Chapter 8: God sent us well to keep

Hello guys! English, it is not my motherly language, I'm French so I apologize if there are some mistakes. Don't hesitate to tell me where they are so that I can improve.

This is my first full length fiction, with chapters, I hope it will please you. It is a AU where Katherine Howard does not marry Henry and where Cromwell is spared. Instead of katherine, Henry marries a french noble lady, on the advice of Cromwell.

I hope my little story will please you..

Sincerely

Marina Ka-Fai

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The French Bride

Chapter 7: God sent us well to keep

France, Castle of Fontainebleau

' Une lettre du roi d'Angleterre Majesté.'

Francis took it and read it. He was not very surprised when he read Henry's good writing in French. Nevertheless, the content of the letter was way more surprising. He sat and sighed, raising his eyes to the sky. His little Marina, who he considered and loved as the little sister he never had, was nineteen by now, she was queen of England, she was loved by almost everyone in her new country and above all, she was carrying the king's children. He closed his eyes and an old memory came to his mind.

December 1532, Calais, English territories

Francis was talking to Anne Boleyn about her fate. He felt Marina's innocent eyes on him. He smiled to her.

' Venez chère enfant! Anne, allow me to introduce you to Marina de Champagne, the little sister I wish I had.'

Marina bowed deeply to the lady in front of her. She was amazed by her. She was so beautiful and she seemed so kind!

' Your Majesty' Marina said with a little and shy voice

Anne laughed a bit.

' Lady Marina, quelle joie pour moi de rencontrer une amie du roi François! Avez-vous aimé la danse?' Anne asked kindly to the young girl

' Je l'ai adoré Majesté, vous avez été formidable! L'Angleterre a de la chance de vous avoir pour reine.'

The young woman smiled to Marina.

' Et vous, un jour, Marina, vous serez une grande dame, belle et vertueuse.'

Francis opened his eyes. He was back in 1542. He remembered how Marina had been shocked by Anne's trial and her demise. Anne was right. Marina became a great, beautiful and virtuous lady.

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England, White Hall Castle. Marina's rooms.

Marina was feeling perfectly fine. Thomas Culpepper was here, courting Katherine. She found them cute. She was finishing her shirt for her husband.

' Your Majesty, Lady Mary is here.' Lady Rochford announced.

Marina came to greet Mary.

' Your Majesty shouldn't make too much efforts.' Mary said, worried

' Thank you for your concern Lady Mary, but today I feel fine. And it is normal to come to greet your daughter, isn't it?'

The two women sat. Henry's daughter noticed Thomas and Katherine. She hoped her father would not take her back in his bed.

' How are the preparations for your wedding?'

' They are going well. To tell you the truth... I am a bit scared. Even if I respect my fiancé, even if I know he will never treat me in a unproper manner.'

' I guess it is a fear every young woman who is to be married know before the big day.'

Marina smiled warmly to her stepdaughter. She noticed she was wearing the jewels offered by Henry that once belonged to her mother. She trully looked like Catherine.

' I never had the chance to meet your mother, Queen Catherine, but I am certain that she would be so happy and so proud of you. Just like your father and I are.'

' I miss her. I wish she was here with us! But she is gone forever, all of that because of that... I was told my mother was poisoned by her!'

' If it is true, then the Lord must have punished her for her sins. There is always a time for Justice, Lady Mary.'

The young woman felt better. She looked at her stepmother's belly, not very swollen yet . She wondered how it felt to be with child, to feel life growing up in your body and then, having this small baby in your arms after hours and sometimes even days of sufferings. Maybe one day, she would have a child of hers. Named Catherine or Eustache. But first, she had to marry.

' I would like to wear a french fashioned gown for my wedding day. To honour you roots. '

' I thank you for that. It will look awesome on you, Lady Mary. I'm certain of it.'

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' Let's see what we have here! Well, Master Cromwell, how was the Tower?' Edward Seymour asked ironically

' Pleasant my Lord, since I am out of it.' Thomas simply answered

' I cannot understand how comes traitors are treated well in this country.'

Thomas looked at him and for the first time, Edward feared him. If looks could kill, he would be dead now.

' All that I have now, I have won it beacuse I did my work properly, because I love this country, and because I do not lie to His Majesty.'

' No, you have it because you put a french girl in his bed!'

' Be careful what you say about the queen. Jealousy does not suit you my Lord and you are ashaming poor Queen Jane's name with such a behaviour. Now excuse me, but I have better things to do than listening to this nonsense.'

Thomas Cromwell, Duke of Buckingam, would never fear again. The Seymours were nothing without their sister and if the queen had a son or even better two, Jane would be quickly forgotten. Marina would become a living symbol of future for the Tudor's family. Jane would be forgotten. After all, a dead person cannot do anything. If Marina survived and had a son, she would overcome everyone by the power of her belly.

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Hever Castle

Anne of Cleves was watching Elizabeth dancing. She loved this child. And she was more than happy because she was loved more by her father.

' Brava Milady, brava!'

Henry was standing above them, congratulating his daughter as well. Everyone bowed. He went to kiss Anne's hand.

' I have come for supper. I hope I will not be a problem.'

' We will find something Your Majesty, do not worry.'

Henry smiled before sitting. He asked Elizabeth to come and sit next to him.

' How is your latin?'

' I enjoy learning it, thank you Your Majesty. Mister Grindall, the tutor you gave me, is an excellent teacher.'

' As you know, the queen is pregnant.'

' Yes, and I thank God every night for that.'

' The queen and I would like you to become the godmother of one of this blessed children.'

Elizabeth looked trully surprised.

' I... I would be very honoured by this, thank you, Your Majesty.'

Henry took a look at the castle. It reminded him of Anne, when he was courting her. He ran through the stairs just to kiss her and ask her to be his maîtresse en titre.

' This reminds me of a good time. This castle, sweet Bessie, is where your mother grew up and lived before being queen of England.'

Everyone fell silent. They did not expect their king to say such at thing. Elizabeth seemed touched.

' Mother lived here... When she was still a Boleyn girl. And today, I am here, just like she did.'

She smiled before laughing a bit. This laugh was the true imitation of Anne's. And it did not hurt Henry. Strangly, he was almost happy to hear it.

A bit later, Henry was eating with Anne of Cleves. She changed since they divorced. She seemed better. She had time to adjust herself to England.

' I never had the chance to thank Your Majesty for Mister Cromwell.' She said

He smiled.

' I hava a gift for you Lady Anne. From the queen and I.'

' For me? Your Majesties are too kind.'

' The queen is expecting twins. Some people even think of triplets.'

' This is marvellous!'

' The queen and I wish that you become the godmother of the second child. Who else but my dearest sister to be it?'

It was the first time in her life that Anne felt so happy. She agreed with a great joy.

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Marina was listening to a certain Francis Dereham. Thomas Culpepper found him almost raping Katherine. She was saying him to let her, because she was happy with her new life, because Joan, he and her were lucky to have a place in the Queen's household. She made him remember that he entered to Marina's service thanks to her. She was begging him to leave her alone, that she was to be married with a man she was deeply in love with.

' Can't you remember that we promised each other to marry?'

' We were but children! I did not know how important those things were! Technically, there is nothing to prove we were to be married! I just want to have an average life with Thomas!'

' Does he know you to your pussy like you did with me? I would recognized it above all others in the dark!'

Francis was getting violent, all he wanted was to make sure that Katherine felt how much he was dissapointed by her. She was nothing more but a common girl. Culpepper had entered, sword in hand.

' Stay away from my fiancée, would you?'

He had the good idea to call the guards. And now, Francis was explaining himself to Marina, trying to make Katherine appear as a criminal.

' Enough, Mister Dereham. I know of Lady Howard's past since she told me everything. She is not guilty of what you are saying and even if it was the case, I have forgiven her when she explained it to me. You are a liar. And I cannot forgive you.'

Marina's eyes were iced.

' What will you do? Cut my head off?' He said with irony

' That could be easily arranged Monsieur! The king will know about this and I am certain he will agree with me. Francis Dereham, you are bannisehd from Court and taken to the Tower until the king my husband will decide about your future.'

Marina felt nothing but anger and hate for this man and for the first time, she wished the death of someone. Francis was taken to the Tower and through the whole castle, he was shouting that Katherine was a slut and Marina « the royal macquerelle ». She did not care at all.

' Mister Culpepper, tell me, how is Katherine?' She asked to the young man

' Very shocked Your Majesty, she has spent her day crying.'

' My poor sweet lady!'

' But she is not alone Majesty, her uncle, the Earl of Surrey, is with her, he never left her even for a second since he learnt the awful new.'

' She is lucky hat she was not raped by this horrible man! Please, tell her that she does not have to worry fopr her position, she will remain in my service, for now, I command her to rest. I hope with all my heart she will feel better.'

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When Henry arrived at Court, he found it shocked. He did not know what happened until Charles said to him:

' A man tried to rape a lady in waiting to Her Majesty.'

' Is the Queen and this lady safe?'

' They are. The lady was saved by your groom, Thomas Culpepper.'

' Who was the lady?' Who, Charles?'

And when Henry learnt that it was Katherine, he felt as if a part of his heart was broken.

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A little message from the author:

First, I would like to thank everyone who sent me a review, all of them made my day and I am really happy that all of you liked my story.

Then, I am sorry for this chapter is a bit late since I am quite busy because of college.