A/:N: Don't kill me! Lol I'm SO sorry this took so long. I tried to think of where this story was going but it would not come to me until I had a dream and the next morning my story was writing itself. The Tudors are so darn stubborn they wouldn't let me control them-that's cool too lol. So anyway I know it's short but I plan to have another update very soon since I now know in what direction this story is headed. Thanxx for the review, favs, and follows it means SOOOOO much! Please enjoy and don't hesitate to tell me where there is need for improvement.
I stayed awake for quite some time pondering my dream. I knew immediately that it was a sign that my sister was right and that I needed to reconcile Henry with the Lady Mary. My plan would require my most trusted ladies but I didn't know anyone other than Nan who I could trust. Perhaps Madge but I wasn't so sure and I most certainly could not use that blonde simpleton Jane Seymour. Though I would be glad to have her as far away for me as possible, Henry would not approve of me moving his whore somewhere else. Not to mention Nan and Madge's absence too would be noted. I needed someone I could trust who could go unseen without causing suspicion; I needed my niece.
When I heard my ladies enter my chambers I quickly dismissed everyone except Nan and Madge. A few surprised and confused looks crossed my ladies' faces but they bowed and left. When it was just the three of us in my outer chambers I began to whisper to them.
"I believe that I can trust you ladies. After all Nan you have been with me since before I was Queen and Madge you are family after all." They nodded expectantly and I kept going. "I have a secret which I need you to keep for a little while. My sister Mary has returned to court with her children but no one is to know of it until myself and the King have formally welcomed them back. So now I need one of you to prepare us for the day and I need the other one to go fetch my sister's eldest daughter from the nursery... secretly". They nodded and quickly went to do their tasks, Nan moved further into my chambers as Madge turned toward the door. Before I could even mention the mess I had made Nan was on my side of the bed cleaning it up. Mary was washing her face in a bowl as I came in.
"Your Majesty", she bowed.
I rolled my eyes and turned to my wardrobe. "You may chose whatever you'd like from here. Though I'd wait to start wearing my more ornate gowns since no one will get the chance to see you in them. Nan when we are finished I would like for you to arrange for the dress makers to come. Mary will need clothes and so will her children."
"Of course Madam", she said with a smile. It took awhile for Madge to return, and when she did she had with her my nieces, my nephew...and my brother.
"George?" My sister and I said together. Confused I turned to Madge.
"Forgive me but I had no choice my lady. The King sent a message that he was coming to see the Princess and Lord Rochford was walking near the nursery."
"I was intending to take the boy with me for the day so that he would not have to be completely bored but I think his Majesty would notice another baby in the nursery." George's tone was humorous but I could hear the tense undertone in his voice.
Mary walked to her children and kissed them on the head and took my namesake in her arms. I needed to figure out how best to do this. I needed my sister and her eldest daughter for my plan which meant her other two children needed to be tended to properly. If little Henry went with George that would solve one problem but little Anne still needed somewhere to go. I'd let George's wife tend to her if she were a good woman but Mary would never go for that and neither would I. Knowing that only left one option I turned to my sister with an apologetic smile. "Mary forgive me but there is only one other place for little Annie to go. She can't stay here for my ladies will be in and out of my apartments and she can't go back to the nursery-clearly. That only leaves mother."
She rolled her eyes and turned her head. "Anne really. Surely you have someone else at court. A friend? An enemy. Someone."
"Mary, there's no one. Unless you want to try your hand with your sister in law then there's no one but mother." She and George shook their heads at the same time and I sighed. "Nan finish dressing us. Madge send word to my mother that we need her to tend to baby Anne. Tell her to dismiss her servants and that I will send you and Nan to attend her once I can spare you. George take Henry with you and these funds to have his wardrobe properly furnished."
Everyone had done their assigned tasks and I was pinching my cheeks in the mirror as Nan and Madge fished me and Mary's hair. I had been deciding in my head whether or not to tell Catherine my plan but in the end I'd decided it would be unfair to walk her into this situation without some information. I turned a seductive smile to the mirror, dismissed Nan and Madge to take Anne with them to my mother, and turned toward my niece.
"Catherine. I know we do not know each other well but we are family and more than that we are Boleyn girls. I need you and your mother to help me with something to help the family. I think that you are old enough and that you know the truth. You know you are the daughter of the king?"
"Yes Your Majesty." She bowed.
"In private there is no need for formalities. I am simply your Aunt. Now I would have you and your brother be beloved of the King again. I would have you in his favor not as his niece and nephew but as his children. Would that please you?" She looked from me to her mother and then at the floor. For a moment she said nothing and right as Mary was about to chide her she spoke.
"If it pleases you and my mother. Though I would like to speak plainly." She looked up at me for permission and I nodded. "The truth is I remember very little of the King. The only things I can say with great honesty is that he made two children on my mother and abandoned her for her own sister. That sister he tore his country apart for and had such an intense love it consumed those around them with hatred. This same sister he now abandons on a whim of a pretty woman. Today it is Jane Seymour tomorrow who will it be? A lady in waiting, one of Princess Elizabeth's maids...my mother?" She paused and Mary and I shared a shocked glance. "At any rate I have no memory or knowledge of him as a father; only as a husband and lover. If it pleases my family that I should have his favor then I will leave it up to my elders to determine my fate since they know more of this king, this court, and this world. So whatever way my family sees fit to use me I will submit myself to their better judgement."
There was silence in the room for awhile. My niece's eyes were trained on the floor while my sister and I stood in shock. She definitely had the Boleyn spirit and it looked as if she would inherit the intelligence too- something that skipped past her mother. I collected my thoughts and tried again to explain what I needed of her. "You are a very smart young girl I see. I will soon have you educated like a true Boleyn. In the meantime I have an assignment for you." When I explained to her what I needed I expected there to be some resistance but I didn't expect it to come from Mary alone.
"She's just a child!" She said. "She does not know the ways of the court." She argued. "You are putting her in danger!" She rallied. Ignoring Mary I turned to her daughter and asked her again if she would do it. When she agreed I had her draw up her hood and follow me toward Lady Mary's chamber with her mother in tow, still arguing.
I knew within the first few moments that spending time with my nephew would be much better than being with my wife. He was young and tactless and eager to be what he felt a knight should be. I thought that he would be quiet and reserved around me, I was practically a stranger, but he was very active. Though he was only in my chambers he seemed amazed by the splendor of the court. He stared at paintings and tapestries with wide eyes. I was nervous when he touched some of the more ornate and expensive furnishings in the room but to my surprise he was gentle and broke nothing. When he went into the bedchambers I heard his gasp and then silence.
"Uncle George", I heard him cry. "Uncle George what is this?"
When I arrived he was standing in the middle of the room staring at my bed. I chuckled out loud at his amazed expression. "What's the matter boy? Surely you've seen a bed before."
"I've seen beds Uncle George and this is not a bed. This is..." he trailed off and gestured with hands.
Smiling I said, "It's just a bed boy. You will soon get used to the lavishness of court lad. It wares off eventually and all you're left with is the truth..." I had zoned out and started thinking of my own life. Surely there was more to it than life than arguing with my wife and hiding to make love to Mark. Henry's voice interrupted my thinking.
"Surely this bed is for the King. Or did you get it for being the brother of the Queen?" If it had been anyone else the question would have provoked my worst temper. For all that I loved my sister it seemed that I would never surpass her eclipse. Anne was beautiful, clever, funny, and a good sister but I would never be seen past her shadow. Nothing I did would ever make the world say anything other than here comes Queen Anne's brother. Or there's Lord Rochford the King's brother in law. This is why I always dreamed of going on a crusade and recapturing the holy lands. But thanks to Anne that was no longer a feasible dream. Sure having a title may be an obstacle to going off and fighting but that wasn't the real cause. The split from the sea of Rome meant that no man claiming to be loyal to Henry VIII could request permission to join or lead a crusade. The only thing I could do now was hope that Mary was clever enough to keep Anne the Queen and that I would be able to help my nephew rule. A Boleyn King would certainly make matters a lot more simple I thought as I turned to my red headed blue eyed nephew. It certainly was an intriguing thought. The knock on my door made both of us turn. It was just the seamstresses so I pointed them to a place to put their tools.
"Now boy, you must have the proper court attire so these ladies will take your measurements so that you may have some fine clothes. Would you be kind enough to come stand here so they can see to it?"
Henry walked tentatively over to my side and stood there with his head bowed; I didn't blame him. The old women's pointed noses and wrinkled grey faces would be more suited at a gathering of witches than at court. Their faces showed everything they were thinking and I could see that they were less than impressed with the boy they were commissioned to clothe.
"Come now boy they won't bite you. They're paid to do this and if they want they're coins they'll do their jobs. Besides, as you said, I'm the brother of the Queen; a word from me can mean the difference between life and death." He nodded solemnly and walked closer to the harpies. My words hadn't done much to change Henry's mood but they had the desired effect on my intended audience. They reminded me of a story in Greek with three women with one eye. I turned to Henry to explain to him how his new wardrobe would be. "You'll be expected to look every inch a B-Howard. I will teach you how to behave as one later but for the moment we will stick to your dressings. You will have clothes more luxurious than any other boys your age. No one will be able to tell from your appearance that you were not raised at court. You will be dressed in the finest fabrics and the richest of colors and everyone will know your family just by looking at you."
"Will my mother and sister be dressed this way too?"
"Of course. We will have them at their best beside us. We are Howards. The first family in this kingdom. Better than any other grasping family in all the land." Turning to the head seamstress I continued. "He will need a complete wardrobe for court. He will need at least three complete outfits of gold. Some green, red, blue, silver, white, brown, black, one black and white and one blue with purple trimming."
"Purple My Lord? Surely you are aware that purple is reserved for-"
"Royalty." I cut her off. "I'm well aware of that. It is your duty to make the outfits I commission, not question me. If you will not take my authority to make these outfits then I can certainly persuade Her Majesty to come and give her own gracious authority. However I do not think she will appreciate being interrupted from her ceaseless work to come and tell servants that they are to do as they're bid." I didn't need to say anything other than that. Henry was measured and I was sure not to leave him alone with them. When they left I decided to lift his mood. Being treated poorly by lowly servants was a huge insult and the only reason I didn't raise an objection was because Henry technically wasn't allowed at court. It didn't matter because he wouldn't be here for the rest of the day anyway. "How would you feel about learning to hunt the proper way?" His answering smile was blinding and for the first time I noticed he looked like Mary.
"I'd love to Uncle George. Will I get to ride a horse on my own?"
"When we get further from court I'll let you ride my personal mount around. And the day you are received at court I'll buy you one of your own."
His carefree laugh paired with the wind that was blowing in our faces and through our hair was a freeing experience. It made me think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a son or daughter of my own. I spurred the horse faster and drove us further away from court and my problems.
"Anne are sure about this?"
"Mary this was your idea."
"When did I ever suggest involving my daughter in this?"
"When you gave birth to her." I sighed. What I was preparing to do was big enough without having to go back and forth with my sister. "Mary, Katherine is my niece. Do you think I'm prepared to have her hurt? I want her safe but I also need her. This family needs her. Now this is the moment everything changes for us. Please don't make this any harder than it is." My sister nodded and I took a deep breath; after a reassuring smile to my niece I knocked on the door and was greeted by a maid.
"Your Majesty," she bowed.
"Alert the Lady Mary. Tell her the Queen has come calling."
A/N: To finish this story I had a second dream that allowed this to happen. And again I am SOOOOO sorry this took so long. I had no idea trying to do this and balance school and a life would be so difficult. Ugh so anyway I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter. I now know where I'm going with this story so it will be much easier to right and hopefully updated quicker. So this wasn't supposed to be this short but I'm hoping to have the next chapter out very soon so please rate and review and accept my apology!