Anna

I quietly slide from the covers, trying my best not to wake Henry up. I never thought I'd see the day where I woke before he but I guess there was a first for everything.

I slip on my dress before lifting my gaze to his placid body. He had mumbled something under his breath.
Good. His eyes were still closed which meant he was still asleep.
My heart raced with anger as I observed his features. His words kept replaying in my mind.

Catherine is dead.
Catherine is dead.
Catherine is dead.

The thick air of the room suffocated me. I had to get out of this room, away from the monster that was Henry.

I burst through the doors trying to find the only other person I cared for.
Thomas.

I looked for him in the kitchen, the tasting room, and my secret garden but he wasn't there!

It was only when I passed by the large windows in the hallway that I saw his bright brown curls.
He was by the tree where Catherine and I always lounged.

My feet ran as fast as they could take me.
Faster and faster they went until I meet him at the tree. He looks up as he hears me approach and I see him with tears in his eyes.

He knew.
That meant everyone knew.

"One time ..." he struggled to find his words through his tears, "Catherine told me that through every dark night, there's a bright day after." He forced a lazy smile into his lips.

"Really?" My voice shakes as my own tears start to fall, "All she told me was a withered blade was once green" I teased, making him laugh.

"Anna—" Thomas comes to hold my arms.

"I didn't believe her whenever she gave me her words of wisdom because I didn't think they could ever reach a girl like me? I mean how could they?"

Thomas rubs my arms trying to calm me. My words were coming out ten miles an hour.

"Anna..." he tries to steady me but I couldn't help it and collapsed in his arms, crying and screaming.

He lets me cry. I don't know much time passed but it seemed like I cried for hours. I lift my eyes to watch him, my head was in his lap. "I want out Thomas. I don't want to do this anymore.
He's crazy.
He's mean.
He's the devil incarnate. He killed my friend! My best friend"

"I know. I know" Thomas sighs, wiping the tears from my cheek. He was silent before looking to the horizon.

"You don't have to if you don't want to Anna.
I should have never asked you in the first place"

"But what do we do now? I still want to kill him...but not by seduction" I admit.

"I don't know Anna." He stares into my eyes. We were both at a standstill.

"Anna..." he whispers, running his warm palm against my cheek. Closer and closer we come until we embrace.

I knew I shouldnt have done it.
Catherine would have never approved it. But I was scared.
We were both confused and sloppy. Excited but fearful.
Our tongues danced with a fervent intensity as we deepened the embrace.

I break and stare at him before realizing what I had done.

"I...we shouldn't have done that Thomas" I whisper, standing app before running away.

"Anna!
Anna wait!" I hear his voice behind me but I didn't dare look back.

——-

Thomas

I press my lips against my fingers as I relish in her taste.
Anna... I had feelings for her since I first laid eyes  but kept my distance. I had to, so she could complete the mission.
I had to complete mine too.

I let her cook off for a couple of hours before searching. She wasn't in class nor in her room.
This was the time I would usually ask Catherine but...

Flashback

"Thomas!" Catherine yelled as she juggles three pies in her hand.

"Oh. Sorry Catherine. I was distracted" I look up from my sketchbook and reach out to help her. She frowns and peers at my opened sketch.

"Drawing her won't make her come to life. Nor will they reveal your feelings for her"

I look to the window to try and avoid her gaze.

"She's in love with the king" I explain, shutting down any protests Catherine might have.

"Infatuation is usually mistaken for live. Anna is like a sister to me. I love the lady dearly but what she shares with the king isn't love Thomas. You know it and so do I. The quicker you tell her about your feelings" she closes my book and pushes it to my chest, "the quicker your heart will settle" She flashes a smile before walking to the sink to wash the potatoes.

End of flashback

No matter. Maybe her avoiding me was for the best. My plan here was greater than falling in love. There was a greater purpose than Anna or Catherine or any other friend I made.

"Thomas?" I turn around and see two guards of the king.

"Yes?"

"The king would like to see you in his chambers" they explain.

—-

They escort me to the west most wing. It was vastly different than the servants quarters.

Henry is pacing the length of the room, dictating a letter to his writer.

"Ahh. Thomas" he says, snapping for the scribe to leave. I was surprised he knew my name. 
"I heard that you were a painter?"

"From who did you hear that?" I question unashamedly.

"That is not important dear boy." He eyes my sketchbook and snatched it from my palm. He seems somewhat amused by my earlier drawings of trees and rocks.
"A bird.
A tree.
A rock"
He flips the pages delicately and even laughs at the one I made of him. He continues flipping until he gets to the last pages.
"Anna"
Flip
"Anna" he flips another page.
"Anna
Anna Anna and this book carries on like this?Hmmm" he closes it and carefully binds it.

"Has she seen them?"

"No"

"Have you shown them to her."
I am silent.
"Of course because if you do show them to her, she'll realize the little pervert you are." He sneers.

I rolled my eyes as he attempted to shame me. It was rich coming from him.

"I was going to threaten you to stay away from her. But I knew you wouldn't listen.
I thought to kill you but Anna is still mad at me for her other friend. She would never forgive me if I killed two of her friends within days of each other." He conversed with me as if it was casual conversation.

"So I started thinking.
What to do with Thomas?" He paces the length twice before he stands and faces me.

"How old are you? "

"17"

"A Virgin a presume?" He pries.

I am silent.

"Ahh she loves them inexperienced like you.
Good profile
Great features." Henry pinches my cheek but I pull away.

"Yes it is settled. You will draw a portrait of my wife Jane. My faithful wedding anniversary gift to her. She will need your constant attention. When you paint her.
And when she calls for you? You answer.
And any other....issues that may arise?
You comfort her.
She has a servant's quarter adjacent to her room. You will live there for the time being." He turns to put on his crown.

"So a palace whore?"

"Thomas, you sound as if you you are headed to the gallows!" Henry frowns, "smile lad!"

"I guess you cannot emotionally satisfy her, so you bring someone else?"

"No I am tired of her. We all have our favorite toys. We cherish them one day but grow weary of them another day.
I see it no different than a favorite dish or blanket. You donate and give to charity...so someone else may enjoy it"

"And when will you grow tired of Anna?" I fume. He was as evil as she said.

"Hmm. I cannot decide but trust me, you'll be the first to know" he brags. The guards hold me back as I reached to lunge for him.

"The portrait shall be finished in a month. Here" he hands me a bag of coins, "For any supplies"

He starts to leave the room but stops to face me, "and do make Jane pretty." He smirks before heading to fulfill his duties.