AN: I am SO sorry. With real life totally screwing me up (and I do mean really bad), plus this chapter did NOT want to come no matter how many times I tried. The biggest trouble was George Boleyn. Seriously wanted to kill him because no matter what I said he didn't like it. So I gagged him and put him in the closet while I wrote this. :) Was not beta'd so all mistakes are my own.
With our further ado, here is chapter five.
January 23rd, 1536
Chapter Five: An Awkward Misunderstanding
George POV
George smirked gleefully at his wife across the great hall, mostly because he knew it annoyed her and whatever he did today really irked her. He picked up the apple on Mark Smeaton's plate and took a bite, enjoying the shade of red she turned at it. He truly hated her and his father for making him marry Jane Parker.
"My wife looks angrier than usual, don't you think, Mark?" George said, taking another bite of his apple. Mark quickly glanced over at Jane and back at George again.
"Er, I think I know why. You know I was borrowing your rooms this morning while she was suppose to be attending the queen..." Mark lowered his voice more and George knew why. Mark sported for the other team which was a major no-no, even in a liberal court, which England wasn't necessarily known for. George had no interest in it but he respected Mark's choice, besides it meant more woman for George. Lord Rochford smiled a bit at his friend.
"Oh, yes a bit of fun with what is his name, John...?" Mark hushed him, glancing around, making sure no one was trying to over hear them.
"Yes, well, your lovely wife happened to walk in and I am not sure how much she saw." This caused George to frown.
"I will talk to her and find out, do not worry my friend. She is my wife after all and I will just ship her off to the country. Anne hates her as well so it won't be hard to get permission to do so." Mark smiled slightly, looking a bit sick. George understood, the taint of homosexuality would ruin his rapidly growing success at court.
"Thank you, friend." George nodded, going back once more to his wife, in close conversation with William Brereton, wondering what was going through her ugly head.
Anne's POV
With the dreams still coming to her every night, Anne sent for the king, trying to look calm and collect while in side she was near faint. She just received her weekly report from Elizabeth's household, and while most of it was praise for how her darling daughter was excelling at her new studies, there was a small part of the letter that gave Anne cause to pause. She didn't know if it was because of the dreams or the pregnancy, but she felt horrible for Mary Tudor, the king's daughter. Yes, Anne hated her, mostly for just being Katherine's daughter and not accepting her as queen, but Anne paused to remember, that Mary was young only seventeen or eighteen at most and she had just lost her mother. So with that thought Anne came up with an idea that she wasn't necessarily proud of, but fear had been her biggest motive so far and she would do anything to keep her daughter safe.
"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Henry came to her rooms, a bit worried.
"Yes, Henry, it is fine. I just wanted to talk to you about the Lady Mary." Henry rolled his eyes, sitting down, acting like an unruly teenager.
"What did she do this time, Anne?"
"Nothing," she replied, clearing shocking her husband. "I actually wanted to allow her to go to her mother's funeral, to be chief mourner."
"I'm sorry, you- what?" Henry stammered. "But she hasn't signed the oath. What brought this on?"
Anne licked her lips, praying the king didn't see through her next few words. "She is young and very emotional and I think that by allowing her to go to Katherine's funeral and then perhaps bringing her to court and allow her to see the error of her way will bring her support to our side. With Katherine dead, Mary will not have the pressure of trying to please her mother and disobeying her father."
Henry thought carefully on Anne's words for several minutes. Anne could feel the sweat collecting on her palms.
"Very well," he said finally. "But she has to sign the oath by the time our son is born or she will reap the punishment of others before her. I will send word-"
"Actually, I was thinking I could tell her, hoping that it would be the first olive branch between us. I so want us to get along for yours and Elizabeth's sake. Plus, I would love to our daughter before I can no longer travel."
Henry smiled, clearly astounded at what Anne was saying. "Very well, but you must travel by litter and with a dozen armed guards. And you must stay the night and come back tomorrow. I don't want you to be traveling too fast." Anne smiled, nodding as he stood. "You will give Elizabeth my love won't you?"
"Of course, and I will be back before you know it." Henry nodded already his mind on other things. Henry, not known to Anne, was thinking it would be perfect timing to start his plans for Mistress Jane, while Anne was away.
"Maybe stay two days, to make sure you are taking it slow. Don't over do yourself, sweetheart. You must think of our prince." And with one last kiss on Anne's hand, Henry left her rooms.
Anne took a deep breath, her hands shaking. It went much better than she thought it would and she even half believed what she told her husband, and who knows maybe it would actually work with Mary, but she had bigger plans for her talk with Mary.
George POV
"Jane, we need to talk." George said firmly to his wife.
"I will not talk to a sodomite! Do not touch me!" She screeched when George grabbed her by her arms.
"I will touch you because I am your husband and you will lower your voice or I beat you until you do, do you understand me?" Jane nodded, her tears blurring her eyes. "Now, you need to listen to me," George whispered, his voice shaking with anger. "I was not in the room this morning. I let a friend borrow the room, I had no idea it was of that nature." A little lie to cover his self did hurt but he could tell that Jane didn't believe any of it.
"Do not lie to me George Boleyn. I saw it with my very own eyes. How dare you think that you can-!" George slapped her across her a face, his anger finally over loading.
"You, dear wife, will believe what I tell you or I will have you shipped off, do you understand me?" Jane flashed her eyes to him and before he knew it she had slapped him back. George roared, furious that she laid a hand upon him. He reached for her and she started to run towards the door. George grabbed her just in time and threw her upon the bed, hopping on top of her, pinning her.
"And what do you think you were going to do, Jane? Go run and tell the king?" She spit in his face, helpless. Without thinking he leaned and kissed her roughly and against both of their wills their bodies reacted and for the first time in month husband and wife became intimate and it was not loving towards either one.
An hour later, George was sleeping and Jane was standing by the window, looking at the starry sky. She felt disgusted with herself but at the same time thrilled. No matter how much she tried to hide it she loved her husband. His touched burned her in a way she never felt before. But she knew that he did not love her, no matter what happened tonight. He loved that musician and who knows how many more? Jealousy filled her very being and she smiled to herself, remembering the plans that she made earlier in the day. If she couldn't have George, no one could.
