#gregroysmut

I stood looking out across the castle grounds of Hampton court, listening as I often did to my father rattle on. He sat at his desk talking to the men whom always surrounded him, chancellor's and clergymen, and of course Cromwell, a businessman by trade but had grown very close to my father. Cromwell also was followed along by his ward as he almost always was, The Young Master Sadler very educated in the shadow of Cromwell even if he had a birth lowest in the room. 

My father began to cough so I rushed over to him helping him tos it back against his chair and take a drink even if he pushed me away.

"Ohh go sew you foolish girl" he says pushing me away, as he always had. My father had little interest in me. I wasn't the son he so craved and he would likely not have another now, and the one he did likely wouldn't be on this earth long, not since my brother's illness free day by day and he already had daughters before me so I was of little importance to him even if I was the only one who ever tried to care for him. 

"You must rest father" I remind him 

"Rest. Rest when I'm dead" he snapped 

"I fear father that will arrive sooner if you do not rest" I told him

"Go and sew." He ordered 

"Yes father" I nodded heading out of the room and down the corridor, but soon enough I heard feet behind me 

"Your grace." He spoke up as he arrived at my side with a tasteful distance of course "I must… apologize"

"For what? My father has spoken that way to me since I was born, master Sadler. No point trying to change it now" I said "but thank you"

"You're welcome. Cromwell asked me to escort you"

"Did he? Clever your master"

"He knows what's best. Where did you want to go then?"

"Likely take a walk around the gardens if it's alright with you master Sadler"

"Absolutely" he smiled offering his arm so I took it "and just rafe is fine"

"I shouldn't, don't want to fuel talk master Sadler. The gossip it would stir to speak so informally with a princess"

"Well our little secret" he smiled as we headed out into the gardens slowly walking among the roses, apple trees and sweet floral blooms

"Such beautiful flowers"

"Indeed, I had hoped to have some new blooms in this spring"

"You care for your garden well"

"Not my garden"

"No?"

"No father wouldn't allow it"

"I see. You must come up to the house I have been incharge of our gardens the last three years summers are magical when the blooms come"

"I shall take to take a trip up in the summer" I smiled 

 "if I may speak frankly your grace"

"You may"

"It hurts my heart. To see you… forgotten"

"How so?"

"Your father forgets you even exist. Except to belittle you. Your mother gone. Your siblings utterly ignore you. It breaks my heart to see you this way"

"It doesn't bother me. Always been the way I suppose"

"And… to see such a beautiful princess as yourself still unmatched"

"Ohh" I blushed "well as you said my family seems to forget me so. It doesn't suprise me a match has yet to be arranged" 

"It is a pity indeed so beautiful and still unmarried"

"You speak. As if that's something you'd like to change?" I asked stopping my walk 

"If I could princess. But I humble low born boy such as Myself. Utterly prepositions. Such a beautiful princess could never be interested in someone like me" 

"Interest cares little for the how's and whys of a person rafe" 

"Does it. Well I admit my… interest is likely where it shouldn't be. I'd likely hang someone knew, the thoughts I have about the princess"

"Thoughts?"

"Yes your grace. Thoughs on the dark of night, snuggled in my bedchamber" he whispered stroking my cheek 

"Master Sadler. You hide these thoughts well"

"Do I? In which case princess I fear you may be… exposing your thoughts"

"May I?"

"You may be. And I pray my reading of them is correct" he gasped before closing the gap between us pressing his lips passionately against mine, I was in utter shock but I melted into his soft lips, he wrapped an arm around my waist his fingers playing with the fabric of my dress his other hand resting on my necks exposed skin, our lips moved against one another passionately but he quickly pulled away checking around to make sure knowone had saw us the risk of which terrified us both, he moved his hands away and gasped but so did I 

"I believe you where rafe"

"I was." He smirked "come on lets get back before someone comes looking for the little princess" 

I sat on the library enjoying a few good texts watching the rain batter the world outside, the sweet fires flames lighting the room causing ghostly shadows on the walls I heard a tap on the door so I sat up slightly

"Come"

"Ohh I'm sorry your grace I didn't wish to disturb you" a voice smiled I looked up and saw a sweet sight, I had seen him about court a few times since Cromwell's rise to my father's side, his son Gregory he smiled at me holding the reins to his two black greyhounds 

"It's no trouble come in" I smiled he happily came in taking a seat on the chair letting his pups go to the fire to warm up clearly been for a walk in the rain one came up to me shivering so I smiled and wrapped the blanket that had rested on my knees around the poor thin pup "there we are, don't want you to get the sniffles" I smiled

"Your very kind your grace"

"I have a soft place for those small fluffy and helpless"

"Ohh I suppose them you wouldn't like to hear about the rabbit they caught this morning"

"Not perticularly" I giggled "but I will congratulate them all the same" I smiled giving the dog some pets 

"My pride and joy, my little pups. Do you my lady?"

"No, father wouldn't allow it" 

"Ohh, I'm sorry well if ever you'd like to borrow one of the girls for a nice walk in the garden or perhaps to warm your bed of a autumn night, you have only to ask"

"That's very kind of you master Cromwell"

"Gregory please" he smiled 

"Well that won't be nesessicary. Even if it was my father would never allow it" 

"Well, your always welcome to come up to the house we could take them on a walk together" he smiled moving over to sit on the sofa with me

"That sounds nice" I smiled

"If I may be so bold princess. I… I both rejoice and pain at the knowledge they have yet to make you a match"

"Oh?"

"Pained because a beauty such as yourself should have suitors always at her feet, not passed over like a forgotten flower. But rejoice in the hope that if you have yet to have a match it may mean I have… a opportunity"

"Opportunity Gregory?"

"Opportunity to allow my feelings to be seen"

"I see" I blushed for a moment concerned what is in the water in that household to have both boys so poetic and so lovely towards me

"Perhaps you could come to the house and… you and I could take them for a walk by the river, perhaps talk more freely about these feelings"

"I must tell you that's not the first invitation I have had recently to the Cromwell household"

"Oh?"

"Umm your father's ward"

"Rafe?"

"Yes, he offered me a tour of the gardens in the summer blooms"

"I see." He says "well… I best beat him to it" he smirked moving closer and kissing me much softer then rafe had days before, Gregory held my hands softly and admittedly I couldn't help melting into his soft kisses he was so soft and gentle with me until he pulled back blushing hard giving my nose a gentle kiss "you are so beautiful princess. Even if I only get this one kiss I will savour it the rest of my days" he smiled

I blushed hard seeing he was egar to kiss me again but one of the dogs jumped up between us making us both giggle and seconds later

"Your highness your father requests your audience"