Anne Boleyn (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
happyfalcon) wrote2014-04-12 02:15 pm
happyfalcon) wrote2014-04-12 02:15 pm
Entry tags:
Prompt: Masquerade
((ooc: As always, free for anyone to tag, just beware the historical inaccuracies!))
Few things made Anne happier than dressing up. A masquerade ball at her family's castle at Hever before All Hallow's Eve was just what she had needed. Mary and her mother came from France to join the festivities, and George was finishing his own outfit in his room. Anne herself had prepared a fine blue gown and a nicer mask to match. She pinned some of her dark hair back and let it fall in waves down her back.
After she tied the mask behind her head, donned the dress and proper jewels, Anne made her way downstairs. Only a few guests had arrived, all clad in masks and laughing gaily. Anne recognized a few voices, and of course she recognized the goofy gait and teasing of her brother George. But others she didn't recognize.
Still, she enjoyed the atmosphere.
Few things made Anne happier than dressing up. A masquerade ball at her family's castle at Hever before All Hallow's Eve was just what she had needed. Mary and her mother came from France to join the festivities, and George was finishing his own outfit in his room. Anne herself had prepared a fine blue gown and a nicer mask to match. She pinned some of her dark hair back and let it fall in waves down her back.
After she tied the mask behind her head, donned the dress and proper jewels, Anne made her way downstairs. Only a few guests had arrived, all clad in masks and laughing gaily. Anne recognized a few voices, and of course she recognized the goofy gait and teasing of her brother George. But others she didn't recognize.
Still, she enjoyed the atmosphere.
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She and George did not have the same relationship that they once did. And Anne certainly could not have such dialogue with the king.
Anne was disappointed in his answer, but she did not wish to have another argument. She fought back her feelings of sadness, fought back the urge to show her true feelings. Anne would be the flawless actress that she was; she forced a small smile.
"You're not wrong, Thomas," Anne replied. She was grateful for the kiss.
Because he was right: They would be back in London soon enough. Anne needed to drink in all the contact she could get from Thomas before she was back to suffering through the touch of the king.
And it would indeed be suffering.
"With all that has been said, Thomas, is that really a question you need to ask of me? It seems more to me that you are the one with reservations," Anne spoke slowly and softly, keeping sure that there was no aggression in her tone. She did not wish to argue, but she could feel his hesitation. However, she could also understand the reasons why he might.
After all, why give up security, wealth and social standing for a woman? Such things only occurred in fairy tales, did they not?
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She ought not to hide her true feelings from him. Honesty was what he asked of her. Without honesty, they could never hope to find a solution to their predicament. However, they also needed to be able to talk calmly and to spare each other of unnecessary grief.
That is why Wyatt didn't point out that Anne had been the one to call off their relationship. No matter what her reasons had been, she hadn't acted brave then.
"That is what I ask. I am reserved because of you. You will lose more than me if our affair becomes public. I am also reserved because this is something I don't want to mess up. We're not given a dozen chances. We're given one, if that. I wish to think this through properly."
His fingers tangled in her long hair, and eyes sought contact with hers. "It is because of my reservations that I need you to be brave. And you must make sure the King is content with as little as you give him."
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Anne would not have hidden her true feelings, except that she was ashamed for feeling them. In this case, at least. They made her feel weak, vulnerable. It was not something she enjoyed because it meant that she was not in complete control.
She gave a soft sound, almost akin to a purr when she felt his fingers in her hair. After a moment her dark eyes opened, finding his and fixating upon them.
"Must we be so bound by the chains of secrecy? Is it really so much to ask of the world or some divine power to be free?" Anne thought aloud, for these were questions that she'd been asking herself for some time. "I will be brave, Thomas - for I must be so."
Not just for his sake, but for her own. No woman had ever refused the king's advances as she did - nor had any woman so brazenly protested the will of her father as Anne did. For all his tyrannical commands, her father could not force Anne to share a bed with the king.
"What shall you do then, Thomas? While I am refusing the king, giving him the briefest of kisses and touches when I must, what will you do? For that matter, what can we possibly do to see each other in the meantime?" Anne did not want Thomas to put himself at risk; but she was curious to know whether or not they were truly in this together.
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"It's the same for everyone, and everyone has secrets. If not like ours, then something else. A court life wouldn't thrive without them. As for why we keep them... for fear of revealing our true selves, perhaps."
Anne's request was another proof of her intelligence. Wyatt's expression shifted from a slight surprise to a definite respect. He would have wanted to kiss her soundly at that moment but to do so would have rendered her to a mere object of him.
"You are absolutely right to ask that of me. It is not just you who must make sacrifices or to work for our cause." He shuddered to think of Henry making advances on her.
"I will consult with Cromwell regarding my marriage. Mayhap he knows some way or another to go about the divorce. Though I must be honest with you, I'm not holding out much hope." He was weary of trying it once more, but it was what Anne wanted. He knew that much.
"As I think about it, I am not sure if changing chambers would be wise after all. My current one is small but in a quieter corner of the castle. You should be able to seek me there like you used to. Which option would you prefer?"
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"My memories are not so well-preserved either, however, I am most certain that you were just as cunning and wily then as you are now," Anne replied. "What else was there for me to do? I couldn't very well let you best my wits and charm, at least not without putting a bit of effort into it myself."
Her smile remained when his answer came. Content that he was just as willing to work for their mutual happiness as she was. Anne bit her lower lip - unwilling to think on what would happen if they could not come up with some form of solution before the time came when she could no longer deny the pressures of her father and of the king to join his bed. It was bad enough to think about, let alone discuss.
"Thomas, in a world riddled with deceivers and enemies who weave lies around me to lead me down wrong paths, I know that I can always count upon you to be honest," One hand came up, her fingers brushing against his cheek, along the ends of his curls. "For that I am very grateful, even if you don't always deliver the sweetest news."
As long as he was trying, that was enough for her. What more could she ask of him, after all? He could only do his best, and that's what he seemed to be promising. Anne would be content with that.
"Indeed though, you are right - I would be wary of asking too many favors of Master Cromwell," Anne's tone darkened a bit. Cromwell had his uses, and he seemed close enough with her father for the time being. But something about him...she didn't trust him, not completely at least. "He doesn't seem the type of man to which I would want to owe many debts..."
Still, her dark tone doesn't linger. Her trademark smirk is once again on her lips, contemplating already the different ways she could slip to his chambers after nightfall. Perhaps even wait for him in his bed before he even retired for the night, clad only in the furs he spoke of the night before.
"For now I could be content to seek you there, where your chambers are now," Anne nodded. "If such an idea would please you as well, that is."
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Wyatt took hold of Anne's hand and kissed the soft inside of her wrist. Eyes closing for a brief moment, he breathed in her warmth. "Do not worry that I should ever believe any foul accusations of you. I know you. You have your temper but you're true and faithful. I will do all that I can to bring you the sweetest news. And if I can't, I will help you see the good in a bad situation."
Big words but he was caught in the moment. That Anne was willing to plan a future with him after the months of acting cold, had turned his life suddenly around. However, he was brought back to reality from his daydreams by her subtle doubts about the Earl of Essex.
"You and Tallis are carved from the same tree when it comes to Cromwell. He thinks I should be my own man." Wyatt frowned. "Am I blind to something others see? I do not feel bound or restricted by that man. He is serious, yes, but smart and he's done good things."
Though Wyatt much rather concentrated on Anne than Cromwell now. He had no idea that his offhand comment of being only wrapped up in furs had given her imagination such fodder.
"Does it ever." He had to kiss her now. One hand rising up to hold the back of her head and the other firmly around her waist, Wyatt planted his lips over Anne's.
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She bit her lower lip, watching carefully as Thomas kissed her wrist. The softness of his lips against such sensitive skin, it took quite a bit of self control to keep from moaning at least a little bit. Her gaze softened though, at his words, and she smiled down at him.
"You're too kind to me, Thomas," Anne replied. Her fingers seemed perfectly content to remain along his cheek and in his hair. It was an all too natural reaction, wanting to feel a closeness that she had stupidly denied all this time. It was only then that Anne realized how foolish she had been.
How could she have thought to eliminate him from her life? How could she have denied him and kept him at a distance this long? Anne shook her head softly at her own foolishness. For now she realized just how much she needed him; how his touch and the brush of his lips on her skin set her ablaze with desire and lust.
"I simply think that Cromwell has his own motives, like any other member of the king's court," Anne pointed out. Though they themselves were included in that group, when she thought about it. "Really, if we wanted to secure our safety, we would find out what motivates not only Cromwell, but anyone else who posed a threat to us if we were discovered. That way we could have a little...insurance, if you will."
But Thomas effectively snuffed out all thoughts of Cromwell, Henry and his court when he leaned in to kiss her. Anne's lips parted when she felt his against hers. Her lips seized his lower lip between them, her body leaned into his, influenced by his grip around her head and waist.
How much time had she wasted, denying contact like this? Anne's arms wrapped around his neck as she returned his kiss. Needing him more now than she had ever remembered needing him before.
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With his newfound understanding that her actions had been borne out of fear and helplessness, not cruelty, he didn't feel the need to get even anymore. He would not be reminding her about that day in order to make her feel quilty.
Still kissing her, Wyatt took a few steps and, moving them under an oak tree, gently pressed Anne's back against the trunk. Both of his hand down at her waist now, Wyatt moaned in quiet satisfaction.
"We shall start afresh. No bitterness over what has happened. That I promise," he said, after breaking the kiss. "I will also be careful with any commitments to my betters, including Cromwell, if that makes you more comfortable. I need his help, but I will keep it strictly professional."
It was easy to smile once again.
"Ye know my heart, my lady dear,
That since the time I was your thrall
I have been yours both whole and clear."
Wyatt rubbed their noses together. "I am very much looking forward to seeing you in London."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01p0_VXiHLM
Fitting lyrics / Mumford & Sons: White Blank Page
(all of the lyrics here:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/white-blank-page-lyrics-mumford-sons.html
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Anne would not make the same mistake again.
She was totally enveloped in his kiss, feeling the trunk of the tree at her back didn't bother her in the slightest. It felt natural, just as natural as being held in his arms. Her hands slid down his chest, eyes transfixed on his when he spoke. But she was so overwhelmed with joy and emotion at his words that Anne couldn't stop herself from leaning up and seizing his lips in another quick, but nonetheless passionate kiss.
"I know not what I've done that God has graced me to be so fortunate - really Thomas, you are too kind to me," he could have made her beg his forgiveness. And as desperate as Anne would have been to earn it, she wasn't the begging type - unless it was done in the desire to be playful. "Yes, it will be as it once was, better in fact! And I will not seek to dictate your dealings, that is not for me to say. I simply think you would be wise to be leery of him. If I thought he was leading you astray, I would say more on the matter."
Anne knew Thomas was smart enough to recognize a snake when he saw one. She in turn could act as a second pair of eyes, seeing what he might potentially gloss over.
Her smile tugged at the corners of her lips as their noses touched. Anne tipped her forehead towards his, letting her dark strands of hair mingle with his golden strands.
"As am I," there was allure in the idea of sneaking behind everyone. "Think of it, Thomas: You have the one thing the King of England himself desires...and can't ever possess."
((ooc: Oooh I saw this before!! Oh, his face at her execution...breaks my heart EVERY time!! But this does indeed describe them INCREDIBLY well!))
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"I am kind to you because you allow me to be. That is how this works." She held the keys to his heart in her hands, and that was fine with him. However, his mind was another matter.
"You're incorrigible!" Wyatt lifted her chin up and scolded her in jest. "I do believe you're back to your old self again, finding amusement in a situation that a day ago was all doom and gloom."
He grinned. "He's the King, Anne. The King. And you're planning to play with him so shamelessly." He really couldn't love her more for it. They would have to be careful like no other had ever been before them, but there was something to be said for Anne's daring nature.
Eyes drawn to her smiling mouth again, Wyatt brought his face closer, teasingly, and flicked his tongue across her lips. Though when he tried to kiss her properly his stomach growled. Wyatt laughed against her mouth.
"I missed breakfast," he admitted.
((OOC: When this thread comes to an end, I have some ideas for more :P ))
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"He assumes that he holds my heart, and my father presumes that he can give my heart to whomever he pleases. Little does he realize, my heart's already been promised to another...to you..."
Anne parted her lips a bit, allowing her tongue to flick out and meet his. And then his stomach's rumbling gave her pause. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to silence herself, but sge could not fight her laughter.
"And whose fault was that? My father made it a point to prepare a very nice breakfast for his guests." She teased him right back.
((ooc: It seems to be winding down well enough - and believe me I have a few ideas myself! Whenever you're ready to start plotting those :) ))
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Because honestly, he felt indefinitely better than a mere hour ago. He might have even gone so far as to say that this feeling was more satisfying than having sex with her last night. That moment had been clouded by desperation that it was to be the last time he could hold her in such a profound way.
Now their disagreements had been settled and forgiven. Now he had something to look forward to.
"As much as I hate to say it, I should be going." He walked up to his horse and remembered there was a leather flask hanging from the saddle. A drink would give him the needed refreshment. He popped the cork off, glancing Anne. "I would offer but... it's just ale." He held the bottle toward her just in case.
"I'm going to be staying in Allington for a few days but I should be heading back to London by Wednesday the latest. What about you?"
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She didn't drink much, just a swallow or two. But Anne didn't waste much time handing it back to him. Her smile remained true even as she swallowed the drink.
"I suppose all good things must inevitabley come to an end," Anne sighed. She was sorry to see him go, but it gave her something to look forward to; the whole idea of plotting when and how they could meet again, actually getting to see him again.
Anne paused, pursing her lips, thinking on her schedule, which had little to do with her, when it came down to it.
"I am set to stay at Hever for a few more days, but really I'll have to return to London at my father's pleasure," Anne shrugged. "When last it was discussed, I believe he had planned my return for Tuesday."
Anne bit her lip to keep herself from asking the question that burned her mind: When would she see him again? She wanted to ask, but she did not want to portray herself as desperate or needy.
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"Aye. There's time for everything, but end is this not, my dear."
He took the reins of Anne's horse and walked the animal to stand by her. Just like at the stables, Wyatt helped her up. He rested a hand on her thigh, wanting the contact while he could.
"Your father's pleasure... whatever that entails." A disturbing thought flashed through his mind. "You don't suppose he's invited Henry over?"
Come to think of it, Thomas Boleyn had probably extended his invitation for the Masquerade to the King as well. That Henry hadn't been present was no doubt due to the fact there were foreign envoys in London and he could not be spared from his duties. But what if he was free now? Would he try to seek Anne's company at Hever?
"I truly hope I am mistaken but if I am not, stay strong. I shall see you soon." He tugged at Anne's arm to encourage her to lean down for a kiss.
"I will tie a small ribbon to my door knob whenever I'm in my chambers. It is going to have to be very inconspicuous so you need to watch for it carefully." Carefully but quickly; she couldn't stop by his door to examine it for long.
He smiled again, and moved to get up on his own horse now.
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At the mention of the king, Anne frowned and gave a slight sigh.
"Father did send an invitation to the king for the masquerade, obviously he had high hopes for that night. But the king declined, though I'm not certain why. In his letters he usually declares any plans to visit, and thus far I've heard nothing."
She paused, looking to catch his gaze.
"But surely you know as well as I that the king does as he pleases," Anne sighed.
There was no question that Henry might very well decide that he wanted to see her and could wait no longer. Her father would be only too thrilled to receive the king at Hever.
But as he explained the plan, Anne nodded and a broad smile broke across her face as she leaned down to kiss him.
"I'll be only thrilled to return to London to find that favor then," Anne giggled. "Really Thomas, is it not the lady who is supposed to give a ribbon to her lover?"
She wasn't worried about getting caught examining the doorknob. Anne was stealthy enough and clever enough to avoid detection.
"So then, I shall next see you in London, I presume?" Anne asked as she turned her horse back towards Hever.
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Wyatt laughed at her snarky remark. "There is no reason why it couldn't be your ribbon, Anne." Though in truth he had been thinking more of a piece of string than a ribbon.
"Yes. It will be a long wait for me." With a final courteous bow, Wyatt reluctantly left Anne's side and made his way to Allington.
((ooc: The End unless you wish to add something. I guess we'll go to London next? Can exchange details over PM. I'm willing to write a starter, too.)