The Tudor Witch Book 1 Mistress

1523 Eltham Palace II (Edited)

The sound of shouting echoes throughout my room. I turn in my bed to look at Joan, and find that she is out cold. That woman can sleep through anything.

I lie on my back, keeping my ears trained on the door for more sounds. I do not have to wait long. Quiet murmurs roll into raised voices, I listen to the words but can not make out the argument. I pull the bed sheet off my body and slowly slip out of bed, holding back a cry as my feet touch the cold stone. I walk over to the door and the voices become clearer as I open the it.

I recognize Anne's voice instantly. However, the normal laughter which usually rings within each of her words is now smothered in sobs and pleas. Slowly I open the door further, hoping for a clearer view, but the visibility is poor with only dim candles emitting light.

"You are a disgrace to the Boleyn name," a man says coolly.

"I did it for the family," Anne sobs.

"You are a stupid girl. You're ruining everything your sister has achieved," he hisses.

Anne raises her voice in defiance. "Mary has achieved nothing. She has spread her legs and conceived a bastard."

"You are dim-witted if you think that. She carries the King's child—bastard or not—and our fortunes will rise high with that child. If the Queen does not bear him any sons, then that child may take us straight to the throne," he says through gritted teeth.

The slam of the man's fist hitting the table makes me jump. Instantly I pull the door closed from fear of being seen. Leaning my head against the hard wood, I listen to the sound of conversation as it continues. But with the door closed, it is now muffled again. I stay longer than I should before the cold chill sends me slipping back between the sheets.

I don't sleep again.

* * *

Dawn's light comes quicker than I would have liked. I climb out of bed and gingerly rub my eyes which are only now beginning to feel heavy. The communal area is empty, so I make my way over to Anne's room, then knock softly. When she does not answer I push the door open.

"Anne," I whisper.

"Kat, is that you? Come in," She says softly.

I step into her room. Anne is perched by the window in a small alcove, legs brought in close to her body. Her usually pale face is flushed red, and her dark eyes are swollen from tears.

"Anne, are you alright? I heard heated voices last night," I say softly.

Looking at my new friend, I am unsure how to comfort her, so I take a seat beside her quietly.

"They are sending me away," she sobs.

"Sending you where?" I ask.

"To France. They are sending me into exile!" she says.

I chuckle softly. "And here I thought that I was on exile here. I thought you liked the French court before." I reply.

She does not laugh with me. "They say I am a disgrace, and they want me out of the way so Mary can have her fairy tale," she spits.

"Surely you are more help to Mary here, by her side?" I say.

"They wanted me here when Mary needed help wooing the King. But now that she has a babe on the way, they no longer wish me near her," she sighs.

"Surely there is more to it than that?" I ask.

She moves away from the alcove. "Can I trust you, Kat?" She looks into my eyes.

I blink at her fierce stare. "I have entrusted you with my deepest secret. You can always trust me, Anne," I say honestly.

She begins to pace back and forth. "I am in love with a man here in England, and he is in love with me," she says.

"That is great news, Anne!" I gush.

"We got married," she whispers.

I smile at my daring friend. "But I don't understand. Why would they send you away? I assume he is too low-born for your family?"

"No," she says quickly. "The man is of a high class; even our family is lower in ranking compared to theirs." She adds, "I will be going to France until he is remarried and my family deems it fit for me to return."

"But marriage is marriage. If you are wedded before God, then there is nothing they can do," I recite from my catholic script.

She sighs at my ignorance. "Even God's law can be broken by the almighty Howard's when it is an inconvenience," she snaps.

I know her words to be true. The high-born can obviate whatever nuisance they encounter, only because they can always hide what they wish not to be discovered.

I look up to Anne with a gleam in my eye. "I still do not see the issue. They would rather send you away than have you here, a married woman with your status raised?" I ask in disbelief. "There is nothing wrong with being married to a wealthy man in England. Why would they send you away for it?"

She looks guilty for a moment. "They say he is already betrothed to another." She looks at me through dark eyes. "I say he is already married to me."

"Well . . . your family does not agree, Anne. At least they intervened before the knowledge of this was made public, and before any lasting damage could occur." I reply.

Anne shuffles in discomfort. "We consummated the marriage. It is a lawful marriage in word and deed." She whispers her confidence slowly ebbing away.

I gasp at her candor. Words spoken can be ignored and brushed away, but the act of losing ones maiden head could not be so easily hidden. "You will have to keep this a secret so you do not lose your reputation," I speak frankly.

She nods her head in assent. "No one would've cared that the man was betrothed if Cardinal Wolsey hadn't intervened. They would have just broken the former agreement and gained the Kings approval. Cardinal Wolsey made a point of humiliating us both in front of my family and threatened my husband with his position in court, he said he would take his inheritance away. I think he hates our family and would hate to see us rise."

"I doubt a man of the church would have such hate for others?" I say indifferently.

Anne snorts at that. "Plenty of hate, and ambition. Stay away from that man, Kat. I get the feeling he knows I hold certain secrets close to my heart."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I think he feels uneasy around me like he senses I am different. So just be careful."

I shiver at her words. I have always felt uneasy around them, but now she has given me even more reason to fear the omnipotent church folk.

"I will miss you, Anne. Write to me," I say as we embrace.

"I will miss you too, Kat. Take care of yourself and I will find a way to come back quickly," she says.

I wish her luck and feel my heart churn. She was my first friend at court and now she is leaving.