~𝕭𝖊𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖞𝖆𝖑 𝖎𝖘 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌~
Born the youngest daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon, Constance of Bourbon grows up amidst comfort and splendour on her powerful family's estates in France. A shy child, she prefers her...
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~Birds of Prey~
February 1484, Middleham Castle....
Surprisingly, Christmas did not pass unnoticed by Middleham, in fact it was made most festive - though Constance and Richard still trod lightly.
Bows of holly and ivy, decorated with red berries were placed around the castle and upon Christmas Day a great feast was held where the two prisoners sat either side of Richard Grey upon the dais. The food was excellent (though the company as self enamoured as ever), the music pleasant and there was even dancing which both Richard and Constance partook in.
They couldn't help but truly smile.
On New Year's Day, gifts were bestowed upon them by Grey and they reciprocated, Constance giving a beautifully embroidered cushion while fawning over him even more than usual while Richard gave a bejewelled pin for his hat!
The Scropes broke their silence, sending her two new gowns of black velvet damask and light blue silk while Grey brought her jewellery and a beautiful peregrine falcon she was genuinely enamoured with. He was a beautiful bird with soft feathers and dark eyes that watched her intensely as he sat on her hand covered with an embroidered leather glove that was gifted along with him.
She named him Jest.
She'd only held him in her chamber but hoped that one day she would see him fly. It was a lovely gift an even she felt her heart soften for a moment when Grey gave it to her.
Richard in turn received new clothes, a fine book with gold lettering and was only too happy to consume the excellent wine served on the Christmas Day and in the days after when the castle feasted together!
And so December turned to January and January melted into February, leaving the ground hard and windows frosted; fires blazing in every room. Though she had worked hard for four long months, Constance felt only a little closer to regaining her beloved daughters or her son's throne.
But she would not let her act falter, not for one second, nor would Richard, and one February morn, their efforts at last bore a little fruit.
Alice and Martha had been dismissed and she was alone, attending to more embroidery when the door swung open and Richard strolled in, eyes shining; mouth curved into a gleeful grin.
Constance jumped, staring at him from her seat in utter disbelief.
"I've done it!" He laughed when the door shut behind him "I've done it, Connie!" "Richard! What on earth are you doing here?" She exclaimed, though couldn't suppress the smile that appeared purely because of his joy. She lowered her voice "And using the right door for once too!"
