[For Thomas] The Sweat

[happyfalcon]

There was no way of knowing.

Anne had been sitting quietly in her chamber, her maid brushing her hair while another re-dressed her bed. Of course Anne was lost to her own thoughts and daydreams, replaying over in her mind the last encounter she'd had with Thomas. It was only when there was a slight thud from behind her and a sharp gasp that Anne turned her attention to the maid behind her. She looked pale, and the poor girl was trembling. Slowly Anne turned in her chair to properly look upon the maid.

"Child, what is it?" She asked.

"I know not, mistress...I feel so dizzy," she whimpered.

Anne smiled and held her arms open, bidding the maid to come to her so that she might hold and comfort her. Such behavior would have been frowned upon by her father and mother, but Anne didn't care. She wanted to be known as a kind and gentle mistress. But still, the maid refused, looking upon Anne with terror in her eyes.

"That's it...I've caught the Sweat!" she exclaimed, curling into herself a bit before sliding to the ground. Anne rose from her chair and tried to console her servant, who was soon wailing and whimpering in her arms between her fear and her pain.

It was only a fair amount of hours later that her maid died.

Fearing the outbreak of the Sweating Sickness, Thomas Boleyn had his children sent back to Hever, and escorted Anne personally. The carriage ride back to Hever was filled with bombarding questions about the King, for which Anne had no patience. Her head was pounding and her chest felt tight. Clearly her father noticed the difference as he kept asking her what bothered her. Anne tried to convince him that she was fine, but eventually the coach had to stop, for Anne's chest was so tight that she couldn't breathe.

Anne had contracted the Sweat.

Once back in Hever, Thomas Boleyn had Anne shut away in her bedroom. He didn't want the whole household contaminated.