On The Edge Of A Golden World: Anne Boleyn Lives On

Better Days

Anne's P.O.V
Three weeks away from court refreshes my aurora. Without the constant pressure to please Charles, fight for Henry's attention or sheild myself from the the gossip of court I can finally relax. "Madame, perhaps since you have regained your strength we can make a trip to Ludlow Castle." I eye my cousin, Lady Kitty, curiously. "What business do have at Ludlow, Kitty?" Lady Cowell and Lady Bacher shake their heads at the young lady. "Your Grace, your cousin wishes to meet Prince Edward." I smile down the blonde beauty. "Kitty, no one can just walk into the royal nursey of Prince Edward. You must recieve permission from the King." Kitty looks to the ground and begins to figget with her feet. "Well, your grace, I thought that since you are the mother of Princess Elizabeth and Annebelle, you might be able to visit. And since we are your handmaidens, we must attend to your needs at Ludlow, so I'd be able to meet the Prince." I let out a giggle and Kitty blushes from embarassment. "You have thought this all out haven't you, Kitty?" She nods feircely "If you really to meet Prince Edward this much, I will see if I can arrange a visit. But cannot promise anything." Kitty claps her hands then curtseys to me.

I look over to Lady Cowell. "Send word to Hatfield that I will be visiting my children today." She bows and leaves to follow my instructions. Lady Bacher steps forward and hands the remainder of the documents that need to be examined to me. "My Lady, the villiagers send their thanks for you donation of vegetable stock for the coming summer. They sent tributes for your table." I give her a questioning look as she gestures for me to follow her to the castle kitchen. We walk through the castle to the kitchen. "3 chickens, rosemary, two calves. And one stallion to join your stables." I nod, approving each gift. "Tomorrow after prayer we will go into the villiage and hand out gold." Lady Bacher signals that she understands. And I leave the kitchen to prepare for my departure to Hatfield.
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Henry's P.O.V
"Papa, Belle is starting to crawl. Lady Kat says she'll be walking by the end of the year." I kiss my daughter's head and look over to my youngest daughter. Annebelle is growing so fast. Her black curls came down to her shoulder now. She put on some weight from her feedings. Her cheeks are rosy pink and her eyes are no longer the baby blue they were when she was born. They'd changed from sky blue to ice blue. "Your Majesty, her Grace, the Duchess of Pembroke has arrived." Elizabeth leaps from my lap, boucing on the tip of her toes, clapping her hands. Anne walks in dressed in a beautiful green gown in the french style. It's embroided with pearls on the all the edges. She has a tiara on made from the same pearls on her dress. Her eyes are coated in light eye liner that makes her eyes pop and her lips are covered by a light shade of pink lip colouring. She's stunning.

"Mama.." Elizabeth runs to her mother, who happily embraces her. Anne gestures for Lady Kat to hand over Belle. "My beautiful jewels." Belle claps her hands as she is put into her mother's arms. "Mama, Mama.." Anne kisses both their heads and then Lizzie runs back to me. "Mama, Papa says I am going to court for my birthday." Anne, cuddling Belle, stands back up straight, and beams in my direction. "That's wonderful, my beautiful girl." Lizzie turns to me next. "Will Mama come to court too?" I raise an eyebrow to Anne, who comes closer to join the conversation. She places her hand on Elizabeth's head, running her fingers through Lizzie's tudor red hair. "Yes, I will." My smiles enlargens in reaction. "We will all be together for your birthday." Lizzie cocks her head to the side. "Even my brother."

Anne nervously signals it's my turn to answer a question. "Edward is too young to travel that long distance, perhaps next year he will come to court to celebrate with us." Elizabeth accepts my answer and grabs Lady Kat's hand. "Come Kat, I want to collect roses for Mama's flower crown." Lady Kat and Elizabeth take off into the mist of the garden and Anne sits down with Annebelle still in her arms. "She's growing so fast. And looks more like me everyday." Anne caresses Belle's cheeks as the babe gurgles. She takes a strand of Anne's hair in her hand and begins to pull at it. "You mustn't allow her to do that all the time." Anne smiles up at me. "She'll learn. She'll become brighter everyday, like Elizabeth does and like I did." I come kneel next to them, rubbing the top of Belle's head. Anne faces me once more. "She'll grow into a marvelous woman, like you as well." I move my hand from the top of  Belle's head to interwine it with Anne's. "Thank you, Henry." I kiss her hand. "Welcome back, my love."