15th of March 1536 - Greenwich Palace
"It is by my will and my great desire that in the event of my death that Queen Anne shall be recognised as regent for our son, Prince Alexander," King Henry announced to his privy council, his eyes sweeping over the peers that had gathered to hear his proclamation.
His time in recovery from his accident while jousting had left the King with much to consider, he knew that despite his desire to live a long life that he must be prepared for the event that the Lord called him home before he was ready.
Anne was seated on Henry's right, her eyes gazing up at her husband as he addressed the lords of the privy council, and she knew that there would be many that would be displeased with such a notion.
Many would have sorted to gain control for themselves in the event of the King's death, with only a few words it was now all but decided that it would be Anne that ruled in her son's name when her husband passed.
"My lords, my dear Queen, it is my desire for the castle of Ludlow to be granted to my beloved Prince Alexander, I wish to see the castle repaired to it's former glory before the prince takes up his placement at the castle," Henry continued knowing that it would soon be time for Alexander to leave the royal nursery which he shared with his sisters.
Sir Thomas Engleford had complained quite recently that the castle was still unfit for habitation, even with the considerable renovation work that had been down at the start of 1530.
"My Lord Suffolk. It is you who I task with such a duty as restoring Ludlow Castle for our most beloved son," Henry stated taking Anne's hand and looking at his friend, a look that left no misunderstanding as to why Charles Brandon had been chosen for this task.
It was to be a punishment for the accident that Charles had caused that had left the king bedridden for many weeks with a splitting headache and causing the wound on his leg to reopen from an earlier incident.
"It is an honour Your Majesties," Charles replied stiffly, his face revealed nothing about how he felt about such an appointment even as he glanced to his right where the Duke of Norfolk was seated looking rather amused.
The announcement that the Earl of Lincoln had been betrothed to Lady Contessina Boleyn had been most welcomed by the King, who had insisted that it was a fine match for his Goddaughter and had gone as far as to hint that he'd greatly bless the marriage.
Henry nodded at Charles before he turned on to the other business that needed to be discussed, there was much that he still wanted to do with his life, and he wanted to leave England strong for his son.
"We must send out most sincere congratulations to the new King Charles of Naples and his bride on his coronation," Henry said knowing that the new King of Naples would be linked to the throne of England through the marriage of his youngest daughter.
Beatrice would make a fine French Duchess; Henry was most pleased to learn that Anne was already instructing Lady Bryan on how their daughters should have the finest education available to them.
Anne had hired the finest language tutors that could be found for their children, Danish, Swedish and French had been instructed to be taught to the children to reflect each of their new matches.
"As well as our congratulations to the newly crowned King Philip, who was crowned earlier this month," Henry continued knowing that the Spanish were still recovering from the loss of the Emperor as well as the rumours that Joanna of Castile was on her deathbed.
The Queen of Castile was the last of her siblings alive following the death of Catalina earlier in the year, the news of her ill health was not unexpected especially given the conditions that the anointed Queen had lived in since her imprisonment.
There was also the news that the Dowager Empress Isabella had taken to confinement following her son's coronation in preparation for the birth of the child that she had conceived with her late husband who was due soon enough.
Henry would not leave England in the same situation that Charles had left the his territories, he would never be as foolish as the Emperor had been; his time would come soon enough and England would be prepared for it.
***
"Jane you must tell mother, we cannot hide this," Dorothy pleaded to her eldest sister as she watched Jane tidy around their small chamber, one that they were now forced to share since she had come to court to serve the Queen.
It had been a great honour for Dorothy to be asked to serve Queen Anne like her sister, her mother had told her what an honour it was to be even considered for such a position.
All that now lay at risk because of Jane, she did not wish to be cast out of court because of what her older sister had just told her.
Not when their father had recently arranged a fine marriage for her, Dorothy found that she was rather fond of Clement and she would happily marry him if that was what her parents wished of her.
"What is going on here?" Lady Ughtred asked stepping into the room, a frown upon her face as she looked between her sisters and she pointedly ignored the look that Jane gave her knowing that she had no patience for whatever bile that her older sister wished to spill.
Jane had made it more than clear what she thought of Elizabeth for her treatment of Anne, she saw her sister as nothing more than a traitor for her closeness to Anne.
"It is none of your business," Jane stated turning away from Elizabeth, her sister had chosen her side and she would not trust her with such a secret not when she had cause for happiness during this time.
If only Anne was not hovering about the King then Jane could surely share with him the wonderful news that she had discovered, she had paid the midwife handsomely for her silence.
"Janey is with child," Dorothy blurted out, she moved from her place on her bed and stepped towards Elizabeth hoping that she might be able to talk some sense into Jane who did not seem to realise how serious this was.
Dorothy felt like she'd have more luck speaking with a brick wall than she was convincing Jane to see sense, there was not something to be proud of nor was this joyful news.
"What did you say?" came a voice from the doorway and the three Seymour girls turned to find their mother standing in the open doorway, her face stricken as she stepped forward into the room.
"Lady Mother," the girls greeted bowing their heads as Lady Seymour stepped into the room, her eyes sweeping over her three girls as she moved closer trying to digest what she had heard.
"Is it what Dorothy said true? Are you with child?" Lady Seymour asked stopping before her eldest daughter, her eyes sweeping down the slender form of Jane trying to spot some tell-tale sign that her daughter was with child.
Jane held up her head, a smile forming on her face as she nodded her head; her hands coming to rest on her still flat stomach knowing that in the coming year she would be blessed with a son.
The smile on her face did not remain for long, Lady Seymour slapped her across the face causing Jane to stumble back in shock at her mother's action while her sister gasped.
"Who is the father? Will he make an honest woman of you?" Lady Seymour demanded, she stood over her daughter who clutched at her face as her voice raised unable to believe what she was hearing.
Surely, she had raised her daughters better than this and they knew not to fall into bed at the first man that offered them a kind word; her stomach twisted thinking of the shame this would bring to their family.
Edward had recently been created Viscount Beauchamp for his service to Queen Anne during the King's absence, it was the boast that Edward had desired most for his ambitions at court.
"The King," Jane stated trying to straighten up under her mother's cold gaze, she would not allow her fears cloud her joy when her son was wanted and loved.
Her boy was growing safely inside of her, he would be the son that the King desired above all else; he would be so pleased when he learnt that she was carrying his son and she had conceived quickly for him.
"He will make me his wife, he loves me and he will love our child," Jane stated, she stepped forward to take her mother's hands to let her know that all would be well.
Her brothers would be Dukes and her sisters would make grand marriages, it would all be worth it when Henry had her crowned as his Queen and their son was named the Prince of Wales.
Jane swore that she would be kind to Anne's bastards when she was sent from court to a nunnery, she would ensure they were treated well and grow up knowing their station but never a threat to her own son.
"Are you mad girl? He is a married man and will not leave the Queen for the likes of you," Lady Seymour asked, her eyes staring at Jane in horror and she could not believe what she was hearing right now.
She cursed herself for not putting an end to this sooner, perhaps if she had acted when Elizabeth and Edward had approached her with their concerns about Jane writing to the King then they would not be facing such shame now.
"He left Good Queen Katherine for the whore," Jane insisted, ignoring the looks of horror from her sisters at her words about Anne; she cared not what they thought after they had betrayed the true Queen of England.
If he could leave Katherine for Anne, then he would and could leave Anne for Jane and their child; she was sure he would be thrilled to be free of the harpy.
"Queen Anne has a son, a healthy living son in the King's image... why would he throw that away for you?" Elizabeth interrupted with a shake of her head, surely her sister was not so stupid to not understand that the King would never leave Anne even if Jane gave him a son.
The boy would likely be ignored by the King, he had no reason to recognise any child by Jane when Anne had given him three healthy children and from what Elizabeth had witnessed was eager to see her with child again.
"He loves me," Jane insisted crossing her arms, her cheek stung from the slap that her mother had given her but she refused to cower to their ignorance.
They would see when the King scolded them for their treatment of her, she would forgive them after her wedding which would be a grand affair; she'd even had work started on a dress that would be grander than any Queens before her.
"You are not to leave these chambers. Your father and brother shall inform the King of your circumstance and then we will decide what to do with you," Lady Seymour instructed firmly, she stared at her daughter knowing her delusions would come swiftly to an end.
Queen Anne would dismiss her from her position at court, not that anyone would blame her for such a thing; if the king was kind enough to arrange a marriage for Jane then she would be lucky.
Ushering her other daughters from the chamber, Lady Seymour closed the door behind her and locked it; she ignored the raging sounds of Jane screaming after her knowing that Jane only had herself to blame for this.
***
20th of March 1536 - Greenwich Palace
Holding her head high as she was escorted down the corridor by one of the King's stewards, Jane couldn't might help but smile victoriously as she prepared to see the King for the first time since she had announced her pregnancy to her family.
They had done well to keep her out of sight, their apologies sent on to Anne to explain away her absence from her service but their worries had been for nothing.
The King had sent for her just as she knew he would when he learned of her pregnancy, she had been ordered to dress quickly as to not keep the King waiting and she had wasted no time in dressing in her finest gown.
The corridors were empty as they made their way towards the private chapel, Jane's heart pounding in her chest as they finally reached the doors to the chapel and where ushered inside.
There was a small gathering inside, Jane's eyes sweeping over her family as she moved further into the chapel; their faces gave nothing away as she looked to them for answers.
The Duke and Duchess of Suffolk were also in attendance, along with Sir Nicolas and his sister, Jane was pretty sure that she could see some of the Boleyns in attendance mingled in with the crowd; their faces betrayed nothing as to what was about to happen.
Jane moved towards the altar, her dreams of what was about to happen were far grander than this but she would marry Henry in anyway that he wished; she knew that there would be much that needed to be arranged especially when it came to displacing Anne.
Her rival would be condemned to a nunnery, Jane had thought locked away so that no one would think of her ever again and Jane's position as Queen of England would be secure.
Her eyes caught on the sight of Thomas Cranmer, who was now the Archbishop of Canterbury if Jane recalled right; she pursed her lips a little as she looked at him knowing that his removal would be one of her first acts when she had her son and installing a true believer to such a high position.
It was the man beside him that made Jane pause in confusion, her brow furrowed as she stared at Sir Francis Bryan who was standing in place of where Jane had assumed that Henry would be waiting for her.
Her walk slowed to a stop as she wondered just what was going on, surely this was some sort of mistake and se looked at the crowd around her in confusion as she waited for someone to explain.
It was then that she spotted Henry, not at the altar waiting for her with a kind smile on his face but standing with Anne in the crowd; her rival dressed regally as ever as she stared at Jane with a small look of pity.
"Shall we begin?" Thomas Cranmer asked gently signalling for Jane to come closer to the alter, he offered her a small smile of comfort as John Seymour linked his daughter by the arm and all but dragged her towards her intended.
He ignored Jane's quiet pleas and questions until they were stood beside Sir Francis, his face stiff as he nodded to the man that had agreed to marry his tainted daughter.
"And so under the eyes of the Lord, we prepare to consecrate this blessed union with two sacred oaths," Thomas Cranmer said speaking to the small gathering as he looked at Jane.
The poor girl looked rather stunned at the turn of events, surely having expected a different kind of wedding than the one that she was currently being subjected to.
The ceremony seemed to disappear for Jane, the words that Cranmer was speaking barely reaching her as the tears started to fall and her father all but held her in place.
This was not how her wedding was meant to be, this was not the grand affair that she had dreamt of when she had given her heart to Henry.
Sir Francis took her hands as her father released her from his hold, Jane's sobbing having not deterred the ceremony in the least and he stared at his new bride knowing that it was for the best.
"I, Francis, take this woman to be my lawfully wedded wife under the eyes of God from this day forward," he said reciting the vows that Cranmer gave him, he had been paid rather handsomely to marry Jane and if need be acknowledge her bastard child as his own.
Henry had spoken with his friend in detail about what he expected, he would not have it said that he did not care for his own children but after everything he had done to secure England's succession the last thing he needed was for Jane's child to cause him any potential issues.
Anne felt sick watching the scene before her, knowing that Jane would only have more cause to dislike her now that she was being forced to marry a man that Henry had chosen for her and her child would likely go unrecognised.
She would never breath a word to anyone in the part that she had played in this mess, Anne doubted Jane would thank her for what she had done; a title given to Sir Francis along with lands that Jane would call home now.
Anne knew that she would likely never set eyes on Jane again, Henry had promised her such when he had learned from Viscount Beauchamp of the pregnancy and he had come to her.
He had wished to send Jane to a nunnery, to never darken their doors again especially given her clingy behaviour that had not only reached Henry's ears but Anne's as well.
Instead Anne had convinced him to marry her off, give the man a title, lands and money to care for Jane and her child; they would not be welcomed back at court but Anne knew that Francis was a favourite of her husband's and no doubt loyal to him.
He would keep Jane in line, he would ensure that her fantasies were crushed and that the child that she bore Henry would never be a threat to Anne's children whether it be a boy or a girl.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Cranmer stated bringing the wedding to a close, Jane's sobs the only other noise in the chamber as Francis stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek before linking her arm.
There were soft claps at Cranmer's words, everyone knowing that this was far from a joyous occasion and there was much to be arranged; Jane was dismissed from Anne's household and had no place at court for now.
"Our deepest congratulations, Viscount Bryan on your marriage. I trust you and the Viscountess will be very happy together and will enjoy your time at Wallingford Castle," King Henry announced linking arms with Anne and gently leading her towards Jane and Francis.
He ignored the quiet sobs from Jane as he patted his dear friend on the back, as if he had not pulled all the strings to make this match happen and had made Francis constable of Wallingford Castle to keep him away from court.