"Nothing is for sure yet, so stay calm, Anne," Millie began that morning.

"I like the sounds of this," Anne said as she ate some fruit from the breakfast tray. She was dressed and ready to start her day with the queen. It had been months, now, since Anne had joined the queen's inner circle. Slowly, but surely, Anne had worked to change the queen's gaze from one of disdain to one of pleasure. This had taken painstaking patience on Anne's part. She would like to be on friendly terms with the pious woman. Anne thought she seemed kind and generous.

"Yes, well, I do believe that some plans may be in the making for other arrangements to be made. It seems our dear James has gone to seek help from his father." After reading the note intercepted by Peter some time ago, Millie had put the letter back on the Cardinal's desk. No sense in raising suspicion so early in the game.

"I hope his father has more influence than my parents."

"I'm quite certain he does, seeing as how he is an earl. Convincing his own father is one thing; however, Wolsey and the king are quite another matter." Millie was sitting beside Anne as they shared a morning meal by the window. The birds sang in the trees below. Millie enjoyed the sun on her face. It was almost as pleasant as the moon's rays. "Have you met the king yet?"

"He has come into the queen's room a few times, but he has paid me no mind. I usually sit in the corner, playing the lute and singing. Barely more than background noise," Anne said flippantly.

"Perhaps it is time you get noticed, Anne."

Anne jerked in surprise. "Why?"

"It is possible that the king will be more likely to hear your pleas if you are on friendly terms with him," Millie suggested. "I hear the king grants favours to those who hold his attention."

Anne took these words in as she stared into the sky. She closed her eyes. Millie couldn't help but think that Anne looked rather sad at this suggestion.

"You don't have to do anything with his attentions other than hold them, Anne. Just entertain him with your charm and good wit. He has others to fulfill his... appetites."

"I quite like Catherine, Millie. I don't want to...tread in her garden, as it were."

"I'm not asking you to do that, necessarily...but if you are comparing this situation to the one with Claude, things here are a bit different. King Henry rewards those who impress and flatter him. He loves to love those who adore him."

Anne was still quiet in her contemplation.

"The queen knows what he is like, just as Claude knew her husband. But she also knows that her role is to bare him a male heir. That is her role and her honour. Nothing can take that away from her. What you seek is a pittance in comparison."

Anne tilted her head as she consideredMillie's words. She wanted nothing more than to have her Henry Percy. Perhaps it would help to have the king's ear. "A little harmless flirting? A kindness and a bit of humour?"

"That is all. Something to help move things along."

"Remember what happened when I did this with James Butler?" Anne asked.

"Well, yes, but the king is a married man, Anne. The most he can do is sleep with you."

"Could I say no?" Anne thought about the large king. He was much much larger than her. She couldn't imagine his body on top of hers. It would likely smoosh her to death! Besides, she did not find his red hair very appealing.

"To a king? Only if you are very sly about it, my dear. You will have to play to innocence...or perhaps toa renewed sense of dedication to god."

Anne took this in too, like everything else they had spoken of.

"See if the queen will let you sit closer to her. Perhaps you could say something witty upon the king'sentry.   A smile. Eye contact. Anything to pique his interest. He canseek you out later, after dinner mayhap."

Anne nodded her head with some reluctance. "I have finally worked my way into the queen's good graces. All could be lost if she sees what I'm about."

Millie studied Anne, appreciating her hesitance. "Subtlety is key, for certain. Play to the king, but make it look like you are engaging the queen. Once you are alone with him, then focus your attention where it needs to be. The queen's love is a blessing that you would be lucky to have. But it gets you nothing, ultimately. The king, on the other hand, can give you anything you want."

"Henry Percy?"

"He could give you your Henry, yes," Millie replied. Henry Percy, Henry Percy. Oh, I am beginning to loathe you, Millie thought. A smile was on her lips, but a storm was brewing in her heart. Love is the biggest inconvenience of all. If the king behaved the way she thought he would, Henry Percy would need to be sent away. Anne would never give up on him as long as he was within arm's reach.

Anne was smiling now as she got up and straightened her skirts. "The queen will almost be ready to meet in her parlour. There is a chance she will let me sew today. After learning it's one thing I don't do well, she has made it her goal to teach me herself." Anne chuckled with good nature. "She has her work cut out for her."

"Off you go then," Millie said quietly. "It's time for you to make things happen."

Anne smiled at Millie as she left the room. She was so lucky to have someone who always looked out for her best interests.

Anne reflected on the possibility that Henry Percy could be just within her reach. She smiled and studied the floor as she moved through the hallways. She imagined the ceremony she and her darling might share as they exchanged vows.

As she turned a corner, she felt like she walked into a wall. Her body bounced back and she almost fell onto her bottom. With a gasp she looked up and met the blue eyes of the king.

"Pardon me!" The king said as he put his hand out to help her gain her balance.

Anne looked down with embarrassment. "My king! I am terribly sorry!" she stammered.

"We should both take more care as we walk. Two people deep in thought are a dangerous combination." He smiled into her eyes.

"Indeed, it would appear so." She returned his smile and gave a small laugh. "I feel quite like I walked into stone."

At this, the king gave a hearty laugh. "Stone, you say? Well, it must be my impressive physique." He flexed a muscle playfully, to Anne's pleasant surprise.

She had not expected him to be so charming. She squeezed his proffered muscle and wiggled her eyebrows. "That must be the reason, my king."

"They don't admire my hunting skills for no reason, my lady." He gave a slight bow to Anne. "I apologize for a quick departure, but I must be off to a meeting with my advisors. Perhaps we can finish this conversation another time."

His bow in her direction caught Anne off-guard and she immediately fell into a deep curtsey, eyes to the ground. "My king, if it pleases you, I would quite enjoy a game of chess."

Henry had already taken a few steps away from Anne, but stopped and turned around to face her once more."The chess you say?"

She looked up and found his eyes. "I should warn you that I don't lose often," she replied with a smile.

At this Henry bellowed a laugh. "Indeed? We shall see, then, young lady. We shall see...What is your name, so that I might remember this challenge later?"

"Anne. Boleyn."

With a start, his eyes refocused. Then they became light once more with merriment. "Boleyn. Ahhh...a challenge of chess. That is something, indeed." With laughing eyes, he turned and walked away, leaving Anne in her curtsey and her head spinning.

Once he was out of sight, Anne started to hyperventilate. She moved from her curtsey to sit as a child might on the floor. She rested her head in her hands for a moment as she controlled her breathing and replayed what had just happened. Had she just challenged the king of England to a game of chess? Yes, she had. But he hadn't seemed to mind the invitation. With something between a laugh and a groan, Anne pushed herself to her feet and carried on to the queen's chambers. All in all, things hadn't gone terribly.

As she entered the queen's rooms, Anne took a seat by a window and eyed the other ladies in the room. Over the last few months, she had been quite friendly with one Margery Horsman, who wasn't here yet. Other ladies were friendly as well, but she felt a special closeness with Margery. She was kind, both in appearance and in her actions.

Catherine of Aragon entered the room and Anne curtsied with the other ladies. "Good morning to all. It is a beautiful day to make clothes for the needier in our kingdom. Come along, let us gather our needles and make some clothes for babes. Of course, I will make a new shirt for my husband, the king."

Anne admired that the queen made her husband's shirts. She watched as the ladies all moved to get the materials they would need for the day's activities. Her lute was in the corner and she moved to take her usual place.

"Anne, you come and sit with me and I will show you a new stitch."

Anne smiled as she joined the other ladies and took up a needle.

She sat comfortably among the ladies as the queen showed her a stitch that she could use to attach a small sleeve to a newborn baby's shirt. As she repeated the stitch, she allowed herself to think of her love.

"What has your attention, Anne?" the queen asked softly. "I can't believe stitching a shirt would be the cause of such a look of contented pleasure."

Anne gave a soft chuckle.

"A man, then. Only love can give a woman that look." They sat in silence for a time. "You are engaged to James Butler, are you not?" The queen studied Anne's face and noticed how her whole body changed. A certain slump in the shoulders told her all she needed to know. "So, it is not him you feel for. That is a challenge, indeed." She tutted as she continued. "Give it time, Anne. Devotion to one's husband can turn into love. A woman's faithfulness to her husband is paramount. Our place on earth is to bear our husbands an heir and to ensure a smooth household. Remember your place and your family."

Anne couldn't help the slouch that overtook her body at hearing these words. "You are right, of course, my queen. I know."

"Knowing doesn't make it easy."

"No."

"The best things are rarely easy, Anne. Sometimes we must endure injustice in the name of what is right."

Anne felt a burst of admiration bubble in her chest for the woman before her.

"A good lesson for a Boleyn girl." This, a whisper, caused the queen to narrow her eyes.

"This one comes from my dear friend Claude of France. No, no, let us not be harsh." The queen met the eyes of the whisperer.

Anne smiled appreciatively at her queen. She was good and gracious. More than she deserved with what her sister was all about these days.

And so the women sat is comfortable chatter as they sewed.

While Anne was about the business of poor orphans, Millie was about the business of kings and queens...

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A/N Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please comment and don't forget to vote! <3