With a deep feeling of dread Mary tentatively lifted her hand and knocked upon her Fathers chamber door. She didn't know if she was doing the right thing and upon further contemplation almost wished that she had listened to Francis and had him accompany her. But she knew deep down that this was something she had to do and on her own or else she would always regret it. She didn't know if she would get the answers that she wanted but she did know that she had to hear her Father out.

"Enter. Mary how glad I am that you came."

Watching the relief on her Father's face she wondered if it was relief that she had actually came or came without the French King.

"Yes I have came, I wanted to hear these explanations you have for me although there truly can be none which could forgive your actions, but alas I shall listen."

"Mary I know this and I can only be thankful that you came here at all but I truly hope that we could begin to mend our relationship. You are my daughter and no matter what you think I love you and miss you. I see so much of your mother in you."

"I would think that seeing my mother in me should pain you, or is it good to see my mother in me because she is now dead?"

Henry winced,"Mary please, all I can do is explain my reasoning and what I was thinking back then. You have to understand that your Mother was meant for my brother. She was to be his bride but I of course duty bound married your mother after Arthur passed. As King it was my duty to produce a son and it became apparent that wouldn't happen with your mother. That was when Anne was introduced to me, placed in front of me if you like. She was the opposite of your mother in every way and promised of sons which at that time was all that I had in my head. I had also came to fall in love with Anne however I shall not lie I fell in love more with the idea of having a boy to grow up in my image and carry on my legacy. Anne wanted power and to push her family's ideals upon me but along the way we really did fall in love and in my own selfishness to get what I wanted I know I hurt you and your mother. I thought casting the pair of you aside would get me closer to the son I had always wanted. But I know now that was wrong of me. And I don't know how else to show you but I am truly sorry for what I put through. There's nothing that can change it Mary but as God as my witness I do love you. You are my daughter and I hope that with more time you can come to forgive me as you see that I am a changed man my daughter."

Mary stood slowly, "everything which you have just said is what I already knew but thank you for actually putting it to me. You done me and my mother so much wrong and I cannot pretend. I don't know if that is something I will ever be able to move on from. A parent should love their child and no matter what they should protect and love them. Your treatment of me as a parent was not only cruel but as a person was despicable and evil. To then separate a mother from her daughter … there's no words that can describe that pain. You left me without a mother or a father and then forced me into disgrace as a bastard and to complete my humiliation made me attend on my young stepsister. You were never a father to me. Not that I can remember and I don't know if there is any reason why we should start now, it would make no difference to me, if anything it would be for you and so you could all some of your guilt to dissipate. I must think things over," and with that ending she turned on heel and left straight for the gardens. She needed some air.

Francis was pacing in his chambers. He was truly concerned about Mary. He knew that no matter what she said how deeply she had been cut by her Father. He really wished she had allowed him to accompany her. He made his mind up to take Elizabeth to her mother as Mary had requested and to then go find his beloved.

Anne smiled as she heard Francis and Elizabeth being announced.

"Mama," Elizabeth exclaimed as she ran towards her mother.

"Careful," Francis warned.

Anne hugged her small daughter who gazed up at her with happiness.

"Mama, Papa came to see me. Is Papa with us now. We don't have to leave anywhere again do we?"

Francis watched as Anne's face turned downcast and felt truly sad not only for Mary but for Anne and her young daughter and the pain that one man had brought them. Anne then looked at Francis almost sensing his turmoil.

"Francis?"

"Mary had an audience with her Father and I worry for her, may I take my leave of you now Madame?"

"Of course you must, I am going to have a talk with Elizabeth and then will send her nurse to take her back to her chambers. Pass my love on to Mary."

Francis bowed and left quickly to find Mary while Anne turned to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth I want you to listen to me carefully. In England there were some bad people who were not happy with Mama and said naughty things. They told these naughty things to Papa and he was not happy with Mama either. So I took you and your sister away from these people as I didn't want you to have to hear those things or for them to affect you in any way."

Elizabeth frowned," Papa should have known the naughty things were not the truth. You wouldn't do naughty things."

"Yes that is true. So Mama is a bit cross with Papa for the moment but I wanted you to know the reason why we came to France. Papa still loves you lots and lots Elizabeth and that is why he is here."

Elizabeth looked up at her mother," Will you always be cross with Papa? Is Papa here to take us back ? What about the naughty people "

"Papa knows now and punished the naughty people, and I don't know Elizabeth. Your Papa will always mean such a lot to me. As for returning to England we shall have to wait until after I have had your brothers and sisters and then we can decide on what to do."

Elizabeth smiled, "Okay Mama, I do like France! And maybe you won't be cross with Papa soon. He came back for us after all and punished the naughty people so he must be sorry."

Anne smiled and stroked her daughters hair.

"That is true Lizzie, that is true."

Francis found Mary in the gardens. She was sitting near the angel Dias and was twirling a rose in her hands. He sat down beside her and took her hand.

"Mary?"

Mary smiled absentmindedly,"Francis?"

"What happened?"

A tear trickled down her face, "Father simply told me what I knew but it was good to hear from the horses mouth. To hear him acknowledge what he has done but it doesn't help Francis. It really doesn't."

Francis drew Mary onto his lap and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Mary I know how hard things have been for you and all the pain that has been laid at your door however I do not want you to feel another moment of sadness. You have demonstrated incredible strength your entire life and truly lived entirely alone. I want to change that. I want to be your strength. I want you to be able to depend upon someone other than yourself. I want for you to be at ease for once in your life. To know that you have someone that will be always be there for you no matter what. For you to know that your their whole world and theirs. You must know by now that I adore you. I wish for us to be together entirely. I want to marry you Mary."

Mary gazed up at Francis with tears in her eyes shaking her head, "We can't….we can't, this is too much for one day Francis. Please I want to go back to my chambers."

"As you wish Mary however we can and will marry. That I promise and I shall not give up on that for a minute."

Henry was on his way to Anne's chambers when he saw Elizabeth leaving.

"Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth frowned at Henry, "Mama does not want to see you. You should have known the naughty things the bad people said about Mama were not true. You should have known Mama would never do naughty things. Now Mama is cross with you and I am too."

Elizabeth stamped her foot and swept away from her Father.

Great Henry thought shaking his head. So now he had to add Elizabeth to the list of people who were angry with him. What had he done. How was he ever meant to win his family back ? He knew it had to start with Anne. Anne was the key to everything but he also knew that with what he had done to Anne he would have to do something to make her understand how he truly felt. He turned away from her chambers and began to walk thinking all the while of what he could do to show the love of his life that she was exactly that.