3rd of September 1531 - London, England

The chattering of the hall seemed to cease when Anne walked through it, the blue dress that she wore flowing with each step as Lady Zouche and Madge Shelton; it was hard to believe just how fast things had progressed since she had been crowned. 

People bowed to Anne as she moved passed them, despite the fact that she was now Queen in fact and not just in name; Anne could not help but feel that things had changed for her now. 

Her every move was watched and sometimes she felt rather stifled by the fact that everywhere that she went she was in the attendance of her ladies; there was not much room for her to breath at times. 

It was a small price to pay for the position that she now held, she recalled her time serving in Queen Claude's household and that of Katherine of Aragon's; she knew why she was watched and always in attendance but that didn't mean that she had to like it. 

"Father," Anne greeted spotting him chatting with other members of the court, she walked towards him with a smile upon her face; it was a beautiful day and she had much to be happy about. 

Thomas Boleyn and his fellow lords got turned and bowed in the face of their Queen; with Anne now on the throne, Thomas had found himself rather popular and many nobles sort his favour. 

"Your Majesty," Thomas replied moving to kiss Anne's cheek, he was much impressed with all that she had achieved so far and the benefits that had been heaped upon him since her rise. 

It had all worked out better than he had hoped for when he had set about putting Anne in the King's view so that she might remove Wolsey from his position; now someone of his blood was seated on the throne. 

"You know what?" Anne asked linking arms with her father and leading him slightly away from the nobles, a coy smile on her face as she thought about the news that she was about to impart. 

It gave her hope that things had worked out the way that it had, she had worried that perhaps things would have proven a little harder especially given how things had started for her.

"I have a furious hankering for apples. Such as I have never had before. It started three days ago," Anne stated with a smile, she didn't look at her father who would know exactly why she was telling him this. 

She'd kept this quiet for long enough and having already broken the news to Henry, she felt confident in revealing such news to others; her husband had been overjoyed at the news that they were already expecting their first child together.

"Apples?" Thomas asked not catching the meaning of this, it surely was not his business if his daughter decided that she was hungry for such an item. 

Anne had servants of her own to do her bidding, they could surely deal with such a thing for her; he was a busy man afterall, he had things to do and important matters to attend to. 

"Yes apples. The King told me that it was a sign that I was pregnant but I said it was nothing of the sort," Anne told him, she stared up at his face for a moment waiting for the news to sink in. 

She didn't have to wait long to see the smile forming on Thomas's face, her point across she walked away knowing that the news would spread; she was carrying the King's child and she knew that if it was a boy then she'd be secure. 

Henry had expressed his excitement that she was carrying his son, already planning all sorts of celebrations for the child that had not even been born yet. 

The midwife predicted that Anne would deliver early in the New Year, possibly a few weeks after Clarice delivered her own; God willing that everything went well, Anne feared what would happen should she fail. 

Katherine had fallen pregnant seven times which had only resulted in a short-lived boy and the Lady Mary; the rest had been born dead or had died shortly afterwards. 

Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Anne made her way through the halls of the palace knowing that a lot rested on her delivering what she had promised; she had vowed to give Henry a son. 

Failure would not be tolerated and Anne did not think she would receive as many chances as Katherine had been given to get this right. 

***

Stepping into the chamber, Lady Mary could not help but wrinkle her nose at the place that her mother called home; she had been graciously allowed to visit by her father and she had not wasted a moment to travel to Kimbolton Castle. 

It had been many months since she had been permitted to see her mother, Lady Mary was no fool to think that their letters weren't being read but she cherished the fact that she could write to her. 

"Is that my Mary?" Katherine called looking up from her place by the fire where she had been reading, she set down her book and moved to her feet to greet her daughter. 

It had been a long time since she had seen her daughter in person, even before her marriage to Henry had been annulled Mary had been away from court and had been at Ludlow Castle while her parents' marriage dissolved. 

"Madre," Lady Mary greeted offering a curtsy to her mother, she lowered her eyes unsure what to say to her especially having not seen her in so long. 

The room was quiet and upon raising back up, it surprised her just how many people were here to serve her mother; she was not sure what she expected when her father had allowed her to come here. 

"It is wonderful to see you," Katherine stated taking in the sight of her only child, she had been most surprised to hear that Henry had allowed Mary to visit her. 

It had crossed her mind that it could be years before Mary would be allowed to come and see her, his way of ensuring that she remained compliant; she did not wish to do anything to anger him when he now held all the power. 

Signalling for Lady Mary to come closer, Katherine eyed her pleased to see that it seemed like she had been treated well considering all that had transpired; it had crossed her mind that Henry could be cruel enough to neglect their daughter now he was remarried. 

However, it seemed that her worries had been for nothing Mary seemed well and had not only been invited to court in her absence and had even attended her father's wedding to the Duchess of Pembroke. 

"I hear your father has granted you a household of your own," Katherine said moving to retake her seat, she signalled for Mary to join her by the fire wishing to hear how her daughter was treated for herself. 

Of course, there were those who told her that her beloved daughter was treated poorly by her father and that the new Queen had made threats against her.

"Yes. He granted me Hunsdon House and a household of my own," Mary told her, she had been most surprised by the gift and had found that she much preferred her new housing to the cold and damp Ludlow where she had spent some time. 

Not that it made up for the fact that she was no longer a Princess nor the fact that she was not heir to the throne; it was a nice change but she would have preferred that her mother remain Queen. 

Katherine nodded her head, her eyes tracing Mary's face searching for anything that might give away what Mary was thinking; news had reached them from London and it had concerned her. 

It had been expected especially now that Henry had remarried and had crowned Anne his Queen, but that didn't mean that such news had been welcomed by Katherine.

"I hear the Queen is with child," Katherine mused, a pregnancy within the first couple of months of marriage was a good sign for Anne; it had been the same for her when she had first married Henry. 

Of course, that pregnancy for Katherine had ended with the delivery of a stillborn daughter and it had been the start of many difficult and heart-breaking pregnancies for her. 

Mary seemed to still at her mother's mention of that news, she had come here to avoid the celebrations that her father was throwing in honour of the fact that Anne was pregnant. 

It stung to see how happy her father was knowing that happiness was the result of a child that would replace and steal Mary's rightful place in the succession; it would be feted as a true heir to the throne like she had once been. 

"We shall pray that Her Majesty is delivered of a healthy child," Katherine continued seeing the look on Mary's face, she cared not what Anne delivered knowing that there was no way back for her now. 

However, Katherine was no fool and she knew that if Mary wished to stand a chance of becoming Queen of England then she needed to remain on her father's good side and be kept in the public eye.