－𝑊𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒－
It's the year 1469 and Isabella Woodville is sailing to Italy from an England engulfed in bloodstained rebellion to become the wife of Lorenzo de Medici. But she harbours a secret, a secret that grows with...
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~The Joker and the Queen~
The sounds of the coronation festivities were muffled slightly by the heavy walls and thick doors that separated the rest of the court from where Bella stood on the pillared balcony overlooking the courtyard but nothing could quieten the riotous din that engulfed the city of London.
It was deep into the night and the sky was dotted with shining stars that she took an interest in to pass the time, mapping out the different constellations before her eyes. For most of the afternoon she had attended her sister, filling her wine cup, dancing with any noble that was required but after many drinks and the ever increasing noise she had decided to retreat outside.
The first breath of air that she had taken on the balcony had been one of sweet relief to her for the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed had begun to make her mind swim! That had partially been the King's fault. Edward was a merry man who clearly loved to revel in celebrations and had been determined to see each member of his wife's family had their fill of the best wine!
He even had little Leena rather in her cups and dancing with him in front of the court while Elizabeth watched and clapped in time to the melody! Bella smiled at the memory created just an hour prior and leant upon the stone wall of the balcony so that she might peer more clearly into the night.
"So you are Isabella Woodville?"
She spun around at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, a pang of alarm rushing through her chest as she suddenly realised she was alone. The voice that called out to her was not quite a boy's but not quite a man's, still holding an element of youth within its deepening depths and from the shadows, Bella could see a tall, well dressed figure.
"Who enquires, my Lord?"
She did not know why she relaxed when the boy stepped forth and she saw that it was George because she did not know him but felt the tension in her body leave all the same.
The young Duke smiled at her demure curtsy and sauntered forward, holding out one of the two silver goblets he held. She took it and slowly lifted it to her lips, taking a sip at the same time as he as if to settle the air between them despite knowing she had had more than enough alcohol that eve.
"Really, all the Woodville girls are pretty" he remarked after a moment, coming to stand next to her, a movement so relaxed it made it seemed he had known her his whole life. Bella found it in herself to scoff, recalling his words from earlier that day.
"I thought you saw us as fish, my Lord?" She asked and his deep laughter rang through the air, coaxing her to smile like he had done at the banquet. His dark eyes found hers and she was sure he had moved a little closer. But why?
