A/N: Thank you everyone for your encouraging words from the last chapter! It meant so much seeing so many positive responses to something that was so difficult to write. Here's following the aftermath from a new perspective.
It was official-the little prince was gone. Three days after Jane's long labor and the child had left this world. Edward was honestly surprised that he lasted that long. The whole court was in mourning. Jane was still locked away in her chamber and Henry barely left his as well. Edward was glad that the court could afford the missing royals- that the nuisance in Lincoln had been resolved before his sister delivered the weak child that they had all waited for so long for. Such a waste of time. He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he took a long drink from his wine glass.
Jane had failed. He had been in Henry's rooms when Doctor Linacre had come in. They had heard whispers that Jane had delivered and had quickly pulled Henry away from the Bassett whore just in time. They all wanted to be present when formal news arrived, wanted to celebrate the new addition to the royal nursery. He had been front and center for the disappointment. For the kings anger. He would never be able to forget how Henry's face had lost all color, only to then redden to a dangerous shade. He had asked a few clipped questions, but none had been about Jane. The doctor had offered that even after such a harsh birth, he expected Jane to recover. The only good news from the doctor. It might be a little longer than usual, but Linacre stressed that Jane would be on her feet in a matter of months. Henry's only response was to ask if she could carry another child. Edward had been furious when Linacre had hesitated on answering. The final verdict wasn't even answered-the doctor had said that only time would tell, but he remained hopeful.
Henry had curtly dismissed the doctor and then had swept into his privy chamber, slamming the door in all their faces. The gentlemen in the room had all stood by awkwardly, some even daring to offer the Seymour's their condolences. Edward had been desperate to get away from all their sniveling faces. He knew that their sympathy was only a mask. They had all been pleased when Jane failed, just like he had been after each of Boleyns miscarriages.
How could Jane let this happen? He had stressed so much how important it was that she deliver a healthy son. Had she done something to put the child in jeopardy? Once she had announced her pregnancy Henry had filled her household with midwives. Surely they would have caught anything she was doing that could harm the child?! His hand tightened around his wine goblet in frustration.
"Calm down, Edward!" His petulant wife reprimanded, moving to take the goblet from him. "No need to hurt yourself by breaking the damn thing" He could tell Anne Stanhope was also disappointed that her investment in her marriage had failed her. He and Anne did not have a happy marriage. He thought that she was a power hungry, thorny woman and he knew she considered him a cold, indifferent, greedy husband. But they were stuck together. He had needed her father's money to help bring Wolf Hall back to glory and she had bet on him after his sister had caught the king's eye. Now that Jane had failed, Anne had missed out on the power that would come from being the next King of England's aunt.
He sneered at his wife, pulling his hand out of her reach. "Like you'd care"
"I'd care that the whole of court would know that Edward Seymour had lost control out of his frustrations and acted so foolishly!" she snapped and tore away from him, stomping like a peasant woman back to their chambers. He watched her go with a glare, but relaxed his grip on the glass. The harpy was right, he couldn't let anyone see that this failure was rocking the Seymour's. Couldn't let the sharks smell blood in the water. He wouldn't put it past the Bassett family to try to push their slut onto the throne next.
They would just have to do everything they could to rectify this mistake as soon as possible. As soon as Linacre decreed that Jane was fit to conceive again, she must. And this time with a healthy boy. It would be a miracle of Henry gave her a second chance-he would never give her a third.