AN: AU story to Speak Now by the wonderful Taylor Swift. Set in 1523. To say any more would ruin it so Enjoy.

I am not the kind of girl

Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

But you are not the kind of boy

Who should be marrying the wrong girl

The large Church of St John in Northumberland was heaving with guests, so it was easy enough for the young woman in the dove-grey velvet cloak to sneak in unnoticed. Still not wanting to push her luck, she quickly took a seat near the aisle, and clamped her hands together, desperately trying to stop them trembling.

She was also having to fight back the last of her qualms. Was she really doing the right thing? Leaving Hever like this and riding for Northumberland, rather than Blickling, as she'd said she would… If her father found out, he'd kill her.

"Hush!" she told herself firmly, "Papa's not going to kill you. Not if you can pull this off. He'll be thrilled to have a Countess for a daughter. And anyway, this is Henry. Harry. Your Harry. He's worth it. Whatever happens, he's worth it."

I sneak in and see your friends

And her snotty little family all dressed in pastel

And she is yelling at a bridesmaid

Somewhere back inside a room

Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry

A faint shout and the unmistakeable "crack" of someone being slapped rang through the church. Startled, the young woman glanced up, but the woman next to her laid a reassuring hand on her knee, "Don't fret yourself, sweetheart. It's just Mary. She's nervous and her nerves always come out as bad temper."

Not wanting to betray herself, the girl nodded, shaking her head slightly as her neighbour continued, "But aren't you hot in that thick cloak of yours? Why don't you take it off?"

"But you can barely see with your hood up like that. At least take that down. This is the union of the Percys and the Talbots. It deserves everyone's full attention."

"I'm fine, thank you," she whispered, an edge of irritation entering her voice. Her neighbour shrugged and spread her hands, as if to say, "Please yourself. I've said my bit," but the young woman ignored her, instead focussing her attention on the young man who was standing at the altar. Henry Percy, heir to the Earldom of Northumberland.

This is surely not what you thought it would be

I lose myself in a daydream

Where I stand and say

Don't say "Yes", run away now

I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door

Don't wait or say a single vow

You need to hear me out

And they said, "Speak now"

As if he could feel her eyes on him, Henry half turned. Not much, but just enough. Just enough to let her see how close to tears he was, how lifeless his eyes were, the wan desperation in his face.

She locked eyes with him and, behind the covering security of her hood, sent him an encouraging half-smile. A smile that was supposed to say, "Hold on, Harry. You won't have to go through with this. I'll get you out of his. I promise. Just hold on and I'll get you out of this."

For a moment, some kind of recognition began to flicker in his eyes, but then the organ struck up, Lady Mary Talbot began swanning down the aisle on her father's arm and the moment was shattered.

Fond gestures are exchanged

And the organ starts to play

A song that sounds like a death march

And I am hiding in the curtains

It seems that I was uninvited by your lovely bride-to-be

She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen

But I know you wish it was me,

You wish it was me,

Don't you?

The family members and friends fell into a respectful silence as Lady Mary sailed down the aisle. The uninvited guest did the same, though a scornful smirk twisted her lips as the bride passed her. What a fool the Earl's daughter was. Did Mary really think she was going to get her fairy-tale ending? Well, she wouldn't! Not if she could help it. Not if Harry felt half the feelings for her that she felt for him.

And judging by the reluctance with which he took his new bride's hand, the half-anguished glance over his shoulder in her direction, she knew he did. She knew his heart was breaking and she could barely wait until she could release him from his role in this travesty of what was supposed to be a joyful occasion. She wished she could run down the aisle and take him away with her there and then. But she couldn't. If this was ever to work, then she had to follow protocol and protocol forbade her from doing that.

So she suffered in silence until the correct moment came.

Don't say "Yes", run away now,

I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door.

Don't wait or say a single vow,

You need to hear me out,

And they said, "Speak now".

Don't say "Yes", run away now,

I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door.

Don't wait or say a single vow,

Your time is running out,

And they said, "Speak now".

Oh, la, la

Oh, oh

Say a single vow

I hear the preacher say, "Speak now or forever hold your peace"

There's the silence, there's my last chance.

I stand up with shaky hands, all eyes on me.

At last the moment came. The officiating priest said, "If any one of the congregation doth know of a reason why this man and this woman may not be joined before God Almighty in holy matrimony, let him speak now or else forever hold his peace."

The young woman sprang to her feet, "I do, Father."

"Nonsense!" The Earl of Northumberland exploded, "Who is this?! There is no reason. I demand that this lunatic be removed at once!"

"Oh yes there is! There is every reason!" Throwing off her cloak, the young woman raised her head and exited the pew, standing in the aisle with her gently curving belly in plain sight, as she continued, "I am Anne Boleyn, daughter to the Ambassador Sir Thomas Boleyn and niece to the Duke of Norfolk. The reason Lord Percy cannot marry Lady Mary is because, four months ago, he married me. He married me in the sight of witnesses. What's more, he consummated the marriage. I am carrying his child."

Horrified looks from everyone in the room

But I'm only looking at you.

I am not the kind of girl

Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

But you are not the kind of boy

Who should be marrying the wrong girl

Ignoring everyone else around her, who had broken out into a furious mass of excited scandalised whispers, Anne locked eyes with the young man who still stood, as though turned to stone, by the altar.

"Harry, please. You know what you are to me. What you've always been to me. Are you going to deny it? Deny your marriage; deny your child, deny us and everything we once were?"

When he still stayed silent, Anne pressed on, "I've come back to you, My Lord. My Lord Northumberland. I'm giving you a second chance to stand by me. Are you going to let it slip through your fingers? Are you going to let them separate us again, like a scared little boy? Or are you going to stand by me like a real man would? Like the man I fell in love with would?"

"You love me?" Harry looked stunned. "After everything, after what I put you through, you still love me?"

"Why else would I be here, Harry? Yes, I love you, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I love you and I'd rather be your Countess than any other woman, even King Henry's Queen."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Anne knew she had taken a risk in uttering them. After all, if twisted, out of context, they might smack of treason. But she'd had to say them. She'd had to. It was the only way to reach Harry. She'd said them to him before, in the height of their passion for one another. She could only hope that he remembered them as fondly as she did.

A second later, she knew she had no more cause to worry. Harry wrenched his hand from that of Lady Mary Talbot and flew down the aisle towards her.

He caught her to him, pulling her flat against him. One of his hands cupped her belly, the other twined itself through her mass of dark curls. She wound her arms around his neck, not even bothering to hide her tears of relief.

The powerful kiss with which he pounded her lips, right there in front of his parents, jilted bride and the rest of the congregation, was the sweetest they had ever shared.

So, don't say "Yes", run away now,

I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door.

Don't wait or say a single vow,

You need to hear me out,

And they said, "Speak now".

And you'll say "Let's run away now,

I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the back door.

Baby, I didn't say my vows,

So glad you were around

When they said, "Speak now".