I have returned! This is a passion project of mine and so I hardly expect many eyes on this story. Even so, I find this to be one of my favorite stories I have written so far. In this I tried to be as historically accurate as I could while following the story of White Queen which, I will say, was hard since dates were changed during the story. Even so it was a fun challenge! In real life Lady Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Queen Elizabeth Woodville's mother, did indeed had a daughter named Kathrine but I decided to age her up since I liked the name so much. I have casted Laoise Murray for the part of Kathrine and for those who don't know who she is she was the older version of Princess Elizabeth Tudor in the tv show The Tudors. Just imagine her with blond hair and she is PERFECT! With all of that said, welcome readers to the story and I truly hope you enjoy!

Chapter One~

April 1464, Grafton Manor, Northamptonshire

By the time I've awaken Elizabeth and her boys are already gone from their beds. The uneasiness I feel causes me to quickly dress and make to find my Mother as fast as possible, knowing very well where Elizabeth has gone. Once downstairs, I find my Mother making ready for the day already dressed and humming to herself seemingly carefree.

"She's gone then?" I ask as she turns to me with a frown. I had only manage to braid my sandy color hair into a messy braid in my hurry to find my sister and her children. So I could only imagine my appearance at that moment in her eyes must be.

"She has to do what is best by her sons. And we all must play our parts now that there is a new King, and that is to be loyal." She says wisely moving with grace into the Great Hall as I follow. We all know how hard this War has been on England, brother vs brother for the Throne of England. So many have died simply for who they support, and many have had to change sides in order to just survive. Even so through the years and ever since I can remember, Elizabeth and I have shared a close bond to one another. Despite our age difference, we have the closest bond out of all the sisters. In the here and now, behind me I could hear Mother instructing the servants about the daily chores when I spot not just Elizabeth and her boys, but a white horse being led by the King!

"Lady Mother! The King is here!" I called turning sharply and catching her eye, she sent the servant away and quickly the two of us went to the front of the manor and once outside went to greet the King. Standing just behind her, I watched as the King led his horse followed by Elizabeth as her two boys who rushed over to us calling that they had met the King. Wearing armor with blond hair and blue eyes, he was as handsome as the rumors had said with a roughish air about him. However it was the other rider on a black horse that had me bristle. Wearing all black armor, after we bowed to the King he spoke to Mother with an air about him becoming of a haughty brat. However Mother with her calm dignity simply dismissed Lord Warwick as I come to find and offered the King either ale or wine.

"And whom is this fine lady?" The King asked so as I stepped forward with a curtsy introducing myself,

"Kathrine Rivers your Majesty."

"A pleasure to meet you Lady Kathrine, and do forgive me for not speaking to you sooner."

"There is no need to be forgiven your Majesty when I am not the only lady present." I say with a bow of my head glancing lowly at Elizabeth. Then as the King, Mother, Elizabeth and I make our way into the Manor as Mother had suggested, while Mother pours wine for the King and Elizabeth before excusing herself and asking me for my help. Once out of the Great Hall and out of earshot I hush sharply to her,

"What are you doing?"

"I know when a man's eyes linger for too long my dear. And I know where those lingering looks lead." With an incredulous stare I watch her clean the 'dirty' goblet with a small shake of my head.

"Have you lost your senses?" I ask softly as she turns to me with a raised eyebrow and a secretive smile saying simply,

"He is but a man, and true he may be King, but he is a man first and foremost." All I could do is stare at her before turning on my heel to make my way to the door that led to the Great Hall and peering through the crack watched Elizabeth with the King. I watch in shock as the King places a lingering kiss on the back of her hand before making his way out of the Great Hall and waiting several long moments I sweep into the room and share a knowing look with her. She only shakes her head staring at the back of her hand as if not even knowing what to do with herself.

"Are you alright?" I ask finally as she slips into a chair and following her lead, she explains,

"He wants me to write down my claims and will come to get them tomorrow, on his own."

"On his own? The King of England to come claim a woman's land titles, on his own?" I ask with a short laugh only by the look on Elizabeth's face she isn't laughing, if anything she looks white. Putting my hand to her cheek, I bring her to look at me and say,

"Everything will be alright." And with a nod, we continue our day without another word about what had happened. Only Mother is keen on the day's events as we three had sworn the boys to not speak a word to anyone else in the household. Even still I could see a lingering look in Elizabeth's eyes every time she gazed outside a window. That night long after supper Mother called the two of us out of the manor with nothing but a lantern and told us to follow her.

"Where are we going?" I asked as she told us to continue to follow her. Finally after a long walk we came to the riverside where around a large tree were several fishing lines tied tightly.

"Both of you, choose a thread."

"Magic? Do you want to be drown on a ducking stool? It is forbidden and you promised!" Elizabeth hissed but Mother said calmly,

"No one knows but the two of you. We three are descendants of the River Goddess Melusina. Magic is in our blood, the both of you. Now, choose a thread." Between the both of us, Elizabeth went first picking her thread in her hands before I choose mine. Then we watched as Mother cut the several others as they sank into the river beyond.

"What where they?" I asked in a hushed whisper to which Mother replied simply,

"Things that you both will never know, children who will not be born, chances that you will not take. They will all be lost to you both."

"And what will we catch at the end of our fishing line of yours Mother?" I asked looking up at her resolute face.

"Your futures," Then handing us both a spool she told us,

"Reel it in, a foot every day." We both watched as she began walking away lantern in hand and turning towards each other, I began to reel it in wondering what, if anything, would I find at the end of my fishing thread. It was not until the next day when all of us children were playing in the yard when I began to fear what would become from finding our futures when we heard the King was approaching Grafton Manor. By the time I found Elizabeth in the chaos she was already trying to make herself look presentable for him while Mother was ushering the children away. Elizabeth and Mother rushed into the Great Hall to greet him, myself at their heels in the hopes to stop Father and my brothers from a confrontation. Be damned those fishing lines! By the time I reached the Great Hall, I could hear Father and my brothers storming towards me and I tried not in vain to keep them away.

"Father," I said only he easily moved me aside with my older brother Antony moving me a bit more gently to the side. Even so, I squeezed myself between them all to watch whatever might unfold in the madness of my home.

"Your Grace, these are my sons, Antony and John," My Father said only I watched as they began speaking of the Battle of Towton and the bloodshed that had happened there.

"Lady Elizabeth tells me she lost her marriage lands." The King says only Father tells of wanting justice for her only John steps forward spitting about how York's would never give it.

"John." I hiss stepping in front of him seeing the weapon in his hand and watching his face soften as if he never knew I was there. Shaking my head telling him silently that it was not worth it, the King speaks of how his Father and Brother were murdered by the former Queen so speak not of Justice. When the King turns and asks Elizabeth about her claims, I turn to see her pulling out parchment and handing it to him.

"Then they shall be returned to her, by her King."

"Thank you." She says reaching out for him only Mother stops her sharply as I hold back Father with a hand on his chest.

"Lady Elizabeth would you show me around the gardens before I leave, the air in here is stale." Asks the King and before anyone can object I add,

"May I join you Your Majesty?" And looking over at my Father and brothers hope he takes the hint about the tough situation I have put myself in. With a small nod he says,

"But of course, you're free to join us both." So with a small curtsy, I follow the two out of the Great Hall and shoot Mother a look of 'I just save you' before quickly catching up to the King and Elizabeth. Once outside in the gardens, I follow just several paces behind allowing them their privacy but close enough to make sure he does not try anything foolish. With the situation inside being as tense as it was, I can only hope that by myself following Elizabeth and the King, I could ease whatever fears or worries Father and my brothers have for Elizabeth. By me being a chaperon now hopefully they can argue amongst themselves before Elizabeth and myself return. Even so, I watch as the King hold Elizabeth's hand and smirk despite myself. Before the King leaves he holds Elizabeth's face so tenderly I could almost imagine he actually cares for her. Yet then he is gone and I make my way over to her carefully placing a hand on her shoulder.

"We best go inside before they send a search party for us." I say sweeping some of her hair back and giving her a smile. Even so, as we enter the Great Hall we both hear Antony saying,

"He will summon her to court when she is obligated and he has returned her lands. Is that not so Elizabeth?"

"I only ask for what is mine to be returned to me." Elizabeth says as all heads turn to see the two of us return into the hall.

"I ask for justice and the King has promised it as he should."

"Well he is a hard man to deny Elizabeth. And if he summons you to court, what then?" Father asks causing me to look towards Mother who shakes her head begging me not to speak up while Elizabeth replies,

"However you advise me at the time Father." After a beat of silence, I offer for a game of chess and as Elizabeth and I sit and begin setting up the chess board Father continues speaking to Elizabeth,

"It is not you we question, that man has been through half the wives of London. And the Yorkist army rape our women as they go."

"As does King Henry's and at least this new King has his wits about him." Mother speaks only as they continue talking I encourage Elizabeth to play chess, whispering,

"Ignore them, please." Soon it is only Myself, Elizabeth and Antony, who has to ask,

"It is not just your lands you want is it? You want him too."

"Antony, he is the King of England! Elizabeth must show loyalty if she is to get her lands back." I say to him over my shoulder with a frown trying in vain to help poor Elizabeth only he continues on.

"How else would a poor widow make her way in the world? She'd be a fool to sell herself too cheaply." At this I turn to him shocked as he stands from his seat to leave only I tell him,

"And you are a fool to think so little of your sister." It isn't until he leaves that I watch Elizabeth's shoulders fall and I stand to hug her tightly from behind. The rest of the day is filled with tension, I speak to no one but the children and Elizabeth makes herself hardly seen at all. By night time the two of us make our way down to the riverside and as we pull in our strings I watch the river wishing that the cool mist around me would ease the fear in my heart. The rest of the night I could not sleep. My dreams are filled of a black wolf chasing faceless people into chaos. Three sun in the sky shine, one dwindles and fades, another blacks out and the third is taken over by an eclipse. Only it's the sound of my own scream that awakes me and the sight of Mother is what I see.

"Calm yourself, deep breaths, that's it, easy." She says as I look around to see everyone has gone, surly shooed out by her and Elizabeth. Panting, my brow is sweaty and I feel chilled as she hands me a warm cup of tea.

"What did you see?" She asks me softly holding the cup up to encourage me to drink.

"A wolf, a black wolf chasing faceless people and suns, three of them all dying out." Taking small sips of the herbal tea, Mother brushes back my hair and says gently,

"It is a warning, we have been warned and now you have to keep silent and sure. Tell no one and keep a keen eye and your wits about you. Your heart will know what is right." She sits with me until the cup is empty then tells me to stay until I am no longer chilled. Once she leaves I draw my knees to my chest and try to grasp at anything from my dream that might make sense. Only the more I try the harder it seems to become. The rest of the day I spend resting with Mother telling the men I have taken a chill and to let me be. She brings me food and the same herbal tea making sure I drink all of it before checking my head for fever. By that night I feel up to rejoin the family for supper and smile as the younger children embrace me. Of course Father and my brothers ask of how I fair and I tell them I simply had taken a chill wishing to take a day of rest. However as we ate Father spoke of how any day the King was expected to fight another battle against Henry who had managed, for now, to gather his wits and armies. As he spoke I was not able to catch Elizabeth's eye which worried me greatly. Later on that night at the riverside I told Elizabeth of my dream and she told me of her encounter with the King.

"Mother says that I can have whatever I want if I am willing to risk the consequences." She says pausing to look out over the river as I pause to study her. Being the eldest sister, widowed with two sons, I could only imagine the worries placed upon her shoulders. Clearly she cared for the Yorkist King for why else would she be so torn about lying with him?

"And what do you want Elizabeth?" I ask her causing her to look at me and as she studied me she took a pause to think before replying,

"Control over my destiny." And it was at that moment that she pulled something out of the river so that we both looked down to see a small crown shaped ring. Looking at one another Elizabeth said,

"Quick! Reel yours in!" So hurrying with mine, I pulled the rest of my thread in to find a rose set within a sun pendant. Looking down at the design in my hand, Elizabeth said,

"We can easily fashion it into a necklace, I know just the chain to put it on."

"Elizabeth, the suns from my dream—"Looking up at her, she had already turned to walk back off to the manor leaving me holding the pendant in my hands rubbing the silver in my fingers. The metalwork was finely detailed and smooth, the rose itself raised from the sun itself which I closed my fist around and looking over the river one last time rushed to follow after Elizabeth. By the time I arrived back in the manor, Elizabeth was missing but Mother was there to greet me. Opening my hand to show her, she took one look at it and simply gave me a knowing look. A few days later we discovered that Father and our brothers were to join a dozen men alongside King Edward against the Lancastrian King in battle. Mother was able to work her magic and convince Father to bid the King and his men farewell, saying if King Edward were to die in battle it was as if he never was alive to begin with. Plus there were many girls in the family to think of for marriages and we would need to stay in the Kings good graces. At that Elizabeth and I shared a knowing look with one another.

"That is a rather lovely gift Kathrine." Anthony said as we all began to retire for the night, speaking of the newly fashioned necklace made from the pendant I had pulled from the river. Before I could say anything Mother came from behind me telling him,

"It was an heirloom of mine to which I thought she should have. Something one of our girls should carry down to each of her daughters next." Then with a hand on my shoulder she helped me away from any more of his questions. Late into the night I awoke to the dream of the black wolf to find Elizabeth still awake looking over her boys. Hushing to her to catch her attention, when she turned her head she came to sit by my bedside as I asked her,

"Are you fearful to see him tomorrow?"

"I do not know what to think. I have not seen him since the last time and I do not know if he hates me or even wishes to see my face." Taking a hand of hers into mine to hold I told her,

"If he truly ever did care for you, he would be honest in his feelings. And if he did not care for you then you have no reason to return his affections. You are a smart woman Lizzy and you should not let one man, even if he is the King, pull you down." Giving my hand a squeeze, she smiles and asks me,

"When did you grow so wise?" With a rue smile I reply simply,

"While others argue I learn from their mistakes." Sharing a laugh and a hug, the two of us separate and try to get whatever sleep we can manage. Yet morning comes far too soon and the two of us find ourselves helping the other girls who laugh and bathe, rambling on about seeing the King and his knights. Mother comes in finally to check we are all dressed and ready, handing us all white roses to add to our clothing before hurrying us alongside our Father and brothers. The whole of our family make along the roadside, Elizabeth and I as close as we can walk before coming to a stop upon seeing the King and his men galloping towards us. When Father introduces his men to the Kings service he thanks him despite Lord Warwick's quick distain towards our Father in return. Watching the King swig off his saddle and move towards Elizabeth, I back off slowly to allow them a moment alone and move closer towards Mother who shares a knowing look with me. It is not until Father calls out to the King that I turn to look at Elizabeth who looks starry eyed that I have to know what has happened.

"He asked you to marry him?!" I cry later on that night in the garden under the watchful eye of our Mother who is calm as ever who hisses at me to silence myself.

"He asked for both you and Mother to be witnesses, which he would bring a Chaplin of his own to oversee it." Elizabeth says pacing before me as I sit on a bench unable to comprehend what I was hearing. Turning to see Mother, I asked in shock,

"And you are fine with this? Elizabeth marrying the King of England?"

"If he is asking for her hand in marriage—"

"He might end up with an illegitimate child!" I say causing both Elizabeth and Mother to turn to me as I stand and say with a shake of my head,

"I cannot and will not partake in something I fear for in my heart. Until he makes true on his words that you are truly his wife not just in secret I fear for you Elizabeth." And with that I make my way back to the manor with silent tears running down my face. I hear the two of them that night leave and turn away closing my eyes tightly hoping that Elizabeth's heart is not broken by her wishes for happiness. When morning comes and she was nowhere to be found, I dressed quickly and quietly to slip outside only to find her coming up from the trail which lead from the hunting lodge.

"I believe congratulations are in order then." I say holding myself only she brushes past me allowing me to spy the King coming up behind the trail only I had no heart to acknowledge him and instead turned to leave.