An English rose

Chapter 004

Elizabeth Woodville pov
How am I going to sort this out? If I break this alliance with Margaret then my children will be legitimate again and allowed to return to court. But then again Lizzie may never be able to become queen and if Henry Tudor does invade he surely will put Elizabeth beside him in the throne and he'll need alliances to stop this war. And Richard may be wrong about Margaret Beaufort. Surely she will not try to rule through her son after being married to three different men. But would my daughter just be a standing figure for the throne?
My thoughts are going at a million miles per hour trying to find a solution. " But how can I fix this?" I ask Richard. "You could allow me to me to take Elizabeth and Cecily back to court with me. That's one way you can fix this. They will be Cared for and treated with respect and they shall become my wife's ladies in waiting for a short amount of time. They will be considered as apart of my family and will be my most trusted guests," declares Richard.
Taking in the information I've just been given and the fact that I don't trust Richard any more than I trust Margaret I have to admit his plan is more appealing to me. There's two ways that this can go: I can marry my daughter to Henry Tudor and she will become queen but with no power or I could take Richards side that is that he's telling the truth and have my children but back in the line of succession.

"I agree," I blurt out. "But what will become of me. Will I come go court to that show that I also support you?" Richard ponders the idea in his head but then shakes his head. " No you won't return to court. Everyone knows how much you care for your children and would not let me care for them if I didn't have your trust and support. And soon enough word will reach Margaret Beaufort and she will send word to her son and then they'll be struggling to find a new alliance as France won't support them without the backing of you. I will take Elizabeth and Cecily tonight if that..."

"Take us where?" A small voice behind me said.
Elizabeth of York pov
"Take us where?" I ask from my hiding space behind the wall where I've been standing.
Lady mother and uncle Richard look shocked when I turn the corner obviously thinking that they're alone. I silently gasp when I see Richard. I have not seen him for many months and I have to say he has gotten more handsome. He would be thirty-two now and would've been on the throne for around 2 years. I can't help but look at him no matter how much I should be ashamed by it. He is also staring at me and I can't help but want to know why.

Richards pov
I turn to the area where the little voice came from and there she is. The Princess Elizabeth. I have not seen her since her father, my brother, died.  She has grown more beautiful than the last time I saw her. She no longer has a head of firey red hair but a head of long strawberry blonde hair, her mouth is round and has a pinkish tint to them. I can tell that I have been staring to long that what I should do as an uncle but I can't help it she is a beauty. But I also can't help but notice  that she's staring at me in the exact same way. Thankfully Elizabeth senior has not noticed as she is still shocked that we were overheard.

I can tell that she didn't want Elizabeth to overhear the conversation and that she wanted to explain the situation to her before they left to come to court with me. " Elizabeth I have something to say to you," she nervously said. " Your uncle Richard wishes for you and your sister Cecily to return back to court and to be his wife's lady's in waiting's."
"Really?" Gasped Elizabeth and looked to me for clarification, and smiled with shock on her face that she was finally going to be a princess again.
Her smile was quickly turns into a frown, "is it just me and Cecily? What about the rest of my sisters?" I smile at her and she smiles back. "No, not just you and Cecily your sisters will also be give back their rights." I assure her with another quick smile.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" She practically screams as she runs in to my arms to hug me. I'm shocked at her actions but end up hugging her back almost immediately. "Your welcome Princess Elizabeth." I whisper in her ear. I release her from my arm and tell her to go gather her things and wake her sister Cecily and fill her in on what's happening.

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