Clip, clack, clip, clack.
The regal woman, draped in a fine silk gown of a deep red colour, made her way down past the table, to a seat laid out for her. Anne Boleyn, the disgraced Queen of England, had silenced the room by her arrival, and all that could be heard was the sound of her small Tudor shoes against the hard stone floor. At the head of the table, as it always was, sat her ex husband, Henry VIII of England - at his side, his new lover, Jane Seymour.
Yet still, the King was enamoured by Anne just like every other person in that room.
The woman stopped and turned, addressing the nobles at the table. She bowed before them all. "I bid you a good evening, all." Anne Boleyn sat herself down and picked up her cutlery. With the mannerisms of a Queen - as she had been one once - she proceeded to enjoy her meal.
A quiet murmur began to fill the room and a nameless face, presumably one of the nobles, suggested the musicians play some music. It destroyed the silence of the room and people were once again able to converse as they had done before. Well, everyone except the King. Henry had been pushed to put Anne to death by his Chief Minister but the people of England had protested; in order to avoid civil war, he had to listen to their demands.
Henceforth, Anne was spared.
He picked up his chalice and sipped the bitter wine within it.
The meal was over with almost an hour later. The party of nobles, their wives and court ladies were lead to the dance hall, a large room used to hold the King's parties for whatever he deemed fit to celebrate. Lady Anne kept to herself, knowing she'd rattled her ex husband by accepting his invitation.
Around the grand hall, chairs were littered in rows, and the woman in red kept to herself as she sat on one of them quietly. Well...until she was approached by a male.
This stranger had dark blonde hair and he bore no family crest. That way, Anne wasn't able to figure out who he was or, at least, what family he came from.
By now, couples of various men and women took to the floor for a dance. Everyone was mingling, except (again) the King. His eyes looked onto his party - more specifically at Anne.
"Lady Anne...it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The nameless male greeted. Anne looked up at him, her interest peaking.
"And who is it that seeks my company, for a man is just a man to me when he has no name to give." She replied, standing up and meeting his eyes.
The male lost himself in them...
"So those are the piercing, dark eyes that tales had been told of. So powerful, so strong..." The man thought.
"Then a man is all I shall be to you, tonight, my lady. A nameless one, at that."
"And why is it," spoke Anne, "that you tell me not of your identity? Why is it you hold your tongue?"
"Fear, Lady Anne. I fear that you'll shun me once I reveal my family name. So I beg of you...please ask me only after you accept my offer to dance with you?" The mystery man held out his hand, a gentle look in his eyes.
"You may, my Lord. You may have seven dances with me tonight. It marvels me that you do not fear that the King does away with your head for even looking my way. So I give you seven dances for that number is of good fortune. Then you are to reveal your title to me."
Her soft, elegant hand took his and they gracefully moved to the centre of the floor. The pair attracted onlookers, just as the ex Queen had done with her entrance. This was, to say, only because of their attractiveness, not as one, but as a couple.
They looked powerful...like royalty.
Anne looked towards the King's musicians and insisted they play her seven favourite pieces. The music started and her mystery man joined her with keen eagerness in a Tudor dance. They continued to talk as they had been doing before.
"The King has his eyes on us, my Lady. Maybe my head will be off before you grace me with your remaining six dances." He joked.
"He has no reason to give a care, my Lord. He discarded me and has a new woman by his side. I am no longer of his concern. Of course it's best to assume he only invited me here out of spite, expecting I not accept. But why should I not attend? An engagement party is a party, is it not? And what a fool I would be to pass up a party with His Majesty in attendance. They are renowned in all of England." The two connected arms and slowly spun around.
"You are as they said you would be. Confident and un-afraid. Not even the King scares you. I admire that." The noble man complimented.
"Hmm, a charmer, aren't you, sire? If I had met you during my being investigated, the claims of adultery would most likely have been true. You're a dangerous man for women to be around. How many have you brought to your bed this way?" Of course the Boleyn girl wasn't one to shy away from such scandalous conversations as so. That was one of her traits.
"None at all, if you are to know. Not one woman has woken any interest within me. None other than you." Her dance partner chuckled.
"Careful, my Lord. There are eyes and ears everywhere. I believe your head would look most attractive attached to the rest of you." She flirted back. Their conversation ended there as the dance called to switch partners.
And so the night went on for the two new aquaintances successfully. Both Anne and the nameless noble felt the chemistry between them. They wanted nothing more than to spend their night together dancing and talking.
