In this chapter the man I have Anne Neville marry was an actual historical figure who, in real life, was an ally of King Richard the Third during the War of the Roses. He was part of a group called 'The Cat, the Rat, and the Lovell Dog'. I thought since Anne didn't marry Richard she should marry a close friend of Richards and a historically accurate one at that.
Chapter Twelve~
August 17th 1473, Palace of Westminster, City of Westminster
Life had changed so much since the death of our Mother. Richard and I had settled into our new estate Middle ham Castle in North Yorkshire. Our beloved Kathrine or Kate was now three years old and was such an intelligent child. Richard was beside himself with love for his daughter and Edward loved to spoil her, and as long as I was in the room with him George was able to be with her. What's more, I was due with our second child and we were excited and hopeful that it would be a boy. Isabel and George had settled down with their daughter Margaret or Maggie for short and as for poor Anne I had been able to ask Edward by using my long overdue favor to help her. Anne had fallen for one of Richard's friends, Francis Lovell the 1st Viscount Lovell and they had wed as well as had a boy named Richard. Both had moved to Warwick Castle to settle down with their newly growing family. George had grown resentful toward Richard over this, stating that he was due those titles since Anne had been his ward and since Francis had been Richard's friend he found it to be Richard's fault.
As for Elizabeth she found Mother's death to be especially hard when we found out she had gotten pregnant again. She had grown fearful of giving birth without the guidance of Mother by her side. Lady Beaufort seemed to get in the way of Elizabeth more than nothing and that annoyed Elizabeth to no end. Her constant wish for Elizabeth to pray grated her nerves and even mine when despite everything I think she meant only the best. Despite my fearfulness towards Lady Beaufort she had never truly done anything I could be find with ill intent behind. Even her marriage to Sir Henry Stafford, though questionable, I could not truly detect ill will behind. Even so, I could not drop my guard down around her. As Elizabeth sent her away to ready herself for the birth of her son, when we discovered the baby stuck I was sent to find the woman. Of course I knew exactly where she would be and went straight to the chapel. Once inside I found her kneeling in prayer and said to her,
"Lady Margaret, the baby is stuck. We must toss the Queen in a blanket." I walked quickly back to Elizabeth's chambers and turned to make sure she was following me. Waving for her to catch up, when we entered Elizabeth was already being helped by the midwives as I knelt down next to her head to whip the sweat from her brows. I cared not what Lady Margaret was doing as we all helped Elizabeth to help her give birth before at last I looked to see it was a boy! Yet he was not cry and as Elizabeth asked why her son was not crying he was handed to Lady Margaret who held the child looking stunned down at the child and for several long moments Elizabeth sobbed crying out for her son to breathe until at last he began to cry.
"He lives, he is alive." She said at last blinking as if seeing for the first time and handing the baby back to my sister who told her with gratefulness,
"I am in your debt."
"I only wish to serve you Your Grace." Lady Margaret said with a quick curtsy before hurrying out of the room making me frown and as she left I looked to an exhausted Elizabeth before kissing her brow before standing to catch up to her.
"Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret!" I called able to stop her in the hallway and as she turned to me I asked her,
"Are you alright?" Nodding quickly she said with a shake of her head,
"I was merely afraid for the boy."
"Well, I do hope you know my sister is forever in your debt now that you have saved her child." I said watching her reaction as she sighed nodding before telling me,
"I shall go pray for his long life." Before again making quick work of leaving down the hall as if to escape me and my sister. Wanting to return to my sister, I turned to head back only was stopped when I spotted Richard who came over to see me. With a worried expression on his face, I frowned and went to ask what the matter was when he took my arm to seem as if nothing was wrong. Taking me along on a walk, he said to me,
"We need to talk." Nodding, we headed for our chambers so that once inside I quickly headed to find Kate being taken care of by our wet nurse. Dipping into a curtsy, she left the room so that I could hold her close. As Kate began playing with my necklace I took a seat as Richard pour himself some wine.
"Edward wishes to take back France of which old King Henry lost, and George is wishing to put himself as Regent."
"What? Edward wants to go to war with France? For what, his pride and glory?" I asked him as Kate said,
"Pride is bad!" Nodding I said putting my forehead to hers,
"Yes pride is bad." Nodding her head in agreement, she turned to her Father for acknowledgement and he said to her as well,
"Yes Kate, pride is bad." Smiling at getting the answer right, she nestled into my arms and the two of us smiled at our happy family. However I winced when my son gave a hard kick to my stomach.
"Is the baby being mean?" Kate asked so that I laughed saying to her lovingly,
"Baby is just making himself comfortable, see?" I took her tiny hand into mine and placed it on the spot it had kicked before and watched her eyes widen and a toothy grin spread across her face. Laughing, she turned to Richard and held out her other hand telling him,
"Feel Papa!" Setting down his wine goblet, Richard came over and put his much larger hand over his daughters and said,
"You are quiet right my darling, your brother is going to be quiet strong." A knock on the door interrupted our happy moment as Richard called for them to enter. A lady entered saying,
"Forgive me, but the King has asked for your presence in the Great Hall." Nodding, Richard kissed his daughters cheek before kissing mine as well and made to leave. I watched with a frown holding Kate tightly before hearing her say,
"Is mommy is sad?" Looking at her small frown, I told her gently,
"Mommy is worried." She nodded before tucking her head under my chin and I rocked her back and forth gently to sleep and making sure she was as deep in sleep as she could be, tucked her back into her bed before heading for the Great Hall myself. As I enter the Great Hall I move to stand near Anthony who looks beside himself at the news of another war and glance at Elizabeth who glares daggers into George. Once the announcement is made both George and Richard leave, Richard making sure to stop and kiss my cheek before George takes my hand in greeting. However when I turn back to where Anthony had been standing he is gone and I am unable to find him. I do however find Lady Margaret holding Prince Richard talking to her husband.
"Lady Margaret, forgive me." I say when she is alone and curtsying to me, I ask her,
"How are your feelings towards this seemingly untimely war?"
"Whatever the King wishes is best for the country." She says yet I turn to try and catch her gaze as I try,
"No, I asked what your feelings are." Turning, she looks to me saying honestly at last,
"I fear it is not a good idea, another mindless war. It is the last thing we need after so much peace." Nodding, I look down at Prince Richard and say,
"He seems content with you, you are good with children." Her smile is one of tenderness though it is not towards Richard and her gaze is set out the window and far, far away. I know she is the son of the last Lancastrian heir. How her son was sent to live away from her and how hard this must be for her. So I tell her gently,
"I am sorry you cannot have your son here with you." Her head snaps up at this and for the first time since we have met her gaze finds mine as I continue,
"It must be hard, taking care of someone else's child and not your own. And, and perhaps this maybe a way of God giving you a chance to give you the chance you lost." Then putting my hand on her shoulder, I gave it a squeeze before adding,
"Next time you go to chapel, you can come find me. Remember that." Giving her a smile and nod, I move to find Anthony discovering him outside leaning on the stone wall with his arms crossed. Moving to stand next to him and look out over the waters, I ask him,
"What is wrong?"
"Elizabeth wants me to go to battle with Edward, only I am going on a pilgrimage to Rome. I will not fight another war when there is no reason to it!" He says hotly pounding his fits on the stone wall making me jump. Shaking his head and lowering it with a heavy sigh, he says softly,
"She has made her peace with Lady Margaret as her nursemaid, now she needs to do the same for George."
"You know she never will." I tell him thinking back to the curse she put upon him and the fact it had yet to come true. It had for Warwick with him now dead and buried, but as long as George lives the curse was not yet done. Taking his hand into mine, we stood silently watching the river before we both had to return inside. That night when I was lying down with Richard in our bed after having placed Kate to sleep in the nearby room we lay awake talking about how he would have to be leaving for war.
"I could not bear to lose you now, not with our son on the way." I say lying on my side, Richard with one hand protectively on my large stomach as he tells me,
"I confess I am troubled by his sudden call to arms."
"What do you mean?" I wonder as he tells me,
"The King has said that George may govern France, and I fear he will not stop there. Perhaps he will be calmed down that Isabel is with child again." From that night onwards Edward and his men plan their invasion into France through Calais. Elizabeth and I watch from the sidelines as Edward, George and Richard plan their seemingly senseless war with Elizabeth ever bitter towards George. Even when I try to talk to George about the war he seems in a great mood about it, talking about how things would be better and brighter when he is Regent. How things would be better for his family, for Isabel and his daughter. When I am able to visit Isabel and her child Isabel is frightened for her family, yet is hopeful that George is able to be victorious. I find it amazing that she can find such hope for her husband and be so loyal to him despite everything that has happened between them. Then, on December 17th in the year of our Lord 1473, I give birth to Richard and I long awaited son who we name Edward in our home in Middleham Castle.
That Yule Tide was celebrated with the birth of our long awaited son. Richard and I were the center piece of the celebration, Duchess Cecily even came to see her grandson and when she meet Kate who earlier she had picked, without permission, some of the flowers in the garden for her Lady Grandmother. Of course that won the woman's heart over instantly. Edward wanted to hold the child named after him and even George commented about how alike the child looked like his brother Richard. Elizabeth held the child in her arms and wished me all the blessings in the world and Lady Margaret, who I had feared before told me that she would pray for the child. It was a Yule Tide I would treasure forever. However by June 1475, Edward and his army were ready to go to war with France. My dearest Kate was four years old now and Edward or Eddie was now just one years old. The looming fear of war hung like a low hanging cloud over Court and everyone who lived in fear of their loved ones going into battle. Isabel who was pregnant was staying at home due to being so heavily pregnant and I wrote to her often and tried to see her when I could. Anne's husband was going into battle so I would write to her often as well trying to keep a line of friendship between us. Since Richard was needed with Edward, I stayed at the Palace knowing my children were safe at Middleham with our attendants. Even so I checked in as often as I possibly could. Elizabeth was stewing in her hate for George every day and I tried in vain to keep her at bay.
When at last Edward was finally set to leave, Elizabeth was beside herself with grief to see him leave her side again. She and her children had their moments to say goodbye while back in Middleham Castle Richard had returned to say goodbye to all of us. He held his son close to his chest rocking him back and forth as Kate cried holding onto his leg.
"Don't go Papa! Don't go!" She sobbed into his pant leg as Richard handed Edward back to me and he knelt down to hold Kate's shoulders and looking into her eyes he said to her,
"When I come back we shall go horseback riding and have a picnic. All four of us, I promise."
