Tudor Rose

xxii. playing with fire

November 15, 1514

Hampton Palace was unusually quiet once we'd settled back in. It seemed like there was something I wasn't being told, and a cloud of suspicion hung over me annoyingly. 

Much to her dismay and my own, Princess Katherine was sent back to her residence at Hatfield, where she had her own household. I preferred to keep her away from the chaos and madness that went on at court, but I could never seem to stay away for too long. Even Henry visited her as often as possible. Though she wasn't a boy, Kate was everything we were hoping for in a child. She was  clever and kind and simply a wonderful princess. I knew Henry was proud of her, and I was even prouder.

I'd also decided to place Lady Anne Boleyn in the young princess's household, and arranged for a tutor to see to it her education was continued. Mary Boleyn, her confusing sister who always seemed to be at odds with me, insisted on it. Mary claimed having her sister in England would make her happier, but I only allowed Anne the position because Mary promised to relent her consistent, though embarrassingly unsuccessful, advances on my husband. Having one Boleyn in Hampton was more than enough, so Anne was sent to Hatfield to serve my young daughter as a temporary lady in waiting.

I gazed out the window, bored. It was a gloomy day filled with constant rain, trapping everyone inside. Not too far from me, my ladies all sat talking quietly among each other. Their usual court gossip seemed so unappealing. The only thing that gave me the tiniest bit of amusement was watching the droplets of rain race down the window.

Court life was slow and uninteresting, and that was something I was not used to. I knew I should have been grateful for the slow and calm pace of things, but afters years of chaos, it seemed unnatural. It was as if I had nothing better to do than wait for the usual madness to find me again, even if that wasn't the case.

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My skirts trailed the chilly floor as I rounded the corner. I wandered around the halls to pass the time and make sure everything looked orderly. I collided with another person, and we nearly knocked each other over.

"You!" I exclaimed, gasping at the sight of John Thornton. True to his surname, he was a thorn in my side. 

"Glad to see you as well, Anna," he replied sarcastically, not an ounce of respect in his voice.

"We need to talk," I said, my cold expression unwavering, "Alone. Now."

John nodded, following me back to my chambers. I dismissed my ladies and the other servants, leaving me and John alone.

"Why are you here?" I asked, not bothering to be as warm and friendly as I usually was to guests.

"Why can't I be here?"he answered, avoiding my initial question.

"Answer my question, John. Why are you here?"I repeated.

"Your father sent me here to watch over you and make sure you don't do anything rash or unreasonable," John said, "He said you haven't been thinking straight. Clearly he's right."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked defensively. Even when my father was banished, he still managed to attempt at presiding over me. While I was mostly annoyed, a small part of me was impressed.

"You banished your own father from court," he stated, his tone laced with judgement, "What happened to the kind, innocent girl you were?"

"What do you think happened to her?" I replied, "She had to grow up."

"Well, we miss her. Especially your poor mother, who is willingly living in exile because she is a good, dutiful wife."