A/N: Albeit a bit late, here is the new chapter. Thank you to princessElizabethtudor, Lady Eleanor of Slytherin, Guest, the dark euphie, Guest, hateme101, Lizairy Cullen, gabbygrl247, tricorvus, QueenAnneTudor, Robin4, Guest, Audriel, whiteprincess, jamestudor, annexfrancis, RoseInTheWinter, camelot, Guest, and Guest for allthe reviews on the new chapter. I hope you all enjoy this new update.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors, Showtime does.

...

May 21st, 1543

George Boleyn had learned to take on a great deal of more responsibility after his father's death.

Thomas Boleyn had left behind a number of estates and titles for his son, which the middle Boleyn child intended to use in the best way he could.

His eldest sister Mary was no longer in disgrace, and had even made her peace with Thomas before his passing, as much as one could expect anyway as he still resented her choice of husband.

Nevertheless, George had seen to it that his sister, her husband and their children were well provided for. Though he knew William was a good man who loved Mary, and she him, he also knew the man regretted his wife's loss of status as it made things hard not only for her, but their children. Her eldest daughter Catherine had long since married and become a mother.

Henry Carey, Mary's son by her first husband, though some whispered behind closed doors that the boy was actually the king's son from his short-lived tryst with Mary, had been Anne's ward during his formative years, but now was under the patronage of his uncle. The boy was still studying at university, so for the moment his situation was secure as well. So, George focused his efforts more on his younger niece and nephew by Mary.

He had seen to securing a place for little Edward as a companion to his royal cousins. He would live at Hatfield with the twins, where he would receive a stellar education which, along with the prestige of being the cousin to the future king of England, could help him carve out a path for himself in the world when he reached maturity. And little Annie Stafford had also become a companion to her cousin Princess Elizabeth, being only three years the latter's junior.

Mary was grateful to her brother George for all that he had done to help her family. She could tell that William regretted her decline in status thanks to their marriage, but Mary never let him feel guilty for it. She loved him, and that was all that mattered. But George's efforts were still greatly appreciated, particularly as it had offered Edward and Annie not only a secure future, but also a chance to spend time with their family.

...

"Lizbeth."

Elizabeth looked up from the book she had been reading to see her brother Geoffrey peering in around the chamber door.

"Geoffrey," she smiled wryly. "Does Lady Bryan know you're here?"

In the last few days of their visit to court, Elizabeth had learned that the younger twin was more possessed of a talent for mischief than his brother and more than once wandered from his governess's ever watchful eye.

"Perhaps," Geoffrey answered vaguely. "I wanted to see you, and ask you something."

Elizabeth set aside her book and allowed her younger brother to sit beside her on her bed. As he did so, their cousin Annie smiled at him as she looked up from her embroidery.

"What is it you wish to ask?" Elizabeth queried.

"Lizbeth, what is a bastard?" Geoffrey asked.

A question with such childish innocence could not have yielded a more jarring reaction.

Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly as Madge Shelton gasped and nearly dropped the linens she had been carrying. Little Annie, completely oblivious to the weight of the situation merely looked puzzled.

"Geoffrey," the boy immediately noticed his sister's gentle tone become harder and colder. "Where did you hear that word?"

"Our lady stepmother was telling Margery why our eldest sister is called Lady Mary instead of Princess Mary," the Duke of York answered. "She said Mary is called that because Papa wasn't married to her mother."

Elizabeth nodded. She herself was not entirely versed in her father's Great Matter, but she had heard enough to know that Mary's mother had not truly been their father's wife. Yet, even after her mother and father married, a number of people still slandered her as the king's mistress, and their children illegitimate.

"He believed he was married to her, but one day he learned he was not and he set Mary's mother Katherine aside," she explained. "He married Mama and then the three of us were born."

That was not the full story, but it was all Geoffrey needed to know for now.

"But that doesn't explain why Mary was called a bastard," the little prince continued.

"Geoffrey, that is something that people call an unfortunate person whose parents are not married," Elizabeth sighed, stroking her brother's hair, colored so dark like their mother's but straight rather than curled.

"Like Mary's mother and Papa?"

"Yes."

Geoffrey looked confused.

"But we're not bastards, so why does the queen refer to us that way?"

This angered Elizabeth. She had always known Jane had some reservations when it came to the elder princess and her brothers, but she never could have imagined it was this bad. How dare that woman slander not only her, but her brothers, the children who had nearly been lost when that woman had attempted to seduce the king.

At ten years old, Elizabeth had become well acquainted with the facts surrounding her mother's death shortly after her brothers' birth. She owed her knowledge to her Uncle George and of course her mother's former lady, Nan Saville. Aunt Mary had told her about her mother, but had been sent away from court during the time of Jane Seymour.

She knew Jane had supported the Dowager Princess and had sought to restore Mary to the succession. But she had stopped trying to intercede on Mary's behalf ever since the birth of her son Edward. The hypocrisy that surrounded the woman made the future Duchess of Angouleme's blood boil.

"Perhaps you should ask our father the king," Elizabeth suggested as she wrapped her arms around her brother. She knew that Henry would be angry at the mention of the awful insult, but not at one of his precious sons. And it was only right that this be brought to his attention, especially by the one who had heard it spoken. "What the queen said is a lie and it is a terribly wicked thing to tell lies. That's what Lady Bryan always told me."

Geoffrey looked nervous. Though his father was always so jovial and affectionate to him, the idea of telling him that someone had said something so wicked and untrue was not a pleasant one. What if his father got angry?

"My sweet brother," his fears were put slightly at ease as his sister kissed his head and held him close to her, as if reading his mind. "Papa will not blame you. He knows you would only say this if it were true. You are not the one at fault here. She is."

Geoffrey nestled closer to Elizabeth, imagining it was his lost mother holding him. He clutched the locket about his neck as he visualized Anne's long black hair tickling his little face, her piercing blue eyes staring down at him with adoration as her graceful hands rubbed his back and stroked his hair. How he wished she had lived!

"I miss Mama," he whispered softly, his voice quivering.

Elizabeth smiled gently, but the boy could see sadness in her eyes.

"I miss her as well," she spoke just as quietly. "Just remember, she loved you so much. You and Harry."

"And you," Geoffrey pointed out.

"And me," Elizabeth nodded, remembering how her mother had referred to her as her own heart, even after the birth of the twins, even if she was not a boy.

...

Geoffrey had asked to speak with him, for once not accompanied by Harry. Despite having a few other matters of pressing importance, Henry could not refuse seeing his young son, particularly as they not only saw each other rarely, but his groom had stated that the child had looked quite upset. Wondering what could possibly be the matter, Henry had obliged to see the boy.

As he pulled the small prince up onto his lap, as he had done so many times before, little Geoffrey snuggled close to him, almost desperately.

"What's troubling you, my sweet boy?" Henry asked, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and smiling encouragingly. "Tell Papa."

"Papa..." Geoffrey looked incredibly uneasy as he began wringing his hands. "What's a bastard?"

A dark look immediately crossed the king's face and his son swallowed hard, fearing he had angered his father.

"Where did you hear that?" Henry demanded, but his expression softened when he saw the terror in his son's eyes. ""I...I heard the queen say it when she was speaking to Ambassador Chapuys..." Geoffrey answered. "I shouldn't have been listening in, but I-"

"It's alright, my precious boy," Henry reassured, stroking the prince's hair gently, his fatherly demeanor returning. "You're not at fault here."

"I don't want to be a bastard," Geoffrey had no intention of leaving the matter unsettled. Much like both of his parents, the young Duke of York was possessed of great stubbornness.

"You won't be," Henry stated, more firmly than he intended, and smiled so as to ease his son's distress. "You can never be a bastard. You, Harry, and Elizabeth are my trueborn sons and daughter, the children of the queen."

Geoffrey nodded comprehension, looking much more relaxed now.

"Now," Henry smiled wryly. "Lady Bryan is probably searching for you, and you don't want to worry her, do you?"

Geoffrey grinned and shook his head. It was time for his nap, and if he were to be truthful, he was rather looking forward to it. His Papa had allayed his fears and so now he could rest without worry.

"Run along, my boy," Henry said, patting his back as he jumped off his father's lap and hurried from the room.

When the prince was gone, Henry's brows knitted together. It was time for a talk with his wife...

...

"Mary?"

The eldest daughter of the king looked up from her embroidery to see her younger brother Edward standing in the doorway.

The former princess immediately became alarmed when she saw the distressed look on the boy's face and the tears in his eyes.

"Edward! Whatever is the matter?" she immediately discarded her work and hurried to take the little boy into her arms. Carefully but quickly, she led him to sit down by the fireplace, still holding him. As she did so, she noted that he was shaking.

"Mama..." he whispered softly.

"What is it? Did something happen to the queen?" Mary immediately felt her heart begin to race.

Edward shook his head.

"No...Mama said something...Mary, what is a bastard?"

The half-Spanish girl immediately felt speechless. How had Edward heard that? Surely someone as kind as Jane would have never said such a word.

"Tell me, please," the little blond prince pleaded.

Mary sighed as she stroked Edward's pale curls.

"It...it is how one refers to a child who's parents aren't married," she said softly and reluctantly.

"Like Harry, Geoffrey, and Elizabeth?" Edward asked. "Because Mama and Aunt Dorothy were saying that. Dorothy called them bastards and she said their mama wasn't really married to Papa. She also said she was a whore."

Despite having said as much herself, the former princess actually felt rather uncomfortable as Edward, innocent Edward, said these things without having the slightest idea what they meant.

"Well you see, it is a bit complicated-" Mary began, only for the three-year-old prince to interrupt.

"No, it's not!" Edward insisted. "Papa and their mama were either married or they weren't! And Papa and your mama were either married or they weren't! Everyone else seems to know about it except me! I don't know and I want to!"

"Edward-"

"No!" tears were falling from Edward's pale blue eyes now. "I have just as much right to know as everyone else! It isn't fair!"

Edward could feel his chest tightening and before he could say a word, the young prince collapsed.

"Edward!" He heard his sister scream before everything went black.

...

Jane felt a chill run down her spine. How had Henry found out that she had said the twins and Elizabeth were illegitimate. Who could have told? Had a spy for the Boleyns have been listening in on her conversation with the Spanish Ambassador? Surely, her sisters hadn't said anything.

"Would you care to explain this, Madam?" Henry's tone was like ice and his eyes held no warmth as he glowered at her.

"I...I..." Jane's tongue could not form a thing to say.

Just then, a groom came hurrying into the room, his expression one of urgency.

"What is it?" Henry barked, slamming his hand on the table, earning a flinch from Jane.

"Prince Edward, Majesty," the groom panted. "He's fallen terribly ill."

...

...

Yes, another cliffhanger!

And I do apologize for the lateness of this chapter, and so to make up for that, there will be another chapter out in two days, on the 8th.

Until then, everyone.