29th of January 1536 - Peterborough Cathedral
Dressed in black with a veil covering her face, Queen Anne stood silently as she watched the coffin of Catalina of Aragon being lowered into the ground at last; now perhaps she would finally have peace.
Her funeral had been a quiet affair, with few in attendance that had wanted to attend to say their farewells to the woman; the ceremony had been fit for a Dowager Princess of Wales even if she had scorned such title in life.
Anne could do no more for her, news had arrived during the embalming process that Henry was on his way back to England; she would not risk her husband's displeasure when their reunion must be a happy one.
Anne stood beside her father as they watched Catalina's coffin be laid to rest, neither of them saying a word consumed by their own thoughts on the matter.
It had been discovered during the embalming process that the former Queen had a black growth upon her heart; if such a thing were to be revealed to the public then people would likely assumed that they'd had her poisoned.
Although Thomas would like to believe that the growth was down to the evil that she had done, a true representation of what sort of person the woman had been.
Thomas had done his best to ensure that not a word would be breathed about this, he had paid the embalmer handsomely for his service to ensure he would speak to no one of what he had found.
Once the funeral was done and the coffin interred into the ground where Catalina would rest, Anne moved from her position by the alter as they started to shovel soil into the hole where she was buried.
Moving back along the aisle, Anne's eyes swept over the gathering who she mostly recognised; she was followed by her father and her ladies as she moved towards the exit of the cathedral.
"Your Majesty," Eustace Chapuys greeted with a solemn bow towards the English Queen, a look of displeasure of his face at having to call her such a thing but he had been instructed to offer peace to England.
He was far from pleased to see that Anne herself had come to the funeral, he was certain that Catalina would be rolling around in her new grave if she knew such a thing.
"Ambassador," Anne replied pleasantly, she knew that the ambassador had no great love for her and would have happily seen her take Catalina's place in the ground right now; he had always been such a great supporter of Henry's former wife.
Even when the Emperor had been forced to cast off his aunt for her actions, Anne and Henry still received reports that the ambassador would occasionally visit Catalina at the convent where she'd been banished or her former estates when she had been housed there.
"Her Majesty, Queen Isabella, thanks you for the kindness that you have shown her aunt," Chapuys murmured standing to his full height, he kept his face void of any emotion least he offend the Queen of England.
His mistress was eager to make peace with the countries that her husband had wronged, knowing that Spain was in no position to wage war during this time.
The title of Emperor would very likely pass to Ferdinand if the rumours where to be believed since the new King Philip was far too young to hold such a title, the election would take place in the next couple of weeks.
"She hopes that England and Spain might be friends again one day," Chapuys continued to recite the message that he had been asked to deliver, there was still a chance that they could unite England and Spain through marriage again.
Isabella was still with child, despite fears that the loss of her husband would result in her losing the child that she carried and it was hoped that Anne would give King Henry more children still.
"Perhaps if God wills it," Anne replied, it was not her place to make such promises when she had no idea what her husband would want when he returned.
Her regency was coming to an end and she was counting down the days until Henry returned, she knew she was not the only one that counted down such days.
Her brother George was set to return any day now and Anne knew that Clarice had been longing for her husband's return for long enough.
***
30th of January 1536 - The Palace of Beaulieu
Staring out of the window at the falling snow, the Duchess of Bedford hummed softly to herself as she rocked her son in her arms; he was getting so big now and she couldn't help but think that he would look like his father when he grew up.
William was everything that she had ever dreamed of, she loved him with all her heart and she prayed every day that he would grow old; unlike her brothers that had been lost in infanthood.
"He's perfect," said a voice from behind Clarice, a voice that made her heart beat harder in her chest and one that she had not heard in many months.
Turning away from the window, Clarice could only stare in awe at the sight of her husband after over a year away; her feet felt stuck to the floor as she stared at him, she couldn't believe that this was actually happening.
"George," Clarice whispered, she was surprised that one of her ladies hadn't come to let her know that he had returned or that his horse had been approaching the estate.
It wasn't like they wouldn't have seen him coming with the snow outside, it was horrible weather and barely anyone was outside right now unless they truly needed to be or had work to be done.
George crossed the room unable to stop himself, he had longed for this moment since he had left England and he refused to be parted from his family for a moment longer.
He reached out to cup Clarice's face, his fingers rough against her skin and he smiled down at her; he had thought she looked even more beautiful than the moment that he had left her with little warning.
"I don't understand, Anne said the King wasn't expected to arrive for a few more days," Clarice told him, she had been preparing to leave for Richmond the next day to join Anne and the court to welcome home the King and the army.
It was there that Clarice had thought that she and the children would be reunited with George, she never thought that he would come here to Beaulieu instead.
"I rode ahead, I couldn't bear to spend another moment away from you," George explained, leaning forward to rest his had against hers for a moment before he pulled back so he could get a closer look at his son.
He was everything that he had pictured in his mind while he had been away, he had longed to be here with Clarice and have been her to support her when she had birthed their son as he had done with their daughters.
"May I hold him?" George requested softly, peeked up at Clarice with a small smile on his face as she nodded her head and carefully handed over their son to him.
William was a good weight in George's opinion, he stared down at the dark-haired boy knowing that he had certainly inherited the Boleyn genes from him.
"He's perfect Clarice, thank you," George said to her after a few moments, he was unable to lift his eyes from their son; he had never preferred what children they had but it was a small relief to have a son.
If nothing else, it got his father off their backs, the Boleyn legacy was now secure and George knew that they could focus on raising their children and perhaps God willing they would add more to their brood.
Contessina and Filiberta were fine girls and George wouldn't deny that he wouldn't care if they had many more daughters; any child they had was a blessing to him.
"I am so happy that you are home," Clarice whispered, her hand moving to cup George's face, a small part of her believing that he would never come home that she would receive some sort of missive that he had been killed in battle.
Ippolito had written to her when he could, he invited her to visit Florence one day as it was her home as much as it was his and she deserved to see it restored.
"As am I," George replied moving to kiss Clarice, he had wanted nothing more than to come home to her since this had all started; to come home to her without blood on his hands unless he needed to.
His mind couldn't help but drift back to how he had killed Thomas Wyatt, the imagine of his dead body was seared into George's mind and nothing he seemed to do could shake it.
"I shall get the girls, they have missed you dearly," Clarice said pulling back from George knowing that he would want to see their daughters as well, it had been far too long since he had been home with them.