Evermore

Chapter III

DEATH

Greenwich Palace, May 22, 1536

Young Queen Anne's sister, Mary went to King Henry the day after and told him of her sisters wishes but he outright refused to grant it. "There are protocols to be followed, Mary and I am not about to break them just because your sister distrusts the guards that are assigned to our children," he said, raising his voice with every syllable that left his mouth. "And next time your sister wants something from me, make sure she comes and tells me herself!"

Lady Jane quietly entered the room followed by her father and brother and Mary glared at them with hostility. "With all due respect, your majesty. The Queen does not distrust the guards that are in charge of protecting your children but the people who nearly caused her death and the death of my precious nephew, your son, the future king of England." she argued, respectfully and made sure to emphasize the word "Queen" just to stick it to the Seymours who were attentively listening to her.

King Henry raised a hand as a sign for her to hold her tongue and turned to look at the Seymours. "Leave," he ordered. Mary's brows furrowed in frustration."As you wish, your majesty." she said, stiffly with an obedient curtsy.

John, Thomas, and Jane Seymour discreetly smiled at one another as she headed for the doors because the king had evidently dismissed her to be with them. "Great whore." Thomas whispered, smirkingly.

Mary glared at him and stormed out.

Lady Jane shook her head at her brother." You shouldn't have said that." she whispered. "She's going to tell her sister and I'm going to have to pay for your bluntness."

Thomas shrugged and pushed her towards King Henry whose back was turned to them. "Are you alright?" she asked, sweetly as she circled around him and took his hands into her own.

King Henry smiled and brought her hands to his lips. "I am now," he said, smilingly and kissed her hands.

Lady Jane smiled and caressed his knuckles. "How would you like to accompany me tomorrow night to the ball that I'll be hosting in my son's honor?" he asked, hoping that she would say yes because he didn't want to have to spend the night alone. The maiden happily nodded. "Nothing would make me happier, my lord! Than to share your joy!" she exclaimed for she was fond of him and not just because he was king but also because he was charming.

King Henry turned around." Gentlemen." he said, acknowledging John and Thomas with a slight tilt of his head. "You too are invited to celebrate my sons' arrival with me."

"Like my daughter said, your majesty." John said, proudly glancing at the maiden for she had managed to remain in his favor amidst his newly born and long-awaited son."Nothing would make me happier."

"Or I." spoke Thomas.

The doors burst open and Thomas Cranmer stormed inside with his rosary entangled in his hands.

"What is the meaning of this?!" demanded King Henry.

"The Queen." Thomas Cranmer spoke anxiously.

King Henry dropped the maidens hands and his eyes grew wide with worry for his love for his Queen still burned like the flames of the candles that lit the castle. "What's happened to her?!" he asked, as he walked up to Thomas and grabbed him by his robes. "Tell me!"

Lady Jane looked at her father and then at her brother and they silently called her over.

Thomas Cranmer blurted. "She's fallen ill and the royal physician fears that she won't make it through the night"

"What do you mean she's won't make it through the night?!" King Henry yelled. "She's the Queen of England! This country needs her! Our children need her! I need her!"

Lady Jane gasped at his revelation as did John Seymour who grew angry at him for having led him to believe that his daughter could still be more than a mistress.

Thomas Cranmer stammered to find the right words. "I-It is believed that she caught an infection due to the poor conditions she was forced to give birth in, your majesty."

A wave of guilt crushed King Henry with the impact  because had he trusted in his wife and not Thomas Cromwell, she would've delivered their son under safe conditions and with the assistance of trained midwives, not homely maids. "I must go to her," he said, rushing out of the room.

Thomas Cranmer chased after him.

John, Thomas, and Jane and Seymour followed. "Your time is near, Jane." remarked Thomas. "The King's eyes will shift to you when she draws her last breath, as will her crown."

The maiden shook her head. "Shame on you, brother!" she snapped because though she wanted the young Queen's  crown and hated her for how she treated her, she wished her no harm. "And may God forgive you for your wicked tongue."

John firmly smacked her across the face. "Your brother is right! Once the whore dies, the king will surely take you as his wife and if god is as good as he's proving himself to be today, her bastards will follow her to the grave," he said, coolly.

Two guards passed by and acknowledged them. "A death wish upon the Queen is considered treason, my lords" warned one, as they turned the corner for he had heard all that had been said by them, as had the other guard.

Lady Jane placed a hand onto her throbbing face and widely looked at her father but didn't dare to tell him anything on the matter of his loose tongue out of fear that he'd slap her again or worse.

John roughly grabbed her by an arm and thrusted her onto Thomas and ordered for him to take her to her bedchamber and then rushed after the guards and paid them a significant amount of gold for their silence.

Across the castle, Henry rushed into the young Queen's  lodgings where she screamed in agony and was distraught by her pale appearance when he ran to her bedside and took her shivering body away from her sisters arms and into his. "Let me go!" she screamed. "I want to die in my sister's arms! Not yours! You're the reason I'm bleeding to death!"

Thomas Cranmer looked at the young Queen's blood stained bedsheets and placed his rosary to his heart and began to vigorously pray her life in silence with her homely maids whom surrounded her bed.

King Henry's heart broke at her rejection and he reluctantly placed her back into her sisters arms. "If she dies, you die!" he warned the physician as he stormed out of her bedchamber with tears in his eyes, anger in his veins and guilt in his heart for he was the brink of losing the woman he loved; a woman he had torn the world apart for. All because he had failed to trust in her word and her fertility.

The young Queen threw herself forward amidst the pain that plague her womb and crawled to the edge of the bed. "Ahh!" she screamed as the pain grew sharper. "Bring me, my children, I want to see them one last time before I die!"

Her sister swept her back into her arms. "Calm yourself, sister! You're not going to die! You're going to make it! God will save you again!"