The Boleyn King

Which Prince Will Fall

The entire court was in an uproar. In the middle of the Prince of Wales returns to England the Plague reached the inner cities, including court. Rumors of Queen Anne's immunity to the sweating sickness began to resurface, and the question of whether  her children immune to the plague, as they were to the sweating sickness come up. 

Since the Plague wasn't a normal breakout in England, many doubted  the royal children were safe from harm. King Henry prayed on his knees as his family were all sealed into their own private chambers, away from the remaining people at court. Jane Seymour demanded to be sealed away with her son, Prince Edward, unaware that she carried the plague within her body.

Five days into the lock away, Jane Nurse's fingers transfigured to the blackness of the plague and her once beautiful body, paler than usual. Prince Edward, only feet away from his mother's ladies was unable to stop himself from catching the illness. Word spread, Prince Edward was deathly ill , Jane Seymour's nurse died within the night. Henry was unable to fight the tears as he read the daily death report: 500 people had died over the passed few weeks including, Jane Seymour's nurse, his daughter, Princess Mary, and (Anne's sister) Mary Boleyn's husband, Sir Carey. 

                Henry felt his body shake a the knowledge he would be unable to say his proper goodbyes to his daughter. Their bodies were burned with the rest after being counted by the informer. He was one heir shorter now, and his beloved son threaten to follow his mother to the grave. Henry took a goblet and tossed it across the room, hitting the wall. He fell to his knees praying for God to spare his dear son and to take another's life in return- his own if need be. 

            In the lower room of the royal family, Prince Henry gazed at the tissue knotted in his hands covered in his blood. "I can't be. Please I  will not die. I am to be King," Henry cried to his nurse as she backed away from the prince. "I cannot stay with you your highness. I must retire from your rooms," She pleaded. Prince Henry glared at the woman,  "I am the son of the King. The future King of England. You will not leave me here to die," Henry shouted. The woman kneeled and pleaded silently to God for protection.  The young prince was right, plus she was already contaminated, there was no leaving now. "I will serve you, my prince. I will try to nurse you back to health." She attempted to reassure the prince. 

      Queen Anne cried as she read the note sent from her sister. Her son, Prince Henry was dying. "You took Jane Seymour and struck her son with the illness, dear lord why do you wish to take my son as well. Only one son may rule, why take one if you already have the other in your grasp." Anne shout out to the high being that so many thought existed. Now that her son and the Seymour prince were both dying only one son remained, unless some type of miracle happened to stop the death her prince of wales. 

         The King could not believe the rumors. He refused to believe his eldest son, who had never failed to survive a fever, was struck down by this newly born Plague. "I want him to have the best care. Sen in my physician, take some my youngest son if you must. Prince Harry must not die. He must live," He commanded the Duke of Norfolk, who departed quickly after. This was the month in English history, the King thought. How could he nearly lose two sons in less than a year. He drank his tonic, which the physician made sure to put the King to sleep for some much needed rest. 

           Henry's crystal eyes opened to find his a angel, with Tudor red hair, fair skin, covered in the brightest light he'd ever seen. She mirrored his mother, in fact she he thought he to be just that the angel of his mother. "Tell me what to do," He asked the angel as she came closer to him as he laid on the floor beneath her. It was marbled with a clear glass that he see the clouds through, Henry thought for sure he was in heaven. "The task a and must done. If you to keep a son, we must one. One will live and and will die; we leave you to decide. If you fail to chose, then both you shall lose. You have until the break of the next dawn, that is when I will return for a son. Make your choice wisely, for if you do not. The death will not be the one of your thought." The angel spoke before leaving. Henry awoke screaming silently, now knowing the fate of the future lied in his hands. 

              He turned to the window and saw the sun would rise soon. He was running out of time, Gd wished for him to choice between his sons. He needed to choice the one right for his Kingdom, which was his eldest. Edward was a bastard by birth, Henry knew that and now matter how much he tried to favor the boy over Anne's sons he couldn't. George and Harry were his heirs, they came first every time. "Prince Henry will survive. You have my choice now make it happen," Henry whispered. 

          The next morning as the sun came up the Kingdom was shocked by the lost of a prince. The body was cold as ice and the body weak and slim, no longer breathing. His eyes were open, to show he died of living agony. The once blue color were black as coal and his once strong features of his father were all bones and skin. The body though not yet burned, appeared burnt from an unknown being. Those lied on him, knew from that moment the poor prince had been taken by death himself, left to die alone in the yes of his doctors and nurses. As much as they fought to keep him alive Prince Henry was dead, and Prince Edward remained breathing. 

           Anne Boleyn wasn't the same woman who was stored away. Her eyes were that of night and her soul was lifeless. Her son had died, and the Seymour Prince survived. Anne couldn't console herself, one moment she was in tears and the next she was completely silent. "Why did you take him? He was so pure so good. He was his father's son." Anne questioned as the funeral began and listened from a distance. She wasn't allowed to attend funerals as she Queen and it was forbidden. She would not get to say goodbye to her son and little baby boy, who she held just three weeks before these events. 

              "I'm sorry Anne. I prayed for his survival, but God sought to have him closer to his side. I chose selfishly and as punishment they took our son. Forgive me, my love," Henry apologized as he held his Queen as she cried for the 1000th time since the death of their son. He did not know what to do to help her, he had lost his heir, but she'd lost her child. Prince Henry was special to his mother, he was her savior for if he wasn't born, she wouldn't be alive, that much Anne was sure of. This was the price that she paid to be Queen- the death if a child.   

           Black. Everyone wore black. As long as their Queen mourned, they would do so. They had lost the boy that for eleven years every noble saw as their next King. Not even Anne's family could say anything to her  to return her to her old self. Her father could try to slap her around, and she'd probable insist he kill her to deliver her closer to her dead child. Princess Elizabeth and Annebella were sent to Hatfield, where they could mourn away from the eyes of others. The Plague was gone from English soil, but it had left it's mark.

            Prince Edward found himself exiled to the countryside. Not sure if it for his protection or prison, he did not question his orders to stay there until allowed back at court, only by the queen own request. Henry would no have Edward at court until he was sure Anne could handle the sight of him. Prince George was sent to Ludlow, as the new Prince of Wales. He wasn't sad, no he was enraged. He wished for the death of the brother he use to be closet to, if that would mean his twin would live. 

           Henry closed his eyes only to find himself surrounded by the same message every night. "You chose wrong. Henry was your choice, but Edward was his. You remain wrong and for that you shall be punished more." Henry awoke every morning wondering who else would die for his mistake. 

           "Blood shall flow. Three children remain. One more must go." The angel commands.