The King's Favourite

Funereal Wedding

"But when. And you are already married." she asked timidly

Henry thought for a second and then said "Lady Mary is gone now so people have no way of learning the truth about Katherine. I will say she passed away and then marry you."

Anne smiled a genuine smile "You would do that your grace?" This action seemed too good to be true.

Henry nodded "We shall be married tomorrow, I shall announce Katherine's death this evening."

Anne was so overjoyed. She had been struggling for months to hide her pregnancy and now she would married and she could soon announce it. She was almost 8 months now and was too big to even try and hide her bump.

That evening, Henry did as he had promised and announced Katherine's death. He executed it with such skill even Anne almost believed him. The announcement was made over dinner to a large proportion of the court. Henry's act was completed by weeping and a constant look of solemnity throughout the evening.

Then he had turned to Anne and had said "My love, the queen has sadly passed. Would you take her place as my wife and comfort me through my mourning?"

Anne replied "I would love to marry you and will help you through your mourning"

"Then we shall be married at dawn" exclaimed Henry slipping a ring onto Anne's bony finger "Then we can mourn the queen, but until then let this be a day of celebration for a new queen is to be crowned."

The whole of the remaining Boleyn family had been at the dinner when the announcement had been made and a meeting was called to discuss the news. The meeting was held in the normal place and Anne was sat at the end of the table as she was again the focus of the meeting.

"Is it true?" exclaimed George, eager to hear the truth.

"Of course it's not true" snapped Anne "Do you really think the King would propose after finding out his wife died?"

Uncle Howard snapped back at Anne "Well the performance was very believable".

Anne's mother was eager to stop talking about whether or not the queen was dead so said "Well congratulations Anne. You are marrying the most powerful man in England. You will be a queen."

"And our stations will undoubtedly rise" added her father. He never had much time for romance and now his favourite daughter was gone, he had little care for anything other than his position in Court. Uncle Howard shared this opinion but not because Mary had gone, just because he looked down on our family and had little faith in anyone but himself.

"I can't wait to be married." Anne exclaimed "I have been struggling to hide my pregnancy. And i'm in my 20's now."

"We share in your joy" added her father.

The next day, Anne woke up early to prepare for her wedding. She bathed and dressed in a white gown. Her hair was neatly arranged into a bun and was adored with rare early blooming flowers. She wore the ring that Henry had presented upon her and decided she was ready. She walked from her chambers to the royal carriage that would take her to the church where she would be married in a small ceremony.

As she entered the church she caught sight of herself in a window. She looked a vision in white but her bump was very clear. She owned no white dresses that could hide it so had to chose white or concealment, she had chosen white as she wanted a proper wedding.

Anne walked down the aisle, her dress trailing behind her. Some music started and everyone rose to see the bride. The Boleyn and Howard family were there and they smiled as they watched Anne walk straight into the key to their wealth. Everybody else however, didn't look so happy; they all loved Katherine and didn't think it right that Henry was marrying when he should be mourning.

Henry waited at the front of the church and took Anne's hand as she reached the alter. The vows were said and rings were exchanged. It was a beautiful wedding but many people glared at Anne's bump and immediately despised her for sleeping with a married man, yet their was nothing that could be done about it. In marrying Anne, Henry had made the child she carries legitimate and no-one would dare to argue with the King over the legitimacy of an unborn child as it was a very delicate topic with the King.

The day after the wedding, the Court had descended into mourning for the queen and no excitement was expressed. Around lunchtime, a carriage pulled into the castle, Anne recognized it instantly and ran down to find out about it's sudden arrival. The carriage door flung open and out ran Lady Mary, she wasn't her usual happy self though.

"What is it Mary?" Anne tenderly asked.

"My mother" Mary sobbed "She's dead"

Anne thought fast "Oh we know Mary. It truly is awful, come in and I will fetch your father."

"No" yelled Mary "My father ordered her away to that terrible place. I don't want to speak to him".

Anne embraced Mary with open arms and tried to comfort her. But Mary had spotted something that she couldn't ignore. "You exiled my mother and me." she exclaimed

"What makes you think that?" Anne desperately tried to calm Mary.

"You married Henry and wanted my mother away so she could die and your marriage could be allowed. You send us away to die. That ring shouldn't be on your finger and the baby you carry won't be a boy. Any other babies you have don't deserve to live!" Mary yelled at Anne before running up the steps and into the castle in awful sobs.

Henry had heard the drama and ran out to see what had happened "What is it Anne?" he asked his wife who was now looking worried and had tears running down her face.

"Katherine is dead" she whispered

Henry was confused "I know Anne, she's not really dead we just said that so we could be wed"

"No, she's dead." Anne cried "Lady Mary arrived from Ludlow and said that Katherine was dead when she got home."

"This changes nothing" Henry was still confused "We are married"

Anne began to sob "She cursed me"

"Who" demanded the King

"Mary" sobbed Anne "She blamed me for her mothers death"

"How did she curse you?" questioned the King, growing mad with his daughter

"She said that this baby would be a girl and that any others we had would die" Anne cried hysterically

Henry was fuming and helped Anne to his chambers before running to his daughters room. He knocked on the door and yelled "Mary!"

Mary had inherited his temper and screamed back "What do you want?"

"You cursed my wife" Henry bellowed

Mary argued back with great volume "She killed my mother and you helped."

"You are trying my patience" Henry tried to calm himself slightly but failed

Mary didn't even try to calm down and fought back "I don't care if i'm trying your patience. You can just kill me like you killed my mother. But you won't because i'm the only heir to the throne and even if you do, you'll only ever have the girl that Anne is carrying instead. You will never get a boy."

Henry had had enough "Mary, I am sending you to Pendennis Castle until you have calmed down. You are not welcome at Court as you cursed my true wife and are accusing her of murder. You are lucky I don't send you to the tower." Then Henry called his guards and they led Lady Mary, kicking and screaming back to her carriage. They pinned her down until they got to Pendennis castle where they ordered the staff to not let her out of the castle grounds.