Chapter 16
Château de Montmorency
Commune de Montigny-en-Ostrevent
Nord, France
August 5,1536
Anne sat next to Francis, in the chambers set aside to receive ambassadors, decorated in a rich silk burgundy gown with her hair wrapped elegantly under a French hood and her famous necklace around her neck. The couple haven't spoken much since their fight, though they kept up appearances, past Anne receiving her own chambers. She knew she had overreacted but Francis did not seem quick to punish her for it either. Instead, they sat stoically as the doors opened. The English ambassador, Nicholas Wotton, had just arrived late to join the rest of them, looking red and worried.
He bowed deeply, "your majesties I apologize for being so rudely late. I was waiting for an urgent message sent by Master Cromwell."
He held out a tightly wrapped letter sealed with the crown's symbol. Anne took it and nodded her thanks and began to read the letter silently. When she finished, secretly feeling proud of herself for maintaining her expression, she plastered on a smile, "Thank you, Lord Wotton. I will discuss its contents with you later this evening."
He bowed silently and Anne did her best to maintain her composure through the rest of the meeting, as it was about French politics, not English, and she wished to keep them separate. Francis handled most of them, considering they were ambassadors to his country. She was thankful for that, as it gave her time to digest the information. As soon as they concluded, Anne took off for her chambers. Francis followed silently, trying to keep pace with her as courtiers pounced at him.
He stepped into her room a few moments after she did and found her ladies to be in a flurry of packing. He turned to his wife, "what is wrong? Why are you leaving?"
Anne saw him and grimaced. She didn't know what to say or how much to tell him. Finally, she surrendered and motioned for him to follow her to her less busy bedchamber. When comfortably there she finally spoke, "I have to return to England. There have been a few… issues and I need to be there."
"Anne.. I don't want you to leave like this… I know it is selfish but-" Francis started. She had gone from slowly opening to him, to being a wall of ice.
"I know. I do not either," Anne glanced over at the vase of flowers next to her bed with a tear in her eye. Francis had a new one placed there every morning. Was she doomed to ruin every relationship she had? "I was overly harsh with you when I discovered your motives for our marriage. I knew you had your own reasons, I just figured they were closer to my own. It was unfair and I am sorry."
He stepped closer to her, placing a hand on the side of her cheek, "No, I should be the one to apologize. You didn't keep anything from me, I shouldn't have done so with you. I also should have done a better job at explaining myself. It is a concept I am not familiar with anymore."
They both chuckled slightly, and he looked at her, "I do not know why but something about you makes me want to be a better husband."
"I like it when you call us partners, I just…" Anne bit her lip, "how do I know I can trust you fully? Knowing your intentions to become Holy Roman Emperor? I have been having a hard enough time trusting anyone after everything..."
"I will find a way to prove to you that I have your best interest aligned with mine. I will show you that a marriage can be a sanctuary for your fears and doubts, I promise. Now do you truly have to leave so abruptly?" He smiled.
"The Duke of Norfolk has been arrested for treason," Anne said sadly. She had secretly hoped they had been wrong, that she wouldn't be forced to punish her own uncle. "the council pushed an attainer through to strip him of his dukedom, and they are anticipating my return to put him on trial..."
"How will you handle it?" Francis asked curiously.
Anne's eyes hardened as she responded, "like a Tudor."
Francis nodded understanding her meaning. Both King Henry's had been most decisive in dealing with threats to the throne. It seems Anne would have to defend the next one's crown much the same. He gave her a pleading look, "Do you think you could stay one more night and leave at first light?"
Anne nodded as he bent down to kiss her.
The next morning they awoke together before Anne left to ensure all her things were packed and her ladies were ready to depart. Francis went to make a few arrangements of his own. They broke their fast together, making small talk and enjoying the last few moments they had before going their own way until next summer. He escorted her to the entrance where she noted everyone but the lady of the house, Duchess Madeleine. Anne looked at him quizzically; he seemed to read her mind. "I banished her from my presence until I felt she had learned a lesson for disrespecting her Queen. I wish you had told me about her rudeness."
"I didn't want to suggest I could not handle myself. It is not my first time being hated by the nobles," Anne tried to explain away.
"That may be, but I am your husband and it is my job to protect you," Francis smiled. Anne gave him a kiss on the cheek before going to say goodbye to her stepchildren. They were all trying to collect themselves since Princess Elizabeth had already come through and been placed in the carriage. The children had all gotten along swimmingly and were distraught to witness their new sister leave. "I have been thinking. I know we said no coronation but I feel as though it would be a favorable idea the next time you are in France. It is nothing less than what you deserve and it gives my people no misgivings of the seriousness of our marriage or your position by my side. An insult to you, is an insult to me."
Anne smiled, she softened at his determination, "if you insist, but I long stopped begging for the acceptance of courtiers."Aisi sera groigne qui groigne."
Francis chuckled at the mention of her former motto, "well, then I will ensure it is a bold coronation for their bold queen, where no one will dare grumble."
Anne nodded and went to finish her goodbyes to the children with promises of letters and gifts. She had grown as close as could be expected to all her stepchildren, with the exception of Henri, over the past few weeks and was somber to leave them. When she came to the Dauphin, the young man smiled, "there is no need m'lady. I am to accompany you."
This took Anne by surprise, and she glanced up at her husband, who nodded. Anne smiled back at him, "well we will be thrilled to have you. Does Elizabeth know?"
Everyone shook their heads, and Anne hinted, "Why don't you go ensure she is all settled in and prepared? You can take your siblings too."
Once the children were out of earshot and the other courtiers left as their King ordered, he turned to see Anne with her hands on her hips.
"I told you I would earn your trust and the best way to do so is a show of faith. So I am trusting you to care for my son," Francis said easily.
"But he is your heir and you just got him back," Anne demanded as she felt the weight of his implication.
"He is my heir, but he is also my son. He has not forgiven me for his imprisonment and I do not expect him too, but he is also becoming a shell of himself. I worry if he withdraws too much he will never come back and I do not know what kind of King that will be. In the weeks you have been here, he has said more to you than he to anyone since his return. I am hoping being around you and away from French court will help him heal," King Francis said slightly pleading at the end, worried she would say no. "Besides soon I will be away on the battlefield again and I worry my courtiers will try to sink their claws into him."
Anne nodded and walked over to him, kissing him deeply, "I will care for your son, but you need to take care of yourself. I am too young to be a widow twice over and our alliance depends on it. Take caution on the battlefields ahead of you."
"As you wish," he said, kissing her again before letting her go, to return to England. He felt the emptiness of the space she had occupied besides him the past few weeks, even if she was furious during most of it. He knows she is no witch, but he can't help and wonder if he had been bewitched by the famous Anne Boleyn. His wife and Queen.
