Chapter 36: Before Death or Glory
Silently she floated across the dark stained floor, her ebony hair swirling as she twisted to the graceful melody. His eyes pierced the elegant crowd as he watched her every movement with deepening obsession. Three weeks of deathly silence and longing stairs, three weeks of long, lonely nights waking in cold damp sweat longing for the sound of her infatuating laugh. Quietly he brooded his eyes trailing her slender form as she danced and laughed amongst the festivities. He had hope this marriage would please her, bring her back within his grasp, but alas she still eluded him, her anger and pain ran so deep she dare not look him in the eye.
Saddened his silent gaze peered through the dancing hall his eyes wondering in a desperate attempt to distract his mind. Slowly his silent scrutiny captured the attention of the merry guests and the newly married couple feasting before him. Quietly Mary rose from her place at the high table and wondered though the endless crowd. "Anne, sweet sister will you not get the King to dance at my wedding? Nothing would bring my reaching husband more glory than to be honoured with the Kings joyous participation in the celebration" her quiet words whispered tenderly in her sister's ear.
Quietly Anne turned, her gaze capturing her elder sister's eyes "He has yet to even approach me sister and my heart is wary of his intentions. I will not debase myself before his coldness and cruelty, If he loves me for me he would have come to me alas he has all but refused, I will not throw myself at my king and beg for forgiveness, He was always but a man to me and it is as a man that he should approach and offer reconciliation. Be damned his Kings pride sister and be damned his ignorance. Not even for you will I approach his person".
Silently Mary sighed "Kings pride sister, I do believe you mean Boleyn pride. You are but a fearsome figure to approach dear sister, your anger and hurt unrelenting yet you dance and sing as if you have not a care in the world. Truth be told Annie I would not approach you had we quarrelled, for you merriment seems a proven stance of happiness and that I would not besmirch". Soundlessly Anne stood shocked her stance poised and frozen "His eyes have not left your figure since the celebration began and his looks of longing are highly noticeable, perhaps little sister he has finally met his match. Either way the longer you stand on your pride the longer you both will pine, soon someone will have to break this stalemate or you will both end this engagement in death".
Slowly Mary turned her eyes making contact with deep opal orbs across the hall, with a quick nod of her head Mary smiled and began to make her way back though the twirling crowd and approached the silent figure that was her husband "The Kings mood is stale, I had thought to get my sister to entice him to dance and make merry, but it seems both possess the pride of Zeus and the stubbornness of Hades". Quietly Edward nodded his fingers finding her slender hand and gently squeezing tight his thumb leisurely rubbing small circles into the delicate skin of her hand.
With slow contemplation Edward smiled "The King's gaze seems to follow your sisters every move and Anne seems intent on avoiding eye contact and continuing with the false pretence of merriment. However, I do believe Queen Katherine has noted their mood and was keeping track of your earlier conversation. She appears to be making her way towards the King, perhaps it would be best if we joined the festivities in our honour".
Quickly Mary smiled "I do believe you are right husband, I noted her observation earlier and perhaps spoke a little louder than necessary to ensure I was heard" silently she smirked as Edward sat gawking in utter surprise and amusement "Come Edward perhaps you are not the only intelligent individual in the room, we have much to learn of each other and yes perhaps we can observe better from the dance floor" she laughed.
Swiftly both rose from their place at the high table and made their way towards the dazzling entertainment, Mary's arm linked firmly with her husbands and as they cleared a spacious position on the dance floor Edward's mouth began to spread into a brilliant smile. It was miraculous he determined. A miracle that Thomas Boleyn had chosen to bind his children to the Seymour family. First Jane had wedded and bedded the sole heir to the Boleyn fortune and now that she had conceived her first child, due in the spring.
Then shortly after the sordid affair of Edwards failed marriage Thomas Boleyn had decided to marry his eldest child to the heir to the Seymour estates. "A fair bargain" He had claimed "One heir for the other, a simple matter of trade". However, Edward knew that Thomas Boleyn was not a simple man, there was more to this amazing stroke of luck then a simple matter of trade and negotiation. Edward had decided it was fate, his chance to shine and was going to prove he deserved it.
Silently Edward smirked a stupid man might assume once the ring was on her finger his path to power was secure, but with Anne Boleyn's volatile personality Edward knew he would only be safe if she favoured him and she wouldn't favour anyone who treated her family poorly. Yes, He was cold, calculating and manipulative but he was also smart and deep down he understood that his claim to royal fame and power was sole accumulated through his sister in law. If Anne decided she didn't like him or that he wasn't being a good or appropriate husband to her sister he would gain nothing. No, Edward Seymour was a clever man and his wife would want for nothing and this would ensure Edward was spoken fondly of by the royal couple.
However, as Edward's mind continued to whirl with thoughts and plans for is prospects and future his keen eye continued to follow the progress of Queen Katherine. Slowly she had begun her approach, he noted she appeared almost hesitant, but she continued to ebb closer to the brooding king.
"Henry" startled Henry looked up, his eyes clashing with Katherine's opal orbs "May I have this dance Harry? There are many ears and much I would like to discuss". Shocked Henry stared, his mind quickly combing through the possibility of a polite refusal but as he wet his lips to form the rebuff he heard the gentle whisper "Embrace love, Loyalty and Light" and he found himself slowly nodding, It had been many years since Katherine had sort him out for a dance and as they approached the floor and the courtiers began to clear room for the royal couple he noticed he hesitation.
Swiftly he smiled "Thank you for the distraction, I do believe I was moments away from leaping from the throne and running from the room" he laughed. Slowly Katherine smiled "Surely that would have been a sight to behold, the crown crashing to the floor as the King fled from the festivities. I do believe that would have been the talk of Europe" her voice replied in an amusing whisper. Softly she sighed as they Henry began to twirl her around the dance floor to the gentle sway of the music "Henry, what depth of despair have you consumed yourself in? Your future Queen stands but yards away pretending she is not hurt and somber, her eyes sparkle with unshed tears as you allow another man to twirl her around the floor and of most bitter of all she cannot truly be joyful on her own sister's wedding day because she still fears her own. Henry, I have known you since you were but a boy, I can see you unrelenting pain and guilt even if you cannot see or acknowledge it yourself. Please do yourself a favour and speak to her, your pride will get you nothing except perhaps a broken heart and a wounded soul".
"I have committed no wrongs madam, If the Lady Boleyn wishes to be reunited with me she has but to approach me and speak my name, I am not the one who will not acknowledge their King". Silently Katherine laughed at his bitter and defensive words "You forget husband that I have known you since Arthur, since you were the second son, the Duke of York bound for the church. I know you will bite like a wounded wolf when guilt weights heavy on your mind, I know you will brood and contemplate until you convince yourself she is the guilty party, but deep inside you will know the truth and it will hurt. You must face your guilt to heal her pain Harry or you risk losing her forever".
Shocked Henry stared was this truly how Katherine and Anne saw him, a man who would never take responsibility for his actions? Someone unable to acknowledge his failures and cast blame aside for prides stake? Deep within he tried to deny their logic and screamed of their joint delusion, but no matter how hard he tried he could not dislodge the endless voice that spoke of hidden and suppressed memories, countless deeds committed against those he loved for fear of his own weakness and the haunting recollections of faded dreams, a future not yet past.
Startled Henry stopped his eyes searching deep within Katherine's own as his self-revelation claimed his mind "I do not know if I have the strength or courage to face my own failure and admit defeat, my pride is that of a King and Kings are never wrong, we are divinely inspired and guided by god himself" His voice nothing more than a whisper. "Henry, if you wished to be loved as a man then act as a man, cast aside your kingly pride and face the consequences of your actions, your anger and actions were born out of fear, guilt and pain, human emotions, not divine".
Slowly Katherine halted "You were not born to a King's fate Harry, Arthur walked that path. You were born to a Man's fate and men bare the burdens of mortality". Silently Katherine turned and extended her hand to the slender woman behind her "Be a man Harry, face fate and walk redemptions path" Smiling Katherine grasped Anne's hand and gently tugged her towards the King.
Lightly Katherine stepped back and silently curtsied before the whole court, her eyes wondering around the crowd as she slowly approached the only man she would ever consider a true and informed ally "Would you care for a dance my Lord Boleyn?" Surprised Thomas smiled "As my Queen desires"
Silently Henry grasped Anne's delicate fingers and for the first time in weeks pulled her slender body towards the shelter of his own. Slowly inhaling her scent he sighed "Anne". Softly he whispered in her ears "You look truly beautiful my love and it has been endless punishment not to have you within my grasp, however, recent events have enlightened me to my own faults and failures and although I admit I am not particularly aware of them I am willing to acknowledge their existence. Anne I cannot promise you I will never falter again, in truth I may fail many times. I cannot even promise you true fidelity as monogamy is something that has never come naturally to me, However, I can and will promise you I will always try. I will seek to put your happiness above my own and I am willing to acknowledge that your happiness is contingent upon my faithfulness and fidelity. I ask your forgiveness for my behaviour and can offer no excuse but the knowledge that my actions were done out of fear and pain. Emotions I can admit I do not handle or communicate very well. I am sorry Anne for any harm or pain I may have caused you. I love you and cannot imagine my life without you. You are my light in a cold dark world, you are the milk of human kindness and I am forever repentant that I sort to extinguish that light as it is brighter than any I have ever known. I am truly sorry my love and beseech you to forgive this mortal man".
Shocked Anne looked up "I will forgive you Henry, but on one condition" "Anything" He whispered "If you falter to such an extent my heart is broken once more, you will surrender me, I shall be free and you will hold my heart no more".