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A/N: Thanks to ALL the marvelous reviews.

~VXLP

"I don't mind falling deep into the river as long as there is someone to receive me on the other side.
Life is too unbearable for me to focus anymore, I can no longer distinguish my will from the will of the people around me
all I want to do is my heart to stop beating and to become one with heaven. If there is such a thing I want to march into heaven's doors and ask St. Peter to let me in, so once there I can ask God why is it you allowed my suffering to continue? Why were you so deaf so blind to my please to my suffering? Have you become so numb to the pain as have I Lord?"

~"Yes to God." by Anonymous

1552, March 2nd.

Nonsuch Palace: Banquet Hall

Annie could not wait for Edward to start. He rose from his chair and cleared his throat demanding the attention of all his subjects. Eustace saw the mischievous glint in Annie's eyes, she had been late to her bedchambers last night, one maid told him and he had immediately assumed the worst as Edward's gaze remained fixated on his daughter.

Dear God what have they done now?

"Gentlemen I wish to announce a glorious news. The Tudor Dynasty is a glorious dynasty but why should it die when we are so close to destroying our enemies? My death means the end of the Dynasty" he said, he listened as some of the crowd gasp slowly shaking their heads in disbelief. He knew better than to swallow their false expressions, he was not his father he knew his friends from foes, but for diplomacy sake he kept his smile straight. "In order to keep the Tudor vision and of a glorious England I have been forced to think and have come to a radical conclusion" People's faces were a mixture of confusion and anxiety. Was the King finally considering a political union that the Earl of Northumbeland proposed with one of the German Princesses, to strengthen their Protestant nation?
Edward could read their thoughts and lightly chuckled shaking his head. "My namesake, Edward IV, married for love and he was given many heirs. My father married my mother for the need of an heir and for love, and she gave him that and more. He dies in his warm bed next to my mother who always stood by his side. She remains an example for all women. Yesterday I gazed at the most beautiful woman that my eyes ever saw dance and I knew that the time had come to propose"

Eustace's heart was beginning to beat fast, he did not dare to look at his daughter, afraid his worst fears would be confirmed.

Annie's smile encouraged Edward to go on. He raised his goblet and stepped down from the royal table and walked to where Annie was. He raised a lot of eyebrows and caused shock when he openly kissed her. He turned to his courtiers and raised his goblet "A toast for our future queen, Anne Elizabeth"

The courtiers clapped out of courtesy but their eyes danced with hate and envy for the Chapuys' bastard. None were more filled with anger than the family of her betrothed, Mary and her older sibling Henry whose faces had gone a shade of scarlet red. Bess swore she could see smoke coming from their ears. Alexei could not contain himself. So this was why Edward had denied him his request of an exchange of his initial betrothed for Annie. Isabella went to him and reached for his hand "Alexei" she called but he turned away from her too disgusted with the sight, and feeling too betrayed by the woman he had given his heart out to. He pushed Isabella's hand away and coldly said "Leave me" without bothering to look at her hurt expression, and left the scene feeling sicker and sicker with every word Edward said and every look of affection she returned to him.

Eustace wanted to grab his daughter's arm and shout at her what the hell was she thinking? Marrying Edward? Did she really believe she was going to have a happy ending with this man, this boy? Did she forget who his father was?

He maintained a mask of neutrality. And squeezing his fists, he looked all around him, he had some of his spies nearby ready to act in case Northumbeland had some dirty trick up his sleeve. Bess' fingers surrounded his fist and tried to ease him with her touch, it had always worked on him before but judging by the murdering glare Eustace had on his face, he was beyond calming.

Bess continued to caress his rough skin. Eustace always knew how to act, but Annie was not only his daughter, she was his life, his sole purpose of existing. Without Annie, Eustace could not go on. She had given him sons, but they did not compare to Annie, next to her they were cheap bronze. She was not hurt by it, she knew long time what kind of marriage she would expect based on the man she married, and she accepted it because she also cared deeply for her niece. She no longer considered Annie as Mary's daughter, but as her own and Eustace's. And she would never admit this to anyone, including her husband, but when she did feel frustrated or angry that Eustace showed too much affection to that girl, she would look at their family portrait Holbein had painted of them in a small miniature in a locket she had, and it would erase all these feelings from her mind.

Annie raised her goblet at the same time as Edward for a second toast. "The Tudor Dynasty shall live for a thousand years" He screamed and there were throngs of courtiers swarming in around them as they stepped into the center of the room, to catch a glimpse of their future queen. Vultures, the whole lot of them. The only reason why they wanted to be so close to her now, was because of the favors she could bestow on them or their families. If Edward, they thought, was anything like his father, it would be easy to get favors from him, as long as they were in the Queen's favor their fortunes and position at court was secured.

Annie could not believe how many women were around her now, or that she was the biggest center of attention than her future husband who did not seem to mind at all. They were all asking her how did he propose, what were his words exactly. Annie got so tired from all the questions, but out of courtesy she answered them with a smile plastered around her face. She was his father's daughter, Edward saw, she knew this courtly game better than her own father. He should be proud.

Oh Eustace was proud of his little girl, just not in the way Edward wanted him to be. He saw the way he handled all the courtiers and their wives, and he was proud she was handling all of this pressure very well, but he did not approve of this.

After the banquet was over and Edward took from his finger his mother's ring, the only legacy left of the now forgotten Seymour clan, and put it on her finger for everyone to see; everyone clapped except Eustace whose expression was stone cold.

Getting lost in the cries of the people who were wishing them their best, Annie did not notice when it was over and she retired to her new chambers, a figure looming behind her.

Eustace caught her arm before she could reach the hallway that led to her new chambers. "Might we talk?" He asked. She nodded cringing at the coldness of his tone.

He led her to another hallway where the light was very dim, she could hardly see anything. But she knew she was safe with her father around.

"Father-"

"No, just stop there. What do you think you are doing?" Annie said nothing, she had expected her father to be this angry. "What do you think you are doing Annie? Tell me after you deliver him a child, if you are lucky, it is a son, do you really believe he will stay faithful to you? What will he do, where will he go, when you cannot give him pleasure in your pregnant condition?"

"I am not a child father" she interrupted her tone holding the same imperious one as his "I know the risks when I agreed to marry Edward. The fact here is not how many women he has is that I will be the one bearing the crown of St. Edward the Confessor, I will be the one with the holy oils placed on my forehead. I will be the one with England's heir on my belly, I will be the one queen not them, not any of his whores"

He chuckled shaking his head in disbelief. Annie had learned very fast this dangerous game, but theory and practice were too different things. Annie was smarter than any other person he knew, he and Elizabeth had taught her well, but she lacked experience. "I have watched your grandfather deflower many women, ruin two women he proposed marriage to and was equally passionate to. You say he loves you, but he is his father's son, he knows nothing about loyalty and nothing about love. He will leave you like his father left your grandmother and Bess' mother your namesake. Do you want to repeat history Annie? You are all I won't loose you"

"You won't!" she cried "I will always be your little girl but I want to leave my mark in this world too. Do you think I do not know what you and Bess have plans for Anthony and George? I want the same thing as them, freedom to choose, the right to greatness."

"There is no greatness if you are dead"

"He is not Henry VIII, get over that!" She said frustrated that his father could not see beyond a person's parentage. Edward was much more than what his parents were, he was a young man, a dreamer who dreamed of a unified England, and to reconquer all the territories that once belonged to England in France. He was a man of vision, albeit more controlled and far less moved by dark feelings of revenge like his father Henry VIII. "He was a tyrant, Edward is not. You have no right to tell me who I should and not fall in love with" She declared unleashing all her pain and anger on the man she most loved.

"I am your father, my power over you is greater than any King's, you should know that by now." He stated. He threw his cane on the floor, it fell with a loud thud. Pain in his leg be damned, his daughter had to understand. He walked closer to her and placed his hands on her face. "I love you, there is nothing I would not do for you. You are my life, my daughter, my half along with Elizabeth and your brothers. I care for all of my family, I don't want to see your hurt. If you agree to this marriage you will have nothing but misery."

Annie felt tears in her eyes, but she never released them, she took his hand off from her cheeks and walked to where he dropped his can and forced it into his hand, he had no remedy but to accept as he was loosing balance and was afraid he would fall.
"I make my own destiny ... with Edward. And I will marry with or without your permission" She said and wheeled walking to her new chambers where she found Edward waiting for her, anxious to see what her reaction would be to the new presents and gowns he had brought for her. She forced a smile on him. "They are beautiful" she meant it. Nothing was short of spectacular, there were clothes that forced her mouth open and widened eyes and made her gasp. They were clothes fit for a queen, green, purple, gold and silver, the colors of the Tudor dynasty, royalty and fit for a queen, Edward's queen.

She pushed them back into the large chest that Edward's servants had brought over. She thanked Edward for everything he had done for her, she had never felt like this before for anyone. Alexei now, she could hardly remember him, it was like a distant part of her past had been erased by Edward and she no longer had any regrets. Edward was a man who could offer her protection, whom she had spent the greater part of her life with. She knew him better than she knew Alexei whom she only knew from the letters he wrote to her, now destroyed, ripped to shreds in a moment of anger after realizing she would not be his and later thrown into the fire.

Edward was happy to see her smile and express her delight for all his new gifts, and he was touched by her humility when she said she did not need gifts as long as he and her family were with her. He could see something was wrong, there were traces of pink in her eyes. He could tell she had been crying or plan to.

"What is wrong?" He asked becoming serious, he led her to the sofa where they sat very close to one another.

She shook her head.

Edward would not have that, he wanted to help her. "Annie" his voice softened and held her hands. "What happened? Was it your mother?" Annie shook her head looking at him, doing her best not to give anything away. "Your Aunt?" She shook her head with each guess, until he found the courage to ask her, "Your father, your real father Eustace Chapuys?" Annie did not say anything and Edward knew. "He is worried about you, nobody said anything they did not have to, anyone can see by the color of your eyes and your cheekbones, and nose that you are his daughter. I do not mind Annie, and I do not think you should either. He is a very good man, maybe he is just worried that I will be my father, and he has good reason to believe that. Everyone says I am my father's son"

"Don't say that, you are not" she scolded, she would not have her father get to Edward too. "Henry VIII would never have done what you have done and had the courage to walk in front of all his people and say he was marrying for love. With him it was always a son, I know you want a son too, but that is not the sole purpose why you are marrying me, is it?"

"No" he answered right away, shocked that Annie could think like that. Yes he needed a son to continue the Tudor Dynasty, but he was in no hurry, they were young, and any child Annie gave him was acceptable. As long as it was healthy that was all that mattered. "Of course not Annie! I married you for you. I would rather have the woman I love as my wife than a complete stranger whose customs are completely foreign to our nation, I know this is a delicate subject with you, but I don't want to repeat my father's mistake with your grandmother. I sincerely believe my mother when she said he loved Katherine of Aragon, but they were very different, and they were imposed on one another. I do not want to be forced to love someone. I have known you all my life, we played together, we were practically raised together Annie. Don't you see this was fate's plan all along?"

She smirked finding his logic very funny. "What?" He asked with a goofy smile on his face.

"You really believe in fate, that we are all predestined, that no matter how many paths we take we will eventually get to our destiny?"

Edward nodded, it was one of the Protestant doctrine's most important truths. God had a plan for everyone whether we accepted it or not. And every destination led to your fate, nobody could outrun their fates. "God chose us to be together. He put you in my path so I would fall in love with you. I have loved you ever since I first saw you. I was mesmerized by your intelligence, I only wanted to be King to impress you"

Annie was stunned. "You were just King for me?" She asked in disbelief "Why did you not say so before?"

He looked at his shoes embarrassed with his next answer "Because you were in love with Alexei and I was afraid you would say no"

He felt her warm skin on his cheek as he lifted his face and turned it to her. "If I had known I would not have spent my time chasing for the impossible."

Edward gave her a short smile and they kissed each other again, before he was forced to return to his own chambers.

George asked Anthony why his father was so mad. "Every other courtier would be happy to see their daughter wed to the King of England"

"Our father is not every other courtier" Anthony responded, annoyed by George's many questions. He hated playing baby sitter to his little brother, and he was not little anymore. George was going to be ten in the fall, he needed to start learning on his own how to take care of himself without adult supervision. Many boys their age were taught in such a manner. Anthony himself had had more freedom with their sister to do whatever he wanted. He did not understand why their parents insisted on treating George like a baby, they were making him into an invalid the more care they gave him.

George sighed and then another question came to his mind, but Anthony saw it. "Not another word" He said leaving George in their bedroom and locking the door just in case his adventurous little brother decided to take a stroll on his own. His parents would be furious.

George crossed his arms against his chest and growled "It is not fair!" But with the door locked and his parents arguing in the room next to his, there was no use complaining.

He could hear everything they were saying, but they could not hear him.

He ran to the wall next to his dresser and pushed his ear against it. He recognize a new voice, his brother Anthony. He was trying to calm their father down. "I do not see what is the big deal, Annie and Edward have been together since they were toddlers, it was bound to happen" He declared, but then George heard his father raise his voice with the kind of tone that made his opponents bend to his will -"Really Anthony?" He mocked his brother and added with a chuckle "I am sorry for missing the obvious it seems it passed me during my argument with your sister and before when the King kissed her in front of everyone! His father gave the same declarations of love for all of his wives before he crowned them. He proclaimed he loved them, I was there when he vowed eternal love to your grandmother and later Jane Seymour. He is a liar, a cheater, and a brute like your grandfather, his father"

"He is not, and do you not forget Eustace that liar, cheater, and brute whatever he may be was my father, and you insult him you might as well insult all of us, for his blood runs through your children's veins, including your daughter" It was his mother now. George felt a shudder run down his spine, people said his mother out of all the Tudor children was the real lion's cub and George could see now why.

He heard his father sigh. "Bess please do not do this. I love all of you, but you must see reason in this, do you know what this will do to our family if Annie becomes Queen, if she gives him a boy? She will bestow favor on us not on the German Tudor faction of her mother's!"

"And why is that a bad thing Eustace? Do you not want your children to share some of our deserved glory? They are Tudors too after all."

"Mother is right, the benefits we could reap from this union are immense, but more than that, we would be the first family in England to council the King, to make sure his overtly group of staunchly Protestants don't keep wrecking this country further. England is already isolated as it is, with half of the Catholic nations threaten to invade if we do not cede to their demans"

"Anthony said it better than I. Without us Edward will keep being the Earl and Cranmer's puppet. Is that what you want Eustace for you adoptive country?" She inquired crossly. It was in moments like these that reminded everyone whom they had to fear. His mother, he was proud to say, had passed on that rebellious streak unto him, her passion for knowledge was all her more than his father.

His father sighed very deeply, his voice becoming very tired "Can't we talk about this some other time?" If there was one woman who could make Eustace Chapuys fall on his knees or plead was his mother. George snickered but covered his mouth in case he was heard.

"No we talk now. God should forbid if Mary starts putting herself in Edward's favor, she already did the impossible gaining it when she proposed an alliance between England and Russia. The more fanatic of the reformers even acknowledged her wisdom, it is a far country to be allied to but an important one in its own way. Mary hates us Eustace, she hates you and she hates Annie. Would you rather have her be the influence on Edward's throne instead of Annie and us? Would you have her actions turn Annie into a spinster, unwanted and hated just like she told Annie she was all those years ago in Hudson?"

A pregnant pause followed.

"No" his father answered, his tone had become defeated, he saw through his mother's reasoning, but then jealousy surged through him as he heard his father whisper his sister and brother's names and say how he would protect both of them. His name was mentioned last and it was in a short sentence: "I am going to ask you that we watch over George now, he is very young and naive, and I fear if he gets introduced to this new life he can get easily swayed"

He could hear his father kiss his mother who made a delightful noise and Anthony who probably thought it was not his place to be anymore, left.
"I love you, you know that? You are the only woman I cower from, you are a queen, a goddess"

"You are not so bad yourself Eustace" She said laughing and adding to his previous statement about George -"I will order George be taken back to the country by his governess. He is very intuitive child, but his lack of friends has made him very ... vulnerable I feel"

George had decided he had heard enough.

So this was how his parents thought of him? A dullard? An idiot, naive, easy manipulable? He was not stupid, he was not! He did better in his studies than his siblings at his age, his tutors said so and he was constantly praised by everyone including his uncle and his favorite siblings. Why did he have to be the younger sibling? He bet Anthony would stay here, as member of the Privy Councilor and brother to the future Queen, the King would probably grant him a new title.

It was not fair, what would George get in return for his sister's rise? Nothing.

He went to the bed and threw most of his clothes. He didn't care that he was only in his trousers and his chemise. He glanced at the drawer and pulled one letter from it. It was given to him today by his cousin, Katherine. He had met her yesterday and unlike what his parents said and from her previous performance at their grandfather's banquet, she was very nice. She understood him. She walked his same shoes, she knew what it was like to be the youngest and overshadowed by your two older siblings.

Dear George,

I am glad you decided to write me back. It was a pleasure to meet you. I remember when we were four and grandfather gave me a tongue lashing for "ruining" his banquet.

George snickered, oh he remembered that day alright!

~o~

"Mother I want to go to bed, to see my new presents" Katherine wailed tugging her mother's sleeve.

Her mother had said for the millionth time no. "No and that is final" she said but Katherine kept insisting until she brought unwanted attention to herself by the King and Queen who did not like the peace and tranquility of the Christmas celebrations being interrupted.

"Mary" Henry said to his daughter, "Please control your child" Softly he said but his eyes were demanding. Jane Seymour did not look too pleased either.

The Duke of Bavaria decided to step in and apologize for his daughter's rude behavior. Henry held up a hand and stopped the Duke from proceeding. "I do not particularly care for your daughter's rudeness, but I will not have one of my own disrupting the peace in my home" He said looking down at Katherine. Of all his grandchildren he was the hardest one to control and get along with, she had friends but friends that were only with her because of her beauty and her spoiled nature.

It was hard for Henry to believe that someone as humble and strict as his eldest daughter had sired such a girl. Perhaps it is the Wittelsbach in her. He thought. He should have known better than to wed his daughter to that German, but it was for the alliance's sake. He sighed as the girl kept tugging on Mary's sleeve.

"Mary" he said more firmly now "Control. Your. Daughter"

Mary turned to Katherine who was insisting on going back to her chambers to see her presents. Everyone was looking at them now, Mary did not know what to do. She did not want to punish her daughter, she was not that type of person to her children, Bella, Harry, and Kathy; but she did not want everyone to think she was incapable of imposing discipline either.

Seeing her father grow frustrated and more impatient she knelt to her daughter's level and said: "We will go and I will give you an extra present" Katherine's face lit up "but just stay here longer, until midnight alright?"

Kathy shook her head and let her of her hand and began whining how they would have been better if they stayed back home, by now everyone was praying to have that child taken away. Even her favorite sibling, Harry, was beginning to grow tired of her tantrums and stepped in and tried to talk her out of it, but his grandfather told Harry not to intervene. He had it with this unruly granddaughter of his. Henry gave her one look and that was enough to silence her. "All my subjects obey, I have killed men and my own dogs for disobeying me, do you think you are more important? You are not"

It put an end to her tantrum and left her paralyzed. People would have disapproved of the King's behavior over an innocent child, but having witnessed Katherine's tantrums, they got a sense that child was not innocence and deserved every word the King used to scare her.

Only one person when she walked out of the banquet hall to cry, offered her comfort. She looked up and found her unknown cousin George. "Hello" she said in a weak voice wiping her tears.

"Hello" He said back and pulled his handkerchief from his coat, and gave it to her.

She sniffed and snatched it from his hands, without saying thank you, but he did not care from his point of view it was hers now. "You can keep it" He said smiling, she smiled weakly touched by his kindness. He was about to extend his hand when he heard heavy footsteps and a loud sound hitting the floor every second, it could only be his father. "I have to go" he said and left not hearing her say thanks afterward.

~o~

He only wished his father had not arrived so soon to get to know her better.

You were the only one that did not look at me with disapproval. You were kind to me from the start, and because of that I decided I should write to you. We should use our servants instead of running to one's chamber to another, it is too risky and if our parents find out we would both be in trouble. I am sorry to hear your parents don't recognize your achievement. With me it is different, me and my brother get along. He is very difficult to like, he has his flaws and I warn him not to display too much arrogance, but my brother is too hot tempered and stubborn like my mother to listen to me. He is a good brother though, despite what everyone says. My sister is not the same story with her. She is very kind, but very naive and does not want to hear everybody complain, she lives in her own world where everything is perfect. It is hard getting along with her. My parents call me their rose, but I know by the end of the day it is my siblings who get more attention. It is not easy being younger, but you can't let yourself be beaten. You seem very special and more capable than your brother to succeed. Keep writing me George.

Yours ~K.

She signed her name with her first initial and next to it was the drawing of a rose. He smiled and put it back into his drawer. It was good to know someone out there understood him.

As he pulled the covers closer to his body, his brother unlocked the door and came in. George closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He heard his brother mutter in disapproval of seeing George not changed into his nightgown but too tired himself he climbed on the bed not bothering to change.