Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors.

Chapter Seven: Change in Circumstances.

2nd of November 1530 - London, England

Listening to Anne recount her meeting with the King, Clarice couldn't help but smile pleased to see that things were still going well for her despite the fact that there was still no sign of the King was going to be granted his annulment. Katherine still openly refused to accept that her marriage to the King was over, she often sent messages via servants that she missed Henry and wished he would come see her instead of spending time with Anne. It was a relief to Clarice that her small actions with Anne had been able to help the other woman in any way that was possible; she was aware that this could all fall apart very easily.

"Your Grace. The French Ambassador is without," Isotta interrupted offering no apology to Anne, the man had insisted that it was important and had to speak with Clarice at this very moment. Signalling for Isotta to bring the ambassador in, Clarice glanced at Anne who looked almost as confused as she did; there had been no such meeting like this since Clarice had arrived at court six months earlier.

"Your Grace," Charles de Solier, Comte de Morette greeted offering a bow to her, his eyes glancing around nervous at the news that he'd been asked to deliver. A part of him wished that he could avoid such a meeting, he had could not imagine that she would take the news that he been asked to ensure that she understood what was happening.

"I have been asked to deliver this letter from His Majesty, King Francis," Charles stated stiffing in his place, his hand reaching into his pocket to retrieve the letter that he sworn to deliver to her. Handing it over, Charles glanced towards Anne who was watching him with interest for a moment; she had no idea what the letter might contain especially if the ambassador had brought it here.

The letter had passed from Francis to the ambassador meaning that there would be no way it could be detected entering court until it reached Clarice's hand. Opening up the letter, Clarice turned away from the Ambassador and started to read what her cousin had to say; the colour draining from her face as she read further and she turned back looking to the ambassador.

"I don't understand," Clarice told him, brandishing the letter his way feeling lost at the news that he delivered; her mind racing a mile a minute trying to work out just what she was going to do with this news. If Francis planned to take away her Duchy then Clarice was unsure how her royal cousin expected her to support herself; he would never abandon her without reason, in another country with no way of supporting herself there.

"His Majesty feels your position would be better suited for Philip of Savoy," Charles replied glancing away, his eyes catching with Anne's as she understood just what was happening; his palms felt sweaty and he almost wished he had not brought her such news. No matter what she said now it was too late, he was most certain that King Francis had gone ahead and given her title of Duchess of Nemours to her uncle.

Philip was the brother of her mother and she had not seen him since she was a young girl, she felt angry that her cousin had removed her title to give it to him when he had been the Count of Genevois for years. Moving towards Clarice, Anne ushered the other woman to sit down concerned that she may faint from the news that she had received; it was a great shock and Anne knew that this changed things for Clarice.

"And what of me?" Clarice asked quietly, she had to wonder just what was expected of her now; there was no explanation for why he couldn't just give their uncle a different title. What claim did Philip have other than he was a man that usurped her own right; her father had been the last Duke of Nemours followed by her mother, now that they had both passed the title was hers.

"I am sorry, my Lady," Charles uttered looking away, there were no more instructions that he had been given; he truly felt her plight and wished her well in all of this. The loss of her title and lands had left her at the mercy of those around her, the change in her address would be noticed by all now that she was not entitled to Your Grace.

"I think it best you leave, Your Eminence," Anne instructed standing tall, she turned to the ambassador sure that Clarice would like a few moments to collect her thoughts; the news had come as a complete shock to her. Nodding his head, Charles offered Clarice one final glance before departing knowing that the change in her circumstances would greatly affect her; she would have to send several of her ladies away.

Whispering filled the room from even the most loyal of Clarice's ladies, the loss of Clarice's income meant that they would have to leave while the woman that had been their mistress was strained here. Ushering the ladies from the chambers, Anne was almost thankful they had been in Clarice's chambers when the news had come to her. Only once they were alone did Clarice speak freely, her hands shaking as she spoke knowing that there had to be a reason that this had happened; Francis would never do such a thing not when he had promised not to ever do to her.

"This has to be the Pope's doing… Francis would not steal what is rightfully mine without cause," Clarice whispered trying to make sense of the fact that she had left all that she had, there was no doubt in her mind that her uncle would make himself comfortable in her home and anything that she had left there would be destroyed or sold. A part of her knew that this had been coming, she really had the chance to be in Nemours but she had loved the time she had gotten to spend there; she spent time with the people and they had loved her.

Anne did not speak, her dark eyes-only watching Clarice as the woman began to rant against her cousin; it hurt to see the woman find herself in this position because of the game that men had decided that she should play for their benefit. As much as it angered Anne that the Pope had dragged his feet for so long on ending the marriage between Henry and Katherine; the time for inaction was coming to an end that much she was sure.

"It's because I have not done as Clement asked of me. He wished for me to depose you in the King's affections but I had not the heart nor will to do such a thing," Clarice fretted knowing that Anne had worked all that out, she turned to the other woman wishing that there was an easier way to explain why she had been sent.

Many had assumed that Clarice was here to spy for the Pope, her admittance to court after the Pope's demand that Henry return to Katherine had not gone unnoticed and in some ways even with her closeness to Anne, she was still an outsider. Shaking her head, Clarice knew that there was only one thing that would upset the Pope in away that she would be able to show him that she would not be a pawn in his game any longer.

"As God as my witness. I shall help you gain the throne to spite the Pope in taking from me what is mine by birth right," declared Clarice moving towards Anne, she had not played her hands yet and the men that thought that they could control her forgot who she was. She was the granddaughter of Lorenzo de' Medici and her great-great-grandfather was Cosimo de' Medici; however, she was also descended from great women, she had heard been told the tales of the women that had married these great men.

Her own grandmother, her namesake, had been a representative of her husband in his work while she travelled around Italy when they could not return home. The silence at Clarice's declaration made Anne pause for a moment, her eyes searching Clarice's face unsure if she even realised just what she was saying; the vow was something that was not said lightly. Taking a deep breath, Anne tried to sort through her thoughts knowing that if this worked then the Pope and Katherine's undoing would come from their dismissal of Clarice.

"Do you mean it?" Anne asked not wanting to place all her hopes on what Clarice was saying, everything had stalled and they moved no further in any of this no matter what Henry demanded. Her child bearing years were passing by and there was nothing that she could do, she would not give herself to Henry in fear that any child, she bore would be a passed.

"I would not make such a vow with God as my witness without meaning it," Clarice told her, she would see this to the end and she would see Anne reach the throne and give the King a son as she so promised. Reaching out and taking Anne's hands, the two women knew what they were up against; the entire world might be against Anne being Queen but they would find a way to make it happen.

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