The Only Boleyn

Summer 1522 - The Messenger

    On the second morn of Mary's return, we ladies had settled down in our rooms after luncheon. The sun was bright and shone through the windows, letting us read our bibles with ease. Katherine's priest, George d'Athequa, was preaching to us from the Holy Book, and we were following his words in our own, smaller copies. Katherine's copy was a beautiful, bejewelled item, bound with purple leather - a colour only affordable to the rich. Mine own was a gorgeous red velvet, simple and pious.
    "If brothers are living together," The sermon continued, giving me lease to gaze out onto the fresh green lawn and think wistfully of the possibilities that lay out there. "And one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family." I noticed a quick flash of a smile from Katherine, for she knows the bible so well that she certainly knew what was to come next, and it gave her great pleasure to hear it. "Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her."
    The rest of the priest's words were unheard to me, and I was unable to prevent my thoughts from falling to Harry any longer. I was agitated that it was so late in the day for riding, yet he had not come for me. I was far too preoccupied with considering all the simply dreadful alternatives to listen any longer to the priest.
    Fortunately for my sanity, my fretful thoughts were quashed by a distraction in very little time - albeit, it was not the distraction I had hoped for.
    The messenger had come in quietly, and had to clear his throat to make us notice him, such was our apparent interest in d'Athequa.
    "I am come for Mistress Anne and Lady Carey," The messenger stared at the wall beyond our heads, standing straight, like a guard, "At the request of the Duke of Norfolk, they are to retire to their chamber immediately."
    I shot a confused glance at Mary, who wore an equally stunned expression on her pretty face.
    "Of course," Katherine said graciously, smiling at us with a steely look in her eyes, "You must go at once, ladies."
    We practically leapt from our seats and flew through the palace to our chamber, stopping only to allow the King and his gentlemen to process through the corridor to his private chamber.
    Upon arrival at our room, we were greeted by the sight of Norfolk leaning against one of the posters of our bed. His face, when he turned to us, was not unpleasant - simply irritable.
    "Don't hurry, then." He sneered, casting a condescending glance over Mary and I.
    Mary began to mumble a half-hearted excuse, but I cut across her with a simple apology.
    Norfolk nodded gruffly in acknowledgement, then deigned to explain to us why we had rushed through the miles of twisting pathways at Windsor.
    "Mary's to go to the King's quarters. Now."
    My mouth very nearly falls open in shock. It was only Mary's second day back - I could not comprehend that the King wanted her this much.
    "There's an invitation?" I asked, my brows furrowing in obvious confusion.
    "Don't be so crude, girl." Uncle's face twists into a grin. "She's to eat dinner with him, that's all."
    I nod, silent for a moment - until another question pops into my mind.
    "That's what-" I gesture behind me, towards the door, where Henry had passed us on his way to his room.
    "Yes. Now, Mary, you need to get ready - you can't keep the King waiting."
We nodded obediently, and turned expectantly to Howard, waiting for him to leave.
"Go on, then," he said, waving vaguely at Mary, "Get ready."
Mary looked horrified, but I found the idea of my Uncle being completely ignorant of women's matters quite amusing.
"Uncle," I began, struggling to keep my face straight, "Mary must bathe."
My composure was almost lost for good when I saw how embarrassed he was.
    "Right," He said, turning a furious shade of crimson, "Of course. I'll go - I don't know anything about this." He gestured wildly around the room, before hurrying out.
A moment passed as the two of us watched the door close behind him, before we erupted in a fit of giggles.
"His face!" Mary's face beamed with amusement, and I simply nodded at her, laughing too much to reply.
"Come on, come on!" I said, pulling her towards the bath and gesturing to the maid to fetch the water. She nodded and disappeared down the servants' stairway as I tugged Mary's hair out of the hood.
"Remember, Mary - you're there to please the King, not to have fun." I said haughtily, still a little ruffled by Henry's blatant affection for Mary.
I was surprised, however, with a fierce gaze from my habitually docile sister.
"Don't tell me what to do, Anne." She glowered at me, and I turned my head away from her and sighed as if in remorse.
"You were banished from court for a reason, Mary. You owe us for sorting out your mess."
"The King hasn't invited you to his bed, though, has he? He's invited me."
Mary was now glowing with pride, as if finally realising the powerful position she was in.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," I snapped, annoyed, "He's invited you for dinner, that's all."
The raised eyebrow I received in reply represented what we both knew - that Mary would almost certainly end up in the King's bed tonight.
Once Mary was bathed and prepared, I sent her off with George, who'd come to collect her, to the King's chamber.
Once she was safely on her way, I jumped onto our large bed and lay there, trying to discern my feelings in the complicated matter.
Alas, my period of reflection was cut short almost immediately, by an unexpected knock on the door of my chamber. I leapt up, perhaps expecting Uncle or George, and, running to the mirror to smooth down my hair, I called out for the knocker to enter.
When I turned from the mirror, my heart leapt in my chest to find Henry Percy standing somewhat awkwardly before the door. I furiously fought to quell my rush of emotion, and assumed what I hoped was an outwardly unaffected manner.
"Good afternoon, Mistress Anne." Percy bowed and I curtseyed, unable to prevent a broad smile spreading across my face.
"What brings you here, Lord Percy?" Yet another gloriously happy expression broke across my face, as I dared to hope that he was to revive yesterday's promise.
He blushed and placed an anxious hand at the back of his neck, smiling ruefully.
"I hope it is not too late to ride with you? I am come to renew my invitation."
I took an involuntary step towards him as I nodded, causing Henry to freeze and widen his eyes.
Hurrying back, I found myself staring at the ground, embarrassed. A silence as awkward as such silences are stretched unbearably between us, broken only by a slight cough from Henry.
"Shall we away, then, mi'lady?"