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Chapter Sixty-Seven: The One That Got Away.
29th of December 1534 - Hampton Court Palace
"Are you certain Anne?" Mary asked helping her sister dress, she had come to court at the insistence of her husband who had gone with the army. Though Mary would have much preferred staying at their country manor with the children, she hated court life especially the whispers that followed her since she had returned from France.
Catherine, Henry, and Edward had been admitted into the royal nursery alongside their royal cousins and the daughters of her brother; it was the safest place for them while England settled into the new normal. With the King gone and a regency council in affect while Anne was in her confinement, there was a lot hinging on the battles to come.
"Cromwell already makes moves against the religious houses. There is little I can do while trapped in here," Anne explained quietly, she was no fool and her words would likely be reported to any that paid for an ear in her household. Her baby was due in the coming weeks and Anne prayed that she would be delivered safely, she feared that she might be lost in the child bed and what that might mean for her children. Alexander was barely three years old and Elizabeth was still a baby, she did not wish to leave them without a mother especially in a world where their father could be lost at war.
"Father and uncle shall only care about lining their own pockets," Anne continued shaking away her negative thoughts and focusing on the task at hand. Her father was relishing in the power that he currently held and Anne did not believe for a moment that he would not use Cromwell's plans to make himself a rich man; as if the Boleyns already did not have everything they could dream of.
"I can not allow the good that these places do for the common folk be tainted by the actions of the clergy that take advantage of them," Anne stated determined to do what was right. Many would seek to control her and assume that she was nothing more than a mere woman that needed her hand held while she governed in her husband's absence. They forgot that she had spent her educational years in the household of Margaret of Austria, who had been governor of the Netherlands in her own right for her nephew and was a woman not to be trifled with.
"I am in need of an ally, someone that I can truly trust and I am hopeful that the Earl of Northumberland will be that ally," Anne revealed hopeful that Hal would agree, she could not remember the last time that the two of them had really spoken. She still felt the ache of the loss of their betrothed, she had dreamed of what her life would have been like and she was certain that she would have been content as a Countess. Perhaps she would have had a love rather like Clarice and George, she would have not had the fears that followed her while she was married to the King and what he would do if she displeased him.
"Hal would not betray me, not after everything that we were to one another," Anne whispered quietly, she glanced at Mary sure that out of everyone that her own sister would understand her. If there was a time that she needed someone, she knew that Hal would have her back no matter what happened and as a member of the privy council held some sway that Anne needed right now.
"Yes, but you are married to the King, you are the Queen of England," Mary reminded her, she did not wish to see Anne do something that could enrage the King. If he was willing to have Katherine declared mad and locked in a nunnery, then there was no telling what he would do to free himself from Anne who did not have a nephew who was the Holy Roman Emperor.
"I am very aware of that but I still trust Hal, he will help me with this... he cares for England and the King would not have left him here if he was not trusted," Anne insisted, a part of her wishing to forget what Mary was trying to warn her about. Her husband was a jealous man and Anne did not wish for words of improper behaviour to reach him while she was regent, she wanted to do him proud even if she knew that the passion, they had shared early on in their relationship was dying out.
If her plan was to work, she needed backing and she was sure that Hal would agree with her on the front that Cromwell could not be allowed to go forward with his plans that would only further enrich the nobility and the King.
"Is there any news on Lady Ughtred?" Mary asked changing the subject, her eyes scanning the room for their Seymour cousins that were in Anne's household and could not imagine how Elizabeth was dealing. The death of her husband while she was pregnant with their second child had come as a complete shock for Lady Elizabeth and Mary did not envy her for having to deal with the situation.
Anne had insisted that she return to her home in Kexby, Yorkshire so that she could rest and be with her son while she grieved the sudden loss of her husband. Despite the age gap between them, the couple had been rather fond of one another and Sir Anthony had been rather understanding of his wife's advancing career at court especially as a cousin of the Queen.
"She is still with child, thank the lord," Anne said recalling the letter that she had received from her lady, she could not imagine what she would do if she was in her position. A part of her did not think that she would be as strong as Elizabeth was being, she would fear for her unborn child and she prayed that she would never have to know what her cousin was going through.
As much as her relationship was cooling with Henry, she would not wish death upon him nor would she say that she did not care for him in someway though she did not believe anymore that she loved him. Resting her hand against her bump, Anne closed her eyes feeling her baby move and kick; she prayed they would be healthy and she wanted nothing more than to protect them.
It did not matter to her what her child would be, although she knew her father was telling everyone to prepare for the birth of a Duke of York and that was what her husband would also prefer.
"The Earl of Northumberland," one of her ladies announced snapping Anne from her thoughts, she glanced at Mary who nodded her head before the two of them left her bed chamber and headed for her audience room. It was not unusual for Anne to have visitors though they had been less recently because of her confinement but that did not mean that she had completely stopped seeing people.
With Henry on the march towards Italy, Anne was determined to prove that she was capable of ruling in his absence and she had people informing her on all that occurred while she was in her confinement. The doors to her room swung open and Anne could not help but feel like a girl again, she could not deny that Henry Percy was a handsome man; perhaps even more so than her own husband, the King.
"Hal," Anne breathed, the name leaving her before she had the chance to stop herself and she wished that they had been dealt a better hand than the one that they currently had. She was married to the King while poor Hal had been married to his harpy of a wife who seemed to rejoice in little else than causing him no end of grief just because he had dared to love someone that was not her.
"Your Majesty," Hal greeted dropping into a low bow, he would not have it said that anything improver occurred between them during such meetings and he was relieved Anne had not completely forgotten herself. Her sister and three of her loyal ladies were in attendance, he recognised Madge Shelton who had been in Anne's household for as long as he could remember.
"Thank you for answering my summons, my lord. The matter at hand is a delicate one and I could imagine no one better suited for its charge," Anne said trying to stay collected, she took a seat on that chair that had been set aside for her and she signalled for Hal to do the same. She then signalled for Madge to pass the documents that she had put together for his viewing and hoped that he would be able to help her in this.
"I am aware of Mister Cromwell's plans for the religious houses and I wish to use them for other means that might help the common folk rather than line the pockets of those who do not need it," Anne begun, her eyes watching Hal as he started looking at the documents that he had been handed by Madge. A small part of her feared that he would refuse and scoff at her ideas, that perhaps he had changed in the years that had separated and would not wish to throw his hand in her plans.
When he gave no sign of displeasure at her plans, Anne began to explain what it was she wanted him to do especially since she was limited herself.
I recommend For Even as Love Crowns You by wizardfantasy and Sanctuary by Cattyfan. Also check out My Lord Husband,The Enemy by Esme24, That Subtle Wreath by EvilFluffyBiteyThing and its sequel, A Progress in Kent.
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