The King's Poison

XXIV

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Henry

"Who do I need to kill to make you happy?" I cursed, forcing her jaw up. She looked into my eyes and glared.

"Lady Seymour" she smirked before buttoning up the back of her dress and storming out the room.

——

Henry

"So the Pope requested another meeting this morning. I urged him not to my king. I told him a meeting would be inconvenient but of course, he refused any alternative. It was unexpected but he insisted it was necessary."

"Let me guess. He caught wind of Philip's severed arm?" I chuckled to myself. Thinking of my best friend Philip. I hadn't seen him since the night of our brawl. I wondered how his arm was healing?

"That... among other things" Cromwell revealed.

"I suppose this is some sort of prayer intervention? His last attempt to save my cursed soul"

"Who knows with the pope. " Cromwell cursed.

"How long is he here till?"

"Just three days," he said unconvincingly.

The Pope insisted he was cutting his trip short 4 days ago. I was beginning to think busying himself in my castle was a pastime.

"Knowing that loon, he will make it a month." I cursed.

Cromwell ignored me of course, going on and on about plans for the day but all I could think of was Anna and the equestrian she has asked of me.

"Who do I need to kill to make you happy?"

"Lady Seymour"

There was venom in the way she said it and fulfillment in the way her lips curled. It was as if she had been rehearsing for the day that I would ask her.

But could I kill Jane? I had just finish executing Anne. There would be uproar if another woman in my court was sentenced to death by guillotiné.

The Pope had already deemed me a menace for that. With Philip's severed arm and my disrespect for his authority, I was hanging on by only a thin thread of the church's mercy.

——
Anna

"So make sure the scones are front and center. Serve the king first then the Pope. They are most important. Anna.
Anna! are you listening?" Catherine fussed.

"Yes, Catherine. Of course, I was listening" I lied.

"Okay. What did I say then?" She turns to me, wiping her hands clean of powdered sugar.

"Hmmmmm...." I hummed trying to come up with a pleasing answer.

"You said to make sure the scones are center and to serve the king first." Thomas interjected, saving me from an earful of her wrath. Catherine glared at him before turning back to her duties.

"Thomas will not always be here to save you" Catherine warns.

"You are right" I pretended to frown, "but as long as he is here. I will accept his generous aide" I smile skipping to his side before leaning my cheek against his shoulder. He smiles handsomely before flipping over the pages of his book.