The White Queen -The White Queen

Sheen Palace, London, England, Spring 1472

We name a little girl Catherine after the mother that died bringing her into the world and we gave her her mother's title, Countess of Aumale. She is pretty just like her mother with the blue eyes and gold hair. At first George tries to request her guardianship but remembering how it went the last time and feeling protective over this child of Catherine's, I have Edward deny his request. George is alight with fury. He does not see why his request for this child's guardianship should be shot down. Little does he know that I have already heard all that he has subjected poor Annie Neville to.  It makes me sick that this man is the father of two young girls.

Immediately I take the chance to betrothed the baby girl to my son Edmund. This way the Lancastrians are permanently tied with the Yorks. This all about annihilates the Lancastrian cause as the claim to who had the house is split between Henry Tudor, myself, and little baby Catherine, who the world now knows as the only child of Edward of Lancaster and Catherine Neville. Now there are an undisputed king and queen of England sitting on the throne and undisputed we will remain.

We move to Sheen Palace for my confinement. It is the night before I am to be locked in my apartment for six weeks and I spend most of the evening with poor Jacquetta. She, Elizabeth, Jackie, and myself are with her on her bed. She snuggles up against myself and Elizabeth as if she were a child seeking comfort and I oblige and stroke her hair. Elizabeth is as pregnant as I am and we are due around the same time. She will be going into confinement the day after I do. 

However, unlike me she will have a husband who she knows we're not cheat. Norfolk, as much as his reputation may have preceded him when he was younger, is a devout man. He would never do anything to risk his immortal soul or his wife's affections. He spends most of the time while she is in confinement with his children and staff children, teaching them new things and instructing them on how to become warriors or great ladies. I doubt that's what my Edward will do. No doubt he will be with the children, but that is not the only thing he will be doing while I am in confinement and the worst part is that I'm well aware of it.

"Two more Rivers princesses!" Jacquetta mumbles to Elizabeth and I. This will be Elizabeth's fifth daughter with her husband and 6th daughter overall and this will be my 12th. 

We both smile. Elizabeth turns to her mother and says, "We hope for a son next time. I love all my daughters as equally as my son but that does not take away from the fact that in this world you need a boy. They are more free than my girls will ever be."

Jacquetta smiles. "You will have a son soon enough, I have foreseen it. You will have many sons. You must have patience."

For a moment everyone is quiet before Jackie cries, "Mother, you cannot go yet! What are we to do? And surely you cannot bear to leave your sons Lewis and Anthony, they need you just as much as we do!" 

Jacquetta smiles and dismisses her daughter's worries saying, "Nobody is ever ready for their mother to leave. But all of you will manage without me, and through you, and your children, I think I will have founded one of the greatest lines of nobility and royalty England has ever seen. And I think through my dearest niece I will have found in a line of kings in England and queens as well in England and in other parts of the world."

"I'm thankful that you think me family enough to have a let me get this close to all of you," I say to her.

She looks up and smiles at me, "You have been evermore my own child since you arrived at court when you were no more than 12 years old."

I kiss her forehead, "Thank you."

"I must rest," she tells Jackie, Elizabeth, and I. 

"Then we'll stay with you," Jackie insists.