In which Nora of Lancaster continues to fight for her family and their rightful place on the throne of England, despite all that she has lost already.
THE WHITE PRINCESS
BOOK TWO IN THE COUSIN'S WAR SERIES
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"Are you sure about this?" Lizzie asked as she walked over to Nora, an uneasy look on her face.
"This is the only way to keep you and Prince Edmund safe," Nora replied, turning to face Lizzie as she tried to contain her sadness, "You must leave England. Go to Austria. Maximilian will keep you safe."
"Shouldn't Marie come with us, then?" Lizzie frowned in concern, "She is, after all, his daughter."
"Margaret wishes to keep her here. As do I," Nora answered in a calm tone, "She won't be harmed, even if we are to lose. She is the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor. Even the Tudors would never let the daughter of such a powerful man be harmed."
Lizzie nodded in understanding, trying to contain her sadness as she walked toward the woman who had been like a mother to her for more than half her life. "Am I ever going to see you again?" She asked softly, causing Nora to sigh in defeat.
"If we win, yes," Nora replied, hiding her own uneasiness, "If we don't...Probably not."
"I must thank you, Nora," Lizzie suddenly spoke up, causing Nora to frown as she turned the face the younger woman, "I must thank you for being there for me when no one else was. Lizbeth, Cecily, even my own mother abandoned me, but you never did. You raised me into the strong woman I am to this day. You were a mother to me when my own mother wasn't. You fought for me like I was your own blood. I thank you for that."
Lizzie began to tear up and Nora found herself doing the same. She quickly rushed over to Lizzie, hugging her tightly as Lizzie began to cry.
Slowly, she pulled away, cupping Lizzie's face in her hands as she wiped the girl's streaming tears. "I don't care what people say. You may not be my blood, but you are my daughter. You always will be and that is why I'm sending you away. I don't want you dying because of me. I have lost enough children, I will not lose another," Nora explained, beginning to cry, "I love you, Lizzie. Remember that."
"I love you, too," Lizzie confessed in a whisper as she stared up at Nora, "If this is the last time we meet, I promise you that I'm going to make you proud. I'm going to do right by the York name, no matter what it takes. If it comes down to it, I will raise Edmund like I would my own son. I promise."
Nora smiled, nodding her head in understanding as she hugged Lizzie tightly.
"Your Grace," A voice called out, causing the duo to turn their head to see John de la Pole standing before them.
He held little Edmund in his arms as he walked over to the two women. He was more than a year old now.
John de la Pole stopped when he was standing in front of Nora. He handed her the child and Nora began to tear up as her grandson was placed in her arms. She held the small boy in her arms as she looked down at him. "I pray this isn't the last time we meet. I will do everything in my power to return you to your father. But for now, you must live with your aunt Lizzie. She will take care of you. I promise. You will be safe. I pray to God you never have to grow up the way your father did as an exile. You will be raised at Westminster as a prince of England, as is your God-given right. I will do everything within my power to make that happen."
