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The Third Boleyn Sister
folder
S through Z › The Tudors
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
4,499
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
S through Z › The Tudors
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
4,499
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the television series that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
An Unwelcome Introduction
Chapter 4: An Unwelcome Introduction.
A/N: I had pretty much abandoned this story until I saw that I had a request to continue it. So here is a long overdue update to the story…and I hope it’s up to par. Please read and review and let me know what you think!!
Henry found that he couldn’t keep his eyes off the beautiful dark haired maiden on his arm as they walked down the long hallways of Hampton Court towards his wife Katherine’s chambers. Every so often Claire would glance to her left and catch his majesty staring at her. She would blush and quickly look away making him chuckle under his breath. Claire had heard many rumors back in Avonlea of the King’s ever wandering eyes when it came to beautiful young women…but she hadn’t been prepared for how strikingly handsome he was. After a long while of uncomfortable silence Henry finally broke the quiet.
“So Claire…you should tell me about yourself.”
“What would your grace like to know?”
Henry leaned in closer to her to whisper in her ear his breath warm on her face and neck as he did so.
“Everything…I want to know everything about you.”
Claire could feel the blush that quickly spread across her face and down her neck until it warmed the very tops of her breasts. Her sheltered life back in Avonlea had not even begun to prepare her for the brash and seemingly foreign way of life at court.
“Well my mother was a lady in waiting to your mother your grace.”
“I see…and just what was your mother’s name?”
“Her name was Lady Elizabeth Selwyn your grace.”
Henry’s face lit up with a broad smile as they walked towards the very end of the hallway.
“Ah yes…Lady Elizabeth Selwyn…she was my favorite of my mother’s ladies in waiting. She was very kind to me…and her beauty…well even as a young boy I was certainly aware of it.”
“Your grace is too kind.”
“And your father…I don’t recall him I’m afraid.”
Claire frowned at the mention of her absentee father. Flashes of her last conversation with her mother replayed through her head. She still couldn’t believe that Thomas Boleyn was her father and that her mother had been protecting him for all these years.
“No…you wouldn’t recall him your grace…my father wasn’t around when I was growing up.”
“What a shame…but not getting to spend time with a beautiful child like you is his loss.”
“Thank you your grace.”
Suddenly they stopped outside of a pair of large wooden doors that were painted a dark black with beautifully decorated pewter handles.
“Well here we are Claire…Katherine’s personal chambers.”
Henry knocked on the door and momentarily one of the heavy looking doors swung open. A guard stepped aside allowing them room to enter into the chambers. Inside the large and lavishly decorated room Claire suddenly felt out of place. On one wall it was completely covered with books…practically every book someone could ever want to read. On the wall opposite of the books was a grand limestone fireplace with a warm fire crackling and flickering inside it. At the foot of the fireplace was a large and thick white fur rug of some sort. It looked soft and it seemed to beckon her to just lie down and roll all over it. She was suddenly snapped out of her stupor by the sound of Henry’s commanding voice.
“Hello wife…hello ladies.”
Katherine smiled as she looked up from her sewing to greet her husband. She looked every bit the English Queen in her brilliant gold silk dress and her long black hair left down to hang in long ringlets. She wore a beautiful gold crown adorned with diamonds.
“Hello husband…who is our guest?”
“Ah…forgive my rudeness…Katherine of Aragon meet your newest lady in waiting Lady Claire Selwyn of Avonlea.”
Smiling Claire curtsied and waited for the Queen to address her. Katherine approached Claire and gently touched her chin making her look up at her.
“Stand up my dear…there is no need for you to kneel to me.”
“Of course there is your majesty…you’re my Queen.”
“And you are a lady…now then stand up.”
Claire stood back up glancing to her left she noticed Henry’s eyes had remained fixed upon her the entire time. She knew what he was thinking and she was almost certain that later on that evening she would receive a personal letter from him inviting her to his private chambers.
Across the room by the large windows her blue eyes noticed two young women who couldn’t have been much older than her. One of them had long golden blonde hair and soft blue eyes and she offered a kind smile. The other had dark hair…nearly the same shade as her own but her eyes were a much more colder and piercing blue and she did not offer a kind smile at all. Claire watched as the dark haired young woman leaned over to whisper something to the blonde haired young woman. She had no doubt that it was probably something about her.
“Do you see that Mary?”
“See what?”
“That…girl…do you see the way the King looks at her?”
“What are you talking about Anne?”
“Are you blind Mary? He looks at her with desire…the way he has been looking at you all these past weeks.”
“Oh don’t be ridiculous Anne.”
“I’m not being ridiculous Mary…I’m being serious. Ever since you got pregnant the King barely even acknowledges you exist!”
Mary shook her head and put her finger to her lips to silence her sister as Katherine turned to speak to them.
“Ladies I would like you to welcome my new lady in waiting…Lady Claire Selwyn.”
The first young woman to step forward had sandy blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She was dressed in a silvery blue wool dress adorned with silk accenting across the bodice. Claire noticed that all the ladies of Katherine’s court were wearing the same style and color of dress. And she guessed that she would be provided one soon enough.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Mary Rotchford.”
Next a young woman with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes stepped forward. She was a little heavier than the rest of the ladies but she was still just as beautiful.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Margaret Sheldon…but everyone calls me Madge.”
Then came a young woman with fiery red hair that hung in tight ringlets stepped forward. Her face was dusted lightly with freckles and her eyes were a vivid green. Smiling she curtsied quickly before introducing herself.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Giselle Kensington.”
Then the girl with the golden blonde hair and kind blue eyes stepped forward. Claire couldn’t help but notice the slight bulge underneath her bodice as she went to curtsey.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Mary Boleyn.”
Quickly following Mary was the dark haired young woman with the piercing icy blue eyes. Stepping forward she didn’t even attempt a smile as she curtsied before Claire.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Anne Boleyn.”
It took everything Claire had not to shiver under the steeliness of Anne’s stare but she somehow managed it. After Anne came a pretty young woman with dark black hair and soft green eyes. Smiling genuinely as she curtsied she prepared to introduce herself.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Isabella Trastamara…cousin to her majesty Queen Katherine.”
Katherine’s soft voice captured the room’s attention as she spoke once more.
“Alright ladies…I believe that there is a new dress awaiting Lady Selwyn in her chambers. Would one of you be so kind as to escort her to her chambers to change into it?”
The room was silent until Lady Trastamara stepped forward.
“I will be more than happy to show Lady Selwyn to her chambers your majesty.”
“Thank you Lady Trastamara…that is most gracious of you.”
Bowing quickly she stepped forward and took Claire by the hand leading her out of the Queen’s personal chambers. As they approached the door Henry’s commanding voice stopped them.
“Lady Selwyn…do let me know if your chambers aren’t to your liking?”
“I’m certain they will be more than sufficient your grace…thank you.”
With a slight nod of his head Henry then excused himself ahead of them to go and join his friends for his afternoon ride. Once out in the hallway Isabella took Claire by the hand and started leading her back down the long hallway towards her chambers.
“So tell me Lady Selwyn…where are you from?”
“Oh please call me Claire.”
“I shall…but only if you will call me Isabella?”
“Agreed. I’m from Avonlea…where are you from?”
“I’m from Spain…Aragon…where Katherine’s family is from. I’m her cousin.”
“Yes you told me back there. So is that why you came to England?”
“Yes to serve my cousin in her court. What brings you to the King’s court?”
“My mother’s dying wish was to have me serve in Queen Katherine’s court…she said that it would be good for me.”
“Well it will certainly be an experience…but I’m sure you will be just fine.”
“You sound very certain of that?”
“It’s more than obvious that you have caught the King’s eye Claire…I’m more than certain he will begin trying to persuade you to become his latest mistress.”
“Won’t that cause me to fall out of favor with her majesty?”
“Not if you play the game accordingly…my cousin knows that allowing his majesty to have his fun with his mistresses is all part of the game of being the perfect Queen.”
Claire couldn’t seem to wrap her brain around the idea of any wife allowing her husband to cavort around with a mistress…whether he was the King of England or not. This whole thing just seemed foreign and awkward to her. But now that her mother was gone she really didn’t see herself having any other option that to just accept whatever life at court had to offer her.
A/N: Okay I know it’s been forever since I updated this story but I got the encouragement I needed from a reader’s review and so here is the latest chapter!! Please read and review!!
A/N: I had pretty much abandoned this story until I saw that I had a request to continue it. So here is a long overdue update to the story…and I hope it’s up to par. Please read and review and let me know what you think!!
Henry found that he couldn’t keep his eyes off the beautiful dark haired maiden on his arm as they walked down the long hallways of Hampton Court towards his wife Katherine’s chambers. Every so often Claire would glance to her left and catch his majesty staring at her. She would blush and quickly look away making him chuckle under his breath. Claire had heard many rumors back in Avonlea of the King’s ever wandering eyes when it came to beautiful young women…but she hadn’t been prepared for how strikingly handsome he was. After a long while of uncomfortable silence Henry finally broke the quiet.
“So Claire…you should tell me about yourself.”
“What would your grace like to know?”
Henry leaned in closer to her to whisper in her ear his breath warm on her face and neck as he did so.
“Everything…I want to know everything about you.”
Claire could feel the blush that quickly spread across her face and down her neck until it warmed the very tops of her breasts. Her sheltered life back in Avonlea had not even begun to prepare her for the brash and seemingly foreign way of life at court.
“Well my mother was a lady in waiting to your mother your grace.”
“I see…and just what was your mother’s name?”
“Her name was Lady Elizabeth Selwyn your grace.”
Henry’s face lit up with a broad smile as they walked towards the very end of the hallway.
“Ah yes…Lady Elizabeth Selwyn…she was my favorite of my mother’s ladies in waiting. She was very kind to me…and her beauty…well even as a young boy I was certainly aware of it.”
“Your grace is too kind.”
“And your father…I don’t recall him I’m afraid.”
Claire frowned at the mention of her absentee father. Flashes of her last conversation with her mother replayed through her head. She still couldn’t believe that Thomas Boleyn was her father and that her mother had been protecting him for all these years.
“No…you wouldn’t recall him your grace…my father wasn’t around when I was growing up.”
“What a shame…but not getting to spend time with a beautiful child like you is his loss.”
“Thank you your grace.”
Suddenly they stopped outside of a pair of large wooden doors that were painted a dark black with beautifully decorated pewter handles.
“Well here we are Claire…Katherine’s personal chambers.”
Henry knocked on the door and momentarily one of the heavy looking doors swung open. A guard stepped aside allowing them room to enter into the chambers. Inside the large and lavishly decorated room Claire suddenly felt out of place. On one wall it was completely covered with books…practically every book someone could ever want to read. On the wall opposite of the books was a grand limestone fireplace with a warm fire crackling and flickering inside it. At the foot of the fireplace was a large and thick white fur rug of some sort. It looked soft and it seemed to beckon her to just lie down and roll all over it. She was suddenly snapped out of her stupor by the sound of Henry’s commanding voice.
“Hello wife…hello ladies.”
Katherine smiled as she looked up from her sewing to greet her husband. She looked every bit the English Queen in her brilliant gold silk dress and her long black hair left down to hang in long ringlets. She wore a beautiful gold crown adorned with diamonds.
“Hello husband…who is our guest?”
“Ah…forgive my rudeness…Katherine of Aragon meet your newest lady in waiting Lady Claire Selwyn of Avonlea.”
Smiling Claire curtsied and waited for the Queen to address her. Katherine approached Claire and gently touched her chin making her look up at her.
“Stand up my dear…there is no need for you to kneel to me.”
“Of course there is your majesty…you’re my Queen.”
“And you are a lady…now then stand up.”
Claire stood back up glancing to her left she noticed Henry’s eyes had remained fixed upon her the entire time. She knew what he was thinking and she was almost certain that later on that evening she would receive a personal letter from him inviting her to his private chambers.
Across the room by the large windows her blue eyes noticed two young women who couldn’t have been much older than her. One of them had long golden blonde hair and soft blue eyes and she offered a kind smile. The other had dark hair…nearly the same shade as her own but her eyes were a much more colder and piercing blue and she did not offer a kind smile at all. Claire watched as the dark haired young woman leaned over to whisper something to the blonde haired young woman. She had no doubt that it was probably something about her.
“Do you see that Mary?”
“See what?”
“That…girl…do you see the way the King looks at her?”
“What are you talking about Anne?”
“Are you blind Mary? He looks at her with desire…the way he has been looking at you all these past weeks.”
“Oh don’t be ridiculous Anne.”
“I’m not being ridiculous Mary…I’m being serious. Ever since you got pregnant the King barely even acknowledges you exist!”
Mary shook her head and put her finger to her lips to silence her sister as Katherine turned to speak to them.
“Ladies I would like you to welcome my new lady in waiting…Lady Claire Selwyn.”
The first young woman to step forward had sandy blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She was dressed in a silvery blue wool dress adorned with silk accenting across the bodice. Claire noticed that all the ladies of Katherine’s court were wearing the same style and color of dress. And she guessed that she would be provided one soon enough.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Mary Rotchford.”
Next a young woman with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes stepped forward. She was a little heavier than the rest of the ladies but she was still just as beautiful.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Margaret Sheldon…but everyone calls me Madge.”
Then came a young woman with fiery red hair that hung in tight ringlets stepped forward. Her face was dusted lightly with freckles and her eyes were a vivid green. Smiling she curtsied quickly before introducing herself.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Giselle Kensington.”
Then the girl with the golden blonde hair and kind blue eyes stepped forward. Claire couldn’t help but notice the slight bulge underneath her bodice as she went to curtsey.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Mary Boleyn.”
Quickly following Mary was the dark haired young woman with the piercing icy blue eyes. Stepping forward she didn’t even attempt a smile as she curtsied before Claire.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Anne Boleyn.”
It took everything Claire had not to shiver under the steeliness of Anne’s stare but she somehow managed it. After Anne came a pretty young woman with dark black hair and soft green eyes. Smiling genuinely as she curtsied she prepared to introduce herself.
“Hello Lady Selwyn…I’m Lady Isabella Trastamara…cousin to her majesty Queen Katherine.”
Katherine’s soft voice captured the room’s attention as she spoke once more.
“Alright ladies…I believe that there is a new dress awaiting Lady Selwyn in her chambers. Would one of you be so kind as to escort her to her chambers to change into it?”
The room was silent until Lady Trastamara stepped forward.
“I will be more than happy to show Lady Selwyn to her chambers your majesty.”
“Thank you Lady Trastamara…that is most gracious of you.”
Bowing quickly she stepped forward and took Claire by the hand leading her out of the Queen’s personal chambers. As they approached the door Henry’s commanding voice stopped them.
“Lady Selwyn…do let me know if your chambers aren’t to your liking?”
“I’m certain they will be more than sufficient your grace…thank you.”
With a slight nod of his head Henry then excused himself ahead of them to go and join his friends for his afternoon ride. Once out in the hallway Isabella took Claire by the hand and started leading her back down the long hallway towards her chambers.
“So tell me Lady Selwyn…where are you from?”
“Oh please call me Claire.”
“I shall…but only if you will call me Isabella?”
“Agreed. I’m from Avonlea…where are you from?”
“I’m from Spain…Aragon…where Katherine’s family is from. I’m her cousin.”
“Yes you told me back there. So is that why you came to England?”
“Yes to serve my cousin in her court. What brings you to the King’s court?”
“My mother’s dying wish was to have me serve in Queen Katherine’s court…she said that it would be good for me.”
“Well it will certainly be an experience…but I’m sure you will be just fine.”
“You sound very certain of that?”
“It’s more than obvious that you have caught the King’s eye Claire…I’m more than certain he will begin trying to persuade you to become his latest mistress.”
“Won’t that cause me to fall out of favor with her majesty?”
“Not if you play the game accordingly…my cousin knows that allowing his majesty to have his fun with his mistresses is all part of the game of being the perfect Queen.”
Claire couldn’t seem to wrap her brain around the idea of any wife allowing her husband to cavort around with a mistress…whether he was the King of England or not. This whole thing just seemed foreign and awkward to her. But now that her mother was gone she really didn’t see herself having any other option that to just accept whatever life at court had to offer her.
A/N: Okay I know it’s been forever since I updated this story but I got the encouragement I needed from a reader’s review and so here is the latest chapter!! Please read and review!!