Chapter Four~

February 11th 1466, Palace of Westminster, City of Westminster

I stood with Mother in her chambers helping her with arranging of marriages, names of people all on what looked like cut outs with their family crests above their figures. By now Elizabeth was due any time now and we were all awaiting her baby son and heir. Mother was humming to herself as she carefully picked and chose who would be wed to who. I would occasionally offer my thoughts and Mother would go through the process of elimination. Upon hearing the door open I turned to see a heavily pregnant Elizabeth enter and smiled.

"We were both thinking our little Annie should wed the Viscount Bourchier."

"Which was my idea but she will not admit to that." I added making Mother turn to me and smile despite herself. Helping Elizabeth to sit in a chair near us, Elizabeth sighed heavily as she explained how Lord Warwick's daughters would not be a part of her household.

"What did you expect Lizzy? He hates you despite Edward wanting you so badly to be friends." I told her holding her should with a sympathetic smile on my face.

"You should do neither accept his hate for you or battle through it. Do as Edward says and make your family strong though marriages so you can weather an attack from anyone." Mother says as the three of us laughed before the door opens to reveal Father asking what we were where up to.

"There is no Love in this Richard, only business." Mother explained to him after he saw the whole playing cards of marriages on the table before us. As the three of them spoke, I looked over the cards trying to find my name yet as I found all of my sisters was not able to find mine. Despite looking through all the cards over twice, my name was nowhere to be found.

"Kathrine! Father has been named Treasure!" I heard Elizabeth cry and looking up from the cards gasped and embracing Father tightly congratulating him over and over as he laughed returning my embrace.

"Edward is unhappy with Lord Warwick's uncle over France and has set him aside. And Anthony has Admiral of the Fleet and Lionel has Bishop as he always wanted." Only at that moment Elizabeth doubled over in pain and cried out making Mother send Father away for a midwife as both Mother and I rushed to help Elizabeth deliver her York Prince. Hours later Elizabeth found herself in the throws of labor with the midwives, Mother, myself and Mary to help her deliver her first son. Finally the babe was born and placed into my arms crying loudly as Elizabeth clung to Mothers arms sweating and panting.

"Give him to me, let me hold him."

"It's a girl Lizzy, a little girl." At that moment Edward's voice could be heard demanding to see his son and wife and upon entering the room slowed to see Elizabeth covered to protect her modesty and holding her little girl.

"It's a girl Edward, a little girl." Elizabeth told him and I could not tell if he was disappointed or happy by his expression. I could see relief for his wives health from the hours of birth, a healthy child yet to have a girl and not a boy was a problem. True it was their first child, they could always try again. Yet they now had to try again. Yet as he broke out into a full smile holding his child in his arms saying how beautiful she was, looking down in wonder I could see the true love for his child in his eyes.

"We shall have boys Edward, sons and heirs." Elizabeth said weakly, still exhausted from the birth yet Edward despite the birth of a girl I could see the fact he truly believed sons would come. That hope made me smile despite everything. He truly, deep down, believed sons would follow his beautiful baby girl.

"You are so very lovely Elizabeth. I could not do without you." He told her, his words so filled with honesty I had to bow my head and look away to Mother who knowing the weight of not having a son meant trouble in the court and danger. Only she also could see the devotion Edward had for his daughter and so gave me a gentle nod. Nothing would come between Edward and his baby girl. While the midwives helped Elizabeth clean and change her bedding, Mother spoke softly to Father in the other room while I stayed in the room with Elizabeth who did not speak yet simply held my hand. Edward had been asked to leave the room for her privacy yet I told him I would speak to him the moment I could. When at last Elizabeth was asleep I found Edward in their chambers pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Is she well?" He asked me immediately and I nodded telling him,

"She is sleeping now and the midwives are attending to your child. My Mother shall also be with your child while Lizzy sleeps." He nodded continuing to pace as I watched him before asking,

"Can I get you anything?" He mere shook his head before I asked him,

"Are you alright?" This caused him to pause and look at me as if seeing me in his chambers for the first time. Shaking his head I opened my arms in silent offering and allowed him to embrace me in silence. After a moment of peace he pulled back saying,

"Thank you Kathrine."

"There is no need to thank me Edward." Shaking his head bending it slightly, he smiled before telling me,

"Your sister has told me how she always is able to rely on you. Even before becoming Queen you where there for her, and now you are here comforting me without question."

"You are my brother Edward, you are my King first and my brother second." I told him causing him to laugh outright and smile since he saw his daughter. The burden removed if just for a moment. Clasping a hand on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze, he told me this,

"Then if I am your King and your brother, then you shall have any a favor of me. Just ask and I shall grant it unto you." Clapping my shoulder, I bowed to him and offered to leave him to grant him some rest. Upon leaving his chambers and heading to Mothers, I found her inside looking weary but alert. Turning to me, she smiled and took a seat by the dying firelight.

"How is he?" She asked me as I sat by her side and exhaled deeply playing with my necklace telling her,

"He said I have but ask of him a favor and he shall grant it for my honest help for him and Elizabeth."

"Hmm….you might need to ask of it soon if Lord Warwick becomes an issue now that Elizabeth has given birth to a girl. He shall be oh so please and see this as a perfect opportunity to make his move." Mother replied leaning back in her chair yet I shook my head telling her,

"No, I think Warwick will play his cards one at a time until he can win the crown. I saw him speaking to George at the falconry show, I think the two are up to something."

"Well whatever it is, we have a wedding to plan between Kate and the Duke of Buckingham while Elizabeth rests. A few weeks or so the midwives say, we have plenty of time to plan."

"And so does Warwick." I remind her making Mother agree though she turns to me and examining my face says gently,

"Get some rest, we have all had a long and exhausting day." Sighing to myself, I stand and the two of us embrace before I exit her chambers only to run into George of all people. Blinking in surprise, a wave of protectiveness comes over me as I ask him bluntly,

"What are you doing here?" Waving his arms about, he asks me,

"Can I not congratulate my brother on the birth of his son?" Bristling at this, I stand straighter telling him,

"Have you considered the idea that he might be emotionally exhausted and might want some rest?" Raising an eyebrow at me, George comes forward perhaps expecting me to back away yet I do not move as he advances. Though I care more for Richard, George has never given me reason to dislike him until recently. Now more than ever, I feel the need to protect not just my sister but Edward as well.

"Is there something you are hiding from me Lady? Perhaps the gender of the new babe?" He asks looking over my shoulder before glancing down at me with a smirk on his face challenging me. I only tilt my child upwards and set my expression not giving him the satisfaction of an answer. Grinning now, he comes a step closer telling me,

"I always knew you were far better than the other River girls." And with a tilt of his head he turns and walks away leaving me dumbfounded alone in the hallway to return to my chambers leaning heavily against the door. A sudden knock had be shouting in surprise but when the voice of Anthony called out I opened the door to see his worried expression. Opening the door wide enough for him to enter, he instantly asked me about what he had seen.

"He wanted to know about the sex of the baby." I told him collapsing into a chair before the fireplace to which Anthony began lighting it as he often would when we were back home.

"Little weasel he is, I saw him talking to Warwick at the show and can only imagine what those two are planning. And now with Elizabeth having given birth to a girl, we are all in danger. Plus you can be sure Warwick is Kingmaking again." Anthony told me causing me to close my eyes and pinch my nose in worry. A hand on my shoulder cause me to look up and see him kneeling before me as he said gently,

"Whatever those two are up to, Warwick is not the only one I fear." When I shook my head not understanding, Anthony looked back over towards the door telling me,

"George has had a wandering eye for you for a while now. Whenever you are not looking he is."

"Oh that is preposterous!" I say standing only he takes both my arms and continues,

"You are the only one of our sisters he is willing to speak to. The only one he actively engages with on his own. Richard I believe does this freely but George—it is surely for gain and gain alone."

"Then I shall use that for our advantage." I told him with a smile slowly growing across my face before he could stop me I added,

"If he wants to gain advantage I could use that for ours. Learn what he is up to with Warwick without him ever even knowing!"

"And what if he finds out? What he tells Warwick what you have been up to? What if Warwick takes out his anger on you?!" Anthony hisses yet I shake him off taking a step back to say,

"Edward told me I have need to ask him any favor of him. If I get into any danger with Warwick I could use that to pardon myself." Looking at me with an amazed expression, Anthony sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his hair before saying softly,

"Where did my little sister go?"

"I am still right here." I told him embracing him tightly before seeing him out feeling lighter than I had all of this day. However by midafternoon the next day my fears were confirmed, the whole palace knew that Elizabeth, Queen of England, had given birth to a baby girl. When I first saw Lord Warwick the haughty gleam in his eyes was enough to make me sick yet it was when I next saw George that I truly wanted to run. George and Richard were together practicing archery which Elizabeth's boys often enjoyed watching. I had promised them to go see if anyone was practicing only to find it was the two of them. Once George caught my eye the expression he gave me made me wish for the Earth to swallow me whole. However I was able to free myself of his gaze by helping Elizabeth care for her little princess, Elizabeth of York. Mother and I also planned little Kate to the Duke of Buckingham though I knew that by hiding myself from Georges gaze it only saved myself for the inevitable. At last one February morning little Kate and the Duke of Buckingham were wed, the Duke looking rather bored at the whole event. Across the aisle from where I sat I could not help but notice Lady Beauford and her husband who was related to the Duke. Meanwhile Edward sat next to Elizabeth who held her little Princess in furs of white and blue. I sat next to Mother, who once the ceremony was over could not help but notice how such a happy occasion seems so make so many miserable. Richard stepped forward for a moment, congratulating Elizabeth on her first York Princess to which I smiled as he caught my eye.

"She is not a boy though, so you have no heir." Duchess Cecily spoke up with George behind her making me bristle yet keep quiet as a horn blew in the courtyard causing everyone to go running outside to see what was going on. Once outside everyone found Lord Warwick riding with two guards, and the old King Henry.

"My Lords! Our one time King Henry, and now our prisoner! He was roaming the fields of Northumberland but I have ridden out and captured him!" From down below I watched as Richard grabbed a sword from a guard and cried out just as Edward, George, Anthony and Father grabbed at him to stop him. Once he was stopped, Edward cried out loudly as can be,

"He is a traitor and an enemy to my rule! But God has brought him to us to show that my reign is just and true! We shall keep Cousin Henry in Tower apartments, and show him a mercy that he denied our Father. Go with God cousin." We watched as Edward and Warwick embraced and I whispered,

"He is up to something Mother." Looking between the three of us, after a while everyone was shown back inside the palace for the celebration of the newly wedded couple. Despite what had happened just moments before, the feeling within the Great Hall was joyous. Perhaps it was those loyal to the Throne felt justification. Perhaps it was those who wished ill to King Henry were delighted. Or perhaps there were schemes about. Whichever it was, as always I tried to blend into the crowd as best as I know how. Seeing Richard alone at one point, I slid into a seat next to him with a goblet of wine in my hands. For a moment neither of us spoke until I told him,

"I was worried before." When I saw him tilt towards me confused I continued,

"When you went for the sword." He exhaled deeply running a hand through his dark curls saying,

"You need not worry Kathrine, I was just—caught up in the moment. Seeing King Henry brought back my anger for my Father, my Brother." Nodding, I turned towards him and said,

"Am I not allowed to care about you Richard?" The smile he gave me was bright which I returned happily until Mary came over saying to me,

"Elizabeth wants to see you Kathrine." Nodding, I stood as did Richard and handing my goblet to Mary was stopped when Richard took my hand to kiss the back of it. Bowing my head to him, I followed Mary to find Elizabeth in a small parlor room pacing back and forth holding her child in her arms. When she saw me entering she motioned for me to quickly shut the door.

"I used the excuse that I needed to get air for Lizzie." She told me before I asked,

"What is going on that is so serious that I needed to be here?"

"Warwick has asked Edward for his girls to be married to George and Richard! Edward said he would think on it, or give him more lands to him from Jasper Tudor. If he refuses Warwick he angers him even more yet if he grants him these marriages,"

"Warwick has royal blood on both sides." I finished watching her take a seat and so moved to take the babe from her arms for a moment, rocking the child softly. For a moment there was silence until I broke it with,

"I told Anthony that I planned to use George favoring me out of the rest of our sisters to gather information. Perhaps I can find out if he is to marry Isabel or not." Turning sharply to see me, I continued before she could get angry,

"Anthony told me the night of Lizzie's birth that he noticed how George has always treated me better than any of our sisters. That he likes me far better than you or even Mother so why not use that to our advantage and outwit Warwick?" Looking at one another, Elizabeth and I smiled at one another as she stood from her seat and made to take her child back so we could return to the Great Hall with a plan ready to take on Lord Warwick.