A/N: As today is a day of updates, here is the awaited new chapter. Thank you to Robin4, Secret-writer91, Guest, vintagemind, Guest, ReadingPixie, and KitKassie for all of the wonderful reviews on the previous chapter. Enjoy this update, everyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tudors, or any of the characters, Showtime does.

...

"Oh, Edward!" Anne gasped as she swept the infant into her arms. "My precious boy! Oh, how I've missed you!"

Henry might have frowned upon Anne's protective attitude when Edward had been a newborn, but now the king smiled as his wife doted upon their son.

The pair had come to Windsor to see how their child was settling into his new residence. Anne in particular had been adamant in seeing Edward, not merely content to hear others simply speak of him.

The babe gurgled happily as his eyes landed upon his mother.

"He feeds well and hardly ever cries," Lady Bryan stated proudly, her normally stern features set in a soft smile. "It is as if he already knows he is a prince. He is a credit to Your Majesties in every way."

"And I trust all percautionary measures are taken?" Henry questioned earnestly.

"All care that can be taken is so to ensure the prince's comfort and safety," Lady Bryan promised. "Rest assured, Your Majesty has nothing to worry about."

"And what of the Lady Mary?" Henry's expression hardened.

Lady Bryan's smile faded, and at the mention of her stepdaughter, Anne's own smile faltered as well as the queen's gaze shifted to her son and she clutched the boy tighter to her instinctively.

"The, ah, Lady Mary is..." Lady Bryan hesitated.

"Yes?" Henry pressed. "Well?"

"The lady is very obdurate and repeatedly insists that she, not Prince Edward, is your rightful heir."

"Then I am correct in my assumption that she has not signed the Oath," Henry said, his mood darkening further.

"I am afraid so, Your Majesty," Lady Bryan answered with a sigh.

Henry growled softly.

"My love," Anne's voice slowly seeped into his ear. "We have so little time before we must return. Let us enjoy our visit with our son while we still can."

Henry sighed through his nose and composed his face into a smile as he turned to his wife.

"You are right of course, sweetheart," he murmured, kissing her cheek as he held out his hands.

With some reluctance, Anne surrendered the precious bundle in her arms to her husband and watched as Henry gazed down at his long-awaited son.

Even now, Henry couldn't believe that he had finally been blessed with a son and heir. Each time he held him, he was careful not to do anything to hurt the babe, but he was so afraid that if he held him too lightly, he might fade away. Or worse yet, turn out to have never been at all.

"I still cannot thank you enough for him, my darling," he muttered to Anne as his fingers gently caressed little Edward's hair and cheek, the babe's flesh so plump, warm and petal-soft.

"Forgive me, my son," he held the child close to him. "We cannot stay."

With one last kiss on the infant's forehead, Henry handed the prince back to Anne, who proceeded to take a few last moments with her beloved son before handing him back to his wet-nurse.

"I love you, my darling little treasure," she cooed into the infant's soft locks as she kissed him again and again. "And I pray you never forget it."

With a heavy heart, the queen then handed the babe off to the wet-nurse,who immediately carried him off for nursing.

"There there, sweetheart," Henry squeezed Anne's hand reassuringly as she longingly gazed at the doorway where their son had been swept away. "We shall visit again soon."

Anne nodded, blinking a few times in order to stay the tears threatening to fall from her icy blue irises. She would never be able to fully reconcile herself with not always being able to be so near her son.

...

"So the whore's status is secured."

Chapuys nodded dejectedly.

"For the moment, yes," he answered. "As long as the brat she bore still lives, the king will not even think of setting her aside, much less of returning to the fold of Rome."

"And thereby condemning England to be plunged into darkness and hellfire," Brereton's eyes filled with terror. "All to pander to that witch's vanity. She must be stopped! What must I do to keep these events from coming to pass? I shall do anything! Tell me!"

"Calm yourself, my friend," Chapuys murmured, looking about to see if anyone had noticed them. Brereton's determination and loyalty were certainly admirable, but his passion could be a hindrance as well as a help. "Unfortunately, nothing can be done about the boy just yet. The king has forced the Princess Mary to act as a servant so as not to excite the harlot's jealousy."

"A princess attending on a bastard born of adultery," Brereton spat. "There can be no question that Anne Boleyn is a vile sorceress. The king would have never done such a thing otherwise."

"Which is why, if we were to be rid of the harlot herself, the king will, I pray, return to his senses and right these grievous wrongs," Chapuys was smirking now as he saw a gleam of eagerness in Brereton's eyes as the latter's gaze fell upon the small bottle in his hand.

"Is that-"

"Yes. Only a few drops will kill within mere hours. Long enough to divert suspicion, for by the time anyone realizes something is amiss, it is too late."

"Entrust this to me, and I swear on my life that I will not fail," Brereton vowed.

Chapuys nodded and handed him the bottle.

"If you succeed in killing the king's whore, all of England will owe you a great debt," he said as the man stood to fulfill his mission. "My prayers go with you, my friend."

...

...

I do sincerely hope you all enjoyed this update, and I don't want to give too much away, but in another chapter or two, Henry and Anne will once more be hearing the pitter-patter of little feet. But alas, as is the way with them, there will also be some angst to counter the sweetness. But you'll just have to wait until Sunday, August 9th to find out what happens. Until then, everyone.