The Last York Prince [AU]

Revelation

(William had done what Richard had asked of him)

The boat rocked back and forth. Everyone, minus Richard and a few sailors, was asleep.

Edward woke up. He stretched his arms and grabbed his coat before walking out.

He walked towards the upper deck. It was still early and sun was about to peek out.

Richard was by the wheel, watching the waves. Edward approached him, noticing the black pendant around his neck.

"Is it true, Your Grace?", Edward asked.

"About what?", Richard looked a bit sad.

"Witchcraft, in your family", said Edward.

Richard shrugged. "Depends..., if you truly believe in it".

"Do you?".

Richard opened the locket and took out one of the pieces of paper in it. He walked back down to find a lit candle.

Edward watched as the young man in front of him unravelled the paper, revealing Margaret Beaufort's name. He hovered the paper above the fire.

"With this, I curse you, Margaret Beaufort. When the truth is revealed, you shall fall", Richard spoke as he burned the paper and watched it turned to ashes.

At first, it was nothing, but suddenly, the skies grew dark. The waves hit the ship, making it rocked back and forth really hard and Edward heard the sailors yelling to prepare themselves for a storm.

"Is that it?", Edward asked.

He saw something..., odd in Richard's eyes. It was..., as if..., belonged to someone else.

"You tell me", said Richard before calmly walking back to his quarters.

(FLASHBACK TO THE NIGHT OF THE FIRE)

William had snuck his two children out through a secret tunnel he had found years ago. Once they were safe aboard the ship, he and Edward went back to get Pepper.

Before arriving to the stable, William gave instructions to Edward to take Pepper and wait for him at their meeting point. This didn't sit well with Edward.

"Are you mad?!", Edward whispered.

"If we're going to go down, I want to drag her with us", said William, holding out the letter that Richard had entrusted him to guard.

"What's in it?", asked Edward.

"A confession".

Using the secret passages, William managed to enter the throne room. He took out a knife and stabbed the letter on the Tudor insignia.

"Long live the king", he uttered before leaving.

(PRESENT)

William woke up to find Richard staring out of the window. He turned to see the dark skies slowly dispersed and the sun shining out once more.

"Did you deliver the letter?", asked Richard.

"I did", William replied.

"Good", Richard nodded.

"You know where we're going?", William asked again.

"Burgundy, it's our only sanctuary now", said Richard, sounding very nonchalant.

"We don't have to go there. We can find a place..., far away from them", said William.

"I doubt Edward out there will let you do it", said Richard.

William considered that fact. "If we have succeeded the escape, you think we can't?".

Richard shrugged. "Perhaps..., if my lady grandmother let us go".

(MEANWHILE, IN LONDON)

The steward came into the throne room and saw the paper. He took out the knife and read the passage on top of it.

"I curse those who read it, except Henry the King Of England".

He tucked the letter into his pocket and quickly scurried away towards the king's chamber. He contemplated in giving the letter, so he waited until the rest of the servants had finished dressing the king for the day.

"Sire? May I speak to you privately?", the steward asked.

Henry frowned at the steward. "What is it?".

"I would've gone to your lords first, but I doubt they would hand it in. My father had served in this palace when Edward IV had reigned and I too follow his footsteps during Richard III's reign. The Woodvilles, especially Jacquetta and the previous queen, were known for their sorceries, as people rumoured. As much as I don't believe in it, I'd take their words very seriously if I were you", said the steward as he handed the letter to Henry.

"Where did you find this?".

"On your throne, stabbed over your insignia with this knife".

Henry would've recognised if it's Richard, but it was a plain knife. Anyone could've done it, but who would if it's not someone close to his step son?

"Tell this to no one, understand?", said Henry.

The steward nodded and left. Henry shuddered at the written words on the top of the letter before he pried the wax seal and read it.

"I address you, King Henry Of England

I am, but your humble servant. I would like to speak to you, but I fear of my life, thus I write to you.

On the night of your uncle's death, I passed by the chapel. I overheard his conversation with your mother, about the Princes in The Tower. They spoke about their death and who had caused it.

Your mother seemed distraught while your uncle looked at her with utter betrayal. She claimed she didn't know if her orders on the princes were executed on the night of the attempted rescue on the princes...".

Henry almost dropped to his knees as he read it. He shook his head, thinking the writer was mistaken.

"I promised your uncle I would not utter a word to anyone, not even to you, but you must understand one thing. The curse that my grandmother and mother had laid upon those who murdered the princes...".

Henry read the paragraph, now knowing who the writer is. Was the curse true? He looked back to the letter.

"If Warbeck is truly my mother's brother, killing him would only devastating your dynasty. I swear to you, on my mother's life, I have never and will never betray you or lie to you.

I'm writing to you, to clear my name. I'm not sure if you would believe a word I say, but I swear to you, I speak nothing, but the truth.

Yours truly,

Richard Plantagenet".

(AT THE SAME TIME)

William turned to Richard. "The letter you gave me..., you switched it, didn't you?".

"I did", said Richard.

"You think he'll believe you?".

"The main point is the curse. If Warbeck is truly my uncle, then killing him will only doom their lineage".