The Serpent Queen

35. The Accused

17th of January, 1536, Paris

"Did you enjoy the ball despite everything that happened?" Anne asked her niece Catherine Carey, her sister's daughter, who was sitting on the stool across from Anne, massaging her hands.

She had retired to her bedroom hours ago and had already stripped off the heavy dress she had been wearing that day and exchanged it for her nightgown and overcoat.

"Yes aunt, I danced wonderfully." Catherine replied with a smile, twisting her face at the thoughts of the French Duchess lying on the floor and the blood left on the floor after she left. The party soon came to an end and everyone had returned to their bedrooms.

"Will everything be all right with the Duchess, aunt?" she asked worriedly. Anne shook her head. "She seemed to have lost a lot of blood so I fear her child will not make it alive in this world." she said softly.

Anne herself knew well what it was like to have a miscarriage. After Elizabeth was born, she got pregnant again, but the baby was lost around Christmas. It had been hard for her to pretend to be happy because of the many celebrations that were celebrated for Christmas when in reality she was grieving for the child she had not yet known.

She had another miscarriage the following year and both she and Henry had been very disappointed in losing another possible son.

She had sworn to herself that she would carry this child to the end and give the king a healthy son so that her burden would also be lifted from her shoulders.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" called her cousin Margaret Shelton. "Yes madge?" Anne replied, annoyed at her cousin's loud voice.

Margaret came into the room, a look of concern on her face.

"What is it?" Anne asked now more alert and concerned. "Is it the King?"

Margaret's shook her head. "Oh good lord, no it is not the king, your majesty. There are French guards at the door and they refuse to let anyone in or out. We are locked up."

Anne took her hands from Catherine's and got up from the chair. "What do you mean there are French guards at the door? Where are the English guards and why don't they let anyone out." She walked over to Margaret.

"Your Majesty, if I knew I would have liked to tell you, but they refuse to say a word, no matter how much I kept nagging."

Anne sighed in exasperation and walked out of the room, into her audience room and then to the door, which she opened with aggression. Margaret and Catherine ran after her to assist their mistress with whatever she was planning to do.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked sternly to the guards who had turned to the open door.

"By the orders of King Francis you are required to remain in your chambers." said one of the guards. "I am the Queen of England. You cannot lock me up in my own chambers!" cried Anne. She tried to force her way through the guards, but they blocked the passage with their lances.

"Let me through!" she called now. She felt herself growing weary of squabbling but refused to be disrespected by the French guards when she herself was the Queen of England.

"My lady, I must kindly ask you to return to your chambers and await the king's orders. You are confined to your chambers like the other Englishmen."