"Good morning She mumbled in return and gave him a peck on the lips.
"Did you sleep well?"
"No, since Cromwell was executed I can't stop reliving that horrible day in my sleep," Anne replied with a frown on her beautiful face.
"Yes, it was very gruesome to watch, but try to forget that."
"That executioner butchered him. He wasn't a good man, but nobody deserves to die like that."
"I agree with you, my dear, but don't think about that now," Edward said and gently traced his hand across Anne's bare thigh.
"And about what should I think, dear husband?" She asked teasingly "Don't think," Edward said and kissed her. They were about to get rid of their clothes when the loud knocking interrupted them.
"What now?" Edward groaned and got up to open the door.
"My Lord, I am sorry for bothering you so early, but the King ordered me to bring you the news." A young boy who was one of Henry's pages said.
"Speak then!"
"Dauphin is dead." The boy said.
"Then Mary would be the Queen of France one day," Anne said after the boy left.
"Yes, she will go to France and marry new Dauphin after Jane gives birth." Edward agreed "Which could be any day now. Do you think that once Henry dies she will try to invade England with the French army?"
"If Jane gives birth to a son then I think that she will accept him as an heir, but if Elizabeth remains Henry's heir, I am afraid that in that case she might start another civil war."
"Henry can't break betrothal now, France would be too offended."
"We better hope that my sister gives him a son then," Edward said and Anne scowled, but she knew that he was right.
"I'm going to see Elizabeth." She told him. Her daughter was brought to the Court a few days because Henry wanted all of his family to be present when Jane gives birth and she will stay here to celebrate her fourth birthday.
"I would like to go with you, sweetheart, but I have a lot of work to do. Pass my love to our gracious Princess." He replied and gave her a long kiss.
"That was very nice," Anne smiled "I will show you a lot more nice things tonight."
"I can't wait. I will bring Ed with me."
"Of course, I am sure that he missed his sister very much," Edward said and kissed her cheek before he left.
Anne smiled and walked toward the room where her son slept. They decided to keep him at the Court until he is a year old, then he will be sent in the Wolf Hall. She already dreaded that day.
Anne found her darling son sitting in his crib. When he saw her he stretched his chubby arms toward her. Ed was such a sweet baby and he hardly ever fussed. He got his mother's look, but not her temper.
"Hello, my darling boy. We are going to see your sister." She said and took him in her arms. In the return, he gave her one of his enchanting smiles.
Jane was sick of lying in the bed so she decided to sit in the armchair for a while. She was shut in her chambers for almost a month and a half. Henry was afraid that something will happen to his son so he ordered her to be shut away, but she knew the real reason. He wanted to spend time with his new mistress Anne Basset. Being the Queen was so much different from what she imagined. She wanted to bring Henry back to the Catholic Church and to restore Mary, but she failed at the both. True Mary was restored, but Anne Boleyn did that, not she. During their courtship, Henry was so sweet and he respected her, she naively believed that he will remain that way once they are married, but he didn't. He wanted her just to play her part of the obedient and submissive wife and the gentle Queen and to give him an heir. Henry didn't see her as a real person; to him she was just an object. Jane loved him, but now she knew that he never truly returned her affections, he was just in love with his idea o her. As time passed she noticed that his heart despite their marriage and his numerous mistresses still belonged to Anne Boleyn. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain run through her back and her muscles tighten and then relax.
"Your Majesty, are you all right?" One of her ladies asked "My time has come, send the word to His Majesty and fetch the midwives," Jane ordered. She took a few steps toward the bed before her knees gave out and she gripped one of her ladies arms as another wave of pain overtook her. She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other even when she was hurting so badly she wanted to cry out. Jane kept biting down on her lip with each wave of pain.
/.
Jane was in labor for almost two days now. At the first, they heard her terrible screams, but now there was a complete silence which was even the worse. Henry was very worried that the baby would be stillborn. He spent many hours in the chapel praying for a healthy son who will succeed him one day. Edward Seymour waited before the door of his sister's chambers whole time. Henry couldn't do that, it was too frustrating; instead, he sent most of the time drinking with Charles. When his friend went to sleep he called Anne to keep him a company. They spent the whole night playing chess. She was a very good opponent and it was hard to win against her.
"How is your son Anne?" He asked after they finished the fourth game.
"He is a very healthy boy and a very good baby. He hardly ever gives us a trouble." She answered and smiled at the thought of her beloved son.
"When he is a little older he can be placed in my son's household to keep him a company, they will be cousins after all."
"We would be honored, Anne replied and Henry smiled at her words.
"You are so beautiful." He told her and gently traced his fingers across the soft skin of her cheek.
"Your wife is in labor with what could possibly be your long awaited son Henry, you mustn't say such words to me," Anne said and gently pushed off his hand.
"I can't help myself; I want to say these words to you every time I see you. And I want to kiss you until your head spins and your legs give out." His face was now only a few inches from hers and she could see a lust in his eyes. She wanted to escape far away from this room. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the doors and one of Jane's ladies rushed in. She looked stunned when she saw Anne in King's chambers.
"Your Majesty, the Queen has delivered a healthy Prince." She said when she recovered from a shock. A wide grin spread across Henry's face. "I finally have a son. Did you hear that Anne? I have an heir."
"I heard Your Majesty and I offer you my congratulations."
"Thank you. I must go to see my son now."
For the next twelve hours, the whole Court was celebrating and then the whispers started. It was said the Queen become very ill and that she might not live to see another day. When he heard the news King immediately rushed to her side.
"Don't go; please don't go, just because you have done everything that you've promised. Please don't leave me, you are the milk of human kindness, the light in my dark, dark world, without you, life is a desert, a howl in the wilderness. Please, God in your mercy don't take her away from me. My son needs his mother and I need my Queen He whispered while holding his dying wife's hand. Tears were falling down his cheeks.
Jane heard his words and she wanted to tell him that he doesn't deserve her or any other woman because the only person he truly loves is himself. He played with her heart and broke it. Now he swore in his undying love toward her, but she knew that if she, by some miracle, survives his love will fade. She wanted to regret their marriage, but she couldn't. Together they created a perfect child, her Edward. Jane was so sad that she won't watch him grow up. She won't see his first steps or hear his first words; her son will never know her. But this was for the best. She dies as the only woman who gave a son the King, and she will always have a place in his heart thanks to that.
Anne found her husband in royal nursery. He stood before the cradle of the new Prince. An hour ago it was announced that Jane died. She carefully put a hand on his strong shoulder.
"Are you all right?" She asked.
"He looks just like her when I saw her for the first time," Edward replied and gestured toward the newborn. Anne looked at the boy. He was a cute baby with crystal blue eyes and tuft of blond hair.
"She was so small, the father didn't believe that she would survive, but she did and she became the Queen of England."
"I am very sorry for your loss my love," Anne said and embraced him. She never loved Jane, but she knew that Edward was very close to her when they were little.
"Henry will shut the boy away in some Castle far away from the people who love him, Edward said and Anne looked at the baby again. He was her son's cousin and her daughter's brother and he was completely innocent "We will give him a love he deserves. Henry already talked about sending our Ed with Prince as his companion. When we visit them we will treat the same. He won't feel unloved, I promise."
AN: I am sorry for not updating more regularly, but I was very busy. I had final exams in the medical school. I hope that you like this chapter and if you are disappointed with a gender of Jane's baby, just remember who his Regent was.
I don't know when I will update Omnia Vincit Amor, but I have an idea for the new story based on ReganX's Royal or Not Challenge. Is anyone interested in reading something like that? Review, please.