Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
°➶☽∘ ✥ ∘☾➴°
❝𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀, 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒, I come to tell you, I-I think the king is dead,"Oveido says, the moment he reaches Catherine and Lina. The two ladies were taking a walk after checking up on Maggie Pole, who is locked in the tower for her supposed crimes.
The pair immediately stop walking and talking the moment the news reaches their ears.
"Dead?" Catherine repeats, shock plastering itself to her face, "Does Alexandra know? Is she here? Can I speak with her?"
"No, Princess Alexandra does not know, she has left to meet back up with her brother," Oviedo explains, "And there was much blood, and Lady Margaret, she is like a lion in a cage. She sends word for Prince Harry and Princess Alexandra to come to Westminster now. But, highness, the guards, they have been told to throw you from the palace. It is not safe for you to return."
"Then I will ride to Harry and Alexandra and intercept them on the road," Catherine says, a plan forming in her head, "There is only one road to the city from the north."
"Then I come with you," Oviedo offers to two ladies, "There are robbers on the road and everyone is starving. Your safety is before all other things."
Catherine smiles in thanks before she nods and walks off. She has a determined look on her face as she gets ready to depart to meet Harry and Alexandra.
°➶☽∘ ✥ ∘☾➴°
As Catherine prepares to meet up with Harry and Alexandra before they reach Westminster, Lady Margaret does her utter best to keep the illegal things she has done buried. She does not want Harry knowing all the bad things she has done, for she knows she will suffer the consequences of those actions.
She finds herself grabbing all the scrolls of paper - that have any evidence of her illegal works -into her hands just as a knock comes to the king's chamber's door.
"Who is it?" She wonders.
"Dudley," the voice of Dudley replies. She moves towards the door, looking out to see Dudley and Wiltshire behind it.
"I didn't send for you," she says to Wiltshire, before quickly correcting herself, "Eh - the king didn't send for you."
"My lady, the king's mother, sh-should we fetch the-the king's physician?" Wiltshire asks in a low tone, "Is he unwell?"
She exhales before hesitantly letting them inside. The two are quick to enter the room, Lady Margaret closing the door behind them. The two men's eyes graze over the room until they land on the king, who lays dead in his bed.
"In the name of our lord, Jesus Christ, what has happened here?" Wiltshire wonders as he looks to the king's dead body.
"The king has taken his rightful place at God's side," Lady Margaret replies as she takes a seat at the desk again. She wastes no time piling up the scrolls on the table, "Now, we must work quickly. These ledgers detail lands and chattels that the crown has seized in lieu of taxes."
"But Parliament refused to ratify that lands could be forfeit," Wiltshire objects in a surprised voice as he looks over the words written down.
"Land owners can repurchase their confiscated lands at the prices written down," Dudley replies simply, going to hand over the scroll with a list of prices.
"He doesn't need to see the prices," Lady Margaret replies, grabbing some of the scrolls from Dudley's hands.
"This is against the law. It-It is thievery," Wiltshire exclaims as he looks over one of the scrolls, "What were you thinking?"
"Don't play the innocent, Wiltshire," Lady Margaret replies, annoyance lacing her words, "Every member of the privy council knew that - "
"Knew that the treasury was short of funds, yes, and-and I sang with the chorus, but this is some secret song that you both sang," Wiltshire exclaims, cutting off Lady Margaret without concern. On any other day she would have yelled at him, but not today, there was too much going on, "Did the king know if this?"
"The issue is that these must be disposed of," Lady Margaret says, "Prince Harry and Princess Alexandra must be safely back in the palace before the country learns that the king is dead. If news leaks out, there could be a rebellion. They could be torn apart by a mob. I must see my grandson on the throne! And Alexandra must be safe if that is to happen! It is the will of God."
"I shall take these to my home until you instruct me what to do with them," Dudley adds blankly as he holds the scrolls and moves to leave the chamber.
"What of the king?" Wiltshire asks, his eyes falling to the body of Henry again.
"He has been sent for," Lady Margaret replies.
"No, this king, our beloved monarch," Wiltshire says in annoyance, "He cannot be suffered to languish in his own bloody bedding."
"The king sleeps. . ." Lady Margaret replies dangerously, "Until I say otherwise."
°➶☽∘ ✥ ∘☾➴°
Not too far away, Catherine rides to meet up with Harry and Alexandra, who are making their way back to Westminster at this very moment. Alexandra is so worried as there was no telling of what was wrong, only that the two had to come back as quickly as possible.
Harry rides on horseback along with guards and Charlie Brandon, his best friend. Alexandra shares his horse, sitting behind him. Her arms are wrapped tightly around his waist and her cheek pressed against his shoulder as they continue to move down the road.
They are stopped though, when they see three figures standing a few yards in front of them, blocking the road.
Harry and Alexandra recognize Catherine right away. They are quick to dismount their horse, confused at why Catherine is here.
Once they have stepped off their horse, Catherine drops to her knees along with Oviedo and Lina. She is quiet for a moment before she says, "God save the king."
"What is this?" Alexandra wonders as she looks to Harry, who stands close to her side.
"Your father passed into God's mercy, Your Graces," Catherine explains.
The news hits Alexandra like a ton of bricks as everyone but quickly collects herself. She looks over at Harry with wide eyes, bowing her head and muttering the words 'God save the king.'
Harry doesn't seem to notice everyone's bowing, only noticing how Alexandra suddenly grips his arm to steady herself.
"Harry, he's gone," Alexandra whispers, a single tear falling down her cheek, "Our father is gone."
Harry notices how she starts to sway, quickly pulling her into his arms as he holds her closer to him. Alexandra breaks out into tears as Harry starts to sooth her. He holds her head to his chest as he stands in shock himself.
"Charlie," he says suddenly. He continues to hold Alexandra close, not even noticing Catherine at the moment, much to her dismay, "Wine. Please."
