Summary: With Katherine surviving her illness in January of 1536, and his love for Anne fading daily, Henry takes drastic actions to secure his kingdom and his line, but what lengths will he go to ensure a son for England?

Ok so here is the third story I will be posting up today (there will be another two after this) and I do hope you all enjoy it. The story is Based upon the challenge posted by Lady Isabelle Black: Henry Takes ASecond Bride: In which the requirements where as follows:

- Katherine survives her near death experience in January leaving Anne with some form of protection. Since if Henry divorced Anne the people would wish for him to reunite with Katherine.

- Henry decides as the Head of Church to be allowed to take a second bride, In Jane Seymour.

- Thus leaving Anne as the Queen of England and Jane as Henry's second wife.

- However, Anne's children as the Queen of England would come before Jane's children in the line of succession such as any son borne to Anne would come before Jane's own sons and the same thing with their daughters as well.

- Both Anne and Jane are pregnant at the same time after Anne's historical miscarriage occurred.

I already have four chapters of this story written and I will continue to update depending upon the response the story receives, hehe I don't want to bore anyone. While all of my stories are centred around Anne and Henry I do like to think that everyone I have written and am posting are unique and different no story will be the same as any other and nor will they have any of the same outcomes.

Anyway on with the first chapter, I do hope you all enjoy it. As usual I own nothing.

Chapter One:

January 7th 1536

Greenwich Palace

Anne was dressed simply in a gown of deep purple, which fitted loosely around her ever-growing bump. She wore her hair up in an elaborate bun, a matching headpiece adorning her hair. She was seated quietly in her rooms, with a fire burning across from her, and Nan talking quietly beside her. She tried to listen to Nan's words, but her mind and thoughts were elsewhere.

News had reached the court at the start of that week that Katherine of Aragon had taken ill, the thought was that she was unlikely to survive her sickness, and all were waiting to here of the outcome, Anne especially. Either way Anne knew she would lose. No doubt her enemies would think her responsible, Anne had expressed her wish for Katherine's death often and openly, yet she had no part in it, and no longer did she wish for it.

With Katherine dead, Anne would be the only Queen in England, yet Anne also knew that Katherine was not her only rival for the position, Henry had taken a fancy to one of Anne's ladies, Jane Seymour, and Anne knew that this time was different to all the others. Henry was not simply in lust with his new whore, he believed himself in love with her, and that was a dangerous thing. Currently Anne was pregnant, but she knew there would be no second chances after this, if she lost the child in her womb, Jane Seymour would be Queen within the month, if she bore a girl it would perhaps take a year, but in the end she would be replaced, without Katherine Henry could cast her aside with little trouble and effort, it was not as if she was greatly loved. If Katherine survived however Henry would not be able to cast her aside, not without being forced to return to Katherine, a woman barren and beyond her years, with little life left in her, boy, girl or stillborn, with Katherine alive, Anne would remain Henry's wife and Queen, yet with Katherine alive her claim and that of her children would always be doubted. Either way Anne lost and already she had lost too much.

Henry had little love left for her, there was lust there but little more, a part of Anne liked to think that he did still care for her for the sake of Elizabeth and the past they both shared but she knew such hopes had little merit, the man she had married no longer remained. The King was but a shadow of the man he used to be; yet still Anne loved him greatly, and still she hoped for her husband to return to her.

" Your Majesty," It was Madge's voice that interrupted her thoughts, Anne had instructed her cousin to put her ear to the ground and listen for any new tiding regarding the Dowager Princess, and any other such information that might be of use to her. A Queen too needed her spies and Madge was one of many Anne now had in her possession. She would not let the axe fall upon her without having knowledge of it first, Anne was as ever a woman with ambition and tact that much had not changed about her, nor would it ever, if it was her fate to be cast aside she would not let it be done unless on her terms, let them grumble this was how it was going to be. Anne would not lose, not again, she would hold her own from here on out. She would be a victim no longer, not to anyone.

" What news Madge?" Anne asked her eyes looking into her cousins as if to find some betrayal of emotion, whatever Madge's thoughts on what she had learnt she kept well hidden, leaving Anne to remain guessing as to what her next step should be.

With a slight curtsey Madge made her way to stand next to the Queen before bending down to Anne's level and whispering in her mistresses ear. " Katherine lives."

The words sent a shiver up Anne's spine, yet she let nothing show on her face, " will she continue to do so?" Anne questioned her words soft and only audible to Madge.

Madge said nothing to that she just nodded her head, and Anne knew that Katherine had recovered when all had already thought her dead.

" God's be good," Anne said loudly, so that all of her ladies present could hear her, always there were eyes and ears upon her, she must remember that, what she said to them would be reported back to whoever they served, and Anne was determined to make sure that no fault could be found in her words, not anymore, " The Princess Dowager of Wales lives, we must all pray for her life ladies, for her continued survival and health." Even if she does not pray for mine.

" My lady there is something else, I heard it from…"

" Spit it out Madge whatever is it," Anne interrupted her voice a whisper again, not once did she let the smile fall from her face.

" There are rumours that the King has plans to take two brides." Madge did not look at her as she spoke and Anne knew well enough that her cousin was scarred of her response.

In truth she should have been prepared for such things. Henry was the supreme head of the Church of England, if he wanted to condone bigamy it was within his rights to do so, and perhaps his affections for Katherine had returned once he had learnt of her illness. They had been together for over two decades after all, and perhaps this would ease the mind of the commons if Katherine was bought back to Court as a Queen, and Anne remained Henry's wife, the second bride who was still able to produce a Prince. It was a smart move, perhaps the only move available to all of them; yet still it would take some getting used to.

" Will the Dowager Princess be bought back to court then?" Anne questioned, her voice shaking only slightly. She would do as need be, to keep Elizabeth safe, to keep her position as Henry's wife and Queen, she would do as she needed to, whatever the cost.

Only then did Madge look at her, and her eyes let Anne know that she had misunderstood, that it was not Katherine she was speaking of.

" My lady, forgive me I did not mean the Princess Dowager, His Majesty has his eye set on another, on…."

" Jane Seymour," Anne finished for her, her blood beginning to boil, Katherine she could deal with, this she could not, " I know you do not need to tell me, there is nothing to forgive cousin, of course it could not be Katherine, a union between them is a sin before God and man, it is known."

"My lady, I…"

" Be gone with you cousin, " Anne said dismissively waving her hand, " I must pray."

Rising from her chair Anne made her way into her bedchamber with only Nan following behind her. She knelt before the wooden crucifix before her bed and bowed her head. She did not pray, only thought upon all she had learnt and all she must do.

For now Madge's words were only rumours, Henry had no grounds to take another wife, not while Anne was with child, yet they had made him the head of the Church, if he wanted to take another wife, he would make a law to make it so…if the lion knew his own strength. Yet still until she bore a child nothing could be done, to make any move while Anne had his babe in her belly would be foolish, surely Henry would see that, and by June perhaps his interests in Jane Seymour would have dwindled, the girl was nothing of importance, she was little learned and no great beauty, Henry would tire of her like all the others…like her.

January 9th 1536

Greenwich Palace

The King walked slowly around the smallest gardens of Greenwich Palace his hand interlocked with his current mistress, the woman he was planning on making his new Queen and wife.

Jane was everything his wife was not. She was blonde, where Anne was brunette, Jane looked plain and English like all the other mistresses he had taken before her, Anne was exotic a foreign beauty that still managed to take her breath away. Jane was soft spoken and even tempered, when Anne was passionate and prone to loud and angry words. They even dressed differently, currently Jane was dressed in a gown of pale green her hair hanging in lose curls down her back, the gown was simple but well fitting and Henry thought Jane looked a true English rose, Anne always looked a French woman just as Katherine had always looked Spanish.

Jane was not made to be a mistress she was to pure and innocent, she was made to be a wife, and she came from good and fertile stock, she was a good choice for a bride, even if she wouldn't be his only one. He had little other choice though he knew, with Anne pregnant, and Katherine continuing to live, his only option was to take a second wife, and for the security of his realm he needed Jane. Anne no doubt would lose the child in her belly or bear him another useless girl, he needed a son, and as such Cromwell was figuring out a way that would allow him to take Jane as his wife, while remaining married to Anne. Anne would kick and scream, but he knew Jane would nod her head and agree with him with a sweet smile, she cared little for crowns and titles, she wanted only to be his wife and the mother of his children.

" What would you like to talk about, sweetheart?" Henry questioned, it had been Jane who had asked to walk with him, Henry had not been planning on talking with her so openly until after he had got his news from Cromwell, and explained things to Anne but he supposed now was a better time than any.

" If your Majesty would allow, " Jane began her voice clear but full of nerves as she spoke, " I should like to talk about you daughter Mary."

It was well known throughout court that the Seymour's supported Katherine's claim and that of Mary, but Henry knew he must put a stop to that, no doubt the Seymour's would have no problem forgetting about Katherine and her daughter once he let her in on the fact that he planned to take her as his wife.

" She is a bastard Jane, you needn't worry or concern yourself with her, especially not when the Queen is with child, "He noticed her eyes harden slightly at that but Henry said nothing of it he would put a smile back upon her face soon enough, " Besides when we are married…."

" Married? Your Majesty?" She questioned her voice shocked yet Henry knew she was somewhat excited as well, " But Your Majesty already has a wife, and the Queen is with child, surely we cannot be…"

" Hush Jane Hush," Henry soothed, stopping her confusing babbling with but a word, " I know all this. The Queen is pregnant it is true, but Anne has already lost one child, and while Elizabeth is healthy she is but a girl, and I need a son."

" Yes, Your Majesty, but still I don't understand."

He ignored her interruption and continued speaking as if she had not opened her mouth in the first place. "Anne is my true wife before all the laws of God and man, I cannot forsake her, even if I wanted to, and besides if I did some would say that I must return to Katherine, and I cannot have that. Anne is my wife until the end of her days she will remain so, yet that does not solve my problem still I need a son, and that my dear Jane is where you come in."

Still she looked at him in confusion, her dull eyes huge as she tried to comprehend his words, " I have instructed Cromwell to find a way for me to take on a second wife."

"Your Majesty, I am not worthy of such an honour." Jane responded in shock dropping to her knees before him. Henry picked her up within seconds; if she were to be his wife he would not have her bowing to him.

" I trust you accept?" Henry responded a smile on his face as he looked at her. She almost glowed with happiness.

" Yes, Your Majesty, nothing would make me happier." Her smile was back on her face but within seconds it was replaced with grim determination, " When I am Queen I would hope to see the Lady Mary reinstated as heir apparent."

Henry let go of her hand at that, anger flashing briefly across his face, " Jane, you are a fool to hope so. Elizabeth is my heir, and the Queen is pregnant still, you ought to solicit the advancement of the children were going to have, not any other."

" But Your Majesty, I thought.. I was asking not so much for the good of others, as for the good of the repose and tranquilly of yourself as well as the children we may have ourselves, and for the tranquilly of your Majesty's kingdom. Forgive me." The last of her words were said softly with her eyes downcast and immediately his anger at her subsided. She had such as gentle heart; it should not surprise him that she would want to see Mary returned to his graces.

" No, forgive me, " Henry replied gently, taking her hand in his again, " it's just that I so much want a new beginning, a renaissance. Sometimes it is hard to be reminded of things. Do you understand?"

Jane simply nodded her head at his words and so Henry continued speaking, " You are so pure," he exclaimed gently bringing herself close to him and brushing a stray hair out of her face, " I just don't want you to be affected by things that have gone before. May I kiss you Jane?"

" Aren't you the King of England?"

January 12th 1536

Greenwich Palace

Her gown felt heavy as she walked through the gardens, Elizabeth on her hip, she had no doubt that the skirts of her dress were muddy but Anne felt that she did not care, she needed to find her husband, to put a stop to his antics before they truly took flight.

She knew it was not becoming of a woman in her position, the Queen of England, to beg, but her husband was a King, she was just another of his subjects, she had to beg just like all the rest.

" Henry, please, " She exclaimed when she had finally found him, at the sight of her he immediately began to walk away, and Anne hastened her steps to almost a run to keep pace with him " Henry please, for the love you bear our child, for the love of Elizabeth have mercy. Do not do this thing."

Before she had even finished her words he had begun to interrupt her, his voice angry as he lifted his hand in frustration, " You lied to me, you've always lied to me."

" No," Anne exclaimed, but before the word had even truly left her lips he had turned around and was marching towards her. For a split fearful second she had thought that he might hit her, with Elizabeth in her arms and a child in her belly, she did not think it mattered. This was the monster her husband had become.

He did not hit her however, he just continued to yell, not relenting in his anger despite their daughter's presence, " You were not a virgin when you married me, you are not what you seem. Your father and your brother arranged everything." The last of his words were all but spat at her before he turned away from her again.

" No," Anne exclaimed running again to keep up with him. She had been no virgin when they married that was true enough, but that was because he had taken her maidenhead that day in the forest and that night in France, the night Elizabeth had been conceived. How quickly he forgot such things. " I loved you," Anne exclaimed speeding up so that she may now be in front of him, " I loved you, and I love you still. Please after everything we have been to each other after everything we were, please don't do this."

He would not listen to her, he made no move to harm her, yet still he tried to break away from her, his face an angry scowl as he did so, yet Anne was determined to not let him pass her again, turning she walked up the small staircase that were located in the gardens so that she was looking down on him. Elizabeth too was looking at her father and Anne could feel her daughter shaking in her arms.

" One more chance," Anne exclaimed on the verge of tears, " one more, for the child in my belly."

He looked to consider her words for only a second before he began his own way up the steps, pushing past her with anger in his movements. He did not even spare a glance for his daughter.

" Henry," Anne called watching as he stalked away from them, " Your Majesty, Your majesty I beseech you. "

Not once did he look back at them. Not once. As Elizabeth clasped her hands around Anne's neck, burying her face into the crook of Anne's shoulder Anne could do nothing but collapse on the cold ground in despair. Her husband would not listen to reason; he would not even wait till after the child she carried was born, he would take a second wife.

God help them all when he did.

January 15th 1536

Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire England

Residence of the Dowager Princess of Wales

Katherine stared stoically at the ambassador sitting before her. She was still weak from her recent illness; she knew she looked ill, her body haggard and tired, and her skin pale and clammy to touch. She no longer looked the maid that had set sail for England all those years ago, she was an old woman now, old and barren and forgotten. Yet still she had her wits about her, even now when all else had failed her.

" Your bring me news I trust?" She questioned, her voice sounding soft and weak even to her ears. Once her voice had commanded people like a whip, now it could hardly stir a response.

" The common people were joyous to hear of your survival." Chapyus said evenly, and immediately Katherine knew that the Spanish ambassador was trying to appease her, to give her a level of comfort before her bought her darker tidings.

" But not those at court." Katherine stated. Her husbands mistress had many enemies Katherine knew, yet none of them would speak against this so called Queen why she still held Henry's favour. Anne was pregnant again, Katherine knew for the third time, yet she was still yet to grant the King the son he so desired. Katherine had failed in that regard more times than she wanted to remember.

Six times she had fallen pregnant, six times Henry's seed had quickened within her and six times she had failed in her duty to bear her husband a healthy living son. She had given Henry three daughters and four sons in her time as Queen, yet God had seen it fit to take two of her daughters and all of her sons from her, he had left her only Mary, and her daughter remained the King's only legitimate child. By rights and law Mary should be Queen after her husband it was the girl's destiny, yet her father was determined to take it from her.

Six times Katherine had failed her husband, in the three years Henry had declared himself married to his mistress Anne had already failed him twice. The first of her children had been a girl, another daughter when Henry so needed a son, and the second child she had lost, just at Katherine had lost all of hers. If the girl failed him again, Katherine had no doubt that Henry would find a way to replace her, and with much more ease then before, Henry would tire of Anne just like all the others. There would always be others, the King had many lusts, too many.

" No your Majesty, there were many at court that hailed your survival. Even the Harlot was glad of your survival."

Katherine almost laughed at that. Anne wanted her breathing until she had delivered her son, of that Katherine had no doubt, " I do not doubt that, no doubt she thinks he will not forsake her while I still live."

" For all her faults the concubine is right in that regard, if the King forsakes her, he must surely return to Your Majesty and the Princess." You sweet sweet fool, Katherine thought with a sad smile, all of them, they were all fools, did they not see it, were they truly that blind.

" The King will do as he wills Ambassador." He has made himself a God; no one could stop him now.

" Yes, my lady I fear you are right in that." Chapyus replied his voice downcast. Now he will tell me the dark news he had come to bear.

" What is it? Tell me true." Katherine insisted, she was to old for lies and half true, and his visit had made her weary.

" The King means to make another false marriage my lady."

" Has Anne miscarried her saviour then?" Katherine questioned, no one had said anything to her of that, as far as she knew the lady still carried the King's child.

" No my lady," Chapyus responded, still not looking at her, " The harlot's bastard still lives inside of her."

" I fear ambassador that I do not understand your words. If Anne is still pregnant what reason does he have to discard her?"

" He does not mean to discard her Your Majesty, he simply means to take another wife, a second Queen."

No Eustace, a third I still live. " Bigamy?" Katherine questioned shocked. Henry, the man she had known and married, had always been a man of God and faith, bigmey was not something he ever would have consented to. Her husband may have broken from Rome to marry his whore, but Henry had remained a catholic at heart, he had named himself head of the Church of England, but that church was still Catholic in all but one thing, " The commons would never stand for such a farce."

" It matters not," Chapyus said gently, and then Katherine understood, it was all but done already, the imperial ambassador would not know of it otherwise not for certain, " The King has already announced his betrothal to the lady, and Parliament has already passed a bill allowing the King to take a second bride."

" On what grounds?" Katherine questioned still not quite believing that she had been told. Anne was pregnant; his so-called Queen carried his child, a possible son, yet still Henry wanted to take another to his bed. She would have understood if Anne had lost her child, Henry could have declared her barren and claimed that he needed to take another woman to bed for the hope of a son and heir for England, he had no such reason while the babe in Anne's womb still lived.

" England needs an heir, and the King does not believe the concubine can give him one so he claimed he must take another." And his loyal dogs are so eager to obey. Katherine thought, even the commons would see this for what it was, the King was once aging besotted with another woman, perhaps his betrothed had played the same game as Anne once had, a maidenhead for marriage and a promise of a son. With Katherine still alive Henry could not forsake Anne Boleyn, not without being forced to admit that his marriage to Katherine remained valid. And besides to forsake the woman while she was still pregnant (in the hope for a son) would only make the King look a fool, while she lived and Anne's babe still lingered in the world, Anne Boleyn would remain her husbands so called Queen, yet Henry had absolute power now, and no doubt he was scared that Anne would lose this child as she had the last, and so once again he had decreed it necessary to take another wife.

The thought almost made Katherine want to laugh; England would have three women calling themselves Henry's wife and Queen. While she knew that the Pope would never have consented to such a notion Katherine could not help but think it would have been easier if Henry had thought of this before, during the course of his great matter, Katherine had been barren it would have made more sense, yet now if just made him seem a greedy fool, but Katherine knew her husband well enough, he would do this thing. No matter the consequences.

" Who is the woman?" Katherine asked her tone curious. Anne had all but bewitched Henry, despite her hopes that he would one day forsake her, she had never truly thought it possible. Her husband had loved his harlot, she could not help but wonder who it was that made such a love disappear.

" The Lady Jane Seymour, Your Majesty." At that Katherine could not but help a confused look, Jane had served in her household for a time, along with three of her sisters and her mother Margery. They were of a fertile stock, it was true John Seymour's wife had given him ten children over the course of their marriage, no doubt Henry thought the same fate would come of his union with Jane. While Katherine knew the name well enough, she could hardly remember the face behind it. The girl had been pretty enough, blonde and pale, a true English rose Katherine was sure, yet if memory served her correctly the girl was also meek and soft spoken, not at all the kind of woman her husband had always fancied. Henry had always liked a girl that he thought of as his equal, Katherine did not even think this Jane Seymour knew how to read or write.

" They say the woman and her family are supporters of your cause, already the Lady has been trying to cultivate favour between the Princess and her father." Chapyus put in no doubt thinking that his words would please her.

" If that were true Excellency she would not agree to take my husband as hers." Katherine put it, her words cold and stern.

The King could marry as many woman as he so wished to, it would not change a thing, Katherine remained his only true wife while she lived, and Mary his only true heir, any other marriages he took to while she still breathed life were not valid in the eyes of god or the laws of men, and any children of such unions were bastards. The people of England would see such things, and her Mary would be Queen.

God was just; he would not continue to allow such acts of heresy in England.

A/N: Please please review to let me know what you think, I really have been enjoying this story lately and I hope you all enjoy it as well.