The King's Poison

18

(I got tired of Roman numerals lol)

Lightly edited

Henry

I watched the men with visible disdain as they tried their hardest to impress the pope. He had traveled over three nights to visit.

I for one did not care for this haggard-looking oaf or the power he thought he had over me. I had already excommunicated from the papal rule and gave myself the title of: Supreme Head of the Church of England. It was a befitting title, one that held power and importance.

Another justice of the court rose from his seat and began to spew some self-righteous monologue to impress Pope Clement.

I pushed my pinky to my nose, amused by their bursts of sentiments, but distracted by the scent of Anna, for it lingered against my skin. Was I foolish to admit that I didn't care to wash it off?

I wanted to hold it for an eternity.
Her scent was addictive; a pheromone of passion.

I couldn't help myself from recollecting her features. They were so similar to Anne's. She had nothing to be jealous of and although her admission made me laugh, it worried me. Anna would never truly give herself to me if fear resided in her heart. I could tell she held a hatred from me, but it was one superficial in nature; one that made me crave her even more.

My mind raced to the naughty images of her slender body as it rested in mine.
Her throat around my grasp.
Her soft mahogany lips that curled into a complacent smile as she battled for oxygen, all while I held her lifeline by the thread.

"Henry.
HENRY!" A voice snaps me from my thoughts.

"Hmmm?" I sighed, lifting my head to follow the voice. It was Cromwell of course. A furrowed brow met his features. He knew I was not listening and I did not make the effort to hide it.

My vision turned to Pope Clement who was seated across the courtroom. He greeted me with a plastered smile, arrogance filled his face.
I hated him.
Maybe even loathed the fool.
I didn't favor a lot of things and he was one of them.

"Seems like the king's mind is elsewhere, hopefully on thoughts of the Lord?"

"No. I was daydreaming about being headfirst into virgin p*ssy but you interrupted that Clement" I teased. The Pope only rolled his eyes as he heard my jests. I had 2 wives already and withdrew from Catholicism to get engaged to a third. He was used to my lewd antics.

"What the king meant to say Pope Clement was—"

"Rat" I coughed beneath a breath as Cromwell tried to speak for me. The deep laughs of the court men echoed through the room as they reacted to another quip of mine.

"I meant what I said, Pope Clement. I was headfirst into a beautiful flower before your sudden disturbance" I didn't hide my disdain for the pope. He had refused to grant my divorce with Catherine and I despised him since.

"Physical relationships tend to deride you, Henry. After one failed marriage and another that ended so shortly, perhaps a path that turns to the Lord is your answer?" He pulled a speck of cotton from his perfectly ironed robes, waiting to hear my rebuttal.

"You look gaunt by the way. Is this a new look you are trying to display?" I cursed his appearance, pushing a palm to my chin. I waited to hear his return.

He chuckled and shook his head admittedly. "I just completed a 40 day fast Henry."

"I can tell" I greeted the explanation. Wosely and a few other men chuckled, they loved the banter between us two.