❝ Tell me losing everything is what saved you,
Tell me you finally tasted freedom.
Can you even imagine yourself in paradise?
Even the daughter of gods must know loneliness, must sometimes want nothing more than to be trapped in a hell of forevers...
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Even though Thomas was expecting her presence, Charlotte's appearance through a loosely fitted flag that covered a well-used secret tunnel with William still startled him. Edmund's appearance behind her with Kathryn hugging his neck shocked him.
"Your Graces," Thomas recovered quickly.
"Ready him, Thomas. You leave tonight under cover of darkness."
Thomas nodded and gestured for the boy to follow behind him.
Edmund gravitated towards one of the many worn out tables. Laid out on top was a large brown blanket with various supplies of herbs, knives, salted fish, pouches of water and just about anything else a man traveling with a teenager would need to survive a week-long trip.
"You really think Thomas and Marie can keep him safe?" He asked after casting his eyes over the supplies.
"Thomas may come across as almost defenseless, but I know for a fact that he is resourceful and has a quick wit about him," Charlotte assured her eldest son. "Your father trusted him absolutely. He married your aunt for love and he is loyal to York no matter what. I have no doubt of his loyalty or about his ability to protect William."
"Marie has been with me for most of my life," Charlotte said sadly. "I feel as though I am losing a part of myself and she hasn't even left. But apart from Anne or your Grand-mère, there is no other woman I would trust more with the life of one of my children."
Edmund clenched his jaw, there was nothing to disagree with, but a lump of tension started to grow in his stomach and his hand went inside his pocket palming at the contents.
He could feel his mother's questioning presence behind him and was grateful when Thomas returned with William, who was now dressed in slightly muddied and torn clothing.
"It itches," William complained as he hopped from one foot to the other, behaving more as if he were three-year old Rickon or nine-year old Arthur.
"You'll get used to it," Charlotte said calmly. "Come here."
Reluctantly, the fourteen year old walked over to his mother and allowed her to hug him.
"Promise me you'll obey your uncle," she murmured against his hair. "I need you to be safe, William. Do as he tells you to."
"I promise," he said softly.
"Good," Charlotte said, kissing both of his cheeks and rising back to her full height.
"I had it made for you," she explained as she held out a pendant for him. "A white rose and a wolf, for us to know one another, no matter what happens."
"It's beautiful," William said softly, tracing the wooden pendant with his index finger. "Thank you."
"Now remember you are going secretly, and no one will know who you are so you need to keep it hidden and tell no one about it until you see us again."
