The chapter is finished at last! I am also taking the opportunity to ask, no, make that beg, for votes and comments. I'm feeling insecure enough to want to know what people think of my story!

Mary stood, dumbfounded, unable to move as if her feet were glued to the floor. Her face flushed, and she was glad that no one was around to see. What am I to do, she thought, what am I to do?

Henry's kiss had aroused feelings she did not expect. She could still feel the touch of his lips on hers. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest and she pushed her hand against it as if it would stop it. Mary, Mother of God, she thought, why did you allow this to happen? I love my husband; I want to be a faithful wife and give him children. I do not need this, please do not let this happen.

"What did the king want, my?" William was standing behind her, ready to rescue her. He took her in his arms, "Why are you trembling my little love?"

She nestled against him. "The king wished to congratulate me on our nuptials. I do not know why he could not say this to both of us, but I found I was nervous speaking to him. He has been very generous, has he not?" How easily the lie came to her lips!

"The king has been very generous, my love, he has gifted me two manors and some tracts of fertile farmland to help supplement our income. I have told you, my love, I am a man on the rise and I will give you a good life."

Mary allowed him to lead her back to the feasting and dancing. Her day had been going too well until the king...until the king had forced his attentions on her.

She did her best to keep a smile on her face the rest of the evening. She ate, danced, drank as if she had not a care in the world. She hoped that her parents had not seen her disappear with the king, but Sir Thomas and Lady Elizabeth could be counted on to miss nothing. What would they do if they suspected that the king had cast his eye on her? Would they ignore the fact that she was a new wife, and try to put her in the king's bed?

Time seemed to drag, and Mary wanted nothing more than to retire for the night. King Henry left, along with his entourage, so he would not be there when they put William and her in their marriage bed. That would have been unbearable, she could not have stood the king's look that would plainly imply that he should be there, not William.

At last her wish was granted, and she was led to the marriage chamber where her maids prepared her for her husband. Her white lawn nightdress was trimmed with lace and ribbons and she was pleased with how it flattered her creamy skin. Her hair was anointed with rosewater and brushed until it fell in a silky curtain about her shoulders. The ministrations finished, her maids bobbed a curtsey and left the bridal chamber as she waited impatiently for William to appear.

He came at last, a robe over his nightshirt which he cast off when he slid into the bed next to her. A priest followed and prayed over the young couple, blessing them and their marriage bed, asking that the young couple be happy and fruitful. Then he bowed and left, leaving the young couple alone.

"At last," William said, and threw off his nightshirt, revealing his muscular arms and chest. Francis did not have even half so pleasing a physique, thought Mary, and wished she dared to trace the curves of his muscles.

"I want to see you, wife," he said in a hoarse voice and drew her nightgown over her head and deposited it on the floor. "Oh, you are as beautiful as I imagined you to be," he told her, and pushing her back on the bed took her in his arms and kissed her.

The nervousness she felt seemed to melt away as he caressed and kissed her. She had hated Francis in the end for what he had done to her, but she had long ago lost the shyness of her virgin self and gave herself gladly over to William's caresses. God must have blessed her for their lovemaking came naturally and there was no awkwardness in her responses to him.

They had just fallen asleep, or so it seemed, when the servants came to wake them and prepare them for the wedding breakfast that awaited them.

William pulled on his nightshirt and robe, "I must leave you, but I will see you at breakfast. God knows I would prefer to remain here, but our duty awaits." He leaned over and gave her a long kiss in front of the servants, who averted their eyes and smiled.

She felt proud to walk into the dining hall on his arm. Her face was still flushed, but her light green gown with its lace trimming flattered her. Her French-style hood was set back on her hair, and she felt beautiful and loved—until she saw the look on Henry's face, and felt her confidence melting away.

The two young lovers had no honeymoon, each returned to their duties with respective monarch. Sir Thomas had been working had negotiating peace between the unpredictable Francis and Henry and the celebration of the signing of the treaty would be feted in France at the formal "Celebration of the Field of the Cloth of Gold."

The courts of both Kings would be in attendance. The celebration would last for almost three weeks and there would be dancing, feasting, pageants, and jousts in addition to the signing of the treaty. It would not be much of a honeymoon, thought Mary, but it would have to do. She had not been back to France since she left in disgrace. If she were lucky, Francis would ignore her and give his attention to the faithful Queen Claude and to his newest mistress.

She might even see Anne who was now serving Queen Claude . Her father had dropped a not-so-subtle hint that he might fetch Anne back to England, it was time she was married.

An inheritance dispute had been ongoing for a long time between the Boleyns and their Irish cousins, the Butlers. The Duke of Norfolk had suggested that Anne and her cousin James Butler marry as a way to resolve it. The negotiations were ongoing but seemingly headed nowhere, but were Anne in England perhaps things might be resolved.

The last thing Mary wanted was Anne back in England, or did she? She and Anne were not close, but they were still sisters, were they not? The childhood conflict could be put to rest now that she had made a good marriage and perhaps soon children would be in the picture.

She put her apprehensions aside as she and William prepared for their journey to France. Since her trousseau was not sufficient for the coming solemnities. Mary had new dresses made, more splendid and ornate than her father had provided, and William's armor was renewed and embossed and he acquired two new chargers for the jousting matches that would accompany the celebration.

The young couple boarded the ship, eager for the adventure that lay ahead of them. Mary was hesitant to be back in France, but she looked forward to returning, hoping that she would again see Anne, and show off her new husband-the negotiations for Anne's marriage had again fallen through.

She had not reckoned with Henry, however. She had hoped that he would be occupied with the events in which he was scheduled, but she did not realize that the young king was capable of slipping away unnoticed to tryst with a willing lady or two. In her naivete she did not realize that she would be counted as one of them.

It was the night after Henry had lost not one, but two wrestling to the French king. Henry was perhaps more insecure than Francis, constantly comparing himself Both were tall, well-built, strong, and attractive in the eyes of the ladies of their respective courts. Henry, however, felt that he must be the superior and compared everything from his hair to his calves, insisting that he was the more admirable of the two.

He slipped out of the pavilion, ostensibly to relieve himself, but he had seen the young Mistress Carey leave the tent alone and unnoticed. He looked around for her, spotting her in the torchlight in her gold brocade dress, wearing a matching French hood.

"Mistress Carey," he said in tones just loud enough for her to hear, "What are you doing here, alone in the night?"

He could see her face flush, even in the torchlight, "I was hoping to see my sister Anne." Her excuse sounded feeble and she knew it, but she had felt his eyes on her and had left, hoping to avoid his gaze.

"Your sister is waiting on Queen Claude, as you should be with your mistress. Come, let me escort you in, but first..."

He was at her side and had taken her in his arms before she had a chance to escape. He kissed her neck, her cheeks, her lips, and once again she yielded briefly before wresting herself from him.

She slapped his face, "How dare you force yourself on me-again. I did not invite your caresses nor do I care to grace your bed."

She saw the anger in his face, but stood her ground. He swept off his hat, then bowed low.

"Your servant, Madam Carey," the sarcasm dripping from his voice, then he turned around and left her.

She heard clapping, then turned to see Anne standing there. "That was well done, sister, though not wisely done. What did you do to enchant the king so?"

"Nothing, I did nothing. I never welcomed his advances, nor asked for them. I do not see why he will not leave me alone." She reached into her bodice and pulled out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. "He has behaved like this since he came to my wedding."

"Really." The cunning look, the Boleyn look, that cold, calculating look that she had seen on her father's face formed itself on Anne's features. Should she tell her father what she had seen or not?

Mary read the cunning look on Anne's face and said, "No, Anne, you must not tell Father, I will deal with this myself. If I do not give in to him, I am sure he will tire of the chase. I am hoping that soon William and I will find ourselves expecting a child, we come from a fertile family, you know."

"If you keep on resisting the king you may find yourself in deeper than you expect. If he decides he likes the chase, then chase you he will until he wears you down. All your protestations will come to naught and it does look like he's fixed his eye on you."

"I love my husband," Mary interjected, "I have no desire to find myself in another king's bed. Kings bring nothing but trouble and I am tired of them. I have been in one king's bed and that is enough. Please Anne, do not tell Father, he will try to put me in Henry's bed and will not care about what I want. I have a husband, and a position in the Queen's household and I am happy with that. If you tell Father, then I will be doomed."

"You won't have a choice, Mary," Anne's tones were solemn, almost as if she sympathized with her older sister, "We're girls, we don't matter. You may be married, but if Father sees a chance for us to advance with you in the king's bed, that is where you will be, like it or not." She dipped down into the graceful curtsey she had learned in Queen Claude's court and left Mary standing alone.