Summary: You can't have three people in a marriage why can't you see that?

So this is the second of the new stories that I will be updating today, I got the idea from reading Regan X's fabulous story, Three People in a Marriage, but this is my own take on the idea of Pope Clemet accepting Henry's wish of allowing him to remain married to Katherine, as well as taking a second wife in Anne.

The Story will start in 1527 and is set after episode 1.06. For the purpose of this story Henry Fitzroy is alive and well, and has not died as he did in the story but is well and healthy as he was in history at this present point in time.

For the purpose of this story I have given Anne the 1507 birthdate.

Anyway I hope you all enjoy the story I have a few chapters already written that I will post in time if the story is well received.

I own nothing, as usual.

Chapter One:

February 4th 1527

Whitehall Palace

Henry stared at Wolsey with a look of extreme shock and disbelief, he could not quite believe the words coming from his Lord Chancellor's mouth, " He has agreed to my request? I shall have my annulment?" Henry questioned his tone quiet but hopeful, the Pope it seemed had finally decided to do his duty to answer to God in all matters, rather then the wishes of a powerful earthly Prince.

" Forgive me Your Majesty, the pope has agreed to one of your requests, he had not agreed to the annulment but…"

" You mean to say he has consented to my notion to take another wife?" Henry interrupted, a small amount of his elation disappearing. In all honesty that request had been made almost in jest, it had been written as almost a last resort if all else had failed him and clearly it had. He had never believed the Pope would consent to such a notion, to a prospect that was very much against the beliefs of the Catholic faith, yet he had, for the man was a coward, a coward who bent his knee to the will of the Emperor and his wishes.

" Yes Your Majesty," Wolsey responded his voice calm, but his emotions angry. For the Pope to agree to such a thing was little more than a joke, it was little more than an insult against the sanctity of marriage, and proof enough that the Pope was acting under the guidance of Queen Katherine's nephew. While Wolsey was not overly pleased with Henry's choice of Queen (a French match in Wolsey's opinion would have severed the realm better) and wife, he knew well enough why his King wanted his annulment. He had no male heirs, and England would not survive under a female ruler not matter her parentage and ancestry. The Pope should have understood such a thing, he should have simply granted Henry his annulment and been done with it, instead he had only made things more difficult, how were the people of England suppose to react to such a decree, the country would no doubt divide, the court and commons both. Wolsey could see only one outcome from all of this, in time civil war would no doubt eventuate, and English blood would be spilt all because the Pope was a coward, to busy trying to appease both nations instead of doing what was right. " The Pope has also granted a dispensation allowing you to marry the Lady Anne." Wolsey added as an almost afterthought, trying to put a smile on his face as if this whole turn of events pleased him in some way.

Henry smiled only slightly at Wolsey's words, he could not help but feel slightly disappointed, he truly believed that his cause for an annulment with Katherine was more than just, he believed it to be God's holy will that his union with Katherine be dissolved for he truly believed it to be invalid. Many thought that he only wanted to be rid of Katherine because he had grown tired of her, and wanted to marry Anne, and while it was true that his and Katherine's marriage was not what in once was and that he was deeply in love with Anne, the security of his realm was far more important, then either of those reasons. Katherine could not bear him a son, and England needed a Prince of Wales. The fact that the Pope could not (or could not be allowed to) see as he saw angered him greatly, his decision was not an act of God but one of fear, but Henry knew it would be the only way. He would not get his annulment, and unless he agreed to the Pope's arrangement he would not get Anne either.

Disappointment was of course not his only emotion, he was also pleased, the pope had allowed for him to marry Anne despite his prior relationship with Mary Boleyn, it meant he could marry Anne, the woman he loved without any further problems, he only hoped she would agree, his Anne was a jealous and possessive creature, he did not think she would take kindly to being told she would have to share her husband with another woman. The other positive of the whole situation was of course his daughter. Mary would remain legitimate, he had never truly wanted to see his eldest child labelled as a bastard, and this would mean he was not without an heir, Mary may have been a girl, but she was a girl with impeccable royal blood; She would remain his heir until Anne bore him a son.

" Very well," Henry responded with a nod, in his mind he was thinking of the best way to break the news to Anne, Katherine could not refuse, she would never refuse an order than came from the Pope even one such as this, but Anne, Anne could do as she willed, but he knew he could not think of such things for long, Anne loved him he knew she did, they would be married the rest did not matter, " Did his holiness give any orders on how such a thing should take place."

" No Your Majesty," Wolsey responded his eyes scanning the letter in front of him, to see if there was any more important information that the King need know, " His holiness does however forbid you from crowning or proclaiming the Lady Anne as Queen, he say's that while Katherine lives such a title belongs to her, he says that you may have two wives but only one Queen and he has suggested an alternative title for the Lady Anne."

" Well," Henry said motioning for Wolsey to go on, when he stopped short, his words were ground out between his teeth, he was not at all pleased with the Popes stipulation, it was one thing for the man to have a say in his marital arrangements, but this who was the Pope to tell him what titles he could and could not give to members of his own realm especially one who was to be his, the Kings, own wife.

" His holiness suggests the title of Princess Consort, in some foreign nations, when a woman is in a position of power, a Queen perhaps her husband is titled as the Prince Consort of the realm, the Pope thinks it to be a just and fitting title for your Majesty's second wife." Wolsey chose his words carefully, he knew as well as anyone that one misplaced word could send the King into a fit of anger and have him refusing the Pope's arrangement, despite Wolsey's fear and misgivings about the Pope's decrees he knew it to still be the best of all the other options placed before them, if Henry refused this, it could see England excommunicated from Rome, and Wolsey knew that that more than anything would set the people of England on edge.

" Princess Consort," Henry responded rolling the title on his lips, when he had first thought of marriage to Anne he had imagined her as his Queen, not just his wife but his Queen, he had promised her the crown, yet now he could give her only a title and the role of a joint wife, it was not ideal, but Henry knew it would be better than the alternative, besides Anne would be the Queen in his eyes, not Katherine, it would be Anne he would show favour to, and Anne whose bed he shared, Anne who would bear him sons, a Prince of Wales to take his place when the time came, " I will not have her being second to Katherine."

" Of Course not Your Majesty," Wolsey responded quickly not wishing to bring the king to any level of anger or displeasure, " We will have parliament draw up a list of formalities and protocols regarding the Lady Anne and how she is to be treated once she is your majesty's wife immediately."

" Very well Wolsey, I do not want a word of this to leave these walls until both ladies are told do you understand?"

" Of Course Your Majesty."

Boleyn Family rooms

Anne had taken great pains in deciding what to wear for her audience with the King. She knew well enough that this meeting with Henry, perhaps more than any other was vitally important for her future. They were, the both of them, waiting from word from the Pope in regards to the annulment, today could be the day she was told she was to be the future Queen of England, she had therefore wanted to look the part. It was a dress she had worn a few times before, it was not an extravagant dress in any way, yet she knew that she deep purple colour to the gown, as well as the bell sleeves and golden embroidery around the waist, gave her a certain grace and charm, she almost looked like royalty, just as she should.

A small part of her worried of course, she knew as well as anyone that the Pope was more than partly under the control of the Emperor, Katherine's nephew, such a thing did not bode well for her or Henry yet still Anne held out hope that God's will in the end would prevail. She did not hate Katherine, when Anne had first entered the Queen's service when Henry's eyes were still focused on her sister, Anne had felt sorry for the woman and for all she had endured, to lose so many children, oh Anne did not even want to think of such a possibility, yet despite her sympathies for Katherine Anne had never exactly idolised her as so many other in her household had. She was too stubborn and to prideful, and those traits had only become more apparent to Anne when it was she who was receiving the king's attentions.

Henry had all but stopped visiting Katherine's bed long before Anne had come into the picture, and the woman was barren it was no secret to anyone English or foreign that Katherine could no longer produce living children. So Anne could not really understand why it was she who was receiving all the blame in this whole situation. She knew she was called a whore throughout the realm, yet she was yet to take the king to her bed, and if she took Katherine's throne they would call her a usurper, yet without her the hope of England would lie forever in a female heir, when everyone knew it was a son that England needed to rule. She would be twenty soon, well in her childbearing prime, she could give Henry the son he so desired she could give England a golden world, if only the people around them would let them be.

" Anne," As it always did of late, the sound of the King's voice put a smile on her face, and immediately upon seeing him she dropped into a respectful curtsey, which Henry soon lifted her from, placing a large and passionate kiss upon her lips.

When he had first begun courting her such kisses had not left her with such emotions she had always determined to be cold with him, cold and distant, a part of her had hoped that such an attitude would have sent him away, she knew how he liked his whores, her sister had been one of them, yet she had always been strong in her belief that she would not be like one of the many that had warmed her bed, and she hadn't been, but it turned out that was what he had wanted more than anything, something different. It had not taken her long to fall in love with him, as all the others before her had surely done, she did not exactly know why or when it had happened she only knew that it had, one day she did not love him, the next day she did. Not that she ever shared such things, with her father or her uncle, they would have teased and tormented her with such news, they would have simply called her a silly little girl, and told her not to let her heart rule her. They did not need another girl in love with the King, they needed a girl to play with him, to rule his heart, like no other had before, and she had accomplished that, he loved her, he was not simply in lust with her or in love with the idea of her, he actually loved her for who she was, and she now loved him just a fiercely. When once kisses with the King left her with feelings of emptiness they now left her breathless and wanting more.

" Henry," Anne said, locking eyes with the King, she was disappointed to find that she could not read his expression, usually she could tell what he was feeling with just a look, but now she saw nothing but confusion.

" Sweetheart," Henry responded softly, moving a stray strand of hair from Anne's face, " Come let us sit."

Immediately Anne pulled herself away from his touch, and stood tall and proud, she did not wish to be treated like a child, if something were wrong she deserved to know the full of it, it did after all concern her very future, " What is it?" She questioned already fearing the worst, it had always been a distant hope, the idea of an annulment, no doubt the pope had refused Henry's request and once again she would remain, Anne Boleyn the Kings beloved whore, " What is wrong?"

" Sweetheart, please sit down," Henry said again, repeating his earlier request with a calm voice, he had already gone over what he wanted to say to her at least a hundred times in his head, he had not been expecting for her to get herself in such a state before he had even said anything.

With a sigh Anne eventually complied with his request taking a seat across from the King, but refusing to take his hand into her own.

" Well," Anne said, wanting very much for him to get it over with, so that she could begin to process whatever it was that he had come to tell her.

" I have received a letter from the Pope," Henry began, trying to remember all the words he had so carefully practiced, " He has given us permission to marry, however he has refused to allow my request for an annulment."

Anne looked at Henry with confusion set in her eyes, she did not understand what he was saying, or at least she did not think that what he was telling her was possible, how could the Pope allow for them to marry, yet not grant Henry an annulment from Katherine, it did not make sense not unless…but no, the Pope would never consent to such a thing, it would be to absurd a notion…unless….

" I'm afraid I do not quite understand," Anne said slowly, refusing to meet Henry's eyes, she was afraid that he would confirm her thoughts, that he would tell her that what she believed to be impossible was somehow true.

" The Pope has allowed for me to take you as my second wife."

" Second wife?" Anne repeated, finally looking up and meeting Henry's look, and immediately Henry wished that she hadn't, she looked so hurt and confused, and Henry wished he could hurt all those that had put such a look on his beloved's face, If Katherine had simply stepped aside, if the Emperor had not intervened, if the Pope had not been such a coward, he would, they would have never been put in such a situation, god-willing they would already have been married and perhaps expecting their first son, instead they were put in such a confusing situation, a situation he knew would affect Anne more so than it ever did him.

" Yes, but Anne I promise you, you would be the only one in my heart, Katherine would be there for ceremony only, you would be my true wife, my one true wife, and our children our children would sit upon the throne."

I would be nothing more than his official concubine, Anne thought, my only role would be to bear children, I would have no other respect.

" So England would have two Queens?" Anne questioned, although she feared that she already knew which answer he would give her.

Boldly Henry took Anne's hands into his own, fighting to keep them in his grasp as she attempted to pull away, slowly he began to rub soothing circles into her hands, he just hoped she didn't react to angrily to his words, as he had done when he had been informed.

" No," He responded quietly, refusing to look into Anne's eyes as he spoke, if he did he might just have refused this whole notion, and he knew within his heart that that wasn't a possibility he could allow to happen, " The Pope would not allow for it, Katherine will remain as Queen and you will be known as…."

" Your mistress," Anne interrupted angrily snatching her hands away from his, " I would be your mistress, a whore in everything but name, and that's what people would say."

And I would cut of their heads if they did, " No Anne, Sweetheart no," Henry tried calmly, in his heart he wished she could just be happy with marriage, and he knew if they were any other couple she would be, but they were not, she would take the blunt of peoples anger, it was she who would not be given the correct title as his wife, it was she who would always be seen as lesser not in his mind but in some others he knew, " The pope has allowed for you to be labelled as the Princess Consort of England, you will be granted all the same respects as if you were Queen, it is just the title that is different Anne, I promise you."

For a moment Anne did not know what to say. There would be no annulment that she knew, and if she refused him, oh she knew he would not stay with her long. There would be whispers that she was only ever after the crown, and soon enough a pretty new thing would be warming his bed, he had been given permission to take a second wife, and while he wanted her his desire for an heir was stronger, if she refused him he would look elsewhere. Marriage to Henry was what she wanted, the crown no longer held the lure and charm that it once did, however, she had wanted to be his wife, his one true wife, to share him was not something she had ever considered, it was not something she had even thought a possibility. The title she was being offered was more than she could have ever hoped for, to be the King's wife, accepted by the Pope and the Emperor and all the other catholic nations (for that is what the Pope's blessing would do), was what she had always wanted, her children would not be illegitimate, that was all that truly mattered, she had dealt with Katherine for years, once she bore Henry a son, she knew it would be as if there was only one Queen, no matter who held the title.

" Ok," Anne said slowly, looking up at Henry with tears in her eyes, there was no other way, she had no other option. Her son would be the King of England and she would be the King's wife, nothing else mattered.

Queen of England's Rooms

It was late when he came to her rooms, yet still she had not been asleep or even close to, when one of her ladies had announced that the King had come to see her. Years ago, an unexpected visit from her husband had thrilled her, but now she knew to expect nothing of such visits, it had been years since he had shared her bed properly, oh a few times here and there he had slept beside her, but nothing more ever came from such visits, now he did not even do her that curtsey, she knew why he had come, and a part of her wanted to get on bended knee and ask for him to reconsider his foolishness.

The court was alight with gossip, as it always was, and if not for Sir Thomas telling her the truth of it, she never would have believed such rumours. She was to remain Queen, the Pope had declared her marriage to Henry to be just and true in the eyes of the God, he had done that to appease her nephew she knew, to appease her husband he had allowed Henry to take a second wife; a woman who could bear him a son.

A part of her, a very small part, understood the Pope's decision, the idea of bigamy disgusted her (as she knew it did many others), yet she knew the reason for it. Pope Clement no doubt knew that Henry, without a male heir to his name, would not be willing to relent in his pursuit of an annulment, while on the other side her nephew would never have allowed for the Pope to have her cast aside and her daughter labelled a bastard, in a way Clement had achieved a peaceful result for all parties involved, but that did not mean Katherine had to in anyway like or agree to what had been decided. She did not understand why Mary was not good enough for her husband; her own mother had ruled as a monarch, with a strong husband there was no reason as to why her daughter could not do the same. She was bright and able, Mary was a daughter of Kings, the children of Anne Boleyn would not have even close to the same linage as her daughter, yet it would be as if they were equals, if Henry had to do this, if he really needed a son so badly, Katherine could still not understand why he had to choose her, it was an insult to Katherine in every way, what was worse her husband believed Anne to be a pure a virtuous as the virgin Mary, yet he thought Katherine his wife for over two decades now, as a liar and a whore, the thought almost made her want to laugh, and if Henry had not been suddenly standing two feet in front of her she might just have.

" Husband," Katherine said, nodding her head slightly at his presence; she would not bow to him, she was his wife and Queen, an Infata of Spain a daughters of two monarchs, and the mother of his only legitimate child, she would not yield to him, the man that was to humiliate her, the man who would of discarded her if not for the Pope's (and her nephew's) intervention.

" Katherine," He responded with a nod of his own, his voice cold and dethatched. Katherine had no doubts that he had come from that woman's rooms, no doubt he had wanted to inform his beloved first, she would have been nothing but an afterthought, as if the decision had not affected her also. She could not help but wonder how Anne would have reacted to the news; Katherine could not help but wonder if she cried of happiness or sadness, she would be marrying the King, yet she would get no crown. " The Pope has found a solution to our problem, he…"

" Spare me Henry, I already know of what has occurred," Katherine interrupted, she felt no need in having him tell her all that she already knew, it was not as if she had a choice in the matter, Henry would marry his whore, he would have two wives, and she would remain Queen, as much as she did not like the situation she had been cast into, she knew it was not her place to disagree with the verdict of his holiness, who was after all God's representative on earth.

Henry did not bother asking why or even how she knew, it was no secret that court gossip spread like wildfire, a servant would let something slip and within hours the whole court would know of it, Yet still he wanted to make sure that Katherine knew exactly how the arrangement between the three of them was going to work, he did not want there to be any doubts in her mind, or anyone else's on how they should treat Anne.

" I am to marry the Lady Anne within the next month, I want you to know that she will be treated as if she were the Queen of England…"

" But she will not be?" Katherine questioned, wanting to make sure that that title alone remained hers, and "She will not be the Queen?"

It took Henry much effort to not lash out at her, it took every bit of strength he had for him to not yell or scream at her, instead he schooled his features into a hard and cold glare, and spoke in an icy tone, " No, she will be the Princess Consort of England, and the mother of the future King, as such…."

" You hope," Katherine interrupted again unable to help herself. She knew that Henry blamed her for their lack of a living son, as if it were her fault that her boys had all died before their time, she had prayed, she had begged, she had fasted, she had spent days sitting on her knees, all of it in hope of a son, seven pregnancies she had endured and yet they only had Mary, and Katherine knew that Henry blamed her entirely for such a thing. It had not always been that way, once he had grieved with her, once he had felt just as guilty and as hopeless as she, she knew he had but all of that changed once Bessie Blount bore him her bastard. Henry Fitzroy's birth and continual survival had changed everything, the boy was proof (to her husband at least), that he was not incapable of having healthy children, that it was not his fault the Royal nursery remained heirless. Henry Fitzroy had given him reason to doubt their marriage, and Anne Boleyn had been in the right place at the right time. " You hope that she will bear you a son, tell me husband if she does not will you take a third wife, or a fourth, perhaps even a fifth, maybe a sixth will finally give you what you so desire."

" That is enough," He did not raise his voice yet his tone was enough to make her shudder, " The Lady Anne and I are both young, we will have a son, and he will take the throne after me."

" And what a lineage that child will have, to be the grandson of a knight, my daughter is the grandchild of kings, she has more Royal blood then even you…"

" Silence," Henry screamed, his rage at Katherine and the emperor and the Pope and everyone else that had ever stood in the way of his annulment, finally reaching boiling point. More than anything else, he could not have Katherine being disrespectful to Anne, or her blood, and most importantly any children that came from their union. He did not expect either of the women to get along but he did expect for them to be civil with one another and even to respect each other (in time) he would not have the situation they had found themselves in escalating into an eventual civil war. " I am to marry Anne Boleyn, God willing she will give me sons, and you will accept it. We both know that I do not believe that our marriage is true in the eyes of God or man, yet due to your nephew I am bound to stay your husband but I will let you know that as far as I am concerned, Anne is my only true wife. I will be your husband only by obligation, and you will be my wife in name only, I will not visit your bed and nor will we have any other children, you will treat the future Princess Consort with every respect for she is to be your equal in every single way, you will not disrespect her or my future children in anyway, if you disobey any of these requests I will not hesitate to take your daughter from you until you oblige, do you understand Madam?"

" Henry please, " Katherine whispered, her strength leaving her in response to his cruel words, " do not do this."

" I asked you if you understood," Henry replied, as if she had never spoken.

With a deep breath Katherine nodded her head, tears shone brightly in her eyes yet she refused to let them fall. She knew she had no choice in the matter, it was a better outcome than she had truly thought possible, Henry had the blessing of the Pope there was nothing she could do but nod, nod and smile and pretend all was well.

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think, I hope you all enjoyed it, and I look forward to seeing your responses.