Festina Lente

Chapter Fifty-Six: To Be Queen

26th of June 1534 - Palace of Whitehall

"Apples again, Sweetheart?" Henry enquired watching Anne as she selected another apple, a knowing gleam forming in his eyes recalling the other times that his dear wife seemed to have developed a special fondness for the fruit. 

A smile formed on his face and he sat back in his seat to admire her, the fact that she had fallen pregnant again after losing a child back in January; it pleased him greatly that she had gotten pregnant again so quickly. 

"Yes, my love," Anne replied simply, a large smile on her face and she would not deny that she was with child again; she had wished for nothing more in the past few weeks. 

After losing her last child, Anne was determined not to lose her next one; she never wished to feel like she had when she had laid in bed after losing her child again. 

Getting up from his seat, Henry could not hide his pleasure at the news that Anne was with child; they had two healthy children already and despite the fact that she had lost their last child, he had no doubts she would be more careful this time. 

Pressing a kiss to Anne's lips, Henry could not believe how blessed their marriage was and he knew that should Anne do her duty to him and England then he would reward her for it. 

A little Duke of York would be very welcome and Henry would be most pleased. The weakness that had held the English succession since his father had passed and the death of his little Prince Hal would come to an end. 

Alexander was a fine boy and he was so very bright, he would make a fine King when he was older as long as Henry secured it for him; he would do as his father and grandfather before him had done and erase anyone that could cause an issue. 

Mary would be long gone from England, ruling over Florence with her husband and children while no one would back his bastard son by Bessie Blount for the throne. 

The Duke of Richmond was no more a threat than he had been when he had been born, he may share slight favour from his royal father but it was no more than what was now shown to the Duchess of Hertford. 

"My Queen," Henry praised her, no one could deny that their marriage was not blessed by God; that they had lost but one child since their marriage compared to the countless that he had lost with Katherine.

It pleased him greatly, Alexander and Elizabeth were both healthy children and he had no doubts that they would be the prizes of Christendom when it came to finding them marriages; no one would deny such fine children. 

"The French Ambassador comes with news of an alliance between us and King Francis against the Emperor," Henry stated moving to sit down, it was an alliance that enticed him more so now, with Francis speaking of them as Kin that needed to unite against the Spanish Dogs that bayed at their doors. 

Should France fall to the Emperor then there was little to stop Charles from turning his attentions to England, he would send a fleet in hopes of taking the isle. 

Francis had been more than honest about his intentions to ally with Scotland, though Margaret had informed her brother of such things; peace between the Scots and the English had always been shaky at best. 

However, whispers of the Emperor's rage at such embarrassment could not be ignored; his mother, aunt and now sister were whispered to be mad and Eleanor of Austria had been locked up with Joanna of Castile upon her return to Spain. 

Both the Kingdoms of Scotland and England were united in their desire not to loose their thrones and secret talks where in place for an alliance between them against invaders.