Evermore

Prologue

"This is the warrant for your arrests.
You are charged
with committing adultery
with
Mark Smeaton
Sir Henry Norris
&
William Brereton
Both Smeaton and Brereton
have already
confessed their guilt
We have come at
the king's
command
To conduct you
to the tower
there to abide during his majesty's pleasure."

The Duke of Suffolk's ominous words reverberated through the young Queen's thoughts as she knelt in prayer within her chambers at the Tower of London. Nearby, three humble maids, appointed to her upon her arrival, lovingly attended to her newborn son, their gentle murmurs blending with the faint echo of distant church bells.

"I will give glory to thee O lord: for you have saved me from injustice, from slanderous tongues and an unjust king. My soul shall praise thee even to my death."

As the heavy wooden door that had confined her since her unjust imprisonment creaked open, its iron brackets clanging, the young Queen rose from the altar where she had been fervently praying. Her loyal maids, heads bowed in deference, shuffled into a line beside her. "Master Kingston," she greeted cautiously as he entered, bracing herself for the worst.

"Your Majesty," William Kingston acknowledged, his gaze briefly flickering towards her newborn son nestled in the center of the bed, swathed in a linen blanket that had shielded him from the Tower's chill since birth. "News of the birth of your son has reached His Majesty, the King. He has taken a personal interest in reviewing all accusations against you. After careful consideration, he has concluded that neither you nor the men accused of these heinous acts were present together, absolving you of any wrongdoing."

For a moment, disbelief gripped the young Queen. Could it be true that King Henry, who had swiftly condemned her as treacherous without evidence, now believed in her innocence simply because she had borne a healthy son? "What is to become of me now, Master Kingston? Does His Majesty intend to reinstate me as Queen?" she inquired, though she already sensed the affirmative. After all, Henry had always desired a son, and now she had delivered a healthy heir, bearing both Tudor and York lineage.

"Yes, indeed. You are to be reinstated, and your son will be christened immediately as Henry IX of England, in honor of his father and grandfather, the Duke of York," William Kingston confirmed calmly.

Relief flooded the young Queen as the weight of imminent death lifted from her shoulders. Yet, she knew her newfound fate was precarious; her son's life, like his birth, was fraught with uncertainty. "Inform His Majesty that neither I nor my son shall return to court as long as Thomas Cromwell remains there unchallenged for his crimes against me," she asserted firmly, her voice tinged with resolve and lingering distrust. "I have fulfilled my duty by giving him a son. The least he can do is grant me the respect and justice I deserve as his lawful wife."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I will convey your wishes accordingly," William Kingston responded with a respectful bow before departing without further words.

Watching his retreating figure disappear down the dimly lit corridor, the young Queen turned to her faithful maids, bestowing upon them a grateful smile. "Your kindness and respect during my time here will not go unrewarded."

The maids returned her smile with reverence, bowing their heads in acknowledgment. The Queen then knelt before the altar once more, her heart heavy with gratitude and supplication. "O Lord have mercy on me... and distance all of those who wish me and my children harm consciously and subconsciously, " she prayed fervently. The maids softly echoed her prayer with a quiet "Amen."

Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze to her sleeping son, his innocent slumber briefly interrupted by the tolling of the Tower's bell and the booming cannons that proclaimed his birth to all of England. Rushing to his side, she cradled him close, soothing him back to sleep against her chest. A radiant smile graced her lips as she marveled at the child who had unknowingly thwarted her imminent demise.