The Last York Prince [AU]

Abused

SUMMER 1491:

The silence in the room enhanced the sound of slap. Richard's cheek was red as he looked away from Margaret Beaufort.

"Repeat it again and you shall receive far worse than that. Begone!", Margaret bellowed to the six year old boy.

Richard hid in the stables all day long. It was not like he did something wrong. He merely asked when he could see his cousins, Maggie and Teddy again.

One of the stable boys he had grew up with, Drew Barnley hurried to Richard's side. Drew was about a year younger and had taken a liking to Richard, looking up to him like an older brother.

"What happened?", asked Drew, worried.

"It was nothing", Richard said, meekly.

"It can't be nothing. Your cheek looks like a tomato", said Drew.

Drew's father, William came into the stables not long to see his son applying some salve to Richard's cheek. Richard's eyes were red, resulted from him crying.

"What happened?", asked William, as he knelt down to the two boys.

William had served at Gloucester, but briefly as Henry Tudor had won in Bosworth. William could tell the boy of six in front of him was none other than the late king's son.

Drew told William what Richard had told him. William didn't know how far Richard knows about his true heritage. When asked, Richard was told his father had died during the war and his mother had to let him go for his safety. When William first met the boy was when his then new wife was given the task to care for him.

After Alice had passed away, after giving birth to their daughter, Sarah, William did asked Jasper about Richard, but the king's uncle forbade him to speak a word about Richard's father. "It's for the boy's own good that he does not know", said Jasper.

Perhaps, young Richard knew who he was and why he has been kept here, away from his mother. William felt sorry for the poor child.

That night, Richard and Drew sat in the stables, laid on the hays as they watched the stars. William arrived and laid next to Drew, resting after a long day of work.

"Aren't they beautiful?", said Richard.

"They are, Richard. They are very beautiful", said William.

"Father, you think Richard's father is up there?", asked Drew.

William sighed. "I guess. He's probably watching over him now", he said.

"What about my mother? Do you think she knows me?", asked Richard.

William sat up, sighing again. "Richard, come. Let me tell you a story", he said.

The trio huddled together by the fire. William draped a blanket the two boys. Figuring it's safe, he began the story.

"Your father was an important man. He was powerful. Many people respected him. He was a noble man. He had a beautiful wife, but they had a frail son. His son died at a young age and his wife soon followed. Then, the war broke and..., he was slain in battle", said William; he wasn't a good storyteller, but he had the boys' attention.

"But if his wife died before the war, who was his mother?", asked Drew with Richard waiting in anticipation.

Before William could say more, the door that served as the entrance from the stables to the castle opened. Jasper had worried look, but sighed in relief when he saw Richard was with the stable master, William Barnley.

"There you are, Richard. I've been looking for you everywhere", said Jasper.

Jasper noticed the faded red on the boy's cheek, no doubt it was from Margaret Beaufort. He gently beckoned the boy back into the castle.

Richard didn't want to go back, afraid of Margaret Beaufort. William gently nodded at him and reluctantly, Richard got up.

"We'll continue the story another day", said William.

Jasper took Richard back inside and tucked him into bed. He sat by the bed and inspected the red mark on his cheek.

"Did she tell you why she slapped you?", asked Jasper.

Richard didn't answer at first, afraid if he told Jasper, Margaret might do worse to him. His fingers twiddled around his blanket, nervous.

"I won't hurt you, Richard. You can tell me", said Jasper. He took Richard in because he saw how similar Richard was to his nephew, King Henry.

"I just wanted to see Maggie and Teddy. That's all", said Richard.

Jasper sighed. Margaret Beaufort never liked Richard at all. It wasn't the first time she had hit him. Jasper wanted to raise Richard just as he raised Henry. He knew Richard will go far and do much more with his life. Jasper had told Richard who Maggie and Teddy were to him, nothing more than that.

"If you promise me you'll sleep and do your studies and chores as you are told, I'll take you to see Maggie and Teddy on Christmas", said Jasper.

"I promise", said Richard.

"What was William telling you earlier?", asked Jasper.

Richard was afraid William and Drew would be punished if he told Jasper what William had told him. "I asked him how the stars were made. William said God painted them in the sky every night", said Richard.

Jasper chuckled at the answer. William and his son had been companions for Richard whenever Jasper was not around and he was thankful for that. He knew Margaret was not nice to the boy and he had hoped William and his son would be a good influence to Richard.

Richard continued his lessons as per usual, although more diligently than before. He promised Lord Jasper and in return, he hoped to see his cousins again.