July 8 1536

Two days after the murder of Sir Thomas More, the news had spread throughout England, causing many people who had raised their voices in support of the pilgrims to fall silent and shut their doors and windows, essentially turning their backs to the men just days ago they agreed with when they called out against the King's policies.

Thomas More was known to be a good and honest Catholic man who was also a loyal supporter of Queen Katherine. For him to be murdered by the leaders and benefactors of the Pilgrimage of Grace had disillusioned many to their cause. Even among the rebels themselves there was some discontent.

It fell to Robert Aske to keep their numbers (which were large but certainly not large enough nor skilled enough to stop a royal army) from decreasing.

"According to the Marquess of Dorset, Sir Thomas More's death was a tragic accident that was never meant to occur," he began.

"Of course he would say that," Francis Bigod snapped. He was not a Catholic like many of the rebels. He was a Lutheran but he still protested against the monasteries being closed. "He knows that Sir More is a loyal and pious man. His death has done nothing but make us look like bloodthirsty savages. I would like to remind you gentlemen that I signed up to save the religious houses the Crow Cromwell is trying to destroy. I have nothing against the Act of Succession nor the King himself."

There was some grumbling of agreement as Prince George was loved by many of the people and they all feared what might happen if they allowed Princess Mary to rise to the throne, only to be led by her husband and his ambitious family or worse she would make England her dowry to a foreign king.

"If we want the King to listen to us, we must have faith in the Marquess and his allies. Sir Thomas More's death was a tragic accident that we all morn but that does not mean our cause is not just," Aske declared passionately.

Besides they had gone too far to falter now. God willing, the King would see sense and return England back to the flock of Rome before it was too late.

"What of the Queen?" a voice in the crowd called. "It is well known that Queen Anne has spoken out against Cromwell's plans for religious houses and that King Henry has given her some church land which she has used for the betterment of the people."

"If it weren't for the Lady Anne, the King would never have forsaken the true religion in the first place," the baron Darcy snarled disdainfully, ignoring the looks of anger being shot his way for refusing to use Anne Boleyn's proper title.

Although Queen Katherine was still loved, the English people as a whole had gotten used to calling Anne their Queen and now they reacted with just as much outrage as they did when it was Katherine being disrespected.

"This is not about Queen Anne or the legitimacy of her children but about good King Henry being led astray by foul men who call themselves his loyal advisors," Aske said firmly. "We must not lose sight of our goal. We must continue fighting for the good of England."

It didn't matter whether George or Mary took the throne so long as they followed the true religion but the only way to do that was to make sure that wicked men like Cromwell and Cranmer were sent packing.

July 9 1536

"I'm afraid Lady Alice More confirmed that the men in charge of the group who invaded her home were in fact Sir Thomas Percy, the Baron of Montagu and the Marquess of Dorset and it was Percy who wielded the sword that killed Sir Thomas More. The men's whereabouts are unknown as of yet. However, I have already sent summons to the Earl of Northumberland to answer for his brother's crimes," Cromwell reported.

Henry scowled as he thought about the men responsible for Thomas' death (Percy might have been the actual killer but as far as he was concerned all three men had contributed to the murder of his old teacher). All three men were nothing more than vile rodents; vermin he would love to exterminate. For all his problems with Thomas, that noble man had not deserved to die so brutally.

"And the uprising?" Henry asked, his face as dark as a storm cloud, his eyes flashing like lighting.

"Well their numbers haven't diminished but they have not swelled either as the murder of Sir Thomas More has made most of the general population weary of them," Cromwell explained.

That made sense as Thomas More was know to be a pious Catholic with a strong conscience, loyal to a fault. For the rebels to murder him showed just how vicious and violent they were. Their cause nothing more than a smokescreen to mask their bloodthirsty ways.

"What of Dorset's wife and the rest of the Poles, have they been apprehended?" Henry asked coldly. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Charles flinch at the mention of Frances. Although it pained him to know that his niece was involved, it was much worse for Charles as she was his beloved daughter.

"Ursula Pole has arrived to court out of her own free will and has declared herself loyal to Your Majesty. The Countess of Salisbury and her sons have hidden themselves away with the traitor Montagu. As for Lady Frances, she was found at her estates and I have taken the liberty of moving her to the tower for questioning," Cromwell informed him calmly.

"Is that necessary? My daughter is married to a traitor that is true but there is no evidence to say that she's a traitor herself," Charles protested.

"My spies have reported that every time Lord Grey meet with Lady Salisbury, Baron Montagu and Sir Percy, she would join them so it is unlikely she did not know what they are up to even if she didn't contribute directly," Cromwell said with sigh. He took no pleasure telling Suffolk that his daughter was a traitor especially when the girl was the King's own niece.

"I want to be there when you question the Marquess of Dorset," the Duke of Wiltshire spoke up, his fury written all over his ace.

"Why? So you can intimidate her into confessing something false," Suffolk accused him, spinning around to glare at the older man.

"With all due respect, Your Grace, if she's innocent, I don't think me being there will be a problem," Thomas Boleyn drawled, his lips curled up in a sneer. "Furthermore the reason I want to be there is because I want to know just what she was planning to do about my daughter and my grandchildren."

"Do you think that's what this is about?" Henry questioned, his eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. As far as he knew the rebellion was about the religious reforms that were happening but no one was speaking out against the act of succession.

Even though it had taken the English people some time to warm up to Anne, the royal children were beloved by them even during those few months when Annette was the only child. They cheered loudly when George and his siblings were seen in public calling out blessings to the sweet princes and bonny princesses.

When Chapuys and Brereton were arrested and executed for their crimes, the common people had decried them as villains and madmen, seeking to destroy innocent lives. The two men had tried to defend their actions at their respective executions but the crowd's fierce shouting had drowned out their words.

"The fact that these people decided to act after Princess Mary's marriage was announced makes me certain it has something to do with them," Thomas answered, his tone colored by outrage that Henry doubted was feigned.

"I must concur with Wiltshire, while the rebellion itself is against the Ten Articles, the fact that all four conspirators were for the late Dowager Princess of Wales makes me suspect that they are looking to make Princess Mary your true heir and perhaps marry her off to one of their relatives," Cromwell agreed, his expression pensive.

"In that case we should make sure that Princess Mary is under close guard just to be sure that no one tries to take her," Henry decided, glad that he had not sent any of his children away, making sure that anyone who would try to do them harm would have to go through him first. It might also be prudent to send guards to the Clifford's manor to protect his younger niece and some to Suffolk just in case the Earl of Lincoln was in danger of being abducted.

"Should I send for Eleanor and Hal?" Charles asked, guessing his friend's worries.

"No, I will send guards but I don't want to risk my niece and nephew being abducted on their way to court," Henry told him before turning to Cromwell and Wiltshire. "The two of you go speak to Lady Dorset. I want a thorough interrogation to be made, she is not to get any special treatment just because she's my niece."

Even if Cromwell was tempted to go easy on Frances, he knew that Wiltshire was not, not when her dealings were against his daughter and grandchildren.

Once Wiltshire and Cromwell had left, Suffolk dared to speak. He knew his daughter was in a great deal of a trouble and the fact that the King had all but stated she was to be treated like any subject suspected of treason made his blood freeze.

"Your Majesty," he began, struggling to find the words. He didn't want it to seem like he was excusing Frances' actions but at the same time, he needed to try and save his daughter from the chopping block. Surely as a father himself Henry would understand his motives.

His desperation and concern must have shown on his face as Henry let out a heavy sigh before speaking: "I will not execute my niece, Charles. She will either remain in the Tower of London or be sent to a convent for the rest of her days."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Charles said, managing a weak smile. "For what it's worth, I am truly aghast at what her husband has involved himself in and the fact that she knew about it and failed to report it. Neither her mother nor I would ever approved of her actions."

"I can only imagine the fury my sister would have shown at the knowledge that her daughter was involved in a plot against me and my children," Henry remarked with a mirthless laugh. "Do they really think Mary or even Katherine would have approved of a scheme against the King of England?"

"Sometimes grudges can blind a person," Charles quipped, knowing full well he was among those who could be blinded. However he would never commit treason especially when he knew Mary would be reluctant to go along with it.

Although he would never come to like Wiltshire or Norfolk, he had to admit that for better or worse, Queen Anne possessed a good heart and her son was well on his way to becoming a good king.

Perhaps it wouldn't be the world's worst idea for him to agree to a marriage between one of Ormond's daughters and the Earl of Lincoln. Considering the scrutiny his children would be under after Frances' betrayal was well known, it would perhaps be prudent to have his son married to the Queen's niece.

He might need her protection one day.

In Mary's apartments, she was receiving an audience from Lady Stafford who seemed desperate to distance herself from the treason her mother and brothers had gotten themselves involved in. Considering her maternal uncle, her husband's father and grandfather were executed for treason it was understandable she would be worried about protecting her reputation as it would reflect on her husband and children not to mention it could mean her death as well.

"Mother knows you don't want to part of any treason but she's convinced that she has to save you from marrying a Lutheran king," Ursula Stafford explained. "My brother seems to think you are the only one who can save England from hearsay."

"And I suppose him being the brother of the next King of England would just be a bonus," Mary said sarcastically. Even if she were to understand the motives of the so-called Pilgrimage of Grace, like many other good Catholics, they lost her sympathy the moment they attempted abduct Thomas More and then killed him when he refused to comply.

Although nobody had mentioned who Mary would marry if she did succeed her father, she was certain that it would have to be someone who had just as much of a right to the English throne as she did, making their claim stronger. She also knew that aside from the Earl of Lincoln and the Earl of Devon-who were much too young to be married, Cardinal Reginald Pole was the only other unmarried male heir of the house of Plantagenet even though he was a member of the clergy.

"Your Highness must believe me, I had no part in my family's schemes. I swear on my children's lives that I am loyal subject," Ursula declared passionately.

Mary couldn't help but think that those involved with the rebellion also believed they were loyal subjects, freeing their country from heresy. However, in the end all they would end up doing was causing much blood to be shed.

George would be king one day, Mary had accepted that years ago, although she still hated that it came at the cost of her mother's status and reputation, she no longer held any delusions that she would ever rule England nor did she harbor any resentment over that fact.

"I believe you, my lady, but if you came here in hopes that I would speak to the King, I do not think I am the best person to do so," Mary said softly. It wasn't that her father didn't trust her but she was certain he would never listen to her if she begged for mercy for those who committed treason against his wife and heirs, even if she only asked for mercy for those people who only had her and her mother's interests in their hearts, seeking to undo the wrongdoing they suffered through no fault of their own. "But I can assure you that neither you, your husband nor your children will suffer for your mother and brothers' crimes."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Ursula said, looking as though she wanted to say more but she didn't dare to. It was clear by the look on her face that she wanted to beg for mercy on behalf of her mother and brothers, hoping to spare them from the punishment the King would must certainly give them once he caught them.

"You must forgive me for speaking frankly, Your Grace but I think Lady Salisbury and your brothers have made their own choices and if they want to continue down this path, they must accept the consequences that come with it," Mary pointed out, thinking that if nothing else, the death of Sir Thomas More should have given the conspirators pause, realizing what terribleness they had wrought and seek to make amends for their folly. Instead they continued to incite the rebellion, not to mention they had not turned in the man who had murdered More in cold blood.

There was nothing more to be said and the audience was soon ended with Ursula Stafford leaving, looking grimmer than she had when she arrived.

Mary decided to go to her chapel to pray that the misguided men and women of the Pilgrimage of Grace would get God's mercy as she knew they would not receive any mercy from the King.

July 10 1536

When would this nonsense end? Anne wondered.

She had been the Queen of England for nearly a decade by now. She had given birth to an heir, two spares and two beautiful little princesses. Lady Katherine, Princess Mary and even that pompous Emperor had accepted that George would one day become king after Henry. And still there were people wanted to tear her down, overturn all her good work and put Mary on the throne out of delusions that their champion didn't even believe in anymore.

"What if this never ends?" Anne asked, tossing her needlework aside. She couldn't concentrate on it anyway. "What if they continue to plot against me and my children when Henry dies? What if they never accept George on the throne?"

Several of Anne's ladies flinched at the mention of the king dying- a few even looking scandalized as it was treason to imagine the king's death. But even if they could take her to task for such a statement, they wouldn't as they knew her wild words came from fear that her children would constantly be in danger.

"Do not think like that, Anne," her sister implored her, reaching out to stroke her sleeve. "Soon this will be over and everything will go back to the way it was."

"That's what I thought the last three times," Anne pointed out irritably. "And then something worse happens."

"And yet you survived and you continued to thrive no matter what your enemies threw at you," Mary remarked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"As have you," Anne murmured, remembering how close she had come to losing Mary during that awful day in Surrey. "Perhaps you're right. God has protected my family from my enemies before and He will do so again."

"Everything will turn out right, Anne, you'll see," Mary promised her.

A page in the King's livery was admitted into the Queen's rooms an hour later, with a message from the King, summoning Anne to his apartments at once. Not wanting to make Henry wait, Anne immediately made her way to his chambers.

Henry was pacing around his audience chamber when she entered, a troubled expression on his face. Despite his angry mood, he still greeted her tenderly. However, this did little to sooth Anne's worries.

"What happened?" Anne asked. Were the rebels now demanding that Henry reinstate Mary over her half-siblings as his heir?

"My scouts inform me that the rebels have taken over Alnwick Castle and they are keeping the Earl and Countess prisoner," Henry explained, frowning. "Or at least that is what has been reported. You know His Grace better than I did, Anne. We already know his wife was party to the meetings her brother-in-law had with Dorset and Montagu. Is it possible that Northumberland is a traitor as well?"

Anne was slightly taken aback by her husband's question, surprised that he would make a mention of her past love. He never did like talking about men who were known to have courted her.

Not he ever treated Hal Percy or Thomas Wyatt badly-he even had knighted the latter the previous year.

"I cannot see Lord Percy willingly and knowingly taking part in treason," Anne responded. After all, if Hal couldn't go against his father's wishes to marry the woman he loved, Anne doubted he would betray his king. He was much too noble to do otherwise. Not to mention, Hal still cared for Anne and she doubted he would ever hurt her let alone plot against her and her children.

"I thought the same could be said for my niece," Henry said in almost a whisper.

Anne reached out and took his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. She struggled for a moment to find the words to express her condolence at the betrayal of Henry's niece. Although, she could not claim to be close with the Brandon children, it still shocked her that Frances would betray her own flesh and blood let alone her monarch.

"I'm sure that in her heart, she thought she was doing the right thing," Anne told him. She winced slightly, feeling that had sounded better in her heard but once she had said them aloud, they seemed like a poor attempt to absolve the Marquess for her wrong doing.

"According to the report Cromwell made of his interrogation, Frances admits that she hoped Mary would marry either her brother or Cardinal Reginald Pole, believing that England would accept their Queen Regent if she married a Englishman of royal blood," Henry explained, wondering if his niece had shown any sign of regretting her treasonous actions. "She seems to think that will solve all of England's problems. Even if that had been the case when Mary was my only child, it's not now when we have George, Edward and Owen."

"Have the rebels demanded that Mary should be your heir over George?" Anne asked worriedly.

"Thankfully no," Henry answered, kissing each of her fingers in turn. "Don't you worry, my love, George is loved by his subjects. These rabble rousers have not been able to persuade anyone to turn against him and I will make sure to end them before they have a chance to do so."

"That's what worries me. That they have a chance," Anne admitted, her stomach turning over at the thought that her precious boy might be hated as she once was.

"Anne, do you trust me?" Henry inquired, smiling when she nodded immediately. "Then trust that I will put at end to this rebellion once and for all. No one will endanger our golden world."

Everyone tried to keep the children of the royal nursery ignorant of the events happening outside of court but no matter how careful the governesses were, keeping their charges happy and blissfully unaware, the children were able to sense the tension going on and Edward especially had a knack for learning things he was not supposed to know about.

When their governesses were busy with other tasks, the four children pretended to be admiring their baby brother when in reality they spoke in hushed whispers about the new piece of information Edward had stumbled on when two servants had not known he was listening to their conversation.

"The Baron Cromwell has been closing down momesaries-" Edward began.

"Monasteries," Annette corrected him, causing him to shoot her a dirty look for interrupting.

"-which angered someone people who also were upset by ten articles-" Edward continued.

"The Ten Articles," George interjected much to Edward's annoyance. "Bishop Cox told me all about it. It's a law that Papa put in place when he broke off from the Catholic Church."

"May I finish?" Edward demanded, his voice rising slightly. He glanced worriedly at Owen who was sleeping peacefully, not wanting to wake him and make him cry.

"Sorry, Ned, go on," George said gently.

"So a few days ago in Lincolnshire, a mob stopped our Papa's men from closing down a church and they are now making demands for Papa to stop all these changes," Edward finished. "And that's not all, I heard they also want Mary to be Papa's heir ahead of George."

"Why would they want that?" Elizabeth asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. She might not yet be three but she knew that even though Mary and Annette were older they still had to follow George, Edward and even Owen in the line of succession. She knew that was the way it always went hence why Aunt Margaret was the Queen of Scotland instead of England.

"Because they are Catholic," George snapped, a dark scowl on his face. "They think their religion is the true faith so they hate us because we are being raised Lutherans." He shivered as he remembered his father's groom. He wondered if the people who had attacked his mother in Surrey were also Catholic. It seemed that every person who followed the so-called true faith was violent and dangerous.

"George, Mary is Catholic as is Marguerite. Do you think they hate us?" Annette asked softly, as though she could read her brother's thoughts.

"No," George responded after a pause. Not only were Mary and Marguerite two of the kindest people he knew, he was also well aware that King Francis was Catholic and yet he remained a true ally to England despite the two countries violent history with each other.

"I don't understand why it would make a difference what religion they choose to follow. We all pray to the same God," Elizabeth pointed out, sounding far wiser than her age would suggest.

"It really says a lot when a two-year-old is smarter than a bunch of grown-ups," Annette quipped, smiling affectionately at her younger sister.

Edward snorted and even George could not help but chuckle despite himself.

July 15 1536

"How are you feeling, brother?" Thomas Percy asked mockingly, not at all caring that his older brother was on his deathbed.

"Well let's see: I am terminally ill with my doctor telling me I will be dead in less than a year, I am a prisoner in my own house that has been overrun by traitors and my younger brother is a murderer," Hal snarled. "How do you think I'm feeling?"

"I would think you would watch your tongue. Thomas More's death was an accident and if you aren't careful, the same accident could happen to you," Thomas growled, his hand on his dagger.

"You have already brought shame to the great house of Percy and just when I think you can't get any lower you just threatened a dying man, your own brother," Alan Percy said coldly, standing by Hal's bedside, acting like a guard, ready to protect his nephew if his younger nephew tried to carry out his threat.

"He deserves it, Uncle, he is a fool. Instead of continuing our late father's dynasty, he just decided to mope over a heretical whore who was clearly just after power," Thomas jeered.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF ANNE THAT WAY!" Hal bellowed, shooting upwards and trying to climb out of the bed. Unfortunately he succumbed to a fit of coughs and collapsed onto the floor much to his uncle's worry and his brother's disgust.

"You are a weak man, brother and once we have put the Princess Mary on the throne of England, I shall have you stripped of your titles and thrown out onto the streets," Thomas Percy sneered before storming out of the bedchambers.

"He is a delusional fool," Alan muttered as he helped his nephew back to bed. "That group of men downstairs don't have the skill let alone the numbers to counter the royal army. They will be slaughtered once the King's men reach the North."

"Even if they were to win, does he expect the Princess Mary to go along with something she knows will mean the ousting of her father and siblings if not their death?" Hal remarked, shaking his head. "And to think Father once called me a proud, presumptuous and unthrift waster."

"Your father never was a good judge of character," Alan agreed. In his opinion Mary Talbot was a spoiled and conniving shrew while Anne Boleyn had the charm and wit that was fitting of a Countess. However, his brother was just as proud as he accused his son of being and therefore he had refused to even consider that a knight's daughter-albeit the granddaughter of a duke-was better than a daughter of an earl.

"Uncle, if the King's army should try to storm Alnwick Castle, will you do me a favor?" Hal pleaded, keeping his voice low so the guards outside his bedchamber could not overhear and tell their masters what Hal was saying.

"Of course, dear nephew, whatever you need for me to do," Alan replied, assuming Hal would want him to speak up for him should the King's men try to arrest him. After all, Hal was far too ill to protest his own innocence.

"Let them in," Hal told him coolly.

Alan nodded understanding what Hal meant. The rebels would try to keep the King's army from entering the castle, using cannons and archers to attack the solders. However, there was a secret entrance that would allow the solders to take the rebels by surprise. And despite what Thomas might think, Hal was still the master of his castle, therefore even if Alan was loathe to betray his own flesh and blood despite him being a traitor, Alan was still duty bound to listen to Hal.

July 18 1536

King Henry wasn't taking any chances. He had ordered that the nobility give him all the men-in-arms they could spare on such short notice.

There were more than a thousand rebels not including the men of the Marquess of Dorset and the Baron Montagu but the army of King Henry was made up of at least ten thousand men. Enough to destroy the entire North of England if they had risen up with the traitors.

Luckily despite the frequent entreaties of the Pilgrimage of Grace, there were no one else willing to join them either out of disgust towards Thomas More's death or out of fear of the consequences.

According to a spy in Alnwick Castle, it seemed that the rebels themselves were getting nervous. God willing they would surrender the moment they saw the royal army storming towards them.

Despite it being early in the morning, Northumberland seemed to be devoid of life. The windows of houses and stores were barred shut with no one daring to even peek out. Although they had to know that the army was for the rebels in the castle, it seemed that the people in Northumberland were still frightened that if they stepped out of their homes they would be captured and killed for treason even though they had no choice but to allow the men of the rebellion to stay in their lord's castle.

They were not the only ones afraid they would be killed for no reason than knowing traitors.

The Earl of Shrewsbury had been aghast when Frances Brandon had named his daughter as one of the conspirators. Not only did he disown her but he also raised his army to add to number of the King's soldiers.

The Duke of Suffolk had volunteered to led the King's army as they took over Alnwick Castle and he had spoken to the Duke of Wiltshire of drafting a marriage agreement between the Earl of Lincoln and one of George's daughters.

It seemed that everyone was living on the edge, afraid that the King might turn his terrible fury onto them once he was done with the rebels who dared to make demands of him, killed his old friend and tried to deny his son's birthright.

In George's opinion, the faster this sordid affair was over with the better. God willing once those who were involved were executed for their crimes, everything could go back to normal. Where the only plotter George had to deal with on a daily basis was his father.

When they arrived at Alnwick Castle they were greeted by cannon fire and flaming arrows. Their attackers seemed to think that because they were behind fortified walls that they had nothing to fear from a great army.

Well in their defense, it would have taken a long time for the King's army to counterattack and use the catapults to take down the walls that surrounded the castle. Not to mention losing their men in the meantime.

Thankfully, with the intel Francis had gathered from a servant of Alan Percy, the Earl of Shrewsbury's men were would be able to enter the castle and take it from inside while the rest of the army kept them distracted.

It would all be over soon and in less than a fortnight, George would return to Hever Castle where he would be greeted by his wife and wonderful children.

"Return fire!" George shouted as he held his shield over his head to block the arrows raining down on him. "Keep them on their toes men. Do not let them rest for even a moment."

"For the King of England!" a man shouted as he cut the rope of the catapult, allowing the projectile to fly towards the castle, smashing into the wall.

July 30 1536

Henry supposed he should be glad that the rebellion had began and ended in a little under a month. However, the bloodshed did not end at the taking over the castle. It would not just be the leaders who died. No, Henry intended to make a strong statement and every man who had taken part in the Pilgrimage of Grace would be executed.

His niece Frances, Mary Talbot and Geoffroy Pole would remain in the Tower of London for the rest of their days as they only had knowledge of the rebellion and willingly provided evidence against the other conspirators. But no one else would receive any mercy.

Mary had pleaded with him to at least spare Lady Salisbury, reminding him what a good governess she had been to her and her only fault was believing that Mary needed to be rescued from her marriage to the King of Sweden.

As much as her words had broken Henry's heart-and he suspected a small part of his daughter blamed herself for the rebellion-he was adamant that he could not show any mercy to a woman who clearly proved to be just as dangerous as her father and brother.

Hopefully after the executions, that would be the end of it. Hopefully by the time his son became king, there would be no more delusional people desperately trying to return to England to the Bishop of Rome. Hopefully George would be the king of a golden age.