"The queen would like to see you" Lady Bassett batted her eyelashes at Anne and gestured for her to follow. Anne looked back at her sister and rolled her eyes at the flirt's actions. How anyone compared the two women baffled Anne. Outside of their names, their hair, and their ability to get into bed with the King- the two women were complete opposites. While Anne Boleyn was the epitome of grace, intelligence and regal beauty Anne Bassett was a flighty, young flirt that already had quite the reputation as easy to get into bed. Henry at least had good taste when he had tried to seduce Ursula.

Regardless, Anne followed the girl to the queens chambers. During Jane's confinement Anne found herself with more and more free time. Only Jane's closest ladies were needed on a daily basis and while she and Anne had found some common ground, even some form of friendship, she would never be considered a favorite. She was grateful the be spared the endless hours of sewing in dark rooms. As she followed Lady Bassett further into Jane's private bedchamber she had flashbacks to her own time as queen- the multiple times she had been forced into confinement. She pitied poor Jane this now. When she was brought in, she sunk down into a curtsy and waiting for Jane to acknowledge her.

And she continued waiting. Confused, she held her pose, her head down. She heard the other women whispering and then a sharp voice telling everyone else to leave. She risked a glance up at Jane and was shocked to see a tearful glare on her face. As the other women left, she rose up on her own and moved towards her.

"I did not give you permission to rise, Mistress Boleyn!" Jane snapped angrily and Anne immediately dropped to a curtsy again, heat flooding her face. Jane had never risen her voice to her before-this was definitely a first. Though Anne thought she knew why.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty" Anne played it safe, staying silent and holding her pose, however much it started to hurt. Luckily, Jane didn't have the patience to continue torturing her.

"Oh, get up" she snapped and Anne rose and met eyes with her again. Jane's face was red and streaked with tears, he swollen belly in between them, making her look even more pathetic. Again, even though Jane was practically spitting at her, Anne felt a wave of pity. She remembered being laid up in the royal chambers, unable to do anything, feeling useless and ugly. Meeting Anne's eyes now though, Jane burst into fresh tears. "How could you? How could you lie to me? Manipulate me into liking you?" she sobbed and Anne never felt more uncomfortable, looking at this sobbing, pitiful pregnant woman who was supposed to be her queen.

Anne knew exactly what she was talking about. She knew as soon as Edward knocked on the door that night a week ago that Jane would hear about it. She had been waiting for Jane's wrath, though she hadn't prepared a response.

"I never intended to manipulate you, Your Majesty. I have never been anything but honest to you, I swear"

"Honest?" Jane laughed harshly "Please, I know you think this is well deserved. That I am just getting what is coming to me after I stole your husband!" Jane's shouts came in between sobs and at once Anne feared for her child.

"Your Majesty...Jane- you must calm yourself" Anne moved to Jane's bedside and poured some cool water in a cup and held it out to the distraught woman. Jane moved to swat it out of her hands, but Anne moved too quickly. She shot Jane a withered look before appealing to the only thing she knew would work. "Jane, for your child, you must calm yourself. Please, drink and then we can talk" Jane looked at her though teary eyes, but finally accepted the cup. Anne sat at the chair by the bedside and waited for the queen to relax.

"Now," she said, taking the cup and setting it back on the table. "I assume you heard of what happened between the king and I a few nights ago"

Jane laughed humorlessly "Oh just the one night? Edward says the two of you seemed as close as ever"

Anne rolled her eyes again, but then took a deep breath. "Jane I swear to you, I am not the king's mistress. I have not been in his bed since we were married. I have no intention of being his mistress. I am well satisfied with my relationship with the king as it stands now and I do not want to put myself in any situation like that again." Jane was staring wide eyed at her as she spoke in a calm voice-like she'd use when speaking to an upset Elizabeth. "Henry almost killed me, Jane. Not just emotionally from the pressure for a son, or his unfaithfulness. I literally almost had my head on the block because of him" at this point Anne felt tears welling in her eyes, but she pushed them away. "I realized how close I came to death, how lucky I was to escape my marriage with my life and my daughter. And now, through our friendship, I see he has not changed at all. His obsession for a son will destroy any love he has for anyone. He decided that having his son was more important than me-more important than the love we had for each other. I thought differently, so he put me aside. He would have killed me- the woman he claimed to love, the woman who loved him, the mother of his child- for the sake of having a son as soon as possible. He couldn't even wait to try to appeal for a divorce or an annulment" now tears were slowly running down her own cheeks. She hadn't spoken this honestly about the injustice done to her before and laying it all out brought back all her bitterness. "I promise you, Jane. I do not want him."

Jane's expression had lost it's anger, but her sadness remained. The two women met eyes and a moment of true understanding passed between them. The two of them had been pushed by their families to the highest seat in the land. To be the most powerful woman in England. Yet there was no power there. Demands had been piled on them, pressure to provide a healthy heir was crippling. Anne had been unsuccessful, and she had almost lost her life. Now it was expected of Jane.

"But the other night?" Jane looked up at her, though her fury was gone.

"All his doing, I promise you. I'm guessing there was a fair amount of alcohol involved."

"And if he wants you again?" Jane questioned almost innocently, gazing up at Anne with those big blue eyes "If he asks for you, you can't refuse. He is the king."

Anne grit her teeth in anger. It wasn't fair. Her whole future depended on Henry. Jane was right. She couldn't anger him. "I will do everything I can to dissuade him."

Jane almost smiled at her. "Good luck."

A/N: Jane's time is almost here! I'm still taking suggestions as to what should happen with her baby! I definitely wanted the two women to clear the air and come to an understanding and for Anne to finally address how angry and hurt she is over Henry's selfishness.