist, I suppose. I'm just happy we have Edward; I couldn't have taken the pressure for another two years. How did you deal with it?" Anne asked. The older woman hardly talked about her days as Queen, while she was married to the miserly and cold Henry VII, who didn't even view Henry's sisters as anything more than burdens. Anne could imagine why she wouldn't like to relive those horrible days, but that didn't stop her from becoming curious.

"Well I was fortunate enough to always be with child, so my Henry usually was just confined to praying for a son, and another, and another. And I was lucky enough to have Arthur as my first born," Elizabeth explained. She knew that Anne was curious, but she didn't like to think about her days as Queen. Unlike Katherine's, they weren't the most pleasant days of her life, and much preferred her time as Dowager Queen, where she had a considerable amount of influence, compared to before. If she lived to see Henry be crowned, she knew that whatever she wanted she would get- even if she was never ambitious or demanding.

"Is there anything I can do about the fatigue? Some mornings I don't even want to get out of bed. Today I feel much more energetic, and I'm hoping it's because of the sunshine, but I can never be sure. Even during the winter there was sun, it was just too cold to stay outside. I never felt like this, and it's so hard to focus on my children, on my life even," Anne explained. She didn't know if she could stand four more months of her constant tiredness, and she knew that she got bigger, that it would get worse until she would have to go into early confinement- unless Elizabeth had a remedy.

"Just continue to rest, my dear. Don't overexert yourself, and while exercise is good for the child, too much of it can be a problem. Walking like we are now is good, in moderation. Rest and an optimistic and worry-free disposition, along with a wholesome diet, will make this easier for you," Elizabeth advised. Anne had a relativity easy time with childbirth up until this point, and while Elizabeth knew it could be difficult, she would be much better off just taking each month a day at a time and taking care of herself. The life that her son and his wife led was an intense one, with little rest, and she was sure Anne was impatient to get back to that, but her child was more important.

"Thank you mother," Anne said, continuing to walk with her hand over her belly, ignoring the discomfort she felt as the child moved.

"Hal looks very morose today. He isn't playing with the other children," Elizabeth observed after a few moments of comfortable silence had passed. She hoped that Hal wasn't feeling left out because of the younger children who required more attention, but she knew it was only natural that he would feel that way. Edward Brandon was the only other child close to Hal in age; but Elizabeth knew it was more than that. All of the other children living at Hampton could claim legitimacy. And although Hal was only eight years old, Henry had told her once before that because of slip of his now ex-governess, Hal knew of his bastard status.

Anne was very good with him, Elizabeth knew that, but yet she knew that it had to be difficult for Hal- having been raised by a woman who was not his 'real' mother and having to adjust to have two younger siblings who were shown more respect and given more things than him. All of the children shared a nursery, but in only a matter of years, their difference in statuses would become painfully clear to Hal, and she could only guess that some of the attendants didn't treat him with the same kind of deference as Lisbeth and Edward- even Mary and Brandon's children were probably treated with a bit more reverence than Hal was, despite Henry's firm insistence that Hal was to be treated as if he was his legitimate son. But with Edward being born and growing up, Hal probably no longer knew where he stood.

"I should go and talk to him," Anne announced after glancing over at the boy she had come to love as her son, noticing his indifference towards the game his siblings and cousins were playing. She knew that she had neglected Hal far more than she had in the past, before she had children of her own. Hal was still her son, but she didn't feel the same bond with him as Lisbeth and Edward, and given that they were younger and needed more attention, she didn't spend as much time with Hal as she used to. She never explained to Hal why, and knowing children (and Hal's own rocky beginning with the idea of having Lisbeth as a sibling) he had probably come up with a few unpleasant and lonely conclusions- none of which being true.

Elizabeth simply nodded and gave a smile in agreement, before walking over to Lisbeth and Edward and giving them both hugs and receiving their sloppy kisses. She couldn't believe that for a few brief, terrifying years, Henry was going to be entering the church instead of marrying and having children. Elizabeth couldn't imagine her life without her three grandchildren given to her by Henry-while she loved all of her others, and mourned dearly for the loss of Arthur's Mary, Henry had always been her favorite child and she felt just a slightly deeper connection towards his children.

"Hal," Anne greeted her stepson kindly and gently, not wanting to disturb him. His mind appeared to be wandering into a distant place, and she knew right away that something was amiss about the boy she had come to love as her own. "Why aren't you playing with the other children?" she asked, hoping that she would get some kind of response.

"I didn't feel like it today, that's all," Hal brushed off, not even looking into Anne's eyes.

"Let's sit down and talk, okay? We haven't gotten to in a while," Anne offered, motioning towards the bench. Hal seemed to be admiring the garden- which Anne had to admit was distracting, since it was so intricately designed- but he didn't even once look at her with the admiration and adoration she had grown used to receiving from all of her children. He looked more hurt and detached, not feelings an eight year old boy should have been having. Immediately, Anne felt guilt rise in her stomach. Her child kicked in response, and she shifted to hide and squash her discomfort, and for the first time, she was slightly glad that Hal wasn't paying attention to her, but she flattened that thought.

"Hal, darling, what's wrong?" Anne inquired after a few more moments of silence, after it had become clear that he was not in a mood to talk freely. She couldn't even pinpoint an exact date that Hal had begun to act so aloof, but thinking back, she knew it had been going on for a while.

First, his governess declared he was a bastard, while Henry had wanted to wait. The cold stares towards Edward when he was brought to the nursery, after they had announced him as the Earl of Kendal, were not lost on either Henry or Anne, but they chose to ignore it. He never came to visit them, and when his governess brought him down to see his parents; he didn't speak as much as he did when he first came to live with them at Hampton. It had been this way since Edward was born, and Anne felt terrible for not acknowledging it sooner. If she were Hal, she would feel lonely too.

"Why do you care? You have Edward to worry about now. You and father should be making sure that he doesn't slip and break a bone, not wasting your time talking to me. He is, after all, your only male heir," Hal replied, finally looking up at Anne, his eyes full of pain. He tried really hard to be nice to baby Edward when he first came to live in the nursery, but it was so difficult to when he was being pushed to the back and ignored. He knew what he was now, even though he was only eight, he knew that his REAL mother was dead and that the Duchess of York was forced to treat him like a natural born son when his mother died because his father commanded it. Not because she ever cared about him, or for his welfare. Because she felt sorry for him. Because she didn't want her husband to be angry at her.

He felt like such a fool for falling for her act and for falling for his father's apparent care for him, to treat him like the rest of his siblings. As soon as Lisbeth and Edward came, it was clear who the favorite was, and it certainly wasn't him. Lisbeth was going to become a Princess of England someday, once his Uncle Arthur passed on the crown to his father, and Edward was going to become the Prince of Wales and the next heir apparent to the throne. They were both going to have royal marriages arranged for them, they were both going to have large households of their own once they got old enough, they were both going to sit at the head of tables at important events, and they were both going to be given everything money could be. They were going to be acknowledged by the people as the future of England.

And no matter if his father was King or just the Duke of York, he was still going to be his bastard, and people weren't going to treat him the same as they did his siblings. And the woman he had come to know as mother would never love him as much as she loved her REAL children.

"What? You know I love you. Your father and I both love you just as much as we love Lisbeth and Edward. I thought you knew that," Anne replied, stunned and hurt. She knew that he was feeling left out, but the question their love for him? It chilled her to the bone, and once again, the child in her womb kicked in response, and she clutched her stomach. Luckily, the babe had settled quickly, but she cursed her body for bringing her such a hard pregnancy after two painless ones.

"How am I supposed to know that, when Edward and Lisbeth are given so much? I am grateful for your kindness to me, your grace, but we both know that no matter what happens, Edward and Lisbeth are your children, and nothing will change the fact that I'm not," Hal replied sharply, rising to get up, no longer able to look at her face. It hurt too much.

Anne put a gentle harm on his sleeve. "Sit down," she commanded as gently as she could without sounding passive. "Listen to me, I love you. I've loved you since you brought here when you were just a little boy, scared, alone, and motherless. At first, it was because your father wanted me to, but it soon became more than that. You grew on me Hal, and because of you, I couldn't wait to have more children! Not to replace you, but to feel the same joy your mother must have felt raising you, holding you when you were a babe. If I had a choice, I would love to be your real mother. But I can't be. God has a plan for all of us, and I could NEVER question it. But I could love you, treat you as my own, and give you siblings," Anne explained, feeling her eyes water.

"But I'm not the same as them! My mother was not father's wife, you are. And because of that, I will never be given the same things as them. How do you think that makes me feel?" Hal rhetorically questioned, his words far beyond an eight-year- old's average maturity level. "I love Lisbeth and I love Edward too. And I love you, and I love papa. But sometimes it doesn't feel like anybody loves me."

"But we do!" Anne protested, at a loss for words. She had said all that she felt, and if Hal couldn't accept her words as truth, then she didn't know what on earth she was going to do.

"You don't show it now, now that you have Lisbeth and Edward. And when papa becomes King, what will happen then? I'll be even more ignored, because the prince and princess of a King aren't treated the same as his bastard son. I know you both tried to hide it from me but I'm not stupid and I know the truth now," he sharply replied, his words once again beyond his age, and Anne was glad that Henry's investment in his education was paying off, even if it broke her heart to see him so upset.

"What do I have to do, as your mother, to prove to you that I love you just as much as Lisbeth and Edward? Just because I bore them doesn't mean they have taken your place. They are still your brother and sister, and they adore their older brother. I view you all as my children, and if you notice, you aren't separated from them. You are given the same education and share the same quarters as them," Anne explained. She and Henry had tried desperately to prove to Hal that just because he wasn't legitimate or as honored as his brother and sister, that he was just as important.

"Edward will get a pretty wife. Lisbeth will get a rich husband. And I will be married to a nobody," Hal wryly replied, and Anne was once again in shock that he had learned this much, and wanted to hit the first person who told her precious, innocent son all of this terrible information! "I know you love me, and I love you too. But no matter how you try to hide it, I will never be the same as my siblings, and I will never get everything they have, and nobody will ever treat me the same as them."

It suddenly dawned on Anne that it wasn't because Hal was not given enough love or attention; it's that he wasn't even a fancy title like his siblings, or given as much space or material possessions, so he must have come to the conclusion that they valued him less. "Why do you need a rich, royal wife to be happy Hal? We provide for you more than most children have, and I know you don't quite understand how lucky you are now, but you will someday. Even luckier than Edward, Lisbeth, and this child I'm carrying in some respects," Anne explained.

"You're lying. They will be princesses and princes of England. That's much better than a bastard," Hal assessed, unable to believe her words, and knew that she was really lying now.

"Really? Lisbeth, even if she falls in love with the most wonderful English commoner, will never be allowed to marry him. When she comes of age, she will most likely be taken to some foreign country, like your Aunt Katherine was, married into a strange and unfamiliar family, and if she's lucky, she'll fall in love with her chosen husband, but it won't be the same as if she had the freedom to choose," Anne explained, her heart hurting at the idea of her daughter being taken away, but she had to say it, for the effect.

"I know love isn't important to right now, but someday, it will be the most important thing. Because of your status as the King's son, you will have many women fawning over you, but unlike your siblings, you will have the liberty to fall in love with them. As long as she is of some good standing, if you fall in love with a pretty young woman, you can make her your wife, and she'll be lucky to have you," she finished, looking at him seriously.

"I never thought about it that way," Hal whispered in awe, unable to believe that he had overlooked something so important! Even if Edward was the Prince of Wales in the future, he wouldn't be allowed to have any fun! He'd have to learn how to be a King, and Lisbeth would have to learn how to become a good wife and Queen to her future husband, whoever he would be. They were all lucky to have royal blood flowing through their veins, and even if Lisbeth and Edward were more important, they had more responsibilities, while Hal could have more fun.

"Your father would never let you led a life where you weren't respected. He cannot make you legitimate, but he can give you money, and titles, once he becomes King. And that will make you a very eligible bridegroom, and you can build houses and other things with all of the money that comes along with being a King's son. You just don't have to learn how to be a ruler, just a good son to your father and I. Which you don't have to worry about, because you make us both very proud," Anne lovingly explained, hoping that although her outlook on her own children's future was more cynical than it had to be (if they were raised that way, they wouldn't mind it) that it still had a considerably happy effect on Hal.

"Thank you mama!" Hal brightened, throwing his arms around his mother and giving her a sloppy kiss on the check.

"Run along and play now," Anne lightheartedly commanded, smiling as he made his way over to his cousins and siblings, with the most genuine smile she had seen in a while.

She motioned for her ladies to come over and help her stand, since she was feeling a bit lightheaded- the combination of the sun and her pregnancy was already making her feel more fatigued. She had every intention of going to her rooms and taking a long nap, comfortable with the idea of leaving her children outside with their governess and Elizabeth.

With her sister's hand on her arm and Madge Shelton's on the other, she slowly stood up, and began walking towards the palace, when she felt a terrible pain shot through her stomach, her thoughts immediately turning to panic. "My lady, what's wrong?" Madge questioned, tightening her grip on Anne when she felt her go weak.

"I'm fine, I've been feeling like this all day," she lied, trying to put on a pleasant façade, but when she felt her stomach flip once again and a dreadful pain ripple through her again, she knew something was wrong. "The baby," she whispered, feeling a warm liquid run down her petticoats. She put her hand underneath her gown and was horrified to see blood staining her finger tips. "What's happening?!" she heard a voice yell, not even recognizing the sound of her own for a moment. The whole thing just felt so surreal. She couldn't be losing it… just couldn't be.

"Oh no, she's miscarrying, someone get Linacre and send someone after the Duke!" she heard her sister yell, and she saw flashes of gowns and heard her children scream in the background, while their grandmother tried to hush them, even though she knew Elizabeth well enough to hear her voice shake.

She passed out to the sound of panicked people bustling about her in the sunlight of English morning.

When Henry heard the screaming stop, he thought his heart did too.

During the birth of their first two children, Henry was comforted by the halt of the screaming, knowing that it meant that his wife had made it through labor okay, and their child had been pushed into the world safely. When the screaming stopped during normal circumstances, it usually meant that he was going to meet his new son (or daughter).

On this day though, he knew that screaming meant that she was still alive, and that their child still had a chance. If Anne died- so did their child. If Anne died, he would be without the one woman who brought him joy, who made him feel whole for the first time in his whole entire life.

He couldn't lose her. He rode as fast as he could through the woods, leaving a half-dead deer where it was, not even bothering to make sure that Brandon was following him, just so he could be with her. When the groom told him that Anne started bleeding in the garden and had passed out for a short time- only to wake up screaming- Henry didn't even think twice. He left the deer, and his friend, in the middle of the woods and made towards Hampton, grateful that he chose to stay close because his wife had been having a difficult time with her pregnancy.

He should have never left Hampton the first place, because he knew that she had been having trouble lately, and he cursed himself for not being there when she needed him.

Linacre emerged a few moments after Anne's screaming had subsided, and Henry almost ran over the man in anticipation. His mother, Anne's father and brother, as well as Arthur and Katherine who had come as soon as they heard, were huddling around, waiting for the news. His sons and daughter wanted to make sure that their mother was alright, but Henry didn't want to worry them, and sent them away to the nursery. He couldn't stand the idea of his children hearing their mother scream as she struggled to save the precious life inside of her.

"The child, and the Duchess, both live," Linacre addressed the topic on everyone's mind and managed a smile at everyone's signs of relief. "She had a hard time in there, and she lost a great deal of blood. As far as I know, the child is healthy, but her grace has been having a rough time before this near tragedy, so it is my opinion that she should stay in bed for the reminder of her pregnancy, constantly monitored by a midwife, and I will make regular visits with her, to make sure that nothing else goes amiss."

"Thank you, sir, for your care towards the Duchess and her baby," Arthur thanked, noticing that he was the only one who was able to speak, as the rest looked too relived, and a few had tears in their eyes. Once Linacre had left, and the Boleyns as well, Arthur clasped a hand around his brother's shoulder. "I think you need to see her now. The best medicine is going to be your presence," Arthur explained, giving his brother a weak smile. He had been through this many times before, and usually his news was not as pleasant as Henry's, but he knew that if Henry saw Anne, she would feel better.

Henry wordlessly nodded and walked into her chambers, which looked somewhat like a war zone. Women were bustling hurriedly through her outer chamber, and only a few even noticed his arrival, curtsying and whispered his title sadly. He ignored the blood being scrubbed out gown, and was half-tempted to tell them to just throw it away. He felt sick to his stomach thinking about the near loss of their child, and he didn't want any reminder of how close they had been. Before reaching her bedchamber, he put on a brave smile, fake as ever. He knew it was necessary though, he had to be strong for his wife.

"The baby," she muttered as soon as she heard Henry enter, her drowsy eyes locking with his own sad ones, but they were so blank Henry didn't even think she was registering his presence. "My child," she muttered again, not even acknowledging that she had seen Henry.

"Linacre gave her a calming tonic. I don't think she remembers much of anything that happened. Its better that way, in any case," Anne's sister said as she left her sister's side, giving Henry a weak smile. "She asked for you, but Linacre wouldn't let anybody in." She left in order to give the couple a bit of privacy, even though she knew other ladies would be listening in still. God knows that they didn't get much to begin with.

Henry nodded at Mary Carey before entering the room and pulling a chair next to his wife's drowsy figure. "Hello sweetheart," he greeted gently, placing his hand in hers, trying not to notice how cold it was. "How are you feeling?" he asked, feeling out of words and out of sorts, but he had to say something, even if he already knew the answer. It was obvious that Anne was not feeling well.

"The baby," she muttered again, frantically meeting his eyes. "Did I lose it?" she asked, sounding a bit more coherent, but just as panicked.

"No, no, he lives," Henry hastened to assure her. He took her hand in his and placed it over her swollen stomach, holding it there until their son kicked again, assuring both of his parents that he was still alive and strong. When he saw Anne's eyes twinkle with tears, he knew that Linacre wasn't lying, and he was filled with hope. They would make it through the next four months, mother and child, healthy as they were before this. "And for the next four months, you are going to stay in bed, and you and he, you are both going to thrive."

"I'll do whatever it takes," Anne replied, the feel of her child kicking was enough to renew her strength for a few moments. Staying in her rooms for four long months would be difficult for her, but when their child came, healthy and strong, it would be worth it. Even if it would be like torture.

"I know, sweetheart, and that's why I love you," Henry replied, giving her a quick kiss and getting up to move. "Get some rest," he commanded, giving her another genuine smile before turning around to leave.

"Henry! Wait!" Anne yelled, sitting up from her bed. "You'll wait for me, right?" She knew it wasn't uncommon for husbands, especially well-born ones, to betray their pregnant wives, but he never had before. But usually, she only spent weeks in confinement, never months. If she wasn't constantly by his side, she didn't know what would happen. She trusted Henry, but she also knew him. She needed to be sure, or else it would drive her insane while she lied in bed like an exploded invalid, unable to be with her husband.

"Of course, sweetheart. We waited a whole year to be married, what's four months?" Henry rhetorically questioned, more to himself than to Anne. But he would stay faithful. For their child's sake… and for his own.

Two weeks later

"How are the Duchess and the baby?" Brandon asked as he and Henry rode out together, the sun just beginning to set below the trees. It would be dark soon, but he knew that Henry wanted to finish chasing after this stag. When they lost it, however, Henry made no move to turn back to Hampton, but instead he dismounted from his horse alongside a creek and splashed some water over his face.

A few moments later, he finally answered Brandon's question. "They are both well, Anne is bored out of her mind but has plenty of visitors," Henry explained. All of their family was constantly visiting Anne, making sure she didn't become too idle, or else she would begin to complain about the restrictions placed on her, and that would do nothing to help their child. God forbid she would actually lose it, because Henry didn't know if he could take that kind of loss. He had visited her earlier that day, but she insisted that he didn't stay too long, knowing that he hadn't had a chance to go hunting since she almost lost the child.

The two men sat in thoughtful silence for a few more moments before Brandon finally broke it, "It's going to be dark in a few hours, I don't know if we have time to make it back to Hampton, unless we ride fast" Brandon explained.

"Who lives around here, then?" Henry asked, not in the mood to take too brisk of a ride. He sent one of his grooms off with a message, so Anne and his mother wouldn't be worried about him, and told the boy to ride fast so he wouldn't be riding in the dark.

"There's Wolf Hall," Brandon mentioned, and when he saw the confused look on Henry's face, he elaborated, "Sir John Seymour's estate. He used to be in your household when you lived at Richmond with your father." Brandon made it a habit to know who lived around where, knowing that Henry would never learn, and he didn't want to be stuck in the dark anymore than the next person.

"Ah, I remember Sir John! Let's go pay him a visit, shall we?" Henry replied with a glimpse of mischief in his eyes. He knew that when a royal visited a noble's estate, it took a great deal of planning and sometimes they could be in debt for years- or worse, never recover from the costs of entertaining the royal family. Henry knew that his status as Duke of York didn't require as much as if Arthur had dropped by for an unexpected visit, but he knew that the Seymours would be flabbergasted by it, but he wasn't doing this to impose. He really did need a place to stay, and he thought that even if it would be a lot, the Seymours would consider it an honor.

Brandon and Henry reached Wolf Hall shortly before nightfall, and already Henry felt at ease with the country-like atmosphere of the estate, how it was small yet proud. It reminded him of pleasant days at Eltham, before Margaret Beaufort made it her personal goal to destroy any chance of a normal, stable childhood. One of Henry's favorite memories from his childhood was when he was no more than five, running around with his old sister chasing him through the gardens, tumbling in the grass as if they were not royal- just normal children without a care in the world.

Wolf Hall reminded him of a time when he didn't even know that he and his brother would be in competition. Reminded him of a time before he fell in love, before he felt the stress of having to be the unnoticed Tudor, before he had to fight for everything he had, before he experienced the panic of almost losing a child. Before the idea of being faithful to one woman, even as she grew unattractive and morose as her belly expanded, was going to be one of those most difficult things he ever had to do.

"Sir John!" Brandon exclaimed as soon as they entered through the servant's entrance, and Henry felt like he was participating in some kind of masquerade. For a moment he felt pity for Sir John, but soon he was joining in with Brandon, screaming the poor man's name until he came out.

"What is all the noise…" Sir John said from a distance, but stopped as soon as he realized who it was. "Your grace, Master Brandon," Sir John said, still in awe from his visitors. "You are most welcome here!" he exclaimed, embracing the two.

"My friend, I hope we are not intruding. It was too late to go back to Hampton Court, and we needed a place to stay," Henry explained, remembering the man from his childhood more vividly now that he could place a face to the name. Sir John was kind to him, like most of his attendants were, but he often went out of his way. Henry remembered missing him when Arthur became King and households got rearranged, but soon his life was thrown into such a whirlwind that he had completely forgotten about the old member of his household.

"Not at all. I will alert my kitchen staff that you have arrived, and have my servants prepare two rooms," Sir John calmly explained, motioning for two other servants to take care of Henry and Brandon while he sorted out the details.

Within an hour, the three old friends were remising on old times, catching up on things, and Henry couldn't remember feeling this, well, normal in a long time. He enjoyed his lavish life at Hampton, and he enjoyed being married to a beautiful woman of his choosing. But he also never really had the chance to having private conversations with people, to act like a regular person, since he was so used to be treated with deference and a bit of isolation. It felt nice to take a break from his everyday life.

While he was enjoying the meal, he glanced up and saw what he thought was angel standing down the hall. Dressed in all white, with blonde flaxen hair, and a rosy, smiling face, he was transfixed.

"Oh, your grace, allow me to introduce my daughter, the Lady Jane Seymour," Sir John said as Jane approached the handsome Duke, in awe of his obvious importance. Henry knew right away that this young woman had probably never been to court before, and he was touched by her innocence and the way that she looked at him like he was a King.

When she bowed before him, all he could do was stare with wide eyes at the beautiful woman before him. "Jane," he whispered, lightly grasping onto her shoulders and pulling her up to face him. Her smile was open, honest, like the rest of this family and house, Henry thought. He took a strand of her golden hair and toyed with it between his fingers, and was overcome with a desire to take her into his arms and kiss her.

"You'll wait for me, right?"

So he kissed her hand instead, and told himself that it was innocent.

And after Jane had left them, and Sir John explained that he had been trying for years to get a place for his eldest daughter in the Queen's household, Henry knew it was for innocent reasons that he appointed Jane to Anne's instead. He told himself it was important to court the nobles, so they'd all be with him when he became King, and it was only because he liked the idea of his wife running a better household than Katherine that he did.

But he knew the truth: when he saw Jane, touched her blonde hair, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her because she was different than ANYTHING he had ever known. And he for some reason, he felt like he needed that.

Not sure how I feel about this chapter. I'm happy with the last two sections, first one, I'm still eh about Hal's conversation with Anne. But anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed it and I'm sorry, once again, for how long it took for me to update. Please don't forget to review until next time :)

And Happy Holidays to everyone! Be safe and eat lots ;)