Chapter Text
Anne was to come to court for the wedding and then to stay. Elizabeth was to return to Anthony’s new manor house in Derbyshire but she suspected even if her future husband did not, that soon they would be back at the King’s side. Mary had given birth to a daughter to be named Catherine and there was no point in hiding that the girl was the daughter of the King. Everyone knew even the Queen and though she seemed to regard the three Boleyn girls as if they were whores personified Beth could not help but admire her. She was not sure what she would do personally if she found out that her husband had numerous bastards to hand with her maids but she did not think dignified silence would be the way to go. Somehow she did not think dignified silence was a Boleyn trait.
There was a sense of closure though. She liked court but sometimes it was so loud and mad and bad that it was nice to think of the idea of retiring to the country for a while. She liked Anthony—she always had and she knew that he liked her and she was sixteen. The idea of marriage—of marrying before Anne did as well—always a nice idea.
The night before her wedding the four of them were together. George slipped in though the double doors of the Queen’s chamber to Mary’s private rooms as gift to the King and the three of them were there waiting Anne and Elizabeth having slipped out and they shared food and wine and played cards while the rest of the court slept not knowing that the four of them, the Boylen’s were in the room playing games and drinking the night before her wedding.
“I think at the very least you have lucked out” George said flatly. “Knivert is a good man who will treat you well. Carey has thrown Mary here to the King and the woman father wants me to marry…” he shook his head in disgust. “Jane Parker” he said again. “I don’t know what has possessed him to make such a match she is as sincere as a blanched snake”
“She’s got an excellent dowry, father is high up in the King’s favour and she’s a favourite of the Queen” Anne said with her prefect memory. She kicked George with her foot in their own little mock play and smiled at him.
“At least your being considered for a marriage. I have heard nothing about me since that Irish thing fell through. Two sisters both younger than me and both married.”
“I think he might try and angle you upwards”
“Please”
There was a smirk to George’s expression that Beth did not like but she did not comment on it. While she loved her brother she had to admit there was an almost insidious quality about him. He resembled their father too much. She leaned back against the pillows and eyed her two sisters. She did not want to say so in front of Mary but It was looking more and more like the King had cooled towards her, Anne on the other hand was prime for the marriage market and yet was not attracting offers…there was a piece of the puzzle here that she was missing…she did not like it.
Instead she took another sip of wine and let her older three siblings bicker and she watched them and knew that she was not thinking in that moment of her wedding night.
Despite all her talk she was a virgin and she did not know how to ask, instead she waited until George had left to sneak back and then turned to Mary.
“How do you do it?” she asked finally. Anne who had been sleeping somewhat on the edge of the bed opened her eyes and stared at Mary lazily. There was an edge to Anne now as if she too knew what it was to be a loved woman…but maybe that was Anne all over, maybe it was Anne’s confidence that made it so she gave the opinion of silence only. It was not good to call both of her sisters unchaste.
“Do what?”
“Mary don’t be stupid you know what”
“Oh…well…it’s easy, the first time you lie there—”
“Mary don’t be cruel, she can have a bit of pleasure for herself just like you can”
“Alright, there are ways to make it easier but the first time is going to be messy no matter what…if you want to make it pleasurable there are ways—”
“Whore’s ways”
Mary shrugged not at all repentant.
“Whore ways got you this marriage” she said flatly. “Whore’s ways took this family from merchants and made them gentleman. Whore’s ways make this world turn dear sister if you want a happy husband then you better get your brain around whore’s ways and get around them quick”
There was a warning there that she didn’t totally understand but she nodded.
“I don’t get it” she said finally.
“You can play with yourself for him” Mary said pouring them more wine. “Henry loved that, I used to take my shift of and stand in front of him and smooth my hands down my belly and then up to my breasts, I would play with them while he watched and then slip my fingers into my cunt and play with that”
Anne swallowed her wine and then.
“Fucking hell Mary”
“No there are other things” Mary said smiling at their dumbfounded expressions. “You never let him think that he is a bad lover—”
“To be fair I had heard that” Anne muttered. Mary nodded. “And you make sure that he thinks he is the best the very best, that makes a massive difference to them, granted it’s easier for you, your husband is young and that will make all the difference. But you need to make sure that you are good in bed, Henry, Charles, William Compton, Anthony…they all talk and they talk amongst themselves, you do not want to give him cause to look for a whore”
“Yes” Anne said sardonically rolling her eyes from her place on the bed “And you would know how deeply painful that is to a devoted wife wouldn’t you?”
Mary ignored that barbed comment.
“You can take him into your mouth too”
“I beg your pardon”
Mary sighed as if Beth was being very slow.
“You can take him into your mouth. Henry loves it, I don’t think he ever had a mistress do it for him before and that includes the French…half of the woman of court are ignorant of such things and I truly believe that half of them would have happy marriages if they learnt a few whores tricks but they won’t and so I am the whore and they are the unhappy wife”
There was a pause as Beth took that in and then.
“How do you do that?”
But this time it was Anne that spoke.
“You can have him either lie on his back or you can kneel. I assume the King prefers the kneeling position so use is he to Mary doing it and then depending on what he likes you kiss all the way down to his stomach and then take him into your mouth or you lick at him like a cat lapping at milk”
For a second Beth was stunned. “For shame”
“No not for shame” Anne said sternly. “For pleasure. Mary is right if you want a happy marriage the bedroom is where is starts. You have to learn how to please a man because a man is never going to learn how to please you. Unless Anthony is attentive that way but somehow I doubt he is. I do not have much vaulted opinion in men to tell you the truth”
There was a pause and then.
“And then you can play with—”
“Stop” Beth said but Mary had already said. “Balls” and she wished she had not. She turned to Anne. She loved her eldest sister but Mary was a whore and even Mary would feely admit it, on the other hand Anne knowing about these things was a complete mystery not least because Anne was the one who went around making a big parade of her virtue—such as it was.
“I know these things” Anne said in that annoying way. “Beth we were all raised in France you telling me you do not know about sex?”
“I’ve seen it” Beth said truthfully. Anne nodded.
“Just don’t panic” Mary said “And don’t choke, nothing turns a man off than that. Besides…think of it, once your pregnant you can rule the house—pregnant wives can do whatever they want in my experience”
Anne opened her mouth to point out that Mary had been a pregnant wife to one man but the baby belonged to another and that man was the King therefore meaning that she could do what she wanted but Beth shushed her. Trying the logical point with Mary was never going to work.
Her wedding was not what one would call a big court event. The King was there because of Anthony and his friendship but she noticed that Brandon was not. She did not know why because Brandon and Anthony were closer than Anthony and the King…and his marriage to the King’s sister had been forgiven. Anne had assured her of that much but again Beth who was actually at court had no idea how Anne was getting her intelligence. It was becoming borderline irritating.
However it was her wedding day and the Court had come out to celebrate and even the Queen who had reason not to like any of the Boleyn girls was there wishing her a happy and long marriage.
There was an edge to the tone that Beth could not understand but she thought that there was nothing at least today that the Boleyn had done to offend the woman. Catherine of Aragon was the very definition of Queenly. Whatever struggles the woman was going through she did not usually show them…but even Queens had to have an off day surely?
Dressed in her royal blue gown with her blonde hair falling over her shoulder and her mother’s sapphires in her hair she thought she looked like a bride that could outshine her sisters. Mary with her prettiness did not inspire so much as one look from the King. Anne in silver her dark hair bowed did. Their father beamed throughout the entire service but she did not think that it was from glee at this marriage to his daughter to a man that was rapidly owning half of Darbyshire.
Something was afoot here. She could feel it in the waters that made up a tranquil life around the court.
But Anthony looked at her and smiled and she smiled readily back. Today she thought it did not matter. Today Beth Boleyn became Elizabeth Knivert.
She smiled.
Anthony smiled back.
Her wedding feast was small. They were to bed at court for the night in Anthony’s Grace and Favour Chambers and then they would return to his home in the country. The King sat in deep discussion with her father, the Queen spoke not at all. Anthony enjoyed conversations with his friends and as the food was served she watched as Anne looked modestly down at her plate and then back up when the King sent out a dish to her and then another and then another.
What the hell was she doing? Beth watching her could not figure it out. The King was clearly still interested in Mary…certainly he cast his eye on her now and then and she had just given him a daughter…but he was also favouring Anne and she the bride of the day was not getting any favours at all. Not that she minded but…being the youngest of three competitive, beautiful sisters one would like attention to be one on her on her own wedding day.
Anthony on the other hand said nothing.
“Are you happy?” he asked once and she nodded.
“Very” she said smiling. “I hope today has gone to your liking?”
“Indeed. What man would not long for a wife as pretty as you”
She blushed…she could not help herself. She was sixteen and newly married and though she did not dare admit it absolutely aching for his touch. She found that she wanted to explore his skin with her fingertips.
“I hope that I will please you as a wife”
His smile this time was a great deal more gentle.
“I know that you will” he said gently. “And fear not, I do not intend to deprive you of life at court. I think we shall spend this summer getting our house in order and then return for Christmas. We can make more decisions together when the babies arrive”
“Babies?”
He looked at her and his smile this time was a great deal more sensual. It warmed her to the very core.
“Our babies” he said beaming. “I want a house full of Knivert babies.”
She did not know what to say about that so she smiled.
That night they retried to bed. The priest prayed over them and then they were left alone. Mary winked at her as she left and Anne poked her tongue out twirling in that way that had half the ladies watching her attempting to copy it. The maids Beth knew were infectious for behaviour like that. Anne and her turn of the head and her smile and the way she wore her French hood instead of the Gable one the Queen favoured was a new trend in the making of a court that lived on gossip and fashion as much as it lived on wine, blood and sex.
Speaking of sex.
She was in her new nightgown and she slipped under the covers. Anthony next to her was the very image of prim and proper and then as soon as the doors closed turned to her and propped himself up on one elbow to stare at her.
“Alright wife?”
She smiled trying not to show her terror and he smiled back.
“The first time might hurt” he said truthfully, “But there is a pleasure in the act. I promise you Beth I will never hurt you intentionally. If you tell me you need to stop then I will. But better to get this over with on the first night”
She nodded. In truth she had no idea what the hell he was on about but he sat up and slipped out of the bed throwing off his nightshirt and she stared at the strong back, the arse that was tight and well formed and then he turned and she sat up staring at the planes of his chest, the tight stomach, the strong calf muscles, his arms…and then her eyes dragged downwards to where his cock was hanging half hard and prepped and so very big.
She had never seen one before…well…not up close. A lifetime in Francis’s court and you were bound to see a French cock now and then. Francis had often spent many a drinking bout flashing himself to anyone who would look and quite a few many who would not. God knows modesty was not in the French vocabulary.
She dragged her eyes upwards and Anthony smiled pushing back the covers.
“Take off your gown” he said and she did just that lying there naked. He pushed back the blonde hair and stared down at her and then very gently pushed her legs apart. She felt her chest rise and fall with anticipation. She knew she was an attractive woman, her belly was flat and her legs slender and her breasts were a nice handful, her nipples a healthy pink shade and he laid down on the bed next to her and grazed one hand down her belly, down her breasts and then downwards past the thatch of blonde curls and he pressed downwards and…
Oh!
Pleasure such as she had never felt before hit her. She was wet down there too and that was a new experience.
“Christ girl you are so wet”
“Is that good?”
Anthony chuckled and then.
“Oh darling that is very good” he said and then he flipped one leg over her still playing her, she arched backwards thinking of nothing but the movement of his quick little fingers and how cleverly they are playing her body.
And then he ducked his head downwards and licked.
She gasped hips flying off the bed and he chuckled the vibrations making her gasp. He took without moving both of her hands and placed them in his hair and she gripped it firmly as he moved making her gasp and cry and thrash about under his touch.
There was a coil of something in her ready to spring and she felt it build and build and build again under pressure and just when she was sure that she was going to die with it he pulled back leaving her breathless and on the cusp of something…anything.
She opened her eyes her chest heaving and then.
“I am going to do it now yes?”
“Yes” she cried uncaring of what he was going to do just as long as he got his mouth or his hand back on her.
“Yes” she said again and he laughed once and then he leaned forwards and she felt a burning terrible pressure that made her gasp in pain. He did it in one fell swoop not moving as she grew accustomed to it and she gripped at his shoulders to keep herself grounded.
“I am going to move now”
She bit her lip but he grabbed her chin and kissed her and then he shifted and the burning pain died down somewhat.
She felt him move again and this time she could feel a flicker of pleasure building and burning within her. She felt him rock against her again and this time she let the pleasure burn within in her as he thrust again and again finding as if by witchcraft some kind of spot in her that gave her pleasure.
He chuckled once again and then she was falling over the cliff her little moans growing and he lifted her off the sheets using her quickly to lost to her own pleasure to notice his groan of release.
He put her back on the bed and then slipped out of her turning so that he was on his back breathing heavily.
“Good?”
“Very”
He chuckled and then threw a warm fur blanket over them. She shifted and felt the ache between her thighs as he lifted her and tucked her back under the bed.
“You bled.”
Beth nodded catching her breath and then she turned to prop herself up on one elbow pushing herself close to him and taking his mouth in a lazy kiss. She wanted to take his entire body but she was too tired. She knew now what it was to be in bed with a strong man…she now understood Mary in a way she had never had before. How could you not be a whore when this was the feeling that you got? How could you not want this pleasure every moment of every day?
“Happy?”
“Oh yes” she said breathing as his fingers linked in with hers.
“The most happy”
Even as she said it she felt a shiver down her spine. She did not know why she felt suddenly cold in the hot room but she did. It was as if there was a warning in those three words. A warning that she could not see.
But she was a wife not a witch and so she snuggled down next to her husband and despite it all found herself drifting off into sleep a contented wife indeed.