The Forgotten Rose {COMPLETED}

Part I: Chapter Six - The Kingmakers End

"Your Grace! The storm is still raging" Anne exclaimed as she stood on the harbour. The wind rushed in from the sea and was chased by great waves which crashed against the shore leaving a sodden foot print. Anne turned away as a wave ran into the shore and splashed across her dress. She grasped hold of her mothers hand and looked up at her. "We shall die if we sail now." She whimpered

"We go now. Warwick waits for us." Margaret of Anjou told her daughter in law harshly. "I have seen worse tides." She uttered to herself as she lifted her dress above the water which lay upon the ground. "My son must land to claim his crown, or do you not want to be Queen?"

"Of course I do, it is my greatest wish." Anne said.

"Wish? It is not a wish anymore, princess. You will be queen of England." Margaret said as she looked our onto the sea. "Lady Anne, I believe you are to board should you not be speaking with your captain."

"As your grace wishes." Lady Anne de Beauchamp curtsied the queen.

Anne watched her mothers every step away from her, wishing she could come back and sail aboard the same ship. She was her mother, they should have been allowed to share a ship surely she the queen and Edward would not need all that space for their attendants and guard, there must have been some space for her mother. Anne would have given her own bed. Perhaps had she been able to gather the courage she might have asked Margaret's permission, but as the weeks wore on being unable to sail Margaret's mood had grown all the more bitter.

For over a month violent storms had battered the French coast preventing the Lancastrian army from sailing to sit upon the throne they had already reclaimed. There was only the crossing left, they were so close yet god warded them off and made them wait across the sea. God was teaching them patience, that was what Margaret said that all good rulers needed patience and that god was simply reminding them how important it was. 

Anne pulled up the hood of her cloak and turned to her mother in law. With her hood blocking most of her view to either side of her Anne pretended her mother infanct was still there and simply a few steps behind to one side so she was just out of view.

"But it is too dangerous." Anne shouted over the whistling of the wind. Her voice croaked as the cold air attacked the back of her throat. "Your grace, we shall all drown at sea if we sail."

She looked out across the great body of water, beyond was her home. Her sister was there and her father. She wished to see them more than anything; she wished simply to hold her sister and thank her father. Between them her father and sister had secured her the marriage to Edward of Lancaster. For a marriage that would put Anne upon the throne, thanks were all she could give but she longed to indulge her family in more riches than they had before.

"I say it is safe enough. If we are destined to wear the crown god shall carry us across." Margret scolded Anne. She turned on her heal and began to march to where the boat lay waiting for them. Out at sea over a dozen more ships were set sail. All flying the Lancastrian standard. All fighting for Margaret of Anjou.

"Yes, but what if we are not." Anne said quickly before looking at the deep mud which had collected around her feet.

"Of course we are. My husband is rightful king of England." Margret smirked. "Long live King Henry."

"Long Live King Henry." Men cried in responce and Anne managed to tag along to the final words.

"See, men are loyal. The crown is ours." Margaret said. " So you shall follow me, Anne. If you still wish for the crown upon your pretty little head." Margaret ordered Anne as Anne's mind began to wander.

Anne looked up again and towards her home. Her face was white, she feared more than anything that she would die on the voyage to her home. The another voyage across the same seas had killed her sister child; what was to stop it from killing her too? The waves were so vicous that they could easily drown her, for she was not that strong and could barely swim if the ship were to wreck.