A/N: Got a little carried away tonight-here's an extra chapter!

Anne wrapped her fur cape closer to her body as her boots crunched through the newly fallen snow. She was under a mountain of different furs, yet the bitter Christmas winds still whipped through them, chilling her to the bone. Her sister walking beside her looked equally miserable, yet they had been determined to get some fresh air today-regardless to the temperature. Anne was grateful that her sister seemed too focused on trudging through the snow to keep up a lively conversation. It allowed Anne to reflect on the events of the past month.

Somehow, Anne had managed to find herself in the position of confidante to the queen. She supplied as much gossip as she could collect. Anne had always been good at knowing what was happening inn the country and she was becoming indispensable to Jane. The knowledge that she brought to her and the information she was fed back helped them both navigate through court. They had already formed a shaky companionship, but this alliance cemented their friendship. Anne couldn't help but find a respect for the woman who had taken her place. Jane was able to do what Anne never could in her marriage to Henry-bow her head in submission and take his cruelty with grace. Anne had been a passionate lover and wife-one that any nobleman would have been proud to call his. But for a king like Henry, his wife needed to be submissive and quiet. Anne was loath to admit it, but Jane was much more suited to the job.

She had even taken his neglect in stride. Anne would have railed against him for shutting her out and dealing with the rebels all on his own. For leaving her alone, day after day while he was shut up in the Privy Council chambers. Yet now that Jane was being fed information by Anne, she had calmed significantly and waited patiently for Henry to come to her. Anne had to respect that.

A gasp from Mary brought Anne out of her thoughts and she followed her sisters gaze across the fountain. There on the other side, escorted by a ridiculously overarmoured pair of guards was Henry's eldest daughter. Mary Tudor somehow looked more miserably thin and small than she had a few months ago when Anne had seen her last. The slight girl was also wrapped in numerous furs to ward away the cold air, but Anne had to imagine the girl was freezing. Last she had heard, the girl was barely allowed to leave her chambers. This must have been one of the few liberties Henry had allowed her.

"Poor child" her sister murmured and Anne nodded. Before she had thought any better, Anne found her feet circling the fountain, making her way closer to Mary. Her sister followed closely on her heels, muttering a warning click of her tongue. To say that Mary Tudor looked surprised at Anne's presence moving towards her would be an understatement. Even the guards looked unsure of what to do as Anne approached.

"Lady Mary" Anne greeted dipping her head reverently.

"Lady Anne" the girl returned stiffly, glancing at her guards as if for help. Anne sent them a dazzling smile before addressing them-

"Do you think the king would mind if the Lady Mary strolled with my sister and I? You can follow us if you must" The guards exchanged looks before shrugging their agreement.

Anne offered Mary her arm, but the girl just glared at her. Anne held her ground, gesturing for Mary to follow her as she started slowly walking towards the hedges. For a moment, Anne thought Mary would completely ignore her, but she soon heard the crunch of snow as Mary followed her lead. The girl must have been starved for companionship if she followed her enemy so quickly. The women walked in silence for a moment before Anne spoke.

"Elizabeth misses you. You should visit her sometime."

"Am I even allowed?" came her biting response. "It was hard enough to even be allowed to walk in the gardens. I am a prisoner here!"

"You will most definitely be allowed to see her. I will make sure of it. As for the other restrictions, your father will stop being stubborn eventually. He is a fool for treating you this way. His wife is working as hard as she can to improve your position and I will also do what I can" she promised.

The speed that Mary turned to her surprised her, but not nearly as much as the hand that slammed across her cheek. Mary may have been a slight girl, but the slap had enough force behind it to almost knock her off her feet. Her sister and the guards, who had until then been chatting a few steps behind rushed to the pair. The guards moved to restrain Mary as her sister moved to check Anne's face. The concern in Mary's face made it clear that there would be a lasting mark, but Anne pushed away the stinging feeling. She waved the guards away from her ex-stepdaughter and they dropped her back to her knees

Hot tears were running down the girls face as she sobbed into the snow where she balled into herself. The guards and Mary Boleyn reluctantly moved away at Anne's gesture. Anne knelt down beside Mary, soaking her skirts. The two sat there for a while until Mary's sobbing resided.

"Do you feel better now?" Anne asked "I'm sure you wanted to do that for quite some time"

"No" Mary muttered into her knees. "It's not enough" Anne chuckled.

"You might have to give me a moment to recover before I give you the other cheek" she said humorously causing Mary to snort through her tears.

"Is all of this really his doing?" the hopelessness in her voice broke Anne's heart. Mary lifted her head from her knees and Anne saw the confusion and sadness there. "Was it always him?" Anne knew she was asking about all the past wrongs that had been done to her. Anne sighed and put a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"I would love to say yes, Mary. I would love to put on the blame on him, but I can't. I may have never made the actual calls, but I did not fight them. I allowed everything to come to pass"

"But it was all his idea." she pressed and Anne nodded. Tears spilled over again as Mary finally accepted the fact that all of the pain she had suffered over these past years was all her father's doing. It had been so easy for her to blame everyone else for these struggles, but being faced with her father's cruelty must be crushing. They sat together in the snow for a little while as Mary cried. Eventually the freezing waters had seeped through all of Anne's skirts and she knew Mary must have been in the same state. She stood slowly as her joints screamed and reached out an arm to help Mary to her feet. At first, Anne thought she would be rebuked again, but after only a moments hesitation, the girl took her offer. As Anne watched the guards escort her back to her rooms, she became determined to work with Henry to try to alleviate the restrictions on his eldest daughter.

She waved away Mary's motherly clucking over her face and the two Boleyn sisters walked back to the castle to get warm.