I'm so sorry about the major delay in getting Chapter 9 up. My computer crashed completely and I had no way of typing it up. Also, the mobile version of this site doesn't like me and won't let me reply to PMs/Reviews or anything, but I'm back now with another chapter!

Special thanks to: Fleur24, "Good Work", MiraObMalfoy, "fan", and three "Guest" reviewers for reviews last chapter!
Now, without further ado…Chapter 9!

Chapter 9

May 7th, 1534

It had finally happened, she was with child again. When Anne first missed her courses, she hadn't even dared to hope that she was carrying his son after the disaster in January. When the second month passed and she had still not bled, she sent for a midwife straight away. When the midwife confirmed that she was indeed with child, she had been relieved. She had sent for a second midwife to be doubly sure that she was pregnant and sure enough, she was two months gone with child.

Anne was overjoyed. She felt as if some of the weight that was thrust upon her shoulders had vanished. She still had to worry about having a safe pregnancy and the hopeful delivery of a son, but being with child guaranteed that she would fall back in favor with her husband.

He had been cold towards her ever since that fateful day in January. He had openly taken a mistress, one of her own cousins, Lady Mary Shelton, and flaunted her in front of the whole court; when he came to her bed in hopes of conceiving a child, he rank of ale and the perfume of his mistress. She could feel herself falling out of love with him fast. He was no longer the darling Harry that had courted her for seven years and was content with holding her hand. He had grown bored of her after he had everything he wanted from her. Everything that is, but a son.

A part of Anne knew that she would always love him. The passion they shared was too great to simply disappear completely, but her love for him diminished every day that she was kept away from her darling daughters

Elizabeth and Ella were eight months old now. She received updates often from Lady Bryan about how her children were fairing but it was not the same as being able to see her babes for herself.

Shortly after she was forced to return to Whitehall, Anne had started receiving letters from one of her servants from a "Miss Marie", with detailed updates on her daughters.

Elizabeth and Ella had both began to stand on their own and were starting to learn to crawl. Ella had started speaking simple words. According to Miss Marie, her first word, like her sisters, had been "Mama". Since then she had also learned to say "Aaah!" and "Maahhy", which Miss Marie had been thrilled about. Elizabeth was able to say nearly 20 different words now. Anne had never heard of a babe of eight months being able to say so much. Elizabeth was already a very intelligent girl.

Anne received one letter from Miss Marie a week, usually on a Thursday. The last letter Anne received had a bright orange curl entwined with a dark red one and what Anne believed to be two small thumb prints on the letter.

Anne was the Queen of England and had countless gowns and jewels, but no gift was as precious to her as the tokens from her sweet children. She had put the locks of hair into a locket which she wore every day now.

Every letter Anne received she replied to. The notes were always short, since she feared risking Miss Marie's true identity. Anne would sometimes send a few coins in them, but she was so grateful of the gift that Miss Marie had given her that she had sent a special present to her in return.

It was a simple necklace, as a bigger and grander one would not have fit. She knew that Miss Marie would treasure it just the same. The necklace had once belonged to the Dowager Princess Katherine. Anne could not give up any of the Queen's jewels, but she could give her this small token.

Anne's relationship with Miss Marie could not be called friendship. It was much too complicated to even be given much of a title, but Anne knew that Mary Tudor was no longer a foe.

She placed a hand on her still flat belly. Though she could feel nothing yet, she knew that a child as perfect as Elizabeth and Ella was growing inside. She only hoped that this child would be a boy.

Anne planned on telling Henry that night when they dined together at dinner. She only hoped he wouldn't cancel their plans to be with his mistress.

She would gain his love back and she would deliver him a son. Nothing would stop her from seeing her daughters.

"MAAHY!"

The screeching of the infant Princess Ella could be heard throughout the palace as she screamed herself hoarse on the floor in her nursery.

"MAAHY, MAAHY!"

Lady Ursula rolled her eyes as the child continued squealing for her older sister. Ella had been going at it since she rose from her nap an hour ago and it was causing her a splitting headache. Lady Ursula pursed her lips and glared at the child with disgust.

She had been a lady in waiting to Katherine of Aragon for less than a year before the noble Queen was sent away into exile but she was still loyal to the Queen. She had detested Anne Boleyn since the moment she saw her first twirling around the court with the King of England as on her arm. When Katherine had been sent away, Lady Ursula had done the logical thing and feigned loyalty to Anne and waited on her as if she was the true Queen instead of just a mistress on a pedestal.

She hated the woman and hated her even more when she was "honored" to be a lady in waiting to her bastard daughters.

Lady Ursula was filled with rage when she had learned that the Princess Mary was appointed the wait upon the bastards too. A Princess should not have to work a day in her life, she should not be treated like a common servant to her father's bastards.

Though both of the girls annoyed her, she couldn't stand to be anywhere near Ella. It was sickening to watch the Princess Mary run to her whenever she so much as thought "Maahy".

The child wailed endlessly, causing Lady Ursula to throw the bonnet she had been sewing onto the ground in frustration and walk over to the screaming Ella and yank her into her arms.

"Stop fussing!" she said sternly to the babe, almost as if she expected her to listen.

Ella whined softly before looking curiously at her before she opened her mouth once again and pitifully whined for "Maahy".

Ursula's face grew as red as the babe's hair with rage. She glared at the child in her arms, "Stupid bastard."

Then, Ella whined something different for a change.

"Bassstaahd"

Ursula smiled cruelly. At least she knew what she was.

She almost didn't notice Lady Bryan storm into the room with fire burning in her eyes.

"Your majesty, the Queen has arrived."

Henry nodded at the groom, barley hearing his words as his wife walked in the room.

She walked towards him with such grace that it was almost as if she was floating on top of the floor rather than touching it. She wore a silver damask gown, one that was simple for someone of her position but elegant nonetheless. Her hair was down, as it had been so often during the days of their courtship, tumbling down her back in violent dark curls. Around her long neck was a black onyx jewel which shined brightly against the contrast of her pale skin and made her black eyes shine.

"Husband", she said as charmingly as she extended her hand for him to kiss.

"Anne, darling." He murmured against her pale hand. No matter how much she humiliated and failed him, Henry was still shocked at how she still had the power to bewitch his mind in such a way. She was almost non- existent to him earlier in the day, as he was pre-occupied with pressing matters. Now that she stood in front of him, he was enchanted once again. Despite himself and the rage he still harbored for her, she still had power over him.

He wordlessly sat down at the table that was prepared for them, taking the cup out of the drink bearer's hand and gulping down some ale in an attempt to smother the passion that was unwillingly burning for her.

She sat down beside him and chattered away while taking slow bites of the venison on her plate. He responded with succinct answers, preferring to gaze at her as she spoke instead. He caught glimpses of what she was saying. Something about the reports on their daughters, a remark about a new style popping up in France. He was surprised that she even had the audacity to bring up the dissolution of the monasteries to him, though he noticed she was careful not to speak against it despite the fact that her pale face gave away that she was slightly unnerved by it.

Abruptly, Anne stopped talking. A moment of silence passed between the royal couple.

"Husband, would it be possible for me to have a moment alone with you?" she asked, her black eyelashes batting ever so slightly against her fair skin.

Henry shifted in his seat uncomfortably before nodding his head for the servants to vacate the room.

A small smile graced her face. Her eyes met his before she said in the most angelic voice she could muster, "You're going to be a father once again."

Henry's face dropped into an expressionless façade as his heart became to hammer instead his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but promptly closed it after. He had a conversation similar to this with Katherine many years ago and the memory still shifted uneasily inside his mind.

He looked down at his plate of food, not daring to meet her eyes gazing upon him.

"I know" was all he said before it went quite once again.

Anne bit the inside of her cheek in confusion before speaking again. "How could you have known? I had only just found out this morning."

Henry took a sharp intake of breath. "I didn't want to distress you. I thought I would wait awhile longer to tell you. It is true. I shall have a son in six months' time. I didn't want to upset you, but I see you have found out another way."

Anne's blood went cold before she narrowed her dark eyes upon her husband, understanding washing over her.

"Lady Shelton is with child?" She spat out.

"Sweetheart…I won't acknowledge it…"

He was cut off by the quiet but firm voice of his wife.

"Acknowledge your bastard." She stood to leave, turning with her gown swooping angrily behind her as she paced out of the room.

"Anne…" He called after her in a voice similar to that of a spoiled child who had been denied a sweetmeat.

Tears stung her eyes. She took quick breaths before turning around to face him.

"I wish to return to my chambers to lie down. I don't want any of my emotions to cause distress and harm to our child."

And with her head held up high, Anne walked out of the room with the elegance of a Greek goddess, leaving her shocked husband wide eyed with guilt.

No matter how much Anne tried to remind herself to calm down for the sake of her baby, she couldn't stop sobbing. She had dismissed all of her ladies and wouldn't even allow her brother to see her. Her eyes were bloodshot and glowed with a murderous rage.

Henry, that cheating fool! He had been undeniably cold towards her lately and she was well aware that he was bedding other woman other than her, but for that pig to conceive a bastard with one of his whores flew her into a rage so violent that she had to lock herself in her room so she didn't take it out on her ladies in waiting. It was rather unqueenly for a queen to strike her ladies, after all.

Anne had always had a temper but she was not a violent woman; however, she would like very much to slap Lady Mary Shelton clear across her pretty face.

After hours of crying and brooding, Anne felt moisture between her thighs. Panic sprang through her. Had she killed her own baby with her foolish temper?

She quickly screamed for one of her ladies as loud as she could until a mousy blonde girl came in with wide grey eyes, staring at her in panic.

"A midwife! Get a midwife straight away!" Anne screamed.

It took only five minutes for a stout grey haired woman to arrive panting as she ran to the Queen's bed.

"Your Majesty!" she gave a rushed curtsy before ripping the Queen's dress off from the waist down.

The midwife placed a hand upon her heart as she viewed the scene in front of her. There was indeed blood on the Queen's inner thighs, but only slight traces.

"Your Majesty, your child is fine. Light bleeding from a pregnant woman is not uncommon. What a freight you gave me!" she said with her palm still clutching her heart, while giving a small reassuring smile to the terrified woman on the bed.

"Are you certain? I never bled before." Anne questioned.

"Every pregnancy is different, your majesty." She said. "You look distressed, you need to calm down now. It's not good for the child, dear."

At that moment, while lying half naked on her bed with eyes as wide as saucers, a brilliant thought went shooting through Anne Boleyn's head like lightening.

Henry would let her do anything she wanted if it avoided causing her distress to avoid a miscarriage. Even though she was only spotting lightly and had not had a near miscarriage as she had thought, gossip spread like fire around Court. It was most likely to reach the King's ear that hearing of his bastard child distressed the Queen so much that she almost had a miscarriage.

It was then that Anne realized she had Henry wrapped around her finger.

"Thank you" Anne said as jollily as possible. Her black eyes glittered as she realized what this meant.

Once the midwife had made sure Anne was perfectly calm before exiting the room, Anne began to scrawl a note to her husband.

Your Majesty, my Lord and Soverign:

I apologize greatly for the scene I caused earlier and the potential danger I placed myself and our child in by my overreacting. It just hurts me so to think of you loving others when the love I bear for you is so great. It shall not happen again.

I would like to request a visit to Hatfield soon, with Your Majesty's permission, to see our daughters. It would soathe my heart so, and I believe, would be beneficial to both myself and the child.

Love always,

Your wife and servant, Queen Anne of England.

As she signed her name as elegantly as possible before calling for a lady to deliver it to her husband, she sent a silent prayer up to God.

Lady Shelton's bastard was her saving grace. She knew that nothing could keep her from her daughters now.