𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙....
In a world of bloody war and misgivings that lead to treason, there is only one thing Catherine Percy can be sure of and that is danger.
Her life had not always been thus, f...
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~For Those are the Reasons I Love You~
Four years, four peaceful years followed the turmoil of 1478, four years of bliss in the North where Catherine and Richard simply lived. They heard petitions from nobles and tenants of their lands, rode across Bamburgh beach, cared for their children. They allowed themselves to be captured by the soft blanket of domesticity wrapping itself around them and relished its warmth.
The Duke and Duchess had retreated from court and not returned, staying at Bamburgh and only moving when it came to Christmas and they celebrated at Fotheringhay or Raby where Cecily lived. Death no longer plagued them and the wheel of fortune seemed to turn in their favour, bringing life to Catherine's belly in 1480.
Richard was overjoyed when he found out and (like with her other pregnancies) refused to leave her side for the next nine months. As her belly grew, so did her delight and their children were curious.
Henry would sit his little brothers and sister down in the nursery and each of them would take turn listening to the baby inside their Mother. They would giggle when they felt a kick and even Dickon had taken to calling his little brother or sister 'baby' instead of 'pink worm' like he did when Edward was born!
Her pains had started on the eve of the 25th of September, stirring her from her sleep and Ralph too who had barked until her ladies came running from the chamber next door. It had been a relatively easy birth (just like with Edward) and by the early hours of the morning Catherine held her second daughter in her arms.
Her little Cecily. A tiny thing that preferred to stare instead of cry, observe instead of participate. She had her Mother's blonde hair, her Father's dark eyes and he especially doted on her. After their boys, he welcomed another little Princess and took to carrying her around the training yard when her brothers practiced their sword craft.
Henry was most skilled and his little brother's trailed after him like a God, imitating his every action and listening to every word of their Father he parroted. In their minds he was already a knight!
Joan was often with him, watching her brothers in awe and (after a while) Richard gave her her own dagger. She marvelled at the beautiful sight (while the sound of her brother's lances smashing against one another's shields sounded in the background) staring at the golden hilt studded with rubies and the iron blade that glistened in the sun.
"Thank you, Father!" She whispered before showing her little sister her new weapon. Cecily pawed at it, fascinated by the jewels "Look Cis! Now I can protect you like our brothers will!" "I will show you how to wield it!" He promised and a week later made good on his word, teaching her some of what her brother's knew and from then she kept her dagger with her always.
