Disclaimer: If I owned this I would be God and a super millionaire producer.

A/N: wow I can't believe how many reviews I've gotten, this is really a lot guys, thank you.

Song recommended for this chapter: All the right moves by One Republic still because well you will see why ^_^. There is going to be one time jump in the next chapter..

And don't forget to R/R!

~VXLP

"I am not going to be let down by one simple debate. There is no such thing as selfless love. The love she preaches for me is not selfless. She wants me to each because her stomach yearns to another glutton next to her, because people who do not love thy self can't never love others, because they are hypocrites, selfish but ah the only difference between me and them is that at least I acknowledge I am selfish, that I love no one but myself, the love I give to others is to create another extension of myself. When I suffer for someone else is only because I have lost a limb that was useful.
I have learned the hard truth -love, there is no such thing but lust? There is."

~"Conversation between Lord and Lady Hypocretia and Lady Loner" by Anonymous

1534, July 10th

Greenwich Palace: Eustace Chapuys' bedchamber

Oh God that child, HIS child, that child was his child. HIS child and it was being raised by that she monster! How could he had let her get to him? How could he let that poor creature, HIS daughter be left in her care. That woman did not deserve to be called mother by anyone save the devil's child. Yes, she had been carrying the devil's offspring for nine months but it wasn't his offspring who was the Devil's. It was that puny, crying boy Philip. Just like his grandfather he could not get enough of the attention others paid him. Elizabeth could not have calmed that oaf's grandson down if it hadn't been for Susan who had been near her older sister to hand the baby back to her.

That so called husband of hers, he must be feeling on top of the world right now. He had proved himself capable of producing children and giving more male heirs for the Tudor King to boast. It was sickening, just picturing both of them together, kissing and showing off that baby boy while HIS daughter lay forgotten. Probably left in the care of some old midwife or nurse. He doubted that Mary would want to nurse the girl who was the reminder of her sin.

She would always be Eustace's child, the mistake, the unofficial bastard and shame of Mary Tudor. People will be whispering, the minute they see her face Eustace was certain, they would say -look at that child -she bears resemblance to His Excellency. Just like the 'Beltraneja' in old Castilla, HIS daughter would be associated would always be referred with some awful surname to remind everyone of her illegitimacy. Philip of Bavaria, he had barely talked with that arrogant German Prince, but he could not see him as the loving, kind, father figure to a child that was not even his. Sure, he was devoted to his wife but when he agreed to marry her there was never anything in the contract that said 'love her bastards'. But Mary wasn't the only one to blame here.

His seed was responsible for her creation. Eustace had condemned his own child to a life of misery and humiliation. Just what kind of a father was he? What value did his promises to Elizabeth hold now? When he wasn't even capable of looking after his own child, how could he promise Elizabeth that he would always love and cherish the family they were planning for once they married?

God, what was he going to do now? With what face he would face the entire court and Elizabeth ... what would happen to them? He didn't want to end their relationship but would she forgive him for siring a bastard child -with her sister? Eustace would not blame her if she chose not to speak to him again. If she was in her shoes he would probably do the same thing. This was not something that could be easily forgotten.

That witch, that bitch ... Mary, that fucking whore! That was what she was, a whore! He believed her, she used him and still he vouched for her before her cousin. He wrote to in her favor, he fought for her and this is how he got paid? With HER bastard child! That child would never know love as long as she was with Mary.
Why did God insist on punishing the just for the sinner's mishaps? God are you there? Answer me! What have they done, what could be possibly worse than my sins. Are you going to abandon my child too as you abandoned the first one?

It was a sin before the eyes of God to be mingled with a man who already had carnal relations with her eldest sibling, the Catholic Church said so but what did she care what the church did? It was not as if it was pure or completely cleansed as her sister would have the people in her charitable missions believe. Elizabeth retained access to books that Cranmer -a loyal supporter of her mother- had given to her shortly after her mother's death and her father's wedding. "Jesus said love is all you need, he taught us to forgive and let others forgive us for our sins" There! Mary herself acknowledged it, why, besides, shouldn't Elizabeth be allowed to be the man she chose to love? Her sister's marriage had been arranged, and her father would waste no time to make plans for his youngest daughter. It was only a matter of time. Elizabeth did not want that, she wanted Eustace and nobody else -and how she was going to achieve it? By following her mother's example, she was not a woman to be afraid to bend the rules whenever it suited her. Elizabeth wasn't afraid either. As long as she threaded carefully and used the gift of intelligence God gave her, she knew she would be alright.

Unlike her sister, she was never a woman to say no to her dreams and ambitions. Unlike her sister she fought to them to the very end.

Damn the consequences.

"De los buenos es honrar,
que no es posible que den honra los que no la tienen"
(From the good honor comes so,
that it is impossible they give to those who do not have it)

~"Esteban" from Fuente Ovejuna [ACT II, Scene IV] by Lope de Vega

Eustace thought he left the door of his chambers closed, but apparently it was not so. Elizabeth entered with a freedom that she no longer had to ask Fleming or any of his servants beforehand.

Seeing the look on his eyes -red from hours of crying over her sister- she explained that she had dismissed his servants and hope he didn't mind. Eustace barely heard her. He was thinking only of the child's face, his eyes darted toward Elizabeth whose hands were on her hips. He could see how wet they were but not from her own sweat but the tears of the baby "Moments after you left she began to cry, the nurses tried to calm her down. I had to stay longer to help them with little Anne Elizabeth." She said.

Anne Elizabeth -so that is her name -Eustace thought. Leave it to Mary to put the bastard child the name of a woman she despised. He found himself laughing madly. God, what a mess he had gotten himself into? How was he going to pretend, there was no pretending for this one. Eustace wanted to push Mary aside but it was not so easy when his folly with her had given birth to a terrible burden. A burden Mary did not want, and he himself was not so sure what to do.

Elizabeth tried to keep herself calm, it hurt her to see Eustace suffer but she had to keep herself from being too affected by emotions, Eustace needed her to be strong so he could be strong.

She put her arm around the kneeling man. "Eustace" she spoke softly "It is alright, it will all be alright." She began by telling him the story of how HIS child had cried the moment he left. "Mary and the rest of her maids could not keep her silent"

"You did" He interrupted already guessing what had happened next. Elizabeth gave a light nod as he took his hands off his face. He had been crying non stop for a woman, that in her opinion was not worth all bitter tears. He had learned that, surely sleeping with Mary had been a good enough lesson not to fall for the wrong woman, the wrong Tudor that is!

He twisted his head and fixated his gaze on her. "What will happen to her now?" Her, he was not referring to Mary. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, she could lie but that would be a grave injustice. She considered nothing worse than lying to the person you love, and above she hated to see that person wallowing in self pity. It did him no good and she made sure he knew her opinion.

Eustace barely acknowledged her until she accused him of self pity. He hated being treated like a child, who was Elizabeth to lecture HIM? How older was she than him, what could she possibly know about the world around her when she never sailed out of England? All she ever knew was her father's court and her mother's venomous family nothing else. She did not see the splendor of the fairs of Antwerp, the enormous Gothic cathedrals in Spain, France or his native Savoy. She knew nothing of the world and him!

Elizabeth normally would get angry, but she understood what he was going through. She offered a small smile and kept her arm around him moving closer. "If you allow yourself to be submerged into depression then you will be depressed all your life. You are a good person who just happens to be having a bad time."

"Do tell" he said sarcastically.

Elizabeth ignored him and went on "It is not how bad you've had it all your life, is how quick you are in getting back on your feet again and confront Mary, confront my father and everyone around you. Be the Ambassador you showed Mary today, cold and cynical. Eustace you can't let it get to you"

His gaze deepened. How could he had ever fallen for Mary's dark appearance when he had the angel of true gold in her presence all along. God he had been blind, all these years fighting and wishing for 'Lady Mary' to be happy, nearly risking his life and his health when the true prize had been right in front of him. He had been trained to recognize cheap bronze from gold and silver, and yet he had allowed his heart to cloud his reason. He was sure now that nothing he could do could every erase what they had done, Mary was much a guilty party in making that child's life miserable as he was. But perhaps if he started anew with Elizabeth, he could ignore his sin and find redemption in the red haired Tudor loving arms.

She could feel her own lips moving, she did not struggled when his own came crashing down on hers. He had to bend over being that she was not as tall as he was, even seated he seemed a giant. She twined her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, this was not the first time they'd done it. Nonetheless she wanted to make this one special and not feel rushed. Eustace lifted his true lady and his arms carried her to the bed where they made love more than once.

"Damn the consequences" he repeated hearing her whisper it in his ear. Yes, damn everything. He had made his choice. He gave her one last thrust and poured all of hi

Outside of their chamber everyone was enjoying a peaceful sleep like the two lovers. Henry was in his mistress' arms, Jane had fallen asleep in her rocking chair after singing her baby boy to sleep. Her faithful ladies in waiting took the sleeping babe from her arms and gave it back to his nurses who put him on the golden bassinet next to Jane's bed. Mary and Philip were asleep in each other's arms. Philip never felt more proud of being the husband of such a beautiful and wonderful woman like his Mary. He didn't mind what she had done in the past, or who she'd been all that mattered to the young Duke was that she loved him and she had proved herself a worthy daughter to his father by giving him a healthy grandson. Healthier than his own son. Philip smiled at the sleeping baby next to them. Mary had insisted that he be kept under close surveillance. Over the years because of her mistreatment Mary had become more paranoid and sometimes that paranoia stemmed from her own insecurities she had as a child when she'd been heir presumptive. Their baby boy was extremely quiet. He didn't make a fuzz. It was very rare to have such a peaceful child, yes Philip felt very proud.

In a lonely room with only two maids to keep her company was Mary and Eustace's daughter, Anne Elizabeth "Wittelsbach" Tudor. Susan battled with the child. No matter what they did the child would not stop crying. The night seemed longer and Susan and her companion found themselves praying for a miracle, and like that it came. Elizabeth had heard her niece's cries when she departed Eustace's bedchamber to return to hers. Poor babe, she thought. She is barely a day old and she already knows how unwanted she is. Elizabeth vowed that no child would grow suffering like she and Mary did just because of gender, or anything else. It hurt her at first when she held the child. It was HIS child but she wasn't the mother and already she was growing to love this child more than her own mother.

Eustace woke in the middle of the night to silent cries, he knew they could not be Elizabeth's because they were too loud. The Ambassador opened his eyes and saw Elizabeth fully dressed with a tiny bundle in her arms. Eustace sat up, his chest completely exposed.

"I want you to meet someone" She sat next to Eustace and moved the baby closer to him. "Look" she insisted, he found it hard not to obey those expecting eyes of hers. He sighed and braced himself. This child represented everything wrong he'd done in life, he was sure he would feel more hatred for it when he saw it.

Laying his eyes on the child he found himself taken by those beautiful blue eyes, his eyes staring back in wonder. Instantly the child recognized him and began lifting her arms up. "May I?" Eustace asked, Elizabeth gave a weak and encouraging smile. He took the laughing child from her arms. The minute she had entered his chamber she stopped her cries, she knew she was safe.

Eustace rocked the child back and forth, he had to give it back when he felt the sun come up. It would be dangerous if Mary discovered they had taken her child from the nursery, and he didn't want to deal with that woman or her idiotic husband. He did, however yearn to see his daughter again.

Giving her back to Elizabeth who returned to the nursery with her, was the hardest thing he'd done so far. It was his own blood and she was in the hand of a viper and going to be raised amongst snakes. He couldn't be more mad with himself, but at least for once he got to hold her.