Hey guys, I have got a new story for you to get into. It is a continuation from my previous story "The Live that Would of Been".

Prologue

10 years had passed since the coronation; King Henry XIV has been ruler for 10 years. Along with his Queen, Anne he has kept the country safe and defended it from foreign invaders.

I never knew that being King would be this hard, after 10 years on the throne I have managed to negotiate 4 peace treaties with Spain and France but I have gone to war with my brother-in law.

Duke William of Cleves tried to convert me from my faith through Anne but he failed as when Anne and I were married Anne knew that I would not be shaken from my faith, so he made war on his sister and denied that Anne was his sister.

3 long and hard years passed with only a stalemate to show, Duke William was determined to make Anne suffer but nothing worked, Anne was my Queen and wife, she would not forsake me for her own brother and so Duke William cast her from her family and denied her sister to write to her. It hurt Anne as she had been close to her sister and had written to them ever since she had left Germany. Letters still arrived via a secret messenger.

Anne was my Queen and she was always there when I needed help, she was my rock but also my wife. After 11 years of marriage she had given birth to 9 children, 2 boys John age 9 and Richard age 4 and 6 girls Isabella 8, Jane 5, Christiana 3 and Alice age 1. She had 2 other girls but they both died Catherine who lived for 52 days and Margery who lived for just a few short hours. She had also had 3 miscarriages 2 boys and one too early to tell. After each birth Anne came back to me and once again stood by my side.

Edward celebrated his 10th birthday 3 years ago and chose to join the Benedictine monks. We receive a monthly letter from him and he has had no regrets in his decision.

My sister Mary had married Philip, Prince of Spain she now was the Queen of Spain and had had 3 children. She had kept in touch and they were planning a visit in the coming year. I had told Mary of Elizabeth and she had agreed with me to accept the child and had asked if a painting could be done. I had already arranged for a painting to be commission as she had moved to court.

After Elizabeth left her home and moved to Court her Aunt, Lady Mary Carey, married again. Her family were not happy with the match; they banished her from seeing her family again and was disinherited from the family fortune. Her new husband was William Stafford, he was a man of low degree and no fortune, title or land but that didn't matter to Lady Mary. In a letter to me she said that her first marriage was a political one she wanted to marry for love and found it in William Stafford. Anne and I felt for her but could do nothing to help her.

Hope you Like it.