AN: Thank you all SO much. I am so flattered that so many of you like this! ! A little insight to what Henry is thinking. Now I don't agree with him in a lot but I was trying to write how I thought Henry would think, which is mostly about him and how everything is so hard for him. And I am not really happy with this chapter so please give me feedback.
Chapter Three:
January 22nd 1536
Henry's mood had not improved. The foggy dreams he had for the full day after the joust didn't allow him be in right sort of mind and finally, after more than twenty-four hours of being bedridden, the king was allowed out of his chambers and return to his duties. However, this allowed him to think of his dreams and ponder what they really meant. And that was something he didn't want to do. He had yet to receive Jane or Anne into his presence and didn't plan to until he could make sense of this. Henry always thought himself a smart man and made very few mistakes. And he couldn't afford to make a mistake in this situation.
But after these last couple of days, Henry felt that Jane had more secrets than Anne. He also felt that God may have delivered a punishment today. An old wound reopened and ominous dreams after a near death accident. Henry didn't blame Sir Henry Norris, he knew that injury was always a risk although with getting older and no legitimate male issue he would have to be less careless.
No, this all started after he took Jane's favor. he wasn't having dreams of this sort before hand. Usually Henry thought nothing of the mistresses he would take, after all he was a king, no one expected him to stay faithful carnally. Especially when his queen was with child. But if Henry was honest with himself he wasn't just having an carnal affair. He never really thought of Jane as a potential mistress. In fact he never even asked that of her. He had started to think of her more like a … like a future wife? Had he really been doing that? Henry knew there had been some problems between him and Anne but he loved her still. She was carrying his child, they were lawfully married, more so now with Kathrine dead and gone. But he also loved Jane.
Was this accident , these dreams, God's way of telling Henry he was wrong to continue with his slowly growing plan? Over the last few weeks he had been thinking of a way out of his marriage if anything happen to this child that Anne was carrying, or if it wasn't a son he needed. Would he really do that to Anne? He did it with Kathrine. No, their marriage wasn't valid and was a completely different circumstance. He loved Kathrine but their marriage was a sin. His with Anne was not. So it goes to the question on Henry's mind: Would he have had that accident if it was Anne's favor? If it was her blessing? Henry though since she wasn't there, to limit her excitement as to not harm the child, it wouldn't matter. But once again it goes back to intent.
Henry Tudor was a godly man. He believed strongly that God speaks to him and that he was divinely put in his throne for a reason, he knew that God gave signs and dreams to his children to help them on their path. So he had to decided if he was accept these as God or cast them aside as fanciful dreams.
Cradling his head in defeat, Henry knew that he could not set aside Anne for Jane. He had to take these dreams serious. He had to remember why he married Anne and he did it lawfully in the eyes of the Lord. He did not want to lose his chance for a son by changing who was queen. Anne was healthy, the doctor said so. Also, even though Henry was the most powerful man in England, he was still afraid of his God. God had a will and Henry had already not followed it when he married his brothers wife and now when he started to look the other way he had a near death accident at the joust. And besides, what is to say that Jane could give him the sons he needed? She was eight and twenty just a few years younger that Anne, if Henry had to start over it would be smarter to go younger, not older.
Jane's pale blue eyes flashed before him and he felt his stomach lurch in lust. He may have been wrong to lead Jane on like he was a free man but just because he couldn't have her as a wife, didn't mean he couldn't have have her as a lover.
Henry sighed, "All this could have been avoided if Elizabeth was born a boy, the way she should have been."
"Sorry, Your Majesty, didn't catch that." Charles Brandon said to him. His voice startled Henry. He had forgotten that Charles and Cromwell were in the room too, going over some state plans.
"Nothing, old friend. Just some ramblings to myself." Henry paused, watching the two men. Ever since his dream with Charles in it, Henry had become worried about the loyalties of his old friend. Henry told Anne not long ago that even if Charles did not like Anne and still favored Kathrine, Charles was loyal to him alone and would only work in favor of the Crown. But would that mean that Charles would only do what he saw fit?
"I think I will go visit the Queen and eat with her tonight," Henry stood, his leg bothering him slightly. He needed to remember to take it easy as it healed. Both men bowed but only Charles spoke.
"Your Majesty, I believe you have a prior engagement with the Seymour's. To have supper with them this night." Henry narrowed his eyes. Charles' voice put Henry on edge, and he had to wonder if he was just looking for something to condemn Charles with or was Charles also pushing Jane in front him as his dream suggested.
"Well," Henry replied coldly. "Cancel it, I want to see my wife tonight." Not even taking the time to look back Henry strode out of the chambers, leaving the two men puzzled.
"That was unusual." The Duke of Suffolk announced, several moments after the King left. "You don't think that he has changed his mind about Lady Jane, do you?" Cromwell thought for a moment before replying.
"Well, Your Grace, I think with the Queen still with child it is making him think twice. I don't think he wants to ruin Lady Jane's reputation, just in case he wants to make her queen someday, but I also think that accident made him realise that he is not young anymore and he has a possible heir on the way with Her Majesty." He paused. "A legitimate one, since no one can dispute this child like they can with Princess Elizabeth since the Princess Dowager of Wales is dead."
Charles Brandon did not like the coldness to Cromwell's voice when talking about this, as if they were discussing the menu for a banquet. He wanted to see Anne replaced but Charles also remembered what it was like when Katherine was replaced and the turmoil and the years it took. It was hell on everyone who was connected to the King in anyway.
"God bless her soul," Charles added piously. "So we wait until The Queen loses the child and press Lady Jane forward. Henry will find some reason to divorce her."
"I think I may already have an idea. I am not sure how it will work, it will depend mostly on the behavior of the Queen."
"What do you mean?" The Duke asked.
"His Majesty avoids his wife whenever he cans lately, and when he does see her she is surrounded by other men, and very few women. Innocent I'm sure, but if you pay attention it still riles His Majesty like nothing else." Both men thought back to the night they were sure the child in question was conceived and the although neither men were in the room at the time, it was said by others the King took his Queen possessively, practically making love in front of everyone in the room.
"I'm still not following, Cromwell. You think that we can play on the jealousy that His Majesty has for the Queen?"
"Yes, and no," Thomas Cromwell started slowly. "What if it is more than courtly love and flirting?"
Charles laughed out loud. "Her Majesty would not be that daft to do that!" Cromwell raised an eyebrow. "But," Charles said. "Henry might believe otherwise. This is very risky, Cromwell, people could lose their heads. Even our own if this back fires."
"I don't plan on losing my head, Your Grace. After all there is nothing we can do right now but wait and perhaps plant a little seed into His Majesty head. This all rides on whether or not Her Majesty gives birth to a healthy child. But unless it is a boy, I don't think it is going to save her." Both men looked grimly at each other, silent in their own thoughts.
Henry's POV
Damn counselors, if he wanted to go have a meal with his wife, the damn world could wait. A sharp pain passed his leg and he slowed his walk. Personally, Henry wasn't sure why he was going to see Anne. Each time he went to go see her, she had gads of people around her, laughing and having a merry time with out him. Which never used be like, it used to be Henry and Anne in the center, causing the laughter and the gaiety and it poked at his pride each time he saw it. Why could he not have the marriage they had early on and even before they were married? They were happy and loving to each other and nothing could stop the two of them in this world. If only Anne could give him a son, the way she promised.
Henry paused before her chambers then proudly walked in, unannounced, wanting to see what the queen was doing with no notice. He was, to say the least, surprised. A musician was playing in the corner softly and Anne had all her ladies dismissed except two. She was reading by the window, Henry could see her lips move silently, as she read. She was dressed in a white gown which reminded him of his dream, the last thing he wanted but it made her look perfect. The January sun shining though the widow, hitting the dress and her simple but very royal looking jewels made her seem like she was glowing. Despite himself he smiled.
"Good afternoon, sweetheart." Anne looked up startled and all her ladies immediately dropped to the floor. Raising them, Henry felt his heart was light and that made him happier than anything right then. After two days of hell inside his own head he needed a break. And he was going to use this time to decide what the dreams really meant.
AN: So I hope I got it across that Henry is completely confused. That he knows what the dreams meant but he his still trying to deny it so he can have Jane. If it is too confusing please let me know. I read it and re-read it but still am not happy with it, so if anyone has any suggestions for this chapter to make it more smooth let me know.
Next chapter is Anne point of view of the meal (I've had enough of Henry right now lol) and a little Lady Rochford getting into something she shouldn't.
I'll give a sneak peek to everyone who reviews :)
SO PLEASE REVIEW!
