❝ 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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Westminster Palace, England
In his chambers, Henry stood in place, allowing his squires to assist him with placing on his armor.
Lily sighed, glancing down at the sword that was laid out on the table near the window. It made her think of Dickon and Edmund, given that it most likely was also the sword her husband had fought in Bosworth with.
It took her a moment, but she picked up the sword and began to walk over to Henry with it.
The servants stepped away from Henry, bowing to their king and queen.
Lily walked past them and placed the sword in its sheath. Henry's eyes widened when he saw she'd been holding the sword, knowing how she hated that she kept it even after all the years that had passed.
"I thought you didn't like me using this sword," Henry pointed out and Lily sighed, slowly lifting her head to look him in the eye.
"It's still yours. And it served you well. You won a battle and your throne already with this sword. It's time for you to win one more battle," she explained.
"There are two things I never went to battle without. This sword and Jasper. I have the sword, but I don't have Jasper," Henry confessed, a disappointed look on his face.
"He's still with you, Henry," Lily assured her husband as she cupped her face in his hands. "He always will be. No matter what. His strength rides with you onto the battlefield. Now go and defeat this pretender, Henry," she pleaded. "Defeat him for us both."
"I will return to you the victor. I promise," Henry assured Lily, who nodded as he cupped her face in his hands.
Moments later, Henry and Lily began to walk down the hallway, only to stop when they saw Margaret walking toward from the opposite end of the hallway, holding the hands of both Matilda and Harry.
"I prayed, Henry," Margaret confessed in a confident tone as Henry and Lily stopped walking, allowing her to make her way toward them on her own, "I was obedient to the Lord. But now, the boy has come against you—"
"Harry, Matilda, come," Lily demanded as she held out her hand to them both.
Harry and Matilda wasted no time obeying their mother, causing Margaret to frown in concern. Lily wasted no time wrapping her arm around Harry while Matilda stood beside Henry, who protectively placed a hand on her back.
He turned to Lily, exchanging a look with his wife. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her lips. He was on the verge of walking away, only to have Matilda grab onto his hand.
"Don't go, Papa," she pleaded, causing Henry to look down at his daughter to see that she was on the verge of crying. "I'll be all alone."
"I'll return," Henry assured Matilda, wasting no time kneeling in front of his daughter.
