Time Junction (Not finishing anymore, sorry)

Chapter Two

(Please note that while parts of the story take place in the sixteenth century, do remember that this is a parallel universe of sixteenth century England, so bits and bobs of that time period are incorporated to the plotline, yet not being completely historically accurate at the same time.)

1533 - Hampton Court Palace, England

     King Henry VIII examined the heavily decorated goblet before bringing it up to his lips. Closing his eyes, he took a gulp of the drink and sighed in content.

      Ice cold wine. Just the way he preferred his drinks to be. As he paced around the grand hall he took another sip of the beverage before easing his heavy body back on the throne.

     Lately, Henry had more than his fair share of troubles. Not one day had he not spent tackling some social issue that might prove to threaten his reign. Every hour a countless number of people were brought in to him, barging in with their passionate complaints, only to be forgotten by the King the next day. And all this because of some foolish state of order this deceased father had established.

     Ever since the late Henry VII had introduced the idea of creating a classless, moneyless and stateless society during his reign, the nation had since placed high hopes for a fairer England. No more capitalism. Social discrimination banished. A place where you would not have to worry about experiencing any type of inequality.

     Communism, his father had coined it.

     During his reign, however, Henry VIII took the once peaceful ideology and completely tainted it with his brutal laws and enforcements. He completely bent his father's intention of creating a better nation and turned it to something much more sinister.

     With the establishment of communism came the limitation of many things - Freedom of speech was restricted as speaking out of line meant appearing greedy and selfish. Guilds were closed down to avoid inequality. The royal hierarchy owned all property so people would not take advantage of others. The practice of religion was also banned; churches were burned, clergymen hunted down and arrested.

     Not that Henry cared. He didn't give a damn about the Roman Catholic Church, not after he was forbidden by them to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon.

     Oh Father, did you truly believe such ideas will lead us far in life?

     Henry chuckled heartedly before snarling and throwing the wine goblet to the side. What a fool you are then!

     All of a sudden the doors of the grand hall opened, showcasing two men on the other side. Although both men held the same stoic facial expression, their resemblance ended right there. The shorter one on the left had a grubby and sweaty face, with deep wrinkles creasing his forehead. The man beside him on ther other hand, possessed a handsome, young face. His hair, dark and thick, was most probably envied by his companion who himself had a bald head. A strange sensation washed over Henry as he watched the duo approach him—the young man seemed familiar to him, as if some buried piece of the past was tugging at his memory. The king shook it off, blaming it on the wine he just had.

     "Your Grace," the older man addressed and bowed his head.

     "Thomas," Henry addressed back. He had not known that his chancellor had returned from Ireland so soon. "How now? Was your visit to Dublin a succesful one?"

      "Aye," Thomas Audley said. "'Twas fine. Despite the disturbance those wretched Irish provided us with, all went to plan."

     "Very well."