Jane Seymour Part 7
The day soon arrived when the Queen would be tried for the crimes of adultery, incest and treason. If she was proven guilty her punishment would almost certainly be death.
The morning of the trial the King called me to his chambers. As I stepped in I looked around but realised that we were alone which was strange as the King always insisted on chaperones being present during our meetings. I think the King acknowledged my uncertainty as he began to speak.
"I know I promised never to be alone with you but I wanted to speak privately with you. I only want a minute of your time if that is fine with you, my lady?"
" Of course it is, your majesty" I replied.
The King beckoned me over. I sat on his lap as had become tradition.
" As you know the Queen Anne is being tried today. I believe she has bewitched me into marrying her and not only that it seems that she is has committed adultery against me. However, she will be my wife and Queen until she is proven guilty but if the verdict goes the way I foresee that it may go. I wish you to know the intentions I have for our relationship."
Just at this moment before I have time to fully take in the words he had just spoken I see him bring out a ring. As much as I try I cannot hide the surprise upon my face.
" See this ring as my commitment to our relationship. It is my hope that one day very soon it will have an even deeper meaning. Until the day I can wholly and truly express my feelings to you keep this ring and see it as a symbol of the love I have for you. Treasure it and when you look at it remember what it represents, my sweet Jane."
I smiled up at him as I said " I accept this ring and I want you to know that I am also committed to you and our relationship. I also have hope that if it is what is right and just that this ring will mean something more in the future."
He then kissed me in the most passionate way we ever had before. He swiftly stood up and said " Sweetheart, you must now go if I am to respect your honour." With one last brief kiss I walked out the room turning round once to look at the man who god willing would one day be my husband.
I was anxious about going to the trial as I was aware of the fact that I would have to face the Queen. Look into her eyes and try my hardest not to feel any guilt for the woman that's husband I may be about to steal.
I walked into the court room early afternoon not long before it was due to begin. I sat on a seat at the end of a row near to the aisle of which the Queen herself would walk down. The King sat on a throne at the end of the room with a slightly nervous look on his face. To either side of him lay a panel of people who would be the ones to decide Queen Anne's pending fate. One of these men on the panel was the Queen's uncle himself. Shortly after my arrival the Queen Anne arrived. All was silent as she made her way down the aisle. I bowed my head in shame as she passed me. I could almost feel her hateful eyes boring into me as she walked by. The trial seemed to go on and on. Witness after witness took there turn to tell their tale of the Queen's crimes. Witchcraft, adultery, incest and treason. As one lady told the audience of the time she witnessed the Queen with her brother I could she the disgusted look about the Queens face. I wondered if she really had done such an atrocious thing. Finally all the evidence against the Queen had been given and each member of the jury was asked to give their verdict. Down the rows the question was asked and each time the word " guilty" was heard. Last of all to give their verdict was the Queens uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. The Queen looked at him despairingly, begging with her eyes for him to choose the words not guilty. Chillingly he said " guilty" staring daggers at his niece as he said the word.
Gasps filled the room as the words were spoken. My own gasp being one of them. I knew what the words guilty meant for the Queen and I also knew what those words meant for me. Shouts began to echo around me. Slanderous shouts aimed at the Queen. It was announced that the Queen would be sentenced to death. The King was to be lenient as her execution would be carried out by beheading with a sword.
As the Queen walked down the aisle head held high she stared at me with an evil glare. I stared back knowing I had won this war. She was no different from me. She had stolen a woman's husband as had I. The only difference being she had to seduce her man, my man seduced me. I held my head high also with pride. I had won, I was the winner and I would feel no guilt for her were the words circling around in my mind.