Edward Seymour's bedchamber

I decided that the only time I was guarenteed the chance to speak to Edward alone was to pay him a suprise visit, I knocked on his door loudly, intending to wake him up if he was sleeping.

I'd been napping lightly when I heard a rap at the door. Startled, I was not in a pleasant mood to be awakened so. Cursing under my breath I got up to answer the door, thinking it must be a messenger to tell me about a meeting of the Privy Council. However, on the other side of the door I found Anne. "Anne.. what brings you here?" I stepped back to allow her into the room.

As soon as he answer I walked straight into his room and turned to face him, 'Edward, I had to come and see you.' I looked up into his eyes, keeping eye constact I said, 'I want you to talk to me, to trust, I am to be your wife and I want you to know that you can rely on me always.'

I eyed her carefully as she spoke. Her words sounded genuine, and I could detect no artifice in her expression. I recalled the way she kept to my side at the autumn party, and brought herself into my family. Perhaps she was worming her way into my affections, perhaps she was only trying to love me.
"Trust..? That is a very strong word you use. Yes, we should trust one another if we are to be wed. But that sort of trust does not come easily, especially from me." I squared my shoulders. "Perhaps you have noticed, but I have very few confidences. To earn my trust is a great achievement," I added, wondering if she could really achieve such a goal.

'A wife can be a man's greatest asset, just give me the chance to prove myself to you.' I could tell Edward had trust problems and who could blame him. I stroked his arm, 'I know you must find it hard to trust after what happened with your other marriage, but in time I think you'll be glad that you managed to rid yourself of her to be with me.'

I froze as she spoke of my previous wife, the one who still passed in my thoughts. I saw her hand on my arm but I could not feel it; I did not allow myself to feel it. "I know already you are going to be a great asset to me as well as to my family. Pray tell, how do you plan to prove you are different from... from her?" I could not keep the disbelief from my voice, which was like steel.

I could see the hurt inside him and I vowed to myself that he must never find out about what I have been doing with his brother. 'You have to give me the opportunity to prove it to you, let me show you that I want nothing more than to please you and serve your family's interests.' I wanted Edward to be able to tell me things and keep me informed about everything, 'I think we would make a very good team together.' I smiled. 'But you have to give me a chance first.' I let my smile dramatically fade away and looked down.

"You say every word you want me to hear. I think you know your game quite well." I went to the sideboard and poured a glass of wine, also offering one for Anne. "I shall consider this proposal, we shall see in time if you are truly an asset to the Seymour family.. and to myself."

I let him speak and accepted the wine. 'I guess my words are just empty, as soon as you let me I can prove that they are true.' I had said what I had come here to say but I wanted to stay to get to know Edward, to build some trust so I took a seat and leaned casually on the table, my head in my hands studying him, 'So Edward, Is there anything I should know about you before I enter into a marriage with you?' I gave him a playful smile so that he could be sure that I was just teasing him - just in case he didnt have a sense of humour!

"Something you should know about me.." I muttered as I sat next to her, my goblet in hand. Taking a deep sip I finally thought of something. "Ah yes. I killed a man in Calais, after he found me in bed with his wife. Then the woman thought to have a go at me with her husband's sword and I had to run her through as well. Self-defense, you understand." I coughed so as to hide a laugh, I could feel a smile forming at the corners of my mouth.

My wides widened as he spoke. When he said he killed a woman I let out a sigh of relief, 'For a moment you had me worried there! The briefest of moments may I add....so what excatley did you get up to calais?' I asked in a casual tone.

I looked down at my wine and swirled it around the glass. "I was working, mainly. I had no time for fun. Most people view me for the first time and realize I am not one for drinking contests or gambling or whoring. I leave all that up to my brother, he does enough for the both of us," I added rather sarcastically. "But now you know you will be expected to keep up appearances. I will not make a fool of you in any way, I will not flaunt other women before you or stay out all hours of the night, none of the usual," I smirked. "But I will expect discretion from your end as well." As much as I was attracted to Anne and was starting to truly like her, I wanted to see this as a business deal: it was the best way not to get hurt.

Edward Seymour wrote:

I looked down at my wine and swirled it around the glass. "I was working, mainly. I had no time for fun. Most people view me for the first time and realize I am not one for drinking contests or gambling or whoring. I leave all that up to my brother, he does enough for the both of us," I added rather sarcastically. "But now you know you will be expected to keep up appearances. I will not make a fool of you in any way, I will not flaunt other women before you or stay out all hours of the night, none of the usual," I smirked. "But I will expect discretion from your end as well." As much as I was attracted to Anne and was starting to truly like her, I wanted to see this as a business deal: it was the best way not to get hurt.

He said excatley what I wanted him to say, 'Appearances are most important, I understand completely.' I would absolutely hate it if he openly had other women, at least I now knew I had nothing to worry about. 'We are a team, your interests are now my interests and I will always bear that in mind.'

Anne seemed to me an absolute paradox. She wished for us to be a team, yet I sensed she was also a person who was ambitious for her own sake. "I'm glad to hear so. I think you will be an asset to this family." I was curious about another thing though. "What are your thoughts on children?" I was quite sure we would be expected to have some, if I wanted sons to pass everything on to.

I was pleased that I had convinced him of how genuine I was about wanting to help him rise in any way possible. When he asked about children a shiver ran through me, I did not want to be burdened down by motherhood anytime soon, I could not keep the anxiety off my face as I answered, 'Children are a must, we need a big family to keep the family growing... there is no rush though we have plenty of time for that much later on.' I scanned his face hoping to see signs of agreement.

I considered her answer a moment. I was not overly fond of children and really wished to wait until later to have any of my own. I was glad that she was of the same mind as I. "No doubt when the time comes we will have a full house of children, it will please my father who has always wanted to be a grandfather." I did not feel I had to mention my children by Catherine, if they were even mine at all. "So.. when shall we begin the preparations for the wedding?" I forced a smile to my face, knowing it was truly women's business, but I wanted to know the date ahead of time so I could clear my schedule and inform the family.

Edward was acting as though his other children did not exist, this could not have pleased me more.
'Yes when the time comes we will of course need of think of children to inherit all we have.'
I knew that marriages were closely followed by children and did not want to rush things, I also wanted a spectacular wedding, not a quick, rushed event.
'It will take a lot of planning and I am quite happy to make arrangements.' I said hoping he would leave it all to me, 'When would you like to get married?'

I knew then that 'a lot of planning' meant 'a lot of money.' However I was willing to concede, just a bit. "I suppose we shall have the sort of wedding you desire." I just wanted to get it all over with. "Perhaps we could concentrate on a date after the new year?"

I lit up with excitement, 'Thank you Edward I shall make sure that we have a perfect wedding!.. Yes next year would be a good idea.' Our wedding would resemble in no way his first wedding, I made a mental note to ask his family what his first wedding was like, I intended to outdo it in every way. 'Are you glad to be back at court now?' I asked wondering how he found court life.

I couldn't help smiling as I saw how eager she looked to begin planning everything. Men never looked forward to such things with glee, and I was a bit flattered that she wanted to have a perfect wedding, I allowed myself the thought that she wanted to impress me.
"Court life is never easy to describe, it is the center of the realm and yet it is the most dangerous place, do you agree? I only hope my family has been accommodating to you in my absence." I took a drink of wine.

I nodded and then grinned, 'But you cannot deney it is exciting.' I kept a straight face as I tried to ignore the irony in what I was saying, 'I love your family Edward.'

I looked at Anne and smirked. "It is exciting if you are in favor," I corrected her. "But it gladdens me to hear you love my family. They are all so different, and soon we shall go to Wulfhall to visit my parents. They have been asking about you."

'True...but I can tell you are a clever man who will ensure that his family will remain in a strong position but who will also know when to take risks to further the advancement of his family.' I half smiled, 'Yes I want to meet your father but I think you must prove that you do not need him and that you know how to look after the family. He does not deserve a family like yours.'

It seemed that Anne was stroking my ego, but how could I resist? Everything she said was true. "I think you know me quite well. I am not one to let anything stand in my way when I set my sight on something I want. Life is too short to sit idly by and hope for something good to happen." I thought about my father, and how satisfying it would feel to show I was the man of the family. Thomas was too immature and since I was the eldest it was my responsibility to maintain the family. "I have been looking after the family since we've been at court since Father prefers to remain in the country. I need nothing from him, but all the same it would be good for you to meet, for propriety's sake."