Margaret Sheldon's bedchamber

Margaret entered her chambers after a long day at court. She took off her gorgeous gown of pale green and put on a nightshift to sleep in. She let her hair down, which fell in perfect ringlets around her face and down her back. She brushed her hair before climbing into bed and hoped for a good day on the morrow.

As he walked the hallways Henry turned over the handkerchief in his hand. A lady had dropped it as she passed him, and so he went to seek her out to return it. He smiled as he touched the delicately embroidered "M" in one corner. Finding the room he'd been told she occupied. he knocked.

She was in her rooms, reading whe she heard a knock on her door. She stood and smoothed her gown before opening the door to find a handsome man on the other side, holding something in his hand, her handkerchief that she didn't know she had lost.

"Kind Sir, please come in. What may I do to help you?"

When the door opened to reveal a beautiful blonde woman, Henry froze and nearly forgot what he'd come for. Once he snapped back to reality he cleared his throat and entered the room. "Thank you, my lady. I saw you drop this.I thought you might want it back." He gave her the handkerchief, feeling the blush rise in his face. "I am Sir Henry Norris, by the way."

She closed the door and took the handkerchief. "Thank you, Sir Henry. I didn't realize I had dropped it." She noticed how handsome he looked and got lost in his beautiful blue eyes, the color of the sky on a clear day. She walked to a table and offered him a chair. "My name is Madge Sheldon, I am pleased to meet you."

He smiled and offered Madge to sit first. He insisted, and when she sat he gently pushed the chair closer to the table. He took a seat on the other side. The sunlight filtered through the freshly scrubbed windows, illuminating her golden hair.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Lady Sheldon." At sight of her warm smile he began to feel at ease. "I imagined it was something special to you, since your initials were sewn into it. It's very good embroidery." He blushed at his lack of interesting speech and changed the subject. "I've recently arrived here at court. My chambers aren't very far from yours, actually. I'm glad I won't be lost trying to find my way back." He chuckled a bit.

She smiled at his kindness. He sat down across from her and she couldn't take her eyes off him. She laughed when he did. "Yes, its very important to me. My father, John, had it made for me before I left home to come here. Im happy your chambers are close, it will be nice to have someone as kind as you close by. Have you found court to your liking in your short time here?" She asked.

"You sound as if you're very close to your father. I am very close with my own family." He smiled as she said he was kind. "Yes, actually I am quite new here, so new that you are the first person I've been introduced to, apart from the king. I am a groom in his Majesty's household. And what do you do here at court?" He was very interested in this beautiful woman he'd just met.

She smiled when he said she was close to her father. "I am very close to my father, it was hard leaving him to join court. I know that he is doing well, he has my mother, Anne, with him." She liked the fact that he is so close to His Majesty. "I am a lady-in-waiting to my cousin, Lady Anne Boleyn. You may have heard about her one way or another. She is the one King Henry is divorcing Queen Katherine for." She said.

"It's good you are close with your family. Many times they are the only ones we can trust," he remarked. He nodded when she mentioned Anne Boleyn. "Yes, I heard of her long before I came to court. She has had a very strong effect on events here hasn't she? And you are her kin.." He smiled because she seemed nothing like what her relatives, the Boleyn's were supposedly like. Margaret seemed sweet and down-to-earth. Henry smiled as their glances met, and looked away.

She smiled and nodded. "The words you say are true. Family is the only thing pure no matter what. Yes, I am kin to the Boleyn's. My mother, Anne, is Sir Thomas' sister. I have a hard time trusting anyone at thins court, I never know who is kind to me because of who my family is or if they truly wish to know me better." She said, hoping he wished to know her better. When their eyes met, she look away for a moment, but had to look back, she couldn't take her eyes off him.

He measured his words. "I hope I don't presume too much my lady, but I would think you could trust me. I've nothing to hide, no large ambitions to follow. I only want to serve the king in any way I'm able to, and to lead a decent life for myself. I care not to get caught up in intrigues and such." He blushed a bit as he said it, but his words were true. "And, if I may be a little vain, I take pride in my jousting ability. Some say I'm the best within the county." He said this hoping to impress her, to let her know he did not live like a cloistered hermit, only coming out when the king snapped his fingers.

She looked at him, thinking of what to say next. She blushed at his remark about court intrigue. "I know I can trust you. How much I will, only time will tell. I see you are a great man from what you say about only wanting to serve the King and have a good life." She listened when he boasted about his excellence in jousting and was impressed by it. "I have seen many good jousters! If you are as good as you say, perhaps you would be willing to compete against His Majesty someday in the tiltyards."

Henry nodded when she said time would tell how much she could trust him. "I understand. Trust does not come easily here at court. And I would not permit myself to try to delude you into thinking I am more than what I say: just a man, who likes your company."He smiled wide. "I would consider it an honor to joust against His Majesty. I hope you would be among the spectators, cheering for me." He felt very brave in her presence, something he hadn't felt with a woman before. He was usually shy and retiring, but this woman gave him hope that he could be something more.

She blushed when he smiled, just seeing it made her think he was different from the other men at court. "I am always a spectator at such sport events and I would be honored to cheer you on to victory." She was happy that she finally met someone so unlike those at court, it was very nice. She usually guarded her heart from anyone who wanted to get close to her, but the walls she built were crumbling for him. "What other skills do you possess, Sir Henry?" She asked, wanting to know more about him.

Henry smiled. "I shall hope to see you in the crowds then, at the next tournament." Her smile and the way her eyes lit up when she looked at him, he had never felt this way when a woman looked at him. He felt almost as if his skin buzzed with anticipation. But of course Margaret is only being nice he thought.

"I'm afraid I am no poet nor wordsmith, my father insisted my tutors should not let us dabble in those fields. He insisted we become paragons of masculinity and so I am very adept at not only jousting but also swordplay, archery, and the like. I love being outdoors in nature, swimming, riding,.." He realized he was going on and on, so he stopped short and laughed. "I apologize Lady Sheldon, it's just that I feel very open with you," he said, hoping he wasn't too forward.

She listened when he listed off the things he excels at. When he laughed, she couldn't help smiling. He stopped talking and admitted he feels open with her, she felt the blush in her cheels deepen, she actually cares about this man. "I understand. I feel like I can tell you anything and know you will never judge what I have to say. I feel like you will listen when I need someone to talk to." She slid her chair closer to his and felt her throat become dry. "Would you like some wine, Sir Henry?"

Henry laughed in relief when she said she felt the same way. "I would never judge anyone, I was taught from a young age that everyone is equal in God's eyes. We are all flesh, blood and bone." She pulled her chair closer and Henry thought Damn, I usually have more control than this. This lady has got some hold over me. "I am here if you ever need someone to listen. And yes, some wine sounds very good." He smiled again.

She stood and poured two glasses of wine. As she handed him one, she felt his fingertips brush the back of her hand and for a moment she thought she would drop the glass. "Thank you, Sir Norris. I find that I do not have one good friend here at court and would appreciate having you around." She said, blushing. She never in her wildest dreams thought that she would admit such a thing to a man.

"I am glad to have you call me a friend, Lady Sheldon. I think we may have a very bright future. I mean, as friends." He blushed again, thinking she'd take it the wrong way. Henry realized too late he should have offered to pour the wine. Margaret's presence was getting the better of him and he was forgetting himself and his manners. "Forgive me, my lady, I should have served us. The next round is on me," he flashed a smile. As their hands touched for that millisecond of time, it was a jolt to his system. It awakened him and felt like lightning. He saw the startled glance in her eyes and wondered if she felt it as well. "Perhaps a toast?" he suggested once he gathered his wits.

She smiled to him, happy that he offered to refill their glasses when their wine got low. She wanted to tell him right then and there how she felt, but wasn't brazen enough to say it. She enjoyed how plainly he spoke to her and it made her relax, it has been a while since she could do such things. "A toast would be great." She held up her glass. "To new friendship and bright futures." She proclaimed, thinking about what would happen between them.

Henry smiled as they clinked their goblets in a toast. As he sipped he stole a glance at Margaret, saw her finish a sip and lick her lips. He wondered what it would be like to taste those lips and he imagined she would taste like the cool sweetness of the wine. "You must tell me, my lady, how is it you don't have any suitors? Or do you have a few already?"

Margaret noticed him watching her and looked into her glass, allowing him to look. "I haven't a clue why I don't have any suitors, perhaps every other lady at court is more appealing to them then me. I know that there has to be a great man here for me. Now tell me, do you have a flock of ladies around you always?" She asked, looking at him and saw his lips were deep red from the wine and wondered if they would be soft against hers.

"Then every man here at court must be blind. How could anyone not want to be with you?" the wine was starting to make him bold. "I hope you'll pardon my saying so. You're very beautiful. It's almost a waste for you to not to be doted on." He smiled and gave a rueful little laugh as she asked if he had a love. "I was in love once, or thought I was. She married another." Henry shrugged.