The Bloody Crown

Chapter 3

This chapter is going to focus on Anne's reaction to Henry's news and what she does after.

Princess Anne's POV

He can't make me do it, I cannot marry the French dauphin I just can't. It isn't like he's unattractive or anything I've seen paintings of him and they certainly did not do him any justice when he came to us on a diplomatic visit last year. However I knew that it would mean that I'd have to leave home.

As a princess I knew that eventually I would have to marry someone either high ranking or a foreign ruler and especially as the only legitimate daughter the discussion on who would be my future husband would have started the day I was born but why must I accept?

I have had to grow up in the shadows for years. Edward is the heir so obviously most of the attention is on him and my sister Isabella is constantly surrounded by scandal. Albeit she receives negative attention but at least she gets it. I'm always told to smile and wave, carry out the duties that a princess must do. Don't get me wrong I love visiting the city with my parents and realising what people actually live like but it's always "Anne, make sure you smile" or "Anne make sure you always keep a straight neck."

Why do so many people dote on Edward? He's my brother and I love him but in our lessons growing up I knew the answers, I knew the ways of government and I actually enjoyed learning about it. Why must my gender determine what happens to me? I don't want to leave and marry the dauphin. I want to stay here and marry Sir John.

I remember when Sir John was first assigned to protect Isabella and I. We were all 16 and Sir John was recently knighted. He was the youngest knight to ever be anointed at 16 but he doesn't like to talk about it, he isn't very much of a talker. Father told us that as Sir John was our age that Isabella and I would see him in a more trusting light rather then an emotionless soldier sent to spy on us.

I remember thinking that Sir John must have hated watching over us when I first met him. I mean a 16 year old man who was probably forced to watch two women and not allowed to do anything. A recently anointed knight who must have been special otherwise he would still be a squire and his first post is to look after us.

But it turns out he didn't mind watching us if anything he enjoyed it "I like hearing you laugh your highness, I like it when you're happy" he told me one night when Isabella was visiting her mother.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I like the company of Sir John, more then I should in fact. I like being with him and the way he makes me feel like I'm not a princess when he looks at me. I'm just Anne and we just talk.

That's why I should have been smarter, I never should've got close to John and we both knew it. We knew one day I would have to leave and marry someone else and have children with them. But alas I couldn't resist temptation so here we are. I'm in love with a knight who I could never be with and if anyone found out he'd be executed and it would be all my fault.

"Anne, my child" my father called my name and I went to see him. I felt anxious as Edward had left the room in a hurry and it seemed that no one apart from father knew why. I looked at Isabella before grasping my father's hand and sat beside him.

He tightened his grip and pulled me in close to whisper in my ear. "I know about you and that knight" I tried to lean back but he was too strong "honestly my child, you seriously didn't expect to be caught out, don't worry I'm not going to execute him, I'm about to die and I really don't want my reign to end on a bad note. Sir John is popular so I'll let him live but if it was anyone else he would've been punished severely" I let out an exhale, he's safe, father can't touch him.