Author's Note: Welcome back everybody! I would first of all, like to thank everyone for their positive reviews of last chapter. Jane Seymour is a challenging character to write- but with all of your encouragement and support, it's been a lot easier for me to overcome whatever ridiculous fears I have about this plot arc. So thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed thus far- 515 reviews! Never, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine this story to do so well, so thank you all! Now, on to the tardiness of this update. Three AP tests later, finally deciding where I'm going to college, and the school newspaper- and I can finally update. I'm so sorry for the wait.
Thanks again to ReganX, who never fails to be the best help a girl can ask for! And I dedicate this chapter to TrivialQueen, because she is lovely and I never do the things she asks me do, but she still dedicated a prompt to me in Oddments. I love her! Someday, my dear, I will write a Cromwell or Wolsey story to make you happy!
Disclaimer: All historical liberties are taken with full knowledge of real events and are taken only for the purposes of the story. It's very AU. All recognizable characters are a property of Showtime and history. I don't write history, I just mess around with it ;]
Without further ado, please enjoy and don't forget to review!
Hampton Court
May 4, 1529
"Are you serious?!" Arthur exclaimed. He couldn't believe what Katherine was telling him- well he could believe, it was just that he didn't really want to. Henry had always been an impulsive, reckless, and selfish boy, and perhaps it was naïve of Arthur to think that years of marriage and children, in addition to the added burden of being the sole viable heir to the throne, would calm him; but Arthur had hoped in any case. He was very displeased to see that his brother had not forsaken more of his undesirable qualities.
"Unfortunately I am. Unless she is being unduly concerned, which I do not believe. He is not the most thoughtful man in the world, and he is still young. It's disappointing, but this is why I wanted to visit so badly. Anne is hurting, and she is distressed- which is not good for the child," Katherine explained. "I have not seen the girl, but your mother tells me that she has an open face. The fault lies with Henry, really, although the passive nature of this Seymour girl certainly isn't helping matters."
Arthur let out a pregnant sigh at this explanation, falling back into the comfortable chair in his wife's private chamber. It was rare for them to be alone, but at least at Hampton most of the courtiers were dancing in attendance to Anne and Henry- not necessarily interested in the happenings of their King and Queen. Still, he knew they only had a few precious moments before Maria came with a message from Anne- and Arthur intended to find out exactly what his brother was doing, and if it was harmless or if a bigger storm was brewing.
He knew that Henry wouldn't like Katherine and he meddling- especially when it came to Anne, which is why they had to do it discreetly. They came to Hampton with the pretense of just a friendly, family visit- with the hopes of being supportive towards Anne. Both he and Katherine wanted nothing more than for Henry and Anne to have a good marriage- it would bode ill for the future of the kingdom if they were to have rifts.
They wanted Henry to stop with whatever intentions he had towards Anne's lady-in-waiting; but that was unlikely. Since he had been a child, Arthur knew that when Henry wanted something, he found whatever way possible to get it, and nobody discouraged this. After all, Henry was only the second son- and nobody, not even their father, was even remotely prepared for the idea of Henry becoming the King. He could be as spoilt as he wanted- he didn't need to have justice or sensibility in his blood. And now the fault in his upbringing was coming out in his actions towards Jane Seymour, and towards the woman who he had fought tooth and nail to marry, the mother of his beloved daughter and younger son. His children by Anne, with God's help, would be the next heirs to their throne, and they were not going to let their upbringing be tainted like their unfortunate father's.
Arthur wanted so badly for his niece and nephew to grow up with loving parents, who would provide the nurture and upbringing that they would need to be smart, sensible rulers. They were, after all, the future of the dynasty he had spent his whole life trying to perfect. If Henry's little attraction could harm them in any way, he was determined to protect them and put a stop to it. Even if he had to be secretive about it.
"What should we do then?" Arthur asked, staring at his wife's face and marveling at how far she had come with accepting Anne. He knew that she would never fully trust or enjoy the company of Henry, but she adopted the task of mentoring Anne without reservation, despite how painful it probably was for her. Arthur knew that every day she missed their sweet, beautiful Mary- the girl whose future Katherine was so assured of. At first, it was an uncomfortable task for her, and Arthur knew that, even if she had never come right out and said it. Anne was going to be the Queen of England- six or so years ago, it would have been Mary.
Now, the women were as good as friends as anybody could have hoped for, and even if Katherine undoubtedly missed their daughter, she was doing all that she could to prepare Anne for the momentous undertaking that she would inherit once he passed. Arthur was aware of his own mortality- the disease that had stricken him when he was sixteen had left an unfading scar on his constitution, and it only got worse as he grew older. Even though he was only thirty-four, he was starting to sport signs of his aging (although, thankfully, his hair still retained its bright blonde color). He knew that Henry and Anne HAD to be ready within five years just in case, and he wanted to feel comfortable with what he left behind.
The country was strong; he had made sure of it. Now he just needed to make sure that its next monarchs would be able to maintain all that he had done to make it that way. Katherine was of the opinion that Anne would have some sort of influence over Henry, even if his pride refused to allow her to hold a more official role- like his own marriage to Katherine. But despite the threat of a mistress, Anne and Henry truly loved each other, and they were parents to two beautiful children. Anne held the trump card; and they both knew she would play it.
Anne would have to be just as ready as Henry.
"I don't know; tell her that we support her? We cannot stop him from taking a mistress, in theory, that is his right. We just have to reassure her that it will be temporary, once the child is born and Anne is back on her feet, Henry will forget that this girl even existed. That is all that we can do," Katherine suggested. "And you should talk to your mother. She clearly knows more about this than we do, and she is probably the only person Henry will listen to."
Whatever Arthur was going to say was lost when Maria opened the door. "Her grace would love to receive you both; she has just awoken from her nap and she apologizes for the wait," Maria reported.
"Thank you Maria. We shall walk unaccompanied- everyone is out with the hunting party in any case, so there shouldn't be any issues," Arthur proposed, offering his arm to his wife. He loved visiting Hampton; Henry always planned some sort of daily activity, leaving he and Katherine to finally have time to themselves, their own personal retreat. At first, he knew it bothered Katherine that everybody at Hampton treated Henry and Anne like their sovereigns already, but now, he was sure that she enjoyed their visits just as much as he did.
Once they reached Anne's rooms, her sister admitted them, and both of them did a quick scan of her ladies to search for a blonde girl with an open face. However, all of them kept their heads downcast out of respect; so they just continued walking until they reached Anne's bedchamber. After all, Jane Seymour wasn't really the problem.
"Your majesties!" Anne exclaimed, her face morphing into a pleasant, and what appeared to be a genuine smile. On further inspection though, both of them noticed it did not completely reach her eyes, and she looked very tired. Katherine felt her heart split into two; she felt so much pity for the woman whose luck she would have envied months before. Even if she never gave Arthur a son, at least she had never feared of losing him, or his love. It took her many years to realize it; but if she had to pick between his love or better success as Queen, she would pick his love, every time. God smiled down upon Arthur and her in many ways that other people would never understand.
"Please, just Katherine and Arthur. How are you, sister, and your child?" Arthur asked, kissing Anne's hand and taking the chair next to her. Katherine gave Anne a one-armed hug, full of warmth and love, before mirroring her husband.
"I'm sick often still, much more so than I was with Lisbeth and Edward. Certain foods upset me, and I'm hardly hungry, though Linacre insists I eat to keep my strength up. But as far as I know, the child is doing well. Linacre and the midwife in my household have assured me that he is strong and there will be no reason that he won't be born healthy. He kicks often," Anne confided, forcing a smile. The pregnancy had been miserable but she knew how much the two people with her had lost in childbed, so she tried to be sympathetic. And she knew how lucky she was to be alive; and how precious this baby's life was. When he kicked, her strength was renewed.
"And you are sure it's a boy?" Katherine asked, trying to smile, but feeling uncomfortable. She knew who had put this idea into Anne's head, and she could hit him at that very moment. Even if he was no longer a threat to her daughter's inheritance, Henry still bothered her. He should be grateful for all children, male or female, especially now that he had Edward, who was as healthy as any boy could be.
"I'm never sure. Girl or boy, I just want it to be healthy. Almost losing it was the scariest moment of my life," Anne confided. "But enough about that, tell me, how are things with you both? I was so happy when I heard you were coming to visit." She had welcomed any respite from the constant torment of thinking about Henry and Jane Seymour; especially when the hunting parties left and she knew that Jane and her family were always invited. She let some of her ladies accompany them, she didn't like that they had to be coped up with her; but she also had a few of them recruited to spy for her, loyal ladies who could be trusted with valuable information.
They informed her that Jane seemed all together clueless about Henry's intentions for her; but they also informed her (uncomfortably) that Henry was relentless in his pursuit. He was determined to have her in his bed, and Anne knew that he would stop at nothing to achieve it. It made it very difficult to be pleasant to him when he came to visit; and although Elizabeth and her children came as often as they could, her days were tedious and boring and filled with unpleasant thoughts about Henry and Jane.
She had no fear that Henry was going to leave her; they had two children and a third on the way, and their marriage was legitimate as one could be and she was popular now with the people of Hampton and surrounding areas thanks to her alms. The King and Queen and the Dowager Queen adored her and she had taken control of her deceased sister-in-law's children. Henry did still love her, she knew that, but it wasn't like before. He didn't just desire only her. She was fat and hideous and Jane was youthful and pretty. She was unmarried, came from a decent family, and from what Anne knew about her, didn't have the heart to say no. Henry wanted this; not his unpleasant pregnant and nagging wife.
The fact that she wasn't enough anymore hurt her more than she thought anything ever could.
"We are well, thank you," Arthur replied, not yet noticing the tears now streaming down Anne's face.
Katherine, however, did notice. "Anne, calm down. It's not good for the baby," Katherine soothed, rubbing her arm. "What's the matter?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Somehow, her mind began to wander about Jane and Henry, now surely hunting together without her. Combined with her difficult pregnancy, Katherine knew that Anne was in emotional turmoil. "It's Jane Seymour, isn't it?" she finally asked, when Anne's sobs became more audible, her suspicions were confirmed.
"Sweetheart, you need not worry about her. Once this baby is born, Henry will tire of her. We are sure of it," Arthur added, feeling uncomfortable with Anne's crying. He never liked the sound of a woman crying- Katherine had only cried in front of him twice since they had been married, and never as loudly or as passionately as Anne was.
"I know, that's not it. I just… I want him to love me as he used to. It's not my fault that I'm pregnant! I want this baby to be healthy, and I love him or her already, it's just not fair that my condition, that he so longed for, is causing me so much pain. I have to suffer, while he chases Jane Seymour around the woods, and ignores our children while he flirts with the wench!" Anne bitterly exclaimed. It felt good to confide it somebody, even if it was a bit inappropriate to do so in front of the King and Queen. Still, she knew that Katherine never liked Henry, and that Arthur probably was annoyed with his behavior.
"Focus on the child, not on him. Things will go back to normal. He loves you- trust me, he didn't even want to get married before he met you. Once your child is born, he will remember what it means to be a family, and how much he missed it. He is just having his last burst of youth, as some men often do. He will become committed to you again," Arthur explained, hoping to convince Anne as well as himself. He had hoped that Henry was only doing this because Anne's condition was boring to him and that because she couldn't be with him, that he had the right to take a mistress. Not because of some deeper need to be with a woman outside of his marriage because having a family reminded him that he wasn't as young as he used to be.
"Last burst of youth? I'm younger than he is!" Anne exclaimed, indigent that Henry thought he had more of a right to enjoy his youth instead of Anne. He was the one who wanted to marry her in the first place, he was the one who wanted a large family, and he was the one who wanted the responsibility as heir to the throne. Now that he had everything, he still wanted more. He still wanted to be the handsome, single young man that he was before he fell in love with her. He wanted to have both of his lives, while Anne had to focus on the one that was handed to her.
"Yes, but you are a mother and have taken a great deal of responsibility in the upbringing of your children. Regardless of everything that has happened, Henry is still a powerful man with a great deal of money, and he wants to enjoy his youth," Katherine explained. She was impressed at how mature Anne was, even if at the moment she could have been handling the Jane Seymour situation with a bit more grace. "The child is the most important thing, Anne. Not Henry or his need for diversions."
"What if he keeps a mistress even after I give birth? Am I supposed to just accept that this is my fate as a royal wife? I do not think I can tolerate sharing my husband's love, and I don't think my children could stand to lose their papa's attention," Anne questioned, wearing a wide-eyed expression of fear and doubt. Henry promised he would never hurt her…but he lied. He lied completely. Even if Jane was not sleeping with him yet, it would only be a matter of time.
"He won't, we promise," Arthur and Katherine soothed in unison; all the while hoping that they could believe their own reassurance.
Jane returned from hunting feeling extremely elated. Her two brothers and her father were all given positions in Henry's household, and she had been (grudgingly) dismissed from the Duchess' household for the rest of the day, which meant she was free to pay her respects to the King and Queen, who were in attendance at Hampton.
Now, more than ever, she was determined to secure a position in the Queen's household. She knew very well that she could not beg for a position; that would be unseemly and she would never ever be accepted. But she wanted to make herself known to Queen Katherine, because she was so sure that if she did, the Queen would like her. She was not witty and well-read like the other ladies in the Duchess' household, but she was good with needlework (something that was not done as often in the Duchess' household as in the Queen's). With preparations for the upcoming child occupying most of the ladies' time, at least needlework was used to sew little garments for the baby, but once it was over, it wouldn't be as much of a staple in her day as it was currently.
She wanted so badly to be a household that accepted her- since the Duchess took a random disliking to her, everyday spent in her rooms attending her was like agony. None of the other ladies showed even the slightest bit of curtsey towards her, they were all rather rude because they were clearly frightened that if they were friends with Jane than the Duchess would no longer favor them. In fact, it seemed like all of the other ladies in the household were at least liked by the Duchess. Jane was the only one who was called upon often to do the humbler tasks, and she was never allowed to serve any meals or even come close to the Duchess. She never helped her dress or bathe and she never delivered messages.
In short, she was exiled within the apartments as much as one could be.
Thank goodness that the Duke was so very kind to her! Perhaps knowing that his wife did not like her or her family, he had decided to show pity on them and favor them. Jane was always invited to go on the hunt, which the Duchess was forced to approve because the Duke wanted ladies to attend with him and his friends and courtiers. The Duke also singled her out for dancing if there was any to be had, and sometimes he even requested to walk alone with her in the gardens, with her male family members in respectable walking distance, of course. It was comforting to know that she had at least one friend at Hampton Court.
Even if she did enjoy the Duke's company though, she still wanted to leave Hampton and go to Whitehall. Other young ladies might scoff at the idea of servicing the Queen, but Jane had always admired her. She was dignified and would surely be nice to all of her ladies; unlike the Duchess who clearly had prejudged Jane to be some kind of country simpleton and therefore unworthy of her precious time and attention. She knew that her chances at finding a good husband went down at Whitehall, but she knew that Queen Katherine would help her find an acceptable suitor.
Queen Katherine's household was sure to be filled with solemn people and filled with religious observances. Although the Duchess' ran a pious household, nobody could match the daughter of the most Catholic monarchs of Spain. Some young women might have found that boring, but Jane found it to be exciting and far more fun than entertaining the Duchess' many witty friends and the young, vibrant courtiers at Hampton.
So she dressed herself in her finest gown and set off for the Queen's apartments, hoping that somehow, someway, the Queen would take her into her household, even if directly asking was out of the question. But if she made herself known to the Queen, and professed how much she admired her, perhaps she could convince her father to write to Queen Katherine and request a place in her household- and the Queen would remember her and her devotion.
She felt a nervous pit form in her stomach when the Queen's most loyal lady, Mistress Salinas, admitted her into the Queen's spacious apartments, but she knew she had to be brave if she wanted to escape her situation.
"Mistress Jane Seymour, your majesty, is here and requests an audience," Maria announced, fully knowing who Jane was and how Katherine felt about the whole thing. While she did not blame Jane for Anne's misfortunate, she was unlikely to be enthusiastic about greeting her- and the young girl was likely to be sent away without even catching a glimpse at the Queen.
Luckily for Jane, the Arthur was with Katherine. "You should see her, my love. She is clearly here for some sort of reason. Why waste her time?" Arthur rhetorically questioned. He was actually quite curious as to what the girl could possibly say, so he wanted Katherine to admit her, even though ultimately the decision was in her hands. "It may be entertaining to watch you chastise her, too, if that's what you're thinking," Arthur wryly commented. He knew he should feel pity, but he couldn't, not after seeing Anne so distressed.
"Fine, send her in," Katherine commanded, preparing herself to hear whatever she would have to say. She had no idea what made her think that it was a good idea to come see her, unless she thought that maybe she and Anne weren't as close as they were, and perhaps she could somehow find an escape from whatever Anne was doing to her. She knew that Anne was probably not kind to her, not as kind as she should be. Katherine thought it was foolish, but she tried to understand. The fault lied with Henry, not with Jane, at least not yet. "This should be good," she whispered under her breath to Arthur, who managed to smile and hold in his laughter.
"Your majesties," Jane greeted as soon as she walked into their presence chamber, sweeping into the lowest possible curtsy she could and keeping her eyes glued to the polished wood floor of the Queen's Hampton apartments. She couldn't afford to make one little mistake; she wanted them so badly to like her!
"Mistress Seymour, you may rise," Arthur announced, keeping his tone very solemn and professional, rare for him but absolutely necessary for this situation. He didn't want to give her the impression that they were okay with what Henry was doing to Anne. Even if she wasn't completely to blame (and even if she was not officially his mistress yet) they didn't want her to relay to Henry that the King and Queen approved of his sordid decision. For all he knew, Jane was the kindest person in the world, but she was now an attachment onto Henry, and until she detached herself, he couldn't show the same genial treatment towards her than he did with the rest of his loyal subjects.
"What is that you need, Mistress Seymour? The King and I are extremely busy," Katherine tiredly asked, looking as though she had little time for the blonde, innocent looking girl in front of her. All Katherine could see in her was another Bessie Blount; ultimately harmless, but capable of inflicting trouble while she was favored by her brother-in-law.
"Your majesty, I just came to present myself to you, and to inform you of my devotion towards you and of course, his majesty the King," Jane replied, feeling tension in the room, but she assumed it was because of the air of regality both Queen Katherine and King Arthur emitted. They were far more awe-inspiring than either the Duke of the Duchess could be. Jane had never felt so intimated in her life, and she wanted nothing more for them to break their royal trance and treat her like an actual person. She was sure she selected the correct words to show them her sincerity.
"Thank you, Mistress Seymour, for informing us of your clear respect towards the King and I. We pray that you continue to show yourself worthy of being a maid to our dear sister, the Duchess, and that you continue to conduct yourself with virtue and honor," Katherine icily replied. She was not impressed with Jane, not at all. She was clearly going to give into to Henry's advances, and was coming here to seek their permission. Well, she certainly would not get it from her! Perhaps if Jane was the wife of a worthy gentleman, they could have been companions. But Katherine didn't want anything to do with a future royal mistress.
Jane didn't dare leave without being dismissed; both of them could tell , however, that she was confused and hurt by their attitude towards her and wanted nothing more than to run as fast as she could away from them. Katherine felt as though she had affectively made her point, and she didn't have to suffer any longer. "You may leave us now, Mistress Seymour, if that is all you have left to profess," Katherine said, the tone of dismissal now very clear in her voice.
"Thank you, your majesties," Jane timidly replied, backing out in a deep bow until she was far enough away to turn her back, and she ran, as gracefully as she could, out of their sight, clearly embarrassed and hurt.
"She really has no idea what Henry is trying to do, does she?" Arthur asked as soon as they were alone again. Jane was either a very convincing actress or completely clueless about Henry's desire for her. Perhaps they had been wrong all together, that Henry was not interested in taking a mistress, but he had to trust his mother. Anne's suspicions could be put down to a hysterical woman going through a difficult pregnancy, but his mother's were level-headed. Henry had shown clear favor towards this girl, with the probable intent of bedding her at some point in the future.
"It doesn't seem like it. Perhaps now somebody will have the decency to inform her, because she certainly picked up on my coldness," Katherine replied, sitting herself down on Arthur's knee and sighing. "Oh Arthur, thank you so much," she cried impulsively, throwing herself around his neck, just wanting to feel him- grateful for everything he was.
"For what?" he asked, enjoying the attention that Katherine was lavishing on him but unsure of what it was all about.
"For just being you- and for loving me without restraint. For never putting me through what Henry is doing to Anne. Thank you for being loyal and faithful and kind and understanding," Katherine explained. If her parents, all those years ago, had arranged her marriage to another prince, she certainly wouldn't have had the luck that she had now. She had failed to provide Arthur with an heir of his blood, but yet here they were, in love and together in the happiest marriage of any King and Queen they knew of. He allowed her to be who she was born to be- a Queen in more than just name only, and he loved her more for it.
She thanked God every night for sparing Arthur from the sweating sickness, because she would have dreaded being without him, and married to another man.
"Your very welcome my dear. I wouldn't have it any other way," he honestly confessed. He then pulled on her gown and brought her lips down to his. "I love you, my beautiful, gracious, and only Queen. I'm so glad God blessed you with everything that you are."
All Katherine could do was nod and pull her beloved husband in for another kiss, not daring to think about how different everything could have been.
Jane ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She just wanted to be alone, and she knew going back to the Duchess' rooms would not afford her a quiet place to cry and to be alone. Nor would her own chamber, since she did have to share it with somebody else who was likely to be unsympathic towards her. So she headed to where the rest of her family was staying, the only place that was likely to be quiet.
Unfortunately, Edward and her father were both there, and she could not escape their questioning. She cursed her bad luck- and the day had started off so well too!
"Janey, what on earth has happened?" her father asked, pulling her in for an embrace. She was grateful for his warm, encompassing arms, but she was all too aware of Edward's calculating stare, and was now sure that everybody was hiding something from her. There was no possible way that the Queen and the Duchess would take a random disliking to her- she had done nothing wrong! Surely, unknowingly, her presence was an insult and a disgrace to both of them. But she had not behaved without virtue; she had done everything her father instructed her to, which is what all good English girls are taught to do.
"The Queen does not like me. I went to see her for an audience and neither she nor the King seemed pleased that I had professed loyalty to them! Queen Katherine told me that she hoped I continued to behave virtuous and respectful- but she didn't seem to say it with the same kind of tone she says it to other ladies," Jane explained, pulling herself out of her father's arms and sitting on the foot of the bed, still ignoring Edward's appraising stare. She really didn't want to ask him why he was looking at her in such a strange manner, as if she could do something for him. She liked her brother, but he was so ambitious and she was so timid that they hardly conspired for anything together. Something was amiss.
"And how does the Duchess treat you?" her father asked, his eyes much kinder than Edward's yet there was something still in them, some kind of hope.
"Not very well. She gives me cold stares and won't let me near her or her children when they come to visit," Jane explained. She hoped that her father or brother could give her some kind of insight into what she had done to offend both the Duchess and the Queen, who seemed to both treat their other ladies with respect and courtesy. "I swear, if the Duke did not show me such kindness, this place would be totally and completely intolerable!"
Edward and her father both gave each other another look, and then Edward, finally, made a move to speak. "The Duchess and the Queen are not fond of you, sister, because the Duke favors you. That is why we have been appointed to so many positions; and it is why you yourself have become a lady to her grace," Edward explained tonelessly, yet Jane couldn't help but notice the slight smile that spread across his face, and it sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
"Why would it bother the Duchess and the Queen if the Duke was kind to me? He is kind to a great many people," Jane replied, still not understanding. The Duke was a very genial man, and he had a great deal of friends. Certainly one more would not be of any sort of special concern to his wife or sister-in-law. The notion was absurd!
"Jane, he doesn't just want to be your friend. He hopes that soon you will consent to be his mistress. The Queen, the Dowager Queen, the Duchess, and I'm certain many of the Duchess' ladies are aware of his intention. You seem to be the only one who is not," Edward coldly explained, a bit annoyed with his sister's naivety, but still very glad that the Duke showed favor towards her. It would only enhance their fortune even more, and once the Duke succeeded his brother, and if Jane somehow managed to hold him for that long, they could rise even further. Even if it was just a temporary measure while the Duchess was pregnant, he could at least show the Duke that he was intelligent and worthy and could be a useful advisor someday. All he needed was more exposure, and Jane could do that for him.
"Father, certainly, you do not want me to sacrifice my maidenhead to the Duke? Even if he is powerful?!" Jane shrilly questioned, looking at her father with wide eyes. There was no way her gentle and loving father would want her to forsake her virtue just for the promise of more riches and titles. And if she became the Duke's mistress, the Duchess would have even more cause to be cruel to her! And how would she ever find a husband if she publically became the Duke of York's lover?
Sir John looked uncomfortably over at his son, hoping that he could break the news more gently. "The Duke has requested for your presence tonight in his private chambers. We want you to go to him; and allow him to take your maidenhead," Edward explained frankly. He didn't want Jane to ask any questions, he wanted her to be perfectly clear what they expected from her. Seeing that she was about to protest, Edward continued, "I know you may think it would make the Duchess more cruel, but by holding out, you will not gain any more favor from her. The seed of distrust as already been planted in her head; the idea of you makes her resent you. And if you do not give the Duke what he wants, you will lose his friendship too."
"And what about my marriage prospects?" Jane angrily asked. She could care less about the Duchess; all she was to her was a cruel mistress who she wished to escape. But the Duchess was also her gateway into a husband; sleeping with her beloved Duke would not help her at all in terms of that. Also, prematurely forfeiting her maidenhead would not attract many men; it would probably turn many away from her. She liked the Duke very much, and was not opposed to being his lover, but she could never be his wife, and she wanted to be somebody's wife, not just some discarded royal mistress.
Sir John was quick to answer this one, knowing that Edward would not be gentle with her. "Janey, this will only help them. The Duke is likely to be generous to you if you are generous to him and give him what he wants. Many good noblemen would be willing to look the other way if the Duke supplies you with a large enough dowry. Do not think that it is a bad thing, my dear. The Duke will enjoy your time together, you will enjoy it, and you will get a better husband than you could have before," Sir John explained. He would have been horrified about letting his daughter forfeit her virginity before she was married, but now, after Edward explained how much they could gain from the Duke, he knew that it would be a small sacrifice for the good of the family. Besides, Jane seemed smitten enough with him.
"I am fond of the Duke," Jane replied, beginning to warm up to the idea. He was likely to be gentle with her, like he was in all things. He was kindest man she knew (even kinder than her own father) and always called her sweetheart. He was handsome, charming, a wonderful dance partner, and was always willing to make conversation about any topic imaginable, even if Jane was not very good at conversing. And such a man, such a cultured and handsome man, desired her, little Jane Seymour from the country! How could she say no- especially if it would help her?
She knew that she should feel pity for the Duchess; but she couldn't. The Duchess had not even given her a chance, she had assumed that Jane was going to sleep with her husband, and was treating as if she already had. It would do her no worse to actually carry out what everybody already assumed she had done. She wanted to be above virtue and petty gossip- but she did desire the Duke. Besides, she might even gain his full protection as his mistress from his wife's cruelness, and maybe she could marry somebody just as rich and handsome as he.
"So you will do it, willingly?" Edward asked, allowing a hint of excitement and anticipation to build in his voice. Jane's naïve sacrifice would do so much for their family- and for him. He was so glad that she wasn't going to act stupidly for the sake of some pretended virtue. Jane was innocent and was raised to be virtuous, but the world stepped all over people who clung to virtue and principle. If they wanted to make it anywhere, Jane would have to get her hands dirty.
Jane didn't even need to think about it anymore, her mind was now set. "Have somebody help me prepare for tonight. I want to look my best for his grace."
He had misgivings at first.
Jane was not his wife; she was in fact, nothing like his wife. She was pretty and had an open personality, everything that she kept inside of her would soon worm its way out. Anne was also very pretty- but not in the traditional sense. She was dark and alluring, seductive and mysterious. Her intelligence and enigmatic personality was what first attracted Henry to her- and he would not doubt that it was what kept him in love with her. Anne was truly the love of his life, and always would be.
But she was not able to be with him fully. He had desires that needed to be fulfilled, and Jane was there. Jane was innocent in a world that corrupted every soul, she was light in his now nights of darkness. Anne was propped in bed all day in a darkened room heavy with their child that had almost killed her. He had full intentions of staying faithful to her, to alleviate her worries as she struggled through a difficult pregnancy. But he just simply could not do it. She was his Anne for an hour out of the day, but all of her strength was sapped after that- the baby was sucking it all out of her.
How could anybody expect him to stay true and faithful to a woman who slept or was miserable the whole entire day?
Arthur would expect him to do what he and his father had done to both of their wives- especially since both of their marriages were arranged and he had chosen Anne. His father and his brother had waited patiently for their wives to deliver their children, never even taking a second look at another woman. His father did it because he didn't want to risk being taken over by another woman (Henry also seriously doubted his father had any sort of sexual attraction towards any woman) and he also wanted his Queen to never miscarry or threaten the lives of any of their children. Arthur did it simply because his love for Katherine overtook all other thoughts.
Henry had never had a problem before with other women. Anne was always the only woman he had eyes for- even when they were celibate he didn't even feel any leaning towards women. Anne had captivated him and had certainly been enough for him. Lisbeth and Edward's births were easy for him- they were not dangerous and Anne was glowing when she was with them. Now, her life was grey and she was heavy and morose. Her room often reeked of vomit and her hair had lost the shine that it once had. He was sure that after Anne gave birth to their son and recovered- she would be as beautiful and captivating as she was before. To suggest otherwise was to suggest that the sun would allow the moon to eclipse it forever.
But for some reason, he needed Jane to be his mistress. He needed somebody to keep him company physically while his wife was unable to. He needed a woman to listen to his every word and treat him as if he was the most wonderful thing on earth. Jane did so sincerely, she was honored and awed by the attention he showered on her. When he first met Jane at her family's estate, he felt a stirring that he had not felt in a long time- since Anne became pregnant with this child. Jane was new and fresh and he needed to feel that spark of livelihood again.
He knew he was hurting Anne. He couldn't pretend that she didn't know his intentions. His mother would be disappointed. His brother would try and stop him. But he didn't care, even if he should have. He wanted Jane- and he was sick of being denied the things he wanted.
"Your grace," Jane greeted, pulling him from his thoughts. His breath hitched in his throat when he saw her- a vision with her blonde flaxen hair, her sheer white gown and her wide blue eyes. He could also tell that she was frightened, and it reminded him of a night, a long time ago, with Bessie Blount. She had shaken when he first touched her neck, and cried out when he stole her maidenhead. But she enjoyed it- and Henry was sure that Jane would too. However, he knew that she was scared and he would take it slow, even as he was burning with passion. She was truly a maid, and it endeared her to him even more.
"Are you ready, my dear?" he asked before kissing her- having too much respect to betray her wishes, yet he already knew what the answer would be. But his pride would not allow him to forgo asking completely; and he wanted to hear her voice, he wanted to hear it shake with desire and nerves.
"Yes, your grace," she replied just as he predicted she would, and like always, that was all the invitation he needed before diving in, ignoring the thought of Anne weeping alone in a darkened room with only their kicking unborn child to keep her company during her lonely night.
He was far too gone for that thought to bother him.
Wow! Such a long time for me to get around to writing this and it only ended up taking a few days. I'm so glad to finally have moved to the plot forward. I'm not sure what's going to happen next, but next chapter will probably have the birth of baby number three. I really hope everybody enjoyed this chapter, and please, don't forget to review! :) Until next time…