A/N: Hey everyone! Long time, no update. My fault. But I wanted to offer this short sneak peek to you guys so that you guys can see I'm writing the next chapter and I'll post it the moment it's done. Quick thank you to all you readers. Every time I get an email that someone has reviewed, favorited, and/or started following the story I feel so thankful for all the support… and guilty I don't update with any consistency.
A side note, I've updated the prologue. Nothing really changed, there's no new scenes or anything. I just wrote it so long ago and I've grown so much as a writer that I cringe whenever I look back at it, especially since it's the first chapter people read, so I tried to make it so that I don't cringe whenever I think about it. Anyway hope you guys enjoy this sneak peek. If you guys want I can post a few more (longer) sneak peeks as I continue writing, or I can wait and just post it all together when it's done. Just let me know!
Previously...
May 14, 1540
"Then you know I desire nothing less than becoming Queen, so why must you discard my desires? Do they not matter?"
"I have given you everything you have asked for, everything within my power as King! How dare you accuse me of disregarding your desires?!"
"I know that you told Cromwell to find a way to make me Queen."
"She was upset, Your Majesty." Brandon had been trying his best to soothe the King's hurt ego, but Brandon suspected the only thing that would truly do so was the woman who had caused it.
"If I wanted to make Anne my queen I could do so in a heartbeat, but I have always respected her wishes. And yet she still accuses me of not listening or disregarding her! As if she does not matter! I have torn my country a part for her! Had dear friends beheaded! Looked after our children! Still she is not happy. Perhaps I should just make her Queen. At least one of us would be happy." There was nothing Brandon could do.
May 17, 1540
"You have always done my bidding without judgement and without question, [Master Cromwell]. You have always been honest with me." Henry paused. "I must know. Is there a way to place Harry about Edward?"
Cromwell breath of relief lasted less than a second as he thought of the best way to tell the King 'no'. Certainly the King could not blame him for finding no possible way. "As Your Majesty knows, the task could easily be accomplished by making Mistress Anne your wife and England's Queen," Cromwell stalled. "But I am afraid that any other way, the consequences of such actions would far outweigh the purpose ."
May 29, 1540
Lady Nan opened the door unsurprised to see the King standing before her. "Mistress Anne is not accepting any visitors this morning."
Henry walked away from Anne's chambers. He knew she was angry, but he was also angry and yet he had come to her, so that they may make up. She was being completely selfish.
June 2, 1540
"He will never stop. The idea will always be somewhere in the back of his head. No matter what I say or do he will be planning for me to be Queen once again."
George sighed as he contemplated the mess his sister was in. He knew she would rather leave Court than become Queen once again. Her last reign as Henry's queen had left a rather bitter taste in her mouth, but Henry was King and he desired Anne to be Queen. "What are you going to do?"
Anne paused in pacing as she turned to face her brother. "Cromwell is the only one the King trusts to make me queen again?" George nodded. "Then he must go."
George stared silently at his still sister. "How do you suppose to be rid of him?"
Anne met George's eyes. "The same way he would have been rid of me."
June 10, 1540
Cromwell walked around and greeted the other member of Parliament. He didn't trust most of the members, but it was necessary to make pleasantries. He took his seat after he'd greeted each person. Within a few minutes everyone was sitting. They were just waiting for the King now.
"The Duke of Suffolk."
Brandon entered with a number of guards behind him. People began to whisper as they watched. "In the name of King Henry VIII, King Of England, Ireland, and France, I hereby place Master Thomas Cromwell under arrest for heresy, corruption, and treason. You will be placed in the Tower until further action is taken."
Cromwell watched stunned as the men came and forced him from his seat and out of the room. Who could have done something like this?
July 1, 1540
"Mistress Anne."
Henry glanced up from his card game to meet Charles eyes before glancing back down to his cards again. The silence stretched on until finally Henry nodded his head towards Anne.
She stepped forward. "Your Majesty." Anne curtsied deeply in the hopes of showing Henry she was here to make peace after the last couple tumultuous months.
Henry say back in his seat, his jaw resting on his arm as he studied Anne. Then he gestured for her to rise. Henry gave no indication of what he wished to transpire next, waiting for Anne's next move instead.
"I greatly desire for us to resolve any ill feelings between us. And hope that such would please Your Majesty as much as it would please me."
Charles frowned at Anne's formal tone. It was a rarity these days for Anne to revert to such formal tones when it concerned the King or it was before the fight over her position as queen or mistress. He suspected that she previously had use of a more formal tone when appealing to Henry's pride and position as King, but Henry was so infatuated with her that he believed she had, had little use of it for many years, until now that was. He glanced up at Henry's face wondering if he would see any hints of appeasement in his features, but there was no indication of Henry's mood.
Henry left Anne to wait for his answer while he considered his ill feelings. She had abandoned him for almost two months, refusing to speak with him or see him. And when he did see her, all they did was fight. But despite the ill feelings that she spoke of, he truly had missed her. Especially as he was faced with Cromwell's treason. He was not able to speak with her on the matter before ordering Cromwell's arrest or conviction as he had wished to. But still he was reluctant to accept her entreaty for peace between them. Although things had been more amicable between them since they had spoken of the Lady Mary's coming visit. It seemed as though they had soothed quite a few old wounds, wounds he had not even known needed mending, but he was not surprised for they had fought so long and hard and against so many to secure their happiness.
"Nothing would make me happier, Sweetheart." Impulsively he added, "Truly," in case Anne doubted the sincerity of his words.