The Princess the World Forgot

Chapter 4

    "My father knows where Henry is? Surely nobody could have overheard us," Edmund said.

    "No, but your father the King has Edward of Wellington, the turncoat, spying on Henry in Wales," Ella replied. "He knows Henry married your cousin Elizabeth and has a son, Arthur, who's two years old."

    "He won't hurt them, will he? A woman and child, practically a baby."

    "He's having both Henry and Arthur killed. But he's not telling anyone of Arthur's death, or existence. He fears that people would rebel if they found out that their king would do such a thing."

    "How d'you suppose we help them?"

    "You told me we could send a letter secretly, right?" Ella's asked.

    "Yes, my tutor can have a message delivered. He'll just think I am sending a message to a friend."

   "No questions asked? I'm afraid he might read it and report back to the King."

   "You have my word that he won't. It's quite risky, though. The letter might be intercepted along the way. Where is he, anyways? Some places might cause some suspicion."

   "He's in Ludlow with his uncle Jasper. It's quite clever thinking on his part, really. Hiding right under the King's nose."

   "Ludlow? Why is my father sending us there, then?"

   "He must plan to have him killed before we arrive."

   "So we send the letter tonight. That is, if you think you can compose one in time," Edmund said.

   "I can, but what if someone sees me sitting alone in a study? I'm supposed to be by your side all day," Ella replied.

   "I'll go with you."

   Though a small part of her mind still harbored a bit of distrust for the prince, she pushed that minuscule part of her brain away and agreed, hoping that that her subconscious was wrong.

  Edmund led her to his study, where he promptly pulled out a piece of paper, along with ink and a quill-- Ella immediately picked up the quill and began writing the letter, while it was still fresh in her mind. Edmund was surprised at how quickly (and neatly) she wrote the letter. As a princess, she certainly must have been trained this way-- he wondered which tutor she'd had and, though he respected his own tutor, if he would be willing to teach him as well.

   He pushed the thought out of his head. The tutor must have been Lancastrian, and a Lancastrian wouldn't tutor him. It wouldn't hurt to ask who he was, though, even if it was just small talk. "Ella, I don't mean to pry, but, who was your tutor? He must have been quite intelligent, to have taught someone as bright as you."

  She blushed. "Er... She, not he. My aunt, Margaret Beaufort."

  "Truly?"

  "Of course." She continued writing the letter as Edmund watched in awe.

   Who'd have thought the women of the Lancastrian clan possessed such intelligence? He'd been taught from a young age that York was much more intelligent, athletic, and brave than Lancaster was, but meeting Ella might have flipped the switch, as one might say, on the values that had once been set in stone in his mind.

  Likewise, Ella had been told that Yorkists were barbaric and cowardly, but Edmund seemed the furthest thing from barbaric-- he seemed like a perfect gentleman. And, she couldn't imagine him running from a fight. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but, a boy-- no, man; he was sixteen, and that was considered a man-- who fit the picture of a knight in shining armor, minus the armor, sure wasn't what she was expecting when she thought of a Yorkist heir. Of course, the same couldn't be said for the king.

  Granted, neither Edmund or Ella told the other what they had previously thought of their respective Houses. They simply allowed the other to believe that they only saw the black and the white, and not the grey that truly was the only thing to be seen.