Festina Lente

Chapter One Hundred & Seven: Rivals No More

10th of October 1536 - Hampton Court Palace

"News from Wallingford Castle," Madge Shelton stated entering the chambers of the Queen, she had seen the messenger arrive to speak with the King while she had been on a task for her mistress and had come straight back here. 

This was news that Queen Anne deserved to know, Madge didn't trust that the King would inform her not when he was in such a pleasant mood since Anne had announced her pregnancy last month. 

He was even being more discrete about the women that he brought to his bed, no official mistress but Madge knew his eyes wander through the Queen's ladies even when Anne turned a blind eye to his actions. 

Pausing in her embroidery, Anne closed her eyes and took a deep breath knowing what this meant; the room falling silent as the words sunk in about where the news had come from. 

"It begins," Anne whispered softly, a hand resting on her own belly knowing that this day was always going to arrive and she had dreaded it; a part of her feared what would happen when this day would come. 

Madge nodded her head, stepping closer to her cousin and mistress knowing that such news would not be easy to hear; from the reports that came in from Viscount Bryan, his wife was still insistent that the King would wish to see her and their baby. 

Apparently the former Jane Seymour was not adjusting to the realty of the situation, she ranted daily that this was all Anne's doing and that Henry would welcome her back to court once she had birthed their son.

 Anne opened and closed her mouth, not sure what she wanted to ask as she pondered the situation; there was one question that lingered on her mind that she was afraid to ask. 

There was no escaping the stories of how Henry had reacted when Fitzroy had been born, in the wake of the boy's death there had been much talk about how the king had celebrated the birth of his son. 

"The King remains here at court, he waved off the messenger and invited the Duke of Bedford to join him," Madge stated stepping closer to Anne, she could see where her lady's mind had gone and she didn't blame her for worrying. 

The King was a fickle man that could change his mind in a moment's notice, he could leave in a moment's notice to visit Jane but he surrounded himself with Boleyns as Jane's labour begun. 

Anne nodded her head, she was sure her brother would keep a close eye on the king and tell her if he suspected that he might go and visit Jane; she would tolerate his dalliances but she wasn't sure what to make of the baby on the way. 

The child if a boy could be a threat to her own children, one that would be raised to hate his half-siblings and her even with Francis in the picture; Jane would always be there whispering in his ear. 

Henry wasn't going to live forever, her husband was slowly gaining weight and the wounds on his legs were causing him grief; he was remarkably different from the man that Anne had meet ten years ago that had tried to woo and court her. 

It seemed like a dream when she thought about who her husband had been when trying to court her, he had been so sweet to her but things changed once he had her. 

If it weren't for Alexander, Anne was sure that he would have found a way to rid himself of her despite the fact that she had given him healthy children; she doubted he would have been patient with her for not giving him an urge. 

Even now there was pressure to provide a Duke of York, a second son to further secure the succession for her husband and his line. 

Alexander was a healthy boy but so had Arthur been before the sweat took him in 1502, there was never anyway of knowing what the future might hold.