5th of November 1530 - Rome, Italy

Walking through the halls of the Vatican, Ippolito couldn't help but feel angry at the news that he had just been given; he could not believe that the Pope had dared have Clarice stripped of her titles to be given to some relative of theirs. 

He had worried after the loss of his own titles, which had been given by the Pope to Alessandro de' Medici that his sister would be next; his compensation for such a loss had been to become a Cardinal. 

This was not something that he had ever wanted for himself instead, he would have much preferred to remain as ruler of Florence; no matter what titles and riches that were bestowed upon him it would not make up for what he had lost. 

Now his sister had suffered the same, what had been said to King Francis to make him hand her birth right over to another had not yet reached his ears but Ippolito could very well imagine what had been commanded by the Pope. 

Storming into the chamber where he knew that Clement would be, he ignored the looks that the cardinals offered him upon entry; he cared not for what they discussed only wanting answers for what had happened. 

"Francis has gifted my sister's title and lands over to her uncle," Ippolito stated glaring at Clement who did not at all look surprise that the younger man had come to speak with him. 

With a wave of his hand, Clement dismissed the other cardinals that were gathered; this conversation was best kept private and he was aware that even the walls had ears here in the Vatican. 

Once they were alone, Clement turned to Ippolito doubting that the man would truly understand why he had done as he had; he knew just what was at stake if Catherine did not remain the Queen of England.

"Clarice has not done as I have asked. The Emperor reports that she has taken the harlot's side in all matters of court in England," Clement stated leaning back in his chair, he watched Ippolito take the seat opposite and wondered just how Clarice had allowed herself to be swayed from God's mission. 

The Vicar of Rome was certain of his plot to have Clarice replace the whore and even better if the King would set his sights upon her to become Queen of England.

He could imagine it now, he would usher in a golden age for the Medici and it had all started with Ippolito; he had plans to make the young man the next Pope when he was gone, only then would the Medici legacy be secure. 

Catherine de' Medici would become the Queen of France, Clarice would become the Queen of England once the ill-fated Queen Katherine had been dealt with of course. 

The Emperor would not have the need to grumble so once his aunt had passed on and his cousin was treated well; she'd be married off to one of the Spanish princes and her claim to the throne would not matter when Clarice gave the King a son. 

"And what of her dowry? She is the daughter of a Duke. She deserves a suitable match," Ippolito argued not understanding what Clement hope to gain from all of this. 

He had cautioned her to be careful while she was in England, he knew what Clement had asked of her and had prayed daily that his sister would not act against her conscious when there was so much at stake. 

Ippolito cared not for the affairs of the court or who a King he had not met married; he cared about his sister, the only family that he could count on to have his back. 

Despite him being a bastard, Clarice had treated him as her brother; caring not for the status that his birth had given him and he was forever thankful for that. 

"Sacrifices have to be made Ippolito," Clement spoke softly, he would not reveal his grand plan to the other man nor had he spoken of his ambitions to anyone in fear that should he do so that they might end up in the ear of the Emperor. 

For right now, the man had more control than Clement would care to admit and his revenge would be sweet against the man that had sacked the city that he called home. 

Forcing his way into being made the Holy Roman Emperor, his meddling in what should have been an easy divorce settling; Emperor Charles would reap what he had sown when the time was right.

"Then why is it never you who sacrifices anything. I lost my title. My sister is without her title and a dowry so she can make a fine match deserving of her status. Catherine spent three years as a hostage," Ippolito spat angry that Clement never seemed to put himself in the way of all of this. 

They were all his little puppets and Ippolito would not stand it anymore, he wouldn't just stand by and allow Clement to ruin their lives further; he truly wished that the man had never found himself as Pope. 

When Clement did not reply to the accusations that Ippolito had thrown at his feet, he scoffed and shook his head doubting that whatever he said or tried to get Clement to admit to; he would insist upon it that it was God's will his work. 

Getting to his feet, Ippolito left before he would say something that he would come to regret; it was too late for him to do anything for Catherine but he could help his sister. 

Their cousin would have a fine match in Henri, Duke of Orleans and she would certainly be treated well by the French given their long history with the Medici family. 

However, Clarice had just found herself near destitute in a country were she would have no such support from anyone; she was considered a spy for the Pope and it was not likely that people would be kind to her. 

His mind made up, Ippolito knew what his next move would be; he did not care if the Pope threatened to excommunicate him; he would help his sister in anyway that he could. 

Leaving before nightfall would be tricky but he would make it work, he was hopeful that his arrival in England would bring some good news to his sister; if needed he would happily turn on the Pope and inform the King of England just who was pulling the strings here in Rome. 

There was nothing for him in the city now and he would do what he could to find his sister a match that would have pleased their father; he knew that Giuliano would have been disgusted in what the Pope had done to his children.

***

5th of November 1530 - London, England

"I knew that King Francis was not as gallant as he claimed to be. How could he be? When he leaves his beloved cousin in such a state where she has no means to provide herself with," Henry stated aloud, his eyes sweeping over Clarice before turning to his beloved. 

It had been Anne who had told him of the unfortunate turn of events in which the former Duchess of Nemours now found herself without any way to support herself. 

"I fear that it is the Pope's meddling that has led my cousin to do such a thing," Clarice began with a shake of her head. "First he denies Your Majesty of the right to marry Lady Anne and now he tricks my cousin with wicked lies about my time here to have my birth right taken from me." 

Clarice had nothing now and most of her ladies were already organising their trips back to Italy to their families; there was nothing for them now that their mistress had lost everything. 

Only two had stayed loyal, only two had insisted tat they would remain by her side no matter what came her way; Clarice was ever so thankful for their loyalty at a time like this.

"He is a true villain then, he deserves not the title that he has been given nor the power that he wields," Henry mused knowing that the more he heard about the Pope's doing, the more he wished to learn from the books that Anne had shown him. 

Surely this was not God's will, he had denied Henry a son from Katherine because he had married his brother's widow; yet the Pope did not see that he was cursed for doing so and continued to not give him pleasure in his divorce. 

Now the Pope had taken what was rightfully Clarice's and given it to another, he had denied her the birth right that had been left to her by her father when he had passed on. 

"I have offered Lady Clarice a position in my household my love," Anne said smiling knowing that it would at least keep the other woman at court and a roof over her head, she had no money or anyway to pay for a ship back to the continent. 

Nor did she have the funds to accommodate herself while she was in England, something that meant she would find herself on the streets should she not wish to enter a nunnery. 

"Of course, I shall see to it that she receives a pension while she is here at court. I will not have it said that that the King of England allowed a Lady of his court to live in such poverty," Henry announced pleased with his decision, his actions surely would be seen as a kindness after the evil acts committed against her.

Ducking into a curtsy, Clarice was almost thankful for that and she knew that her stay at court was most certain now; she did not know what she would have done if it weren't for Anne and she vowed to help the woman get what she wanted. 

Everything that she had, she how owed to the King and Anne a fact that she was quickly going to have to get used to and there was nothing that could be said that would make her forgive those who had wronged her. 

The chambers that she had originally occupied had been vacated and Clarice knew it was for the best; she could not afford to keep them and her position was not as secure as it had been. 

Her relatives turning on her in such a short amount of time would certainly catch attention and she could not tell just what might come her way next. 

There was no way for her to make a good match now, the loss of her lands and title meant that there would be no dowry for her and she could not hope for a match that she could have before. 

With no relative around to negotiate for her, Clarice was entirely at the mercy of the King to arrive a match right now and while Anne could delay such a thing it was only a matter of time before she was married off. 

Never in her worst nightmares had Clarice thought that her life would turn out this way, she was at the mercy of those who might not think of her best interests. 

She had been all put abandoned by those who claimed to care about her, family that should have protected her against such evils; instead she now found herself wondering just who she could truly trust. 

"The Queen has not reached out to offer you support?" Thomas More asked speaking up, he was stood not far from the King and had a frown set upon his face. 

The idea that the whore was offering such support to one such as Clarice did not sit right with him; he was certain that the Good Queen would take the Pope's cousin under her wing and offer her a place in her own household. 

"No. My Lord. The Queen has not. For a woman who prides herself on her charity, she has none to offer me," Clarice stated staring at More, she knew how Katherine was portrayed here and people looked up to her. 

However, it would most certainly be damaging to hear that the Queen that was so loved would not offer support to someone in need. 

Not even when that someone was the cousin to the Pope, she had been far from welcoming to Clarice since her arrival and their last meeting had not ended well; it was clear where the Pope was hearing about her actions here.

"I am sure if you spoke with Her Majesty..." More pushed stepping forward, the idea of a heretic like Boleyn corrupting Clarice did not sit well for him; the mere thought that she could spread her heresy so close to the Pope's family made him ill. 

It was only a matter of time before the Pope would ensure that Henry would return to his wife; Katherine was loved by the people and they would not like her being set aside for anyone. 

"Her Majesty does not wish to speak with me." Clarice interrupted, she wasn't going to allow herself to be cowed and she would not go and speak with Katherine about her ills; she would not trust a woman who had already decided that she was the enemy here. 

Henry almost seemed amused by such a conversation, it did not surprise him that Katherine had no love for the Italian; despite the fact that she might be the cousin to the Pope, she was a French Noblewoman. 

Katherine had always been against such a match, he recalled how she had grumbled when he had betrothed their daughter Mary to the Dauphin of France. 

She had always wanted to see her daughter married back to her beloved Spain, the engagement to Charles had not worked out and she had almost seemed surprise that the then twenty-two-year-old Charles had not wanted to wait for her daughter to grow up. 

Even now she wished to see their beloved Mary married to the might of Spain, all while filling the girl's head with ideas of her being Queen of England. 

It would not happen on Henry's watch, he would not allow the country that he ruled to become a part of the Spanish Empire; he knew what would happen if Mary was crowned. 

His only daughter was far more Spanish than she was English, raised that way by her mother and she would only be a puppet to the Emperor's schemes if he allowed her to marry any of her Spanish cousins. 

He needed a son, one that Katherine could no longer give him and one that Anne had promised to deliver him; he wasn't going to change his mind and he grew tired of the games played by those who tried to control him.