~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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~Little Fears~
August 1484, Middleham Castle....
Sitting on the floor of the nursery, Aliénor seated on his lap, Edward watched over her golden head at the dolls she played with, arms wrapped around her middle. He hadn't spent much time with his sisters of late - he hadn't ever really - but he was glad to. He wanted to know them, to love them, to like them.
That was a little more difficult with the youngest seeing as she did not speak but he was growing to know her by watching, remembering what made her smile, indulging her when she came to show him something weather it be a book or a butterfly. She sometimes hummed to herself he noticed, just quietly.
He looked to his others sisters. Isabella, who sat in one window seat, nose in a book, was quiet, serious but not without a smile. Cecily, seated happily in the other, was sleeping soundly. She laughed a lot, she was perhaps the only person who did at Middleham, shielding the air from their almost all consuming worries.
When Aliénor turned around, a doll in hand and thrust it up to his face he smiled, taking it in hand only to find his smile faltering a little. Where long golden hair had once been, it was now cropped to its shoulders and a little crown fashioned from parchment, painted a buttercup yellow, sat atop its head, its purple dress had been haphazardly cut short; now resembled a tunic.
He looked back and forth between his sister (who was gazing expectantly up at him) and the little doll under his fingers, slowly realising that the doll was not meant to be a Queen but a King.
"Me?" He breathed and Aliénor nodded, a small smile curving her lips as she turned around in his lap and wove her arms around his neck, pressing a little kiss to his cheek. Drawing back, she tapped the crown then reached up and tapped his head "Yes, I am King. So was our Father....do you remember him?"
Another nod, little fingers curling around a lock of his hair and tugging gently. Just as their Father used to do to them, a habit Marie had inherited "Yes" Edward breathed, leaning their foreheads together with a smile "And it would make us giggle and he would laugh. Do you remember his laugh? It could fill a thousand halls and make a thousand men smile. I'll wager you heard it more than I did, petite soeur"
Vision obscured by tears, when one broke free it was only a moment until soft linen was dabbing at his cheeks, held by a little hand. Blinking quickly, he spread a smile onto his lips. He didn't want to cry, didn't want his sisters to see him do so. He wanted them to see him happy.
"Thank you, Ally" He whispered with a small laugh, pulling her hand away "Now, did you know that I now have a wife and Queen?" The girl nodded, tapping the doll's crown again "Well, she is called Anne and is even younger than you, sister! She is seven!" A pair of dark blue eyes stared up at him curiously "I think the two of you shall be great friends! She is smaller than you too!"
