Chapter 4

Returning to the English countryside, his eyes were blood shot red and puffy from all his crying, he did not eat anything for the past three days; his muscular body became fragile as he lay on his bed in complete darkness shut out from the daylights of the court. He could not sleep or even think that his life was worth living without Henry, he felt as if his heart had been ripped opened and pulled out of him as he remembered Henry crushing the letter. He felt as if all his efforts and meaningful words that took him days to write that particular letter meant nothing to Henry. He did not know what to do anymore with his life...all his daily activities included Henry, from the time they went hunting together to filling their stomachs with delicious food. His brown eyes searched his chambers with the different decor and all the embellishments that he had collected with Henry over the years. His eyes focused one particular – a blue rose standing a black vase with gold Chinese writings, this was gift that Henry had given to him when it was his birthday last year. Charles took a deep breath as he rose from the wooden chair, walking towards the window viewing the open green land.

'I am going to get you!" Henry shouted as he ran through the tall trees of green along the red dirt pathway holding his wooden sword in his hand.

"No! You wouldn't" Charles screamed back running further away from Henry. Their laughter and heavy footsteps echoed through the valley as they continued to run through the forest. Their tracks came to sudden halt at the grand view that was before them. A small water fountain with different flowers and a statue of young woman covered with vines, both of them stared in awe at the beautiful scenery. Charles received a nudge from Henry then he reached out his hand towards Charles. Charles gave a confused look as he stared into his pools of grey.

"May I have this dance?" Henry asked.

"But there is no music." Charles replied taking Henry's hand. Henry suddenly pulled Charles closer to his body as their feet began to move to the sound of the water foundation.

"We don't need music. All we need is each other." Henry said with a smile.

Tears streamed down Charles' pale cheeks as he recalled the happy memories with Henry when they were sixteen years old. This separation pained him internally as he watched the swallow birds fly together to their nest. He knew that this separation could probably destroy him or make he be a part of the king's good graces.

Henry sat in his throne waiting for his loyal subjects to come forth. He sighed deeply as his thoughts were occupied with the letter of confession from Charles. He felt so stupid and regretted every single word that he had said to him, he felt as if a part of him was missing, his other half...he wanted to see Charles, to feel him and to apologise to him for every harm he has caused.

"Your majesty, Sir Anthony Knight is here!" the announcer shouted. A young man with chocolate short brown hair with his

"Your majesty, I have news of Charles Brandon." Henry sat up straight as he anticipated for this news all morning.

"He is not coming to court. He says he would rather rot in isolation than be in your presence."

"What!" Henry immediately rose from his seat and rushed out the throne room, worried and concerned for his duke, he got on his horse and headed to the luscious greenery of Charles' banished home. Henry burst the door with tears in his eyes as he saw his friend in the utmost terrible physical state of a human being. Charles appeared to look malnourished with the bones of his limbs and ribs revealing through his pale skin. Henry could see the puffiness around his brown eyes filled with watery rivers of sadness and loneliness that Henry brought to him.

"...Charles...I am sorry for everything. The way I treated you for these past years...I am sorry. I'll make it up to you...I'll give the property of Dover Castle and all the expensive lands in the kingdom...Please Charles talk to me...say something to me...Please" Henry begged but Charles did not move or even glanced at him, he tightened his fists against the wooden arms of the chair as he remained silent.

"Charles Brandon...my best friend and my lover...please talk to me..." Henry whispered.

"Do you think that I can be bought with wealth and property? What kind of man do you take me to be? Now you know what it is like to have your heart broken. Leave!" Charles shouted.

Henry sighed deeply as he bowed to him and began to walk away from Charles.

"I want you to know that I am always here for if you need anything. Even when you come back to court, I'll be waiting..." Charles replied with silence as he stared outside the window. "...Charles I am sorry and I love you..." Henry said as he shut the door behind him.

Spending her last days of the French court, Anne was regretful to leave Queen Claude as she tied one of strings of her majesty's coif. Anne and the queen would usual converse with each other often about the French court and any lessons that Anne had to learn. The queen noticed her strange behaviour and asked to stay a moment. Anne quickly bowed as she knelt in front of her majesty waiting to clean her feet with the white cloth neatly folded in her lap.

"I know that you are leaving me soon." The queen searched for a hint of happiness in Anne but could not find any. Anne carefully placed the wet cloth over her majesty's feet slowly wiping avoiding her eyes.

"Yes your majesty. I have been summoned to the English court."

"Let me give you a word of advice, the English court is nothing compared to ours. They have a different way of life so please be careful." Anne lowered her head in respect and began to walk towards the door.

"Lady Boleyn?" Anne turned around to face her.

"Yes your majesty?" she asked softly.

"Regarder votre langue" She advised as indicated Anne to leave her presence. Anne quickly closed the door behind her as she continued to walk the half light pathway. She stopped suddenly in her tracks as she peered through the glass window overlooking the nightly shadows of light over the palace. She folded her arms and curled her mouth with a smile. 'What did she mean I must watch my tongue?' Anne shrugged off the idea as she continued to walk towards her small bed chamber.

Her eyes opened as she stirred in the sheets of cotton red in her bed chambers as she rose. She could hear and smell the wet rain pouring down her window as she closed her eyes. She could not believe that she had agreed to become a lady in English court and she got up from her bed and headed to her small closet. Then a knock came suddenly to her door as a lady came strutting inside as she stared on Anne intently. She noticed that Anne had a different way of carrying herself from the rest of the English court...she looked like she did not belong here. Anne quickly got ready with her black dress revealing her shoulders and her mountain tops. She wore her hair out and her sliver jewels on her wrist, she licked her lips awaiting

"Her majesty Queen Katherine would like to see you now. Hurry and get dress then follow me." Anne quickly hurried out of her chambers as she followed the head lady in waiting towards the queen's chambers. She saw her majesty sitting graciously on her seat as she stared intently on her.

"Lady Anne is here at your service." As the head lady in waiting announced. Katherine looked on her with her pale eyes staring on this young woman. Nothing but silence exchanged between the two women as they kept their eyes on each other.

"Lady Anne, I know why you have been summoned." Katherine rubbed her hands together with white rag as she focused her attention to the water.

"You are here to please His majesty with your obvious youth and beauty." Katherine stared on the young lady with envious eyes. Anne bowed graciously to her as she headed outside of the queen's chambers.

"No your majesty, I am only here to serve you and nothing more." Anne smiled while she kept her eyes on the queen.

"Yes. Of course" Katherine said softly as she stood while one of her ladies was putting on her jewellery. There was something about the new lady in waiting that the queen did not like. Maybe it was the way her eyes had a hold on you as if she could read your mind and what your next reaction was going to be. Katherine definitely knew that this young woman could come in between her and her beloved husband however in all her heart, she knew that he would treat her like other past lovers.

Henry sat down on his chair in the dining room contemplating on how to get back Charles to court. He recalled that Charles did not want him to be bought by property and wealth but there must something that Charles desired. Henry placed his hand under his chin as he stared onto the window showing the grey skies of his kingdom. Then a sudden knock came to the door as the gentleman announced that Lady Anne was waiting to see an audience with Henry. Henry got up as he saw the young lady with utmost beauty and defines curves.

"Lady Anne, how are you?" Henry asked.

"I am well, your majesty. I am here to request for a chamber closer to the queen's. You see I feel some sort of obligation to be near the queen at all times...to serve her better." Anne smiled as she kept her eyes on Henry. She slowly clasped her hands neatly at her sides as Henry continued to stare on her. He came closer to her as he noticed that Anne had remarkable features but the most unique feature of her was her eyes. Her eyes were pools of washed out blue as if she was staring into one's soul. His eyes trailed down to her two mountain tops as he watched them go up and down with each breathe that she took. He licked his lips as he reached his hand on her breasts and slowly caressed them. She started to moan in ecstasy as she wanted him to feel her more. Hearing her small moans gave Henry a static feeling of arousal and temptation surrounding his body as he desired nothing but her. Anne suddenly grabbed his hands as she kept her eyes on his.

"No. Not like this. I must leave. This is too difficult to bear." Anne stated calmly as she stepped away from Henry. Henry stood there baffled at her. He usually gets his way and he must at all means possess this woman for his own sake. But then his attention focused on Charles...maybe this separation between them was perhaps a good thing ...it would have given Henry some time to concentrate on another person to satisfy his needs.

"You may leave, Lady Anne." Anne bowed as she continued to walk out of the room with her hands neatly clasped. She looked back on Henry as he sat there with his mind occupied on a number of things. Henry heard the door closed behind him as he went to his mind ran on Charles. He began to think what would happen if he decided to be with Anne and leave Charles in his loneliness. No...He could never abandon his lover and his best friend to be completely isolated from reality. His hand held a quilt as the black ink trailed on the blank paper.

Dear Charles,

I am longing to see you at court with your presence. I want to be with you, I want to hold you in my arms as we once were. I am sorry for all the hard times that I have bestowed on you. I know I should have considered your feelings for me. I know I am always ignorant and never truly call myself humble towards such emotions and you know why. I would like to see you smile at me once more. Please come back to me. Meet me tonight at the eleventh hour in my secret place of happiness. I love you with all my heart and soul.

Your ever loving servant,

Henry.

Charles stared on the last line of the letter. 'I love you with all my heart and soul.' He sighed deeply as he placed his hand over his face. He did not know what to do...should he even see Henry to make it seem that all was better between them? Or should he make Henry suffer from his absence? But truly this feeling of loneliness and longing to see his majesty was eating him on the inside. His heart could not bear to live without Henry so he sighed deeply as he stared on the letter once more.

A/N: Finally I have updated the next chapter! Is Charles going to forgive him or make Henry and himself suffer? What about Anne? What does she have in store for the two them? I am so sorry for the long wait by dedicated readers but I have super busy with my internship and school at the same time. I really appreciate all the reviews that I am receiving! I will update soon as I can.

Keep Reading and Reviewing LOL !