So this OT3 ate my soul I swear I love them a lot. Cross posted on A03 with the same title.

It might have begun like this. In a world a small step from ours Thomas Cromwell stops for a moment, having given Anne Boleyn a dangerous book and she in turn does not simply thank him but has the chance to ask a question. To ask his opinion of the book. He will reply and she will smile for having someone take her questions seriously and she will ask if he will not return to discuss the book with her.

(In this world Anne Boleyn is still going to be the second wife of Henry the Eighth but she returned from France to a king who had fought for his annulment with a different woman by his side - upon the birth of Henry Fitzroy Henry had had all the proof he felt he needed - he had gained (eventually) the annulment but the boy had died young and Henry had quietly married off the boys mother - Anne is welcomed by the people, the court and Henry's daughter alike).

And so Thomas Cromwell finds himself returning to dine with the Lady Anne and they begin a dialogue about Tyndales work - far more of a dialogue than they would be given a chance to have in another world and a mutual respect is allowed to deepen into true friendship. They even start playing chess together - carefully escorted of course but no one whispers about them (Anne is known for cultivating an intellectual circle about her after all) - though they whisper about the rise of Cromwell.

Eventually they begin to discuss charity and governance - the process of a wider reformation and Anne brings it to the attention of the King, who is well pleased and begins to join in the discussions. (To his own surprise Henry does not feel that Cromwell is intruding into his time with Anne).

They each begin to tell stories - Thomas tells stories about his travels (the lighter stories - though he tells some of the tales of his childhood later) and Anne and Henry about their childhoods - about Henry's mother teaching him to write, about Anne's determination to master her handwriting early - about times with their siblings.

But it might have begun with Thomas Cromwell realising he is in love with the swan and the lion both, one night over a late meal. He merely resolves to hide it in the depths of his heart, for what chance is there, after all. It is enough to be their friend and trusted servant.

Or perhaps it might have begun with Anne Boleyn realising she is in love with Thomas Cromwell. It is after she has lost her second child (it hurts, it hurts everywhere in her bones and her soul and Henry does not come to her) and it is Thomas Cromwell who finds the right words for her. Who tells her that it does not matter the age of a child, it is still beyond pain to lose children. And so they talk to each other of the children that are no longer in this world - his two little girls and her boy who never had a chance to breathe outside her womb. And she realises, painfully that she loves him as much as she loves Henry.

(It can never be, she decides and locks her love into her heart just as Thomas Cromwell falls more deeply in love with this woman - this bright and kind lady who shines out to the world).

Anne lets herself be lost in being a mother to Elizabeth, in being a friend to the now restored Princess Mary, in being the best Queen she may be as Henry more and more ignores her for other women. It hurts and Anne wishes she could hide her hurt.

It might have begun with Henry Tudor realising he loves his chief minister as much as he loves his wife (which it turns out is a great deal, despite what Henry may have thought he knew). It happens after a bad couple of years between them - though Anne is pregnant again Henry is entranced by another lady - he has had dalliances with others , largely to prove to himself that he is still loved, still young and golden but this lady is different. This lady he wishes he could make his Queen if Anne fails. (Despite the disapproval of court and his friends they are all obliged to be civil towards his Guinevere and Henry is sure that once they know her better they will love her).

He realises he is in love with Thomas Cromwell when, upon telling him he intends to ask his lady for her favour in the upcoming joust Thomas Cromwell cannot hide the disapproval in his face and when Henry prompts him to "speak frankly" Cromwell tells him the blunt truth - that this joust is a ridiculous risk and he is risking his own health and the Queens both.