Either Aske lied about calling the rebellion off or had no part in this one. A month after he left court for the north, another rebellion erupted. And those of us on the Privy Council bore the King's wrath. "How dare that man lie to me! I have been nothing but a just and righteous king. I even offered the rebels a full pardon!"
I am shaking in my seat. Cromwell ducks as King Henry throws something at him. King Henry bellows in rage before he storms out.

Cranmer stands up and begins gathering the documents. "I guess that means there will be no Parliament in York this year."
"There was never going to be a Parliament in York." Cromwell knocks his chair back as he stands. "Why would the king, who was ordained by God, bow to the whims of peasants and traitors?"
I try to smother a giggle when Cromwell says God ordained the king. The only reason why he sits on the throne is because his older brother died! If I tried to kill him sooner, he would not be sitting there. Alas, I will bide my time until an opportunity presents itself.

"If the king does not listen to them, he will murder them," I say. "He's already known as a wife killer—"
"His marriage to the harlot was annulled," Cromwell says.
"Anne Boleyn. Her name is Anne Boleyn."
Cromwell laughs and throws his arms out. "The woman wanted my head."
"Geez, I wonder why."
Cromwell chokes on his laughter while Cranmer tries to muffle his. "I have the ear of the king, madam. I can order your execution in a blink of an eye."
"Oh, YOU can?" I stand so fast that my chair clatters to the ground. "Not the king? Not the Privy Council? You?" I grab his clothes and shove him into a wall. "I once thought you were my ally. How could you?"
"Emma—" Cranmer begins, but he falls silent.
"I will never forgive you for every time you tried to put me in the Tower. When you are arrested, I will be among those cheering." I let Cromwell go and turn to find the King standing in the doorway. I drop into a curtsey. "Your Majesty."

The king remains silent. No one moves or dares to cough to break the silence. "Cromwell, you have angered the soul stealer. I hope you remember that before you try to imprison her again." King Henry looks at me. "Mistress Emma's wrath is something no one should want to experience." He gazes deeply into my eyes. I drop my gaze and look at the ground. "Mistress Emma, please accompany me on a walk."
"Yes, Your Majesty." I stand and follow him outside.

Once we leave the Palace, the King claps me on the back. "Well done, Emma. You put him in his place good and proper."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am glad that living here hasn't changed me much."
King Henry laughs. "I can only imagine what you were like growing up."
"You can't. The twenty-first century is so different that it would send a normal sixteenth-century person to an early grace." I stop when I realise what I had said.
"Do not worry. You will not suffer because you speak your mind."
I narrow my eyes. "Says the paranoid king who will execute anyone who breathes heresy."
"I am not paranoid!" King Henry nudges me.
"You so are."
King Henry sticks his tongue out at me. I do the same.

Good grief, what am I doing? King Henry is my enemy. He killed Anne!

King Henry links arms with me. "I wish I could be a better man."
"You can be better."
"No, I cannot." King Henry turns and looks at me. "I know I become a tyrant with six wives. We cannot change that, for your sake and Sarah Jane's."
He is right. Maybe he has no choice. King Henry looks further into the gardens. "You should have killed me."
"No! Your Majesty, that is—"
"Right, and you know it." King Henry grabs my arm. "You are a soul stealer. You can kill me without anyone realising."
I shake my head. People will know about it. Besides, his soul is black and poisonous. I cannot risk that.
"You can do it. I believe in you."
"Are you insane?" I cover my mouth with my hand. "By God's blood, Your—" I made everything worse!
King Henry pats my shoulder. "I guess things have changed." I nod. "Well, when the time is right, let me know. Until then, stop me from becoming a tyrant."
"I will try, Your Majesty."

Mummy walks over to us. "Your Majesty," she says as she curtsies. "I have news from the Queen."
"What is it?" King Henry asks. He takes her hand and helps her rise to her feet.
"She is with child."
A massive smile grows on King Henry's face. He turns to me. "I will see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Your Majesty." King Henry heads inside.

Mummy and I continue walking. "How are the hybrids?" I ask.
"Well enough. Mistress Fairfax might be the best thing that happened to them." Mummy's tone sounds happy, but I know she's anything but.
"You wish you could support them more."
Mummy shrugs. "Sometimes, but then I remember that there are few hybrids I want to face this universe with." Mummy turns my head so I'm facing her. "You are one of them. You are my daughter, and I'd rather damn myself to Hell than let you, Luke, and any other children I may have suffer."
I pull Mummy into a hug. "You can't protect me from everything."
"I know." Mummy pulls me away and smiles. "And that is why, starting tomorrow, I will join you on the Privy Council."
I laugh. "Now that is some good news."

I want Mummy's first day to go well. The introductions are rather patriarchal, with everyone except the King and Cranmer making a patriarchal comment. "Women cannot be on the Privy Council!" Cromwell yells.
"I've been here for ages," I say, "and you love that I am here."
"You were a fluke. This is wrong."
I scowl. "Mummy can be here if she wants to be. The King invited her."
"Sarah Jane is a woman and is serving the queen. Women have no place in politics, and they never will have jobs outside of being wives and mothers."
"You knave!" Mummy shouts. "If you have a Dalek up your arse, you wouldn't worry about women working, would you?"

Everyone turns and stares at Mummy. I grin at her. At least she put Cromwell in his place, but the way she did it... I start laughing, and I cover my mouth with my hand.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Mummy asks.
"You swore," King Henry says, and he starts laughing.
"Mummy!" I say between laughs. "You're not supposed to swear!"
"I'm an adult. I can swear if I want to."
"Just don't use twenty-first-century swear words."
Mummy smiles at me. "I don't plan on it. Tudor swears are hilarious."
King Henry smiles and shakes his head. "Who would have thought you two would find this entertaining."

We all calm ourselves down and get to the first order of business—the Pilgrimage of Grace. "Mistress Smith-White, do you need more time to research?" King Henry asks.
"No, Your Majesty. I do wish I had better news." I stand up and gather my notes. I cannot let anything go to chance. I tell the Council what I know.
"I see." King Henry looks like he is miles away. He looks at the rest of the councillors. "We must discuss this. Mistress Smith, Mistress Smith-White, please leave us." Mummy and I curtsey before we leave.

"Why did you tell them?" Mummy asks.
"My birth is not set in stone until the 20th century. We cannot jeopardise our existence. Besides, Cromwell would have pushed for executions, but maybe on a greater scale."
Mummy sighs and nods. "I see what you mean. But I don't like it."
"Neither do I."