-𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙-
It's the year 1466 and King Edward IV is on the throne of England. His wife and Queen ,Elizabeth Woodville, has just given birth to her first daughter ,Lizzie, but not all is w...
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"So, is anyone in possession of any information that may tell us of the whereabouts of the traitors? Specifically our 'dear friend' Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham?." Richard asked, looking at the small group of trusted nobles which were huddled around the small council chamber table.
They all looked at one another then Robert Brackenbury spoke up, "It is said, your grace, that he intends to cross the Welsh boarder to meet with Tudor. Even as we speak, the bastard is readying his mongrel army and is preparing to set sail from Brittany." "We can't let that happen, Richard" Marian stated, looking up at her husband who nodded in agreement
"No...no we can't...I must send out a call to arms across the country" he looked to the other men "I hope I can rely on you to support me?" "Of course you can, Richard" Francis asserted "We will follow you into hell and back if need be, right lads?" "Right" the others (including Marian and Anne) chorused.
Richard nodded to them, muttering his thanks before putting forward his plan. "It is my intention" he said, spreading out a map of England, Scotland and Wales out onto the table, "that we should reach the boarder before Buckingham and cut him off. He has already had a good head start and for us to catch up to him it may mean that we will need to push our forces and ourselves to the limit of human endurance for a time. But, if that is what it takes for us to scotch this snake's nest then that is exactly what we will do!" He paused for breath, momentarily looking up to the ceiling "Rob, I want you to issue the call to arms right now and Francis and Robert, I want you to arrange checkpoints where different factions of our forces can join until we are a full army. Can you do that?"
Both Rob, Francis and Brackenbury nodded and then practically ran from the room in their haste to do as their King commanded. Next, Richard turned to Stanley "Thomas, I want you to go home and keep an eye on your wife, inform her that until further notice she is under the strictest house arrest. She is to write no letters and to receive no visitors no matter who they are. Is that clear?"
"Yes, your grace" Stanley answered and Richard nodded "Good. Now, when you have made sure that all the necessary arrangements for your wife's arrest have been put firmly into place, gather your men and meet the army at one of the assigned checkpoints. You will have a list of them by tonight" Lord Thomas nodded and bowed, striding from the room "Now, Anne" Richard said "I know that this may not please you as I know how much you do love Francis and want to remain by his side, but I would like you to go to Windsor and help to run the court while Marian and I are away. I am sure that you shall do a fine job" Anne curtsied and then left the chamber leaving Marian and Richard alone.
"So I really am to go with you?" She asked "I very much doubt that I could stop you" he replied, moving to the window and pouring a goblet of wine, drinking it in one large gulp "we will leave for the border tomorrow, be ready" he set the goblet back down and moved past Marian but just as he was about to leave she called after him.
