[Anne takes her letter, tucking herself back against the wall, and grumbling to herself at the beginning of the reading.]
Right about that, idiot... [But then she's reading the rest, and her throat and stomach have twisted themselves into knots. Even after Mephisto, and then Christine make their exits, she has to stay-- to be strong, the same way Stephen asked her to be in her letter. She's had to be strong her entire life-- as a child, being raised by a strict, religious mother, when her sister left them, when her engagement had been broken off. She had to be strong when she was chosen to be Queen of a country whose language she did not speak, immediately after her father had died, and had to travel far to meet him-- only to be dismissed due to her looks. Had to be strong when he asked for a divorce, so she wouldn't die, then again when her mother died, and she couldn't return home. She had to be strong as her nieces and nephews were born and raised a whole sea away, had to be strong when Henry died and she still wasn't permitted to go home, as members of her household betrayed her, as members of court conspired against her and tried to have her killed. Even when she died of cancer, in her home, alone except for a few devoted servants-- she had to be strong, negotiating new jobs for her staff and executing her will. She's sick of being strong.
But she'll do it. She's Queen Anna von Kleve, regardless of her connection to men. She moves onto Stephen's notes-- rolling her eyes at different parts]
I can't believe I avoided execution for twenty years, only to-- Ugh! And this fucker has the gal to say he wanted to be a father!
no subject
Right about that, idiot... [But then she's reading the rest, and her throat and stomach have twisted themselves into knots. Even after Mephisto, and then Christine make their exits, she has to stay-- to be strong, the same way Stephen asked her to be in her letter. She's had to be strong her entire life-- as a child, being raised by a strict, religious mother, when her sister left them, when her engagement had been broken off. She had to be strong when she was chosen to be Queen of a country whose language she did not speak, immediately after her father had died, and had to travel far to meet him-- only to be dismissed due to her looks. Had to be strong when he asked for a divorce, so she wouldn't die, then again when her mother died, and she couldn't return home. She had to be strong as her nieces and nephews were born and raised a whole sea away, had to be strong when Henry died and she still wasn't permitted to go home, as members of her household betrayed her, as members of court conspired against her and tried to have her killed. Even when she died of cancer, in her home, alone except for a few devoted servants-- she had to be strong, negotiating new jobs for her staff and executing her will. She's sick of being strong.
But she'll do it. She's Queen Anna von Kleve, regardless of her connection to men. She moves onto Stephen's notes-- rolling her eyes at different parts]
I can't believe I avoided execution for twenty years, only to-- Ugh! And this fucker has the gal to say he wanted to be a father!