~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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
~Truth Will Out~
14th of August, 1484....
A line of Yorks stood across the left side of the eastern ramparts of the castle: Edward, Richard, Constance, Marie, Isabella . On the right stood their most trusted men: John Neville, Lord Scrope, Peter and Charles, George Neville, Rob, Francis.
Between them, atop the centre gatehouse battlement stood the shivering, almost skeletal figure of Richard Grey, his gaunt face made wilder by a scraggly beard and matted hair, a noose around his neck tied about the stone at his feet. The wind carried his stench.
Below the gatehouse, across the lowered drawbridge stand many more Lords, arms folded, eyes narrowed, some with sardonic grins - all watching with satisfaction. Behind them had gathered the villagers, intermingled with countless soldiers that had packed Middleham's village to the brim, some had even scaled the walls to catch a glimpse of the upcoming spectacle!
Behind Grey stood his executioner, a hooded man Richard had chosen and whom Constance did not know the name of but knew he was about to do something to which she would owe him thanks for life. Since the moment the prisoner had appeared, the spectators had jeered, hurling every taunt and insult they could conjure at him.
She doubted he could hear them with the wind rushing in his ears, she barely could herself, but appreciated their enthusiasm all the same. Now, all had been called to silence by the movement of Edward when he'd stepped forward and held up a hand and there were orders for 'quiet for the King' barked. It made her heart swell with pride.
"Good people of Middleham!" He boomed, then smiled "Good men of England! My loyal subjects to whom I dedicate this fine day. This day you come to see a traitor die, to witness the fall of a demon and the dawn of a new age! A great age! For this day symbolises much more than a man's death, it symbolises the fall of his house!" A roar from the crowd went up and he let it free for a minute before signalling for silence again.
He spoke with confidence, with words Richard had given him to say. He would learn to craft his own in time, Constance thought, no less proud. He'd proven his potential with the speech he'd made only minutes after landing on English soil! She'd made John tell her that tale at least three times.
"Freedom from pretenders and traitors!" He continued "Freedom from snakes and the restoration of God and the House of York to this great Kingdom! This day you see the death of a traitor, who kept imprisoned your great Duke, my beloved Uncle of Gloucester and your beloved Dowager Queen, Constance, wife and Queen of my late Father!" The whole crowd rumbled with boos at that, directed towards Grey of course, sprinkled with cries of 'A Gloucester! A Gloucester!' And 'God save Queen Constance!'
