Chapter Five: Speaking with the King

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6th of May 1530 - Palace of Placentia

"Sweetheart. Allow me to introduce, Her Grace. The Duchess of Nemours," Anne announced smiling as she approached the King, she was dressed in her riding outfit and paid little attention to anyone else but him. 

Today's hunt sparked the perfect time to introduce Henry to Clarice away from the eyes of the court; Anne knew that she had to play this carefully, the last thing she needed was this to blow up in her face. 

"Your Majesty," Clarice greeted dropping into a curtsy, the King stared at her for a moment before signalling for her to rise; he had not expected for Anne to befriend the Duchess. 

Especially not when the woman was related to the man that was responsible for the delay in their marriage; he was growing tired of being denied what he desired most. 

"Your Grace. I trust you are prepared for today's hunt," Henry stated pleasantly, if Anne had brought the Italian on their hunting trip, then he would trust her judgement. 

He knew many at court still thought that he would stay with Katherine, they loved the Spanish Princess as their Queen and they were unaccepting of his intention to marry Anne. 

Should his intended have found a friend in the Duchess then Henry would seek to honour that; he was certain that if the Pope heard the truth of how things were here from Clarice that he might be more willing to side in Henry's favour. 

Henry would do anything to be free from Katherine, he need a son to secure his legacy; passing the throne to a daughter would never work as it had done in Spain and there was the situation of Joanna of Castile to consider. 

There were whispers that she was a mad woman, it was the entire reason that she had been locked away; but what if Ferdinand and her son had only done so, so that they could keep her power. 

"I should hope so, Your Majesty. It has been awhile since I have had the chance to go hunting," Clarice admitted, it had been before the Sack of Rome that she had been able to enjoy such a pass time. 

Things had been stifling with the loss of Florence and with Rome being taken by the Emperor; she had found herself almost a prisoner in her own home for her own safety for a time.

Mounting the horse that she had been gifted for the hunt by Anne, Clarice noticed that aside from herself and Anne; the only other ladies in attendance where the ones that they had each tasked to accompany them. 

Clarice guessed that they were to be witnesses proof that the King was a gentlemen towards a woman that he was courting even though his wife sat inside the palace probably taking mass. 

The rest of the gathering was made up of the King, the Duke of Suffolk, Viscount Rochford and a few servants and guards that would attend to them while they were out in the countryside. 

Never had Clarice been granted the honour of attending such a gathering from her cousin, the King of France; to be here was a sign of favour one that she knew could be easily taken away. 

Leaving behind the palace, Clarice twisted the rein of her horse as they headed out; the men talking joyfully about the hunt, a stag that they had not caught yet taking over the conversation. 

The sudden sound of Anne's voice made Clarice jump, she turned her head to the side a weak smile on her face knowing that their alliance was a weak one at best but it was the only offer she had. 

Clarice knew that when news reached Clement that he would be furious, she dared him to come to a strange country with little support and succeed in a task that he did not wish to do. 

Anne continued to talk, an understanding look on her face as she did so; her voice offering nothing more than reassurance that slowly coaxed Clarice into talking with her. 

Henry rode just ahead of them listening to their conversation, he smiled pleased to see that they were getting along and he held hope that Clarice might be able to convince the Pope to grant him what he desired. 

For long enough, he had been denied by a man that was nothing more than a puppet; if he did not reserve satisfaction soon then Henry knew that he was going to have to force the issue in any way that he could.

Slowing down his horse to ride beside Anne, Henry looked between the two women pleased to find that they had yet to notice that he was now completely focused on him; only Charles seemed to have noticed his change. 

A frown forming on the Duke of Suffolk's face, he had been displeased with the raise of the Boleyns at court; he longed for the days of old when everything had been as it was before Henry had set his eyes on Anne. 

"I fear I do not know much about your family, Your Grace," Henry mused looking to Clarice as he spoke, the startled look on her face amusing him as she glanced at him; her eyes flickering with an emotion that he could not quite understand. 

The Medici were quite an unknown family to England, they were mainly an Italian family with some extremely high connections that seemed to be springing up across the continent if his advisors were to be believed. 

"We are mainly a family of bankers, Your Majesty," Clarice replied simply, there was not much to tell about her family; they had been once nothing of worth and had slowly made their way up in the world. 

Their political and noble connections mainly coming from the people that married into the family; she had no doubts that she would have found herself in such a position if she had been sent to England. 

"A family that has risen to one of the most powerful in all of Europe," Henry corrected, he had heard that the Pope was in talks with the Scottish King about marrying one of the Medici girls. 

Should Clarice's cousin become a Queen then there would be many that would take an interest in the woman before him; there were many Dukes in her family and the Medici had produced two Popes so far. 

There was no denying that they had high ambitions and Clarice was a fine woman, she was not like the beautiful English Roses that lined his court nor the woman that currently held his heart. 

Clarice nodded her head at his words, her family had risen high in recent years and despite the troubles that they had had there was no denying that there were still high ambitions for her family. 

It made Clarice wonder just what was being planned for her, she often thought of the nameless man that she would one day be married off to. 

Her titles, her land, her everything would become his and she would be expected to sit and endure it like every woman before her; nothing more than the mother to his child and an ornament on his arm.

"It reminds me of my own family," Henry admitted snapping Clarice from her thoughts, she stared at him surprised not sure how to respond; she simply watched his face and the faraway look in his eyes. 

The Tudors had risen from almost nothing, a bastard claim that meant nothing to some people and now they held the throne of England; there was much that the two families had in common. 

"Tell me of Nemours," Henry requested knowing nothing of the place that she was from, the woman was but a mystery to him and if his Anne had befriended her then there must be a reason. 

Clarice looked down at her hands, her heart almost pounding in her chest, considering her next words carefully, she had not been there in such a long time and she had been but a child when they had been there with her parents. 

"It's hard to describe. I have not spent time there in so long," Clarice admitted softly, it had been her home and she missed it so but she was required to travel and she knew that her lands were well cared for. 

Travelling between France and Rome was never an easy trip and unwed as she was, Clarice had waited for a match to be made for her and enjoying her freedom. 

Henry nodded at that, he recalled what it had been like when he had been away at war; it had been hard but the reward had been worth it in the end. 

"I trust you feel most welcome here at court," Henry said knowing that while it might not be home to her, his court would serve as the perfect distraction for her while she stayed. 

It had not been made clear to him how long she was expected to stay, the letter that had been sent by the Pope had been rather unclear. 

Her eyes darted away for a second before Clarice assured Henry that she was enjoying her time at his court; his laugh boomed across the gathering as he pushed his horse forward knowing that her inclusion on the hunt would certainly shake things up for her at court. 

Clarice took a deep breath, her eyes watching the King ride ahead and she felt the tension slip away knowing that she was going to have to get used to being around him and being less awkward.


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