The castle was so quiet that when Anine awoke that morning she thought someone had died. Maybe someone had died to some of the English residents, anine thought as a soft smile crossed her lips. Today Anne would become queen of England and only after six years of playing the game of cat and mouse.
This means that I should not stay any longer, she realized.
She would wipe herself from their memories and vanish back to wales where she would wait to try again with Henry's son. But why did it feel like leaving would rip her heart out?
Youre afraid of leaving the king and what it will do to you.
She shrugged off her sister's words and climbed out of bed. It's Anne destiny to become his queen. It was never mine, she thought. But why do I feel jealous of her achievement?
"You majesty?" Anna said once she noticed anine was up from bed. "Are ye alright?"
"Not really Anna," She said sliding into the chair near the hearth. Why was she suddenly feeling this way. Jealousy, it was an emotion that was foreign to her and she didn't like it.
She was in love with Henry and she couldn't do anything about it. And then there was the jealousy she felt towards his kisses, touches, and adoring that made her blood boil. There were poisonous thoughts for someone with her kind of power. But that didn't stop her from feeling angry at her foolishness, pretending that she felt nothing for Henry.
And what of the king? Did he actually love Anne or did he love her promises for a son? Anine had seen the way he looked at her.
"You've remembered haven't ye milady?" Anna asked as she took a brush to Anine's hair.
"You knew?"
"I was the one who erased your feelings for him,"
"Why?" she turned her hair from Anna's fingers and glanced up at her.
"Maraush wanted it," she sat the brush down and sat in the opposite chair. "Did you remember the day you almost married him?"
"Just my feelings," anine said glancing at the fireplace. "What have I done?"
"You let fate take control without interfering with it," Anna said. She vanished to the bedroom and came back with Anine's royal coronation dress. "You will have to endure their marriage and another before he will be ready to take you as his,"
With that Anna made Anine stand as she stripped her from her nightgown, take her to the tub, bathe her and then dress her in the rich gown. She inhaled as Anna began lacing the corset, synching her in tight before she took to brushing out her wet hair.
"It will be harder when you remember that day," Anna said as she started the braiding. "And I will fear for you when that happens,"
"Why?"
"You may not be able to keep your emotions in tact," Anna said finishing the braid and forcing Anine into a chair where she started to pinch her cheeks. "Things will happen that will make you question your love for him. You may not be able to love him without that memory,"
(C) Kelcey Winn
YOU ARE READING
The Seventh Queen (On Hold: Revising)
Historical FictionAnine Wallace was once betrothed to King Henry the eighth before he was king. That was before his brother died and he inherited his brother's wife. Almost ten years later and her mother or the woman who pretends to be her mother forces her to go bac...
