A/N: Once again I am sorry for the delay in updating. But hey two updates in one day is pretty good ;)

This is an important chapter as both Anne and Elizabeth are reintroduced to court. Focus is also given to the pilgrimage of Grace.

A huge thank you as always to those who are supporting this story. In particular to those who have reviewed or placed the story or myself on their favourites/alert lists.

Some Dialogue has been taken from season 3 of 'The Tudors,' on which this story is based upon.

As always I own nothing. Please read, review and enjoy.

Chapter 6

20th of December 1536

Richmond Palace

They had arrived at Richmond in the dead of the night, and received no welcome other than by one of the queen's grooms. He had worn Jane's arms and colours and immediately she had known him to be a Queen's man, Henry had no part in this invitation it was a thought that even now a day after her arrival had sent her on edge.

She knew Richmond palace well, in truth she knew all of the royal residencies well, better than Jane Seymour ever would she would wager, and how could she not she had been at the centre of them for well over a decade.

A letter had been sent to her that morning informing her that the Queen would be visiting at noon, and so Anne had spent the day preparing herself and Elizabeth for such an ordeal.

" Were is Papa?" Elizabeth questioned for what Anne was sure was the hundredth time, " Why has he not come to see us?"

" I have already told you Elizabeth," Anne responded stiffly keeping her tone firm, she could not risk giving her daughter any frivolous ideas from this visit, " We have not come here because the King wants to see us, we have come because we were commanded to, and as soon as we can we will be returning home to your brother."

" Why didn't George come with us? I am sure Papa would have liked to have seen him as well."

She spoke as if Anne had never spoken at all, the girl had too much of her parents in her, it would be difficult Anne knew to teach Elizabeth to be fearful of attention (especially royal attention), but Anne knew she had to persist in such a task. She just hoped it would be easier with George.

" I do not think this will be the joyous occasion you hope for Elizabeth," Anne continued following her daughters lead and pretending Elizabeth had never interrupted her, " The queen will not be inclined to be kind to either of us."

" May I wear my new gown when we see Papa?" Again they played their little game and Anne had to fight the smile that threatened to light up her face.

After all that had happened she still had her children, and she was glad for that, even if she could not be glad for anything else.

" Yes, Elizabeth you may."

Anne had given Elizabeth new gowns for her birthday, most of them had been dresses that the girl could wear throughout her daily activities but Anne had also had a gown made for special occasions, even if she had not expected them to come so soon.

It was a gown of pale green that suited Elizabeth's colouring perfectly and would be suitable for Christmas celebrations. Elizabeth of course had been thrilled by it, she shared her mother's passion for gowns and jewels, and already she had a sense of style that was not often found in one so young.

" The Queen is here," Nan announced from the door, her face pale and her tone worried but Anne ignored it all and nodded her head slightly in response.

She must act composed for the sake of her daughter.

Jane looked much the same as she did the last time Anne laid eyes on her; pallid cheeks, limp blonde hair and dull blue eyes that at times Anne had thought were grey. She held her head high though and carried herself with an air of arrogance that Anne had always thought she pocessed yet now with a crown on her head, Jane Seymour did not try to hide it. Not from Anne anyway. Anne imagined that for Henry, Jane remained sweet and innocent until she produced a son she could be nothing but.

With gritted teeth Anne bent her knees, Elizabeth followed suit beside her, she was glad that the girl was doing as she had been instructed to do, she was even gladder when Jane did not offer them her hand to kiss. Perhaps she does not know the proper protocol still. In Jane's position Anne would have forced the girl on her knees and make sure that she kissed her hand and the skirt of her gown just for good measure, it seemed that Jane was not quite so confident as she appeared, if she was not even able to force such embarrassment upon her predecessor.

" Madam." Anne addressed smoothly, hell would have to freeze over before Anne ever addressed Jane as 'Your Majesty.'

" My Lady Marquess," Jane responded with a nod, " I had not expected you at court, my invitation was for your daughter."

For the King's daughter, No doubt Jane was trying to scare her, to force her to leave without Elizabeth, but Anne would never give her that satisfaction. If Jane Seymour wanted her daughter here she would have to deal with Anne's presence as well.

" I would not send the King's daughter to court without an appropriate chaperone, my lady, such a thing would be improper." Anne's response was smooth and immediately she could see worry fill Jane's eyes.

No doubt Jane had kept Elizabeth's visit as a secret, they had been sent to rooms so far from the royal chambers that it would be almost impossible for Henry to come across them without trying to. She had wanted to surprise the King with a visit from his daughter, for him to have both his daughters present for Christmas, to keep up her charade of a loving stepmother.

She had not expected Anne to come with her daughter and now she had the problem of how Henry would react to Anne's presence. If he were angered by it, no doubt she would feel his wrath.

" I fear you have been absent from court for far too long Lady Anne," Jane announced changing the subject with a thin smile, " your clothes are out of fashion, when once you were considered to be so stylish."

Anne was wearing a gown of deep blue that hung loosely off her frame that was still recovering from her recent pregnancy and birth of George. She wore a golden belt around her waist and her hair down behind a French hood. In comparison Jane was dressed in cream, her gown cut square and modestly, yet her dress was laced up so tight that her breasts were all but raised to her chin. She too wore her hair down but on her head she wore a gable hood. Anne had all but banned the gable hood during her tenure; it had always been too dowdy and plain for her.

When Anne had been crowned she had changed the English fashions completely, Jane in turn was trying to do the same thing, but instead of going forward she was moving backwards. Earlier that year wearing a gable hood would have seen the owner mocked and ridiculed, now the woman of the court would bite their tongues and follow Jane lead (as they once had Anne's), they would all become meek little mice.

Well Anne would not stand for it.

" I do not care for such fashions, madam."

" Well we can not have the Lady Elizabeth being ridiculed as her mother no doubt will be, I have had a dress made for her for when she is presented to the king." It was the first time Anne had ever heard Jane display a hint of anger, Anne had ruffled her and the thought almost made her smile.

" I already have a new gown." Elizabeth announced firmly from Anne's side. Anne had almost forgotten her daughter was there, it would not bode well for her if Elizabeth was to be seen quarrelling with Jane.

Even Anne it seemed needed to learn how to better control her emotions.

" Elizabeth," Anne reprimanded softly, " You will thank the Queen for her gift and be glad to wear it."

" Yes Mama," Elizabeth responded dutifully, before looking up at Jane with dull eyes, " Thank you, Your Majesty."

" How wonderful it must be to have a daughter as beautiful as her mother, she is your image I must say." Jane stated sweetly, as always she has her innocent milk and honey act played perfectly, but Anne knew that game well enough and she could see right through it.

Jane's statement was nothing more than a bold face lie, Elizabeth's resemblance to her Tudor lineage had always been remarked upon, Jane just wanted to see her shaken, as if Anne could forget that four of the people closest to her had been murdered and all of them at one point named as Elizabeth's father.

Anne had heard it said that Henry's little minx had referred to Elizabeth as Mark Smeaton's Bastard. Anne knew well enough that Jane was kindly disposed to Mary, she had been one of Katherine of Aragon's most fiercest allies and as such she had always hated Anne and her daughter for usurping their place, just as Anne would always hate Jane and any of her own for what she had seen done to Anne and her allies.

But Elizabeth would always have what Mary never did, her mother by her side to protect her from all the evils that would have otherwise befallen upon her.

" Actually her resemblance to the King has always been remarked upon," Anne responded gracefully her eyes locking with Jane's dull orbs, " Although of course it is nothing compared to her brother's resemblance to their father."

Mentioning George was a bold move on her part Anne knew, Jane held the title of queen and though her position was not secure Anne would have been stupid to think that she did not wield some power.

" I must bid you good day Lady Marques, Lady Elizabeth." Jane's words were given with a stiff nod of her pale little head, and before Anne knew it she was watching the skirts of Jane's gown trailing through the door behind her.

She had no response in her to my words, Anne thought with a small smile, she had always been slow with her wits, and she a Queen of England.

22nd of December 1536

Pontefract Castle, England

He had a letter from the King. The King had written to him, Robert Aske, a simple and ordinary man who had been labelled a rebel and a traitor against king and country.

For now their rebellion had halted, not from choice but rather necessity as they figured their next course of action.

Everyday they received new correspondence, one day good, another bad.

The 'rebels,' in Lincolnshire had already dispersed. They had been promised a pardon, and a royal army had been advancing upon them, and so they had gone back to their homes.

Their group, the group Robert had been appointed to as leader, or the York rebels (as those at court liked to call them) had not changed course. Currently they found themselves seeking refuge and safety at Pontefract Castle, which was under the control of Lord Darcy.

At first Darcy had opposed them but in time he had come to see the worthiness of their cause, and like them all he now faced the possibility of a traitors death.

They had had some communications with members of the King's council, but not as much as they would have liked. The King had other concerns after all, The Marquess of Pembroke's son, and the absence of a child from Queen Jane, would no doubt be preoccupying his mind.

But now it seemed the King was ready to deal with the uprising that faced him, in some manner at least.

" What does it say?" John asked from his side as Robert opened the letter that had been placed in his hand and scanned its contents…it had been written in the King's own hand.

" My trusty and well-beloved Aske," Robert began reading the kinds words with a loud and slow voice, " I am informed that, notwithstanding your offences committed against us in the late rebellion attempted in those parts, you are now at heart repentant."

" Repentant," A voice repeated in a tone full of outrage, " we have never claimed to be repentant."

They hadn't, in their short and limited correspondence with the King's representatives they had been given the same terms as those in Lincolnshire had been given, but no one had ever agreed to said terms or been repentant in their dealings with the King's men, they had simply expressed their wish for peace, and for the King to listen to their grievances.

" Hush now, Hush," Robert called, his eyes returning to the letter, " And since you are determined to be a faithful subject, we have conceived a great desire to speak with you, and to hear from your mouth the whole circumstance and beginning of the matter, I therefore order you, as our true and faithful subject, as we now repute you, to come to court for Christmastide, you shall safe come and safe go from court, returning before the twelfth day of Christmas."

" I don't like it." John stated his eyes glossed over slightly.

" Is it not obvious that the King had taken this matter to his heart? This is a letter written in his own hand."

" You are still too trusting," John reiterated, " I would not go now."

" But there is a promise of safe return."

" Promises can be broken."

" Mr Constable, the promises of a King are worth a great deal more than the promises of ordinary folk." Robert put forward firmly. He had to believe that the King would be true to his word.

" Here's what we shall do," Darcy put forward smoothly, no doubt trying to calm the beginnings of an argument, " I will arrange to lay post horses all the way between here and London, so that if God forbid, Mr Aske, you were imprisoned or otherwise badly treated, I will about it straight away, and raise the people again for your deliverance."

" Thank you, my lord." Robert replied with a nod of his head, which he thankfully noticed the other leaders of their group following suit in.

He prayed to God that Darcy's precautions did not need to be implemented however.

24th of December 1536

Richmond Palace

For three nights Anne and her daughter had been locked away in the chambers Jane had delegated them to. They had spent their time with only each other for company, Jane sent some of her people to them every few hours, they bought food and refreshments, and cleaned away any mess that may have come about, but Anne knew that they were nothing more than spies.

Spies to make sure that the King's former mistress and her bastard daughter stayed in their place.

Anne yearned for Pembroke more and more each day, she missed her life there, her sister and her children and of course her son. She could not help but worry for George's health, she was his mother after all, and he was still just a babe.

Currently she and Elizabeth were waiting to make their entrance and be presented before the King.

The countess of Salisbury had gone in before them, and Anne could not help but wonder what reception she had received from Henry. As one of the few surviving members of the Plantagenet dynasty, Margaret Pole (and her offspring) were being considered by some as likely successors to the Tudor dynasty given the King's current standing with a great deal of the populace.

Anne had also heard it said that Margaret's second boy, Reginald, had openly opposed Henry and had broken all ties to England. No doubt the Lady Mary had wanted to make sure that her former governess suffered no ill for the folly of her son and the rebels, and Anne was positive that dear sweet Jane had been only to willing to help her step-daughter in her cause.

" My Lady Marquess," a groom called bringing Anne back to the task at hand. It was time for her to enter back into the king's court, " they are ready for you now."

At that Anne could do nothing more than nod her head before turning her attention to her daughter, " Just as we practiced Elizabeth."

" Yes, Mama," Elizabeth replied stoically, but Anne could see the excitement in her eyes.

Elizabeth was dressed in the gown Jane had gifted her, and as soon as Anne had put the gown upon her daughter she had regretted ever accepting Jane's gift. The dress was not ugly; it was just ill suited and ill fitted for her daughter. No doubt Jane had designed a gown red in it's colouring because of the colours association with Christmas, but Anne had never before thought to dress her daughter in red. With Elizabeth's flaming locks the colour clashed. To add to this the gown was ill fitted and sat too big on the top half of her daughter's body.

At the very least Jane had provided a Christmas wreath (for Elizabeth's hair) and a golden sash that somewhat helped to make an otherwise bland gown more appealing.

After seeing what her daughter was to wear Anne had decided to dress simply as well. It was better that way really, that they didn't make a statement, the fewer eyes that were drawn upon them the better.

It was only after she had put the gown on that she had remembered. It was a gown she had always been fond of, rich and brown in it's colouring, with a square cut neckline adorned with jewels, and bell sleeves to finish it off. It was the gown she had been wearing all those years ago when Henry had informed her that her was taking her with him to France to introduce as his future wife and the future Queen of England to King Francis.

She could not help but wonder if Henry too would remember that day when he saw her.

As they walked through the main hall of Richmond, Anne felt is if a thousand eyes were upon her, most of the people at court had wanted to see her dead, they would have stood by and watched an innocent woman be killed, as they had done her brother and friends, they would have seen her children motherless all so they could see some dim-witted blonde on the throne.

It was Henry's eyes however that she cared to look for, and immediately she could tell that their presence had unsettled him. He had Jane and Mary on either side of him, both dressed almost identically to Elizabeth, yet he did not look at them, his eyes remained on Anne and Elizabeth.

They both curtsied gracefully when they reached him, Elizabeth doing just as Anne had instructed her to.

" Your Majesty," Anne began her voice sounding foreign to her ears, " May I present…"

" My daughter Elizabeth," Henry cut in interrupting Anne's introduction and sending the court into an uneasy silence. He had acknowledged Elizabeth publically, a girl just months before he had called Mark Smeaton's bastard, " You don't need to tell me. Come here, Child."

"Votre Majeste,", Elizabeth greeted her French perfect, just as they had practiced, "ca va?"

"ca va bien, ma petite," Henry responded smiling widely, "veniez ici."

She did not even turn to face Anne to seek consent before all but leaping into her father's lap. He played the role of perfect father now, Anne thought bitterly as she watched the king place a tender kiss on their daughter's head, Jane would be seen as the instigator of all this…the woman who bought the king back to his daughters…while she would forever be the woman who had seen Katherine of Aragon's daughter treated as a slave.

" Joyeux son famille," Henry announced loudly causing his courtiers to laugh jovially, the sight of Jane and Mary laughing happily with Elizabeth sitting contently on the King's lap all but made her vomit. Henry could pretend all he wanted but his family was not perfect….nor was it complete.

To have Jane and Mary on either side of him he had had to kill innocents, and cast Anne and her children aside. And let them not forget that he had a son as well, a healthy boy in the King's image kept safe and away at Pembroke.

" How fares my son, Lady Anne?" And suddenly the laughter stopped, and Anne had to remind herself to stay calm, she had not expected him to address her, especially not about George.

" He is well, Your Majesty." Anne replied smoothly, hoping to bring a quick end to their conversation.

" Did you not bring him to court?"

There was no invitation for your son, Jane would not see him here when she is yet to present you with a child, " I am afraid not my lord," Anne said evenly, " The journey was too long and he too young."

Their eyes locked for a moment too long, before he finally dismissed her with a wave of his hand. She was the mother of two of his children, but she was no longer a part of the royal family, she would have to mix with all the other lowly courtiers, desperate for the King's approval and attention.

" Ah Anne," a voice called from behind her, a voice she knew all too well. He spoke to her as he use to speak to her all those years ago, as if she were but a girl still, the girl who would secure the Howard fortune, " How nice it is to see you at court again."

" Your Grace," Anne responded coldly as she dipped her knees slightly, it had been a long time since she had had to bow to her uncle.

" Is it not still Uncle then, Anne?" Norfolk questioned with a smile, No my Lord, you stopped being uncle when you declared me guilty of false charges in a court of law, you stopped being uncle when you condemned your niece and nephew to death.

" Forgive me uncle," Anne responded evenly, "it has been so long since I have last seen you I wasn't sure of the reception I would receive."

At that the Duke of Norfolk chuckled slightly, no doubt he saw right through her calm and civil façade, yet he would not care as to her feelings towards him, he cared only for the preservation of the Howard line.

"It was good of you to bring your daughter to court," Norfolk said his tone lowering slightly, " you have acted more graciously than anyone could have expected of you."

He had expected her to bring George to court then, to flaunt her son in her successors face, she would have once…but not now, " Elizabeth's presence was requested uncle," Anne answered smoothly, " I was only answering a royal summons."

" And your sons was not?" At that Anne could not help but sigh in frustration, no doubt there would be talk of George's absence, questions as to why the king's newly recognized son had not come to court with his sister.

" It was not the King who requested his daughters presence," Anne responded before adding in a lower tone, " the queen would not want his bastard son lavished at court."

At that Norfolk chuckled again, and Anne could all but see his mind ticking over wondering how he might seek to use her and her children for his own benefit as he once had before.

" He still desires you," That Anne had not been expecting, " I could see the lust in his eyes even from here."

" You saw only longing for his daughter in his eyes, uncle. He wants naught to do with me now."

Surely he made that clear when he cut off my brothers head and sought to do the same to me.

Norfolk's response was cut short as another man was led before the king. He looked to be a commoner and Anne could not help but wonder how he had got an audience with the King at Christmastide.

She watched with quizzical eyes as Henry pulled Elizabeth from his lap and placed her next to her sister. Katherine's daughter did not look displeased by the action and Anne had to remind herself that Mary had for a time shared a house with Elizabeth, some form of a bond must have been developed between them.

" That is Robert Aske," Norfolk explained watching Anne with keen eyes, " He leads the rebellion against His Majesty."

And Henry had invited him to court for Christmas, no doubt to lure the man into some kind of trap, he would make his false promises and before long Robert Aske's head would be on a spike.

Whatever more her uncle said to her Anne paid no notice to, it was the rebel her attention was focused upon.

" Your Majesty," He made his bow awkwardly and his voice was gruff and coarse, Henry would not like that, the king was always one for perfection.

" Mr Aske, Come." Henry motioned for the rebel to come forward, gone was the happy and jovial king, in his place stood the man Anne had come to know so well during their marriage, this would not go well for Robert Aske, " I am very glad to see you, Mr Aske. For a long time, I believed I was badly misinformed about the causes of disturbances in the Northern part of our kingdom, but I have read your full and frank explanation, and I am persuaded by the justice of your cause. I still deem the commonwealth of the realm, and love of my subjects, Mr Aske, as far more than any riches."

His words were lies, Anne could see right through them, she could see right through him, perhaps as no one else ever would. It was all in his eyes, the rest of him might have portrayed a kind and generous king willing to listen to his people's grievances and work with them, but in his eyes was the look of the monster he had become. A man that would kill innocents….his own child if need be, just to meet his lusts.

" I'm truly humbled by Your Majesty's words," Aske answered with a smile. The fool of a man to be so trusting towards a king, " And ask in all your ability, if your sacred Majesty intends to fulfil those pledges made in Your Majesty's name?"

" In every part," Henry answered and his smile set Anne's stomach on edge, " The general and liberal pardon shall be extended to all our northern subjects. There will be a free election to a Parliament to be held at York, where members of churchmen, without our displeasure, shall there speak and show their learning and their free minds. Furthermore, after his grace the Duke of Suffolk has come down to you with the great seal, we ourselves shall come to York, to show the great love we bear on our Northern subjects. And it is there Mr Aske, where my Queen shall be crowned."

Jane would get no crown until she birthed a son. No coronation would take place in York. The only reason Suffolk would go there would be to take the rebels heads.

" Your Majesty is truly gracious," I swear to you, you will find no more loving and loyal people on the whole of your realm than Northern Yorkshire."

" One more thing," Henry announced his voice dropping only slightly, as he called Aske closer to him, " You've written against some of my advisors, and protested at their lack of noble blood."

" Your Majesty, I…"

" No, I agree with you, but don't say anything." The King knew well enough that the rest of his courtiers could hear him, and going by the looks on Cromwell and Jane's faces it was clear that they were not in on his little game.

He was toying with Robert Aske and no one but her could see it.

" Happy Christmas, Mr Aske."

She would not stay at court a moment longer than was necessary. They would leave that night.

A/N: So there was chapter 6, I do hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave a review to let me know what you thought.

As I said at the beginning of this chapter, chapter 6 focused on two things: Anne and Elizabeth being bought back to court and the Pilgrimage of grace. Hence it was a bit Anne centric.

Anne's visit to court and her ability to see through Henry's farce in regards to his promises to the rebels have sent her back to the safety of Pembroke.

The next chapter will again give focus to the Pilgrimage of grace as well as well as some important developments at court.

Once again I ask that you review. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.