~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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~Allegiance~
10th of August, 1484....
The air was thick and close with swathes of cooling heat as rain poured down upon Middleham but none could find it in themselves to care with the arrival of John Neville, accompanied by his nineteen year old son, George, and three hundred men.
Many overtures of welcome were made in the courtyard, relived and joyful, and many embraces had; many knees bent to Edward who grinned and embraced his returned kin with vigour. John and Richard shared a warm embrace, after which the younger man slung an arm around his cousin's broad shoulders - grinning broadly - and inquired how his journey had been.
John replied it had proven smoother than expected and while they'd anticipated the people ready to join them they'd not predicted no pushbacks from the Percys! The past decades had proved that either clan of Percy and Neville would take any opportunity to shed the blood of the other but they'd ridden almost right past Alnwick and the gates had remained firmly shut!
George added his Father had been temped to set it alight, or at least a little of it, but alas could not bring himself to ruin the home they'd spent so many blessed years residing in. That, John agreed, and the fact he did not desire the cost the repairs would muster when it was restored to them!
The word in each village they passed, he continued, was that the North was now in open rebellion and its creeping tendrils of chaos were making their way further and further south! This pleased his listeners most thoroughly as they entered the castle, Edward having quickly fallen into step with George, staring up at the older boy in complete admiration as he would an older brother.
As Richard used to do with his brothers Constance thought as she watched for a moment before her eyes flicked to her lover and her smile widened when she saw almost the exact expression of her son adorning his face when he looked at John! In her youth she'd looked at Jamie just so!
The large party bustled to the nearest solar where and abundance of wine was called for wine and sweetmeats for the new arrivals, the men shaking their heads to expel the cool water droplets from their damp hair.
All sat where they could - Edward and Richard by the fire, Cecily and Aliénor on the rug between them, John leant upon the stone mantle, George and Howard in one window seat, Rob and Francis in the other, Constance at the nearby table with Marie to her right and Isabella to her left who's cow eyes and flaming cheeks directed towards the young man in the window closest to the hearth could not be more conspicuous!
"I do not only bring news of rebellion but news of allegiance" John announced once they were all settled and the wine poured "But two days ago I received a messenger from the Earl of Kildare" "Ireland has long stood with my house as its friends and allies" Edward exclaimed, sitting up in his seat and his cousin nodded.
