A Thousand Day Queen

Anne watched as they prepared the erect scaffold that was out in the green. She had just returned from her sham of a trial two days earlier, where her fate was sealed before she even walked into the room. The scaffold they were building was where she would meet her fate that was given to her in the courtroom. She still remembered how her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, her own flesh and blood gave out the death sentence. To burned or beheaded at the King's pleasure he said. Those words were playing over and over in her head. But it was also no surprise her trial came to that outcome. Now that she failed to give Henry a son and heir like she promised he wanted to desperately get rid of her. Even if it meant ending her life over false accusations of adultery and incest.

Now she was to be executed this morning by a swordsman from France. She was thankful that Henry at least gave her this kindness rather than be executed crudely by an axeman, who missed his target half the time. At least she was spared that pain. Her ladies were helping her dress as she prepared to meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury so that he may hear her last confession. She chose a black gown made of silk with a black petticoat and a string of pearls. Her hair was put it into a neat bun with no decorations. As her hair was being finished, the Tower Constable, Master Kingston arrived with Archbishop Cranmer, whose face expressed nothing but sadness.

"Milady." Cranmer said with sadness in his voice.

"Archbishop Cranmer." Anne said, bowing her head in respect. "Are you hear to receive my last confession?"

"I am, milady." said Cranmer. "But first I must inform you that your marriage has been declared null and void. And therefore the Princess Elizabeth, has also been declared illegitimate."

Anne's heart sank as she heard that her little girl Elizabeth was now a bastard, and therefore could never inherit the English throne as Anne had hoped. She felt tears well up in her eyes and her knees buckle as she felt her emotions well up inside her. Cranmer saw and went to steady her but she refused. He stepped back as she composed herself and wipe her tears away.

"Let's not waste anytime, Your Excellency." Anne said after gathering her nerves. "Do what you came to do. I should also like the Constable present. I know it is his duty to report my words back to His Majesty. Even if it is my last confession."

Cranmer nodded his head and sat down on a chair. Master Kingston followed. Anne knelt down next to him. They both made the sign of the cross.

"My child, what is it you wish to confess?" Cranmer said to Anne, listening intently.

"I confess, that there were times when I had negative thoughts and feelings towards the king, especially when he was unkind towards me," Anne said. "I also confess that there were times when he would be kinder to me, especially after the losses we suffered in the childbed. I also confess my anger towards His Majesty when he was both unfaithful and kind to me. I confess that as much as His Majesty was unkind to me, I still loved him with everything that I am. I could never be unfaithful to His Majesty nor was I ever unfaithful. And lastly, I confess that I have treated my daughter, Elizabeth, unkindly as well. I was so focused on giving the King a son, that I neglected her and I can only hope that one day she will be able to forgive me, as I have forgiven His Majesty."

Cranmer nodded his head and began to recite the Act of Contrition. Anne breathed in deeply, as now her conscience was clear and now she can leave this world at peace. Cranmer finished and they made the sign of the cross together. Anne stood up and smoothed out her dress.

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Anne said as she bowed her head. "Pray for me."

"You will always be in my prayers," said Cranmer, and made one last bow. "Your Majesty."

Anne smiled as he address her by her formal title and watched him leave the room. As her execution was an hour and a half away, she instructed her ladies to begin to dress her. They started by washing her feet and hands, and did her hair before they set out her gown. She had chosen a scarlet kirtle and petticoat with a dark grey gown trimmed with black fur. She picked out a mantle trimmed with ermine, to remind herself that she was once a queen and no matter what Parliament said, she was the mother of a princess. As her ladies began to dress her, she thought back on the last ten years. How Henry fought to divorce Katherine so they could be married. How she fought hard to keep his interest so she wouldn't just be his mistress and his whore and instead be someone respectable. How she promised him a son as soon as they were married, a promise she could never make good on and it was this promise that was never fulfilled that brought her downfall. She thought about her brother George, the one man that she could freely talk to, the one man that truly loved her. Gone, all because Henry wanted to be rid of her.

As her ladies were almost finished dressing her, the Constable came in. Anne assumed it was time and motioned for them to fasten her mantle so that she would be ready to go. After her mantle was fastened she straightened her posture and looked at him.

"Is it time, Master Kingston?" she asked, ready to meet her fate.

"I regret to inform you my lady, that the executioner was delayed and will not be here until early afternoon. Your execution has been postponed until 12 o clock." the Constable said in a matter of fact, yet gentle tone.

Anne was shocked. "Mr. Kingston, I hear I shall not die before noon, and I am very sorry therefore, for I thought to be dead by this time and past my pain."

"The executioner is very good. It will be quick, and almost painless." said the Constable.

"Yes, I heard he is very good. And I only have a little neck." said Anne, bursting into a hearty laugh, the most she has laughed in the last week.

12 o clock had passed and still no executioner. Her execution was postponed until tomorrow morning at 9 o clock in the morning due to the executioner being delayed on the road. Anne had started to fret, as she had made her peace with the Almighty God and was ready to die. Now she would have to wait another day, and that caused her to be anxious. She had had her ladies dress her down back into the black silk gown she had on before and laid back down in bed.

That night Anne did not sleep. She couldn't sleep. She thought about the people that loved her and betrayed her. She thought about her little girl, Elizabeth. The girl was only two and would not really understand that her mother was being killed by her own father. Anne ached for the girl. She had loved her and wished she had cherished her more. It made her think of her own father, who always showed her love and affection. But when he got a taste of power he changed and was no longer the father that she remembered and loved. He became a man who only cared about power, titles and appearances. It broke her heart that he changed all because Henry desired her.

Henry, the man who moved heaven and earth for her, the one who promised to love and cherish her. The Henry who made her his queen. And yet, this was the same Henry that would go to any lengths to be rid of her. The one who cast her aside so he could find another to marry so he could have a son. And yet she still loved him, no matter what he had become. All she could do was hope and pray that he would still love and care for Elizabeth, despite the fact that she was now a bastard. At this point she wanted nothing but for her little girl to be safe and happy and well taken care of after she is dead.

Dawn had come and Anne was ready. She had her ladies start to dress her at half past seven, so that she would be ready when the Constable came to get her. As her ladies put on her shoes, he came in, this time with guards at his back. Anne knew this time it was happening. She walked up to him and he held out a small purse. It was payment for the executioner, to ensure that it would be swift and almost painless. She took the purse and thanked the Constable for his kindness. He nodded his head then turned around and started to walk. Anne began to walk behind him.

Anne followed the Constable out to the green, where a crowd had gathered. The walk was slow and yet Anne almost felt a sense of relief, that she no longer had to wait to be at peace. After a short walk she came to face the scaffold where she began to climb up the stairs. Her ladies trailed behind her and they had begun to weep for their mistress. Anne walked to the center front of the scaffold and took in a deep breath.

"Good Christian people, I have come here to die, according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it." Anne began, being careful of her next words. "I am come here to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die. I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for there was never a more gentle or a more merciful prince. And to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul."

As Anne finished her speech she noticed that there were certain people in attendance. Thomas Cromwell, Charles Brandon the Duke of Suffolk, her husband's bastard son Henry FitzRoy the Duke of Richmond and last but not least her own uncle had come to watch her die. She took in a deep breath a composed herself as she was not going to give these people the satisfaction of seeing her afraid. She happened to look up behind the crowd and saw Thomas Wyatt, one of her very old and good friends was sobbing. She nodded to her ladies, indicating that she was ready.

Her ladies, teary eyed, stepped forward and began to ready her. One of her ladies unfastened the mantle she was wearing and began to cry. She softly grabbed her hand and comforted her. Her other lady put a cap on her head to hold all of her hair in place and removed the necklace that she was wearing. She removed her own earrings and handed them off to her lady, who in turn handed her the purse full of gold. She thanked them both for their service.

The executioner knelt down next to her and bowed his head. "Forgive me madame, for what I must do."

"I gladly forgive you." Anne said, handing out the purse of gold to him. "And here is your purse."

He gently took the purse from her hand and stood up. He motioned for her to kneel. She took in a deep breath and knelt down. She put her hands together in prayer.

"Oh Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul." Anne kept whispering to herself as she waited to take her last breath.

She looked up to the sky as she kept whispering to herself. The swordsman grabbed his sword that was hidden in the hay and did his duty.

And she was finally at peace.