happyfalcon | [For Thomas] [Young Couple AU] Time of Discovery

[For Thomas] [Young Couple AU] Time of Discovery

Anne wandered the halls of Allington. She had spent all her life at Hever Castle, knowing all the secret places she could go there to be alone. But Anne had no knowledge of such places in Allington. Not that she needed solitude as often, but lately she found her mind wandering, busy with thoughts. She would have liked to have a place of her own in this castle, her new home. Small, out of the way; someplace where she could clear her head. Surely Thomas must know of some such places – this was his childhood home, after all. So she sought out her beloved husband.

Anne’s mind had been preoccupied with curious thoughts lately. Her monthly bleeding had not yet come, and had been due some time ago. Anne paid it little mind, at least at first.
But the headaches she’d been plagued with were the worst – impossible to ignore. They appeared at random, and were so bothersome that Anne could barely stand hardly any noise at all when they afflicted her. A sound as soft as the scratching of Thomas’s quill on paper could drive her to near-madness, though she did not say so aloud. So intense were her headaches in the mornings that they drove Anne to feel nauseous.

But she wasn’t afflicted with such feelings now, and suddenly as she wandered Anne found herself hungry. Well, not hungry really – craving, was the word.

Anne wanted apples.

Well, she had been wanting them a lot lately. It seemed that no other food could appease her. For three days this week she had turned away her dessert in favor of an apple or two, on one occasion three. Each time the desire for the fruit was so overwhelming she thought she’d go mad or fall ill if she didn’t get her hands on at least one.

Abandoning her search for Thomas, Anne made her way to the kitchens and had the good fortune of finding a basket full of the fruit she sought. Anne plucked one from the basket and eagerly devoured it, greedily licking the juice from her fingers and tossing the core into a basket of scraps.

But her belly wasn’t satisfied.

So Anne took another, and devoured it with a bit less vigor than the first. Still, she wanted more. Not wanting to stand in the kitchen all day, Anne took two apples and left the room, taking again to wandering the halls. Gripping an apple in each hand, Anne bit into one as she walked. Then it occurred to her. This was very familiar.

Anne had seen this behavior in women of the French court. Certain women. The headaches, the nausea, the lack of bleeding, the cravings. All that was missing was the tell-tale sign of a swollen belly.

Could it be? Was she with child?

Suddenly worried, Anne sought Thomas out, peeking into rooms as she passed by, inquiring of the servants until she found him in the library. Almost immediately she felt a bit more at peace, more relaxed, just seeing his face. So what if she was indeed with child? Wasn’t that good news? It meant that she was doing her wifely duty in providing a child, hopefully a son, to carry on the family legacy.

With a smile she took another bite of her apple approached his chair without a word. Anne set the unbitten apple down on the table, keeping the other in her hand to continue nibbling at it with a smile.

“Husband,” she nodded her head in greeting. “Have you a moment?”

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Smiling as wide as Anne was, Wyatt's gaze flitted between her eyes and belly. Nothing of the child was showing behind that stiff bodice but he figured that if Anne was so sure of it, it had to be true. Women knew more about these things. Already her thinking made more sense.

"A doctor, of course. Do you need him now? Shall I send someone to fetch him? What of your mother? I do wish mine wasn't in London at this very moment. She would know what to do."

For he certainly didn't. All he knew was that Anne was carrying his child. Their child. Wyatt leaned in for a kiss and to draw her in for another tight hug. "Unbelievable news, my love," he mumbled into her hair.

Anne laughed softly and brought her hands up to either side of his face, grinning from ear to ear up at him. "Shhh, calm down Thomas!" But she laughed as she spoke. "No, no - I don't need a doctor, not yet. But one could confirm more positively that I am expecting but...I know in my heart that it's true."

Her hand rested over her belly as she continued to smile up at him. "There's nothing to do right now love, too early yet. We might send word to my mother if it would help you feel more at ease."

He seemed to be more concerned than she was. It was actually kind of funny to Anne.

She wrapped her arms around him when he held her so tight. Anne nuzzled his neck after returning his kiss. "Everything will be perfect, I promise."

"What do you mean help me feel more at ease?" he asked with all the wonder in his voice. "You're the one with the baby. I thought-," Wyatt chuckled, realizing Anne wasn't nearly as disturbed by the sudden turn of events as he thought she might be. He rubbed her back gently.

"You think I'm fussing, that's it" he laughed. "Hmh, maybe you are right. I just thought you would want your mother here but sure, there's time for that."

Wyatt raised his eyes up. "Good God, Anne. What are we going to do now?"

She would be disturbed and would begin fussing herself, all in good time. For now, she was happy. Just happy that Thomas was just as jubilant as she that they were expecting a child - happy to be expecting in the first place. Anne leaned up and nuzzled him gently.

"Believe me, if we send word to my mother and tell her that I am with child, regardless of whatever else we say, she will be here soon enough of her own accord," even if Anne didn't want her mother present, she knew Elizabeth Boleyn would fly on crow's wings if she could.

She ran her fingers through his hair and laughed softly at his wonder, absolutely loving his reactions. "We will be just fine, love! You needn't worry - for now we can only pray, I'll have to be careful how I move, what I eat. In a matter of months I suppose a room will have to be prepared for the baby - but I would not presume to choose a room without the input of my father-in-law." It was his house, after all.

If she told her mother, Elizabeth in turn would tell Thomas Boleyn, and Anne knew he would speak with Henry Wyatt to arrange for a midwife.

Wyatt nodded in understanding. Anne's words were sinking into him one by one and she would definitely come to see what that meant.

"Indeed, we should pray and thank our Lord for this blessing. We should ask Him to keep both you and the baby safe. My smart wife." He smiled and kissed her soundly.

"Come. We will go to the chapel right now." Wyatt took Anne's hand and led them out of the room, leaving his papers spread out on the desk and ink bottle open.

"There will be no more climbing in trees for you and no galloping on Gringolet and no-," he paused to think what else he should forbid her from doing.

"I will ask the cook to make foods that are good for you," he changed the subject as they passed the Gate House to the other side of the castle where the chapel was situated. "And you can choose any room you like," he promised without his father's permission.

Like good manor houses everywhere, there was a place of worship withing the walls of the building for those occasions that it was impossible to go to church.

Anne smiled and followed after him to the chapel. She couldn't help laughing as he listed what activities she was no longer allowed to partake. Anne leaned up as they walked and kissed his cheek.

"My love, at this rate you'll dig yourself into a grave of worry before the child's even born!" Anne teased him. "Fear not, I will not do anything so foolish while our child rides in my belly."

She followed him into the chapel, her arm looped in his as she leaned into his form.

***

Months passed and Anne's pregnancy was right on track. She'd written to her parents and her father had sent a doctor to tend her and make certain that the baby was healthy. Thus far, everything was fine. Anne's belly had begun to swell as the months progressed. Her headaches had abated a bit now that she understood the cause, but they still plagued her on occasion, as did her nausea. Of course the doctor assured her husband that this was normal.

With her body going through this change, Anne's moods became more turbulent as well. Which again, the doctor assured Thomas that this was normal. She could be happy and content one minute, then beside herself sobbing the next. It was rare, but it happened.

One day there came a call from the Gate House - there was a visitor to see them. But of course he didn't wait to be announced. George Boleyn wanted to pay his pregnant sister a visit.

"'Lo the house!!" George roared with a grin from the front door. "Wyatt!! Where's my sister and what've you done to her!!?"

Anne rolled her eyes as she came to the stairs. "Most people say 'hello', George."

"Boleyns aren't most people," he grinned. "But hello Anne, you look beautiful."

With his parents in London and he the lord of manor for the time being, Wyatt developed a sense of self-importance over the first months of Anne's pregnancy. He was a proud father-to-be and occasionally an overbearing husband. But he did everything out of love for her. Carrying a child to term was not without risks. Poor Queen Catherine was a proof of the fact that no amount of wealth or high upbringing could ensure a string of heirs.

Hence the dedication Wyatt showed to his wife. He pampered her and he ordered her around equally. He made sure Anne got to eat anything and everything her heart desired. To his surprise, if it wasn't the apples, she sometimes wanted strange combination of foods. Though, he wondered, mayhaps it was the baby that demanded those foods. Either way, he marveled at her growing belly.

When the older Sir Wyatt and his wife came back home before Christmas, and the younger one had to give away some of his authority in the household, it marked a time when his worries also lessened. Wyatt realized he didn't have to take care of everything alone and that Anne was still capable of doing a lot of things by herself.

He was very glad to get a visitor in the form of his brother-in-law with whom he had often corresponded. George had always been his best friend.

"We can hear you with less commotion, brother," Wyatt laughed as he entered the entrance hall after Anne. "But I agree with your sentiment. She looks beautiful and I haven't done her anything other than what a husband should."

Which was more straightforward talk than his mother would have wanted him to say. Wyatt gave George a manly hug and then wrapped his arm around Anne's already visibly round waist.

George grinned when Wyatt appeared and he returned the hug, laughing at his words. As his brother-in-law stepped back beside Anne and held her close, George couldn't help but smile.

"What sort of man would I be without making the biggest ruckus in the house?" George laughed.

"You'd hardly be George Boleyn, that's for certain," Anne chuckled as she leaned into Thomas. "Shall we take a seat and get comfortable in the dining room, love? It's still early yet for dinner but perhaps the servants could bring out something for us to nibble on while we talk?"

George couldn't help chuckling at that as a servant came to claim his cloak. "I take it your appetite has indeed grown, sister?"

Anne shot him a slightly dark look - of course he hadn't meant it as a remark about her weight, but that was her first instinct was to take it that way. George immediately adopted an apologetic look, which saved him the displeasure of a scolding. Anne ran her fingers over her belly and nodded a little. "It has, thanks to this little one."

Wyatt kissed Anne's temple and praised her idea as excellent.

"Ed, go and ask someone in the kitchen to brings us cold meats and bread. Oh, and a jar of apple jam," he requested of the servant who had taken George's cloak.

"Yes, my lord."

"This way, then," Wyatt smiled, looping his arm with Anne's and heading towards the dining hall. George followed at first but when they neared the door, he hurried to pass them to open it like a true knight.

"I have the greatest idea for a name," he announced. "The most obvious one, to be honest."

Anne's eyes lit at the idea of apple jam, herb bread and salted pork. She followed beside Thomas towards the dining hall but as George ducked ahead to open the doors for them Anne rolled her eyes. Of course he had a suggestion for the name of their child.

"I'll bet you do...oh George, don't keep us in suspense - please tell us, what shall we name our child?" Anne's tone dripped with sarcasm. "You realize that our mother has already proclaimed that, should we have a daughter, we simply must name her Elizabeth."

But Anne knew George's suggestion wouldn't upset their mother's plans in the slightest.

George's smile died out momentarily. He realized he had brought up the matter in a completely wrong way; Anne was too witty to not guess what he was about to suggest. But he was determined to make a small spectacle of his great idea.

"Ah, sister, hear me out before you mock me. Naturally I first thought of the name Henry, to pay respect to our good and gracious king as well as your father-in-law. Considering you're living in his house, eating for two people and not contributing much...," he grinned, "you'd do well to name a child after him."

George glanced at Wyatt who had helped Anne get seated in one of their Italian inspired curule chairs. Those had been wedding gifts and recently Wyatt had ordered new soft cushions sewn for them. He stood behind his wife, hands on her shoulders and shook his head at George.

"And then I thought of Thomas, which would please our own father, but then you'd have two of them in the same household and that is never not complicated. So I asked myself what was left."

He flashed a smile and pointed fingers at himself, as if he had just had a eureka moment. "George! What else?"

((OOC: About the chair: http://theborgias.wikifoundry.com/page/Renaissance+FURNITURE ))

Edited 2015-02-09 20:37 (UTC)

As Anne settled into the chair and George continued talking, she listened carefully. Though her eyes did narrow when he brought up his reasoning behind the name 'Henry'; the implication that she was sponging off of her in-laws while contributing nothing to the household was not one she took kindly to, and an angry light did spark in her dark eyes. But she stayed quiet, hearing George out.

A thin, cruel smile played across Anne's lips as George finished. For a moment she just remained silent.

"There is absolutely no way in this life, or the next for that matter, that I would ever name my son after you," it was a bit harsh, but she was still a little annoyed with that particular remark. "Everyone in this country is either named Henry, George or Thomas! For goodness' sake, can our people not come up with something a bit more creative than that!?"

Anne rolled her eyes. In truth though, they hadn't discussed what to name their son. She would prefer to name her first son after his father, and any subsequent sons could have more creative names. But when it came right down to it, she had just been hoping and praying that she and the baby survived the birthing process.

((ooc: Oooh pretty!))

Wyatt pulled a chair for himself and sat down close to Anne, holding her hand all the while George chattered on. He knew she was not happy to hear her brother say those things and to be perfectly honest, he thought George crossed the line as well. Like many times before, he tried to act as a mediator between the fiery Boleyn siblings.

"George, that was uncalled for," he began, his tone not too harsh but still firm. "Anne is most certainly a respected member of this household, and loved by everyone. She is carrying a Wyatt heir. I will have no more talk like she's contributing nothing."

A hint of regret was visible on George's face as he got seated across the young couple and aimed to salvage the situation.

"Why of course she's loved and... I only..."

A servant came in with a platter of food, followed by a maid with wine goblets. Wyatt thanked them and selected the best bits of meat for Anne.

"Dig in," he then offered to George who did as prompted.

"I still think my suggestion is worth noting for," George said after swallowing the first mouthful. "George Wyatt. It has a nice ring to it."

"It's not... terrible," Wyatt himself stated slowly. "We could consider it, I suppose."

Anne laced her fingers with Thomas's as he reached for her hand. When he defended her she smiled softly to him, her anger immediately dispelled. For she was indeed carrying a Wyatt heir, and having to care for an unborn child was indeed difficult. Any wrong step, wrong food consumed or wrong beverage drank could endanger the baby. So she was indeed working very hard in the household.

She nodded shortly to George when he partially apologized. Her anger was indeed neutralized altogether. When the servant and maid appeared, Anne politely refused the wine, but smiled to Thomas when he made a plate for her. She kissed his cheek briefly. When they both began speaking again though, she looked between them, surprised eyes looking to her husband.

"Surely you're not serious?" she tipped a brow at Thomas.

"You wound me sister! Surely there are worse names," George pointed out between bites of the cold meat.

Anne shrugged, admitting that he had a point there. "We'll consider it, George." Though Anne was more concerned with their child being healthy than what the name should be.

"I am not saying no to any name at this point, love. My final word is still far from decided but fear not, I will not make it without you having a say in it," he assured Anne. "In truth I haven't given much thought to names yet, apart from accepting that a girl could be Elizabeth. God knows we already have two Annes here, lovely though the name may be."

"Swell!" George cheered, raising his goblet to a toast. "Think about it, naming him after me is the only way you can truly mold a George to your liking. Not to mention having the eternal devotion and dedication to the child's upbringing by yours truly."

Wyatt winked at his friend. "You have a point there. You are the only uncle our children are going to have, though that also means we cannot accept any favoritism to one of them simply because of a name."

Anne truly was blessed to have such a husband. It was a lucky woman indeed to marry a husband who took her thoughts and opinions into consideration, when so many of their time simply gave them orders and told them bluntly how things would be. Thomas could very well have told her that he liked the name George for their child and that was that. But he didn't. And Anne couldn't love him more for that very reason. She smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek again. Though Anne was soon tilting a brow right back at George Boleyn once again.

"Mary and I tried molding you to our liking...let us hope that if we do name him George, he won't be so stubborn as his uncle!" Anne laughed.

Of course for all his stubbornness, Anne was just as stubborn as George, perhaps even more so. Mary sometimes liked to joke that George learned his stubbornness from Anne, and his love of art and capacity to be gentle from Mary - the latter of which the Boleyn heir rarely admitted.

Wyatt was a lucky man to have a wife who dared to show her affections in front of others. He offered up his cheek for another kiss and leaned even closer, brushing his fingers through her hair that hung long and thick on her back. His lips formed a silent 'I love you' which George noted with satisfaction. Despite of bickering, deep down he only wanted Anne to be happy.

"I know you did, sister, but it was all in vain, wasn't it? Can't be done. Wyatt children might be more malleable, though," George grinned.

Not bothering to be offended, Wyatt laughed at that. "We will find out eventually."

But George didn't always joke around. He was able to be serious, too. Now he tilted his head and took a critical look on her. "How are you really, sister? Is everything alright?"

As he offered his cheek up, Anne leaned forward and eagerly obliged him for another quick kiss. She blushed as he mouthed those words to her; she would never tire of hearing them, nor of saying them back. Which she did in the same manner; mouthing 'I love you' right back to him. Anne was indeed happy - happy in Allington. Happy with Thomas.

She would be overjoyed when the baby finally came, of that she was certain as well.

"I'm well brother, I promise," Anne glanced to George and gave him her most honest smile. "You see how Thomas spoils me? He's not stopped since I told him about the baby."

Which certainly wasn't a complaint on Anne's part - though there were days where she would have liked to go a few hours without him needing to touch her swollen belly.

"Why wouldn't I spoil you?" To prove the point, Wyatt spread a generous amount of apple jam on a piece of bread and set it on her plate. He found Anne's healthy appetite adorable and had come to accept the strange cravings she had. The mood swings were more difficult to cope with. A hug seemed like a good solution to many a happy and sad occasion but sometimes it was best to make himself scarce. And her belly... it was indeed a source of wonder for him.

"Why wouldn't I spoil her?" he redirected the question to George.

"Well I hope you do. She deserves it all," George replied, turning to Anne. "I didn't know you'd be so happy to be cooped up in the countryside. You're missing out all the excitement of London. You both are, but then again, the charm of court entertainment must be gone for an old married couple."

Edited 2015-02-14 01:28 (UTC)

Anne was only too eager for the apple jam and bread. She took a bite, then picked up one of the pieces of meat Thomas had selected for her and put it onto the jam-covered bread; the saltiness of the meat, the softness of the bread and the sweet jam was paradise in Anne's mouth. After taking a few more bites she smiled happily and gratefully to Thomas. He not only endured her mood swings but he didn't hold a grudge over them and still continued to spoil her. Many men would have given Anne a swat in the mouth for her mood swings - for they were indeed unpleasant, and she regretted each one.

But not Thomas. Not her beloved Poet.

Anne glanced to George when Thomas addressed him and smiled when he answered. "Why should I miss the excitement of London? Seems there's plenty of excitement to be found here in the countryside," Anne pointed out, running her fingers idly over her belly. "And just who are you calling old!?"

Not that Anne was particularly worried about her age anymore. She was young; she was married; soon she would be a mother. Though the prospect of growing old with Thomas was one she actually was most anxious to see come to pass.

Wyatt's eyes followed the movement of Anne's hand, warm feeling in his chest. She was his wife by their fathers' choosing but he couldn't imagine being with anyone else. He turned her face towards him and pressed their lips together.

George chuckled at that. "Aye, I can see you two have your own entertainment here. Speaking of London- oh, but where are my manners? I brought you something."

He reached for the bag he'd placed under the chair and pulled out a piece of linen that had been used to wrap a bundle of colorful embroidery threads.

"Mother sent you these, said you might find them useful. She misses you. Hasn't said as much but I can tell."

Anne smiled when he turned her face in his direction. Her lips parted slightly and she kissed him back. Quick, chaste - but nonetheless loving. It was only to be polite in front of her brother.

But then George spoke up again and drew Anne's attention. Her dark eyes followed his movements, curious. Then when he sat up again and passed the linen bundle to Anne, she opened it slowly and smiled at the lovely threads. She couldn't help running her fingers over the vibrant colors.

"They're lovely," Anne found herself a little choked up for missing her mother. But Elizabeth had written and said that she would come later at Anne's request when her due date was near. "How long are you staying, brother? Before you go I must send something back with you to our mother in exchange for the wonderful gift!"

Wonderful - another word for 'expensive'. Anne could tell how much her mother missed her because she probably purchased the threads and for her efforts got a stern lecture from Thomas Boleyn about spending such an exorbitant amount of money.

"Depends on how long I can stay...," George replied and raised his eyebrows at his brother-in-law.

"You're welcome to stay until the lure of London becomes too difficult for you to resist," Wyatt laughed. "That is, we're happy to have you visit however long you like and I too would like to thank you for Anne's present. If she becomes bedridden, she needs things to keep her occupied. As for now, her doctor says to be careful but not overly so."

He glanced at Anne lovingly and remembered the early days when he had tried to prevent her from doing perfectly normal things, like walking down the stairs.

One of the maids dropped in to ask if there was something more they needed which gave Wyatt a chance to send back Anne's wine and to order mead for her instead.

"I will stay till the end of the week then," George made up his mind. "Good meat, by the way."

Anne's gaze flickered to Thomas and she gave him a teasing smirk. Remembering how he had given her a list of things she was no longer permitted to do now that she was expecting. She had been annoyed when he had tried to stop her from her normal tasks like walking down the stairs, but now she found it amusing, cute in a way.

She gave his hand a squeeze. "Yes brother, my husband fussed over me and my habits more than the doctor, for a while," thank heaven for the doctor!

But she was happy to see that Thomas was so eager to have George around, as much as she was. But what did she expect? They were friends, after all. "I'll be sure to stitch or paint something for mother for you to take back to her George, if you don't mind?"

When the maid returned with her mead, Anne sent her off to prepare a room for their guest.

Wyatt so loved carrying her around, though.

George nodded eagerly. His mouth was too full for him to answer before a big gulp of wine washed down the pork. Then he confirmed, "Um, sure, of course. You know mother would love it."

"We're looking forward to having her here later in spring," Wyatt said, mostly referring to Anne and his own mother. Elizabeth Boleyn was a nice a lady and less intimidating than Anne's father but there was little Wyatt could think to talk to her.

"I know, but as I was saying about London... has Mary told you the latest news, Anne? That she's caught the eye of the King?" George smiled mischievously. "Father couldn't be more pleased."

((OOC: I have to keep reminding myself how young they are here :). In our plot ideas, we made Wyatt 18 and Anne 17 when they got married - and George is younger than them. Now it's just a year and a half later. But I assume people were considered adults sooner back then.))

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