Chapter Fourteen~

February 15th 1478, Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire

After the death of Isabel the world seemed to have been forever shaken. Anne summoned her niece and nephew, little Maggie and Teddy, to live with her and her husband in Warwick Castle. Even if she would not say it allowed, I think she feared for their safety from my sister. Even though I would write to her, Anne would never return my letters. However Francis would update me on how the children were doing, bless him. At one point Richard received a letter from Edward saying George had asked to marry Mary of Burgundy which I knew must have divided him and my sister. A few times I received letters from Lady Margaret Beaufort updating me on gossip within the court since my sister refused to write to me. Rumors has spread like wildfire that the Queen was a witch since George had ousted her once publicly. Poor Anne had been questioned on if her own sister had been poisoned by the Queen and my heart went out to her.

Meanwhile my family flourished. Kathrine was now seven years old and the bright light in our lives. She delighted in all things outdoors be it horseback riding or trying to learn archery from her Father. She was progressing wonderfully with her tutors and was an extremely bright child. Yet she would sometimes wake with 'nightmares' which I sadly knew was an indication I had passed down my gift of Sight to her. Edward, my beloved son, was four years old and always trying to make his Father proud. Of course as his son he could never make Richard any prouder. I thanked the Lord every chance I had at how lucky I was; a husband who cherished and loved me, always showing me in little ways when he could and two beautiful children.

It was in for the celebration of Edwards fifteen years as King that Richard and I were preparing to return to Westminster Palace. Kate was helping me pick out dresses and Eddie was happily watching on the floor playing. The bedchamber door opened to reveal Richard and Kate perked up crying,

"Papa!" And leaped up to hug him just reaching his chest making him pick her up and twirl her around. Turning to see the two with a smile, Richard set her down to lift Eddie into the air as the boy laughed and smiled.

"Are you almost ready to go?" He asked me holding Eddie close to his side causing Kate to ask me,

"Why can we not come?"

"Because my dearest rose the palace is not a safe place right now and we need to make sure you are safe." I told her moving to pack the rest of my things as a servant came in to pick up the last trunk to bring it outside. Seeing her frown since she had been missing her cousins, I held her cheeks saying to her,

"How about this, I shall try and bring back something for you alright?" Despite her nodding I could see she was still upset as she hugged me saying,

"I want you safe too Mommy." Looking to Richard who still held Eddie, he told her gently,

"We will be, your Uncle the King will not let anything happen to us." Turning to see her Father, Kate said,

"I am worried about Uncle George."

"Me too Kate, me too." After saying our goodbyes and giving last instructions, Richard and I were off to Westminster both set on trying to make the best of a difficult situation. For the both of us knew that with me having almost no contact with my sister, and rumors of her being a witch surrounding court, it would be hard for me to return without fanfare. And what fanfare there was when two days later when we arrived the first thing we learned was that George had been on the run since we had last heard about him. After settling into our chambers, I could already feel eyes on me everywhere I went. The tingling sensation of knowing I was being watched simply because I was sister to the 'Witch Queen' was enough to make my skin crawl. That night I went to Elizabeth's chambers and knocking waited until I heard her call out to enter. Upon doing so she looked shocked to see me as I closed the door behind me.

"I have missed you." I say watching as she sits at her vanity combing her hair out but she says nothing. Looking down at my hands I continue onwards,

"Kathrine is seven now and misses her nieces and nephews, she often asks if she can come play with them again. Edward is four and delights in terrorizing me, he reminds me of his namesake."

"What did you tell Anne?" She suddenly says standing up and knocking her chair over in her hurry as I step back in surprise. Shaking my head I say simply,

"Nothing!" As she comes forward telling me,

"Half the court thinks me a witch, George is missing and more dangerous than ever and Edward now wants him arrested! And meanwhile you have been living a quiet peaceful life away from everything! Perfect for you!" Shocked at her outburst for a moment, I suddenly stand my ground and tell her firmly,

"I was not the one who cursed Warwick and George to their deaths. I am not the one seeking vengeance every chance I get. And I am not Queen of England and battling day and night for my crown. I chose my Fate Elizabeth and you chose yours!" With that I turn and leave her chambers making my way back to mine, not caring who I pass or the looks I receive. When I reenter my chambers I find Richard and just seeing his face makes my shoulders slump and I find myself embracing him.

"My own sister hates me, hates me for being happy." I tell him with a sob as he hushes me and rubs my back. We say nothing as we stand there just trying to comfort one another. That night I dream of George drowning in what looks like blood and one of three suns leaving the sky. The next day is the day of the celebration, and my heart if full of fear. As we dress, Richard in a boar's mask and myself in a fox mask, I try to calm myself as best I can before we enter what looks like a forest, the Great Hall having been filled with trees and bushes to create a mystic feel. Torches are lit along the walls and a roaring fire is in the center of the room. People wear animal masks and in the dim light I cannot help but feel myself fighting my own fear. Every time I glance I can see what I think is a sword shining and at last I say to Richard,

"Richard, all the men are armed."

"Everyone is siding for or against your sister. Edward fears she will be assassinated, given the rumors." He tells me making me turn my head sharply as he leaves my side. Alone in this strange forest of laughter and music, I find myself walking alone before a hand takes my shoulder and I gasp as a face is revealed,

"Anne?" I ask as she takes me aside asking me,

"Have you seen Richard?" I shake my head as she continues to look around and tell me,

"After Isabel—George got her half of the fortune as promised but I am afraid of what will happen if he is to die. What will his children get? Where will his money and Izzy's money go if not their children?"

"Why are you asking me?" I said making her frown deepen as she lifted her mask and told me,

"Because you are the Queen's sister, and if you can do anything about it—it has to be you." Taking her slightly shaky hand into mine, I squeeze it and say to her,

"I will do everything I can for them." Despite her frosty expression she squeezes my hand back then puts her mask back on and slips back into the crowd probably to find her husband. I too slip into the crowd to find Richard only instead I hear a familiar voice saying behind me,

"Look at her, acting like the King herself." Twisting around to see the mask of a bull, I take off my mask and say softly,

"George you of all people should not be here."

"I am not afraid of either of them. My sorcerer has told me that the witch, your lovely sister, will give the Princes over to their killer with her own hands. She will end her line herself." His voice is deeper than I've ever heard it before, distorted with anger as I tell him,

"George please be quiet, it is forbidden to predict the death of royalty. Especially my family." In an instant his mask is ripped from his face and he is snarling at me,

"And to kill a royal Duchess? Mother of my children? My family?" Then he starts moving away and in vain I try to grab his arm as he continues,

"They did not let that stop them!" Then I tried in vain to grab him as he continued on his rant through the masked crowd but made sure my mask was on as I heard in the distant Edward calling out for him. Knowing this was doomed to fail, I ran through the crowd to try and find Richard instead as George continued to rant and rave. Upon finding Richard I tucked myself under his arm and grabbed onto his arm as he looked down to see who it was.

"Kathrine?" He asked already having had his mask removed. Taking off mine, I felt hot tears in my eyes as Edward continued to shout for George and silently the two of us moved to a better vantage point to see what was going on.

"So you're King, your great King, your beloved Edward is a murderer! Just as you have murdered before eh Edward? When you took a pillow and smothered old King Henry? And who bade you do it? That evil witch, Elizabeth Rivers!" By this point Anne and Francis had removed their masks to watch the madness, Lady Margaret and her husband were watching as was half the court. Elizabeth, my sister, was frozen in her place as George yelled at her and her alone with Edward watching helplessly to one side.

"And you killed my wife, and you killed my first-born son!" At this point Edward screamed for the guard looking around telling them,

"Someone take him. He has gone mad! And still you do not see it?!" Richard and Anthony ran to grab George before George could put hands on Elizabeth as he continue to rave and even charge at her. Three more men, soldiers probably, had to help as George fought to break free while the Court stood shocked at the outburst and I was left realizing I could no longer stand by my sisters side any more. From this night onwards I was her sister in name only but for the sake of my family, my children, I could not risk being her sister. The next day the whole court was abuzz with gossip, Anne and Francis nowhere to be seen, Lady Margaret suspiciously quiet and more eyes on me than ever. George had been place in the dungeons of the palace and Richard told me that Elizabeth and Edward had not stopped fighting. Knowing her curse would be coming true, I went to Elizabeth's rooms and thankfully found them empty except for her. Closing the door, I shook my head and told her,

"Is this it then? Finishing your curse, are you happy now?" She just stood by her window silently as I continued,

"Will you be happy once he is dead? Will you be able to smile again knowing your curse has done its work? Or will you feel any remorse whatsoever?"

"You know, nothing Kate of what I have suffered. The eyes that stare and the plots against me and my children wishing them death. I know what people say behind my back." She turns to look at me and for once I do not see my sister, but a ghost of a sister I used to know. I no longer see the sister I used to play with, or dance with but instead a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"You once said that you would feel weighed down by a crown and trapped on a throne. Perhaps you were right all along, and sometimes I despites you for it." Shaking my head at her and feeling hot tears burning behind my eyes, I turn to leave and just as I step out of the room pause to tell her over my shoulder,

"No matter what you may think, I will always want what is best for you." From then on I stay as far away from her as I can, knowing that everyone in Court is not only watching her but myself. After all, I am the Queen's sister who married the King's brother. When the trial begins for George we find out that Edward is prosecuting and that no one is defending George. Anthony straight out left the trial and that everyone seems certain that it was childbed fever and not poison that killed Isabel. However all the focus shifted onto George using a sorcerer. One of our sisters left the Court out of fear to be with her husband in the country, and if it was not for Richard I would have left too to be with the children. As it was I wrote lengthy letters to their governess to make sure they were healthy and safe. One night Duchess Cecily came to our rooms to speak to Richard after returning from trial, not only was I shocked but even more-so when she in her upset allowed for me to hug her.

"He cannot do this Richard, you must tell him! If he is found guilty he will die!" She said in her misery as Richard shook his head saying,

"We are the three Sons of York, how can we be divided over one woman?"

"Oh please not George! Not George of all of you!" She said making both Richard and me turn to her in pure confusion as Richard asked her,

"Why him of all of us? Would it rather be me? Would you rather it was Edward and all of his sons too, just so your precious little George could have every last thing he ever wanted?" When she could not reply, Richard left the room leaving me alone with his Mother. Turning to her as she collapsed onto the bed, I went and poured her some wine and went to hand it to her. With tears in her eyes and a bitter laugh she took the goblet into her shaky hands. We sat alone for several moments before she told me,

"You are good for him," Making me turn sharply to see her as she said standing,

"He should know how lucky he is to have you." Then she left the room setting her goblet down leaving me shocked into silence. That night I sit awake unable to sleep as Richard enters and sighs heavily upon seeing me up so late.

"Come," He tells me and turning to see him I break down and cry myself to sleep. When morning comes I turn to see Richard looking wearier than he ever has before and so tell him of what our children have been up to since we have been gone. Seeing the smile it brings to his face before he has to leave brings some comfort to my heart. Yet on the day of our Lord February 18th I find out that they have found George guilty of treason. Upon hearing this I end up walking into the library I would first meet Richard and George wandering around aimlessly. Randomly I picked out a book and found it to be a poetry book before I broke down into tears. Yes he had killed my Father and Brother and I could never ever forgive him for that, but Elizabeth's curse had damned not only him but his entire family. Now his children were orphans and one of the three Sons of York were forever gone from the sky. With my poetry book in hand, I wandered and found where Elizabeth with Anthony talking to asked them,

"What is it?"

"George wants to be drowned in a barrel of wine."

"Oh Anthony do not joke!" I said only he shook his head saying to the both of us,

"George the fool, has chosen a fools death, a barrel of Malmsey wine." I turned to look at Elizabeth since we all knew that that was her favorite wine above them all. Even Edward had brought some home from France straight from the King.

"He is no fool, it is to punish me." She told us both as I take her shoulder to give it a squeeze and as she looks down she sees the book I am holding and despite that she takes my hand in hers and squeezes it back. Later that day I find myself kneeling in the chapel when I hear the heavy door open and turning find it to be Richard. As he enters he bows his head and shoulders letting out a sound similar to that of a wounded animal.

"Richard, let's go home to our children. Richard, Richard?" Only it takes him a moment before he seems to see me, and taking a hold of my waist, squeezes me as if afraid that I too might disappear. In the background we hear church bells ringing signaling the death of his brother, George Plantagenet the Duke of Clarence. That day we gather our belonging and after saying goodbye to Anthony and even Duchess Cecily, I leave behind a note for Elizabeth seeing as if I cannot find her. In the note I only wish her nothing but love and happiness for her and her children. A long and happy life for her and Edward and peace for the Kingdom. Yet with one sun out of the sky, it would not be long before another sun would soon follow.