Evermore

Prologue

"This is the warrant for your arrests.
You are charged
with committing adultery
with
Mark Smeaton
Sir Henry Norris
&
William Brereton
Both Smeaton and Brereton
have already
confessed their guilt
We have come at
the king's
command
To conduct you
to the tower
there to abide during his majesty's pleasure."

The Duke of Suffolk's words echoed in the mind of the young Queen as she prayed in her lodgings at the Tower of London all the while the three homely maids who had been assigned to her upon her arrival, tended to her newborn son.

"I will give glory to thee O lord: for you have saved me from injustice, from slanderous tongues and an unjust king. My soul shall praise thee even to my death."

When the heavy wooden door which had kept her a prisoner since her unjustly imprisonment came open and the sound of its brackets made her stand from the altar by which she prayed, and her homely maids scurry into a struggle line with their heads bowed. "Master Kingston" she said, as he entered, expecting the worse of the worse to come out of his mouth.

"Your, majesty." William Kingston said, glancing at her newborn son whom laid at the center of her bed wrapped in a linen blanket, one which she had wrapped in immediately after his birth to shield him from the coldness which lingered in the tower. "The news of the birth of your son reached his majesty, the king. And gave him a reason to take a personal look at all of the accusations made against you and after having revised them all. He came to the conclusion that neither you or the men said to be involved in such vile acts — were present at the same time and place, therefore, it seems that you are truly as free from the company of men as you are of sin."

For a moment, the young Queen thought she had misheard
the constable for she couldn't believe that King Henry who had so easily believed her to be a treacherous woman without any actual proof, now believed her to be true and only because she had finally given birth to a healthy baby boy. "What is to be of me now, master Kingston? Seeing, his majesty the king now believes that I am truly as innocent as I have claimed to be this entire time. Am I to be reinstated as Queen?" she said, inquisitively though she knew the answer was yes. After all, Henry had always wanted a son and she had just delivered a healthy one that undoubtedly bore his infamous Tudor and York blood.

"Yes, you are and your son is to be immediately christened as Henry IX of England in honor of his father... and grandfather for he is in no doubt that he is a Duke of York." William Kingston, said coolly.

His words brought the young Queen immediate relieve for she now knew with certainty that she wouldn't lose her life, or the life she had sacrificed much for, however, she knew that she couldn't feel too confident with her change of fate for her son could as unforeseenly die as he had been born and she could once again be on the path to death.

"Tell his majesty that neither I or my son shall return to court as long as Thomas Cromwell remains there and isn't convicted for his crimes against me." she said, sharply for she did not wish to see him ever again, especially alive. "I have delivered on my promise to him. I have given him a son. The least he can do in return is give me the respect and justice I do so deserve as his only true wedded wife."

"With all due respect, your majesty. I shall do as your majesty wishes me to do." William Kingston said, with a slightly bow of his head and then he turned, and left without saying another word.

The young Queen watched him as he disappeared down the dark hallway that led to and out of her lodgings and when she heard his footsteps receding she turned to her homely maids and gifted them a friendly smile. "You shall be rewarded for the kindness and respect you treated me with during my time here."

All three of the homely maids smiled and bowed their heads at the young Queen smiled and she sauntered over to the altar where she kneeled before God. "O Lord have mercy on me... and distance all of those who wish me and my children harm consciously and subconsciously." she prayed, and the homely maids respectfully finished her prayer with a subtle. "Amen" and she took a deep breath, looked at her son loving and smiled as he cooed in his sleep, oblivious to the future that awaited him. His sleep which was short lived, for he was soon awaken by the sound of the bell of the tower which chimes echoed all throughout it's corners. As did the sounds of the cannons being shot from it walls in his honor and so she ran to him, cradled him in her arms and soothed him close to her chest and smiled radiantly for his birth was alas being proclaimed to England and all of those who had wished for her demise and subconsciously for his for the same blade that was to bring her life to an end would have brought his life to an end, as well,  moments after her own.