The Forgotten Rose {COMPLETED}

Part I: Chapter Nineteen - Christmas At Court

"Your Grace." Isabelle curtsied to her brother-in-law. "How is your Edward?" She asked politely with a sweet smile upon her face. George had ordered her to be civil, to show she was not his wife but loyal to the crown and to her sister. Her hand rested on her swollen belly, a son would be with her soon.

"He is well, still small, but he is a fine boy." Richard smiled. "I am amazed how he is growing. It seems like moments ago he was a newborn, now he is beginning to make small steps."

"My Margaret is already walking." Isabelle boasted. "She is a clever girl, she is always sat with her father as he does his work. The words bemuse her, she is rather entertaining to watch." Her girl was her most loved possession. It was among her proudest moments when she saw her daughter as she waddled towards her on her short dumpy legs.

"Do not boast, Isabelle." George commanded as he came up behind her. His charming grin was stretched across his handsome face, alive with a fake joy. "Richard" He greeted his brother bowing slightly.

"Where is your wife?" George was relieved not to see Anne Neville, it had been two years since her escape but he still loathed her. She was a treacherous leach and would infect his brother Richard. One brother against him he could handle, but if Richard decided he wanted the throne for himself, well George could not fight such forces. Richard had two dozen noble men, possibly many more, sworn to him through respect. George had none for no one respected him.

"She did not feel so well, she did not wish to spoil the celebrations with her coughing." Richard smiled, he was rather relieved to be without Anne. Court was his place. The place he stood alone, people knew him as Duke of Gloucester. He was proud there, he was respected for his intelligence not his charity and his wealth.

"Give her my sorrow, I hope I shall catch sight of her soon, I need to speak with her." Isabelle proclaimed. "Our mother has written to me."

"She was telling Anne. Anne was so delighted at the letter, she was glad your mother was communicating with one other than god. She did not stop her grinning for almost the entire week. Richard told Isabelle quickly. "Now, I must see the king." Richard bowed to the pair before leaving them be. Their eyes followed him as he walked away, and not until he was out of sight did they speak.

"I do have a disliking for that brother of yours." Isabelle whispered. "He is too clever and too wealthy and powerful to cast aside."

"Don't we all." George sighed.

"He shall not join us, he shall be my brothers little pup. Loyal till his last." George said taking his wife's hand. They began to walk around the outside of the room, that way they would be watched by fewer people. Fewer members of King Edwards court would see their lurking and report it to the king himself.

"Then we shall be rid of him, or we shall never see our throne." Isabelle demanded of her husband. She smiled at an fellow wife who held to her own husbands hand, although the other woman was old. Her face was wrinkled, Isabelle should have been able to name it, she had attended court enough times in her life to do so. The woman must have been a foreign visitor. Or some Woodville, Elizabeth's grandmother perhaps.

"No, Isabelle, I see our throne perfectly clearly. It is there and upon it sits my usurper brother and his witch wife." George sneered. "We shall see it, we shall be reminded that it is not ours. We shall not sit upon it if we are not rid of my brother."

"He would follow if Anne were to follow." Isabelle told George. "He is loyal to her, more than your brother."

"And your sister would join us?" George asked.

"Yes, if it was profitable. If I promised friendship and some form of support thereafter for her boy." Isabel said her sister was too fond of her child, she adored the boy to much. Anne was not ill, she was most likely missing that dear little son of hers, missing his first birthday. "She loves that boy." Isabelle felt a strike of jealously, she should have had the boy. She was well-mannered, she was the heiress, and she was the eldest; yet Anne still got what she wished more often than Isabel. Hopefully the baby in her belly would be that son.