The next day I needed to gather my thoughts. I dressed and had my horse made ready, I rode with the guard to St Georges Chapel, where our parents were buried. Kneeling at the alter alone I silently cried. In that moment all i needed was my father.
The I returned I made my way through the whispering crowds to my husband rooms. I flung the doors open.
"Stop stepping around it. Have you had her?" I question deathly calm, he said nothing but looked at me through the mirror "Answer me." he pulled back and looked at his servant
"They may stay. The whole court knows already." The men awkwardly left "Do you even consider what I endure?" I ask as the doors closed
"You openly disrespect me before the court allowing them to gossip."
"You did the same to Lady Anne with your uncle, King Richard." he replied
"That was different, she was a mad, disrespecting woman who poisoned my uncle to take the throne and almost turn him against me and my family. Fair was fair. And I cared for him." I defended "Do you care for her? Do you love her?"
"Do you love him?" my eyebrows furrowed
"What?"
"The boy. Do you love him?" he asked
"No. He is my burden and so is she. They are mine and yours and all of our children's." I walk over to him "They are tearing us apart. We must find a way to deal with them, before it destroys us. Please Henry." I plead holding his arms.
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I make my way into the nursery, there are a few babies being taken care of but one is away from the rest. Cathy Gordons child. I stand behind the cradle looking down on him as he gurgles and slightly cries. I hear footsteps by the entrance, Lady Margret enters and the midwife leaves.
"They called him Edward, like my murdered brother." I comment
"You named your son the same." she replied
"With my father in mind, the first man a girl usually loves is her father. I was no exception." I answer
"What do you see." I look up at her "An innocent? Your dear sweet nephew?" she questions
"Of course not."
"It is hard, I know. But the world in which we move we cannot see an infant as he is but as he will become." she continued "Like God we must see Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end."
"His end will not come by my hand. Though that does not mean we cannot solve this. Tell me Lady Margaret, do you think he would be a threat if he did not know the lies that surrounded him and his...father?"I smile slightly walking around the idea becoming more appealing.
"Of what do you speak?"
"Him being raised by someone else, someone loyal by fault to us, the Tudors. Surely as he grew the nature of his upbringing would make him an ally than foe." she thought about it
"It would be plausible." she agreed
"Then I will raise it with the King." I hummed and we fell into another silence
"My son does his duty by wooing Lady Catherine. She cares for him, he returns it. Men are weak, swayed by beauty. Women must be stronger." she stated the obvious and i was inclined to agree with her.
"I know. I know." I whisper
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I sat beside Henry with the entire court. Sir Richard handed the boy a piece of parchment. He looked down at it.
"Read it. Read it out." I tell him. He opens it up and looks over it's contents
"Parkin Warbeck...the humble son of a boatman." he says
"Confess you are a no one. That you are no threat to us and you shall live. Reveal your true identity." he looks back at Cathy who is shaking her head.
"My name...." he began, there was a long pause "Is Prince Richard of York." he declared. I sat there most of me unmoving controlling my reaction to his declaration.
"You're brother." My temper couldn't help it
"Read it and your family will live." I shout standing up
"Do not read it Richard. Don't deny your birthright." Cathy told him
"Hold your tongue or I will personally cut it out." I threaten. She shut up, I turn back looking at Lady Margaret "Tell them." she nodded
"His child will be brought up by a family in London." she stated as I looked at them with a small smirk. If the wanted to fight dirty, I would be happy to play along, they would loose like it was stated, I was the apple of my fathers eye, but I did have my mothers cunning streak.
"What?"
"You have no right!" They protested
"We have every right. If you come here and you threaten my life and my own family's life then your own son will be forfeit." Henry stated standing up to join me
"No." Cathy Gordon protested
"God curses you. He curses you and you will go to hell." the boy glared at him. Henry took his leave with Lady Catherine following, protesting. The boy looks back at me.
"If any of you think for a second about turning against my husband then hear this!" I call everyone to silence "I will fight you, if I have to. I will kill you if I have to because I am Queen. A Queen who wrath is almost like Gods himself. Cross my family and it will cost you. Take him away!" i order and he was grabbed being removed from my sight, brother or not I will protect my family and my crown. Just as I promised father.
YOU ARE READING
York's Hope.
FanfictionEveryone seemed to know my destiny before I did. I am their Hope, I am His Hope. Hope is what I was names and Hope is what I shall bring. To my father, to my family, to my King.
