"No, stay like that" Henry says and he can see a slight blush on Tom's skin as he settles himself back into the window seat. Henry stands a moment, just watching this man he loves so much - Tom had thrown aside his customary high necked black robes and chain and had been sitting reading in his undershirt and hose - the sunshine picking up the shine in his black hair. Henry finds himself transfixed between the desire to simply watch and drink in the other man or to walk closer to him, to run his hand through the other mans hair as he kisses him.

"You are so very lovely, Tom" and Henry shakes off Tom's denials with a firm look. "You are my love and I say that you are so very beautiful"

Henry has felt well pleased with himself for much of the day - Jane is a sweet and yielding mistress, his love and Queen is carrying their son and his love Thomas has returned. His good mood stayed with him until he realised that Thomas was still avoiding him - hiding in the formality of their interactions as King and Lord Chancellor and he has not seen anything of him in private and Henry thinks of golden afternoons - of the time they had had together and with Anne - Thomas is particularly beautiful in his arms, lips swollen from kisses and soft and stilled and now he is merely Master Cromwell - efficient and utterly respectful but there is nothing of Tom.

Anne too, is quiet when he visits her - every inch the perfect uncomplaining Queen that Henry had wished for and yet, somehow it feels hollow, even though Henry tells himself it is not - it is merely that Anne has remembered the obedience that is owed to him as her husband and it is not as though she does not still love him - he can tell she does, he can even tell Tom does, in the odd moments when they meet each other's eyes. Henry just cannot understand the distance that they have put up between him.

They will come around soon, Henry decides. His loves just need time.

Jane wants to be liked. She wants to be liked so badly - she wants for the court to stop whispering and glaring when the King cannot see because it hurts. All she has ever done is fall in love with the King - she had dreamed about being Queen, yes, but it was far far more about being the wife of her beloved than being Queen. And now that she cannot be Queen all she wants is to love Henry, even she cannot be his wife.

It is easy to love Henry. He brings her gifts and flowers and they walk together in the gardens - Henry kisses her and they have laid together on his bed and she has lost herself in him. Her brothers have berated her but Jane, Jane just wants to make Henry happy.

Why is that so bad, she thinks, that I am making the King happy.