Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors.
Chapter Forty-Eight: Poetry.
20th of January 1534 - Hampton Palace Court
Waking to the sound of giggling from her ladies, Anne frowned slightly moving to sit up in her bed and look around her bed chamber; she was alone there and she was not quite sure of the time in the morning. Henry had not stayed with her that night and Anne would not deny that she was further disappointed that he had not; she missed how he hugged her while she slept when she had been pregnant with both Alexander and Elizabeth.
Anne could not help but miss the days when Henry's attention had been on her, when he had not been able to look away from her and would have do anything to make her smile. Climbing from her bed, Anne rested a hand on her stomach almost thrilled at the small bump that she now carried; her midwife assured her that she would be delivered this summer of her Duke of York.
A smile formed on her face at the mere thought, she longed to give Henry what he desired for he had done so much for her and she did not wish to displease him when he desired sons above all else like he had once done her. The whispers of her ladies grew louder as Anne approached them and she paused trying to make out their hushed words when it became clear that something was being read.
"Cousin Madge," Anne called making the three women stop reading and quickly bow to their Queen, she eyed them for a long moment as she slowly made her way towards them. Secure in her cousin's hand was a book that Madge quickly attempted to hide behind her back so that Anne would not see it; each of the ladies heads lowered but even Anne could see the smiles on their faces.
"Lady Shelton, what are you reading?" Anne asked not pleased to find them remiss in their duties to her so they could giggle over whatever was written that had amused them so. The three continued to titter more so at being caught in the attack and Anne felt slightly uneasily; it almost felt like they were laughing at her to her face though she had done nothing to amuse them.
"Nothing, Your Majesty. Just some poetry, by Sir Thomas Wyatt," Madge revealed, her eyes still trained on the floor and the book hidden from view; she had not been able to help herself when she had come into the possession of the book in question. The other two ladies giggled more at the mention of the man that had written the poetry that Madge had been reading to them; they dared not chance a look at their mistress.
Anne frowned ever so slight, she could only imagine the things that he had written and Anne could only imagine how he might have painted her in such poetry that he had written. She could not help but think of the last poem that he had recited for her, one that accused her of such cruelty and she had been so foolish to allow the man so close to her without thinking of the whispers it would cause.
"Give it here," Anne ordered holding out her hand for the book, she could not allow such readings and she cursed her childishness; the woman that she had been then had never dreamed she would be a Queen. It had been around the time that she had caught Henry's attention, her father summoning her back from France where she had been a lady-in-waiting in hopes of arranging a marriage for her. Madge did as she was commanded, her eyes still lowered but she could see when Anne lifted the book to read the title on the spine.
"You should not be wasting your time on such trifle, if you must read when you're supposed to be attending on me then you should read that book," Anne scolded her ladies, she gestured back to the bible that she had acquired for her chambers. Her eyes drifting over each of the ladies knowing that once she had dealt with them, then she would need to do something about Thomas Wyatt.
The last thing she needed was anyone thinking she had been indecent with the poet, she had saved herself until marriage cause she had seen what such things had done to her sister. The sheets from her wedding night were stored safely away and Anne could only imagine what Henry would do if even for a moment people whispered that she had tricked him into marriage after having another in her bed even if it were before they were married.
"You will learn a great deal more from it, perhaps even some wisdom," Anne continued on, she had no doubts that there were those who would seek to use such poetry against her; they would not see her as innocent. Despite her being married to the King, people would not forget that for a short time she had been cohabiting with Henry while he was still married to Katherine while he attempted to divorce the Infanta of Spain.
"Yes madam," Madge replied while the other two ladies nodded, the agreement doing little to ease Anne's mind and she made a note to speak with George on the matter hoping to deal with it herself before involving the King. She waved her hand to dismiss her ladies to carry on with their work then she turned her attention to the book and moving to set it down; she would have to deal with this before it could do more damage.
"The Duke of Wiltshire, Your Majesty," her groom stated making Anne smile, she turned to greet her father when he waltzed into the room knowing that his trip away had meant that Clarice had been allowed a little peace. Her heart went out to her sister, she could only imagine the pressure Clarice felt to give George a son especially when Thomas was so focused on securing the Boleyn legacy.
"Papa," Anne greeted offering out her hand, her ladies bowed to her father and Anne felt a little reassured by the smile on her father's face; he seemed pleased about something and she guessed is trip went well. Thomas had left for France just after she had told Henry that she was pregnant again, Anne knew that people were rather focused on her new little bump especially given how well her last two pregnancies had gone. By this point in her marriage to Henry, Katherine had two dead children to account for; while Anne had done well to ensure that she had healthy babes that filled the royal nursery.
"Your Majesty," Thomas greeted with a bow of his head, he kissed Anne's hand and eyed the small bump that she carried; God willing she would give the King another son in a few months' time. Perhaps he would be more forgiving of her giving him a daughter when there was a second son in the line of succession and they had a healthy Duke of York in the nursery.
"You look well and I believe you are already showing," Thomas announced pleased, he had high hopes that Clarice would follow soon after; Filiberta had been born back in October but there was still no new pregnancy from her. Anne had done well since she had become Queen, he had never thought that they could rise so high and it all depended on her now; she needed to make sure that the King continued to look favourable upon their family.
"How was your trip to Paris?" Anne asked eager for news about how his diplomatic mission had gone, she knew that while they were at odds with the Emperor that the King of France would be a most keen ally for them. A French alliance would always be the more appealing one to her, she had spent years there and she knew that such an alliance with them would be better than any the Emperor offered.
"The King of France has petitioned the Pope for a divorce," Thomas whispered with a smile, he had not been expected such a thing but he knew that such news would be displeasing to the Emperor. The man had thought he would have a way to control the French King as party of the treaty known as the 'La Paz de las Damas'; they had been engaged by the Emperor while King Francis had been the man's captive.
Anne was speechless at such news, she had not expected such a thing and a part of her knew that Francis would be eager to get away from his Habsburg wife considering how much he despised the Emperor.
"He claims that his marriage to Eleanor was forced in exchange for the freedom of his sons, who were treated so terribly that he feared they would met God before him. That given both Eleanor's mother and aunt have been imprisoned for madness that he fears that there is a madness on the Habsburg line that would corrupt any child that she might give him," Thomas explained knowing that this could only be good for them.
With the Habsburgs already in scandal because of what Katherine had done, it was only time before the family would lose alliances due to the whispers about the family. What King would marry his son to a woman whose family were whispered to carry a sickness of the mind; Joanna and Katherine both locked away in nunneries and if Francis did away with his marriage then would become of Eleanor.
She would no doubt be punished by her brother for failing him and would likely join her mother in captivity.
Highly recommend Athenais Penelope Clemence's story, Chained by Love and War as well as the short prequel An Enchanting Dance in Calais by Countess of Sherwood. I also recommend For Even as Love Crowns You by wizardfantasy and Sanctuary by Cattyfan.
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