A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I thank you all for the reviews and hope you enjoy this new chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors, Showtime does.
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It was early evening and Henry had finally finished with his duties for the day. Most of the day's work had centered around his plans for Jane's coronation. He had gone above and beyond when Anne had been crowned, and it seemed only fitting that his sweet Jane have the same courtesy.
Jane was a very shy and demure woman who during his courtship of her seemed to delight in only simple gestures of love, but he wanted this to be an exception, after all she would be a queen.
Of course they would have to wait until the birth of his son, but he was sure that wouldn't be much of a problem.
But now it was time for supper with his wife.
...
"Your Majesty."
Henry looked up from his meal. He had just finished discussing his plans for Jane's coronation, about building a ship just like the one the doge of Venice used to travel to the lagoon each year to renew his marriage vows with the sea, a ship in which Jane herself would ride to the city in order to be crowned Queen Jane of England. But it seemed this did not interest his wife nearly as much as he had hoped it would.
"Your Majesty, perhaps you would like to bring the Lady Mary to court?" Jane suggested with a timid smile. "Show her off."
"Mmm," Henry murmured as he attempted to distract himself with his food. He had no desire to have this conversation, not now not ever. But Jane persisted.
"It would be wonderful for the court and the realm to see that Your Majesty's family was united once more," she said, her soft blue eyes filled with earnest. "Just think of what everyone would think-"
She stopped as Henry stood and within moments was behind her chair, his hands upon her shoulders as he leaned to whisper into her ear.
"Jane, leave the greater things to my care," his voice was soft but there was a cold edge to it. "It is not your place to meddle in these particular affairs."
Jane said nothing as she tried not to flinch as Henry kissed her cheek, a direct contrast to his statement, so cold and forbidding.
Her elder brother Edward glared at her from behind the king's back. She knew she would be scolded when the pair where alone, as alone as they could be anyway.
Jane knew what she had requested was not without risk, but she could not just stand idle while the true princess of England was slandered as a bastard when she was indeed the king's only legitimate child. At least until Jane herself had a child.
She was nearly a year into her marriage and yet her womb remained empty, a disappointing fact that Henry never hesitated to point out. Nor did Edward. Jane was nervous, what would her husband do if, heaven forbid, she turned out to be incapable of bearing children?
She forced herself to look at Henry, hoping that her face did not betray her troubled thoughts. But if it did, the monarch showed no signs of noticing.
"Now, sweetheart," his smile had returned as though the last minute or two had not transpired. "I received word not long ago that we will be expecting a visitor. Two in fact."
His wife's pale eyebrows arched and knit together
"Whom?" She asked.
"To young boys I believe it's high time you met," was the only answer she received.
...
As they approached their first birthday, Henry and Geoffrey already showed signs of being strong and able boys.
Henry was pleased to see that not one, but both of his twin sons seemed to be robust and healthy.
Jane forced herself to smile as the twins were brought to her. She repeatedly told herself that who their mother was and what she had been was no fault of the boys and so it would not be right for her to allow her view of Anne influence her attitude toward the sons the woman had left behind.
"They are quite handsome..." she admitted after a few moments.
"Yes, they are," Henry looked pleased by the compliment toward his treasured boys. "Little Henry, or Harry as Elizabeth is so fond of referring to him, inherited his features from me. Geoffrey however took more after..."
His voice faltered but only slightly. Even still Jane could hear it. A part of Henry clearly still missed Anne.
Jane bit back a frown. She was his wife now, not Anne! Anne never even should have had the right to call herself queen!
"They are already so strong," Lady Bryan reported, her normally placid tone betraying a hint of pride. "Both feed well and cry rarely, as if they already know they are princes. Both are a credit to Your Majesty and the late queen as well."
Henry permitted a weak smile and recovered his voice.
"I thank you in your diligence, Lady Bryan, in caring for our beloved sons, as well as our sweet daughter before them. I could think of no one better to tend them," he declared in a voice as magnanimous as he could muster in order to make up for when he had allowed his tongue to escape him. After all, Lady Bryan's was indeed a notable task; overseeing the household of the twins, the two most treasured children in England.
...
Lady Mary Tudor had been raised from the time she was an infant that she should count her blessings, being thankful for what she had rather than forever wishing for more and especially things that could never be.
She was fortunate to be restored to her father's good graces, no doubt persuaded by his gentle new queen, she now had lovely lodgings at court, and her new stepmother was kind and loving to her and had more than once stated it was her deepest wish that they treat one another as such, a sentiment Mary herself agreed with.
But she was also still slandered as a bastard, with no place in the succession. Nor had a suitable match been found for her. No king would desire to betroth his son to an illegitimate daughter even if she were of marriageable age.
She also had to watch as her sister, the true bastard daughter, was doted on and continually hailed as a princess and her brothers princes.
Her beloved mother was gone and her father while seemingly forgiving, still seemed to hold her at a distance.
How could everything have gone so wrong? How could Anne have won? The vile harlot may have died but her sons lived on and the people who had once reviled her now remembered her as a martyr who had sacrificed her life for her sons, for the kingdom to have a future king and another prince, the lady who had opened their king's eyes to the evils of the Catholic church, who helped bring the Reformation to England.
Mary shook her head. The woman had only lit the fire that would soon become a raging inferno of true evil and corruption that would destroy England if left unhindered.
How could this have happened? Mary did not know. Something had to be done...and soon...
...
Despite being far too young to take part in any of the festivities, it had already been established that Harry and Geoffrey were to stay through Christmas and a few days into the new year, after which time they would be taken to their new nursery in Windsor while Elizabeth and her household would remain at Hatfield.
However, he had also pondered over the idea of setting up lodgings for whenever the little princess came to court. After all, the Lady Mary had lodgings there now and while she was a grown woman while Elizabeth was only a child, she was still only a bastard and her sister a true princess so it was only fitting that Elizabeth be shown the accommodations befitting her station.
Yes, he would speak with Cromwell in the matter later. For now, he had other things in mind.
...
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Sorry this was shorter than intended but I promise the next one, which will be out tomorrow morning, will be much longer and filled with a few surprises.
Until then, everyone.