This didn't want to be written. For something that took me so long to write, it's really short. Hopefully you'll enjoy it and please review. Your comments always gives me inspiration:)

Chapter seven

November 15 1523

The palace was in turmoil. No one could understand how this could have happened. The doctor's diagnosis had been clear and set in stone. Mary, Lady Rochord, the King's mistress had been poisoned. What was worse was that soon the rumour that she had been pregnant, which had been one of the many circulating, was confirmed during the fit of rage that could be heard from the King's chambers.

The King had however been unusually cool about this as his rage soon turned into the ice cold demeanour that scared his attendants more than the threat of ending up in the tower of London. Soon the investigation led by Cardinal Wolsey was in full swing. Many people were in the chapels praying as Mary had become beloved during her years as the mistress en titre. She was respected and carried an innocent child that was fathered by the King.

The closest attandants, aside from the doctors, by Lady Rochford's side was her Lady in waiting Margaret Howard, her sister Anne who was the countess of Northumberland and the Queen. The ladies sat around the side of the young woman, pale as the doctors explained to them the severity of the poisoning Lady Rochford had been subjected to. The Princess Mary and the newly created Duke of Richmond and been removed from court just days ago and the ladies were torn between relief since the children would not see their beloved mama and aunt Mary in this way and fear that they might have been attacked before they left and that no one knew yet. Of course messengers had been sent out and the protection of the royal family as well as the Boleyn siblings had been strengthened.

Now however the big question on everybody's mind, and foremost on the men around the King who feared his wrath if they did not solve this before his Majesty's patience run out, was when Lady Rochford was poisoned and by whom. The motives of that person was also discussed heavily by the Privy Council and most leaned on the fact that it had been known by a small number that the Lady was pregnant. No one knew if someone who should not be privy to this information had somehow been made aware by this development. Whatever the reason not only the King's mistress his beloved Mary, but also his child had been attacked. The King was due to Mary's pregnancy trying to make this into treason.

The King was most pleased that he had made Mary's brother in law, Lord Northumberland, one of the members in the Privy Council and thought that perhaps he should make her brother George one as well. The boy had become a man who was very intelligent. Henry watched the lawn outside the castle and frowned when he saw the spot he would walk with Mary during evenings and talk with her. Would he ever get to speak with his beloved rose again? A woman so unspoiled while so callously handled by the men in her life. He had sworn to never make her as sad as Francis and her father had made her and he had not been able to protect her from poisoning. Who ever had done this was in great difficulty. He loved Mary. Most would not think it possible to love two women but he did. He had fallen in love with Catherine very young and still remembered the love she had given him freely during his difficult years with his father. Mary had unknowingly made him love and respect her more by her behaviour and respect towards his wife and daughter. She never sought to harm their feelings or positions. She cared for him as Henry not as the King. She disliked the fact that he was King since it made thing quite complicated and hurtful. She disliked being the second woman since she was living in sin, but she never sought to replace Catherine. Henry kneeled in his private prayer room.

"Please Lord, do not take her or our child. She strives to be a good woman she never tries to intrigue like this court. She makes me a better man and King by making me see the things normally hidden from me. She gives me comfort but does not try to manipulate me. She loves my family and does not ask me to replace them. It is I who placed her in this position of sin, she never wished for it. Please Lord do not take her from me. Do not take her from our son and her family. The child is innocent. Even if we were the most despicable creatures alive the child would be innocent. Please if you call the child to you let its soul live." The King continued to pray and beseech God to spare their lives. He was unsure when a child got a soul but he hoped the child and Mary would be able to go to God should the Lord take them.

While the King was praying and the men were investigating the ladies were looking after a pale figure on a bed sleeping restlessly. Her breathing was better now and her heartbeat was no longer as rapid. The head healer had vetoed to not bleed her as he thought that it in this case might do more harm than good.

Jane Seymour on the other hand was sitting in her chambers quite relaxed talking to her brother who was not as relaxed.

"I knew that she would end up like this sooner or later. She's just a whore who tries to act above her station. The poor Queen is so gracious while having to put up with her behaving like they were equals. If I would ever be in that position I would behave with far more decorum. And I would never presume to place my child with the princess. No that bastard really should be taught it place in the world, since having such a mother will surely need to be taught morals that most people simply have from being born to good people. I am glad that people can see that the Lord has turned away from that woman." Edward looked at his drunk and therefore not as timid sister speaking about matter she obviously had no clue about and hoped that the King's attention was not drawn away from her if he ever saw her like this. Jane had assured him that the King seemed to admire her modesty since most women at court were women of loose morals as Jane put it, no doubt due to Lady Rochford's influence according to Jane.

"Do you know that I think Edward? I do not think that either the King or the Queen would treat her like this unless she had bewitched them. She is just a witch that needs to burn. I congratulate whoever poisoned her. I hope it was a hurtful poison Edward, she deserves nothing less. Promise me Edward that the poison you gave her will make her feel pain for making others treat me badly." Edward stared in alarm at his sister. He thought he had hidden from her that he had poisoned the King's mistress. He hoped no one else had noticed. He was thankful that none of the servants had reacted at her word and hoped that they had not heard it. As it was he was not in a position to threaten them if they had heard since the King was far more powerful then he was. He needed to strategize how he would remain away from the King's suspicion fast.

So what do you think?