A/N: A hundred reviews! Yay! Thank you to everyone who enjoys this story. It appears I was unable to provide a Christmas Day present as well, but I hope you will enjoy a post-Christmas update instead. To all of the readers that have enjoyed this story and to princessElizabethtudor, Robin4, OlicityxSkyeWard, Guest, Lizairy Cullen, suns and stars, ariella, Candy Momo, Demi3456, Keisha, Princess Mary, Lady Eleanor of Slytherin, Guest, and QueenAnneTudor who all reviewed on the last chapter, as well as Guest for the additional review on chapter 7, I thank you and hope you enjoy this brand new, incredibly long chapter.
And Guest: Have I really become so predictable?
Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors, Showtime does.
...
February 1st, 1538
Jane sat in her chambers with her ladies, all of them embroidering or sewing. Most of their work consisted of clothing for the newest addition to the royal family, even though the child wasn't expected until early autumn.
Jane was very hopeful that the child would be a boy and was already stitching a christening gown for the babe she would have in her arms within a few month's time.
She pondered over names for the new prince of England. She could not name the baby Henry since Anne had already named her son that, and while she had a brother named Thomas, she knew if she named her son that, it would not only cause her brother Edward to feel slighted but it would also appear to everyone that she had named the boy for the Duke of Norfolk or the Duke of Wiltshire. And that would be unacceptable. Especially with the latter's latest increase in fortune.
Shortly after the twin princes' Christmas at court, Henry had named Thomas Boleyn Duke of Wiltshire. And ever since then, the man had been nothing short of insufferable.
Anne was gone, but her last triumph ensured that as long as at least one of the twins lived, her relations were untouchable. Even Jane's brothers were not as highly favored by the king as Anne's father, uncle, and even her brother were.
The only one Jane could truly find company in was Lady Rochford, formerly Lady Jane Parker, the wife of George Boleyn.
Lady Rochford was a pleasant enough lady who, while a bit of a gossip, never shared details of her time in Jane's service with her husband's family. Her sister Dorothy had warned her that the Boleyns might have sent Lady Rochford into the queen's household as a spy, but Jane believed her sister was merely being paranoid.
Elizabeth Seymour, Jane's other sister and principal lady-in-waiting, looked up from her embroidery hoop at the newest addition to Jane's household, a young and fresh-faced little thing known as Lady Ursula Misseldon.
Ursula was a comely enough woman with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes, and she seemed to have many admirers at court, including Sir Francis Bryan. But Lady Rochford had informed Jane that Lady Misseldon was already promised to Sir Richard Tavistock.
"I don't like the way the king looks at her," Elizabeth hissed to Jane as she finished embroidering a tiny cap and set it to the side with the other completed garments. "The way his eyes seem to follow her. I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes his new whore."
Jane took care not to show her worry, as she wove the needle through the soft white silk of the christening gown, scarcely missing a stitch.
"The king does as the king wishes," she reminded her sister. "It is we, sister who are bound to honor and obey. Remember that."
Elizabeth nodded reluctantly. If there was one thing she didn't really like about her sister was that Jane could be a very passive woman. Especially where her royal husband was concerned. He had recently ordered that his four-year-old daughter, the princess pretender Elizabeth, be given lodgings at court. A certain set of rooms in the palace would now serve as her nursery for whenever she was at Whitehall, such as she was now.
Earlier that day, Elizabeth had seen Lady Mary and her half-sister walking in the gardens.
As the king's supposed bastard, Mary was forced to walk behind Elizabeth as the pair made their way through the flowerbeds and fountains and groves, all under a blanket of snow.
This angered the Seymour lady and she found herself feeling indignant on the true princess's behalf, but knew she could neither do nor say a thing about it. But if the babe in Jane's womb was indeed a boy, perhaps it would enable her to gain influence over the king and she might be able to persuade His Majesty to treat his eldest daughter with more kindness and respect. And that in turn may lead him to finally open his eyes and focus more on the interests of his legitimate children rather than the little bastards Anne gave him.
...
Lady Ursula Misseldon tried to still her shuddering as she made her way back to Queen Jane's chambers.
Sir Francis Bryan had proposed that she become his mistress not even an hour ago while she had been running an errand for the queen.
She had heard that Bryan was a man of a less than savory reputation, a rumor confirmed by his brazen attempt at seduction, seeming to care little to none for the fact that Ursula herself was betrothed.
She had also noticed the king's eyes following her as she went about her tasks as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Jane, doing whatever it pleased the queen to command of her.
Ursula could see the lust in King Henry's eyes. He looked at her as though he were on one of his hunts and she was a doe to be hunted and conquered. And she was sure that the queen had seen it as well.
It was natural for the king to take mistresses, particularly whenever his wife was with child, but after what had transpired not two years ago between Queen Jane and the former Queen Anne, Ursula found she did not want to be the lady to cause her mistress to miscarry as Jane had nearly done with Anne.
...
Jane gently traced a hand over her belly. To think England's newest prince was inside, just waiting for his chance to be born.
A small hint of doubt soon began to take root and began to claw at Jane's happiness at the idea of presenting the king with a trueborn son.
He had been so happy at the thought of a third boy, but would he be as thrilled if the child, heaven forbid, happened to be a girl?
Surely the king could not close his heart to a beautiful and healthy girl...at least that was what Jane thought until the memory of another beautiful daughter of the king's that he had forsaken for so long and treated so cruelly.
And what of Mary? What place would she have within the ranks of the royal family if she were to be supplanted by her younger sister? Unlike Elizabeth, if this child were a girl, no one could slander her as a bastard. But that would still leave Mary's position in question. And Jane couldn't abandon the girl she loved as her own.
But if this child were a boy, there was no doubt in Jane's mind that that would be a far more preferable outcome all around.
...
When she had finally finished the christening gown, Jane watched as one of her ladies took the tiny garment, neatly folded it, and placed it with the others.
"I will make a gift for the Lady Mary," she said, smiling at the thought of the young woman whom she was now pleased to see was being shown more kindness from the king.
As the time for Jane to enter confinement drew nearer, the king's mood seemed to become lighter and lighter. And it gave Jane great joy to see that her unborn son was already making life so much easier on his eldest half-sister, who had far too long been mistreated.
Henry had voiced the thought of Emperor Charles standing as godfather to the baby as it would help to strengthen the alliance between the two kingdoms. After King Francis of France had been named Prince Harry's godfather and his son the Duke of Angouleme betrothed to Princess Elizabeth, a new alliance had been struck between England and France. And as the Emperor had now acknowledged the twins and Elizabeth as Henry's legitimate heirs, the latter was more inclined to discuss the details for a new alliance between Spain and England as well. There had even been talk of betrothing the new prince to Charles's daughter, the Infanta Juana, but nothing set in stone yet. After all, the boy had not yet arrived.
"I knew it."
Jane was pulled from her thoughts by her sister Elizabeth's voice.
Elizabeth's face twisted into a scowl as Lady Misseldon exited the queen's chambers.
...
"Your Majesty," Dorothy turned to Jane. "Sister...I wasn't sure if we should tell you, but..."
"The king has taken Lady Misseldon as a mistress," Lady Rochford stated gently albeit a touch bluntly. She knew the matter was an uneasy one, but it would be far worse if they deliberately prolonged the reveal.
For a moment, Jane herself said nothing, but Dorothy and Elizabeth both glared at Lady Rochford.
"We were trying to find a way to explain the matter more delicately and with more tact," Elizabeth sniffed. "This is not something the queen needs to hear from just anyone. I am her principal lady-in-waiting, not you."
"His Majesty must do as he will," Jane spoke suddenly before another word could be said. "It is we, ladies, who must always honor and obey."
Lady Rochford nodded and returned to her task, but Dorothy and Elizabeth continued to look sullen.
Jane smiled at the pair, touched that they cared so much, but determined to reassure them.
"Sisters, please do not be troubled for me. I shall soon be a mother and so have great reason to be happy."
The two younger Seymour ladies both sighed, but forced themselves to nod and do as their sister and queen bade them.
...
Before long, the queen set aside her needle and retired to her chambers.
As Lady Rochford and Lady Misseldon sat near the hearth to continue their work as the day grew later so they could see by the light of the fire, Dorothy and Elizabeth made their way to the pair, both determined to finish what had begun earlier that day.
"You are a Boleyn by marriage and so have everything to gain if you had caused Her Majesty unnecessary distress," Elizabeth stated, her gaze searing as she stood before Lady Rochford.
"Distress would have only been brought on by continuous delays, as you yourself were doing when you attempted to deliver the news," Lady Rochford frowned. "Distressing Her Majesty was never my intention, I can assure you of that."
"Perhaps you were the one that helped Ursula ensnare the king," Dorothy accused. "After all, you are bound to the Boleyns and the Howards and everyone knows that when Jane has her son-"
"What the king does and whomever he chooses to do so with is no concern of mine," Lady Rochford replied coldly. "The only man with whom I concern myself is my husband, George. Perhaps if the pair of you had husbands of your own, you would do the same rather than worry for someone else's."
"If I were promised to a man, I can assure you, Lady Rochford, that I would not follow in the footsteps of certain individuals who consent to whore themselves to married men, particularly when the man in question possesses a wife who is with child," Dorothy spat, flushing somewhat at the slight that she and Elizabeth remained unmarried despite being the queen's sisters.
Lady Misseldon flinched at this remark directed at her, but then found a fire igniting within her and spurring the action she took next.
"You would not consent to lie with a married man, perhaps," she began softly. "But I see that your sister was not possessed of such morality, as His Majesty did have a wife before her, yet it did little to prevent your sister from attempting to seduce him, even when it nearly cost the king his two dear sons, both of whom survived the ordeal thanks be to God."
Both Seymour sisters gasped and backed away, looking as though they had been struck a severe blow.
"You will pay for this," Elizabeth swore, pointing a shaking finger at the ladies before her. "Lady Misseldon, you will not be the king's mistress forever. He will tire of you and cast you aside. Sir Tavistock may decide not to marry you and your only hope of contracting a good marriage will be if the king decides to intercede on your behalf."
"And the Boleyns and Howards will soon sink back into obscurity where they belong," Dorothy added with a satisfied smirk.
With that, the Seymour sisters turned and stalked off, murmuring to one another, perhaps trying to concoct a story that would no doubt cast Rochford and Misseldon as the villains and they the victims.
"Pay them no heed," Lady Rochford shook her head and patted Lady Misseldon's hand gently. "My husband George has heard it on good authority that the king means to find a suitable arrangement for you if Sir Richard breaks your pledge."
"I love him not," Ursula confessed, her tone laced with apathy. "Sir Richard is a weak-willed man who depends upon the men around him to give him the strength he should have been born with. Perhaps he should wear a gown and take my place in the queen's household."
Lady Rochford permitted a soft laugh at this. She herself knew that men often sought pleasure outside of the marital bed, and while her marriage to George was a happy one, though it had not been that way at first, not all matches were, particularly in the case of nobles. Love had little to do with a marriage, the true value lay in power and wealth, financial and political security as opposed to affairs of the heart. And Lady Misseldon could do little but yield to the attentions of the king, who would not have taken kindly to any refusal.
...
George Boleyn had never been more thankful to his sister than he was now.
Before her death, Anne had asked him to treat his wife Jane more kindly. Though he had not really wanted to marry the woman at first, he had been made to and despite their rough beginning, the two now enjoyed a bit more understanding relationship. Though George himself couldn't distinguish whether it was truly their passion finally ignited or if they were drawn together by their protectiveness toward young Elizabeth and the little twin princes.
The door to his chambers opened and in walked none other than his wife, Lady Jane.
"The queen will soon enter her confinement," she reported. "Those two vile harpies she calls sisters will join her, as will Lady Misseldon, and Madge."
George nodded. Madge and Jane were the only two ladies that remained from when Anne had been queen. The Seymour wench had dismissed all of the others. Nan Saville, who had been one of Anne's most loyal ladies, had been the first to go, but George had arranged for her to join Elizabeth's household. The Viscount of Rochford knew that it was what Anne would have wanted, and while she would have been disappointed at how things seemed to have turned out, she would have also been pleased to see that Jane had become a valuable ally.
Jane made no secret that she adored her little niece and nephews and as a result, her remaining a lady in Queen Jane's household enabled her to act as the Boleyns' eyes and ears within the household. Her father-in-law, Thomas Boleyn, had once stated that even if the twins were to remain healthy, if the queen bore the king a son, the twins and even Princess Elizabeth could be placed in danger and so they must all do whatever it took to ensure that the children never came into harm's way.
Anne had interceded on Jane's behalf, she had convinced George to treat her with more care. And Jane knew she would forever be indebted to her departed sister-in-law as a result. She had never met her other sister-in-law, but George had mentioned her in passing a short time before.
"Perhaps your sister Mary would like to meet her niece and nephews as well, husband," Jane suggested as the pair sat upon George's bed.
George frowned. He missed Mary terribly, especially now with Anne being gone. But his father would never forgive him, nor would he ever be allowed to forget it if he were to go against the older man and contact Mary when she had been disinherited and forbidden from ever approaching any of them ever again. All because she had done exactly as Anne had done; married the man she loved.
'Only Mary's husband didn't offer a crown and kingdom,' George thought bitterly. Had William Stafford boasted great noble credentials and estates, Thomas Boleyn would have more than readily welcomed the man into the family.
"George, she is your only remaining sister," Jane took his hands in hers and squeezed earnestly. "I beg you, for the love you bear Elizabeth, Harry, and Geoffrey, please...don't deny them the love of their aunt any longer. She could help them remember their mother even more than you or I."
This was true; while George had remained in England during his education, both his younger and elder sisters had spent the majority of theirs in France. As a result, there was no doubt that Mary would be able to tell Anne's children a great deal about the mother they had all seen so little of when she passed.
George sighed and looked his wife in the eyes, hoping she could see that he wished to see his sister too. But it would be a challenge to do so.
"I shall do what I can," he said, knowing he could not promise it completely.
September 24th, 1538
Evening had just fallen over Whitehall, and Jane and her ladies had just been preparing for bed.
As Dorothy and Elizabeth helped their sister from her gown, which she had informed them seemed to grow tighter by the hour all throughout that day.
Elizabeth smiled, knowing that it meant her sister's child, her new nephew, would be with them soon.
Dorothy steadied Jane and led her to her bed, rubbing the queen's shoulder encouragingly when suddenly Jane gasped and fell forward. Thankfully Dorothy had had an arm wrapped around her or she would have fallen to the floor.
"Your Majesty!" They both gasped, along along with Lady Misseldon and Lady Rochford.
"Never fear, ladies," Jane regained her composure as Dorothy eased her into bed. "But I think my time has come."
"Fetch the physician!" Elizabeth barked at Lady Misseldon, who promptly hurried off.
...
"Majesty, it's happening!"
Henry gasped as his groom ran into the room. A part of him worried for Jane as he had lost a mother and a previous wife to childbed fever, he did not wish to lose another wife, particularly one as sweet and kind as his precious Jane.
"Send my physician to watch over her," he instructed the man before turning to another, "And you, send some heralds into the city to deliver the news."
The men bowed and scurried away to perform their respective tasks.
Henry turned to Charles, his expression a cross between worry and delight.
"God willing we will have another prince in the royal nursery," he said jubilantly.
Charles nodded.
"God willing," he actually smiled.
It would cost the Duke of Suffolk nothing to admit that he would be pleased to see Queen Jane bear Henry an heir, especially as she had done so much already to reconcile the king to his daughter, unlike Anne who had been content to let the poor former princess remain a servant, and for her daughter at that!
If Jane gave Henry a son, the realm would have a true prince, not a pair of pretenders like Anne's bastard twins. Of course he would never say this out loud.
...
"I can see the head!" The midwife shouted over Jane's screams of pain as contractions coursed through her body.
Jane squeezed her sisters' hands, another contraction ripping through her body and another scream tore from her lips as she gave another push.
"One more, Your Majesty!" The midwife called to her. "You're doing well, just one more and the little one will be here!"
"Janey, don't give up!" Dorothy cried, pulling her sister's golden hair, now drenched with sweat, from her forehead. "Please, for the babe don't give up!"
With a fierce cry of agony, Jane gave one final push and was rewarded when an infant's lusty cry filled the room as the king's latest child slid from his mother's womb and into the world.
"Your Majesty has given birth to a beautiful baby girl."
...
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. I admit I did a bit of a time skip here because the pregnancy would have dragged on and eventually it would have detracted from the story itself, so a decision had to be made. But that said I do so hope you all enjoyed it. The next chapter will be out on Monday, December 31st. Until then, everyone. Once again, Happy Holidays to all.