A/N: Hope you enjoy! :)

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I made my way around the room, holding nothing but a cup of wine in my hand, I did not drink it though. It really didn't feel like having a headache the next morning due to tonight. I've never been to a party before really, never like this. Once or twice as a celebration at my home but that was all. I knew Cara was over there talking to George, and my brother had to be in here somewhere. There was Father chatting up with Anne and Mary's Uncle again. What did Father see in that man? Ambition? Another cause that could help us boosts our way up the social ladder?

I had on my new earrings that I had received from Anne, I valued them quite a lot too. Anne was my best friend since childhood; she was the wild one while Mary was the obedient one. They were the total opposites of each other, and clearly they had once become rivals and now apparently Anne had caught the King's eye as it has fallen from Mary. I do pity Mary sometimes; envy her for having a nice life in the country like she does now. I do wish I could do that sometime in my life, but still, being here at court is quite more entertaining. Well, it is to me.

I actually wore a well made dress today, courtesy of one Queen Katherine of England. She sent it to me and I was quite surprised she even knew who I was until Mother so gladly instructed to me that I was to be one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, as was Cara. Luckily, Thomas got to come too for he is now to be working close to the King for some reason. I haven't the slightest idea what Thomas could do for the King really, not to be rude but I believe Thomas would do much better as a music instructor or part of the church but Thomas has never really been one for religion sadly. But I do enjoy my brother's company, I feel safer and more confident with him around me.

I felt a tug of my arm then and quickly turned to the source of the tug and saw a smiling Charles Brandon looking at me; I gave a half smile and looked away back at the dancers and one special person, Thomas Tallis.

"He has quite the talent I've heard." I spoke up, attempting to make small talk with Brandon; he was rather the ladies man I heard all around. But then again, gossip is only gossip. It spreads like a disease, and sadly there is no cure for it really. I knew Brandon was a friend of the King too, a very close friend. Perhaps he could be useful to me.

"Yes, he does." Charles told me, still grinning at me and I could feel his hand barely touching my left bare shoulder then. The touch feels electrifying almost.

"When did you arrive at court, Lady Marie?" Charles asks me; finally I turned to look at him with a sly smile.

"I don't believe that is any of your business." I responded, he chuckled as if this were amusing.

"No need to be hasty." He told me, his hand finally moving its way off my shoulder to part of my bare back, that's when I mentally scolded myself for wearing a dress this revealing. I moved away from his touch so now his hand just hanged in the air for a moment before he brought it back to his side, he was actually smirking now. How dare he?! Charles Brandon, I do not like you. Not one little bit.

I gave a sarcastic smile "Good night, sir." I said in a mocking tone, then grabbing part of my dress so I would not trip over my own feet to go over to Cara and George, ignoring a laughing Brandon who was only so far then I noticed. And I thought this room to be quite large. Ha!

Cara gave me a look of confusion and I shook my head, meaning for her not to ask and then she nodded and looked away back to apparently the dancers. George looked down at me, finally noticing my presence.

"Where have you been?" He asked teasingly and I couldn't help but smile back up at him.

"I should ask you the same thing, George Boleyn. Working for the King now must keep you quite the busy man. Nonetheless with Jane Parker hot on your heels every moment she can find you." I told him with a sly grin on my lips, finally taking a few sips of the wine in my cup. It actually tasted rather nice to be quite honest; it had a sweet, sugary taste to it. Almost grape like.

"She's not my taste." George told me with a crooked grin "I rather much like you though."

"Stop teasing, George. You'll use up all the sarcastic humor of yours if you put it all on me." I told him, poking him in the chest slightly and he just chuckled, I liked his laugh more than Charles Brandon's.

"You wound me, Lady Marie." He said, leaning back on the stone wall a little bit as Cara then turned back to the two of us with a grin.

"I'll be right back." She told us and then skipped off away across the room.

"Where is she going now?" George asked me, looking from where Cara had left then back over at me with a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh. To her lover boy 'Richard'. I believe she's quite taken with him." I told him in a hush tone to make sure Father could no hear, he was socializing with almost everyone now that he thought was up to his standards.

"Isn't he a servant for the King?" George prompted, but probably already knew the answer to his question anyway.

"Why do you want to know? You going to try to catch his eye to and not just little Jane?" I asked in a teasing matter, be gave me a sarcastic smile in response.

"Ha-ha." He told me "But I'd rather keep that little statement about Cara to myself unless you want your Father to have a stroke while scolding her, which he does quite loudly to be honest." George said, taking my cup from my hands and downing the wine within it. I let my mouth open agape somewhat as I stared up at him and then started to smile.

"What?" George asked me, starting to walk away "I was just thirsty, that's all." Then he was out my view again as was Cara. What was I to do now? I glanced around and that's when I noticed King Henry himself sitting across from the Queen on his throne. He was glancing in my direction and then his eyes went back to Anne, whom was dancing with one of the men here. I don't know who he was though. That's when I felt Charles Brandon come up to me once more, I was about to sigh in annoyance until he bowed slightly and smiled up at me standing up straight once more, a hand out towards me.

"May I have this dance?" Brandon asked me grinning ear-to-ear, the King looked in our direction and what was I to say now? No? Would that be an insult to a friend of the King? I then, rather on impulse truly, took Charles Brandon's hand as he led me only so far to dance with him.

Tonight was going to be quite long, wasn't it? Of course it was. This was the Court of King Henry the Eighth. Everything was to be the way he wanted it. The King gets everything he wants. Everything. I felt Brandon's intentions in his eyes as he looked at me when we started to dance. Lust was there. As was impatience. To be quite honest, I really do not like Charles Brandon.

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