Happy Passover and Easter everyone! Hope your holidays were happy despite what world we live in. 3
Chapter Nine~
May 4th 1471, Tower of London, London City
We all only had a short moment of peace before war returned to our shores. George once he learned that I had married Richard because Edward he could no longer trust Warwick after marrying Anne off to Edward of Westminster just had to come greet me.
"I hear congratulations are in order brother." He said with Isabel on his arms bowing slightly to me as I held my daughter tightly in my arms, fiercely protective of my child before him. Isabel was shocked and unable to say anything as George asked,
"And who is this sweet little thing?"
"My daughter George." Richard said holding me tightly causing George to raise an eyebrow before turning to Isabel and say,
"Well, I wonder how Anne will take the news then." It was not long again before Elizabeth, her family and I were sent under orders of Edward to the Tower of London for protection while Edward and his men went to Tewkesbury where reportedly he would face Margaret of Anjou and her forces. Meanwhile the Tower shook from cannon fire as the children cried, Anthony saying that on the River Thames the Lancastrians had warships and to stay away from the walls and windows.
"How are you? Are the babies well?" Anthony asked as Mother, Elizabeth and her baby along with Lizzie, myself and my daughter all huddled together in a main chamber.
"Fine now that it has stopped and you?" Elizabeth asked seeing he clad in armor as he replied,
"Tired, my ears are ringing but we have withstood all that they have. They've moored their boats, set up camp not far from here. We'll come under siege at dawn."
"Do we have enough men to resist them?" I asked holding my baby tighter looking to Elizabeth and her son as Anthony told us honestly,
"The apprentice boys have been flocking in all night. They'll help contain them."
"So we wait until our enemies recover and then they storm us?" I asked looking at Anthony in anger but as he asked what should we do I stand and tell him angrily,
"Strike back! Stop them from coming any closer to our family! Let's attack them when they least expect it!"
"Most men would prefer to die in their sleep would they not?" Elizabeth adds as her baby begins to cry and as Anthony looks between the two of us he begins to nod saying with a smile,
"Spoken like a true Yorkist, we attack before dawn!" Watching him leave, I stay standing and turn to look at my sister who looks up at me nodding despite the worry in her gaze, Mother holding onto Lizzie tight. As men prepared to fight, Elizabeth and I went out to Anthony before he left to fight. Only before I went back inside I noticed Elizabeth staying on the wall to watch the fighting down below us. Unable to leave her side, I took hold of her hand as the fighting raged below us. The screams and cries of men, shouts and yelling, falling bodies and blood covering the earth. I watched Elizabeth face turn pale and took hold of both cheeks saying as I turned her face away,
"This has to be done, for the sake of your family, your husband and your son!" She nodded weakly so making sure that her gaze was no longer on the fighting, I took her arm and led her back into the Tower. The fighting seemed to never end, raging onwards endlessly until at last a ragged looking Anthony appeared. The moment we saw him we all embraced him knowing that at last the fighting had at last ended. It was only a matter of time before Elizabeth and her children finally got to see their father again. Standing next to Mother, we watched with smiles on our faces as he embraced each and every one his children and kissed his wife. The return to the Palace of Westminster was one of glorious celebration. Returning to my old chambers, I discovered that I had been moved to Richard's chambers now that we had been wed, my things having already been removed and brought there in trunks. The smile on my face could not be erased as I dressed for the celebration of King Edward's victorious return alongside my sister Queen Elizabeth and her long awaited York Prince. Not only that, but it was to publicly celebrate my wedding to the Duke of Gloucester and the birth of my daughter. Walking alongside my sister and her children, I was unable to stop smiling and laughing, the joy we were feeling contagious. When we saw King Edward and his brothers walking, we all clapping for Edwards return though I noticed the angry expression George gave Elizabeth and the cold glare Isabel gave both me and Elizabeth. Upon entering the Great Hall, the three Sons of York were greeted with clapping as Elizabeth held her York Prince, myself holding my Kate just behind Elizabeth and her children. During the feast I stayed next to Mother who gave me silent reassurance as I held my daughter tightly. Unfortunately George came over to greet me saying,
"I was rude last we met Lady Kathrine, and I believe the circumstances were the blame."
"You mean return as a traitor and falling back into Edwards good graces?" I ask raising an eyebrow looking over at said person as George bowed his head slightly replying,
"I merely meant that I was rude to the fact you should be celebrating your wedding and birth of your child. Richard must be so happy with the birth of his first daughter." The word 'daughter' was accentuated as I told him,
"Thankfully it is his first child."
"Yes well, I thought you should know Princess Anne has returned to England unharmed alongside Margaret of Anjou. Sad to say Princess Anne lost her husband in battle, so now she is a widow." He told me and though his words were upsetting the upturn of his lips meant he felt not a bit of sadness.
"Excuse me." I told him finally moving away from him to try and find Richard only instead was able to spot Isabel alone and moved to try and talk to her. Yet the moment she saw me she left the Great Hall but I followed her anyway out into the same courtyard we had once talked of being friends.
"Lady Isabel wait!"
"It's Duchess Isabel now!" She snapped turning hotly on her heel before saying angrily,
"And clearly trying to be friend's means nothing to you!"
"What are you talking about?" I asked as she told me,
"You marrying Richard! Anne has always been head over heels for him and now look what you have done!" Shocked by her words, I watched as she collapsed onto a stone bench and stood rocking my child back and forth silently. For a moment neither of us spoke until at last I told her,
"Isabel, when Edward found out that your father had married Anne to Margaret of Anjou's son he was beside himself with fury. Not only had your father gone behind his back to marry you to George and tried to make him king, but now he had married her to his greatest enemy's son! The woman who had killed his father and brother in cold blood, marrying his uncle's daughter! But—Richard apparently had already asked Edward if he could marry me." At this Isabel's head shot up to look at me as I added,
"Edward wanted him to court me proper yet with his first brother marrying behind his back to his uncle's child and the second daughter marrying his mortal enemy's son, he was running out of loyal allies. He needed someone he could trust without a doubt to marry his wives sister, and so with his blessing and my agreement we were wed. If your father had not played Kingmaker none of this would have happened."
"You're blaming my father?" Isabel asked hotly as I told her,
"I will never, ever blame you or Anne for your father's sins! I told you that before and mean it still now!" At this my baby began crying so sat down and shushed her, rocking her gently and trying to soothe her. We sat in silence other than my child cry as I tried to shush her back to sleep. Finally Isabel looked over asking me,
"What is her name?"
"Kathrine, she was born a month early while my family was in sanctuary in Westminster Abbey." I told her looking lovingly at my child, lost in my love for her.
"You must have been so scared." Isabel whispered softly as I turned to see her and seeing the pain on her face for her own child said to her,
"Would you like to hold her?" The pure shock on her face was nothing compared to the fear when I held out my arms to her for her to take the baby. I watched as with the utmost care as Isabel held my daughter in her arms, as if she was made of glass. I was not expecting to see tears in her eyes as she said softly,
"She is so sweet."
"You will have your own children Isabel, I know it." I told her putting a hand on her shoulder as she cried silently and hearing footsteps turned to see George behind us. He said nothing as he watched his wife holding his brothers child. I could not figure out his expression, but I gave him a smile wanting to assure him that even if he hated me for whatever reasons he might have, that I did not hate him. When Kate began fussing, I took her back as the two of us stood and Isabel embraced me. It was only then that she saw George behind us, and though no words were said there needn't be. After the feast I gave Kate to a wet nurse fussing since I had not been parted with her before. Then I found my way to Richard's chambers in order to unpack my trunks now that I had officially become the Duchess of Gloucester. His chambers were far larger than my own, with a separate sitting area and two fireplaces, one in the sitting area and another in the bedroom. Upon hearing the door open I turned to see Richard enter looking exhausted and weary. Frowning when I saw his face, I went over asking him,
"What is it? What is wrong?" And watched as he collapsed in a chair before the fireplace and pinch his nose with his fingers. Taking his shoulders into my hands, I felt him exhale as he said to me,
"After the battle, Edward charged me with finding Margaret of Anjou to bring her captive. What I did not expect was to find Anne, Princess Anne since she wed Edward of Westminster. She told me she loved me Kathrine." At this I felt my heart fall from my chest and did not feel his hands take mine or him call my name. It was only when I was sitting in my lap and my hands were clutched in his tightly to his chest that I looked at his face.
"I fell in love with you Kathrine, from the moment I laid eyes on you I could do nothing but think of you. You are the one I married, you are the mother of my child and I will never abandon you. And when I die I will be thinking of you." Kissing both of my hands keeping eye contact with me, I sobbed as I tucked my head under his chin saying,
"Isabel told me that Anne loved you. I thought she was just trying to make me angry, even George told me this but,"
"Hush now, just let me hold you." Richard said wrapping his arms tighter around me and letting me cry against him. I must have fallen asleep for when I woke I was in our bed tucked carefully under the blankets and changed down from what I had been wearing. However Richard was nowhere to be seen as I picked up a robe to try and find him. Stepping into the hallway, instead of finding Richard I found a shaking and pale faced Elizabeth.
"Lizzy what is wrong?" I asked as she took my hand and dragged me into my chambers making sure to shut the doors.
"He is dead—oh God in Heaven he is dead!" She cried ringing her hands together and pacing as I asked,
"Who? Who is dead?" Only she kept shaking her head so that I grabbed her shoulders to stop her pacing and asked,
"Who is dead Lizzy?"
"King Henry! They killed him! Edward and George and Richard killed him! I saw it with my own eyes Kathrine!" Shaking my head, I took a step back as she told me Edward was missing from her bedside and she followed him into the holding cell where King Henry was being kept.
"They would never do that. Edward would never do that, Richard would never do that!"
"If it meant keeping any Lancastrian from taking the throne they would." Lizzy said sadly looking at me with tears in her eyes. With a sob, we embraced tightly not knowing what would happen next. Margaret of Anjou had been defeated and now King Henry was dead. Warwick was gone and Edward of Westminster had been killed in battle. King Edward's reign should be secure with his York Prince having been born. There was nothing to fear right?
