King Henry gently stroked the cat's back as it purred beneath his touch. He chuckled at the animal's obvious contentment. "You like that, kitty?" he murmured. A smile touched his lips when a soft mew answered him. Settling into his chair even more as he watched the flames flicker in the fireplace, he rubbed his eyes, tired from the fire's warmth. He enjoyed a beer before dinner was served. A drop spilled over the edge as he put it on the table. Without a thought, he collected it on his fingertip and put it to his lips.

A knock at the door startled the king from his tranquillity, causing the cat to jump from his lap. "Who is it?"

"Your Majesty, it is Cardinal Wolsey."

"Come in then, Cardinal, my dear friend."

As Wolsey entered, the cat scampered out the door and down the hallway. Paying the creature no heed, Wolsey approached the king where he sat in his chair.

"My king, there are some matters we need to discuss."

"As is there always, Cardinal. But, come and sit. Pray tell, what troubles you this fine evening?"

The cardinal obeyed and sat beside the king's imposing figure. Even sitting, the king was impressive to behold. Wolsey cleared his throat before he began. "The Pope has some concerns with respect to the teachings of Martin Luther, and rightfully so, I'm afraid. I, myself, have seen his literature around various towns within England. It is of some concern. Once people start getting their own ideas about God...well...the control we currently enjoy could be in some jeopardy."

The king frowned at these words. "Control, Wolsey? Should we not be far more concerned with the immortal souls of our citizens? Why, the spread of such heresy is cause for alarm."

The Cardinal pursed his lips with some frustration. It never ceased to amaze him how deeply the Church's teaching affected even the most powerful individuals. "But of course, my king, of course. What I mean to say, though, is that some of the common folk are learning to read."

"Interesting..."

"Not interesting, my lord king, no. This is dangerous. This Luther fellow is encouraging people to learn to read so that they might read the bible themselves..."

"...and have a better relationship with God? What an interesting proposition" the king interrupted."... still... heresy," he added when he saw the expression of Wolsey's face.

Wolsey stopped, trying to contain his annoyance. He shook his head slightly as if to clear his face of emotion. "Your Majesty, if I may...once the people start reading the bible, what is to stop them from reading other materials? What is to stop them from writing their own materials? This is a very dangerous development, my lord. Very dangerous for you."

The king raised his eyebrows at this, surprise clear on his face. "Dangerous for me? How so? Has the clergy been hiding something from us all? What do you have to fear if they read the bible for themselves? Please enlighten me, Wolsey."

"I beg your pardon, but if I may speak freely..." Wolsey pleaded with his king and relaxed his shoulders noticeably when the king nodded his consent. "The control you hold over England stems from the common inability of people to think for themselves. Once they start reading, they can learn any number of things. They will start to question what they read...what they see... what they 'know'. An uncertain population can be a dangerous population. Right now, these things are controlled by the clergy. By the noble class, as it were. Once we lose this control, who can say where things will go?"

The king looked at Wolsey as he spoke, the real danger becoming more clear to him. "What you say makes sense. What do you and the pope suggest we do to contain this scourge of ...literacy?"

"I think we need to keep our common population too busy to read, Your Majesty. Perhaps it is a good time to increase taxes and invite some guests to have a feast. Mayhap even a war? Or the threat thereof?"

The king scoffed. "A war? You know as well as I that we are in no position to be speaking of war. No. But a feast? Yes, that we could do."

Wolsey nodded, knowing full well that the king would be more interested in food and merriment than blood and war.

"Wolsey, I have some matters of my own that are cause for concern. Perhpas you could bring them to the pope?"

"Yes?"

The king shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "My dear wife, whom I have loved all of these years...since she lost our last child many years ago, she has not conceived again. I fear that I will not be given an heir."

"I will see about prayer, my king."

"Prayers? No. No, I don't think that will work. It hasn't worked so far, Wolsey. I think I might need to have the marriage annulled. As much as it pains me, I think I need someone younger to give me the heir I desire."

"What of your daughter Mary, Your Majesty?"

"Mary?" The king was confused. "Mary is a girl, Wolsey. I need an heir. A healthy boy to carry on my legacy. Not Mary, no."

Wolsey couldn't stop his eyes from darting from one place to another with some panic. Annulment? An immediate answer did not present itself, which was an unusual feeling for the cardinal. "I will see what I can do," Wolsey conceded. However, the truth was that he knew Catherine of Aragon's nephew held Pope Clement captive. There was no way such an annulment would happen.

"Also, Wolsey, have you terminated the engagement of Anne Boleyn?" The king began watching flames once more, as they flicked just beyond his toes.

Wolsey tilted his head as he took in this question, so closely following talk of ending his marriage to Catherine. "James Bulter. Yes, my king, both parties seemed to be in agreement. I have heard whispers of another arrangement in the works."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed, between the Boleyn girl and "Henry Percy."

"Percy. Of course."

"Pardon, my lord, what of Mary Boleyn?"

"Hmmm?" He met Wolsey's eyes again. "Mary? She has gone to live in the countryside with her husband."

"I see. Probably for the best."

"I believe so," Henry agreed as he stroked his beard and lightly rubbed his lips before licking them. There was a lull in the conversation as each of the men contemplated very different things. "I think a great event will help keep people busy... yes, let us proceed with that, shall we? Get the servants working on that, would you?"

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure." And with that, Wolsey bowed deeply to the king and took his leave.

Peter awaited his master in the hallway and quickly followed as he made a swift exit. He watched the cardinal move with his usual confidence, though Peter knew just how fragile it was. A dark grin spread across Peter's face, full of hate and loathing. It was not a very becoming expression for one so young as peter.

"Peter, send for Cromwell. We have an issue that needs attention and I need Cromwell by my side."

"Of course, Cardinal." Peter quickly stepped away from the cardinal in order to fulfill the request. But first, he must pay a visit to his friend Millie. She would want to know everything that he had just overheard. It wasn't in writing, but it was invaluable information just the same. Thomas Cromwell would be located, but Millie was his priority.

~~

As one might guess, Millie was not easily found right at that moment. She was sitting by her own fire, petting Circe, regaining her strength and smiling into the light at her feet. Her imagination was full of images: the king touching his face, allowing the magical love dust to make its way into his body. I wonder how long it will take to be effective? she wondered. It had all gone so smoothly. Being pet by the king was no small pleasure either. Why, she'd share the cat's body any day for that treat alone.

Even as Millie relished her accomplishment, she pushed down the guilt niggling at the edge of her conscience. Collecting the king's blood from the still form of the once bouncy puppy had given her no pleasure. Seeing the dog trainer dragged into the deepest nether regions of the castle, never to be seen again did not satisfy her on any level. With a brisk shrug of her shoulders, Millie forced these thoughts away. Sometimes sacrifices needed to be made and this had been one of those times. The church had to learn its lesson. One did not mess with witches without consequence. No...no...she must get her revenge.

Now is not the time to allow these thoughts to take over, Millie thought. No, now was the time to celebrate. She could see the path events would take as her plan unfolded before the world. The things to come would be the talk of many for centuries, a feat very few could claim – and even fewer women. She and her beloved Anne would make their mark in history as the women who changed Christianity forever...made it weaker...divided.

Pleasure filled Millie as she basked in her knowledge, and as a very witchy laugh escaped her lips, she was grateful for the thick walls that gave her unparalleled privacy.

Suddenly, she stopped, the cackle caught in her throat. What is that? She wondered as her eyes searched the dim room – though the disturbance came from somewhere beyond her hidden space. Something is afoot. Something important. In an instant, she was on her feet and into the empty hallways just a few steps away. Not far from her room she found Peter and he shared his interesting information.

It's worked, Millie thought with particular glee, He's already taking an interest in Anne. Well, the gears are in motion then. Nothing will stop them.

~~

A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to light the star orange and let me know what you think! xxoo