I whirled around to see Anne. She looked the way she had the first time we danced together so many years ago, with her long, dark hair threaded with jewels and her slender figure accentuated by a green gown. The dark eyes that had compelled me so now flashed with anger.
"Anne." I crumbled before her. "Yes, it is I," she said coldly. "The woman you claimed to love more than any other. The woman you had killed on false charges." The worst thing was, I had known. For ages, I'd tried to convince myself I had believed those charges, believed she'd entertained all those men, even her brother, even that lowly musician Mark Smeaton. But Anne was too smart to risk my wrath in that way, too good to compromise her immortal soul. And if she could say this even after her death... The terrible feeling in my gut was confirmed: I'd killed an innocent woman. But it hadn't been I who swung the sword, had it?
"Forgive me, darling," I whispered. A tear trickled down my cheek. "I was deceived by my enemies! They convinced me you betrayed me. They showed me false evidence"- "And you believed them, Henry. You believed them over me. You ignored my pleas, my protests, my letters. You did not look into my eyes, my innocent eyes, when I stood before you at the trial. You spared me not a glance, a word, a gesture. While I walked to the scaffold, you were with Jane Seymour. You signed my death warrant. You killed me, Henry. You took my life, my dignity, my honor."
"Anne! Don't do this!" I cried in anguish as she turned away. "I am sorry. I still love you so, Anne." I had never forgotten the dark, witty beauty who had charmed me so long ago. "You were my soulmate. My Queen." "You claim to love me, yet all you care for is yourself!" Her eyes were full of accusations. "Your power and ego and glory! You used me, Henry. You used me for a son, and when I failed to do so, you used me as a martyr. You used me to annul your marriage with Catherine. And you used me for lust. Once I had given you all I had, you discarded me like I was nothing! When I opposed your policies and when I miscarried, you turned to others! You destroyed all I held dear! You stained my name and memory with infamy!"
"Anne"- I begged, but she cut me off. "I love you still, Henry. But I love justice more." She turned away. I raced after her, but she was already vanishing-
"My love, don't leave just yet," came a soft, sweet voice. I swung around. "Jane!" I cried.