Queen Anne | Lucien Castle

Prologue

 May 19, 1536
 The Tower of London

 Night had fallen. It wouldn't be long now, Anne knew. The next day, they would come for her. Her downfall had already come and gone; all that was left was her death.

 It was a hard thing to come to peace with, having to die. But there was no way out of this fate. She would simply have to play it out as it seemed to be meant to be.

 Before she could at least try to sleep before the dawn came, the door opened, and a man stepped in, one she had never seen before. She stood, and asked, "Who are you?"

 "Lucien," he replied as the door closed behind him. "Please, call me Lucien. Oh, do not look at me with such cold eyes, my lady. I am but a humble Frenchman. Might we converse in French? I prefer it to English."

 "Very well," Anne said in French. "Why is it have come to see me, Monsieur Lucien? Did someone sent you here?"

 "No, I'm afraid not. I am here of my own accord." He took a step closer. "I've seen you, my lady. I have seen your fall from power your allies turn on you. Tis a terrible thing to see?"

 "Are you here merely because you have pity on me?" Anne asked coldly. "If it is, you can leave."

 "No, my lady, I am here to make you an offer," he said, "An offer you will not want to refuse."

 "And what would that be?"

 "I can save you form death."

 She scoffed. "I don't believe it. Please be gone, Monsieur Lucien."

 "But, my lady, you have not heard my offer. I can give you a new life, a much better one than this. You can be immortal, and never die."

 "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You are a stranger. I have never met you before in my life. Why would you make me such an offer?"

 "Because in you, I see a grand woman, and a grand ally. I was drawn to you, my lady. Do you not want to know what you have to do?"

 Anne knew she should not ask. But she did. "What must I do?"

 "It is simple. You must drink my blood."

 "Drink you blood?" Anne was appalled. "And why should I do such a thing?"

 "It is simply a step in what you would have to do to live on after tomorrow." He held his wrist up to his mouth, and bit into the flesh. "If you'll come closer, you can drink it."

 Despite the warnings in her head, she cautiously walked over to him. He silently held out his wrist for her to drink from. She bent her head down, and began to drink a little of the blood which bled from his wound.

 "Just a little more, my lady," Lucien said as she drank. "There. That's it. Very good, my lady."

 "What do I do now?" she asked.

 "Tonight, you will sleep. Tomorrow, you will go to your execution with a brave face. And then tomorrow night, when everyone has left, we will meet again. I promise you will know all. I am afraid I must leave you now, my lady. We will see each other soon, I promise you."

 He went to the door and called for the guard to let him out. After he had left, with one last mysterious smile on his face, Anne sat down again, wondering just what it had all meant.

 She would never have guessed then just what was in store for her.