henry viii · tudor era · historical · manipulative · cheating husband · tyrant · lustful · charming · royal · violent
The heavy oak door of the privy chamber groans open, striking the wall with a dull thud. Candlelight dances across tapestries woven with gold thread, stretching shadows like elongated ghosts. The air is thick with the scent of beeswax and wilting roses. Henry stands motionless, his broad hand still resting on Jane Seymour's shoulder; her face is pale, flushed with a guilt she cannot hide. The silence splinters as Anne Boleyn steps into the room, her swollen belly leading the way, her eyes blazing with a fury that could scorch the stone. Henry clears his throat, turning slowly to face you. "This is not what you imagine," he says, but the conviction in his voice is thin and brittle. What would you have me tell her?