The King's Poison

IX.

Henry

I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking of all that happened during dinner.
I thought of that girl.
The woman who had stirred my interest.

Although Jane rested just beneath me, naked in my arms, all I could think about was her.
She was so...beautiful and I was obsessed. Black rich curls the swirled into carefully soft ringlets. Her skin was as rich as the hue of the night sky; her eyes as decadent and warm as roasted firewood.
I was infatuated, the same way I was with Anne.
I wanted her.
I yearned for her warmth.
I needed just a morsel...just a taste....

I stand from the covers, pacing over to the open windows to observe the view of my kingdom.
How had it been this prosperous? Under my guidance, I had annexed from the Church of England and created my own hierarchy of power.  The people should have loved me and swore their devotion but for some reason, they loathed my decisions.

Jane rustled awake, coming behind me and kissing my back while wrapping her arms around my torso.
I rolled my eyes at her assuring comfort. I was growing quite tired of her lately. She was too optimistic, telling me what I wanted to hear instead of what I needed. I never noticed it before but now, I did and it was quite tiring to say the least.

"Henry come back to bed, it's the middle of the night"

"I can't sleep... you know I never can. I am thinking." I whisper, bending over to lean on the rail of the balcony.

"You are always thinking Henry." she yawns, kissing my spine before hopping back into bed. Once I heard her gently breathing, I pulled on a light shirt and walked to the secret garden I had stumbled across a few days earlier.

I don't know why I ventured to the hiding place but thought it best to take my mind of my troubling thoughts.
It was a turn and another step before I came to the arches that marked the space.

As I come in, I inspected the garden's vegetables and prosperous fruits. They looked delicious and I was so hungry but my wild paranoia forbade me from yanking one from the bushes and consuming it.

I take another lengthy look around the lushness of the room but am surprised to see her?
Anna.

She was sleeping in a soft bed of flowers beside a growing bush of roses. I crouch, careful to not wake her and observe her beautiful features.

Once I approach her and am close enough to see her, she exhales and turns in her sleep to face me. I could tell she was crying a few hours before for a dry streak of tears painted her cheeks.

I pulled a loose curl from her profile and push it behind her ear.
She was so beautiful.
Her lips were so pretty and her cheeks so regal. She looked like a foreign queen from a distant land. She looked like a queen.
Why was I so obsessed with her?
She was the woman who had tried to posion me just hours before and made no effort to conceal it .

Many people mistook me for a fool but I proved them wrong every time. My reputation for a playboy preceded my wit. I was trained in the finest school by the sharpest tutors of the land. I was fluent in 6 languages and boasted academic accolades from my schooling. Did she really think she could trick me into co-signing my own demise?

I reach out to her palm that was clutched into a tight fist. I was curious what to see why she closed it with such pressure for the skin looked pale due to lack of blood flow. Gently, I open her palm and see a small pile of thorns within it. It seemed as if it was from a group of roses she had picked.

Blood dripped down her palm and onto the fuzzy green grass. Carefully, I rip a piece of my shirt and tie it to her wound.

There was no reason for self harm although I knew her reason.
This must surely change. I would not let her expire that quickly.

——

Anna

Tomorrow came and I walk to his throne room. A guard whispers a command to a servant but the servant shook his head and bowed.
"The king is not in his throne room"

I ventured to his wing and the two soldiers allow me in. I walk to the side of the room, standing awkwardly until he comes out from the bathroom. Of course he is shirtless and in only a towel; he was  grooming for the day

"Ahh the assassin" he teased turning to me before allowing his servants to dress him.  I ignored his quip and curtsied.

"So have you decided?"

"I have your majesty."

He stares at his servants, nodding his head to signal them to depart. The last one closes the door and we are alone.

"And what is your choice?"

"I choose death. I am willed to die anyway" I shrugged, welcoming my fate "You will kill me today or tomorrow or even the next. There is no use to prolong it."

"And how are you so sure Anna?" he asked, pulling on a loose blouse. "See, what you didn't know is I found a new purpose for you but here you are choosing death like a martyr. You do not even know the job I have given you"

"I rather you kill me now, just like you did your second wife Anne" I say, un-remorseful of my harsh words.

Obviously, I had struck a chord with the ruler.
I guess that was the last straw; his last lifeline. He paced over and grabbed my neck pushing me against his wall.

"How dare you say her name in this sacred entity" he roared.

Henry

She was not fearful of my grip, only staring into my eyes. "I was unaware she was such a sore topic for you" she smirked, prideful of my reaction.

I grabbed her jaw, seething at her recklessness.
She pushes her lips into a small pout, her brown eyes cemented onto mine.

That was it.
I couldn't take it anymore. I snatch her jaw and push her lips against mine, forcing an embrace. She allows me but for only a moment, more fearful of the consequences a rejection to me may entail.

She violently pulls away before collecting her spit and shooting it to the floor in disgust. She wipes the edges of her mouth clean before staring at me again.

"You have a sharp tongue Anna" I say aloud. She shrugged, pushing a curl away from her face.

"As sharp as a razor your majesty" she bragged, staring into my eyes.

"Hmmm. I will fix that soon." She smirked biting her lip before looking away. "I have made my descion on the subject of your future."

"I told you already that I want to die"

"And die you shall; but I will not give you the statisfaction of ending your own life at this very moment. Instead of this, you will be my royal food taster. My other one mysteriously lost his tongue." I shrugged moving to pull on my brown pants.

"There have been 5 attempts on your life in the past 4 days. I will die if I taste your food"

"Did you not wish to die?"

"Yes but..."

"Then it is settled." I cut her off, moving to grab my crown. "Every meal, you will come and taste my food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. You come when I call eat when I tell you. Understand?"

She looks away but reluctantly nodded.

I hummed, smiling at the silence she had now familiarized herself with before exiting the room.

This was the perfect plan; she would get to taste my food but also be closer to me. Although I did not wish for her too die, she did express her feelings and who was I to deny it.

Author Note:
Henry said not so fast!

Also, I'm resuming my other book, must be Santa! So go give it a read and catch up before I upload the newest chapter!